Jill was leaving Rather behind. She glanced back once and moved on, and there was laughter in the sound of her panting.

Jill was his elder by half a year. When he wanted company it was generally Jill he wanted; but they did compete. There had been a year during which she could beat him at wrestling, when she suddenly grew tall and he'd lagged behind. She'd taught him the riblock the hard way: she'd held his floating ribs shut with her knees so that he couldn't breathe. He could wrestle her now-he was a boy and a dwarf-but her longer arms and legs gave her an unbeatable advantage at racing. He'd never catch her.

So he moved outward at his own pace, giving due care to his handholds and footholds in the rough bark, following the blond girl in the scarlet tunic. Her long-limbed mother had already reached the CARM ahead of them.

At fourteen-plus. Rather was considered an adult. He was built wide and muscular, with heavy cheek, jaw, and orbital bones. His fingers were short and stubby, and his toes, though strong, were too short to be much use. His hair was black and curly like his mother's. His beard was sparse, without much curl to it yet. His eyes were green and green tinged his cheek, with a growth of fluff that would be many days healing). He stood a meter and threequarters tall.

Dwarf. Arms too short, legs too short. He should have gone around the trunk. Jill could have told the Scientist about the burning tree; Debby might already know. He could have been getting a closer look!

The CARM loomed ahead of him. It was as big ... no, bigger than the Citizens Tree commons.

Debby shouted into the airlock. Someone emerged:

Jeffer. They talked, heads bobbing. Debby moved to the front of the CARM; Jeffer was about to go back inside-

Rather heard Jill calling. "Scientist! There's a burning tree coming toward us!" She paused to catch her breath. "We saw it, me and Rather, we-while we were swimming-"

Jeffer called back. "Debby told me. Did you see anything like winged men"?"

"... No."

"Okay. Help Debby with the moorings, there at the bow." He noticed Rather struggling in Jill's wake. "Get Rather to help you."

Debby and Jill were both fighting knots, and Jill was muttering "Treefodder, treefodder, treefodder," when Rather caught up. "I bent my finger," she said.

Debby said, "I hate to cut lines. See what you can do."

The CARM's tethers hadn't been moved in years, and the knots were tight. Rather's stubby fingers worked them loose. Dwarf. Clumsy but strong. Presently the CARM was held by nothing but its own inertia. Jill did not look pleased. Debby and Rather grinned at each other. It was something, to do a thing an adult warrior could not!

Jeffer called from the airlock, twelve meters beyond the bark. "Come aboard!"