“It’s more like chanting,” Bunny said. “So our singing is like us-all mixed up. Anyway, here’s my song:
“Oh, I’m getting my license to snocle today
from the big shots although I’m a Petaybee maid
You’ll forgive me if I’m very vocal, hooray!
But I’m getting my license to snocle today.
“That’s all there is,” Bunny finished. “But I sure was happy about it, even if it’s just a short little song. I didn’t want to brag too much.”
Clodagh said, “Here, I’ll sing you a song in the other style.
“Before it awakened the world was alive. It brooded in a shell of ice and stone. Alone, thinking of its own mysteries, Deep dreaming. Jajai-ija.”
Clodagh was chanting slowly and deliberately, and the effect was that of an eerie tune, similar to some styles Yana had heard on shipboard holos and in company pubs throughout the galaxy. The last note of the verse was very low, almost guttural.
“Then came the men with their ships, their fire Awakening the fire within the world Sundering rock, cutting river channels, Great holes were gouged for ocean beds. Jajai-ija.
“Painful was the awakening, the beginning As only beginnings can be painful But the pain roused the world from dreaming Melted its blanket and dribbled water in The mind of the world Jajai-ija!
“Awake, the world grew leaves Awake, the world grew roots Awake, the world grew mosses and lichens Awake, the world knew wind. Jajai-ija!
“Then came more men and the world grew wings The world grew feet and hands. The world grew paws and claws. The world grew feathers and fur.
“Noses smelled the new world and mouths tasted it Fangs tore it and fins and scales swam through The new waters. And the tails of the world Wagged, happy that it had been given a voice. Happy that it woke up. Jajai-ja-jija!”
Yana nodded appreciatively, while pictures of ice caves and snow plains and various disjointed animals somehow connected to the planet’s surface kaleidoscoped in front of her eyes. The blur had become audible as well as visual. When Clodagh was done, Yana smiled and thanked her for the song and the meal and refrained from saying that the Corps of Engineers terraforming department might well wish to adopt that song as their anthem if they ever heard it. Clodagh began clearing the table, and Bunny pulled on her parka.
Although Bunny was willing to drive her home, she let Bunny take her dogs straight back to their kennels and walked back. Blurred and blithe, she carried her pack and her string of fish, enjoying the snapping freshness of the air, thinking that maybe the world in Clodagh’s song had lungs, too – healthy ones.
She hung the fish outside the door, as they had hung at Clodagh’s, up high, the effort costing her another coughing fit that doubled her over in the snow until she was afraid she would freeze to death. She crawled inside and started to spread the blanket on her bed, then saw by the moon’s light through the windows that there was already a soft brown fur spread over it, the cat peacefully curled on top of it. Yana gratefully joined the little animal, glad of its steady, contented breathing and its warmth.
Warmth. Diego shuddered to life, staring out through eyelashes frozen together, feeling himself dragged. He rolled over. He hurt bad. His dad had him under the arms and was tugging him, sliding him, inch by inch, over the springy, snow-covered surface.
“I’m okay, Dad. I can do it,” he said, and rolled over, away from his father. Dad looked as if he needed Diego to pull him in turn. His lips were cracked and bloodless, but there was a great deal of blood elsewhere, frozen on his face and parka ruff from a cut on his forehead.
“Cave,” Dad said, shouting against the wind. “Under-the ledge. Limestone-”
“Tell me when we get in there,” Diego yelled back.
Somewhere very far away dogs howled, and he thought maybe he heard voices, too, but they didn’t sound close. That Dinah was something, though. Maybe Lavelle would let her loose, so she could come and find them.