“I do not know what happened, or how, but it seems that some unknown mechanism has caused our dreams to slip from one individual to the next.” He nodded at the swordsman. “You got my dream, Simna.” His gaze shifted to the intent big cat. “I dreamed Ahlitah’s dream. And he must have suffered through yours.”
The swordsman nodded vigorously. “Hoy, that’s crazy, but crazy logic is logic still. I certainly …” His expression twisted. “Wait a minute. What do you mean, ‘suffered’?” He turned sharply to the watching litah. “Did my dream then cause you suffering?”
“Beyond doubt,” the big cat replied. “I dare say you would have enjoyed it.”
“Cursed unfair,” the stocky warrior grumbled. “Every man—and cat—should keep to their own dreaming. Who asked you to snatch mine?”
“Believe me,” Ahlitah replied, “if I had been allowed any choice in the matter, I would have opted instead for the dream of the nearest rodent. At least in such a dream I would have had the proper number of legs.”
“Hoy, that’s no given because—”
Ehomba cut him off. “Hunkapa Aub; you were asleep when Simna’s nightmare woke us all. What did you dream?”
Enormous shaggy shoulders heaved, framing a look of utter ingenuousness. “Hunkapa not dream, Etjole. Sleep soundly.”
Simna uttered a rude noise. “The slumber of the dumber. In ignorance there is purity.”
“We must take care in the future.” A thoughtful Ehomba gazed into the last dying embers of the campfire. “It could be dangerous for one to dream too often the dreams of another, be it man or beast.”