Winter in Eden

he told them what had happened in Alpèasak.
    "Ustuzou fled, Yilanè once again."
    "Females and death, too close, too close," Imehei wailed.
    "Well you weren't very happy when the city was ustuzou," Kerrick reminded him. "You had better decide which you prefer."
    "Equally bad," Nadaske said. "Death from stone tooth, death on the beaches."
    "Then stay away from the city."
    "Look, see," Arnwheet said, coming between them and holding out the chart.
    Imehei took it from him with appreciative movements at the rich colors. Kerrick started to speak—then stopped, shocked. Arnwheet had spoken in Yilanè. Crudely and simply—but Yilanè it was! Imehei and Nadaske admired the detailed lines and colors of the map while the boy looked on proudly. He watched and listened when they spoke and seemed to understand some part of what they said. Kerrick was overwhelmed by affection for the boy, bent and seized him, hurled him laughing into the air, sat him proudly on his shoulders. Why shouldn't he understand? He was young, he learned like all children by listening to others—Kerrick as a boy had been far older and he had learned Yilanè. He was proud of his son's accomplishment, more than proud. It was an important thing to have happen, a greater bond between them. Up until this moment he had been alone, the only living creature in the world who could speak with both Yilanè and Tanu. This was no longer true.
    "Objects of great delight," Imehei said, holding the chart up to the sun the better to admire the colors.
    "Great artistry, see how the lines penetrate from one side to the other."
    Winter in Eden - Harry Harrison
    "They have a function and a purpose," Kerrick said. "They are aids to navigation, directions for crossing the ocean."
    "Little purpose, no importance," Imehei said.
    "They were needed by the uruketo that brought you here," Kerrick said with overtones of malice.
    "Without them, you could have ended up in the frozen sea."
    "Since I shall never venture aboard an uruketo again, smelling-boring, they are useless. Except for wall hangings, color to place of living; could be placed beside the sculpture of the nenitesk, polite request."
    "No," Kerrick said. "I want to study them. They are from Ikhalmenets—do you know where that is?"
    "Distant—fish-filled."
    "Island of little importance."
    As always the males took no interest in anything other than their own comforts, their own survival. They could be no different, Kerrick thought. In the hanalè they had no responsibilities. But they had made the break, were self-sufficient now; he must give them credit for that.
    He carried Arnwheet and the map back in a strangely thoughtful mood. The fact that the boy was beginning to speak Yilanè was of great importance. He felt that—but logically knew no reason why.
    When the others were asleep that night he lay awake in the darkness speaking softly to Armun.
    "Arnwheet can speak with the murgu a bit—he will get better at it."
    "He should not go near them, disgusting. I will see that Darras plays with him more. When do we go back to the sammads?"
    "I don't know. I don't know what to do." To her in the darkness he admitted his worries and fears, held tight to her, as she to him. "The valley is distant and the murgu will be watching all of the trails. How can we escape them? Ortnar cannot walk. And I do not think he would go with us if he had to ride like an infant in the travois. I think that he would walk into the forest alone if he had to go that way. What would that leave us? Children—and one half-grown boy who is probably the best hunter here, better than I am I know."
    "I have a strong arm and a good spear."
    "I know." He held her, smelling the freshness of her hair. "Your strength is my strength. But you know as little of hunting as I do. We will need food. The hunting is good here, Harl gets what we need, and we Winter in Eden - Harry Harrison
    have the fish in the lake. But it would be a long and hard trail if we left. I think we have been on enough trails like that. Far too many."
    "Then you want us to stay here?
    "I don't know what I want, not yet. When I try to think about it I feel a knot of pain and my thoughts twist away. But now we are safe here. We must take time to decide what to do. And the sammads, I think about them too, and wonder if there is anything we can do to help them. The murgu will be after them."
    "Their hunters are strong. They can take care of themselves. It is not yours to worry about," she