[Calaethis Dragonsbane]

“Well... this is different,” Tod - Dot stuck her arm out and stared at it.
“You're shimmering.” Asokil eyed her, “Like crystal.”
“So are you.” Tod flexed, then rolled up her sleeve, pondering, “I think it's pretty.”
“If you say so,” Asokil commented with a shrug, “Seems somewhat pointless, to me.”
“Hush. You men are all the same. Hmm... I think... this deserves a new name. 'Starfury'. What do you think? Or, you can be 'Starfury' and I'll be 'Starfire'.”
The man shook his head, exasperation painted clearly on his face.
“Yeah, 'Starfury' suits you more, I think. So, what now, Starfury?”
“Call me that again, and you'll be off my horse.”
“Don't be like that; us 'Startouched' have to stick together. Okay, okay. No more Starfury. Sheesh. Starfury Asokil, then? Eek - wait, no! I'm sorry! Don't - please don't push me off.”
He didn't loosen his grip on her arm, “Well?”
“I'll be good, honest. Promise.”
“You'd better not bring this up again.”
“Shall I call you 'daddy' too? Ah! Wait; please -”
“Be silent, girl. I'm trying to focus.”
“Oh. Okay. I'll try too!” After a moment, Tod asked, “Um... is it working?”
“It's hard enough meditating on a horse without you prodding me. Enough, or you're off.”
“You'll... leave me behind?” Crestfallen, she pulled away, no longer leaning on him.
“No; I'll make you walk.”
“Oh. All right. So, uh, us Startouched do stick together?”
“One.”
“Sorry!”

He fixed her with a long look, then closed his eyes. He began to glow; a lingering golden hue, tinged with eerie green, fading after a moment.

“Oh wow, what was that?”
“Whatever this is, I don't know what it does. I can't harness it. It's there, near the depths of where my magic should be, but... it's different, somehow. My magic's gone; changed. It may still be in there, it may not be. I don't know. It may be it's taken form through us. I can't focus hard enough, or long enough to concentrate on it. I feel shaken, nauseous when I try.”
“Oh. Good thing you've got your spear, then.”
“I can feel you, girl.”
“Well, I am sitting next to you! I'm leaning on your shoulder!”
“Fool girl; I mean in here.” He tapped his head, “When I summon the magic. I can feel you, and the horse.”
“Oh. Can you feel anyone else?”
“I haven't had a chance to try; someone keeps distracting me.”
“Sorry. Oh! Oh! Maybe you should try focusing on that girl, what was her name? Isikie?”
“Isokla.” he corrected dryly, “And maybe I should, but first, perhaps it would be best if we stopped conversing and found the others?”
“I s'pose. Oh! I want to go skinny dipping in the lake! It's got all sorts of swirling colours; it looks like us. Do you think it'd help? I know we're wearing clothes and they got affected too, but maybe it'd amp-amplify an' en- enhance the magic, or something! Worth a try?”
Asokil rolled his eyes. “Fine, but I'm not taking my clothes off.”
“Aww, you're no fun!”

Expertly ignoring her, he wheeled his horse around to look for the others. Wherever they might be. He needed a drink.