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't happy about it。
〃You don't have to stay back here；〃 the man said。 Stef； his name was。
〃Mid…field's enough； just keep him away from the leaders。〃
〃I'm fine；〃 Heris said。 〃I like to watch the others。〃 Cecelia had told her to stay well back； even this far back； and she trusted Cecelia's advice more than someone who sat his horse like a jellied custard。
〃e on； Stef！〃 someone called from ahead； and he shrugged and kicked his horse into a trot。 Heris anticipated Tiger's attempt to lunge forward； and rehearsed for the hundredth time what Cecelia had told her； and what she had read。
The hounds would be turned loose to find the smell … the scent … of one of the pseudofoxes； and then they would 〃give tongue。〃 Now that Heris had heard them； from a distance； she agreed that 〃barked〃 was inadequate。 With the hounds following the scent； the field would follow … cautiously … because pseudofoxes； like their Old Earth predecessors； were tricky beasts。 More than once they'd popped into view in the midst or even rear of the field； causing a wild confusion of horses and hounds and usually getting clean away。 One had to give the pack time to work the scent； to untangle the maze the prey left； and push the fox into the open。 Only when the fox was sighted did things move faster … eventually very fast。
They came to a scrubby wood bordered on one side by a tangle of two…meter brush。 Riders gathered in a clump； the few who spoke did so quietly； and most checked girths and stirrup leathers； and kept quiet。 Heris put a leg forward cautiously and found that Tiger's girth could e up another notch； just as the groom had said。 She drew in a long breath of cold； moist morning air； on which the smell of horse and dog and wet clay hung suspended in a fundamental cleanliness utterly unlike ship's air。 Planets felt so spacious； there always seemed to be room； somewhere beyond … although she knew very well they were as tightly limited as any ship； just larger。 Somewhere ahead and to the left； she heard the noise of the pack； the busy feet pattering on leaves and twigs； the coarse； eager panting； an occasional muffled yelp。 Something small and gray and bouncy … not a pseudofox； but something it probably ate … shot into the clearing and two horses shied away from it。 Tiger threw up his head； but Heris held him firmly and the little animal scattered through the field without causing any real damage。 Another animal … Heris got a good look at this one； and it was a small； black； tree…climber with a bushy tail … clung to a nearby tree and made angry chattering noises at them； flipping its tail as punctuation。
Heris had just begun to wonder if anything would happen when one of the hounds gave a sobbing moan； and another joined in。 She had lost track of their movements； they now sounded ahead and to the right； and she could hear crackling in the brush。 Around her； the riders gathered up reins； and edged into position。 Some began moving； at a walk； in the direction of the noise。
Then a horn blew a signal she didn't know； and everyone set off after it。
For a long time they seemed to move at a walk or slow trot； making their way through the woods and through a lane in the brush beyond it。 Tiger tossed his head a lot； but otherwise gave Heris no trouble。 At the end of the brush a low stone wall offered the first chance to test jumping skills in the field。
Heris； at the end of the field； had to wait a long time while others scrambled over； some with difficulty。 By the time it was her turn； stones lay tumbled at the foot； and the wall was scarcely a half…meter high。 Tiger bounced over it with contempt； ears flat； and kicked up on the far side。 Only those who had had refusals and turned aside to wait were behind her now。 She could see the backs of the first riders rising as their horses leaped an obstacle across the field she'd just jumped into。
Tiger fought the bit all the way across the field； took off late for the rail fence on its far side； and whacked it with his forelegs。 Heris had no trouble staying on； but she could tell her shoulders would hurt if he was this stubborn all day long。 The fence seemed to have settled him； though； for he followed the field along a track through sparse trees without trying to race ahead。 Heris couldn't see exactly where they were headed next； but she felt more confidence in her ability to survive this odd ritual。
Tiger's strong trot brought the field back to her； as most of the riders chose to squeeze through a gate at the end of the track rather than jump another； higher wall。 Some of those who had tried the jump hadn't made it； Heris saw one woman climbing back onto her horse； and a man stalking a loose horse which was slyly moving off just too fast to be caught。 Beyond the gate； they faced a sluggish stream； well…muddied by recent crossings； and a steep slope across it up one of the small irregular hills。 Remembering the groom's advice； Heris took a firm contact； and gave Tiger a smart tap in the ribs。 With a snort； he plunged into the water； and lurched up the far bank。 Heris couldn't remember if she was supposed to avoid trotting up hill or down （someone had said something about it； she thought） so she walked sedately up； trusting that she could see where everyone was from the top。 Tiger's ears were no longer back； apparently he'd given up the fight She had imagined a hill like an overturned bowl； with a definite top； from which she could see all sides。 As soon as the slope flattened； she realized her mistake。 She might as well have assumed that being at the top of a loading platform or the flight deck of her carrier would let her see everything going on below。 From the irregular and unlevel top of the hill； the downward slopes were mostly invisible。 Some fell off steeply； and others were hidden in clumps of trees or brush。 She looked around for a clue。 The ground had plenty of hoofprints； but she was no tracker to know which were recent。 Far off in the distance； tiny horses stretched across the slope of another hill … but that couldn't be the hunt she was following； it was too far away。 A fresh breeze made just enough noise in the nearest trees to cover the sound of the hounds。。。 although she hadn't heard it for some time； she realized。 She'd just been following the tail…end riders。
She felt stupid； and bored； and suddenly very irritated with Lady Cecelia。
Surely this was not what riding to hounds was supposed to be like； dawdling along at the end of a group of people who fell off and got lost。 How could they call it hunting？ Only those in the front of the group were actually hunting； and they were just following the hounds； who were chasing a fake fox； an artificial animal designed to be quarry。 The whole thing was a fake … a pretense of historical accuracy； modified for modern convenience。
A quiver beneath her reminded her that she wasn't standing on a machine； or a fake animal； but riding a real； living animal with its own initiative。 Tiger's ears were forward； pricked； and he stamped the ground with a forehoof。 She looked in the direction of his gaze。 The little horses had disappeared into a wood； too far away still； she was sure。。。 but Tiger didn't think so。
She muttered a curse that