“That’s a decision that’s a long ways from now,” Tats declared. “I’m more concerned about what we’re going to do today and tonight.”

“I’m going foraging,” Thymara said quietly. “It’s what I’m good at.”

“I’ll go with you, to help carry,” Tats declared. Across the circle, several of the young men glanced at him and then away. Nortel looked down, glowering. Boxter looked thoughtful. Greft opened his mouth as if to say something and then closed it again. Then he said, “A good plan,” but Alise was certain that was not what he had originally planned to say.

“Is there any way that we can have a fire tonight?” Sylve asked. “The smoke might keep off some of the insects, and the fire might be a beacon if anyone is trying to find us.”

“I could help with that,” Alise declared instantly. “We could construct a little raft, like the sleeping raft, only smaller, and put the fire on that, so there’d be no chance of it spreading to where we’re sleeping. We could tether it with some of these creepers.” She leaned over and picked up one of the bread leaf vines, now stripped of food. “We’d need more, of course.”

“We’ll bring back more vines,” Tats volunteered.

“Harrikin and I can dive for mud. If we can find a way to bring it up, we’ll plaster mud on the fire platform, and it will last longer,” Lecter said.

“But the water’s so acid!” Alise objected, thinking of their eyes. Both of the youths were so scaled she didn’t think their skin would take much harm.

“It’s not so bad.” Lecter shrugged his spiny shoulders. “Acid level is going down all the time. Sometimes it’s like that after a quake. Big gush of acid water, then back to almost normal.”

Almost normal was still enough to scald Alise’s skin, but she nodded. “Build a platform, plaster it with mud, gather the driest wood we can find, and braid a good tether so it doesn’t get away from us. That’s a lot to get done before nightfall.”

“It’s not like we have an alternative,” Boxter observed.

“Thymara. Do you want help with your gathering?” Nortel threw the question out almost as a challenge.

“If I need any, I have Tats,” the girl replied.

“I can climb better than him,” Nortel asserted.

“You only think so,” Tats responded instantly. “I can give her any help she needs.”

Thymara glanced from Tats to Nortel and her face darkened. For a moment, her scales seemed to stand out more vividly. Then she said flatly, “The truth is, I don’t think I’ll need help from either of you. But Tats can come with me if he wishes. I’m leaving now, while the light is good.”

She stood as she spoke, flowing effortlessly to her feet, and strode off toward the forest without looking back. To Alise, she seemed almost to dance across the floating logs between her and the closest tree trunks. Once she reached one, she went up as quickly as a lizard. Tats followed her, and it seemed to Alise that he struggled hard to match her speed as his human hands found grips on the rough bark of the tree.

As Nortel rose, Greft spoke. “Nortel, we could use you here, to help put the fire raft together.”

Nortel froze. He said flatly, “I intend to go foraging for food.”

“See that food is all you forage for. We are a small group, Nortel. We cannot quarrel among ourselves.”

“Tell that to Tats,” he said and then walked away. He chose a different tree trunk for his ascent, but Alise suddenly feared for Thymara and wished she could go after them. Something had changed in the group, and she wasn’t sure what it was. She glanced at Greft, but he did not meet her eyes. Instead he said, “Today is clear and tonight probably will be as well. But there is no telling what weather tomorrow may bring. We’re uncomfortable enough without being wet. Let’s see if we can make a shelter.”

Alise felt as if she had been plunged into the intimate affairs of an extended family she didn’t know well. There were currents here she hadn’t suspected, and she abruptly wondered what her status was as an intruder. Thymara was the only one she felt she knew at all. She glanced at Sylve; the girl had at least smiled at her. As if she felt the older woman’s eyes, Sylve turned to her and said quietly, “Let’s go build our fire platform.”

“TELL HER TO extend her head toward me!” Jess barked at him. He was perched at the end of the log, holding his makeshift noose open. “I can’t get this around her neck if she doesn’t reach her head toward me.”