“It is suspected the camp is being scouted,” he said.
“Then enemies, a spy, or spies?” I said.
“Much is obscure,” he said. “Lord Okimoto wishes to inquire into the matter.”
“Leave them for the larls,” I said.
“Perhaps later,” said Axel. “First, intelligence might be gathered.”
“Should you not be accompanied, by mercenaries, by several men, by Pani?” I asked.
“Allies, from the coastal ships, certain crews, are about,” he said.
“Not in Shipcamp,” I said.
“No,” he said, “their knowledge of Shipcamp is imperfect, speculative.”
He suddenly lifted his hand, and I heard then the first stroke of the bar, beginning to signal the tenth Ahn.
“The larls are being recalled,” he said.
“How do you know?” I asked.
“I have been informed,” he said.
“How are they recalled?” I asked.
“It is done with whistles,” he said. “Few humans can hear the notes.”
I looked at Axel, closely. “Perhaps Kurii could hear the notes,” I said.
“What are Kurii?” he asked.
My test, it seemed, had failed, or had been detected.
“Some sort of beasts,” I said. “I have heard of them.”
“Sleen can hear the notes, and panthers,” he said.
“What has my hunt to do with yours?” I asked.
“I do not know, clearly, what I am looking for,” he said. “Only that there is sign that the camp has been scouted, perhaps is being scouted. My hunt then is primarily one of reconnaissance. I have no scent trail on which to put our six-legged friend. Your hunt provides a convenient cover for mine. It will be thought we are on the same hunt, foolish though it may be, for a slave. Apprehension amongst the men, fear of an attack, is not welcomed.”
There had already been a large-scale attack on Tarncamp. I had been logging in the forest, and had not participated in the camp’s defense.
“I need the sleen for my hunt,” I said. “My sword will not accept our parting in the forest, should you decide to pursue another path, another hunt.”
“Have no fear,” he said. “We will do your business first.”
“Why is that?” I asked.
“Asperiche,” he said, “is quite pretty.”
“So she has indeed been much about,” I said.
“I have not objected,” he said.
“Nor have you put her to use,” I said.
“No,” he said. “I am not a thief.”
“I see you have your pack,” I said.
“And you yours,” he said.
“Let us be on our way,” I said.
“Certainly,” he said. “Even should we encounter a larl it will now ignore us. It is returning to its cage, and dinner.”
Shortly thereafter, not far from the western edge of the dock, we encountered the sleen. It was a large, mottled beast, some nine feet long, brown and black. It became excited at his appearance. It began to whine, and tear at the turf, and writhe and twist about, almost like a snake.
“I do not want it to kill the slave,” I said.
“It has not been given that command,” he said.
Its snout was to the forest, its nostrils flared, its eyes keen, its long, sinuous body trembling.
Its tether was taut.
“Hold, hold,” said Axel soothingly. He then freed the monster of its tether. The beast, though trembling, remained in place.
Axel then donned a heavy pair of gloves, and attached a chain leash to the beast’s heavy, thick, spiked collar.
“Why the chain, why the gloves?” I asked.
“He cannot chew through the chain,” he said. “And I do not wish to lose a hand.”
“I gather he becomes excited,” I said.
“That is not unusual in a hunting sleen,” he said. “Easy, easy, Tiomines,” he said, soothingly.
“It is unusual that it would be this agitated this early, is it not?” I asked.
“The scent is very fresh,” he said.
“It must have been laid down Ahn ago,” I said.
“You know little of sleen,” he said.
It is not unheard of for sleen to follow a given scent for days, even one which may have been laid down weeks ago.
Axel then looped together the freed tether, and attached it to his belt. He then adjusted his pack, as did I.
Near the restless beast, lying near it, within what had been clearly the compass of its tether, were two javelins. Axel retrieved one of these, and handed me the other.
“I gather you did not fear these would be stolen?” I said.
“No,” he said.
“The larls are in,” I reminded him.
“Now,” he said.
I hefted the javelin, it was light, supple, and smoothly, but wickedly, bladed. It was no more than five feet in length, at best. The head was fixed to the shaft, not detachable as is often the case with the military