Claudia's sigh, as she put away her book, was not entirely kind. But she folded up her book, and took the paper to examine the sketch. It was not badly done: he lacked practise but he had a fair eye. With a vampire's ability to mimic, he might yet be an artist of note.

"I have seen those, but never close," she told him, after a moment. "I am more familiar with the ground-dwelling creatures." The ones that ran on all fours, or even bipedal, once they gained enough food.