n.

They were about the size, he thought, of antelopes, and they had a
general resemblance to those beasts in that they had four slender legs,
a rounded body, and a head. But they had alien features, so alien as to
hold him in open-mouthed amazement.

The bodies had bare spots here and there, and patches of creamy--fur? Or
was it hair which hung in strips, as if the creatures had been partially
plucked in a careless fashion? The necks were long and moved about in a
serpentine motion, as though their spines were as limber as reptiles'.
On the end of those long and twisting necks were heads which also
appeared more suitable to another species--broad, rather flat, with a
singular toadlike look--but furnished with horns set halfway down the
nose, horns which began in a single root and then branched into two
sharp points.

They were unearthly! Again Travis blinked, brought his hand up to his
head as he continued to view the browsers. There were three of them: two
larger and with horns, the other a smaller beast with less of the ragged
fur and only the beginning button of a protuberance on the nose; it was
probably a calf.

One of those mental alerts from the coyotes broke his absorption.
Nalik'ideyu was not interested in the odd appearance of the grazing
creatures; she was intent upon their usefulness in another way--as a
full and satisfying meal--and she was again impatient with him for his
dull response.

His examination took a more practical turn. An antelope's defense was
speed, though it could be tricked into hunting range through its
inordinate curiosity. The slender legs of these beasts suggested a like
degree of speed, and Travis had no weapons at all.

Those nose horns had an ugly look; this thing might be a fighter rather
than a runner. But the suggestion which had flashed from coyote to him
had taken root. Travis was hungry, he was a hunter, and here was meat on
the hoof, queer as it looked.

Again he received a message. Naginlta was on the opposite side of the
clearing. If the creatures depended on speed, then Travis believed they
could probably outrun not only him but the coyotes as well--which left
cunning and some sort of plan.

Travis glanced at the cover where he knew Nalik'ideyu crouched and from
which had come that flash of agreement. He shivered. These were truly no
animals, but _ga-n_, _ga-n_ of power! And as _ga-n_ he must treat them,
accede to their will. Spurred by that, the Apache gave only