Tavi studied the other boy "Do you, uh are you sweet on her'"
Kitai frowned, pale brows coming together "No But I wish to be a part of her Clan To be free with her Clan Not to plod around with Doroga and his stupid Sabot" He glanced aside, to be sure no one was close, apparently, and confided m a low voice to Tavi, "They smell"
Tavi lifted his brows, but nodded "Yeah I guess they do "
"Aleran," Kitai said "My sire is right about one thing You have courage It will be an honor to face you in a trial But I will defeat you Do not think that this will end in any other way, despite whatever spirits are yours to call "
Tavi felt a scowl harden his features Kitai's eyes narrowed, and he stepped back a half pace, one hand falling to the knife at his belt
"I don't have any," Tavi said "And back at my steadholt, we have a saying about counting your chickens before they've hatched "
"My people eat eggs before they've hatched," Kitai said, and stepped to ward the coiled ropes "I thought you might make it out alive, Aleran, thanks to your spirits But we will only need to use one rope before dawn "
Tavi started to say something quick and heated back, but Fade's hand gripped his shoulder abruptly Tavi turned to face the slave
Fade frowned at him, his scarred face hideous and concerned Then he said, "Be careful, Tavi" And with that, he took the pack that had been slung over his shoulder and dropped it onto Tavi's
The boy let out a breath at the sudden weight "Fade, uh Maybe it would be better if I didn't take anything with me I'll move faster without it "
"Marat stronger than Tavi," Fade said "Faster "
"Thank you," Tavi said, testily "I needed that kind of encouragement "
Fade's eyes glittered with something like good humor, and he ruffled Tavi's hair with one hand "Tavi smart There Bag of tricks Be smart, Tavi Important'
Tavi tilted his head to one side, peering at the slave "Fade'" he asked
The glitter faded from the man's eyes, and he gave Tavi his witless grin
"Valleyboy," Doroga called "There is no time to waste "
Tavi said to Fade, quickly, "If I don't come back, Fade. I want you to remember to tell Aunt Isana that I love her. Uncle, too."
"Tavi," Fade nodded. "Come back."
The boy blew out a breath. Whatever spark of awareness had been in the man's eyes was gone now. "All right," he said, and walked over to Doroga. He shrugged into the pack, drawing the straps down to their smallest size, so that it would fit closely to his back.
Doroga was handling his rope. Tavi watched as the Marat worked a loop into the end of it with the skill of a sailor and drew it tight. The Marat stood, leaving the loop just touching the ground, and in a moment of understanding, Tavi stepped forward and slipped his foot into the loop, taking up the rope itself to hold it tight.
Doroga nodded his approval. To Tavi's right, Kitai had knotted the rope himself and stood at the edge of the precipice, his expression impatient. Tavi walked awkwardly to the precipice's edge and stared over it to a drop of several hundred feet down a nearly sheer surface. His head spun a bit, and his belly suddenly shook and felt light.
"Are you afraid, Aleran?" Kitai asked, and let out a low little laugh.
Tavi shot the other boy a sharp glance and then turned to Doroga, who had secured the far end of the rope to a stake driven into the earth and looped it about a second such stake, so that he could let the rope out gradually. "Let's go," Tavi said, and with that, took a step back over the precipice and swung himself down into space.
Doroga held the line steady, and after a very short moment of terror, Tavi bumped against the wall and steadied himself, holding on. Doroga began to lower the rope, but Tavi called up, "Faster! Let it out faster!"
There was a brief pause, and then the rope began to play out quickly, lowering Tavi down the face of the cliff at a rather alarming rate.
From above, there was a yelp, and Kitai swung out into space. The boy plummeted down for several yards, and Tavi got the impression that when the rope finally did tighten and catch him