I advise you to walk some other night," said Etzwane. "Hozman Sore-throat prowls the vicinity; he is the arch-slaver of Caraz."
"Pff. Do you refer to the rogues who chased you hither? They rode north; they are gone. They would never dare molest the Alula."
Etzwane gave his head a skeptical shake. "If you are lonely, come talk to me yonder behind the wain where I have spread my blankets."
Rune the Willow Wand stood back, eyebrows arched in disdain. "I am not interested in such a graceless proceeding. To think that I considered you aersk. " She twitched her cap securely down on her head and sauntered away. Etzwane gave a rueful shrug and presently went to his blankets. For a period he watched the alien, who sat motionless in the shadows, showing only its outline and the soft glow of its single eye.
Etzwane felt somewhat reluctant to sleep with the alien so near at hand; after all, they knew nothing of its proclivities. But presently he drowsed… After a time he awoke uneasily, but the creature sat immobile, and Etzwane went back to sleep once more.
An hour before dawn a bellow of enormous rage jerked Etzwane from his slumber. He jumped to his feet to see a number of Alula warriors rushing forth from their wains. They spoke back and forth, then all dashed for their pacers, and presently Etzwane heard the thud of retreating hooves.
Fabrache had gone forth for information; he returned, dolefully wagging his head. "It's just as I warned them and they would not believe. Last night four maidens went to walk down by the river and never returned. Hozman Sore-throat is to blame. The Alula ride in vain, for once Hozman makes his pluck his victims are never seen again."
The riders returned disconsolate; they had cast about for tracks without success, and they had no ahulphs to follow the slave-taker's trail. The leader of the search party was the massive Karazan. He flung himself from the saddle and marched across the compound to confront Ifness. "Tell me where the slave-taker may be found, that we may either win back our flesh and blood or pull him apart with our bare hands."
Ifness indicated Fabrache. "My friend here, also a slaver, can provide information far more detailed and intimate than I."
Fabrache gave his beard a judicious tug. "I know nothing of Hozman Sore-throat, neither his race, nor his clan, nor his fetish. I can assure you of two facts only. First, he often visits Shagfe, to buy at the collecting station; and second, whoever Hozman takes is gone forever."
"That remains to be seen," said Karazan. "Where is Shagfer
"A day's journey to the east."
"We ride at once for Shagfe! Bring forth the pacers! "
"Our own destination is Shagfe," said Ifness. "We will ride in your company. " "Make haste," said the Alula. "Our mission will not be conducive to leisure or reverie."
Eighteen pacers loped across the Wild Waste, the riders slouched low, capes flapping over their shoulders. Shagfe appeared in the distance: a gray and black smudge upon the violet-gray background of hills and haze.
At sunset the riders pounded into Shagfe, to halt in a swirl of dust before the inn.
Baba looked through the door-hole, pale eyebrows in astounded arcs at the sight of the alien creature. The Alula descended and entered, with Ifness, Fabrache, Etzwane, and the silent black creature coming behind.
At the benches hunched the Kash Blue-worms, drunk and surly. At the sight of their tribal enemies, the Alula, they drew themselves up and muttered together. Fabrache spoke to Baba, "My friends here have, a bit of business with Hozman Sore-throat. Has he been seen today?"
Baba said peevishly, "I make a rule against discussing the affairs of my customers. I am not- "
Karazan strode forward, to loom above Baba. "Answer the question."
"I have not seen Hozman since early this morning," growled Baba.
"Aha, what's this? Early morning?"
"True! With these two hands I served his gruel while the suns clambered over the horizon."
"How can this be? " Karazan demanded in a menacing voice. "He was seen at sundown where the Vunish comes down from the Orgai. At midnight he made his presence felt. How could he have eaten breakfast here at dawn?"
The innkeeper reflected. "It might be possible, on a good Angos pacer. ".
"Well then, what was his pacer this morning?"
"An ordinary Jerzy."
"Perhaps he changed his mount," Ifness suggested.
The Alula snorted. He turned back to Fabrache. "You can certify that Hozman chased you down the Orgai Mountains?"
"I am sure. Have I not seen Hozman Sore-throat many a time, riding with his band and alone?"
A voice spoke to their backs. "I hear my name mentioned, I trust in a kindly reference."
All swung about. Hozman Sore-throat stood in the door-hole. He came forward, a pale, stern-faced man of ordinary stature. A black cloak concealed his garments, except for the maroon scarf which muffled his neck.
The Alula said, "Last night on the river Vurush you took four of our people. We want them restored to us. The Alula are not for the slave pens; this we will make clear to every slave-taker of Caraz."
Hozman Sore-throat laughed, putting aside the threat with the ease of long practice. "Are you not over hasty? You accost me without basis."
Karazan took a slow step forward. "Hozman, your time is upon you."
The landlord bustled close. "Not in the inn! This is the first law of Shagfe! "
The Alula thrust him aside with a sweep of his massive arm. "Where are our people?"
"Come now," said Hozman briskly. "I can't be blamed for every disappearance in the Mirkil district. At Vurush River under the Orgais? Last night? A far distance for a man who breakfasted at Shagfe."
"A not impossible distance."
Hozman smilingly shook his head. "If I owned pacers that staunch and swift, would I deal in slaves? I would breed pacers and make my fortune. As for your people, the Orgai is chumpa country; here may be the tragic truth."
Karazan, pale with rage and frustration, stood speechless, unable to find a crevice in Hozman's defense. Hozman glimpsed the black creature in the shadow of the doorway. He jerked forward, intent and startled. "What does the Ka do here? Is it now your ally?"
Ifness said evenly, "I captured it under Thrie Orgai, near where you met us yesterday afternoon."
Hozman turned away from the creature he had called a "Ka "; nevertheless his eyes strayed back toward where it stood. He spoke in easy, jocular tones, "Another voice, another accusation! If words were blades, poor Hozman would writhe on the ground in a hundred pieces."
"As he will, in any event," said Karazan menacingly, "unless he returns the four Alula girls he stole."
Hozman calculated, looking back and forth between Ifness and the Ka. He turned to Karazan. "Certain of the chumpas are my agents," he said in a voice like cream. "Perhaps they hold your Alula girls. If such is the case, will you trade four for two?"
"How do you mean, 'four for two'? " growled Karazan.
"For your four, I'll take this white-haired man and the Ka. " "I veto the proposal," said Ifness promptly. "You must put forward a better offer."
"Well, the Ka alone then. Think! A savage alien for four handsome girls."
"A remarkable offer! " declared Ifness. "Why do you want the creature?"
"I can always find customers for such a curiosity. " Hozman moved politely aside to allow newcomers into the common room: two Kash Blue-worms, drunk and ugly, the hair matted on their foreheads. The foremost jostled Hozman. "Stand back, reptile. You have brought us all to poverty and degradation; must you now block my path as well?"