nches of a tree, that sitting on a branch behind
his captor was another cave man--a youth, rather--who was watching him
from inscrutable eyes.

"She never really believed you were dead," the Ammadian said slowly,
almost as though thinking aloud. "I tried to tell her no man comes
through the Games of the God alive. Even now I can hardly believe that
you are actually here."

Tharn was not to be side-tracked. "Where is she?" he growled. "For the
last time--or do I choke the information from you?"

"That will not be necessary, my friend," Jotan said sadly. "For all I
know Dylara may be dead."

Nothing changed in Tharn's expression but his fingers bit sharply into
Jotan's arm bringing an involuntary cry to the Ammadian's lips. "What do
you mean?"

Whereupon the young nobleman of Ammad recounted the events of that
terrible night when the lions had fallen upon his followers and sent
Dylara racing for the safety of the trees. Tharn heard him out, his face
as empty of emotion as though carved from granite.

"For three suns," Jotan said in closing, "we searched the jungle for a
sign of her. But to no avail. Either the lions got her or she is
somewhere to the north, making her way back to the caves of her people.
Two suns ago my men and I gave up and we were on our way back to rejoin
the rest of our party when you found me."

"Where is this place from which Dylara fled Sadu?"

"A sun's march to the south."

Tharn nodded. "You may return to your friends," he said. "If she is
still alive I will find her. If she is dead, or if I find her alive and
learn that you have harmed her, I will come back and kill you!"

Jotan shrugged. Not for an instant did he doubt that the young giant
meant exactly what he said. Somehow his own life seemed unimportant with
Dylara gone. He knew that, alive or dead, Dylara was lost to him and
that he would never see her again.

He shook off his thoughts. "Then I am free to go?"

"Yes."

"Where will I find my friends?"

"The trail where I found you is directly below. They have discovered
your absence and have backtracked in search of you."

Without another word Jotan rose to his feet and began the long descent
groundward.

Once the intervening foliage hid the Ammadian from view, Tharn said to
Trakor, "A sun's march to the south," he said. "We should make it in
half that time--perhaps less. Come."

Side by side the two Cro-Magnards set off through the leafy reaches of
the trees.