Masurathoo rose so fast that he bumped his head on an overhanging branch. “What meat eaters, where?” He gazed worriedly out into the rain. “I do not see anything.”
“They there. They always there. Strange noises draw them close, make them curious. Better to leave this place and let them explore Mr. Hasselemoga’s skimmer.” Raising a long fur-covered arm, Jemunu-jah pointed eastward. “Are many villages scattered throughout deep Viisiiviisii. If we can find one, we have food and safety. Better than wait here for rescue craft that may not come.”
“And a village will have contact with another village, which might have contact with another, that in turn has contact with an outpost of civilization.” Hasa was in full agreement with the Sakuntala. Jemunu-jah refrained from pointing out that every Sakuntala village was an outpost of civilization. This was neither the time nor the place to launch into an extended argument with the human. That, and possibly more forceful objection, could come later. Right now he needed the human, if only to have something edible to shove between himself and a marauding casokul.
An agitated Masurathoo eyed both his companions askance. “You will please excuse me if I take leave to disagree with the both of you. Our best chance for surviving this regrettable situation is to remain here, near our downed craft that others are sure to come looking for.”
“Looking and finding are two different things.” The human was already focusing his efforts northward, in the general direction of distant Taulau. How many Sakuntala villages might lie between that teeming outpost of Commonwealth civilization and their present location no one knew. Nor did Jemunu-jah’s presence guarantee them a cordial reception even if they managed to reach one. But anything was better than sitting still doing nothing. Also, Hasa agreed with the native: all the commotion was bound to have drawn the attention of local predators. If either skimmer had remained intact and above water, he might have decided differently. On the other hand, without such protection from the roving hazards of the flooded forest, he felt that the sooner they vacated the area, the better.