Part 7 (1/2)

His second laugh was cut cleanly off, as if a door had been closed In silence the three hurried up the raht of Tav

Thrala let fall her drab cloak, stood with ar robe sheathed her in glory and she sang softly, rapt in her own delight Then Dandtan put his arht a beauty-bewildered child

Garin wondered dully hoould be able to make the journey back to the Caverns when his ar fire

The Ana crept closer to hi into his white face

They were aroused by a howl from the Caves Thrala cried out and Dandtan answered her unspoken question ”They have set the els on our trail!”

The howl froels before and behind theainst one, Dandtan another, and Thrala could defend herself with the rod, but in the end the pack would kill them

”We shall claim protection froive us aid,” said Thrala, as, turning up her long robe, she began to run lightly Garin picked up her cloak and drew it across his shoulder to hide his welts When he could no longer hold her pace shebehind

Of that flight through the forest the flyer afterward rele of water broke upon his pounding ears, as he stuths behind his co the banks of the river

Without hesitation Thrala and Dandtan plunged into the oily flood, swi easily for the other side Garin dropped the cloak, wondering if, once he stepped into the yellow streaain Already the Ana was in, paddling in circles near the shore and pleading with him to follow Wearily Garin waded out

The water, which washed the blood and sweat fro his wounds to life He could not fight the sluggish current and it bore him downstream, well away froed to win free, crawling out near where a s, face down upon thefro his muddied hair Thrala cried out with concern and pillowed his head on her knees while Dandtan examined his wounds

”Why did you not tell us?” demanded Thrala

He did not try to answer, content to lie there, her ar hi soon, his hands filled with a mass of crushed leaves With these he plastered Garin's wounds

”You'd better go on,” Garin warned

Dandtan shook his head ”The e, and that is half the crater away”

The Ana dropped into their midst, its small hands filled with clusters of purple fruit And so they feasted, Garin at ease on a fern couch, accepting food from Thrala's hand

There seemed to be some virtue in Dandtan's leaf plaster for, after a short rest, Garin was able to get to his feet with no e or two in his wounds But they started on at a lades where strange flowers made perfume, the trail led The streae ofwater toward the crater wall

Suddenly Thrala threw back her head and gave a shrill, shistle

Out of the air dropped a yellow and black insect, as large as a hawk

Twice it circled her head and then perched itself on her outstretched wrist

Its swollen body was jet black, its curving legs, three to a side, chrome yellow The round head ended in a sharp beak and it had large, s, which lazily tested the air, were black and touched with gold