Suddenly he was aware of Carby's voice shouting somewhere outside. Brink pulled on his knee-length shorts and a sleeveless tunic, and struggled into his high, clumsily cobbled boots of "cowhide". He took down his repeating weapon and pocketed a handful of cartridges.
"What's it?" asked Tzal sleepily.
"I expect something is after the herd again," Brink told her as he went out the heavy, double-planked door.
He could hear Carby clearly now. He was calling for Rea. Brink swore under his breath and turned to re-enter the cabin, but Carby had seen him and hailed him.
"Rea left in the night," the big man said. "She took one of the horses and a rifle. And she left a note. Says she is going back to live in one of the domes."
Brink whistled. The "horse" she had taken, actually a ystan according to the Commission, was only half-broken and a giant animal three times as large as its Earthly counterpart.
"The loneliness must have driven her insane," the big man cried. "We've got to follow her—get her to come back."
Carby's eyes were wild. He clamped Brink's right shoulder.
"Are you coming or not, Dorav? She needs us. We've got to find her."
The big man's eyes leaked tears. Brink realized, astounded, that the selfish, shallow, lazy woman—the woman, Rea Smyt—had won Carby's love.