"I was hoping you wouldn't say that. Okay, come on then."
He leads you down the narrow path. As you progress, you understand his reluctance; every so often a rock will slip beneath your feet and you almost fall off the edge.
"The West herd's very new," Ousaf explains. "They just had their first foal. Hopefully, we'll get a few more herds in in the future, and a wider track, but until then we're stuck playing stepping stones eighty feet above the ground."
You grimace at this less-than-pleasant image and concentrate on walking. Suddenly, your foot slips and you fall sideways, bouncing down the side of the cliff and onto something warm.
As your heart slows down again, you gradually become aware of powerful wings beating either side of you. Ousaf peers over the edge of the cliff, concern on his face, then wipes sweat from his brow.
"Man, that was close!" he says, then turns to your rescuer. "Thanks, Urandi."
The chestnut pegasus who caught you in midair whinnies softly."Urandi's the lead stallion," Ousaf says. "The youngest lead stallion we have," he adds. Urandi snorts in a good natured fashion and makes a playful lunge towards Ousaf, who dodges easily.
"I think it might be best if you fly the rest of the way," he says. "If that's okay with Urandi."
The chestnut turns his head and nuzzles you in a friendly way. You guess that means it's okay and hang onto his mane as he speeds towards the fields.
Ousaf comes along a few minutes after Urandi's landed, slightly out of breath.
"Okay...Urandi you already know," he says to you, looking around. "And somewhere around here..."
Urandi gives an almost earsplitting neigh, which is presently answered by a more melodic call as a white mare comes in to land behind you.
"Meet Jinda," Ousaf says, moving up to stroke the mare's neck. "She's something of a rebel among pegasai, abandoning her foal like this," he says, directing the next words at Jinda, who simply blinks placidly and drops her nose to the small black shape at her feet.
"Oh right," Ousaf says, not in the least apologetic. "Jinda's first filly foal; well, first foal at all, really."You bend down to stroke the foal and she shies, clearly not used to strangers.
"And the youngest," Ousaf adds upon seeing her reaction.
Urandi comes over to nuzzle his daughter and you're left feeling a little bit of a fifth wheel.
"So, where to now?" Ousaf asks you. "Do you want to head out to the North field, the East field, or do you want to go home? Or would you be interested in applying?"