There is no way he can repair his travelling-shell in this place occupied only by uncivilized, brutish life-forms. He thinks of the Terrans, and knows that he must make a decision—whether to be a Klygha or a coward....
There is a short doubt. Then the Klygha gropes far out above the sky for the mind of the cat. He is a coward.
"Mmmar-min!" says the cat.
We see with it a chamber of the Terran travelling-shell. There is no Terran present, so the Klygha makes the cat go in search of one. We feel with the cat as it goes, for it almost swims. It pushes against a side with two of its feet and floats through the air toward the opening it wishes to pass through.
Now we understand the tail of the cat—it is for swimming in air. It whirls and twists, and the cat spins as it goes. It touches another side, plunges through the opening into a long but narrow space, twists again, and pushes itself along that space. It is very much more clever than it seemed on this world.
It is also very good with sounds, and knows where to find the Terrans by hearing them.
"Mmmar-min!" it says again, as it enters another chamber.
This place in the Terran shell is much like the Klygha's, with many shining and flashing things. There are differences, but the Klygha can understand many of the objects; therefore so can we.
"Mmmar-min, we mmust go back!" says the cat.