Did you hear that?

The lumbering of the wagons was enough to almost lull one to sleep on the flat open plateaus. I'd laughed and whooped until my sides ached watching the restlessness of the men and yes that included ones from yeah high to bent and gnarled racing and wagering along the straight ways. Training of the younger ones doesn't stop merely because we are on the move. Rusty,Wily, Me Too and First through .. lets just say several others, took advantage of this time to go out on kaiila back for some in the saddle practice with the horn bows. I had the opportunity to see a few of the shots and was suitably impressed. They left a dust trail behind them as they raced back to the wagons again filling the air with their triumphs and for others the dismay of defeat. Did you see, Linna, Did you see?

Yes, I did. Not only had I seen but made more than fair amount off the wagers as well. The outrider pulled in alongside them to lean off his saddle a little while he spoke with me. For as far behind as the boy had been when he had started his lessons, he had more than made up for it in the tenacity to learn. He said that he was doing well with the bow, well enough he may be able to earn his scars in the following seasons. I thanked Rusty for his belief and encouragement and enjoyed the flood of enthusiastic bragging that followed from my little charge. Did you hear that Linna, Did you hear that?

Yes, I did, an arahch. He didn't flinch and pull away as my hand traced the smoothness of his cheeks. There would come a time they would hold the fever of scarlet chevrons and if he survived he would be entitled the privileges of a warrior. There was no ambivalence there, just the desire to see the future unfold as it should My only ache was thinking of the name he would earn. It was something I needed to speak with Fonce about.

When he and Wily returned not long after, the duality of half man, half child came to focus for them both. Clutching the stems of bright yellow flowers that they had found, there was a genuineness to the smiles behind them. Me too had remembered the battles of Ubar of the tufts of grass and the solitary blossom that had defied the siege. I never knew he had noticed. Wily's offering of course had a bug clinging to a petal.

The day had been full and by the eve, meals were seen to and each of us were eager to find our furs. With the lack of sleep in the days prior, nodding off was no effort whatsoever. It was the wakening that I fought against. The high pitch keen seemed to invade everything. I half jumped from my mats when I heard a quiet whisper close by. Did you hear that, Linna? By the time my flap slid open, we were not alone. It seemed there were several others .. who heard that. Mia clutching one of the stuffed creatures we had made, tucked her head under my elbow and I tried not to wince. I didn't have to favor it as much but it was still tender. Sonny was right in among the mix, though his courage had him a step or two ahead of Me Too. Standing there with an ear half turned trying to hone in on the sound before I realized it was coming from the new wagon. I tried to get the children to stand back while I investigated. Why is it that men seem to sleep through things like this?

A cautious approach to pull the flap aside, left no doubt that what ever it was.. was in there. At the back of the wagon was a lump under a pile of furs that was growling, keening and scratching against the wood flooring. Now it takes a bit for the imagination to go through the list of things .. it can't be. There are no such things as ghosts, right? No, I refused to believe that Ebet had returned from the ashes to haunt us. Sonny had gained the stairs shoving the other boys back and where Sonny was, Mia was too. He grabbed the stuffed animal and threw it .. you use what weapon you have at the moment. We all watched in trepidation as it simply disappeared beneath the fur with a whole new series of eerie gruffs and growls.

Enough was enough, I was going to get to the bottom of this and see what mysterious monster was under there so I could go back to sleep ... hopefully. Charging across the interior of the wagon, I snagged the fur away not having any real idea if this was to be my last moment on Gor or not and low and behold, I got my answer ... there was a ferocious beast.