The mirror had always been there.
It leaned against the wall in the hallway, tall and still, doing nothing except reflect what passed in front of it. For a long time, this was acceptable.
Then Pebble noticed it.
She stopped abruptly, feet skidding just slightly on the floor. A small dog stood in the glass, perfectly aligned, staring back with equal intensity.
Pebble barked.
The other dog barked too.
This was unacceptable.
Mohg lifted his head from where he lay nearby. He looked from Pebble to the mirror and back again. His tail moved once, slow and deliberate, like a sentence he had already finished.
Pebble advanced. The dog in the mirror advanced. Pebble jumped back. The dog did the same. Pebble barked louder, offended by the lack of originality.
She tried a different angle. The mirror adjusted instantly.
Pebble circled. The mirror followed.
Mohg remained where he was, watching the exchange with calm interest. He did not intervene. Some things, he understood, had to be worked out personally.
Pebble launched herself forward, nose nearly touching the glass, barking furiously at this rude, silent stranger.
The mirror held.
Eventually, Pebble stepped back, chest heaving, and sat down hard. The other dog did the same. Pebble narrowed her eyes.
Mohg’s tail moved once more.
The mirror survived.
Barely.
