Stay with the Flock...

𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐂 & 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋𝐋-𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆; 𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝙳𝙾𝙾𝙼𝚂𝙿𝙴𝙻𝙻 𝚃𝚁𝙸𝙻𝙾𝙶𝚈, 𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝚀𝚄𝙾𝚃𝙴𝚂.

change  pronouns,  tenses  and  other  details  as  deemed  necessary. &  please  specify  muse  when  sending  to  a  mumu.

"For  every spell of  evil  there  is  a spell of  goodness  that  will  prevent  it."

"I've  no  idea  how  powerful  this spell is.  It  is  wrong  to—  want  to  use  it?"

"It  is  a spell,  but  somehow  it’s  part  of  you,  too.  I  can’t  work  out  what’s  happening." 

"I  could  force  you  to  believe  anything  I  want,  I  have  a spell for  that.  I  will  not  use  it,  but  I  am  tempted  to  do  so."

"Have  you  forgotten  the magic you  used  between  the  worlds?"

"I  put  everything  I  had  into  creating  this  one spell.  Finally  it  was  complete."

"How  do  they  battle?  What  kinds  of spell do  they  favour?"

"She  must  have  planted  a  finding spell within  him!"

"I  have  started  the  transforming spell.  You  will  soon  begin  to  look  like  me."

"I  didn’t  see  it.  She...  she...  disguised  her spell from  me."

"I’ve  got  a  particularly  nasty spell I  want  to  try  out.  It  would  be  a  pity  not  to  use  it."

"An  exceptional  evolution  of  magic.  He  must  be  unique  —  a  rogue  —  even  in  this  species."

"All  night  I  have  worked  on  the spell I  need."

"Can  you  get  rid  of  it?  It’s  a spell.  It  must  be.  Can’t  you  stop  what  it’s  doing  to  me?"

"Their  desire  to  kill  us  is  so  strong  that  they  have  forgotten  the  laws  of magic."

"You  must  concentrate  fully.  Using  real magic is  extremely  dangerous  and  requires  all  your  attention."

"Magic has  a  smell."

"There’s  a  wildness  about  your magic...  It  yearns  to  be  used."

"I  know  the  pattern  of  your magic too  well  now  for  shape-shifting  to  throw  me  off."

"Magic doesn’t  know  what  beautiful  means.  You  have  to  tell  it!"

"We  should  start  with  a  vigorous  daily  practice  routine  for  your magic."

"All  soul-snakes  start  life  at  this  size  and  strength.  Use  your magic.  As  your  talent  improves  so  will  that  of  your  snake."

"Your  spells  are  restless,  impatient. Magic isn’t  something  you  can  just  tame  like  a  pet.  Especially  your magic."

"Only  a  special  kind  of magic can  guide  you  this  way  again."

"Whatever  you  can  create  he  can  destroy,  and  it  seems  to  be  impossible  to  use  that  same spell again."

"Use  a spell,  please!  It  wasn’t  meant  to  end  like  this."

"Tell  me  how  you  blocked  my spell.  Come  on,  spit  it  out."

"These  clothes  won’t  be  enough  if  we're  flying  far.  We'll  need magic to  keep  us  warm  as  well."

"She's  wounded,  leaving  a  big  trail  of magic.  It’s,  well,  leaking  out  of  her."

"I  know  you  can  scent magic at  considerable  distances.  All  I  ask  is  that  you  help  us."

"Each spell has  its  own  unique  colour."

"Magic evolves  differently  on  all  worlds.

This  world  is  different  from  the  one  you  come  from.  There's  magic everwhere."

"I’ve  used  magic  for  so  long  that  a spell is  bound  to  slip  out  accidentally  at  some  point."

"As  your magic develops  so  your  soul-snake  will  learn  to  speak.  Then  it  will  tell  you  its  own  name."

"Of  course,  once  I  destroy  a spell that  person  can’t  use  it  again,  so  I  have  to  be  careful."

"I've  placed  a  blanketing spell around  the  house  to  prevent  any  magic  from  seeping  out."

"My magic is  stronger  than  anything  he  knows."

I  sought  out  the  scent  of  his magic to  kill  his  presence,  wherever  it  hid."

Alexander could only wonder what life had been like in Terry’s flock. They were prey animals; their entire existence revolved around vigilance, scarcity, and the constant hum of survival. But where was the line? When did that instinct stop being protection and start becoming a burden their children were forced to carry?

Alexander was an enormous creature, never good at making himself appear harmless or small. He lowered himself onto his hands and knees as he approached Terrence, a gesture that might have looked almost comical if the moment weren’t so heavy. His gentle talons rested on Terrence’s freshly shaved head. Warm, steady, and unexpectedly kind.

“Don’t talk about yourself like that, Terrence. You’re here now. You’ve got to make the best of things in the way only you can. Your way. You may not be strong or fearless, but there’s something in you that’s special.”

Alexander couldn’t sense magic with the precision Cromwell possessed, but even he could feel the faint, dull energy humming inside the taur; proof that Terrence was not just another animal or beast.

The sheep sniffed, wiping his face and nose with the back of his hand and taking a deep breath. He hated this, hated feeling so useless, so tearful and easily scared and riled up.

"I know," he admitted with a nod, he knew they worried, especially his mother, he knew they just wanted what was best for him... But he just couldn't be what they wanted him to be.

The initial fear was always there, flickering behind Lenny’s eyes, but Alexander could see the taur was still determined to flirt with him. He wondered if Lenny truly understood what he was inviting. Would he be able to stomach watching the beast tear into meat, rip it apart, teeth and talons slick with blood?

Probably not.

Maybe it was bravado , something Alexander would eventually have to break. His coy smile faltered only slightly as Lenny listed the punishments that could befall Terry. One in particular made Alexander’s expression darken: being sent to bed without supper. How was Terrence supposed to grow strong if he was denied nourishment?

Alexander’s gaze dropped to Larry, a slow, heavy leer. Terrence needed support, and from what he’d heard, Larry offered none. He understood the instinct to protect from a father’s point of view , but clearly something in this family was failing.

Alexander’s massive tail swept down behind Larry and shoved him forward, forcing him almost uncomfortably close to the king’s looming form.

“Be nicer to your brother. And go find him. Terrence tries his best,” Alexander rumbled, the warning threaded plainly through his voice.

He flicked one talon outward like a switchblade, tilting the sharp tip beneath Larry’s throat. His smile feral.

There was a mix of terror and being heavily flustered on Lenny's face as the tail swept up from behind him, tugging him closer to the dangerous stranger. The taur's face was red, eyes wide and mouth buttoned shut, staring hard at those large fangs that glowered down at him.

A swallow when the talon touched his throat. He wasn't sure whether or not to be scared or turned on right now. Oh Akun.

"I-Its... Lenny...." He corrected, though he wondered if that even mattered now, Alexander could call him whatever the hell he wanted.