_Of course a planet has a right
to be strange--but so strange
that it makes fleas of men?_
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Worlds of If Science Fiction, May 1960.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Alyarsmit clung to the top of a tall swaying hair and squinted toward
the ponderous caterpillar-shaped beast way off in the very far
distance.
"It's coming this way, all right," he called down to Brusmit, who was
leaning against the base of the hair. "It's moved half a length since
we first saw it."
"Do you think it sees us yet?" Bru asked uneasily. From up here, six
man-lengths above the skin, he looked even shorter and pudgier than he
was.
Alyar grinned down at him, then looked toward the front of their own
beast. "I think so," he said. "Our eyestalks are up and signaling. The
pincers aren't active, though. It must be a friend-beast."
"I don't see how they can recognize each other this far apart," said
Bru doubtfully. "We'd better go tell Paboss."
"He sees it." Alyar looked aft to where the leader of the smit clan
perched on another hair, a good shout from Alyar's.
"You'd better come down," said Bru. "He clobbered Jorsmit for being in
sight, the last time we met another beast."
"He doesn't care when we're this far away." Nevertheless, Alyar climbed
down; it wasn't all comfort at the top of a hair, especially when the
beast felt you and twitched. "Let's go back there. He might know who it
is."
He started through the thick growth of shorter hair, and Bru followed.
They moved carefully, listening; it would be nip-and-tuck if only the
two of them encountered a fley. They heard a few, detoured around them,
eventually reached Paboss's outpost.
The leader was down from the hair, sitting with his back against it,
munching dried meat. Three spearmen with him jumped up when they heard
Alyar and Bru coming, then, recognizing them, relaxed.
Pabosssmit grunted and gestured toward the joint of meat beside him.
"Help yourself." He eyed Alyar keenly. "That you on the hair up
forward?"
"Yes, boss. But I made sure I came down in time."
"Don't go showing yourself again before we make contact."
"I won't. Could you tell who it was?"
"Looked like the jaksin beast."
"Oh. We don't fight them, do we?" Alyar was a little disappointed; he'd
never been in a fight.
Paboss grinned. "No, but we don't trade with them, either. Pabossjaksin
doesn't like me."
Alyar remembered something he'd heard. "Was that where you stole
Maboss?"
The grizzled leader filled his thick chest and chuckled. "That's right.
Stole her right out from under his nose!" He extended his arms, showing
some scars. "Here's where he got me, before I knocked him out. Here's
where Ma bit me."
"She _bit_ you?"
"Sure. Any girl worth stealing'll put up a fight. I had to haul her
along, kicking and screaming, and fight off half the jaksin clan at the
same time. It was some party."
Alyar sighed, thinking what it must be like to go raiding. "I'm old
enough to have a woman of my own," he mused.
Immediately, Paboss glowered. "Don't you go getting any ideas, hear?
I don't want an open war with the jaksins. We've got enough trouble
already, with the grans and the kendies." He put a hand tentatively on
his club. "You hear?"
"Yes, boss," said Alyar hastily.
* * * * *
During the rest of the day the two beasts halved the distance between
them. Near evening, Alyar led Bru, protesting, up to the smit beast's
head and down over the edge where they could see forward and remain
hidden in the short hair. It was dangerous; the beast might mistake
them for fleys and reach up with a pincer-tentacle, which could move
fast, considering the size.
When the slow hunching gait stopped and the beast settled down for the
night, they went back to the thickly furred spot where the clan lived.
Two of the moons were up, and with the excitement of being near another
clan, nobody wanted to sleep yet.
Alyar left Bru with an audience of young people who hadn't seen the
other beast yet, and went looking for the older men. They were in a
clearing, rehashing stories about other clans, especially about the
jaksins, which was an old one with a fine repertoire of legends.
Maboss had naturally brought the stories with her.
Just now, Paboss was retelling a fascinating, if ridiculous one, about
how people had originally come from another world on a beast that could
fly.
Alyar sat and listened for a while, then, when the icy evening rain
broke up the session, went to his sleeping place in a patch of
protecting curly hair. After the first sleep, when it was midnight and
dry again, he sneaked to where Bru slept, hissed at him, and drew him
away. "Are you game for a little trip?"
"Where? You mean up front again?"
"No. Over to the jaksin beast. Just for fun."