"Here, Grumby-Grumby."

An hour later, Koen revised his judgment. Confession would be stupid, but wandering around for an hour in the dark woods was stupider. He was chasing an animal that he'd tried to put in the shower. Of course Mr. Grumbles would hide from him. He was probably chasing the ape-man further into the forest.

Koen leaned against a tree, looking down at the translator in his hand. It wasn't smart to hesitate to make this call, either. The sooner the better. Mr. Grumbles would hide from Koen, but he would run toward General Graa with his arms outstretched, a relieved smile on his face and tears in his eyes.

Koen sniffed and berated himself again. It would be so much easier if he could call the Pick after he'd found his pet. Then he could be Koen the hero. You're welcome, Your Excellency. Yes, it is good he's safe, isn't it? You'll still ride on my shoulder sometimes, won't you?

But that wasn't going to happen. Koen pressed his rain-coated back against the prickly bark of the jellyfish-tree and tried to make his brain come up with a story to tell General Graa. Nothing continued to occur to him.

Night creatures began to call from the undergrowth. A soft hush from the canopy above announced the withdrawal of hundreds of thousands of leaves into their sheathes. It would be another long, sleepless night, and Koen was already so tired. He wished he could ask for help, but it was Laura and Mark who were depending on him. Koen was the only one who could do this, and he couldn't abandon them. Just vanish without warning.

Koen rubbed his chest, a pained look on his face. Call Graa.

Night lowered like a lid over the trees, and things rustled and scritched as if trying to escape the darkness. Koen found himself thinking about the Greaves. Those big eyes would do a better job than his at finding Mr. Grumbles. Their noses were probably better, too. Or Fling. Not that he'd want to be in the woods at night with her jaguar, but Fling would…Fling would say…Koen knew what Fling would say. He looked down at his translator and wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve.

Damn it. Practice doing the right thing until you no longer have to think about it.

"Human Koen," came the voice the translators had chosen for Graa. "I'm glad. You could not sleep alone after all."

"No," said Koen. "That is, yes."

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"I will fly to pick you up. I will carry you from the embassy and carry you like treasure to my kennel."

Koen brought his hands up to his shoulder, as if to seize control of a bird. "Wait. I'm not at the Embassy. I'm in the forest."

Confused kek-kekking over the translator. "I'm surprised. Why?"

Koen breathed like a baby. Fling would tell him to be courageous.

"I'm looking for Mr. Grumbles. I think." His belly expanded. "I think if you're here with me, we can find him."

"Why?" Graa asked again. "I have already searched the forest thoroughly. Do you have new information? I am eager."

What could Koen tell him? His mind was still a froth of guilt and self-pity. "Yes. New information."

"Be more specific. I am dominant."

Fling would say take the leap. Koen opened his mouth and let words come out.

"It came to me in a dream."

He slapped his own face, furious with the brain that had so completely failed him.

But chirrups came from the translator. "I am thrilled! The prophesy has come to pass! I am flying to you now. Ahoy! Ahoy!"

The caws echoed off the trees and frightened the wildlife. Koen hurriedly reached up and grabbed his translator.

The Pick's silent flier arrived and departed without Koen's notice. To him, it was as if General Graa dropped out of the darkness, flapping and cawing, and entirely nude.

"Ahoy! Ahoy!" The bird hit Koen's outstretched arm in a storm of beating wings and scrabbling talons.

I deserve this pain, he thought, and then felt stupid for thinking it. Was he going to punish himself for doing the right thing? What would happen next time then, that he was called upon? Would Koen bite his lip and quiver, or would he answer the call?

"Gong!" cawed the Pick. "Gong gong!"

The "where are you" call spread from where man and bird stood, waves of sound folding over trunks and vanishing between leaves.

They listened, faces upraised. Something droned like tiny bagpipes in the canopy. Something else peeped. Light from the sun streamed through space, reflected off the moon, filtered through the atmosphere of this version of earth, and glimmered in the eyes of the two sophonts.

I'm glad I'm here, Koen decided to tell himself. Good boy.

"I am disappointed," said Graa. "He is not within earshot. Go that way." He leaned forward and flicked his right wing.

Koen walked forward and to the left.