Read Online Midworld by Alan Dean Foster - Free Book Online Page A

balance is upset severely, people die.”
    “I think what he’s saying, Jan,” Logan said to her companion, “is that they believe the further they go from their home village, the more the chances of successfully returning to it are reduced. An understandable feeling, but the explanation is interesting. I wonder how they came to that world-view way of thinking. It’s not natural.”
    “Natural or not,” Cohoma objected, “I still don’t see why—”
    “Later,” she cut him off. He turned away, muttering to himself. “I think the first thing we should do,” she suggested, “is get out from under this open space before a relative of the monster you so smoothly dispatched, Born, gets curious and comes round to investigate.”
    That was the first sensible thing the giants had said. He beckoned for them to follow. Cohoma filled his pockets with small packages from various compartments, then let Born lead the way into the trees.
    Despite the comparative openness of this level and the absence of accustomed vines and branches, Born was startled to see how clumsy the giants were and how hesitantly they advanced. He inquired about their obvious difficulty as tactfully as possible and was glad when neither seemed offended.
    “On the world we come from,” Logan explained, “we’re used to walking on the ground.”
    Born was shocked. “Can it be that you live in Hell itself?”
    “Hell? I don’t understand, Born.”
    He pointed downward. “Two levels below us lie the Lower and True Hell, the surface Hell of mud and shifting earth. It is the abode of monsters too horrible to have names, so it is said.”
    “I understand. No, Born, our home’s not like that. It’s solid and open and light— not full of monsters. At least,” she said with a grin, “not any monsters we can’t live with.” Like the Church Bureau of SupraCommonwealth Registry, she reflected.
    Born’s head was swimming.
    Everything the giants said seemed to go against all reason and truth, yet their very presence and the solid evidence of their sky craft hinted that yet greater wonders might exist.
    For now, though, he must restrain his curiosity in favor of more immediate concerns. “You both look tired and hungry, and you must be exhausted by your ordeal.”
    Cohoma added a heartfelt “Amen!”
    “I will take you to the Home. We can talk further there, and more easily.”
    “One question, Born,” asked Logan. “Are the rest of your people as receptive to strangers as you are?”
    “Think you we are not civilized?” Born asked. “Any child knows that a guest is as a brother and must be so treated.”
    “A man after my own heart,” sighed Cohoma. “I’ve got to apologize, friend Born. I had some wrong ideas about you, at first. Lead on, short stuff.”
    Born pointed upward. “To the Home level first—a fair climb.” Both giants groaned. Judging from what he had seen of their climbing ability thus far, Born could understand their reaction. “I will try to find an easier route. It will cost us some time—”
    “We’ll risk it,” said Logan.
    Born located a spiraling branch root, descending in a tight double helix from an air-tree somewhere far above. They would have several dozen meters of simple ascent. He started upward, and as he did a scream sounded behind him. He reached for the snuffler, relaxed when he saw it was only Ruumahum. The fear displayed by the two giants at the sight of the affectionate furcot was amusing.
    “It’s only Ruumahum,” he informed them. “My furcot. He’d no more harm you than me.”
    “Persons,” grunted Ruumahum sardonically, sniffing first at the waist of a frozen Logan, then Cohoma. Neither giant moved, relaxing only when that great fanged head moved away.
    “My God,” Logan muttered, staring in awe at the massive form as it bounded into the canopy overhead, “it talks. That’s two sapient forms Survey missed.” She looked at Born with new respect. “Carnivorous hexapod—how’d you