“That’s not fruit,” her co-leader replied, frowning at the cluster of brownish oval objects growing just above their heads.
“True, but the hadrosaurs used to make for such clusters, and poor Dandy loved ’em. Ah, and right beyond are fruit trees.”
It didn’t take long to collect enough fruit and nuts to fill their blanket rolls so they secured their burdens across their backs, out of the way for climbing, and started across the open vine-covered cliff top.
“Giffs are out for a wing stretch,” Varian said, waving her hand. “I know it’s silly to suppose …
Hey, they see us. They’ve changed flight angle.” She stopped, admiring the sight. “You know, if they actually remember us, we can’t have slept that long!”
“Varian …” Kai felt his mouth drying as he reached for her hand and began to pull her backwards toward shelter. “That doesn’t look like a welcoming party!”
“Kai, don’t be afraid. We never did them any harm. They couldn’t …” Then she was backing right beside him, no longer able to deny the menace in the attitude of the golden fliers who dove straight at them, necks extended, beaks slightly parted.
Kai and Varian reached the safety of the thick foliage just as the giffs veered off.
“They sure can maneuver,” Varian exclaimed, though her admiration was couched in a voice made shaky at the narrowness of their escape. “But why, Kai? Why? Oh, Krims! What would have made them aggressive at the sight of humans?” She slumped down against a convenient tree trunk.
“The answer to that has to be ‘other humans,’ doesn’t it?” He spoke gently because he knew how much Varian had admired the beautiful, inquisitive golden fliers. It was plain that the attack distressed her.
“So we can take it as printed that Paskutti and his friends penetrated this far … and didn’t find us!”
“And were aggressive enough toward the giffs that the memory hasn’t faded.”
“So it could be recent memory? Okay, but if the mutineers hurt the giffs, getting this far, why has the cave been hidden? And how long did it take these to grow?” She thumped the thick vine cable beside her. “After all, we had to go cryogenic because the impassable chasm at this edge of the cliff stood between us and the vegetable matter we needed for the processor.” She scrambled to her feet and began following the vine growth away from the cliff. “Whoops!”
Varian had gone no more than a few feet before she struggled to maintain her balance. Kai reached out to steady her.
“The chasm hasn’t gone anywhere.” She knelt down, her hand and arm disappearing as she sought the gap. “The vines have bridged it. And that doesn’t follow because the giffs have kept their own palisades clear of vine.” She resumed her seat, elbows on her knees, slapping one fist into the other. “Attack one, protect one. Makes no sense at all.”
“Just how intelligent are the giffs, Varian?”
14
Anne McCaffrey – Dinosaur Planet II – The Survivors
“I can’t gauge it but the two attitudes are incompatible. Except that … the giffs are protective.
Remember the one that got back-stranded? Instant adult assistance. But …” and she held her forefinger up as she paused dramatically, “no aggressive move toward us that day and we were only a few meters from them. Today—swap!” Abruptly she sat up and stared at Kai so intently he was startled. “But there were only two giffs …” she pointed her finger at him, high up when we climbed out of the cave. Then it rained. And we were under cover when the sun came out. So … we were not seen leaving the cave. They think we don’t belong there!”
Kai peered at the cliffs through the screening leaves. The giffs were settling in to watch.
“So we wait until dark, when they’ve all gone to roost or whatever giffs do at night. Here, have another hadrosaur nut!”
“My, aren’t we brave! Natural food!”
They had to break the tough shell of the nut between two stones before they got to an irregular pale brown kernel. Varian looked at it curiously, sniffed and broke off a fragment. She grimaced at its taste and chewed it thoughtfully before swallowing.