{W-3-B}

You settle in for the long bus ride, and gaze out the window at the passing scenery. At first there are colorful neighborhoods and green farmlands, followed by wooded hills and mountains. Eventually, the landscape shifts past cattle pastures and open scrubland with tough spiny grasses growing in tufts.

“That’s called spinifex,” Winston explains. “Not much else can survive in the desert, you know!”

The monotony of the open highway is broken suddenly by the sight of big red kangaroos moving in leaps and bounds as if racing your bus, and you excitedly point them out to Winston. As you watch the hills pass by in the distance, the warm desert colors and the sound of the bus rolling along eventually lull you to sleep.

You suddenly wake up from a pain on your shoulder. Winston’s talons prick your skin as he tenses them. You almost push him off of your shoulder, but you stop yourself when you see the fear in his eyes.

“What’s wrong, Winston?” you ask.

“It’s the Magician”, Winston informs you. “He just got on the bus!”

Glancing in the direction Winston indicates, you see a darkly handsome man dressed in oddly formal attire, as if he is going out for the evening instead of getting on a bus. He settles into an empty seat a few rows back in the front of the bus. Winston jumps down to the floor, fluffs up his feathers and raises his crest anxiously.

“I don’t think he saw me,” Winston whispers.

You say:

“I think you’re right. Stay down there and hide.” {W-4-D}

“We need to get out of here, NOW! We can go out the back.”{W-4-C}