The spider-thing scuttled in and out on four of its curiously-segmented limbs, deftly avoiding the slashing thrusts of the cat-man, while its other four limbs—Dane stared. One arm was always occupied with holding the small metal shield with which it parried the Mekhar's, or pseudo-Mekhar's, attacks. The other three limbs were twirling a long, sharp-bladed lance, the head of which was almost sword-length. And at least once Dane saw the creature shift the shield from one arm to another with incredible swiftness. The creature was juggling with its weapons!
And how deadly that style was they saw almost at once; even before they had fully come out of the pass they saw the butt-end of the spear swing down to catch the pseudo-Mekhar behind the leg, tripping him; as he fell, the blade of the spear was already slashing toward his head. The lion-man caught it on his heavy sword, but only barely, and staggered to his feet. Then the butt-end drove in again and this time Dane saw the cat-creature doubled over as the shaft drove into his midsection. The shield bashed against the two-handed sword, pushing it aside, and then the spearhead swept around; and suddenly the lion-like head was rolling on the ground. The body swayed for a moment, blood gushing from its severed neck, and crumpled to the ground, where it convulsed briefly and lay still.
Behind him he heard Dallith gasp with horror and shock, but he could not hold back a moment of wild elation. He got one of the devils—no! Two of them! Wonder what kind of price the Mekhars get for these spider-things?
Aloud he said, "If we can get him to join up with us, we ought to be damn near invincible." He looked down and saw the spider-man wiping his weapon. "Let's go down."
"Remember how timid these creatures are," said Aratak. "Let me go down alone, first, and greet him in the name of Universal Sapience. Perhaps he will not fear me." The huge lizard-man lowered his club and began walking down the hill, his hands spread open and empty in front of him. Dane sheathed his sword. Rianna came up behind him, half supporting Dallith, who seemed to be in shock. Of course—she had sensed the death of the Hunter. He turned toward her, concerned, taking her hands in his. They were cold and strengthless and for a minute he thought she would fall over in a faint.
Through his preoccupation with Dallith he heard Aratak's deep rumbling voice, and, glancing quickly over his shoulder, glimpsed the spider-man backing away, his shield raised and his long lance balanced, menacing.
"Do not be afraid. I am no Hunter, but Prey like yourself," they heard Aratak say. Dallith shook her cropped head and seemed to come a little more to herself, listening, alert and tense, to Aratak's words.
"I salute you in the name of Universal Sapience and Peace," Aratak said. "If we can join together against our enemies, our chance for survival will be greatly increased. Can you understand what I say? Can you answer me?"
Dallith stirred. "What's he doing down there?" she asked in a faint voice, and then suddenly her eyes grew very wide; she pulled away from Dane and Rianna, fumbling for her sling.
"Aratak, watch out!" she screamed, "That's the Hunter!"
Dane whirled and saw the spider-man scuttling forward, his spear aimed at the saurian's unprotected chest. Dane shouted encouragement, drawing his sword as he raced down the hill. Aratak's left arm came up in a karate block that Dane had taught him and he knocked the spear to one side, his other hand clutching at the ax in his belt.
One of Dallith's sling stones hissed through the air, and struck the spider-thing's abdomen with an audible thud. The spider-man scuttled back, unhurt but startled; he recovered at once, but Aratak had his ax in hand; he roared, a huge earthshaking bellow, and the monster ax hurtled down, to be blocked unerringly by the shield. Whatever the metal was, it was tough.
But Aratak had to dodge back against a return thrust from the spear, and Dane realized that the shield alone gave the spider-man a major advantage, even without the deadly effectiveness of the three-armed twirling spear. It was like trying to walk into the spinning blades of a helicopter.
It would be deadly enough, just spinning; it could break the bones of any ordinary living thing. But it's got that long-edged blade on the end.... Dane ran on down the hill, not certain what actual aid he could give his friend except to die with him.
With his club, Aratak might have had a chance; at least he'd have reach. As it was, the length of the spear gave all the advantage to the Hunter; the lizard-man couldn't use his ax unless he could get within arm's reach of his foe, but anywhere within fifteen feet he'd be within the range of that deadly whirling spear. A normal lance technique, depending on straight thrusts, would have given Aratak the advantage if he could get inside the spear-range; but with all those hands, the spider could probably spin the spear down to cut a fly off his nose if he wanted to.
Another sling stone whirred through the air and struck the spider-man in the midsection, on the gray and hairy thorax. The spider staggered, with a wailing sort of scream; only an instant, but it interrupted the even spin of the spear. It whirled down, and struck Aratak a blow that sent him sprawling—and would have crushed the skull of anything but a proto-saurian—but it had been a glancing blow, and Aratak managed to roll out of range before the spider-man could regain complete control of his weapon. Dane was there by that time, darting to one side to try to come in on the spider-man's rear.
The Hunter saw him; the lance spun menacingly in his direction and only the crash of another sling stone against one of the gray and fuzzy arms kept Dane from being annihilated; he danced out of the way barely in time. His move had been pure distraction, of no possible use as an attack; but it worked this time, for Aratak was climbing painfully to his feet.
But dodging wouldn't work. The thing was too fast.
Another of Dallith's sling stones smashed into the creature's side; this one must have hurt him, for he jumped away, startled by the impact, and Dane ran in close and sliced at the fuzzy gray skin of the thing's abdomen.
It was like slicing cheese. The blade sheared through easily, but no blood ran; the only reaction was the sudden spear-thrust that drove into the ground as Dane sprang away, only the lighter gravity saving him. There was something gray and sticky on Dane's blade. Another stone crashed against the creature's side as Dane backed frantically away from a second thrust. He yelled to Aratak, "Now, while he's dazed—before he gets that spear whirling again," but the great saurian was weaving slowly from side to side, trying to haul out his ax but still dizzied by the blow he'd taken.
And suddenly Dane saw Rianna, spear down and extended in bayonet style, running toward them. Good girl, maybe that's the answer—Oh, God, no, her spear isn't long enough and he's got the shield! She's gone, unless I can distract him—fast!
He ran in yelling, his blade back against his shoulder in the traditional guard against spear attack. What good it'll be against that damned airplane propeller I don't know. And at the same instant Aratak roared again and charged.
The spear whirled into a disk-like blur. It drew a red line across Aratak's chest, struck Rianna's spear contemptuously out of her hands to fly, broken, into the darkness, and whipped down toward her leg.
Dane heard her scream of agony through a darkening blur; he jumped at one of the spider-thing's legs and hewed with all his might.
That worked. He should have thought of it before. The great bulk collapsed backward. The thing turned the spear on Dane, thrusting straight back with his two rearmost arms; but a thrust Dane could handle. His sword whipped across his body with the full force of his shoulders behind it, and as the spear slid harmlessly past he swung at the other leg on that side. Cripple him enough to get away—
But the leg moved away from his cut with lightning speed. Over the hunched back of the creature he suddenly saw Aratak, his ax lifted for a terrible stroke at the thing's midsection.
The spear snapped back; the butt caught Aratak near the shoulder, knocking him backward; the creature jumped straight up into the air on its three good legs and twisted in midair, landing in a ball at some distance and bringing himself up in a crouched,
scuttling heap. Great red eyes swiveled to watch them.
Dane spared a quick glance back to where Rianna lay, moaning, on the ground. She was still alive, but one arm lay crumpled beneath her, and the side of her tunic was dyed red with blood. Aratak seemed unhurt, although he was holding his shoulder where the lance butt had struck at it.
Is it going to run? Or attack again?
From the spider-thing came a high wail—almost like the sound that cat-thing made when Dane got his arm—followed almost at once by Dallith's shriek from the hill.
"Get away quick! He's calling for help—! Watch out!"
And the spider-man attacked.
He had dropped one of the "arms" to the ground to serve in place of the severed leg, and had four limbs to walk on; he scurried at them at alarming speed, whirling the spear with two arms while with the third he covered his head and upper body. Aratak and Dane had no time for anything but to draw together, weapons ready. A sling stone struck one of the spider's legs; he caught a second with a deft motion of the shield. But his head must be vulnerable, or he wouldn't bother with the shield! Dane thought.
Then he was upon them, and the whirling lance-point forced them to give ground before him But Dane was counting the strokes, trying to time the spin. If he could jump in fast enough, get the spider's head before the shaft caught him—
Dallith's sling stones were still whizzing around the creature's head, although most of them landed with a crack against the shield.
She's caught on about the head.... Oh, good girl, Dane thought.
Suddenly there was a sharp crack! The thing shuddered and one of his arms went limp; the spear-spin slackened, out of control.
Dane leaped.
But the shield thrust out at the end of the long shaggy arm, and suddenly Dane's blade was being forced back against his body, pinned by the pressure on the guard. Hopelessly, he saw the lance-point driving at his throat.
And then the spider-thing's head exploded into a fountain of jetting blood as one of the sling stones crashed directly into his skull; at the same moment Aratak's ax hewed off the arm holding the spear. The thing collapsed, blood still pumping from his shattered head.
Dane staggered back. Was it really dead? Aratak evidently shared his doubts, for he heaved up the great ax and sheared through the juncture of upper body and abdomen. More blood poured out, slowed to a trickle, stopped.
"Hurry!" Dallith was shouting at them. "They're coming! This way, quick!" And indeed, figures were appearing over the far crest of the hill.
Dane, sheathing his sword, ran to Rianna's side. She gasped with pain as he lifted her, but threw her uninjured arm around his shoulder; he saw her bite down on her lip to keep from crying out as he heaved her up and ran with her in his arms for the stone cleft, Aratak close on his heels.
They ran up toward the cleft where Dallith stood waiting, her sling still whirling around her head, interrupted every moment or two for the fitting of another stone. Aratak stooped to retrieve his club and Dane saw he had also picked up the dead Hunter's spear.
"Where now?"
"The ruins. What other chance have we? We can't run far and carry Rianna," he said, gasping, "but we can hide there." Rianna was a small woman, but she seemed to weigh a ton; he suspected that in normal gravity he couldn't have carried her at all.
"Here." Aratak slung his club over his shoulder and bent to lift Rianna from Dane's arms. "Bring the spear," he said, and broke into a lumbering run with Rianna in his arms, Dane and Dallith hurrying behind. He looked back, briefly, as they came under the shadow of the city wall. Aratak had evidently been right. A group of Hunters —they must be Hunters—were climbing up the slope behind them. There was a catman of Mekhar type.
There were one or two forms that looked human. And Dane's hair felt as if it were standing straight on end as he saw one of the spider-creatures.
My God, we killed that one, I was sure we killed it, or was there another one? I thought they were rare....
The group of Prey were slowed by Rianna's weight, and behind them the Hunters were gaining. Aratak jogged along the ruined wall, looking for a gap. Rianna was limp in his arms—dead or unconscious, Dane could not even guess—and Dallith was stumbling.
"Here," Aratak said, his breath coming in great sobbing gasps. He set Rianna on the ground, and thrust against a fallen stone which blocked a gap in the wall. Dallith stumbled through. Dane picked up Rianna's apparently lifeless body and followed Dallith through into the semidarkness. Aratak, behind them, heaved the rock back into place. And behind them the sun sank and was gone.
Aratak dropped, panting, to the ground. "Sunset," he said grimly. "Look. They're going away."
"Talk about being saved by the bell," Dane agreed.
Dallith murmured, "I'm surprised. I thought they'd follow us—so close—" Now that it was all over, she was sobbing in reaction.
Dane, too, was surprised—it seemed that they were near enough that the Hunters would have finished them off, sunset or no sunset. He felt grim. He bent over Rianna, prepared to discover that she was dead.
But she was breathing, and he explored her injuries, Dallith kneeling at his side.
Her arm was limp and she moaned when he touched the shoulder; he suspected the arm was broken or at least dislocated. The blood on her tunic came from a long, angry gash which began high on her buttock and ran down her thigh; it had cut nearly to the bone, but when he examined it in the fading light it seemed mostly to be a flesh wound, for already the blood had clotted to an ooze.
Aratak tore several long strips from his tunic, saying quietly, "I can spare them better. My hide needs less protection than yours." This was so obviously true that neither Dane nor Dallith protested; Aratak normally wore no clothing at all, and had put on the tunic only at Server's insistence. He bandaged Rianna's leg wound and explored the damaged arm. "A tendon in the shoulder is torn," he said. "She won't use it for a while. But better her arm than her leg. She can still walk if she has too."
Dallith went off to look for water and returned saying that there was a stone pool, with running water which had evidently once been a fountain, not far away. They carried Rianna there by the last of the light, and laid her on her own cloak and Aratak's; then they sat on the rim of the stone pool, resting and eating some of their stored provisions.
"We're safe till midnight," Dane said, "but after that there's nothing to keep them from breaking down that wall and coming in after us. I don't know why they didn't."
Aratak said thoughtfully, "I think I know. Remember what high value they put on courage and skill? We're evidently something special, and they'll play by the rules just because of that. Remember, too, they probably think they've killed Rianna."
"We seem to have done some killing too," Dane said. "If those things can be killed at all," he added. "Do they come back to life again? I looked back and saw that same spider-thing, or his twin brother, following us."
"We can't rule out the possibility," Aratak said. "They are certainly no form of life I know."
Dane was thinking it over. He had killed a Hunter who looked like a Mekhar, and the thing had run away with his throat torn out. They had had to cut the spider-man's head from his body to kill him. "You said they were more than one species," he said. "Have the Hunters simply learned how to give their recruits the power of regenerating lost parts?"
Aratak said grimly, "Perhaps this is the Happy Hunting Ground; there is a legend in the folklore of the Salamanders—as in most warlike races—that somewhere there is a great Hunting Ground where every good hunter goes after death, to live in eternal battle—to fight every day, and then every night to feast while his wounds heal again to fight the next day. Needless to say it is not my idea of heaven, but the Salamanders seemed content with it."
Dane said, "We have that legend too. We call it Valhalla." His skin prickled, but he said firmly, "I refuse to believe that all the dead heroes of the Galaxy come here after death to enjoy fighting through all eternity."
<
br /> "I didn't say I believe it," Aratak said. "But we seem to be faced with an analogous situation. Perhaps it is hypnotism—the Hunters are all one form but can work on our minds to make us see them in any form we fear most."
Dallith said, "I don't think so. If they broadcast fear into our minds to make us see them one way or the other, why would we all see them in the same way? Cliff-Climber would have felt no fear of the Mekhar—in fact he rejoiced to meet him. He took that form to trap Cliff!"
Dane said, "Are you seriously telling me that you think those things change their shape?"
"I can't prove it," she said. She was chewing a piece of dried fruit; she finished, swallowed it, and discarded the stone. "But I believe it."
Aratak said, "It may be that they cannot be killed at all... that even at the end of the Hunt, the game is simply for us to keep killing them until the Eclipse frees us. If we are still alive, we have won the game."
"No, they can be killed," Dane said. "Remember the feast? Nineteen have gone to join their illustrious ancestors.... They're not easy to kill, but I'll bet that one we fought is dead."
Dallith said hesitantly, "When they were following us, I had the sense that some terrible catastrophe had been averted—for them, that is. That somehow they were terribly afraid of something we could do to them."
"Wish to hell I knew what it was," Dane said morosely "I'd love to do it."
But before he could say more, Rianna moaned slightly, opened her eyes, and tried to sit up. Dallith went quickly to her.
"Don't move," she said. "You'll be all right. But try to rest while you can."
Rianna's voice sounded low and dazed. "I was sure you were all dead," she said, "and I'd be waking up alone with your bodies all around me—what happened? Did you kill that thing?"
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