"All right. Thanks."

"Mm-hm." He follows the strangers. They're going the same direction Segda went.

She should go find Segda, so she heads that way too.

It looks like the strangers might be looking for it too.

Well, they don't get to murder Segda just because there's something super wrong with them. 

Segda is not easy to find. The strangers seem to give up eventually and strike off down a side street.

Iris keeps looking.

Eventually Segda drops onto her out of a rafter in an overhang and clings to her back.

Pat. "Hey. Let's go home, okay?"

"Mmhm."

"I'm not going to let strangers hurt you."

"They almost found me."

Pat pat. "And I was there and I'd have said you were mine because you are and I'd have stopped them if they tried to hurt you anyway."

Chirr.

"What's that mean?"

"Dunno." Cling.

She buys them some food on their way back home.

Segda is not too stressed out to eat.

Oh good. Segda can sleep in the bed if it doesn't mind sharing it.

It does not mind, at least not enough to try to kick Iris out.

Well. Fantastic. 

"Wish I'd picked more useful spells," she tells sleeping Segda. "Didn't think I'd be stuck with them forever."

It snores a little in its sleep, little whuffly noises.

Iris eventually falls asleep too.

The morning is an ordinary morning but when they go to leave the house there are five strangers standing outside the door.

Iris reaches for Segda.