Gurrank was very skittish threading through the flagstones of the dead. Neblae urged her Garundal forward, to have him balk and take a different route. She was growing frustrated, as the daylight grew short. Finally he just stopped completely. She kicked him gently with her heels and went, "Hyah! Geyup! What is your problem?" She scanned the trees and ground for danger. She saw it. A shadow amongst the long shadows up in the foliage of a short ,squat tree. She couldn't make out what it was. Off to her right suddenly was a whistling, whoosh sound from Trashtown. She glanced over to see a missle launch from a roof-top and fly off toward one of the Flying Cities. It hit something with a bright flash, followedf by the sound of thunder. "Stupid humans! Always trying to blow each other up! Almost extinct, and they want to hurry up death. Sad." She muttered to Garruank and patted him, trying to calm him down. A loud , "Awwwwrrrrrkkkkk-k-k-k", sounded from the tree in front of them. A long pointed head came out to glare at her and her Gaundal. It was the biggest Treefisher she ever saw. It was easily the size of a human or just bigger. Treefishers were arboreal amphibians with six arms. They had long claws and needle-pointed teeth perfect for catching fish, birds, or even digging for stag-crab larvae. They'd eat eggs, small animals, fish, or monkeys if they can catch them. Typically they'd climb through the trees during the morning, hunting. Then they'd sleep the afternoon away and fish all night. The explosion woke this one early. Gurrank flapped his short, flightless wings to make him look bigger and growled loudly at the Treefisher. The Garundel hopped around and backed up, almost spilling Neblae. A bright light and roar came from above, scaring all below it. The Treefisher leaped out of the tree and hopped quickly toward the river. Neblae squeezed Garrank with her knees and pulled back on the reins til she could practically look into his eyes. He finally sank to the ground, meeping loudly like a new-born and folded his wings. Neblae watched the firey object fly by to strike the dead tree to her right and bounce to a smoky halt against the base of the giant cone-flower tree, blocks away. There was a loud bang and the canopy blew off to land a hundred feet away. She was so angry and frightened, she was ready to strike down the human who'd emerge. A small figure in white crawled out and lay in the grass. It was a TROW. A female from the look of it. Just like she. She'd never heard of any such a thing. She wanted to know how one like she could fly. Also where Neblae could get a Trow Flying Machine. They had to be more dependable, and exciting than a baulky Garundel. She kicked Garrank in the side with her heels and said loudly, "C'mon, stupid! We have someone to meet! A flier, no less!" Media is Vue 5 easel