"Ammadian?" repeated Trakor, astonished. "Not those who were hunting for Dylara?"
"I am not sure—yet."
Tharn rose and began to circle slowly that section of the clearing adjacent to Sadu's remains. Trakor watched him, fascinated, as he scrutinized the trampled grasses in an effort to piece together details of what had taken place. Twice he knelt and placed his nostrils close to the ground, the last time remaining in that position for several minutes.
Finally he straightened and beckoned to Trakor. "They have her," he said tonelessly. "She was fleeing from Sadu. Their spears cut him down in time, then they took her with them. There are many of them—at least fifty—and they are none I have come across before. Evidently we are very near to Ammad."
"How far are they ahead of us?"
"A sun's march—if that."
"What do we do now, Tharn?"
"Overtake them, of course—and take Dylara from them."
He said this last with a crisp decisiveness that left no room for doubt. But Trakor was shaking his head.
"There are fifty of them, Tharn. How can two of us fight so many?"