And Elemak's face barely concealed his contempt for Father. It was not Volemak's proudest moment, Nafai could see that - and it was so unnecessary. If he had only asked the Oversoul the questions Nafai had asked, he would have been reassured. There was a way.
Vas spoke up again. "I tell you, all of this is completely unnecessary. Nafai and I found a fairly easy way down the mountain. We may not be able to bring the camels, but then, if we're simply walking around the bay to get to Dorova, all we need to carry is a day's provisions and water."
"Abandon the camels?" said Elemak. "The tents?"
"The coldboxes and dryboxes?" asked Shedemei.
"Some of you stay here then," said Mebbekew, "and lead the camels around the long way. Without the women and babies it won't take more than a week, and in the meantime the rest of us will be in the city. Give us a couple of months and we'll be back in Basilica. Or wherever the rest of you decide to go."
There was a murmur of assent.
"No," said Nafai. "This isn't about us, this is about Harmony, about the Oversoul."
"Nobody asked if I wanted to volunteer for this noble cause," said Obring, "and I for one am sick of hearing about it."
"The city's right over there," said Sevet. "We could be there so quickly."
"Fools," said Elemak. "Just because you can see the city, just because you can see the beach you'd walk along to reach it, that doesn't mean you could walk it easily. In a single day? Laughable. You've got stronger in the past year, yes, but none of you are in fit condition to walk that far carrying a baby, let alone the liters of water you'd need, and the food. Walking in sand is hard work, and slow, and the more heavily burdened you are the more slowly you go, which means that you have to carry more provisions to last you through the longer journey, which means you'll be more heavily burdened and travel even more sluggishly."
"Then we're trapped here till we die?" wailed Kokor.
"Oh, shut up," said Sevet.
"We're not trapped here," said Nafai, "and we don't have to abandon the expedition. Before there were ever pulses, human beings were able to kill meat. There are other weapons."
"What, will you strangle them?" asked Mebbekew. "Or use that wire of Gaballufix's, to cut off their heads?"
Nafai steeled himself to resist his own anger at Mebbekew's taunting. "A bow. Arrows. The Oversoul knows how they're made."
"Then let the Oversoul make them," said Obring. "That doesn't mean that any of us know how to use them."
"For once Obring is right," said Elemak. "It takes years of training to become a good bowman. Why do you think I brought pulses? Bows are better - they have a longer range, they never run out of power, and they do less damage to the meat. But I don't know how to use one, let alone make one."
"Neither do I," said Nafai. "But the Oversoul can teach me."
"In a month, perhaps," said Elemak. "But we don't have a month."
"In a day," said Nafai. "Give me until sundown tomorrow. If I haven't brought back meat, then I'll agree with Vas and Meb that we have to go to Dorova, at least for a while."
"If we go to Dorova, it's the end of this foolish expedition," said Meb. "I'll never get back on a camel for any reason except to go home."
Several agreed with him.
"Give me a day, and I'll agree with you," said Nafai. "We're not running out of provisions yet, and this is a good place to wait. A day."
"A waste of time," said Elemak. "You can't possibly do it."
"Then what harm will it do to let me prove it to you? But I say I can do it, with the Oversoul to help me. The knowledge is all there in its memory. And the game is easy to find here."
"I'll track for you," said Vas.
"No!" said Luet. Nafai looked at her, startled - she had said nothing till now. "Nafai will do this alone. He and the Oversoul. That's how it has to be." Then she looked up at him, steadily and intently.
Chapter 14
She knows something, thought Nafai. Then he remembered again the thoughts that came to him on the mountain this morning - that Vas had been trying to kill him. That Vas caused his fall. Did the Oversoul speak clearly to her? Were my fears justified? Is