he cocked his head back and his chin up and slowly turned in circles , searching the low-lying clouds for any trace of the creatures passagewisps and shadows , as serit called thembut the shadowy ceiling remained motionless and smooth , nothing rippling , nothing billowing now , jus stay that a-way , he thought , and took a single , delicate step to the south , setting a course for the place he thought hed seen the general .