WRAPPED SNUGLY IN A KNITTED blanket, Rirae cooed from where she sat safe in a sling that crisscrossed her father's broad chest. They'd strapped her facing outwards so she could kick her legs and Citaan giggled as the baby had a sudden active spell, tucking her knees up with her feet close to her backside then thrusting them down, repeating the whole motion several times in a row fast.

'I think she's enjoying that,' Citaan said to Gredel, smiling at her little girl. 'Are you ...