By sunrise the swift little airship was well out over the northwestern wilderness. Golden glory silhouetted the dragon's spine of the Unicorn Range, its jagged peaks marching more or less parallel to their east-northeasterly course. The broad lowland between the mountains to the east and the ocean over the western horizon couldn't make up its mind whether to be taiga or cold steppe; thin patchy coniferous woods rose from otherwise grassy plains dotted with clumps of colorful summer flowers just becoming visible as the sun rose. Puffy clouds obscured parts of the surrounding panorama; wisps above were painted with dawn colors.