A Pride of Islands
By C. C. MacAPP
Of course a planet has a right
to be strange—but so strange
that it makes fleas of men?
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Worlds of If Science Fiction, May 1960.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
Alyarsmit clung to the top of a tall swaying hair and squinted towardthe ponderous caterpillar-shaped beast way off in the very fardistance.
"It's coming this way, all right," he called down to Brusmit, who wasleaning against the base of the hair. "It's moved half a length sincewe first saw it."
"Do you think it sees us yet?" Bru asked uneasily. From up here, sixman-lengths above the skin, he looked even shorter and pudgier than hewas.
Alyar grinned down at him, then looked toward the front of their ownbeast. "I think so," he said. "Our eyestalks are up and signaling. Thepincers aren't active, though. It must be a friend-beast."
"I don't see how they can recognize each other this far apart," saidBru doubtfully. "We'd better go tell Paboss."
"He sees it." Alyar looked aft to where the leader of the smit clanperched on another hair, a good shout from Alyar's.
"You'd better come down," said Bru. "He clobbered Jorsmit for being insight, the last time we met another beast."
"He doesn't care when we're this far away." Nevertheless, Alyar climbeddown; it wasn't all comfort at the top of a hair, especially when thebeast felt you and twitched. "Let's go back there. He might know who itis."
He started through the thick growth of shorter hair, and Bru followed.They moved carefully, listening; it would be nip-and-tuck if only thetwo of them encountered a fley. They heard a few, detoured around them,eventually reached Paboss's outpost.
The leader was down from the hair, sitting with his back against it,munching dried meat. Three spearmen with him jumped up when they heardAlyar and Bru coming, then, recognizing them, relaxed.
Pabosssmit grunted and gestured toward the joint of meat beside him."Help yourself." He eyed Alyar keenly. "That you on the hair upforward?"
"Yes, boss. But I made sure I came down in time."
"Don't go showing yourself again before we make contact."
"I won't. Could you tell who it was?"
"Looked like the jaksin beast."
"Oh. We don't fight them, do we?" Alyar was a little disappointed; he'dnever been in a fight.
Paboss grinned. "No, but we don't trade with them, either. Pabossjaksindoesn't like me."
Alyar remembered something he'd heard. "Was that where you stoleMaboss?"
The grizzled leader filled his thick chest and chuckled. "That's right.Stole her right out from under his nose!" He extended his arms, showingsome scars. "Here's where he got me, before I knocked him out. Here'swhere Ma bit me."
"She bit you?"
"Sure. Any girl worth stealing'll put up a fight. I had to haul heralong, kicking and screaming, and fight off half the jaksin clan at thesame time. It was some party."
Alyar sighed, thinking what it must be like to go raiding. "I'm oldenough to have a woman of my own," he mused.
Immediately, Paboss glowered. "Don't you go getting any ideas, hear?I don't want an open war with the jaksins. We've got enough trouble