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A reasonable question； under the circumstances。 Rubbing his chin； Dwer couldn't see where he had much choice。 〃Guess I'll take you to Gathering。 Most of the sages are there。 If you're old enough； you've got a grievance to answer； or else your parents will be fetched。 By the way； who are they？ Where do you live？〃
The glowering silence returned。 Finally； she muttered…〃I'm thirsty。〃
Both the glaver and the noor had taken turns nuzzling the empty canteen； then scolding him with their eyes。 What am I？ Dwer thought。 Everybody's daddy？
He sighed。 〃All right； let's head for water。 Rety； you go stand over by the glaver。〃
Her eyes widened。 〃Does… does it bite？〃
Dwer gaped back at her。 〃It's a glaver； for Ifni's sake！〃 He took her by the hand。 〃You'd have reason to fear it if you were a grubworm； or a pile of garbage。 Though now that I mention it…〃
She yanked back her hand； glaring。
〃Okay； sorry。 Anyway； you're going to lead； so's I can keep an eye on you。 And this will make sure you don't scoot off。〃 He tied the free end of the glaver's tether to her belt； in back where she could only reach it with difficulty。 Dwer then hoisted his pack and the bow。 〃Hear the waterfall？ We'll take a break for jerky when we get there。〃
It was a strange trek…the sullen leading the apathetic； followed by the confused； all tailed by the inveterately amused。 Whenever Dwer glanced back； Mudfoot's leering grin seemed only a little strained as the noor panted in the bone…dry morning air。
Some folks barred their doors when they heard a noor was nearby。 Others put out treats； hoping to entice a change in luck。 Dwer sometimes saw wild ones in the marshes； where flame trees flourished on the forested backs of drifting acre…lilies。 But his strongest memories were from his father's mill； where young noor came each spring to perform reckless； sometimes fatal dives from the ponderously turning power wheel。 As a child； Dwer often scampered alongside； taking the same exhilarating risks； much to his parents' distress。 He even tried to bond closer to those childhood playmates； bribing them with food； teaching them tricks； seeking a link like Man once had with his helpmate…dog。
Alas； noor were not dogs。 In time； as his life…path took him farther from the gentle river； Dwer came to realize noor were clever； brave…and also quite dangerous。 Silently； he warned Mudfoot； Just because you weren't the thief； don't think that makes me trust you one bit。
A steep trail looks and feels different going down than heading up。 At times； this one seemed so wild and untamed； Dwer could squint and imagine he was on a real frontier； untouched by sapient hands since the world was new。 Then they'd pass some decayed Buyur remnant…a cement…aggregate wall； or a stretch of rubbery pavement missed by the roving deconstructors when Jijo was laid fallow…and the illusion vanished。 Demolition was never perfect。 Countless Buyur traces were visible west of the Rimmers。
Time was the true recycler。 Poor Jijo had been assigned enough to restore her eco…web； or so said his brother； Lark。 But Dwer rarely thought on such a grand scale。 It robbed magic from the Jijo of today…a wounded place； but one filled with wonders。
Rety needed help over some steeper patches； and the glaver often had to be lowered by rope。 Once； after wrestling the lugubrious creature down to a stretch of old road； Dwer swiveled to find the girl gone。
〃Now where did the little…〃 He exhaled frustration。 〃Oh； hell。〃
Rety's affront deserved some penalty； and her mystery shouted to be solved； but fetching stray glavers came first。 After delivering this one； perhaps he'd return to pick up the girl's trail； even though it would make him miss most of Gathering…
He rounded a sheer stone corner and almost stumbled over the girl； squatting face to face with Mudfoot。 Rety looked up at Dwer。
〃It's a noor； right？〃 she asked。
Dwer covered his surprise。 〃Uh； it's the first you've seen？〃
She nodded； bemused by Mudfoot's flirtatious grin。
〃Nor ever met a glaver； it seems。〃 Dwer asked…〃How far east do you people live？〃
The scar on her cheek grew livid as her face flushed。 〃I don't know what you…〃
She stopped as the extent of her slip…up sank in。 Her lips pressed in a pale line。
〃Don't fret it。 I already know all about you；〃 he said； gesturing at her clothes。 〃No woven cloth。 Hides sewn with gut。 Good imla and sorrl pelts。 Sorrl don't grow that big； west of the Rimmers。〃
Reading her dismay； he shrugged。 〃I've been over the mountains myself； several times。 Did your folks say it's forbidden？ That's true； mostly。 But I can range anywheres I want； on survey。〃
She looked down。 〃So I wouldn't've been safe even if I…〃
〃Ran faster and made it over the pass？ Cross some imaginary line and I'd have to let you go？〃 Dwer laughed； trying not to sound too unfriendly。 〃Rety； go easy on yourself。 You stole the wrong fella's bow； is all。 I'd've chased you beyond the Sunrise Desert if I had to。〃
That was bluster； of course。 Nothing on Jijo was worth a two…thousand…league trek across volcanoes and burning sands。 Still； Rety's eyes widened。 He went on。
〃I never spotted your tribe in any of my expeditions east； so I'd guess you're from quite a ways south of east； beyond the Venom Plain。 Is it the Gray Hills？ I hear that country's so twisty； it could hide a small tribe； if they're careful。〃
Her brown eyes filled with a weary pang。 〃You're wrong。 I didn't e from。。。 that place。〃
She trailed off lamely； and Dwer felt sympathy。 He knew all about feeling awkward around one's own kind。 The loner's life made it hard getting enough experience to overe his own shyness。
Which is why I have to make it to Gathering！ Sara had given him a letter to deliver to Plovov the Analyst。 Coincidentally； Plovov's daughter was a beauty； and unbetrothed。 With luck； Dwer might get a chance to ask Glory Plovov out for a walk； and maybe tell a story good enough to impress her。 Like how he stopped last year's migration of herd…moribul from stampeding over a cliff during a lightning storm。 Perhaps he wouldn't stammer this time； making her giggle in a way he didn't like。
Suddenly he was impatient to be off。 〃Well； no sense worrying about it now。〃 He motioned for Rety to lead the glaver again。 〃You'll be assigned a junior sage to speak for you； so you won't face the council alone。 Anyway； we don't hang sooners anymore。 Not unless we have to。〃
His attempt to catch her eye with a wink failed； so the joke went flat。 She studied the ground as he retied the tether； and they resumed moving single file。
A rising humidity turned into mist as they neared the noise of plunging water。 Where the trail rounded a switchback； a streamlet fell from above； dropping staccato spatters across an aquamarine pool。 From there； water spilled over a sheer edge； resuming its steep journey toward the river far below； and finally the sea。
The way down to the pool looked too treacherous to risk with Rety and the glaver； so he signaled to keep going。 They would intersect the brook again； farther along。
But the noor leaped from rock to rock。 Soon they heard him splashing joyfully as they plodded on。
Dwer found himself thinking of another waterfall； way up where the Great Northern Glacier reached a towering cliff at the continent's edge。 Every other year； he hunted brankur pelts there； during spring thaw。 But he really made the journey in order to be on hand when the ice dam finally broke； at the outlet of Lake Desolation。
Huge； translucent sheets would tumble nearly a kilometer； shattering to fill the sky with crystal icebows； bringing the mighty falls back to life with a soul…filling roar。
In his fumbling way； he once tried describing the scene to Lark and Sara…the shouting colors and radiant noise…hoping practice would school his clumsy tongue。 Reliably； his sister's eyes lit up over his tales of Jijo's marvels beyond the narrow Slope。 But good old cheerful Lark just shook his head and said…〃These fine marvels would do just as well without us。〃
But would they？ Dwer wondered。
Is there beauty in a forest； if no creature stops and calls it lovely； now and then？ Isn't that what 〃sapience〃 is for？
Someday； he hoped to take his wife…and…mate to Desolation Falls。 If he found someone whose soul could share it the way his did。
The noor caught up a while later； sauntering by with a smug grin； then waiting to shake its sleek back； spraying their knees as they passed。 Rety laughed。 A short sound； curt and hurried； as if she did not expect any pleasure to last long。
Farther down the trail； Dwer halted where an outcrop overlooked the cascade； a featherlike trickle； dancing along the cliff face。 The sight reminded Dwer of how desperately dry he felt。 It also tugged a sigh； akin to loneliness。
〃e on； sprig。 There's another pool down a ways； easy to get to。〃
But Rety stood for a time； rooted in place； with a line of moisture on her cheek； though Dwer guessed it might have e from floating mist。
Asx
THEY DO NOT SHOW THEIR FACES。 PLANS MIGHT go astray。 Some of us might survive to testify。 So naturally； they hide their forms。
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