" Across the lagoon the walls were bare and sheer and Garth could see a hollow of sand that disappeared under the walls into a shallow natural cave." Across the lagoon the walls were bare and sheer and Garth could see a hollow of sand that disappeared under the walls into a shallow natural cave. As his eyes traced around the rim of the crater, he found the crack that led to the ocean, providing an drain for the water that collected in the lagoon. Nobody was immediately visible except his three friends and then a voice overhead shouted "Nickolai!" Garth's head snapped to see who was shouting and saw a Felinzi, the Pendorian "housecat" variant (and, Garth thought sourly, far more "successful" at being both feline and humanoid than Katckins would ever be) leap off the edge of the castle. Horrified and convinced that the Felinzi was risking death, Garth was stunned when he fell to the ground in a completely controlled fashion after falling maybe 30 or 40 meters, rolled forward, and stood up. "Ta-dah!" "Skii!" Nickolai said, running forward and grabbing the Felinzi about the shoulders. "It's good to see you!" "And you, Nickolai," Skii replied, grinning crazily. "How have you been?" "Oh, you know," Nickolai replied. |