The green wolf-eyes flashed from Nelson to Shan Kar, and back again. Then Nelson heard the oddly fibred, oddly husky mental voice of Tark, as he had heard it in sleep that first night weeks ago.
"I am your prisoner," was the wolf's thought. "You're going to kill me. Why try to impress me now?"
"Because," Shan Kar answered quickly, "we may not kill you, Tark."
"Mercy from a Humanite?" jeered Tark. "Ice from the sun, warmth from the snow, good hunting from the storm!"
Nelson's skin crawled, with an uncanny feeling that matched the horror in Li Kin's gasping exclamation behind him. The wolf was speaking, was jeering, even though those mighty jaws did not part. Brain speaking to brain, wolf brain to human brain, without need of the medium of vocal sound!
"We have you and Kree's son," Shan Kar reminded. "But you both might live. We could make a bargain, Tark."
"A bargain?" cried Tark's thought. "Such a bargain as you've offered these ignorant outlanders, promising them pay you can't give?"
"What's that?" cried Sloan, aloud. The man instantly forgot the incredulous amazement that had held him speechless till now and spoke directly to the wolf. "What do you mean he can't pay us?"
"Keep silent!" flared Shan Kar to the animal. "Hoik, have the guard take Tark out!"
"Just a minute," said Eric Nelson sharply. "What he says concerns us. I intend to know what he means."