ore and still brought to their senses
before it was too late. As lovely as the cave girl was, Alurna knew that
her own beauty suffered little by comparison--something that Jotan would
have seen long ago were his eyes not blinded by a mad infatuation.

There was little else to do for the time being, Alurna realized, except
wait. Tonight or tomorrow or a moon from now the opportunity for ridding
herself of her brown-haired rival would come along. She had almost
arranged the girl's death in Sephar, but Dylara had slain the hired
assassin. Next time the result would be different. Fortunately it was
not something that had to be done in a hurry. Dylara gave no indication
of willingly becoming Jotan's mate, and being a person of high
principles, Jotan would have her no other way. The only danger, really,
was that his unfailing courtesy, thoughtfulness and complete adoration
might succeed in winning the cave girl's love.

* * * * *

Sadu, the lion, standing beyond the circle of light cast by the fire,
raised his voice in a challenging roar that cut into silence the
encampment of humans. His hunger was growing with the passage of time
and the sight of the many two-legged creatures behind the leaping
flames.

Again, Sadu's majestic voice rolled out, filling the clearing with
spine-tingling sound, and from the depths of night-shrouded jungle
behind him came an answering roar. A moment later the foliage parted and
a second lion slunk through the shadows just beyond the periphery of
light. The newcomer was a great, tawny-maned beast even larger than the
first. He eyed the blazing piles of branches and the men beyond them
with slitted eyes for a long moment, then uttered a series of low,
coughing grunts. In response to the signal, three more lions--a female
and two full-grown males--emerged from the undergrowth to join their
leader.

The first lion eyed the strange family and bared his great fangs,
warning them with a low rumble that he would permit no interference in
his hunting. They stared at him silently with a kind of dignified
reserve, then turned their attention toward the humans beyond the wall
of fire.

Two full hours dragged past. Within the camp the larger part of the
caravan was sleeping soundly, huddled against the chill night air in
sleeping furs. The normal guard of ten warriors had been doubled against
the possibility of attack by the great cats.

Suddenly one of the lions rose