There was another flash of green from under the surface of the water where he'd entered it, and when he came up a moment later, it was in the shape of a black elephant, with little flames still trailing along his skull and trunk. He treaded water for an instant before a noise broke the otherwise quiet--someone was clapping.

He looked up at a small bridge that spanned the canal, and saw two figures standing at the railing, applauding him politely. They were both wearing smooth white vaguely skull-like masks. One of them, who also had their head covered completely by a pink scarf, leaned forward on one elbow.

"Bravo!" they said, cheerfully. Teige took the cue and shifted back into the form of a seal, half-hoisting himself out of the water to spread his flippers in a mock-grand gesture.

"Ta-dah!"

The one with the head scarf laughed.

Teige finally exited the water in the form of a horse, onto a small stone landing, his mane plastered over his eyes.

"Nice evening for a swim, huh?" The two masked people had come down to meet him.

"Not bad, not bad," Teige replied pleasantly. "Feels like summer might be on its way after all. You two the du Cuppra on watch tonight, then?"

"Oh, you know about us?" the one with the head scarf asked.

"Natch." Teige tossed his head to get his mane out of his face, and then sank back into his natural form, one eye blazing white through his damp hair. "One of you lot passed me a leaflet the instant I got to Aetheri. And I'm out here when I can't sleep some nights--I've seen the other du Cuppra that usually haunt this neighborhood."