They answer with another little smile, then start folding-- one slow motion at a time. They've done this enough times now that it's easy to keep their fingers mostly out of the way, and to wait until Adam has his fold right until they move on. There's some unfolding in the process, which Soldat knows might throw some people. It threw them, new to pretty much everything as they were when they first learned this.

In the end, they do get a pair of cranes. Even if Adam's might not be perfect. Soldat demonstrates how pulling the tail makes the wings flap.