"Because he didn't want us to hear him."
"What do you mean?"
"He started trumpeting only the last quarter-mile or we would not have heard him. He must have had some reason for wishing to attract our attention."
Jane gazed at her in astonishment. "You're saying he planned this?"
"I do not know, but he is not as other elephants."
"I don't care if he's not like other elephants. I want to know if this will happen again."
She hesitated, troubled. "It is possible. He obviously did not like being interrupted."
Jane had a fleeting memory of deadly tusks lowered to charge. "I noticed that."
"But I will put guards on the track tomorrow night," Dilam assured her.
"You can't put guards along the entire line," Li Sung said. "It is best we hunt him down and shoot him."
Dilam's expression became shuttered. "I will not help you do this."
"Did you see what he did? Those tracks are—" Jane stopped, trying to control her temper. "I wouldn't kill any animal needlessly, but this elephant is vicious. Why won't you help us?"
"He saved the life of my child. It would be dishonor if I destroyed his savior."
"Then find someone else to lead us to him."
"I cannot do that," Dilam said stubbornly. "It would be the same thing. I will place guards on the track."
"I could try to find him by myself," Li Sung offered.
"You'd get lost," Jane said curtly. "You don't know anything about jungles."
"And less about elephants," Li Sung conceded. "But I know I don't like this one, and even I could hit a target that size."
"If you shoot him in the right spot. I'm not even sure a bullet would pierce that skin. It's too dangerous. He almost killed you tonight."
"I told you he did not like me." His lips tightened. "I assure you the aversion is mutual. I will go after him."
She shook her head.
Li Sung gave her a cold glance. "You think the task too much for a cripple?"
"I didn't say ... Li Sung, don't do this to me right now." She turned to Dilam. "This must not happen again. I want those guards armed. Do you understand?"
"I understand."
But she hadn't promised she would tell the guards to shoot the elephant, Jane thought in frustration. She turned on her heel and headed back toward the camp.
Li Sung walked beside her. "You are worried about the deadline?"
"Of course I'm worried."
"We still have one day's grace."
"If that blasted elephant doesn't do any more damage."
"If he does, I will go after him."
He meant it. For some idiotic reason Li Sung was taking this elephant attack on an intensely personal level. Now she would not only have to worry about meeting the deadline but about Li Sung storming around in the jungle, trying to find that rogue. She suppressed a sudden surge of panic and desperation. She still had two days. She would just have to work harder to make sure two days was enough to repair the damage and clear the crossing.
And pray that demented elephant didn't take it into his head to wreck any more of her track.
Chapter 15
Li Sung knelt beside Dilam's blanket and shook her shoulder. "Wake up."
Dilam drowsily opened her eyes. "You wish to nesting?
"No, I certainly do not."
Dilam yawned, rolled over, and closed her eyes. "Then I need to sleep. I just got back into my blankets and must be up again in three hours. We will talk tomorrow."
"Why should you sleep when I cannot? You're the only one who can give me the answers."
"What answers?"
"Tell me about elephants."
Dilam opened her eyes and raised herself on one elbow. "What do you wish to know?"
"Everything."
"Because you wish to go after Danor?"
"Perhaps."
"What other reason could there be?"
"Very well, I want to go after him."
"Why are you so angry with him?" Dilam asked curiously.
Why was he angry, Li Sung wondered in frustration. He was aware his emotion was entirely out of proportion. All he knew was that when he had looked at that tattered-eared monster he had felt something explode inside him. "He tried to kill me. Isn't that reason enough?"
"Yes." Dilam studied his face. "But I don't believe you are ... I think you heard the makhol."
"Makhol?"
"The summons. My father told me that sometimes an elephant will lay its will upon a man and for the rest of their lives elephant and man are one. Only rarely does this happen even with a mahout, an elephant handler." She frowned thoughtfully. "Very curious. I've never heard of anyone but a very young child hearing the
Li Sung said sarcastically, "I assure you, I heard no summons and have no desire to be one with any elephant, much less that brute."
"So you wish to know about elephants only so you can kill Danor if he comes again?"
Li Sung nodded jerkily. "And now I suppose you won't talk to me."
"I did not say that."
"What about protecting this noble savior of your child?"
"I do not fear for Danor."
"You should," Li Sung said grimly.
"I do not think so." Dilam smiled as she sat up and wrapped her blanket around her. "Very well, I will tell you all I know of elephants. They are very like us, you know. They live very long lives, sometimes over sixty years and do not reach adulthood until they are in their teens. They travel in family herds of eight or ten and often join together with larger herds. I have counted over a hundred in Danor's herd. Usually the leader is the largest cow elephant of the herd."
"Another matriarch," Li Sung said sourly. "No wonder you like elephants."
Dilam smiled slyly. "I told you they were intelligent. The herd bull has to be very clever and strong to maintain his position. If another male elephant challenges and wins, the defeated bull leaves the herd and goes off alone. Often despair makes him turn violent and he turns rogue."
"Like Danor?"
"Perhaps." She shrugged. "I know Danor's mate is leader of the herd. I have seen them together. An elephant sometimes eats over a thousand pounds of food a day and his favorite fare is the top branches of low trees. They are very tender, and if he cannot reach those branches he will push the tree over to get at them. That is why you see all those fallen trees as an elephant moves through the jungle. They must eat all the time or grow weak."
"I am not interested in Danor's menu."
"No, you would rather know how to kill him. I will tell you this also, but you asked for everything and that is what you will receive. Only the males have tusks and t hey can do much damage with them."
"I noticed."
"I am not sure Danor meant to trample or gore you. They can be very surefooted and he could have swerved when you jumped aside."
"He meant to kill me."
"You will clearly not believe anything else." She made a face and went on. "Elephants like water and are very at ease in it. I have seen an entire herd swimming underneath the water to get to the opposite bank, only occasionally lifting their trunks above the surface to breathe air. It is like watching—"