together in front of them or rose above their heads
towards the canyon, in an unholy salute to all Problem-
Solver found sacred. The human at the front continued
to speak, but now his words were punctuated by the
music of a guitar and the occasional cries of the crowd.
Behind him the people looking into the black funnels
began speaking in rapid succession, describing the
happenings at the rim.
The young child at the back span in circles while
her adults cried out to their god. The older sibling
imitated the other adults around him wanting to prove
he was grown up too. In doing so, he left the youngest
one to her own devices. All of the other adults around
her were busy with their own pursuits. Even the rangers
had settled back a little ways from the crowd, sipping on
their own steaming cups and whispering back and forth.
Everyone was in their own little world, including the
child.
Problem-Solver would not let the child go
unsupervised for long. She cawed at the boys beside her,
informing them of her plan and the part they would play in
it. Swift and Acrobat clicked their claws and took off from
the rock, heading out over the side of the canyon to
complete their quest. They would play a vital part in the
Agreement.
Once they had left, Problem-Solver turned her
attention back to the child. Spreading her wings, she lifted
herself up off of the rock and landed down a few feet from
the little one. Cocking her head, she cawed coyly at the
infant. The child turned her attention towards Problem-
Solver and made a high-pitched squeal of delight. Her eyes
were a sparkling brown and her dimpled cheeks were
ruddy like the canyon walls. Her short black hair
8