him.” Red’s tone was uncompromising. “I’m concerned about saving the living while we still have time.”
“Some ancient cultures arranged their dead in trees or on platforms,” Callina said unexpectedly. “To be closer to the Lords of Space.” As the others swung to give her their attention, she added, “Or whoever their deity was.”
Meg seized on the idea. “If we can cover him with small branches maybe? And say a few words? Then it won’t be so harsh, just…walking away.”
Red grumbled, but obliged her by moving Trever’s body to lie against the nearest trunk, and then took her knife to slash small branches in the vicinity, which the others piled in a fragrant mound over their late companion. Meg commended his spirit to the keeping of the Lords of Space and Red had them on the move again as soon as she uttered the final words.
Callina didn’t offer to sing.
Red steered them north for about an hour before correcting their course to the westerly heading again. It seemed his stratagem had worked, because they didn’t see the Shemdylann shuttle, which was a relief.
But relief never lasted too long on this voyage, Meg reflected, while resting during a lunch break. “Am I seeing things, or is it getting dark early today?”
“Kinda windy too,” Callina said. “Worse than yesterday, anyhow.”
Meg and Callina exclaimed in unison, “Storm!” Meg grabbed Red’s arm. “How many cells were you and Drewson tracking when we landed?”
“Two, with a third one beginning the process of coalescing around an eye.” He stood, tilting his head in an effort to peer through the canopy of leaves and branches above them. “I think I see clouds. Guess I’d better shinny a bit higher and verify. You keep walking. I’ll be along soon.”
Meg took him aside as the Bettis couple scrambled to identify the next branch and hike per orders. “If there’s a storm brewing like the one we had at the ranger station, how are we going to shelter?” She stared at the forest surrounding them. “We’ll never make it here. The wind must howl through these branches. And the last storm took down a tree as big as these. Would conditions ground level be any better? Should we descend for the night?”
“One problem at a time. First, let me see if there is a weather threat.” Brow furrowed, eyes narrowed, he climbed to the next higher branch and kept going.
All too soon, he rejoined them, dropping on the branch in front of Meg like a big cat. “Major storm on the way all right. The front is blowing in fast.”
“Can we tie ourselves together with the vines? Maybe lash ourselves to a tree?” Mr. Bettis asked.
“We could, but keeping ourselves from blowing away in the gale wouldn’t solve the problem of the rain. At these wind speeds, the droplets will hit like projectiles.” Red frowned at Callina’s sundress over a swimsuit. “We’re not exactly dressed for a storm.”
“Let’s keep moving, see if we come across anything we can use for shelter, maybe a hollow tree or dense branches, perhaps closer to the ground,” Meg said. “The first thing we find, we settle in.”
“Agreed. I’ll scout ahead.” Red was off, moving faster than Meg would have dared, supremely confident of his balance.
She led the two passengers after him at a more deliberate pace. The breeze was definitely picking up, buffeting her from odd directions as she hiked along the branches.
Then Red was there, broad grin on his face. “You won’t believe what I’ve found for shelter.”
Half annoyed, Meg was astounded at his amusement, given their tight situation, caught in the open with a storm about to pummel them any minute. “What?”
His expression grew even more mischievous. “Oh, no, you have to see it to believe it. But the entrance is tricky, so we need to hurry before the winds intensify.”
A few moments later he brought them to a halt where one of the giant trees had forked into three trunks. Built securely into the
“Some ancient cultures arranged their dead in trees or on platforms,” Callina said unexpectedly. “To be closer to the Lords of Space.” As the others swung to give her their attention, she added, “Or whoever their deity was.”
Meg seized on the idea. “If we can cover him with small branches maybe? And say a few words? Then it won’t be so harsh, just…walking away.”
Red grumbled, but obliged her by moving Trever’s body to lie against the nearest trunk, and then took her knife to slash small branches in the vicinity, which the others piled in a fragrant mound over their late companion. Meg commended his spirit to the keeping of the Lords of Space and Red had them on the move again as soon as she uttered the final words.
Callina didn’t offer to sing.
Red steered them north for about an hour before correcting their course to the westerly heading again. It seemed his stratagem had worked, because they didn’t see the Shemdylann shuttle, which was a relief.
But relief never lasted too long on this voyage, Meg reflected, while resting during a lunch break. “Am I seeing things, or is it getting dark early today?”
“Kinda windy too,” Callina said. “Worse than yesterday, anyhow.”
Meg and Callina exclaimed in unison, “Storm!” Meg grabbed Red’s arm. “How many cells were you and Drewson tracking when we landed?”
“Two, with a third one beginning the process of coalescing around an eye.” He stood, tilting his head in an effort to peer through the canopy of leaves and branches above them. “I think I see clouds. Guess I’d better shinny a bit higher and verify. You keep walking. I’ll be along soon.”
Meg took him aside as the Bettis couple scrambled to identify the next branch and hike per orders. “If there’s a storm brewing like the one we had at the ranger station, how are we going to shelter?” She stared at the forest surrounding them. “We’ll never make it here. The wind must howl through these branches. And the last storm took down a tree as big as these. Would conditions ground level be any better? Should we descend for the night?”
“One problem at a time. First, let me see if there is a weather threat.” Brow furrowed, eyes narrowed, he climbed to the next higher branch and kept going.
All too soon, he rejoined them, dropping on the branch in front of Meg like a big cat. “Major storm on the way all right. The front is blowing in fast.”
“Can we tie ourselves together with the vines? Maybe lash ourselves to a tree?” Mr. Bettis asked.
“We could, but keeping ourselves from blowing away in the gale wouldn’t solve the problem of the rain. At these wind speeds, the droplets will hit like projectiles.” Red frowned at Callina’s sundress over a swimsuit. “We’re not exactly dressed for a storm.”
“Let’s keep moving, see if we come across anything we can use for shelter, maybe a hollow tree or dense branches, perhaps closer to the ground,” Meg said. “The first thing we find, we settle in.”
“Agreed. I’ll scout ahead.” Red was off, moving faster than Meg would have dared, supremely confident of his balance.
She led the two passengers after him at a more deliberate pace. The breeze was definitely picking up, buffeting her from odd directions as she hiked along the branches.
Then Red was there, broad grin on his face. “You won’t believe what I’ve found for shelter.”
Half annoyed, Meg was astounded at his amusement, given their tight situation, caught in the open with a storm about to pummel them any minute. “What?”
His expression grew even more mischievous. “Oh, no, you have to see it to believe it. But the entrance is tricky, so we need to hurry before the winds intensify.”
A few moments later he brought them to a halt where one of the giant trees had forked into three trunks. Built securely into the
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