Like Rety's band。 Like us。
The spoor grew fresher。 Now the urs were just a week ahead of them； maybe just a few days。
He began noting other traces。 Soft outlines in the sand。 Broken stone flakes。 Fragments of a moccasin lace。 Smudged campfires more than a month old。
Rety's band。 The urs are heading straight for the heart of their territory。
Danel took the news calmly。 〃They must figure as we did。 The human sooners know a lot about life in these hills。 That's valuable experience； whether it can be bought； borrowed…〃
〃Or tortured out of 'em；〃 Lena Strong finished； whetting one of her knives by the evening's low red coals。 〃Some urrish clans used to keep human prisoners as drudges； before we broke 'em of the habit。〃
〃A habit they learned from the queens。 There's no call to assume slavery is a natural urs behavior。 For that matter； back on Old Earth humans used to…〃
〃Yeah； well； we still have a problem；〃 Dwer interrupted。 〃What to do when we catch up。〃
〃Right！〃 Lena inspected the knife…edge。 〃Do we pounce fast； taking the urs all bunched together？ Or do it hoon…style…picking them off one at a time？〃
Jenin sighed unhappily。 〃Oh； Lena。 Please stop。〃 She had been cheerful throughout the journey； until hearing all this talk of fighting。 Jenin had joined this trek in order to be a founding mother of a new race； not to hunt down beings who had once been her neighbors。
Dwer's heart felt the same pain as Jenin； though his pragmatic side agreed with Lena。
〃If we have to； I'd rather do it fast；〃 he muttered； glancing at the donkey carrying their most secret； unspeakable 〃tools。〃
〃It shouldn't e to that；〃 Danel insisted。 〃First let's ascertain who they are and what they want。 Perhaps we can make mon cause。〃
Lena snorted。 〃Send an emissary？ Give away our presence？ You heard Dwer。 There's over a dozen of 'em！〃
〃Don't you think we should wait for the second group； then？〃 Jenin asked。 〃They were supposed to be right behind us。〃
Lena shrugged。 〃Who knows how long they'll take？ Or if they got lost？ The urs could find us first。 And there's the human tribe to consider。〃
〃Rety's old band。〃
〃Right。 Want to let them get killed or enslaved？ Just on account of we're too scared to…〃
〃Lena！〃 Danel cut her off。 〃That will do for now。 We'll see what's to be done when the time es。 Meanwhile； poor Dwer should get some sleep。 We owe him whatever rest he can get。〃
〃That ain't half what he's owed。〃 Lena muttered； causing Dwer to glance her way； but in the pre…moonrise dimness； he could make out only shadows。
〃G'night all；〃 he said； and slipped away to seek his bedroll。
Mudfoot looked up from the blanket； chuttering testily over having to move。 The creature did help warm things up at night； which partly made up for its vexing way of licking Dwer's face while he slept； harvesting perspiration from his forehead and lip。
Dwer lay down； turned over…and blinked in surprise at two pairs of giant round eyes； staring back at him from just three meters away。
Jeekee glavers。
Normally； one simply ignored the placid creatures。 But he still couldn't shake the memory of that pack of them； clustered greedily around a dead gallaiter。
He tossed a dirt clod vaguely their way。 〃Go on！ Get！〃
Just as vaguely； the pair turned and sauntered off。 Dwer glanced at Mudfoot。
〃Why not make yourself a hit useful and keep those pests away？〃
The noor just grinned back at him。
Dwer pulled the blanket over his chin； trying to settle down。 He was tired and ached from sore muscles and bruises。 But slumber came slowly； freighted with troubling dreams。
He woke to a soft touch； stroking his face。 Irritably； he tried to push the noor away。
〃Quit it； furball！ Lick a donkey turd； if you want salt so bad。〃
After a surprised pause； a hushed voice answered。
〃Reckon I never been weled to a man's bed half so sweetly。〃
Dwer rolled onto an elbow； rubbing one eye to make out a blurred silhouette。 A woman。
〃Jenin？〃
〃Would you prefer her？ I won the toss； but I'll fetch her if you like。〃
〃Lena！ What can I do for you？〃
Dwer made out a white glint…her rare smile。
〃Well； you could invite me in from the cold。〃 Her voice sounded soft； almost shy。
Lena was buxom and sanguinely female； yet soft and shy were two words Dwer had never linked with her before。 〃Uh…sure。。。。〃 Am I still dreaming？ he wondered as she slid alongside； strong hands working to loosen his clothes。 Her smooth skin seemed to blaze with ardent heat。
I must be。 The Lena I know never smelled this good。
〃You're all knotted up；〃 she mented； kneading his neck and back with uncanny； forceful accuracy。 At first； Dwer's gasps came from released muscle strain。 But Lena somehow also made each jab or digging twist of her calloused fingers seem feminine； erotic。
She got halfway through the massage before Dwer passed his limit of self…control and turned over to gently but resolutely reverse their positions； taking her beneath him； repaying her vitality with a vigor that welled from weeks of pent…up tension。 Hoarded worry and fatigue seemed to explode into the air； into the forest； into her as she clutched and sighed； pulling him closer。
After。she slipped away； he pondered muzzily…Lena thinks I may die； since my job is to be up front in any fight。 This might be the last。。。 the only chance。。。。
Dwer drifted into a tranquil； dreamless repose…a slumber so blank and relaxing that he actually felt rested by the time another warm body slid into the bedroll next to him。 By then； his unconscious had worked it out； crediting the women with ultimate pragmatism。
Danel will probably be around later； so it makes sense to use whatever I have to give； before it's gone。
It wasn't his place to judge the women。 Theirs was the harder job； here in the wilderness。 His tasks were simple…to hunt； fight； and if need be； to die。 Theirs was to go on； whatever it took。
Dwer did not even have to rouse all the way。 Nor did Jenin seem offended that his body performed but half awake。 There were all sorts of duties to fulfill these days。 If he was going to keep up； he would simply have to catch what rest he could。
Dwer woke to find it already a midura past midnight。 Though he felt much better now； he had to fight a languid lethargy to get dressed and check his gear…the bow and quiver； a pass； sketch pad； and hip canteen…then stop by the dim coals to pluck the leaf…wrapped package Jenin left for him each night； the one decent meal he would eat while away。
For most of his adult life he had traveled alone； relishing peace and solitude。 Yet； he had to admit the attractions of being part of a team； a munity。 Perhaps； under Ozawa's guidance； they might e to feel like family。
Would that take some of the bitter sting out of recalling the life and loved ones they had left behind； in the graceful forests of the Slope？
Dwer was about to head off； following the urrish track farther in the direction of the rising moons； when a soft sound made him pause。 Someone was awake and talking。 Yet he had passed both women； snoring quietly and （he liked to imagine） happily。 Dwer slipped the bow off his shoulder； moving toward the low speech sounds； more curious than edgy。 Soon he recognized the murmured whisper。
Of course it was Danel。 But who was the sage talking to？
Beyond the bole of a large tree； Dwer peered into a small clearing where satiny moonlight spilled over an unlikely pair。 Danel was kneeling low to face the little black creature called Mudfoot。 Dwer couldn't make out words； but judging from tone and inflection； Ozawa was trying to ask it questions； in one language after another。
The noor responded by licking itself； then glancing briefly toward Dwer； standing in the shadows。 When Ozawa switched to GalTwo； Mudfoot grinned…then twisted to bite an itch on one shoulder。 When the beast turned back； it was to answer the sage with a gaping yawn。
Danel let out a soft sigh； as if he had expected to fail but felt it worth an effort。
What effort？ Dwer wondered。 Was the sage seeking magical aid； as ignorant lowlanders sometimes tried to do； treating no