Kindle turned from the proceedings once more as the speaker stepped down from his pulpit. She leaned against the railing, taking deep breaths of sea air to quell the impatience that threatened to rise within her. As long as she kept her mind focused on the present, and the world around her, Kindle’s emotions would stay carefully in check, along with her magic. As always, she could feel the well of power that was her inner fire. When the red head was younger, she had found it frightening, but that was two hundred years ago. Today, the feel of the fire was familiar and reassuring.<br/><br/>Pensively, Kindle eyed the deck of the great ship. The sailors seemed to move with greater urgency now that the speech was over, and the fire mage guessed that meant they were nearing their deadline. This improved her humor greatly, as it likely meant that the Bandersnatch would soon be on its way to the great unknown.<br/><br/>Then, suddenly, Kindle spotted a small girl walking slowly, dream-like across the deck. Her expression was absent, as if she looked inward rather than at her surroundings, and yet the girl paused often as if to avoid the activity aboard the ship. Not a single sailor changed course to avoid her or stumbled over the girl as she made her way, meandering, across the deck. It was almost as if she knew where the sailors were going to be before they were there. Kindle watched closely, entranced by the spectacle, although she had never had the patience for dealing with children.<br/><br/>The girl was waif thin and dressed simply in a plain white dress and colorful, mismatched socks. The socks were such a contrast to the girl’s solemn countenance and hypnotic, fluid movements, that Kindle almost laughed at the irony. It was the girl’s eyes that stopped the red head, making the smile fade from her lips. As the waif approached, Kindle could see a thin white discoloration of the pupils, almost like the green patina on copper that had been left to the elements. The fire mage shivered, disconcerted, but not afraid. The girl was but a few feet away now.<br/><br/>Then, the child tripped. She had moved so fluidly up to this point that Kindle was slightly caught off guard. The little girl seemed to hang suspended as the woman darted forward and caught hold of her thin little arm, righting the girl as if she weighed nothing. Kindle knew herself to be strong and fast, but it was like the girl was more wisp than skin and bones. Were all children so light?<br/><br/>Kneeling, Kindle looked into the girl’s eyes, her small features still passive. “Who are you?” she asked, and the words came out less gentle than she had intended. What place did children have on an expedition like this one anyway?