A crash sounded behind them. Just in front of them a gigantic ball of greasy earth mixed with rusty grass-blades had slammed into the ground. It was a piece broken off and thrown upward by the impact. It struck so closely that they could not stop. Both plunged into it and for a moment felt the oily earth and the scratch of the blades. But the mass was soft enough to absorb the energy of their impact, to give way somewhat. It was not like running into a brick wall.
They got up and went around the fragment, which was about the size of a one-car garage. Kickaha spared a glance behind him. The main mass had struck only a few yards behind them. Sticking out of its front were a few branches, tentacles, and kicking feet.
They were safe now. He stopped, and Anana also halted.
The others were forty feet ahead of them, staring at the great pile of dirt that ringed the base of the hill. Even as they watched, more of the mushrooming top broke off and buried the previous fallen mass.
Perhaps a hundred of the trees had survived. They were still waddling away in their slow flight.
Kickaha said, “We’ll snare us some of the trees in their rear ranks. Knock off some more apples. We’re going to need them to sustain us until we can get to that body of water.”
Though they were all shaken, they went after the trees at once. Anana threw her axe and McKay his helmet. Presently they had more fruit than they could carry. Each ate a dozen, filling their bellies with food and moisture.
Then they headed toward the water. They hoped they were going in the right direction. It was so easy to lose their bearings in a world of no sun and constantly changing landscape. A mountain used as a mark could become a valley within one day.
Anana, walking by Kickaha’s side, spoke softly.
“Drop back.”
He slowed down, with no reluctance at all, until the others were forty feet ahead. “What is it?”
She held up the beamer so that he could see the bottom of the grip. The dial in the inset was flashing a red light. She turned the dial, and the light ceased.
“There’s just enough charge left for one cutting beam lasting three seconds at a range of sixty feet. Of course, if I just use mild burning or stun power, the charge will last longer.”
“I don’t think they’d try anything against us if they did know about it. They need us to survive even more than we need them. But when-if-we ever find Urthona’s home, then we’d better watch our backs. What bothers me is that we may need the beamer for other things.”
He paused and stared past Anana’s head.
“Like them.”
She turned her head.
Silhouetted on top of a ridge about two miles away was a long line of moving objects. Even at this distance and in this light, she could see that they were a mixture of large animals and human beings.
“Natives,” he said.