It was such a small thing, a of about a length of sapling. Ross over the of on the and it loose, the he touched it. That square was of McNeil's tying, and as Murdock sat in the and mud, the cord, at the river, his last small died. The must have up, and neither Ashe McNeil have the disaster.
Ross Murdock was alone, in a time which was not his own, with little promise of escape. That one out his mind with its own darkness. What was the use of up again, of trying to food for his empty stomach, or and shelter?
He had always himself on being able to go it alone, had himself secure in that calculated loneliness. Now that had been away in the river along with most of the will power which had him going these past days. Before, there had always been some goal, no how remote. Now, he had nothing. Even if he managed to the mouth of the river, he had no idea of where or how to the from the post. All three of the time travelers might already have been off the rolls, since they had not reported in.
Ross the free from the and it in a tight about his for some reason. Worn and tired, he to think ahead. There was no of again Ulffa's tribe. Along with all the other they must have the of the horsemen. No, there was no to go back, and why make the to advance?
The sun was hot. This was one of those days which the of summer. Insects in the banks where a green showed. Birds and in the sky, some disturbed, their Ross in calls of warning.
He was still with of and slime, the of it thick in his nostrils. Now Ross at a on his knee, to the cloth of his underneath, unbefouled. All at once it necessary to be clean again at least.
Ross into the stream, to the water over his and then away the resulting mud. In the the had a glow, as if it not only the light but it. Wading out into the water, he to swim, not with any in view, but it was than to land once more.
Using the to his skill, he banks. He not to see either the or that its had to shore, but him he had not yet the probable.
The of through that of which had him since he had that morning. It was with a in life that Ross came again on an arm of what was a or into the land. Here the banks of the river were well above his head, and that he was well sheltered, he stripped, his in the and the of the day his body.
A fish, in the and out, one of the best he had tasted. He had for the over a when the and only that his had once again came, swiftly, silently, and with promise.
One moment the had moved in the breeze, and then a set them all quivering. Ross, the to him with a grab, about in the sand, going to one in his haste.
He himself at the of the two men on the bank well above him. Unlike Ulffa's people or the Beaker traders, they were very tall, with of light or sun-bleached on their wide chests. Their leather to mid-thigh above which were to their with painted straps. Cuff of copper their forearms, and of animal teeth and their personal wealth. Ross not having their like on any of the at the base.
One had been a warning, but a second was ready, so Ross the age-old of surrender, his and his hands out and high.
"Friend?" Ross asked in the Beaker tongue. The far, and there was a they had had with this tribe.
The twirled, and the the bank, over to Ross to up the he had dropped, it up while he some to his companion. He by the fabric, and it his hands, and Ross if there was a of it for his own freedom.
Both men were armed, not only with the long-bladed by the Beaker folk, but also with axes. When Ross a to his hands the man him to his ax, what was a warning. Ross blinked, that they might well him out and him behind, taking the with them.
Finally, they in of him in their loot. Throwing the over one arm, the Ross by the and pushed him roughly. The beach was painful to Ross's feet, and the which about him as he the top of the bank him only too of his in the world.
Murdock was to make a out on the point of the bank and into the river, but it was already too late. The man who was the had moved him, and Ross's wrist, in a at the small of his back, him as he was pushed on into the meadow. There three grazed, their nose into the hands of a third man.
A in the ground the pattern of the day. Ross's against it, and the resulting pain his into explosion. He himself backward, his the of his captor, them to the ground with himself on top. The other air from his in a of surprise, and Ross over, one hand the of the tribesman's while the other, free of that wrist-lock, at the fellow's throat.
Dagger out and ready, Ross the men in a as he had been drilled. They at him in open-mouthed amazement, then too late the up. Ross the point of his at the of the now man by he knelt, and he spoke the language he had learned from Ulffa's people.
"You strike—this one dies."
They must have read the purpose in his eyes, for slowly, reluctantly, the down. Having so much of a victory, Ross more. "Take—" he to the waiting horses—"take and go!"
For a moment he that this time they would meet his challenge, but he to the above the of the man who was now faintly. His threat to register, for the other man the from his arm, left it on the ground, and retreated. Holding the nose rope of his horse, he mounted, the up also, and of them slowly away.
The was slowly around, so Ross only had time to on the suit; he had not the those opened. A hand to a belt, but the and ax which had once there were now in Ross's possession. He the as he dressing.
"What you do?" The were in the speech of the people, by a new accent.
"You go—" Ross pointed to the third the others had left behind—"I go—" he the river—"I take these"—he the and the ax. The other scowled.
"Not good...."
Ross laughed, a little hysterically. "Not good you," he agreed, "good—me!"
To his the tribesman's relaxed, and the gave a of laughter. He sat up, at his throat, a big at the of his mouth.
"You—hunter?" The man pointed to the the mountains.
Ross his head. "Trader, me."
"Trader," the other repeated. Then he one of the wide metal at his wrist. "Trade—this?"
"That. More things."
"Where?"
Ross pointed downstream. "By water—trade there."
The man appeared puzzled. "Why you here?"
"Ride river water, like you ride," he said, pointing to the horse. "Ride on trees—many trees together. Trees apart—I come here."
The of a got across, for the was nodding. Getting to his feet, he walked across to take up the nose rope of the waiting horse. "You come camp—Foscar. Foscar chief. He like you how you take Tulka, make him sleep—hold his ax, knife."
Ross hesitated. This Tulka now, but would that last? He his head. "I go to water. My there."
Tulka was again. "You speak words—your there!" He pointed with a of the arm. "Your speak Foscar. Say he give much these—" he touched his copper cuffs—"good knives, axes—get you back."
Ross at him without understanding. Ashe? Ashe in this Foscar's a for him? But how that be?
"How you know my chief?"
Tulka laughed, this time derisively. "You wear skin—your wear skin. He say other skin—give many good to man who you back."
Shiny skin! The from the ship! Was it the ship people? Ross the light on him as he out of the Red village. He must have been by one of the spacemen. But why were they for him, the in an to him up? What Ross Murdock so that they must have him? He only that he was not going to be taken if he help it, that he had no to meet this "chief" who had offered for his capture.
"You will come!" Tulka into action, his almost in a at Ross, who when and over him. He up the ax, but it was a with which he had had no training, too for him.
As his met only thin air the of the him, and Ross down, by less than a finger's the of an against his skull. Then the on him, him flat. A with his jaw, and for Ross the sun out.
He himself across a support which moved with a gait, his head, him dazed. Ross to move, but he that his arms were his back, to wrist, and a warm weight in the small of his to him on a horse. He do nothing the as best he and for a end to the gallop.
Over his passed the of speech. He of another to the one that him. Then they into a noisy place where the of many men a din. The stopped and Ross was from its and to the dust, to up dizzily, trying to focus on the about him.
They had at the of the horsemen, as a for the long-haired and the tall about to view the captive. The circle about him then broke, and men for a newcomer. Ross had that his original were physically imposing, but this one was their master. Lying on the ground at the chieftain's feet, Ross like a small and child.
Foscar, if Foscar this was, not yet have entered middle age, and the which moved along his arms and across his as he over to study Tulka's prize him bear-strong. Ross up at him, that same which had to his attack on Tulka now him to the only he had left—words.
"Look well, Foscar. Free me, and I would do more than look at you," he said in the speech of the hunters.
Foscar's and he a which have in its of Ross's hands, those great in the of the and the to his feet, with no that his act had any effort. Even standing, Ross was a good eight than the chieftain. Yet he put up his and the other squarely, without ground.
"So—yet still my hands are tied." He put into that all the he summon. His by Tulka had him one to the of these people; they might be to the of one who up to them.
"Child—" The from its on the Ross's to his shoulder, and now under its Ross and forth.
"Child?" From Ross that laugh. "Ask Tulka. I be no child, Foscar. Tulka's ax, Tulka's knife—they were in my hand. A Tulka had to use to me down."
Foscar him and then grinned. "Sharp tongue," he commented. "Tulka knife—ax? So! Ennar," he called over his shoulder, and one of the men out a his fellows.
He was and much than his chief, with a boy's and an open, good-looking face, his on Foscar with a of excitement. Like the other he was with and ax, and since he two and and upper as did Foscar, Ross he must be a relative of the older man.
"Child!" Foscar his hand on Ross's and then the hold. "Child!" He Ennar, who reddened. "You take from Ennar ax, knife," Foscar ordered, "as you took from Tulka." He a sign, and someone cut the about Ross's wrists.
Ross one hand against the other, setting his jaw. Foscar had his with that "child," so the boy would be to match all his skill against the prisoner. This would not be as easy as his taking Tulka by surprise. But if he refused, Foscar might well order him killed out of hand. He had to be defiant; he would have to do his best.
"Take—ax, knife—" Foscar back, at his men to open out a ring the two men.
Ross a little as he Ennar's hand go to the of the ax. Nothing had been said about Ennar's not using his in defense, but Ross that there was some of in the tribesmen, after all. It was Tulka who pushed to the chief's and said something which Foscar bull-voiced at his champion.
Ennar's hand came away from the ax as if that were white-hot, and he transferred his to Ross as the other understood. Ennar had to win now for his own pride's sake, and Ross he had to win for his life. They warily, Ross his opponent's than those half-closed hands at level.
Back at the he had been matched with Ashe, and Ashe with the tough-bodied, skilled, and in combat. He had had into his knowledge of and to save his skin in just such an encounter. But then he had been well-fed, alert, prepared. He had not been and then for miles across a after days of and hard usage. It to be learned—was Ross Murdock as as he always himself to be? Tough or not, he was in this until he won—or dropped.
Comments from the Ennar to the action. He charged, low in a wrestler's stance, but Ross lower. One hand to the of the ground and up again, sending a cloud of into the tribesman's face. Then their met with a shock, and Ennar over Ross's to along the earth.
Had Ross been fresh, the would have ended there and then in his favor. But when he to and himself on his he was too slow. Ennar was not waiting to be flat, and it was Ross's turn to be at a disadvantage.
A hand out to catch his leg just above the ankle, and once again Ross his teaching, easily at that pull, to land across his opponent. Ennar, by the too-quick success of his attack, was for this. Ross rolled, trying to steel-fingered hands, his own out in blows, to Ennar as he had Tulka.
He had to take a of punishment, though he managed to the powerful bear's in which he the other was to him, a which would him into submission. Clinging to the methods he had been taught, he on, only now he knew, with a panic, that his best was not good enough. He was too to make an end. Unless he had some piece of great good luck, he only his own defeat.
Fingers at his eyes, and Ross did what he had to do in any fight—he wolfishly, his teeth on as he up his and it home into the on his. There was a of in his as Ross called upon the last of his strength, from the other's hold. He to one knee. Ennar was also on his knees, like a four-legged to spring. Ross on a last gamble. Clasping his hands together, he them as high as he and them on the of the other's neck. Ennar face-down in the where later Ross joined him.
