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rately seeking remnants of her precious 〃bird〃 amid smoldering stumps and glowing wreckage of the horrible machine that fell from the burning sky。
Dwer had just about had it by the time he got her out of there a second time。
You go back in again； and you can stay for all I care。
For a distance of two arrowflights； he had carried her with aching lungs and scalded skin； fleeing the burning mule…spider till the worst stench； heat； and suffocating vapors lay well behind。 Finally； he had put her down by the muddy creek at the lake's outlet and plunged his face and arms into the cooling stream。 The slaking liquid cut his agony in half； and that was almost more shock than his system could bear。 Gasping some water into his lungs； he pushed back； gagging and coughing。 When his hands slipped； he fell into the muck； floundering weakly。 If Rety had not caught his hair and dragged him out； he might have drowned right there。
A hiccup of ironic laughter joined his hacking cough。 After all that。。。 what a way to go。。。。
For some time they lay there； exhausted and shivering side…by…side； stirring only to scoop mud and slather it over each other's seared nakedness。 It coated raw nerves and offered some small guard against the deepening night chill。 Dwer thought of the warm clothes in his pack； nestled amid the boulders somewhere back there amid the fires。
And my bow； left on a boulder。 He suppressed that worry with a silent curse。 Forget the damn bow！ e back for it later。 Now just get out of here。
He tried to gather strength to rise。 Rety was pursuing the same goal； with identical results； sagging back with a moan after each effort。 Finally； Dwer managed to sit up。 The stars swayed as he teetered； pushed by a wintry wind。
Get moving； or you'll freeze。
Insufficient reason。 Not enough to overe shock and fatigue。
The girl then。 Get her moving； or…
Or what？ Dwer somehow doubted even twice this much suffering could kill Rety。 Trouble would not spare her yet。 Trouble must find her too useful as an ally and friend。
But he was on the right track； Dwer felt sure。 There was something else。 Another duty。 Someone awaiting his return。。。。
The glaver。 Dwer's mud…crusted eyelids opened。 I left her hobbled。 She'll starve。 Or a Hgger will get her。
With quaking limbs； he fought his way up to his knees…and found he could rise no further。
Rety struggled up； too； and sagged against him。 They rested； leaning against each other for support。 When folks find our frozen bodies lying together this way； someone's sure to think we must've liked each other。
That； alone； was good reason to move。 But messages to his arms and legs weren't obeyed。
A soft moistness stroked his cheek。。。。
Stop that； Rety。
It repeated。 Wet and scratchy。
What's the kid doing now…licking me？ Of all the weird。。。
Again a wet tongue…rather long and raspy for a little sooner girl。 Dwer managed to turn his head。。。 and blinked at the sight of two huge bulging eyes； rotating independently on each side of a broad rounded head。 The glaver's mouth opened again。 This time the tongue abraded a path right up Dwer's lip and over both nostrils。 He flinched； then managed to wheeze…
〃H…how。。。 how…w。。。 ？〃
Vaguely； distantly； he heard his own words。 So he wasn't pletely deaf； after all。
Knowing a better perch when she saw it； Rety transferred her one…armed grip from his neck to the glaver's。 The other hand still clenched her prize…a fragment of knobs； lumps； and scorched metal feathers。
Dwer didn't pause to question fortune。 He flung himself over the glaver's other side； sucking warmth from her downy hide。 Patiently…or apathetically…the creature let both humans hang on； till Dwer finally found the strength to gather his feet and stand。
One of the glaver's hind legs still bore remnants of a rope hobble； chewed off at the knot。 Behind her； the cause of this miracle grinned with the other end in its mouth。 Mudfoot leered at Dwer； eyes glittering。
Always gotta make sure to get full credit； don't you？ Dwer thought； knowing it was ungrateful but thinking it anyway。
Another brilliant explosion sent rays of brightness cutting through black shadows； all centered on the fiery site by the lake。 Two more reports followed within a few duras； erasing any thought of going back after his supplies。 Flames continued to spread。
He helped Rety up； leaning on the glaver for support。 e on； Dwer said； with a slight incline of the head。 Better to die in motion than just lying here。
Even stumbling in the dark； numbed by cold； pain； and weariness； Dwer couldn't help pondering what he'd seen。
One little bird…machine might have been rare but explainable…a surviving relic of Buyur days； somehow preserved into this era； wandering confused across a continent long abandoned by its masters。 But the second machine…that daunting； floating menace…was no dazed leftover of vanished Jijoan tenants。 It had been powerful； resolute。
A new thing in the world。
Together they weaved unsteadily down another avenue between two forests of boo。 The channel spared them from the frigid wind； and also from having to make any decisions。 Each step took them farther from the lakeside conflagration； which suited Dwer fine。
Where there's one death machine； might there be more？
Could another levitating minifortress e to avenge its brother？ With that thought； the narrow； star…canopied aisle ceased seeming a refuge； rather an awful trap。
The boo…lined corridor ended at last； spilling the four of them onto a meadow of knee…high grass swaying before a stiff； icy wind that drained their bodies as they shuffled along。 Frost flurries whirled all around。 Dwer knew it was just a matter of time before they collapsed。
A grove of scrubby saplings clustered by a small watercourse； some distance from the path。 Shivering； he nudged the glaver across the crunching； crackling grass。 We're leaving tracks； the hunter in him carped。 Lessons drilled by old Fallen floated to mind。 Try keeping to hare rock or water。。。。 When you're being stalked； head downwind。。。。
None of which was helpful now。 Instinct led him to a rocky ledge； an outcrop shrouded by low bushes。 Without his fire…lighter or even a knife or piece of flint； their best hope lay in finding shelter。 Dwer yanked Rety off the glaver's neck； pushing till she understood to bend and crawl under the shelf。 The glaver shuffled inward on all four knees； Mudfoot hitching a ride on her corrugated back。 Dwer yanked some fallen branches where the wind would pile leaves on top。 Then he also dropped； slithering to join an interspecies tangle of limbs； fur； skin…and someone's fetid breath not far from his face。 Snowflakes sublimed off flesh as body heat spread through the confined space。 Just our luck to have a late flurry； so far into spring； he thought。 Old Fallen used to say there were just two seasons in the mountains。 One was called Winter。 The other was also winter； with some green stuff growing to trick the unwary。
He told himself the weather wasn't really so bad…or wouldn't be if their clothes hadn't been burned off their bodies； or if they weren't already in shock； or if they had supplies。
After a while； Dwer realized the deafness must be fading。 He could hear someone's teeth chattering； then a murmur of some sort； ing from behind him。 That was followed by a sharp jab on his shoulder。
〃I said could you move jes a bit？〃 Rety shouted； not far from his ear。 〃You're lying on my…〃
He shifted。 Something bony slid from under his rib…cage。 When he lay back down； his flank scraped icy grit。 Dwer sighed。
〃Are you all right？〃
She squirmed some more。 〃What'd you say？〃
He writhed around to see her blurry outline。 〃Are you okay？〃 he shouted。
〃Oh； sure。 Never better； dimmie。 Good question。〃
Dwer shrugged。 If she had energy to be nasty； she was probably far from death's door。
〃You got anything to eat？〃 Rety added。
He shook his head。 〃We'll find something in the morn。 Till then； don't speak 'less you must。〃
〃Why？〃
Because robots probably have ears； he almost said。 But why worry the kid？
〃Save your strength。 Now be go