‘’Of course, . . .’’ retorts Azarr, mocking me.
“However, you can dispose of the male humans as you wish!” I add humorously.
Zull and Lokk have finished their crossbow training and choose their blades to start their sword training. Azarr and I do the same and we join them.
***
In the afternoon, I go to look for Sarah who talks with little Loony and her mom. I hear Loony sorry for the absence of her babakotia, gone a few days in the forest with her family.
“I wanted so much to introduce you to him,” she says disappointed.
“That's okay,” Sarah replies, “I'll see one eventually. And then you'll introduce me to it the next time I come back here, right?” she adds with a questioning look.
Oh great! How to answer negatively to this woman with such pure eyes, or to this adorable little girl, without looking like a boor? Because let's face it, if I often go to the other territories to discuss current affairs with my counterparts, I'm not at all tempted to bring Sarah back there, with all the warmongers who are just waiting for that, like this Udill.
“Yes, of course,” I hear myself answer.
That's it! Exactly as I always thought. The Union Link makes you weak! And I haven't even accepted it yet!
“Sarah, come on, I'll take you for a ride if you want.”
“Oh yes!” she replies enthusiastically. “See you later, Loony.”
“I'll see you tomorrow then because I'm too small to attend the last meal. You'll say goodbye to me before you leave, right?”
“Yes,” she promises.
Sarah gets up and comes to be lodged naturally in my arms. I lift her and tip her over so that she can enjoy the view. With a powerful stroke of my wings, I lift us high, then dive directly into the canyon.
She clutches me as if her life depended on it and lets out a cry of agony. She risks nothing, I won't let her go. I stop our fall a few centimeters above the surface of the sapphire waters that line the bottom of the bluish gorge.
Sarah has stopped screaming and is admiring the view from the bottom of the canyon in amazement. I try to see with her eyes, this landscape that I have known for many years. Indeed, it is not bad, all this blue. I hope that she will also appreciate my territory, very different from this one . . .
She looks up at me.
“It's wonderful. Again!” she whispers to me.
I understand that she is asking me for another dive in the gorge. My heart tightens; despite the fear she had, she has enough confidence in me to do it again.
With a big smile, I lift us well above the plateau and dive back into a downward spiral. I know, it's a show-off, but I can't help it.
She screams again. When I stop us at the water level, she bursts out laughing this time.
“Are you having fun?”laughs Lokk.“Nice dive, beautifully executed. But it was worth it, looks like the beautiful one enjoyed it.”
“But when will you leave us alone?”I'm getting annoyed.
“Yes, boss! I'm going to give Zull a good talking-to on the training ground right now. Call me if you need me.”
I then take Sarah to fly over the surrounding forest. She is amazed by everything. From the brightly colored flowers to the colorful birds.
‘’I know. . .’’ she says, suddenly inspired. ‘’I have the song that fits all of this. It's a David Lee Roth song[6]called ‘Paradise’.’’
And she begins to sing words that I don't understand, but that I like very much.
Girl, hang on tight and don't let go
This must be just like livin' in paradise
