By the time they reached the ledge
outside the Mantis' cave, he could go no further. His legs and
shoulders ached, threatening spasms, and the wound at the back of his
head throbbed with pain each time his heart beat heavily, which for the
past two hours had been almost constantly.
Setting down the kill, he looked up at the remaining distance to the
smaller enclosure. He thought of Skither's instructions, but could
only shake his head.
'We skin the carcass here,' he proclaimed, breathing heavily.
'What the Mantis does not know, cannot trouble his sleep.' Lifting
the carcass one last time he brought it inside, into the relative safety
of the larger cave. Akar and the girl followed him in, too tired
themselves to protest.
Akar lay down immediately in the coolest place he could find. He had
run close to thirty miles that day, much of it flat out, and nursed
emotional, as well as physical fatigue. Neither he nor Kalus had ever
hunted one with the other, and the experience had not been easily
productive. It was true that between them they could bring down larger
game, but their timing together was far from perfect. The wolf could
not begin to remember how many times he had circled the smaller herds,
trying to drive the stragglers to the place where Kalus waited with his
spear.
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