Friend went tumbling over the edge to his death on the rocks below. The Ancestor, with great remorse, began to weep, and her weeping became a great torrent that flowed over the cliff and formed the waterfall and lake. There used to be a rock formation at the bottom of the lake, we were told, that was actually the petrified remains of the hapless Friend.”
“Oh, dear,” Acorna said.
“Hmm,” Maati said, “I never heard that one. But then, Grandam didn’t like to tell stories of Vhiliinyar all that often—not the old stories anyway. It made her sad. I guess it affected a lot of the People that way.”
“That is unfortunately true,” Maarni said. “Some of the oldest stories have never been recorded—too fragmented, too many versions, too unsubstantiated to pass on officially, I suppose. They’re my personal favorites, however. I love to think about how to fill in the gaps in the information provided.”
The conversation around the campfire wound down as the night lengthened and their exhaustion caught up with them.
But before they slept, they called back to the base camp to see if there was news of Aarkiiyi and his crew, or of Liriili, but were told there was nothing.
That was disquieting. Maarni and Yiitir slept near them that night. Nobody wanted to be out of sight of the others, and they stood watch in pairs.
About two hours before dawn, their com unit crackled to life.
“Mayday. Mayday. This is the wii-Balakiire . We have a missing person in our sector. Fiirki Miilkar, the animal specialist, visited our site today and was staying the night here. He offered to stand the first watch. When the next watch came to relieve him, Fiirki was nowhere to be found. We heard no outcry from him during his watch, nor have we found any sign of foul play. But he has disappeared without a trace and all our attempts to find him have failed utterly. All crews, please be alert for any sign of him. Base camp, please advise.”
“This is base camp, wii-Balakiire ,” said a voice Acorna identified as Aari’s father, Kaarlye. “Does this incident appear to you to be similar to the disappearance of Liriili?”
“Oh, no, Kaarlye,” Melireenya said. “Fiiryi is a very useful and respected expert on the evolution and habitats of Vhiliinyari creatures. He is not at all the sort of person to just wander off, although anyone can have a call of nature. He would never desert his post. If he is missing, it is because something happened to him, something he could not prevent or escape.”
“Perhaps Maarni and I should flitter over there and help them look for him, eh?” Yiitir suggested to Kaarlye. “Of course, we won’t see much in the dark, but we might pick him up on the infrared. Melireenya, could you use the assistance?”
“Oh, yes. We would be so thankful,” she replied.
“Sounds like a plan,” Kaarlye agreed. “Keep us notified if there is any change to the situation, please.”
“Oh, that goes without saying,” Yiitir said in an airy tone that belied the grave expression he wore.
When he had signed off, Acorna said softly, “We should come and help, too.”
“Nonsense, m’dear, no sense everyone rushing in. A crowd of hunters is more likely to obscure whatever sign of him there is; that is, if he’s truly lost. You know how it is with these scientists, especially those who pursue the natural sciences. Get so involved in finding a special sort of fern or some such thing that they quite forget where they are. I’m sure he’s fine. Besides, he’s on our team, you know. Second wave. You’ve important work to do right here.”
“True enough,” Acorna said. “But please let us know what you find out as well. When you find him, I mean.”
“Certainly, my dear Khornya,” Maarni said, laying a hand on Acorna’s arm. “In fact, we would very much like to return and speak with you further. You represent not only the youngest survey crew, but also have special knowledge among you—Aari knows more
“Oh, dear,” Acorna said.
“Hmm,” Maati said, “I never heard that one. But then, Grandam didn’t like to tell stories of Vhiliinyar all that often—not the old stories anyway. It made her sad. I guess it affected a lot of the People that way.”
“That is unfortunately true,” Maarni said. “Some of the oldest stories have never been recorded—too fragmented, too many versions, too unsubstantiated to pass on officially, I suppose. They’re my personal favorites, however. I love to think about how to fill in the gaps in the information provided.”
The conversation around the campfire wound down as the night lengthened and their exhaustion caught up with them.
But before they slept, they called back to the base camp to see if there was news of Aarkiiyi and his crew, or of Liriili, but were told there was nothing.
That was disquieting. Maarni and Yiitir slept near them that night. Nobody wanted to be out of sight of the others, and they stood watch in pairs.
About two hours before dawn, their com unit crackled to life.
“Mayday. Mayday. This is the wii-Balakiire . We have a missing person in our sector. Fiirki Miilkar, the animal specialist, visited our site today and was staying the night here. He offered to stand the first watch. When the next watch came to relieve him, Fiirki was nowhere to be found. We heard no outcry from him during his watch, nor have we found any sign of foul play. But he has disappeared without a trace and all our attempts to find him have failed utterly. All crews, please be alert for any sign of him. Base camp, please advise.”
“This is base camp, wii-Balakiire ,” said a voice Acorna identified as Aari’s father, Kaarlye. “Does this incident appear to you to be similar to the disappearance of Liriili?”
“Oh, no, Kaarlye,” Melireenya said. “Fiiryi is a very useful and respected expert on the evolution and habitats of Vhiliinyari creatures. He is not at all the sort of person to just wander off, although anyone can have a call of nature. He would never desert his post. If he is missing, it is because something happened to him, something he could not prevent or escape.”
“Perhaps Maarni and I should flitter over there and help them look for him, eh?” Yiitir suggested to Kaarlye. “Of course, we won’t see much in the dark, but we might pick him up on the infrared. Melireenya, could you use the assistance?”
“Oh, yes. We would be so thankful,” she replied.
“Sounds like a plan,” Kaarlye agreed. “Keep us notified if there is any change to the situation, please.”
“Oh, that goes without saying,” Yiitir said in an airy tone that belied the grave expression he wore.
When he had signed off, Acorna said softly, “We should come and help, too.”
“Nonsense, m’dear, no sense everyone rushing in. A crowd of hunters is more likely to obscure whatever sign of him there is; that is, if he’s truly lost. You know how it is with these scientists, especially those who pursue the natural sciences. Get so involved in finding a special sort of fern or some such thing that they quite forget where they are. I’m sure he’s fine. Besides, he’s on our team, you know. Second wave. You’ve important work to do right here.”
“True enough,” Acorna said. “But please let us know what you find out as well. When you find him, I mean.”
“Certainly, my dear Khornya,” Maarni said, laying a hand on Acorna’s arm. “In fact, we would very much like to return and speak with you further. You represent not only the youngest survey crew, but also have special knowledge among you—Aari knows more
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