The black flames curled around my fingertips, leaping eagerly toward the fools attempting to challenge me.
Their cries satisfying as they might be soon grew tiresome, a hollow distraction that paled against the nagging irritation growing within me. With one final swipe of my hand, the black fire expanded, sweeping them into a consuming heat that left no trace in its wake.
They were neither worth my time nor my energy, yet here I was, dealing with them while my mind wandered elsewhere.
Where was that fox? I'd woken up to find him gone, his space cold and empty, a flicker of annoyance already tugging at me. He often wandered, yes, but he rarely disappeared without a trace for this long.
That little fox was the closest thing I had to a companion, though I'd never admit it aloud. It would be nice if the stubborn creature considered my time valuable enough not to waste.