"It might work," Wenzi said, but not too optimistically.
"I don't see how it can miss!" Arnaud declared jubilantly. "Now let's get some sleep."
Gilbert was tired all at once. He felt the fatigue crawl through his muscles, dull his senses. He'd been on the go all day, and walking half the night. He drifted quickly into sleep and dreamed of a faudi reptile with the face of the hunter Mulveen, chasing them with tail-supported forty yard leaps....
He awoke in dim light. Like any experienced hunter, he awoke knowing exactly where he was and what was happening. The first thing he did was reach for his rifle. He had placed it at his side.
It was gone.
"Wenzi?" he called. No answer.
"Arnaud?" Silence.
"Wenzi! Arnaud!" he shouted. He stood up quickly. He had the hillock of high, dry ground all to himself.
Distantly, he heard a scream. Wenzi's voice? he thought it was.