“We shall soon know. We’re closing fast.”
Kai slanted the scope to take in the groups on the ground. The fliers were now alerted to the presence of an unfamiliar aerial object and all the heads were turned upward. Kai saw threads of coarse grass hanging from several beaks. And, sure enough, as the sled circled, their elongated heads curiously followed its course. Some of the smaller fliers pecked again at the grass.
“Why would they have to come so far? For a grass?”
“I am not xeno-biologically trained,” said Bakkun in his stolid fashion. Then his voice took on a note of such unusual urgency that Kai swung round, scope and all and instinctively recoiled against the seatback. “Look?”
“What the …”
The rift valley narrowed slightly where a horst protruded and, from the narrow defile, emerged one of the largest creatures that Kai had ever seen, its stalky, awkward gait frightening in its inexorable progress. Sharpening the scope for the increased distance, Kai watched as the colossus strutted on its huge hindlegs into the peaceful valley.
“Krim! That’s one of those fang-faced predators.”
“Observe the fliers, Kai!”
Loathe to withdraw his wary observation of the menace, Kai glanced up towards the golden fliers. They had assumed a curiously defensive formation in the sky. Those still grounded now grazed, if that could be considered a proper description for the quick scooping jabs. Varian must be right about the bill pouches, Kai realized, for the fliers’ beaks had an elongated appearance. They must be stuffing the grasses into the pouches.
“The predator has seen them! Those still on the ground cannot get airborne in time if he should charge.” Bakkun’s hand closed on the grip of the laser unit.
“Wait! Look at him!”
The heavy predatory head was now pointed in the direction of the fliers, as if the beast had just noticed their presence. The head tilted up, evidently registering the formation of the golden fliers. The creature’s front legs, ludicrously small in comparison to the huge thighs and the length of the leg bone, twitched. The thick, counterbalancing tail also lashed in reaction to the presence of the fliers. Almost greedily, Kai thought. The biped remained stationery for another long moment and then dropped awkwardly forward, and began scooping up the grasses with its ridiculous forepaws, cramming great wads, roots, earth and all, into its huge maw.
While the two geologists watched, the fliers began to run along what Kai now distinguished as a low bluff. They dipped almost to the grasses below before becoming safely airborne.” They are trailing more grass, Kai.”
The leader focused the scope and saw the streamers trailing from hind and wing tip claws as the fliers beat steadily upward and away from the valley.
“Is that a seaward course they’re on, Bakkun?”
“They are. And against a stiff head wind.”
Kai turned back to the browsing predator who hadn’t paused in his voracious consumption of the grass.
“Now why would both fliers and that monster need the grass?”
“It does seem an unusual additive,” replied Bakkun, oblivious to the fact that Kai had been talking to himself.
“Would you set the sled down, Bakkun? At the other end of the valley from that beast. I want to get some samples of grass.”
“For Varian? Or Divisti?”
“Maybe for both. Strange that the predator didn’t attempt to attack, isn’t it?”
“Perhaps it does not like flier meat. Or they are formidable antagonists?”
“No. There was no hint of attack in the predator’s manner, and only wary defence in the fliers. Almost as if … as if both recognized this as a place apart. That there was a truce here.”
“A truce? Between animals?” Bakkun sounded sceptical.
“That’s what it looked like but the predator is certainly too primitive to operate on such a logical basis. I must ask Varian.”
“Yes, she would be the proper person to query,” said Bakkun, his composure restored, and he brought the sled to a smooth landing on the low bluff the fliers had used to take off.
“We are not golden fliers,” the heavy-worlder said in response to Kai’s surprise at the landing spot. “That creature may decide to season its grass with us.” He smoothly took over the scope. “You collect. I will watch.”