ckly towards the open
door. Jason called it back.

At least he meant to call it. At the last moment he said nothing.
Nothing aloud. On sudden impulse he kept his mouth closed--only he
called the dog with his mind. Thinking the words _come here_, directing
the impulse at the animal with all the force and direction he had ever
used to manipulate dice. As he did it he realized it had been a long
time since he had even considered using his psi powers.

The dog stopped and turned back towards him.

It hesitated, looking at Naxa, then walked over to Jason.

Seen this closely the beast was a nightmare hound. The hairless
protective plates, tiny red-rimmed eyes, and countless, saliva-dripping
teeth did little to inspire confidence. Yet Jason felt no fear. There
was a rapport between man and animal that was understood. Without
conscious thought he reached out and scratched the dog along the back,
where he knew it itched.

"Didn't know y're a talker," Naxa said. As he watched them, there was
friendship in his voice for the first time.

"I didn't know either--until just now," Jason said. He looked into the
eyes of the animal before him, scratched the ridged and ugly back, and
began to understand.

The talkers must have well developed psi facilities, that was obvious
now. There is no barrier of race or alien form when two creatures share
each other's emotions. Empathy first, so there would be no hatred or
fear. After that direct communication. The talkers might have been the
ones who first broke through the barrier of hatred on Pyrrus and learned
to live with the native life. Others could have followed their
example--this might explain how the community of "grubbers" had been
formed.

Now that he was concentrating on it, Jason was aware of the soft flow
of thoughts around him. The consciousness of the dorym was matched by
other like patterns from the rear of the barn. He knew without going
outside that more of the big beasts were in the field back there.

"This is all new to me," Jason said. "Have you ever thought about it,
Naxa? What does it feel like to be a talker? I mean, do you _know_ why
it is you can get the animals to obey you while other people have no
luck at all?"

Thinking of this sort troubled Naxa. He ran his fingers through his
thick hair and scowled as he answered. "Nev'r thought about it. Just do
it. Just get t'know the beast real good, then y'can guess what they're
going t'do. That's all."

It was o