The first animal to appear was a huge black Labrador with bullet-proof armor over its head and chest. The pink tongue lolled out over the ivory fangs for just an instant, then it launched itself at the troll. The reflexes as well as the distance of the dog’s jump let Skater know it was razored. It streaked for Elvis’s throat at once, almost too fast for the troll to counter. The snap blades crashed against the dog’s skull plate with enough force to shoot sparks, and the dog sank its fangs into Elvis’s shoulder instead of ripping out his throat.