"No more thoughts-speech unless I speak first!" Tark continued peremptorily. "Your danger deepens with each mile we traverse now."
The horses were jumpy as they went on through the forest, up ridges, through brushy valleys. The mare quivered under Nelson.
Excitement? He wondered They must know they were going toward Vruun. Was that why they were so jumpy? It made Nelson feel a sudden pity for them. These were not the dumb beasts of the outer world. These horses were intelligent as men. And to be captured, enslaved, broken from their complete freedom into beasts of burden—
He thrust such thoughts impatiently from his mind. He was letting the influences of this fantastic valley affect him. Animals were animals, no matter if they could speak telepathically and think—
They had been traveling for more than an hour when a yapping wolf-call from west of them was answered by a low coughing roar from the direction of the river. Tark stopped and came back to them. The wolf's eyes glared up at them.
"We must leave the Hoofed Ones here. We can't trust them not to betray us if we pass others of the Clans."
Instantly from the horses came thoughts of passionate protest. "Tark, we thought you took us to Vruun! Are you not going to free us?"
"Brothers, I cannot!" was the wolf's answer. "For the good of the Brotherhood you must remain captive a while longer."
A moment of silence followed and then Eric Nelson heard the slow thought of their reply. "We trust you, Tark. We will obey."
Nelson dismounted. Shan Kar was speaking swiftly to young Diril.