mysteries."
"But Gammage does not believe we will have suchtime undisturbed?"
"He is increasingly fearful of the Demons' return.Though just why he fears this so strongly he has nottold us. If there were more of us— You see, brother,Gammage believes one thing. When our people fledfrom the lairs and the torments of the Demons, theywere not all alike. Oh, I do not mean different in colorand length of fur, shape of head—the usual ways onediffers from a litter brother. No, we differed inside. Some were closer to the old Ancestors who wereborn for generations here in the lairs, whom the Demons controlled and used as they pleased.
"But others had the change working more stronglyin them. And so their children, and children's childrendiffered also. Though all the People grew in knowledge and were different from their older kin, still theywere so in varying degrees.
"Gammage himself differed greatly, so greatly hewas almost' cast out as a youngling from the caves—until he proved his worth. But he believed early thatthere was a way to learn more and that that lay hidden in the very place of horrors his people shunned.So he came back. And to him from time to time camethose who also had seeking minds, who were restless,unhappy for one reason or another in the life of theouter tribes. It was this very restlessness that he putto service here. And those who settled, took mates,who absorbed more and more of what the lairs had tooffer, and produced the In-born, still more changed. Itis Gammage's belief that no warrior is drawn to thelairs unless he has that within him that reaches forwhat is hidden here.
"It is his hope, his need, to bring all the Peoplehere, to make open to all the ways of learning, of healing"—Foskatt's hand went to the wound seal on hisleg—"so that we can be as much masters here andelsewhere in this land as the Demons were. But mainly so that we can stand firm and safe when the Demons return, and not be hunted for their pleasure.For that was how they served our Ancestors."
As he talked they went from the chamber with thetwisting lights on the walls through a series of furtherrooms. These were furnished with more than justbeds and tables. There were hangings on the wallswith pictures on them, many seats, and even largepads, as if someone had heaped up five or six thicknesses of bed pallets to make soft puffs. And crowdedin among these were a great medley of things—boxes,containers, other objects Furtig did not know.
It reminded him of the crowded state of Foskatt'squarters. Here, too, there had been an ingathering ofthings found throughout the lairs.
Among these moved several of the In-born, thoughnone of them paid any attention to the two newcomers threading a path here. These workers were females. Some sat on the chairs or puffs intent on bitsand pieces laid out on low tables before them. Othersstood over devices which purred or clinked or madeoutlandish noises.
"All small strange devices are brought here." Foskatt needlessly informed him. "First Gammage andhis Elders, those who have worked the longest andknow best the dangers which might exist, inspect them. In the early days there were accidents. Dolarhas no hand on one wrist because of an incautious examination of a new find. So each is tested. When theyare sure that it is not dangerous, it is given to thosewho try to unravel its secrets. For these gathered herehave the best hands for that."
Furtig saw what his companion meant. The fingersof those at work here were indeed as unlike his ownstubby ones as Liliha's—longer, less clumsy in movement.
It was Liliha herself who stood in the doorway ofthe third room. She folded, with quick, graceful turnsof hands and wrists, a long strip of material thatseemed bulky until she dealt with it firmly. Then it made a neat and surprisingly small pack.
To Furtig’s surprise she gave them the customarygreeting of the cave people:
"Fair morning and smooth trail, warriors."
"And a fair morning to you,
"But Gammage does not believe we will have suchtime undisturbed?"
"He is increasingly fearful of the Demons' return.Though just why he fears this so strongly he has nottold us. If there were more of us— You see, brother,Gammage believes one thing. When our people fledfrom the lairs and the torments of the Demons, theywere not all alike. Oh, I do not mean different in colorand length of fur, shape of head—the usual ways onediffers from a litter brother. No, we differed inside. Some were closer to the old Ancestors who wereborn for generations here in the lairs, whom the Demons controlled and used as they pleased.
"But others had the change working more stronglyin them. And so their children, and children's childrendiffered also. Though all the People grew in knowledge and were different from their older kin, still theywere so in varying degrees.
"Gammage himself differed greatly, so greatly hewas almost' cast out as a youngling from the caves—until he proved his worth. But he believed early thatthere was a way to learn more and that that lay hidden in the very place of horrors his people shunned.So he came back. And to him from time to time camethose who also had seeking minds, who were restless,unhappy for one reason or another in the life of theouter tribes. It was this very restlessness that he putto service here. And those who settled, took mates,who absorbed more and more of what the lairs had tooffer, and produced the In-born, still more changed. Itis Gammage's belief that no warrior is drawn to thelairs unless he has that within him that reaches forwhat is hidden here.
"It is his hope, his need, to bring all the Peoplehere, to make open to all the ways of learning, of healing"—Foskatt's hand went to the wound seal on hisleg—"so that we can be as much masters here andelsewhere in this land as the Demons were. But mainly so that we can stand firm and safe when the Demons return, and not be hunted for their pleasure.For that was how they served our Ancestors."
As he talked they went from the chamber with thetwisting lights on the walls through a series of furtherrooms. These were furnished with more than justbeds and tables. There were hangings on the wallswith pictures on them, many seats, and even largepads, as if someone had heaped up five or six thicknesses of bed pallets to make soft puffs. And crowdedin among these were a great medley of things—boxes,containers, other objects Furtig did not know.
It reminded him of the crowded state of Foskatt'squarters. Here, too, there had been an ingathering ofthings found throughout the lairs.
Among these moved several of the In-born, thoughnone of them paid any attention to the two newcomers threading a path here. These workers were females. Some sat on the chairs or puffs intent on bitsand pieces laid out on low tables before them. Othersstood over devices which purred or clinked or madeoutlandish noises.
"All small strange devices are brought here." Foskatt needlessly informed him. "First Gammage andhis Elders, those who have worked the longest andknow best the dangers which might exist, inspect them. In the early days there were accidents. Dolarhas no hand on one wrist because of an incautious examination of a new find. So each is tested. When theyare sure that it is not dangerous, it is given to thosewho try to unravel its secrets. For these gathered herehave the best hands for that."
Furtig saw what his companion meant. The fingersof those at work here were indeed as unlike his ownstubby ones as Liliha's—longer, less clumsy in movement.
It was Liliha herself who stood in the doorway ofthe third room. She folded, with quick, graceful turnsof hands and wrists, a long strip of material thatseemed bulky until she dealt with it firmly. Then it made a neat and surprisingly small pack.
To Furtig’s surprise she gave them the customarygreeting of the cave people:
"Fair morning and smooth trail, warriors."
"And a fair morning to you,
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