Smugglers of Gor

Chapter Forty-Five



“No!” said Axel. “Let her go!”

“No!” I said. “She cannot be far. Use Tiomines!”

“He is not ready for another hunt,” he said, “not for Ahn. Too, the kill is recent. He remembers the blood. It will be difficult to restrain him, for perhaps a day. I do not know. He would now be as likely to kill and eat the slave, as hold her for us.”

“Keep him leashed!” I said.

“I cannot hold him if he rushes upon her,” he said.

“We two together,” I said.

“We might be unable to do so,” he said. “Too, frustrated, he might turn upon us and rend us.”

“I will risk it,” I said.

“I will not,” he said.

“Axel!” I said.

“If Tiomines were leashed,” said Axel, “and all went well, she might keep ahead of us for two or more days.”

“She does not have such a start,” I said.

“It is not clear we could even give Tiomines a usable scent,” he said. “He might follow the wrong slave.”

Tula and Mila had left with Genserich’s band, and Darla, Tuza, Emerald, and Hiza, were on their way to the coast.

“We could then revise the hunt,” I said.

“We do not even know where to search for scent,” said Axel. “We do not even know what direction she went.”

“The attempt is to be made,” I said.

“Do you not understand?” he said. “We must get back. Indeed, the ship may have left by now.”

“Not yet,” I said.

“You do not know that,” he said.

“No,” I said.

“It will take days to reach Shipcamp,” he said. “We must leave immediately.”

“The slave!” I said.

“Forget her,” he said. “The forest will claim her. You left with me. Return with me. We will report on the capture of the spies.”

“Go on, without me,” I said.

“I do not choose to do so,” he said.

“What does it matter?” I asked.

“Tyrtaios would not be pleased,” he said.

“Go without me,” I said.

Behold, his blade was half drawn from the sheath. I stepped back, and mine was free of its housing.

“I could set the sleen on you,” he said.

“I know little of sleen,” I said, “but I do not think that would be practical. We have been as fellows, for days, close to Tiomines, our scents mingled. We have both fed him. Such a command would do little more than confuse him.”

“You know more of sleen than I had supposed,” he said.

He thrust his partially drawn blade back in the sheath, resignedly. I then returned mine, as well, to its housing.

“I have no wish to kill you,” he said.

“Nor I you,” I said, “friend.”

“It seems I have lost you in the forest,” he said.

“Do you think Tyrtaios will believe that?” I asked.

“No,” he said.

“I wish you well,” I said.

“You will never find her,” he said.

“For millennia, without sleen,” I said, “men have trailed women, the most delectable of quarries.”

“You have had some experience in this?” he said.

“It is in my caste training,” I said.

“It would be better to have a sleen,” he said.

“Much,” I said, “but I have no sleen.”

“You do find the slave attractive,” he said.

I shrugged. “Somewhat,” I said. “It might be interesting to see what I could get for her in a market.”

“That is your only interest in her?” he asked.

“Certainly,” I said.

“Fortunately for you,” he said, “she is not a Panther Girl, familiar with the forest, adept at concealing her presence, and trail.”

“True,” I said.

“She is a barbarian,” he said.

“True,” I said.

“That should make things easier,” he said.

“No more so than for a Gorean girl,” I said, “provided she is from the cities.”

“For your sake,” he said, “let us hope she is as ignorant and untutored, as clumsy and naive, as inept and foolish, as lost and helpless, as easy to follow, as she is beautiful and desirable.”

“You find her so,” I said, “beautiful and desirable?”

“Yes,” he said, “do you not?”

“Perhaps I will one day consider the matter,” I said.

“I do not think you will find her,” he said.

“Perhaps not,” I said.

“There are better trackers than you in the forest,” he said.

“Oh?” I said.

“Wild sleen, panthers,” he said. “They will find her first.”

I supposed that might well be true.

“I wish you well,” he said. He then turned about, and strode away. Tiomines looked at me, as though puzzled, and then padded softly after him.