Chapter 6-3

What disturbed him more were the signs of looting. Whether it had been done by soldiers or citizens taking advantage of the chaos, he knew not, but in either case the thought that any would so take advantage of misfortune brought an involuntary shudder to the Warder as he thought of it. Worse still were the thoughts of what else had likely occurred in the shadows here. Men called dragons monsters, and well did they do so in some cases, but what they did to one another at times was hardly better.

Garkhen shook off his pensive mood as they approached what he assumed was a temporary, if not their final, destination. Again they halted while the officers spoke. The half-dragon looked about him as they waited, and noted a small, crude doll lying on the ground near his feet. It was odd to see it here—the road they had marched on had obviously been cleared. He stepped over and picked it up. Closer inspection revealed it did not seem as dirty and damaged as he would have thought had it been lying there for long. 

A soft sound drew his attention, and he turned his head just in time to see a small figure dart around a corner. Garkhen saw only enough to make out an expression of shock on the young girl's face before she was out of sight. He started to step towards the alley, raising the doll and opening his mouth to explain, then stopped. It was too late, and he must look a monster to a young human child, with his draconic head, blue scales, and thick tail, compounded by the bulk of his armor. Dejectedly he lowered his hand, still grasping the doll. 

“You saw her, too?” The squad sergeant, Sergeant Gerim, murmured. Garkhen was surprised by the note of understanding in his voice. “She's probably an orphan now.”

“I must have appeared to be a monster to her,” Garkhen replied softly.

“We all do,” was Sgt. Gerim's reply. “After what she's probably seen soldiers do, I don't think she'd have acted much different if any of us had looked over at her.”

Garkhen nodded, but shouted orders stopped their brief conversation, and soon they were on the march again.

****

Garkhen hadn't really had to think about how he looks to 'normal' people before this point.