Morgan had been murmuring the story. "That was your father?" he said.
"Yes. We came here. He died just a little while ago."
Morgan drew in his breath. "And now you're living alone here on Titan?"
"Alone? Why—"
He heard the flapping wings this time. Startled, his hands dropped from the girl's shoulders as he turned around. A great birdlike shape was fluttering past overhead; a blue thing like a big flamingo. A grotesque bird. Its body seemed feathered, but its huge wings were naked membrane, pointed like a bat's. Its head was round, with a little glistening skull and a great hawked nose.
"Caw—caw—coming, Nada—coming, Nada."
In that second Morgan sucked in his breath at the gruesome, chattering cry. Just a monstrous parrot? It seemed more than that. It darted down, swooping on as though it were about to attack. Then it suddenly darted up, dropped back of a nearby rock.
"Coming—help—Nada—"
Its eerie cackled words still sounded. Morgan had snatched out his flash gun. Nada was clutching at him now.
"Don't!" she murmured. "That's my friend. You—you must not."