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say； they don't use chemicals； but now they might。〃
Ronnie lifted his head。 Had he really heard something； or。。。 Petris was alert too。 Something … but he couldn't define it。 〃Flitter；〃 said Oblo。 〃I'll see about it。〃
〃We make a plan every day；〃 Petris said； as if nothing had happened。 〃You have to。。。 else it's just running and waiting to be killed。 That's what happens to most。 Or they make a plan； and run the same one every day。 That won't work either。 The only hope is to make the hunters work。。。 get back at them。〃
〃Attack them？〃 George asked。 〃You do have more men； don't you？ How many hunters are there？〃
〃More； but not more firepower。 Not more resources。 We can't attack in force； but we do feint。 We scare them sometimes。 They like that； the preeves tell us； I hate to give them the satisfaction； but it does make them slow down and be careful。 As for how many； it seems to vary。 I'm sure we're not seeing the same ones each day； if it's anything like big game hunting； there's a larger party of hunters over on Bandon； and they take turns。 I'd like to kill them but so far we haven't。〃
〃Has anyone ever？〃 Raffa asked。
〃So I hear；〃 Petris said。 〃But you don't know how much to believe。 The preeves they send with us are not exactly reliable。 They've been known to turn a group that was doing too well。 We found a locator on Sid； for instance。〃
〃But you didn't kill him；〃 George said。 〃Why not？〃
〃Do you kill everyone who just might hurt you someday？〃 Petris looked disgusted。 〃Get some sense； boy。 Everyone who's been through this has knowledge we need； we can't afford to lose anyone。 He knows we know he might turn； he knows his best chance at survival is with us … at least now。〃
〃So how many do you have； altogether？〃
〃Never you mind。 What you don't know； you can't tell。 But we've lost only two； in the time we've been here； the preeves say that's much better than usual。
Now … what we're going to do is this。。。。〃 Petris leaned over the map。 〃We've got to separate you four； because they need you worst。 Can't let them get you in a lump。 The longer it takes； the more chance one of you'll be alive to report all this。 At the same time； I can't protect you all。 My people wouldn't go for it； and I don't have the ability anyway。 So you ladies will have to go here〃 … he pointed to the ravine on the map … 〃unless you can find those hiding places you think you remember。。。 ？〃 He looked at Bubbles。
〃I wish Kell hadn't been so secretive；〃 Bubbles said。 〃I'm sure there is a cave somewhere … 〃 Petris ignored this； he had not been impressed with a possible cave she had never seen for herself。
〃You want me to go somewhere alone？〃 Raffa asked。 She looked pale。
〃It would be best；〃 Petris said； almost gently。 〃That ravine's hard to climb； they avoid it except at the ends； and there's a lot of cover … big rocks and so on。 They go along the edges； and watch both ends； but they can't see everything。 If you tuck yourself under a boulder； that's as safe a place as I can offer。〃
〃I want to do something；〃 Raffa said。 〃Not sit under a rock and shiver。〃
〃We don't have any training；〃 Bubbles said to her。 〃Not even as much as Ronnie and George。 The best we can do is stay out of the way。〃
〃No。〃 Raffa glanced at Ronnie and away； he felt his heart contract。 She was thinking about him； he knew it。
〃You two；〃 Petris said； with a nod to Ronnie and George； 〃are another problem。
You might be useful； or not … I can't tell until I see you in action。 What we're going to do is try to make them think you wandered into the forest north of the stream； maybe heading for the point up there。 It's more rugged country。
I want you to go up there now； and make some trail。 Scuff and scrape as if you're dragging something or someone。 Drop something unimportant that might have fallen off your packs。 There's no way to disguise what happened to your flitter； but they may not have realized we've met。 If you headed that way； and we were keeping watch to the south and east； you could have gotten away from us。 Not really； but they might believe it。〃
In other circumstances； it would have been a pleasant afternoon's hike up the ravine。 Bubbles found it hard to remember the danger； the lower forest smelled as fresh as she remembered； and then the scramble up the rocks took her breath away。 A clear rivulet still splashed from pool to pool； and red and gold amphibians still hurled themselves into the water as she came near； with agitated squeaks。 A few rocks had moved in seasonal floods … she recognized one boulder by an odd inclusion； now upside down from where it had been … but most of the trail was familiar。
Higher on the slope； a breeze stirred； lifting the hair on the back of her head as it rose from the forest canopy below。 She could see more of the sky； now； and smell the sea as well as the rock and flowers。 Raffa； behind her； scuffed her feet in the dirt but said nothing。 Bubbles was glad。 She wanted to bine the old memories； once thrust away as too childish； with the present experience。 Finally she stopped； winded； on a broad flat outcrop where the ravine angled south； away from the shore。 Looking back she could see nothing but billows of green concealing the shape of the land itself。 Raffa； panting； dropped to the rock and lifted the hair from her neck。
〃You did this every year？〃 she asked； after a moment 〃Most years； for awhile。 When my Uncle Gene would e； and bring the cousins。。。。 I suppose； really； Mother wanted us out of the main house； away from more important visitors。 All of us together could be noisy。〃 She grinned down at Raffa。 〃When we camped over here； we'd divide in two groups； at least； and play hunting games。 Stuff we'd read about or seen on the old cubes …〃
〃We used to go to my Aunt Katy's house and ride up in the hills；〃 Raffa said。
〃On Negaire … no pretty islands there。〃
Bubbles shivered。 〃Ugh。 Cold and wet all year round； isn't it？ You didn't camp out； surely？〃
Raffa nodded。 〃Better than in this heat。 We pretended to be steppe nomads and so forth； but mostly we lived in caves。 There was a big one； very handy； about a day's ride away； and another smaller one on the other side of the hill。 We painted monsters on the walls； one of my cousins tried to paint us； but he couldn't draw。〃
〃Cave。〃 Bubbles glowered at the water。 〃I wish I knew if Kell told the truth。
He said it was big enough for all of us； but he wouldn't share it； the pig。
He's like that still； loves secrets and won't share。 There's no place else as good； if it's real。〃
〃You're sure you have no idea where it is？〃
〃Only where it isn't。 We did look； but we never found it in the likely places … up here； or in the valley between this hill and the next。 And knowing where not to look still leaves a lot of island。 Why … you think we should look？〃
〃If we found it； we'd be a lot safer than hiding under a rock；〃 Raffa pointed out。 〃And we'd better be going； we certainly aren't safe sitting here chatting。〃
〃We'll climb straight over the spine；〃 Bubbles said； leading the way up the narrowing ravine。 〃I hope the old trail along the crest is still there。 It has a few hidey…holes I know about。〃
Along the spine of the island； the rock outcro