SORTIE
Five days later they came up from the south so that this time Shann's view of the Terran was from a different angle. At there had been little in the scene. He if the were using the Terran themselves. Even in the it was easy to out such as the with the of a from its top and the of the supply warehouse.
"Two of their small on the landing field...." Thorvald from the shadow, his voice a of whisper.
By Shann's the were moving restlessly. Since Taggi's attack on the Throg neither would near any site where they the aliens. This was the nearest point to which the men either animal, which was a disappointment, for the would have been an excellent to the they planned for tonight, the for the men.
Shann ran his across the on the animals' shoulders, a light pressure to them to wait. But he was not sure of their obedience. The was a idea, and Shann again why he had to it. Yet he had gone along with Thorvald, a and of his own, such as the of the now his knees.
Thorvald away, his own post to the west. Shann was still waiting for the other's when there from the a to the of any listener, a which not have come from the of any normal thing, being or animal. Ululating in ear-torturing intensity, the to a faint, echo of itself, to up the again.
The mad. Shann had their quick kills in the wilds, but this of spitting, was new. They answered that challenge from the camp, out from under his hands. Yet animals to a stop they passed the and were in the gloom. A for an to his right; Thorvald was to go, so Shann had no time to try and the animals.
He for those of in his bag. The chemical from them out that which the wind from the campsite. Shann the in his sling, his fire at it, and had the for a almost in one movement. The into fire as it out and fell.
To a it might have that the out of the air, the being than Shann had hoped.
A second for the sling—spark ... out ... down. The had on the ground near the of the station, the of impact it into a of now material. And his second, aimed, two beyond.
Another at the nerves. Shann a third throw, a fourth. He had an audience now. In the light of those of fire the Throgs were and forth, their on the walls. They were making to the fires, but Shann from that once the he had from the lip of one of the would go on as long as a of its unconsumed.
Now Thorvald had gone into action. A Throg halted, frantically, and over into the of a fire splotch, together by the of the Thorvald had put together on their night of partnership. Three of weight had each been at the end of a cord, and those at a center point. Thorvald had the of his by one of the small "deer" of the grasslands, an animal to safe from and animal pursuit. And those now the Throg with the same efficiency.
Having his last fireball, Shann ran to take up a new position, and to the east of the domes. Here he put into action another of the Thorvald had devised, a with a stick, it range and twice as power. The themselves were more than lengths of wood, their points in the fire. Perhaps these neither kill wound. But more than one home in a satisfactory fashion against the or the parts of a Throg in a manner which up and the target. And one of Shann's to the ground, to kicking in a way which he had been more than just bruised.
Fireballs, spears.... Thorvald had moved too. And now into the of the a of reeds, each provided with a clay-ball head. The majority of those on landing as the Terrans had intended. So, through the of the aliens, spread the acrid, throat-parching of the water. Whether those had the same upon Throg as they did upon Terran, the not tell, but they such a would add to the confusion.
Shann to space the of his with more care, trying to place them with all the of he muster. There was a limit to their amount of ammunition, although they had every moment of the past days to and testing. Luckily the enemy had had none of their energy at the domes. And so they had no move to their for blasts.
But the Throgs were themselves into order. Blaster fire cut the dusk. Most of the were now on the ground, sending a line of fire into the of the area. A dark moved Shann and the nearest of moss. The Terran a to the he a of the by a with rage. He coaxingly. With the Throgs to blast any moving thing, the animals were in if they about the scene.
That moved. Shann the of in a mask; it was either Taggi or his mate. Then a of mixed Throng and chemical from the must have the wolverine. The animal and westward, Shann.
Had Thorvald had time and opportunity to make his planned on the supply dome? Time such an was hard to measure, and Shann not be sure. He to count aloud, slowly, as they had agreed. When he one hundred he would his retreat; on two hundred he was to for it, his the river a mile from the camp.
The would take the to the sea where cut the into a a of places. Throgs any on foot. For them to into that would be themselves at the of the Terrans they hunted. And their the air above such a without result.
Shann the count of one hundred. Twice a ground close to make him wince, but most of the fire well above his head. All of his were gone, save for one he had kept, for a last good target. One of the Throgs who appeared to be the fire of the others was Shann's position. And on pure that he might out that leader, Shann him for his victim.
The Terran had no his own marksmanship. The most he for, he thought, was to have the home on the other's hide. Perhaps, if he were very lucky, he the other from his feet. But that which over any in Shann's favor. At just the right moment the Throg his up from the position where the over his wide to protect one of the alien's spots, the soft of his throat. And the fire-sharpened point of the deep.
Throgs were mute, or at least none of them had a to be reported by Terrans. This one did not out. But he forward, up, at the pin his just under the mandible-equipped jaw, his at an angle. Without to notice the others of his kind, the Throg came on at a run, at Shann as if he actually see through the dark and had marked the Terran for personal vengeance. There was something so about that that Shann retreated. As his hand for the knife at his his in a of and he for balance. The Throg, still at the above the of his chest, on.
Shann and was in the of a bush, so he did not the ground. He the of and to solid earth under his feet. Then again he that from the camp, as as it had been the time. Spurred by that, he free. But he not turn his on the Throg, a retreat.
Already the had the dark the of the camp. His progress now was marked by the through low brush. Two of the Throgs on the line started up after their leader. Shann a of their odor as the with the single-mindedness of a robot.
It would be best to for the river. Tall about the Terran's as he to run. In of the gloom, he to that open space. At night Warlock's a very attribute—ten ... twenty of grass, plant, and tree a phosphorescence, in degree, but each an of light. And the path Shann now was by of that radiance, not as as the chemical-born the had in the camp, but as quick to the who passed their circles. And there had been any to that Throg powers of were less than human; there was some to the contrary. Shann crouched, the ahead for a which would take him to at least safety in the river bed.
Perhaps a mile was the transport the Terrans had together no than this afternoon, a Thorvald had to would support them to the sea which some fifty Terran miles to the west. But now he had to that mile.
The wolverines? Thorvald? There was one which might the animals on to the rendezvous. Taggi had a "deer" just they had left the raft. And of to at leisure, Shann had the to the of and brush, it out to in the current, though still to the bank.
Wolverines always that part of the kill which they did not at the eating, it. He had that to the in such a way would animals to the when they were hungry. And they had not particularly well that day.
Thorvald? Well, the Survey officer had it very plain the past five days of what Shann had come to look upon as an partnership that he himself to manage in the field, while he had of Shann's in the direction of potential.
The Terran started along the pattern of he had out to the river bed. His as he ran, not of the physical he was expending, but again from the had come that blood-freezing howl. A line marked the lip of the cut in which the was set, something he had not foreseen. He himself to the last feet, the earth.
That very was easily for by what below. Shann his and the of on his his with the bushes. While the of him now had been with light plants, the cut an almost solid line of them willow-wise along the water's edge. To go at this point was to his presence for any Throg on his trail. He only continue along the upper bank, to an end to the of below.
Shann was five yards from the point where he had come to the river, when a him freeze and turn his cautiously. The was hidden, and the there must be dying. But a twisting, was across the in his direction.
Thorvald off an attack? The wolverines? Shann his under him, to into a counter-offensive. He or knife. In his with the Throg at the the had had little on the enemy. And now he if his blade, though it was super-steel at its toughest, any joint in the of the aliens.
There was surely a in progress. The whole and rolled upon three light plants. Dull of Throg was ... no of fur, or flesh, or clothing. Two of the battling? But why?
One of those got up stiffly, over the still on the ground, and at something. The of Shann's was visible. And the on the ground did not as that was loose. The Throg leader dead? Shann so. He his knife into the sheath, the to make sure it was in place, and on. The river, here and there, was a promising of ahead. The bank of willow-things was to an end, and none too soon. For when he again he saw another Throg across the meadow, and he them their fellow, him to camp.
The Throgs might indestructible, but he had put an end to one, by luck and a very weapon. With that to his self-confidence to a higher notch, Shann by over the bank and to the water's edge. When his into the he to downstream, the of the water, high and then about his calves. This early in the season they did have to floods, and the was wide and shallow, save in mid-current at the center point.
Twice more he had to skirt of light plants, and once a tree in with a of the gray. Within the which the branches, small glittering, things; and the of its half-open was on the air, neither in Shann's nostrils, different.
He to whistle, a soft call he would along the cut the high banks. But, though he paused and until it that every in his thin was in that act, he no call from the wolverines, any that either the animals or Thorvald were in the direction of the raft.
What was he going to do if none of the others joined him downstream? Thorvald had said not to there past daylight. Yet Shann that unless he actually a Throg after him he would wait until he sure of the others' fate. Both Taggi and Togi were as to him as the Survey officer. Perhaps more so, he told himself now, he them to a and in their company which he not from the man.
Why did Thorvald upon their going on to the seashore? To Shann's mind his own plan of up in the was better. Those had as many places as the country. But Thorvald had so set on this that he had in. As much as he when he took them, he himself the older man's orders. It was only when he was alone, as now, that he to question Thorvald's and his authority.
Three of a light set in a triangle. Shann paused and then out on the bank, the water from his as Taggi might shake such from a limb. This was the they had set to mark their point, but....
Shann whirled, his stunner. The was a dark on the surface of the water some on. And now it was up and violently. That was not the result of any normal of current. He an and with a little laugh. He need not have about the wolverines; that had them all right. Both of them were now in eating, though they had to their on the of the transport.
They paid no attention as he out, at the as he went. The wind must have his familiar to them. As the water to his Shann put one hand on the of the raft. One of the animals a at being disturbed. Or had that been at him?
Shann where he was, intently. Yes, there was a from upstream. Whoever his own was taking no to keep that a secret, and the of the was fast to spell trouble.
Throgs? Tensely the Terran waited for some from the wolverines. He was sure that if the had him, animals would give warning. Save when they had gone wild upon that from the camp, they meeting the enemy.
But from all the animals had not stopped feeding. So the other was no beetle-head. On the other hand, why would Thorvald so his coming, unless the need for speed was than caution? Shann the cord, out his knife to saw through that length. A passed the three-sprig signal, ran onto the raft.
"Lantee?" The call came in a hoarse, whisper.
"Here."
"Cut loose. We have to out of here!"
Thorvald himself forward, and together the men up on the raft. The into the water, by their efforts. But the it, the snapped, and the river took them. Feeling the and to spin, the whined, in the middle of what now a very craft.
Behind them, away but too clear, that howling, the of the night wind.
"I saw——" Thorvald gasped, as if to catch full of air to his words, "they have a 'hound!' That's what you hear."
