"Perhaps it should be,” said Cabot.
"The world must not be surrendered to the Agamemnons,” said Pyrrhus.
"More than one world would seem to be theirs,” said Cabot.
"I must not be found here,” said Pyrrhus.
"I suppose not,” said Cabot.
"Remove your tunic,” said Pyrrhus.
Cabot slipped from the simple garment and placed it in Pyrrhus’ broad, extended paw.
"Am I to be killed now?” inquired Cabot.
"Do you think I want to return to the world with your blood on my claws and teeth?” said Pyrrhus. “Or particles of your flesh on my fingers?"
"The hunting party is due to arrive soon?"
"Yes,” said Pyrrhus.
"I am to escape into the forest?” said Cabot.
"If you wish,” said Pyrrhus.
"I may remain here, and address the hunters,” said Cabot.
"If you wish,” said Pyrrhus, “but the hunting party is in league with me."
"You have left little to chance,” said Cabot.
"The hunting party will not be blamed for killing and eating you,” said Pyrrhus.
"A natural mistake, as humans look much alike to Kurii?"
"Yes, and no one would expect to find you here."
"And thus the plans of Agamemnon will be frustrated?"
"For now,” said Pyrrhus.
"And later?"
"Who knows what may occur later?” came from Pyrrhus’ translator.
"Treachery, treason, poison, assassination?"
"I depart,” said Pyrrhus.
"Perhaps I may elude the hunting party,” said Cabot.
"I do not think so,” said Pyrrhus, lifting the tunic which Cabot had surrendered to him, “for they will have sleen."
"Little, indeed, has been left to chance,” said Cabot.
"The hunters may not be your greatest danger,” said Pyrrhus.
"Larls, wild sleen?” said Cabot.
"And humans."
"Humans?"
"Certainly,” said Pyrrhus. “They do not know you."
"They are dangerous?"
"Some have killed Kurii,” said Pyrrhus.
"I will speak to them,” said Cabot.
"They are not speeched,” said Pyrrhus.
Lord Pyrrhus then returned to the shuttle lock, accessed the automated vessel, and left the sport world.
And Cabot entered the forest.
Chapter, the Thirteenth:
WHAT OCCURRED IN THE FOREST
"Tal,” said Cabot, lifting his hand in greeting.
He had not proceeded far into the forest when he became aware that they were about him, amongst the trees.
He was not surprised that his presence had been soon detected, as he supposed that a watch was maintained from the forest on the shuttle lock, whence would emerge Kur hunting parties.
To be sure, there were doubtless a number of shuttle locks, giving access to the sport world at different points.
Human denizens of the forest, however, would doubtless maintain a watch on each of these.
The forest had been rather silent as he had entered it, save for certain cries, as of the calls of birds.
Cabot looked about himself.
His greeting had not been returned.
Signs, however, had been exchanged. Signs can be useful, if one is within a line of sight. Thus messages can be exchanged in silence.
Cabot was reassured that these signs had been exchanged. These denizens of the forest were far from human cattle. Indeed, they had been bred for cunning, elusiveness, and, he supposed, ruthlessness.
From the Kur point of view they were ideal game animals, highly intelligent and extremely dangerous.
They wore skins, which reassured Cabot he was not dealing with simple prey animals but animals which were, in their turn, fully capable of predation. They carried pointed sticks, some sharpened as spears, others as shorter, stabbing weapons.
"Tal,” said Cabot, again.
His overture was again ignored, or misunderstood.
There seemed to be some twenty or thirty of them which were now encircling him, none closer than thirty or forty feet.
How do they think of me, wondered Cabot. They may well wonder at my presence here. Too, it is quite possible they saw me with Lord Pyrrhus, in the vicinity of the lock. Do they think I have been put here to be killed, by them or others, or do they think I am here as bait, or to betray them? Presumably, if I were killed, they would have little to fear.
Too, they may eat human, other than those of their own group. That is not so uncommon amongst humans.
One of these creatures came forward a little. Instead of skins, he wore the remains of a Kur harness. At his hip was a knife, a Kur knife. It was the only metal weapon Cabot could detect in the group.
He has killed a Kur, Cabot thought.
Behind the men, in the trees, Cabot could detect several female figures, also clad in skins. They were bare-legged, and supple.
The fellow in the remains of the Kur harness, he who had approached Cabot the most closely, made several abrupt, rapid gestures to him, which were incomprehensible to Cabot. He then turned about, and signed similarly to the others.
"Are you speeched?” inquired Cabot, in Gorean. He was sure they were capable of uttering sound. Presumably when they felt secure they would do so. They would presumably have some system of verbal signals, if not a language. Cabot did not expect them to understand Gorean, but he had hoped that they would respond with something which would indicate at least that they were speeched.
Perhaps they do not wish to utter sound too near the edge of the forest, thought Cabot.
Some of the females had now come a little closer.
Their furs did not much conceal them. Doubtless they had been attired in accordance with the will of men. None were armed. About their necks, wrapped several times, three or four times, were leather strips, about an inch wide. These were knotted in front, with a variety of ties.
These are slaves, thought Cabot. They are collared. The different knots probably identify the master. It is like Gorean slave strings, or slave laces, fastened about a girl's neck, indicating her bondage and her owner. Cabot was reminded of the leather collars, beaded, in which the Red Savages of the Barrens commonly kept their white female slaves.
They keep their women as slaves, thought Cabot. Thus there is no division within the community, which might produce confusion, hesitancy, dissension, and conflict, and jeopardize the survival of the group. Too, what true man does not desire absolute power over a woman, and what true woman does not seek a man at whose feet to kneel?
Cabot smiled, and spread his hands, making very clear, ritualistically, that he was unweaponed.
The women are coming closer, he thought. They want to watch. He is going to attack.
The fellow in the remains of the Kur harness smiled, as had Cabot.
They can smile, thought Cabot.
The fellow in the remains of the Kur harness then spread his hands, as had Cabot.
It was clearly a gesture of peace, of acceptance, of friendship.
He then attacked.
Cabot had expected the attack, but not its swiftness, its agility. He broke his assailant's hands from his neck by going between the arms and forcing them apart. He then spun his startled, squirming assailant about and brought his hands under the other's arms, locked his fingers together behind the other's neck, and began to press forward. In this way the neck may be broken. Cabot spun about, not releasing his hold, to fend other blows, the jabbing of the sharpened sticks, but none of the others approached.
Cabot exerted further pressure, but did not snap the spinal cord.
His foe uttered angry noises, but there was nothing that suggested a call for quarter, a plea of mercy, even an emanation of fear.
One of the skin-clad animals approached Cabot, unarmed, and put his hand gently on Cabot's arm.
They can kill me, thought Cabot. What does it matter? He then released his hold and his foe, dazed, shaking his head, sank to his knees amongst the leaves.