it. Did you have other dreams that warned this might happen? Well, if you did, you forgot about them!"
Lonn clenched his fists, suppressing a flash of rage. He wanted to strike Karrol, so hurt was he by what she'd said. Yet her words were true, and he could hardly blame her, in her grief, for speaking them.
Scanning the faces of his mates, Lonn saw the same grief reflected on each. Their klarn was broken, and with it their spirit and confidence. For a mate to be killed in a hunt or battle would be bad enough. But those were known hazards, and the ghost of the lost mate would still travel with the klarn. But for a mate to be lost, torn away by some unknown fate—and for that one to be Glyssa, beloved by all of them—this was a pain beyond bearing. There was only one remedy: the klarn must be made whole again, whatever the risks.
"Karrol is right," he said. "We'll have to go on skates." He went to gather his clothing. After a moment, Draven and Eben followed.
"The dojuk may not have gone far," Brinda said as they dressed. "There's a chance we can catch it on skates."
"I think we should search the island first," Draven suggested. "There might be a dojuk laid in that we could borrow. Or steal."
But they all knew this was unlikely. It was yulugg season and any serviceable boat would likely be at sea.
"There's no time," Karrol answered, placing her knife and sword in their scabbards. "Every moment we waste lessens our chance of finding Glyssa."
The mates exchanged looks of painful uncertainty.
"It might be worth searching the island first," Lonn allowed.
"Fine." Karrol picked up a quiver of spears and turned her back on them. "You do what you like. I'm going now."
"Wait!" Eben shouted as Karrol stalked across the dome. "We have to act together. Karrol—you're breaking the klarn!"
"It's broken already. I'm trying to make it whole." Karrol pushed through the torn entry flap and was gone.
Eben jumped up, enraged, but Brinda, fully dressed now, grabbed him around the waist. "Wait. I'll go with her, Eben. The rest of you can search the island first, then come after us."
"We should stay together," Eben declared, still struggling to pull free.
"That's impossible now," Brinda said. "Karrol won't wait. Besides, if we split up we can both cover the island and start after the dojuk at once."
"She's right," Draven laid a hand on Eben's shoulder. "It's better to do both."
Eben ceased struggling and stared at the floor, defeated.
"We'll do what Brinda suggests," Lonn said. "But first we must raise the klarn spirit. There’s only four of us, but that’s better than nothing."
"No time," Brinda was picking up her weapons. "Karrol will be out of sight by the time we finish. You three raise the spirit and send it to the rest of us—to Glyssa too."
She fastened on her cape and headed for the entrance. "Karrol, wait for me," she called as she ran outside.
When she was gone, Lonn, Draven and Eben stared at each other, stunned. The chaos and terror of what had happened settled on them now, and for a moment they were overwhelmed, paralyzed.
Finally, Lonn shook himself. "We must hurry."
They finished dressing. Lonn went to fetch the ceremonial cup. The men lined up at the door flap and hastily performed the rite, pouring libations and calling the klarn spirit to wake and come into them. Each of them picked up two spears, and Eben added words to send the spirit also to Brinda, Karrol, and Glyssa.
They armed themselves with swords and knives, and each took a quiver that held three spears. Though the journey might be long they took no food, only small water flasks tucked in their shirts. The furs and weapons encumbered them already, but they dared not leave those behind.
"With luck we'll return in a day or two," Draven said to the bostulls. "If not, someone will come by and find you. You'll be looked after, so don't worry."
"I wish you good fortune," Kizier said.
"We'll need it," Lonn muttered.
The Iruks tramped outside, into
Lonn clenched his fists, suppressing a flash of rage. He wanted to strike Karrol, so hurt was he by what she'd said. Yet her words were true, and he could hardly blame her, in her grief, for speaking them.
Scanning the faces of his mates, Lonn saw the same grief reflected on each. Their klarn was broken, and with it their spirit and confidence. For a mate to be killed in a hunt or battle would be bad enough. But those were known hazards, and the ghost of the lost mate would still travel with the klarn. But for a mate to be lost, torn away by some unknown fate—and for that one to be Glyssa, beloved by all of them—this was a pain beyond bearing. There was only one remedy: the klarn must be made whole again, whatever the risks.
"Karrol is right," he said. "We'll have to go on skates." He went to gather his clothing. After a moment, Draven and Eben followed.
"The dojuk may not have gone far," Brinda said as they dressed. "There's a chance we can catch it on skates."
"I think we should search the island first," Draven suggested. "There might be a dojuk laid in that we could borrow. Or steal."
But they all knew this was unlikely. It was yulugg season and any serviceable boat would likely be at sea.
"There's no time," Karrol answered, placing her knife and sword in their scabbards. "Every moment we waste lessens our chance of finding Glyssa."
The mates exchanged looks of painful uncertainty.
"It might be worth searching the island first," Lonn allowed.
"Fine." Karrol picked up a quiver of spears and turned her back on them. "You do what you like. I'm going now."
"Wait!" Eben shouted as Karrol stalked across the dome. "We have to act together. Karrol—you're breaking the klarn!"
"It's broken already. I'm trying to make it whole." Karrol pushed through the torn entry flap and was gone.
Eben jumped up, enraged, but Brinda, fully dressed now, grabbed him around the waist. "Wait. I'll go with her, Eben. The rest of you can search the island first, then come after us."
"We should stay together," Eben declared, still struggling to pull free.
"That's impossible now," Brinda said. "Karrol won't wait. Besides, if we split up we can both cover the island and start after the dojuk at once."
"She's right," Draven laid a hand on Eben's shoulder. "It's better to do both."
Eben ceased struggling and stared at the floor, defeated.
"We'll do what Brinda suggests," Lonn said. "But first we must raise the klarn spirit. There’s only four of us, but that’s better than nothing."
"No time," Brinda was picking up her weapons. "Karrol will be out of sight by the time we finish. You three raise the spirit and send it to the rest of us—to Glyssa too."
She fastened on her cape and headed for the entrance. "Karrol, wait for me," she called as she ran outside.
When she was gone, Lonn, Draven and Eben stared at each other, stunned. The chaos and terror of what had happened settled on them now, and for a moment they were overwhelmed, paralyzed.
Finally, Lonn shook himself. "We must hurry."
They finished dressing. Lonn went to fetch the ceremonial cup. The men lined up at the door flap and hastily performed the rite, pouring libations and calling the klarn spirit to wake and come into them. Each of them picked up two spears, and Eben added words to send the spirit also to Brinda, Karrol, and Glyssa.
They armed themselves with swords and knives, and each took a quiver that held three spears. Though the journey might be long they took no food, only small water flasks tucked in their shirts. The furs and weapons encumbered them already, but they dared not leave those behind.
"With luck we'll return in a day or two," Draven said to the bostulls. "If not, someone will come by and find you. You'll be looked after, so don't worry."
"I wish you good fortune," Kizier said.
"We'll need it," Lonn muttered.
The Iruks tramped outside, into
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