made extraordinary progress with the recently borrowed bird.”

    Speckarin thought about this new ilon. Diliani says it’s called a crane. What an unusual creature, huge compared to our ravens, themselves among the largest birds in the home forest. Chuckling, he thought about her habits, her head, and how she slept.

    Nine days earlier, he and three Shillitoe elders had approached the Shillirons. He described the travelers’ mission and asked to borrow one of the tribe’s esteemed birds. The Shilliron council considered the request carefully, but refused. Queen Lanara then traveled from her cave for the first time in years, and in the Shillirons’ council chamber made the case that Runagar would be vital to the mission. Her arguments, or presence, thou...

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