be secretly mulled over and absorbed. As for
Tharn, he admired the boy's boundless enthusiasm, his unflagging desire
to master the lore of the jungle, his uncomplaining acceptance of
hardship and his quiet courage.

To Tharn the jungles and plains of his world made up all he wanted from
life. To range far and wide in search of adventure, to match his wits
and prowess against its savage denizens, animal and human, had made that
life complete. With the advent of Dylara, and love, fresh horizons had
opened before his eyes, but not once had he pictured life with her as
his mate as closing the door on his previous existence. He would have
her, he reasoned, and the jungle too.

* * * * *

But with the admission of Trakor still another phase presented itself.
Self-sufficient as he had always been, even unto childhood, loneliness
was no more than a puzzling word. But now he caught himself thinking of
ranging those jungles and plains with a companion--one nearly his own
age--and the thought pleased him more than he permitted to show. As the
days passed the resolve grew to bring Trakor with him and Dylara back to
his own people. Always there would be the three of them--Dylara, Trakor,
Tharn, inseparable.

The eddying gusts of wind suddenly brought a strangely familiar scent to
Tharn's sensitive nostrils, dispelling his mood of reverie and bringing
him instantly upright on the swaying branch.

Trakor, startled by the abrupt move, looked up at him sharply. Tharn was
standing with head thrown slightly back, his nostrils quivering, his
entire body as motionless as though cut from stone.

"What is it, Tharn?"

Tharn's eyes went to the boy and in them was something that brought
Trakor beside him instantly.

"Come," the cave lord said.

Side by side they set off through the trees, following the winding path
far below. Tharn was moving swiftly, and when he elected to do so few in
all the jungle could match his pace. Trakor, to his consternation, began
to fall steadily behind and he put on a fresh burst of speed, taking
chances he ordinarily would never have dreamed of. Despite this, Tharn
continued to widen the gap and within minutes the youth lost sight of
him altogether.

The passage of both was practically soundless, for that is important for
survival in the wild. As a result Trakor was unable to make use of his
ears in trailing the other, but as Tharn had continued on above the
pathway, it