It was still dark when they filled their pouches to capacity and slipped from the house.
"What will we do now?" Theta asked.
Henry looked down. "I don't know. I had something planned, but...."
"What was it?"
"I was going to climb up the mountain, past the top defrost towers and the force fence, to the top of the ridge."
She stared at him, her eyes round. "Why, that's the edge of the world! You might fall off!"
"Not if I'm careful."
Only a few in the valley could boast of going beyond the top row of defrosters, fewer yet of even going within looking distance of the force fence. Beyond it, tradition said, lived great beasts that could eat a man with one bite. While the ridges that bounded the valley on three sides, to the east, west and north, were the edges of the world, from which one dropped off into bottomless space.
To the south, where forest enclosed the mouth of the valley, tradition was vague, but the edge must be off there somewhere.
It had taken Henry all summer to build up his determination. But now, up was the only direction it was safe to go.