The beak missed. Maybe it was the wind, or Leaper's attempts to swim in the air actually moved him. Perhaps it was luck. He bounced off the beak and dropped past the heron's eye, for a moment Leaper lay on the great bird's back. As it swung its head around to find him, Leaper rolled off and splashed into the water. The water was shallow, but the mud was soft and he buried himself deep. The shudder of the bird's feet landing shook the mud right beside him.

Leaper lay still. His leg ...