He didn't even realise that the creature had dropped on Keegan until it had its teeth were embedded in the boy's arm.

In a moment too swift to repeat as a conscious act, Ciaran pulled his wand from down the side of his boot and threw a stinging hex at the creature. His attempts at petrification were...still not accurate enough to try on something that close to a human being, especially when said human being was partially attached to the something in question.

The creature let go of Keegan's arm and whirled around, focusing all of its attention on Ciaran. Shit.

He made a grab for underneath the animal's mouth so that it couldn't bite him, but its shape was so flimsy that it simply folded up on itself, bringing his fingers closer to its teeth. It didn't seem picky about which part it bit into, but it certainly seemed to want the face and neck area over anywhere else.

Ciaran wrapped his hands around the edges of what he assumed were its wings to try and keep his flesh attached to him and not the creature.

This had been a lot easier in his head.