I pulled the handle at the door’s base, and was onto the G?ren’s porch.  By now the suns had emerged from behind the buttes, shining right into my face.  My frills folded over my eyes blocking the light.  Though I couldn’t see, an aroma of the nuts and feathers lighted on my tongue and wings were flapping.


    Minnow?”


    annoying, yes. Slicktongue spent a longer time thinking than Citrusface yet he didn’t even lick Slicktongue’s words.  So annoying.”


    She could be useful when dealing with the Frinan administration.  I scratched my headband, and looked away, not up.  “So um, what’s it like to know what everyone’s thinking?”


    owe him.  It feels like…”


    was a little weird.”


    As I was saying, sky-dwellers are suspicious because you had to do something to get exiled from the sky, maybe something illegal.”


    sound that shredded my frills!  I yelled, and my wings and forelegs flew up to cover my frills.


    loud!  Please don’t do that again.”


    I helped her to the ground. She should show thanks.”


    Thank you, Versta.  Let me replay the favor.”  I grabbed the rock I fell on and yank it out of the ground.  It flew from my foot at the purple parrot.  He dropped from the branch just in time.  Oh well.


    * * *