Athgar stood at the rail, watching the shore pass by slowly as the Swift made its way inexorably southwest. Rocky cliffs towered over them, dwarfing the ship, but the Therengian was more interested in the swarm of birds that appeared to favour the area. They nested on the cliffs, that much was quite evident, but occasionally they would sail out over the water, carried on currents of air invisible to the eye. He watched one coast overhead as it made a gentle arc, then returned shoreward, its head craning down as it watched the water below. Suddenly, it folded its wings, plunging down through the air to dive into the water, emerging a moment later with a fish in its mouth.
He felt a soft hand placed over his on the railing and turned his eyes to see Natalia. She smiled as their eyes met, se
