"The trap is closing on us," Shinobu said angrily, gesturing. "Can't you see it? Every year, there are more humans. More weapons, more whispers of war. We are running out of places to hide, Michi."

The dog got up and stretched; neither it nor the browsing chickens seemed particularly disturbed by the raised voices.

"And America is full of empty space!" Michi retorted. "All the space we could ever need! We'd never have to see another human again, if we didn't want!"

"Oh, be realistic!" Shinobu snapped. "The humans SPREAD. It's what they're BEST at. Give it another hundred years THERE, and we'd be in the same fix we're in HERE!"

"A hundred years here, or ten in Aetheri??" Michi wanted to know. "Eh? Before Cynn Rhys is killed. The INSTANT he is dead, Aetheri will put a stop to this little openness experiment of his. What then??"

Shinobu bristled, but didn't immediately answer.