You have a humming dodo bird," I said stupidly.

“Why are they so sad?” I asked.“Well, they’re dead,” Carter speculated.”

“I kept climbing--past another telkhine, who was so startled he dropped his Lil'…”

“Yes!" Narissus unslung his bow and grabbed an arrow from his dusty quiver. "The…”

“Deadlines just aren't real to me until I'm staring one in the face.”