"Okay. Um, I'm packed for a couple days, Keo, but after that can you bring me back for a change of clothes and stuff?"

"By then there should be a grownup who can go for a longer stretch," Keo says. "I've given you my dragonsong, go ahead and make sure you can sing that now." The leonine sings fifteen pretty syllables, and Keo nods. "Okay, sing that if the sun tastes wrong or something else happens that means you need to come home."

The kid nods.