‘Wrap up,” Jason ordered. “None of you have been this close to the perimeter before and you don’t understand how deadly it is here. Naxa is keeping the larger animals away and you all can handle the smaller ones. That isn’t the danger. Every thorn is poisoned, and even the blades of grass carry a deadly sting. Watch out for insects of any kind and once we start moving breathe only through the wet cloths.”

“He’s right,” Naxa snorted. “N’ver been closer ‘n this m’self. Death, death up by that wall. Do like ‘e says.”

They could only wait then, honing down already needlesharp cross~ bow bolts, and glancing up at the slowly moving sun.

Only Naxa didn’t share the unrest. He sat, eyes unfocused, feeling the movement of animal life in the jungle around them.

“On the way,” he said. “Biggest thing I ‘ver heard. Not a beast ‘tween here and the mountains, ain’t howlin’ ‘is lungs out, runnin’ toward the city.”

Jason was aware of part of it. A tension in the air and a wave of intensified anger and hatred. It would work, he knew, if they could only keep the attack confined to a small area. The talkers had seemed sure of it. They had stalked out quietly that morning, a thin line a! ragged men, moving in a mental sweep that would round up the Pyrran life and send it charging against the city.

“They hit!” Naxa said suddenly.

The men were on their feet now, staring in the direction of the city Jason had felt the twist in his gut as the attack had been driven home and knew that this was it. There was the sound of shots and a heavy booming far away. Thin streamers of smoke began to blow above the treetops.

“Let’s get into position,” Rhes said.

Around them the jungle howled with an echo of hatred. The half sentient plants writhed and the air was thick with small flying things Naxa sweated and mumbled as he turned back the animals that crashed toward them. By the time they reached the last screen of foliage before the burned-out area, they had lost four men. One had been stung by an insect; Jason got the medikit to him in time but he was so sick he had to turn back The other three were bitten or scratched and treatment came too late. Their swollen, twisted bodies were left behind on trail.

“Dam’ beasts hurt m’ head,” Naxa muttered. “When we go in?”

“Not yet,” Rhes said. ‘We wait for the signal.”

One of the men carried the radio. He set it down carefully, then threw the aerial over a branch. The set was shielded so no radiation leaked out to give them away. It was turned on, but only a hiss of atmospheric static came from the speaker.

“We could have timed it….” Rhes said.