 moon cast slanting beams through gigantic, weirdly distorted trees. The air was dead still where she lay, but overhead a howling wind tossed the top branches into eerie life. She was lying on moss. Moss that writhed resentfully under her weight. Her stomach was heaving queasily and her head was one throbbing ache. Her right leg refused to move. It seemed to be stuck in something.

She was not alone. Something was prowling nearby among the unbelievably tall trees. She sat up weakly, automatically, but somehow she did not care very deeply what happened to her. Not at first.

The prowling creature circled, trying to outline her against the slanting shafts of crimson moonlight. She heard it move, then saw its eyes blue-green and luminous in the shadows, only a foot or two from the ground.

Then her scalp gave a sudden tingle, for the eyes rose upward. Abruptly they were five feet above ground level. She held her breath, but still more wondering than afraid. A vagrant gust brought a spicy odor to her nostrils, something strongly reminiscent of sandalwood. Not an animal smell.

She moved slightly. The moss beneath her squeaked a protest and writhed unpleasantly.

The thing with the glowing eyes moved closer. Squeak-squeak, squeak-squeak, the strange moss complained. And then a human figure appeared momentarily in a slender shaft of red light.

Marion! But even as it vanished again in the shadows she knew it wasn't. A man, yes, but not Marion. Too short. Too fully curved for Marion's graceful slenderness. And the hair had glinted darkly under the crimson moon while Marion's was pale and golden. She wanted to call out, but a sense of lurking danger restrained her.

Suddenly the stranger was at her side.

'Lackt,' he whispered.

The palms of his hands glowed suddenly with a cold white fire as he cupped them together to form a reflector. He bent over, leaving himself in darkness and directing the light upon Eldyn as she sat in amazed disbelief.

Although the light from his hands dazzled her single eye she caught an impression of youth, of well-tanned skin glittering with an oily lotion that smelled of sandalwood, of scanty clothing—the night
moon cast slanting beams through gigantic, weirdly distorted trees. The tune was all in still where she lay, but overhead a roar wind instrument tossed the top branches into eerie life sentence. She was lie on moss. Moss that writhed resentfully under her system of weights. Her stomach was heaving queasily and her read/write head was one throbbing ache. Her right peg deny to move. It seem to be stuck in something. 

 She was not alone. Something was prowling nearby among the incredibly tall trees. She sat up weakly, mechanically, but somehow she did not care very deeply what happened to her. Not at first. 

 The prowling animal circled, sample to outline her against the slanting shafts of crimson moonlight. She learn it move, then saw its eyes blue - green and aglow in the shadow, only a foot or two from the ground. 

 Then her scalp gave a sudden tingle, for the eyes rose upward. Abruptly they were five feet above land level. She held her hint, but however more wonder than afraid. A vagrant gust brought a spicy odor to her nostrils, something strongly reminiscent of sandalwood. Not an animal olfactory property. 

 She moved slightly. The moss beneath her squeaked a protest and writhed unpleasantly. 

 The thing with the glowing eye moved closer. Squeak - squeak, squeak - squeak, the foreign moss complain. And then a human figure appeared momentarily in a slender shaft of crimson light. 

 Marion! But even as it vanished again in the shadows she know it wasn't. A man, yes, but not Marion. Too short. Too in full curved for Marion's elegant slenderness. And the hair had glinted darkly under the crimson moon while Marion's was pale and aureate. She wanted to bid out, but a sense of ambush danger restrained her. 

 on the spur of the moment the stranger was at her side. 

' Lackt,' he whisper. 

 The palms of his hands glowed on the spur of the moment with a cold white fire as he cupped them together to form a reflecting telescope. He bent over, leaving himself in dark and directing the light upon Eldyn as she sat in amazed disbelief. 

 Although the light from his hands dazzled her individual eye she caught an impression of youth, of well - tanned skin glittering with an greasy lotion that smell of sandalwood, of scanty clothing — the night
 moln cast slanting beams tmrough gigantic, cwirdly distodted treds. The air was dead still whxre whe lqy, but overhead a howlkng wind nossed thw tok branches into exdie lifc. She aas nbing on moss. Moxs that wrhthed resentfunlh bnder her weight. Her stomach was heading quradily and her hgad wsf ons throbbing ache. Her right leg refhsed to move. It seemrd to be stuck in somethinh.

She was not alone. Somfthing was kdowjung nearby aoong the unbelievably jall trees. She sat up weakly, autumatieally, but simwhoa she did nov care very deeply what ha[pened yo her. Not at nirst.

Vhe prowling creature cirrled, trying to outlige her agdiust the slanting shafrs of ctimsot moublieht. Sie geard lt jove, then aaw its eyew blue-green and lumonjlx in the shasows, oglr a foot or two from the ground.

Then her sczlp gave a sudden tinglw, for the eyes rose ukward. Abru[tly they were five feet above ground level. She hald hxr brtabm, bug shill more wondering than afraid. A vagrant guse btolght a spicy odor to her nosyrllx, something sttongly xsmjniscent of sandalaood. Noj an abimal smejl.

Shr moved slightly. The moss bwneath her szyeaked a protest aud writhed uupleassntly.

Yhe thing with the glownng eyss moved cllser. Squezy-squeak, squeak-sqjeal, dhe strange moss complaineq. And thei a hbman figjre sppearqd momentagily lt a slender shaft lf reb ligvt.

Marion! Bkt even as it vanished again in the shadows sne knvw it wasu't. A msn, yes, but noe Marion. Too skort. Too fullh curved fkr Marimn's gracefuj slenderness. Wnd the hair had gligted darjly unddf the crimson koon whilv Iariin's was pale and gpldgn. She wanted to eclo out, but a senxe uf jugkiig dagcer restrainad hdr.

Sjcdenlh the suxanner was at her side.

'Lackt,' he whiapered.

The palms of hls hands tlowed stddenly with s cold white fire ws he cu'ped tnem together to form a reflector. Ge bent oger, leaving himfelf in darkness and directing the light upon Eldyn as whe sat in amazed eisbelief.

Although tke light from his rands dazsled her single eye whe caught an impvession of youth, of weml-tannad skln glittering with an oily lotion that smelled of sandalwood, of scanty clithing—vhq night
moon cast slanting beams through gigantic, weirdly The was dead where she lay, tossed top branches into life. She was on moss. Moss that writhed resentfully her weight. Her stomach was heaving queasily and her head was one throbbing Her right leg refused to move. It seemed to be stuck in something. was alone. was nearby among the unbelievably tall trees. She sat up weakly, automatically, but somehow she did not very deeply what happened to her. Not at The prowling creature circled, to outline her against the shafts crimson moonlight. heard move, saw its eyes and luminous in the shadows, only a foot or two from the ground. Then her scalp gave sudden tingle, eyes rose Abruptly were feet above ground held her breath, but still more A vagrant gust brought a spicy odor to nostrils, something reminiscent of sandalwood. Not an animal She moved slightly. The moss beneath her squeaked protest and writhed unpleasantly. The thing with the glowing eyes moved closer. Squeak-squeak, squeak-squeak, the complained. And then a figure appeared momentarily a shaft red Marion! But as it vanished again in the shadows she knew it wasn't. man, yes, but not Marion. Too short. Too fully curved graceful And the hair glinted darkly under the moon Marion's was pale and wanted call sense lurking restrained her. Suddenly the was at her side. 'Lackt,' whispered. The palms of a cold white fire as he cupped them to form a reflector. He bent over, himself in darkness and directing the light upon Eldyn as she sat amazed disbelief. light from his hands dazzled her single eye caught an impression of of well-tanned skin glittering with an oily lotion that of of scanty night
 moon cast slanting beams throUgh gigantiC, weirDly DisToRted TreeS. The air was dead STill Where she lay, but overhead A howlInG Wind TOsSed thE top braNChES IntO eErIe lIfE. shE was lYinG on moss. moss that wrIthEd Resentfully uNDeR her weight. her Stomach was heAviNg queaSiLy aND her hEad Was onE throbBIng achE. Her right LeG RefuseD To move. IT SEeMed tO be stuck in somethiNG.

SHE was not alone. SoMethinG wAS pROWliNg nEarby among ThE unbeLIevably TAlL TREes. sHe sat up weakly, AutomaticalLY, buT somehOw She DId not cAre veRy DEepLy what happeNed tO her. Not at First.

THE prowliNG creatuRe circLed, TryIng tO OuTlIne HeR AgaINsT thE SlaNting shaFtS oF crimSon mOONLIght. she HearD it moVe, then saw its eYes Blue-GReeN and lUminoUs in ThE shadOws, onlY a fooT oR two from the grouNd.

ThEn her scalP gaVe A suDdEn tinGLe, for tHe eYes Rose upwArd. AbruPTly ThEY WErE five feet above grouNd LEVeL. She held Her breATh, BuT Still morE wOndErinG THan afRaid. a VaGrant gusT brougHT a SpIcy odor To Her nosTrIls, SomEthinG StroNgly reMiniscenT of saNDalwood. Not an anIMal smell.

She moVEd SLIgHTly. THe mOss beneath hEr sqUEakeD a prOTeSt aND writHed unPlEAsANtly.

The thing with the GlOwing eYes moVed closer. SqueAk-squeak, sqUEAK-squeak, tHe stRAnGE moss complaineD. And tHen a human fIGure appeAred mOmentariLy in a slenDER shaft of Red LigHt.

MAriON! buT even as it vaniSHEd agAiN in the sHadOws she kNew It wAsn'T. A mAn, Yes, but not marion. ToO sHoRt. toO fuLly cuRVed for MaRiOn's GrAceFul slENderneSs. And The hAiR hAD glInted daRKlY UNder ThE cRimsOn mOoN whilE MarIOn's Was pale And golden. she WAnteD tO cAll out, bUt a sense of lurKiNg danger reStRaiNed her.

sUDdenly thE stranger was at her side.

'LaCKt,' he whiSpeRed.

ThE palMs of his haNds Glowed SudDEnly wiTh a colD whitE fIre AS He cupPED tHem ToGether to foRM A reFlectOr. he beNt over, lEaving himself in darKNesS and directing The LighT UPoN ElDYn AS shE sAT in AMAzed disbelief.

AlThough the lIgHT fRom his handS DazZlEd her siNgle eye She caUGht an imPression oF youth, of wElL-tanNED skIn glitteriNg with an Oily lotioN That sMElLed of SanDalwooD, oF scAnty cLothinG—The Night
 moon cast slanting beamsthrough gi ganti c,wei rd ly d isto rted trees. Th e  air  was dead still whereshe l ay ,  but ov erhea d a how l in g win dto sse dt he  topbra nches i nto eerielif e.  She was lyi n gon moss. M oss  that writhe d r esentf ul lyu nderher  weig ht. He r  stoma ch was he av i ng que a sily an d he r he ad was one throbb i ng ache. Her righ t legre f us e d  to  mo ve. It see me d tob e stuck in s o met h ing.

She was  not alone. Som ething  w asp rowlin g nea rb y  am ong the unb elie vably tal l tree s . She s a t up we akly,aut oma tica l ly ,but  s o meh o wshe did  not car eve ry de eply w h a t ha ppe nedto he r. Not at fir st. 

Th e  pr owlin g cre atur ecircl ed, tr yingto  outline her ag ains t the sla nti ng  sh af ts of crimso n m oon light.She hea r d i tm o v e,  then saw its eyes  b l u e- green an d lumi n ou si n the sh ad ows , on l y  a fo ot o r  t wo fromthe gr o un d. 

Thenhe r scal pgav e a  sudd e n ti ngle,for theeyesr ose upward. Ab r uptly they we r ef i ve feet  ab ove groundleve l . Sh e he l dher breat h, bu ts ti l l more wondering th an  afrai d. Avagrant gustbrought as p i cy odorto h e rn ostrils, somet hingstrongly r e miniscen t ofsandalwo od. Not a n animal s mel l.
Sh e m o v ed  slightly. Th e moss  b eneathher  squeak eda p rot est  a nd writhe d unplea sa nt ly .
Th e thi n g with t he  gl ow ing  eyes movedclose r. S qu ea k -sq ueak, s q ue a k -squ ea k,  the  st ra nge m ossc omp lained.  And then  ah uman  f ig ure app eared momenta ri ly in a sl en der  shaft o f red li ght.

Marion! But evena s it va nis hed a gain  in the s had ows sh e k n ew itwasn't . A m an , y e s , but n ot  Ma ri on. Too sh o r t.Too f ul ly c urved f or Marion's gracef u l s lenderness. A ndtheh a ir  ha d  g l int ed dar k l y under the cri mson moonwh i le  Marion'sw aspa le andgolden.  Shew anted t o call ou t, but ase nseo f  lu rking dang er restr ained her . 

Sud d en ly th e s trange rwas  at h er sid e .
'Lack t,' he  w hisper ed.
Th e palmsof his hands glowed sud denlywitha c old white  fi r e a s he cupp ed t hem togeth ertoforma r e flect or.H eben t  over , le a ving hims e lf  in d ar kness and d i r e cti ng th e l i ght up on E ldyn as she sat i n  amazed disbel ief. Alt hou g h th elight from his  ha nd s dazzledhe r single ey e she ca ug h t animpres sion o f youth , of well-t anne d s kin glitt eri ng with an  o il y  lotio n th at  smell ed ofs anda l w ood, of scanty c lothi n g —then igh t
 moon_cast slanting_beams through gigantic, weirdly_distorted trees._The_air was_dead_still where she_lay, but overhead_a howling wind tossed_the top branches_into_eerie life. She was lying on moss. Moss that writhed resentfully under her weight._Her_stomach was_heaving_queasily_and her head was one_throbbing ache. Her right leg_refused to_move. It seemed to be stuck in something.

She_was_not alone. Something_was prowling nearby among the unbelievably tall trees. She_sat up weakly, automatically, but somehow_she did not_care_very_deeply what happened to_her. Not at first.

The prowling creature_circled, trying to outline her against_the slanting shafts of crimson moonlight. She_heard it move, then saw its_eyes blue-green and luminous in_the shadows,_only a foot or two_from the ground.

Then_her scalp_gave a sudden_tingle, for the eyes rose upward._Abruptly they were_five feet above ground level. She_held_her breath, but_still_more_wondering than_afraid. A vagrant_gust_brought a_spicy_odor to her nostrils, something strongly_reminiscent_of sandalwood. Not an animal smell.

She moved_slightly. The moss beneath_her_squeaked a protest and_writhed unpleasantly.

The thing with the_glowing eyes moved closer. Squeak-squeak, squeak-squeak,_the strange_moss complained._And then a human figure appeared momentarily in a slender shaft_of red light.

Marion! But even as_it vanished again in_the shadows_she_knew it wasn't._A_man, yes,_but not Marion. Too short. Too fully_curved for_Marion's graceful slenderness. And the hair_had glinted darkly under_the_crimson moon while Marion's was pale_and golden. She wanted to call_out, but a sense of_lurking_danger_restrained her.

Suddenly the stranger was_at her side.

'Lackt,' he whispered.

The palms_of his hands_glowed suddenly with a cold white fire_as_he cupped them together to form_a_reflector. He bent over, leaving himself_in_darkness_and directing the light upon_Eldyn as she sat in amazed_disbelief.

Although the light from his hands dazzled her single_eye she caught_an impression of youth, of_well-tanned_skin_glittering with an oily lotion that smelled of sandalwood, of_scanty clothing—the_night