A Mirrored Standoff

I descended from the high perimeter onto the slick expanse of the low glass table. Beneath my claws, another form immediately rose to meet me. My left head hissed low, preparing to shatter the transparent challenger, while my right tilted curiously, tracing each matching golden scale. The center head remained rigid, forcing a pause. I shifted my weight forward. The stranger mirrored the advance with identical precision. Reaching down, my central snout pressed against the smooth, cold barrier, leaving a small circle of vapor against its snout. No strike came. We had not conquered an enemy; we had merely met our own reflection.