He had known she wouldn't riskbuilding across the clearing, she thought in frustration. "Then I'll cuttime somewhere else."
"Why do they go?" LiSung asked suddenly.
They both turned to look athim.
"The elephants," hesaid. "You said they only occasionally trek to the west. Why do theygo?"
"I have no idea. Dilamsays the Cinnidans leave the elephants alone and the herds leave themalone."
"If they're interestedenough to know they go west, why don't they know why?"
"Why are you so curiousabout them?"
"No reason." Li Sungslowly and painfully dismounted and began unsaddling the mule. "It is goodto be off this creature. I thought riding a horse was painful until I mountedthis beast."
"I would have given you ahorse, but a mule is more surefooted on that narrow canyon trail."
"We'll have to send acrew to widen the trail," Jane said.
"It would make nodifference. All animals are painful to this limb of mine." Li Sung movedstiffly across the clearing. "I will look over the terrain and see if Ican determine another route that will prove adequate."
Ruel looked after him."He's a brave man. A far more worthy specimen than your Patrick." Heshot her a mocking smile. "I'm surprised you didn't bring your fatheralong too."
"He would have been inthe way."
"He's always in the waynow, isn't he? Yet you still take care of him. Why?"
She unsaddled her mule anddropped the saddle on the ground. "I can't do anything else. When you takecare of someone, you become accustomed... they belong to you."
"The caretaker."
"What?"
"Nothing, it's justsomething Kartauk said about you. It's a dangerous weakness."
She recalled Kartauk had oncewarned her of much the same thing, but only after he had used that 'weakness'to his advantage. "I have no time for this." She started across theclearing. "I'm going after Li Sung."
"Why didn't you tell himto wait for you?"
"He needed the timealone. The trip was hard on him and he doesn't like anyone to see him inpain."
"Not even you?"
"I would feel the sameway." She looked at him. "And so would you."
She moved quickly after LiSung.
Night had fallen when theyarrived back at camp, led by the aroma of frying bacon and the beacon of ablazing campfire. Ruel was crouched before the fire, a frying pan in his hand.He glanced up as he ladled the bacon onto three tin plates already heaped withbeans and biscuits. "Well, have you charted a new course?"
"There's a possible routeto the north." Li Sung took one of the plates and sat down. "But thelight faded before we could explore very thoroughly."
"It doesn't matter. Therewill be plenty of time for that later." Jane sat down and began to eat. "Youcan take a team back here while I supervise the start on the track down themountain."
"You don't foresee anylengthy delays?" Ruel asked.
She met his gaze. "Nonethat we can't overcome."
He smiled. "Sometimesdelays occur over which we have no control. We'll have to see, won't—"
