#fenixtj

"I was a bird" he nods "I am a shape shifter, a skin changer, not a natural one , for that is the domain of Pooka and Selkies, but I did learn something of the way to do it"

A longing sigh. "It must be nice to be a bird, but I am too heavy to fly. But if you need to carry a cart up a mountain trail, let's see a bird do that. And I will then have all my books when I get there."

"AND a picnic lunch for my amigas." A smile to Ellie and Ariel.

"I wonder if there could be a donkey pegasus?"

"There might be" A nod "No doubt smarter and more enduring than the regular winged horse"

"That is silly, Princesca. A Pegasa is beautiful. Donkeys are strong, but not majestic." A nod.

"Plus, it is silly to have extra limbs that only are for flying. Now, the centauro - they can run and READ at the same time." A grin.

"Oh, muy importante, si."

"I suspect you ladies have decided to over see my healing and I am expected to pay you in books, and stories and such, though really CAspian IS a better teller. Mmmm have any of you been to the islands of the Atlantic?"

"No" Ariel says eager

"I wonder if Neema has?"

"Maybe Neema. I've hardly been anywhere..."

"If you could be a bird you could go anywhere."

"I would miss you if you flew off though." A sniff. "Maybe."

"If you like, and if we can do it where the cats aren't.. I can change us all into birds some time later when I heal up" JOnas offers

Eyes WIDE.

Ariel gasps "We.. you can do that?"

"You hear that, Ramona? No eating Princesca pájara!"

A finger scolding at the kitten.

"Yes, we do need to be careful of cats.. and time limits. If I do this, there will be rules. .otherwise the spell might end while you're very high" He says

"Ooo..."

"Are there any purple birds?"

"There is a book about birds I saw, it is on the third shelf to the left, and seven over, 4th rack, with a blue spine."

Then pondering. "Or was it the seventh shelf, and third rack? I always go back to find a book and end up with a different one."

"Oh, oh, oh, have you seen the sword in the stone?"

"The Violet-backed Starling Purple Grenadier, the Purple Martin, Purple Gallinule, the Varied Bunting, the Purple Honeycreeper, the Violet Crowned Woodnymph, and the Splendid Sunbird come to mind.. but there are more"

"Merlin turns Wart into a bird!

"I've read the book" he says with a nod

"There's a book?"

"By T.H. White" He nods

She nods, and gives Jonas a rather admiring glance, before looking away. "Si, I can show you later..."

"About the islands in the atlantic?" The satyr pushes. Birds are nice but...

"oh yes, I did some work in the peace corps and.." He talks about some of the island cultures

"We'll have to read that one next."

Ariel sighs happily, perhaps having a bit of a crush herself, but for different reasons. He's been to so many places

"Senor Jonas, you will tell me the books we should read and I will share them with my amigas. They are very busy so I need to read things first and find the best parts."

"Salma is a very good friend."

A brow, then "I suppose if that's the system here I should abide by it. It's only mannerly. Though I may have to come back sometime. Siv will be returning to Earth Runes no doubt"

"Oh? Quien es 'Siv'"?

"She should remember that you can see dark things but still find happy things."

"Siv es mi novia. Ella es valiente y temeraria." Jonas says

A sigh. They ALWAYS have a lady. A brave and lovely and dashing one. Oh well, it is nice to think ABOUT Romance, just as nice as having one, without the messy bits in fact.

"Brave... fearless... new?"

"No, that's nuevo...."

"Siv is his lady." Salma nods.

"Oh! Of course!"

"Tu español es muy bueno." She compliments Jonas.

"Gracias. Eres muy amable de decir, pero me preocupa que mi acento se vea." He says

"Argh, too fast" Ariel says

"I learn most things from a book, so I do not mind if you learned my language from one." She gives him a grin. "Not everyone has amigas and Cabelleros to teach them like Ariel and the Princesca."