“When did this happen?” I asked.

“Within four Ahn,” said Ho-Hak. Then he turned to another rencer, one who stood with him. “Speak,” said Ho-Hak.

“ I saw little,” he said. “there was a tarn and a beast. I heard the scream of the woman. I poled my rence craft toward them, my bow ready. I heard another scream. The tarn took flight, low, over the rence, the beast upon it, hunched, shaggy. I found her rence craft, the pole floating nearby. It was much bloodied. I found there, too, the armlet.”

“The body?” I asked.

“Tharlarion were about.” Said the rencer.

I nodded.

I wondered if the beast had struck for hunger. Such a beast in the house of Cernus had fed on human flesh. Doubtless it was little other to them than venison would be to us.

“Why did you not kill thebeast, or strike the tarn? I asked.

The great bow was capable of such matters.

“I had no opportunity,” said the rencer.

“Which way did the tarn take flight?” I asked.

“To the northwest,” said the rencer.

I was certain the taern would follow the coast. It was extremely difficut, if not impossible, to fly a tarn from the sight of land. It is counterinstinctual for them. In the engagement of the 25^th of Se’Kara we had used tarns at sea, but they had been kept below decks in cargo ships until beyond ther sight of land. Interestingly, once released, there had been no difficulty inmanaging them. They had performed effectively in the engagement.

I looked at Samos. “What do you know of this matter?” I asked.

“I know only what I am told,” said Samos.

“Describe the beast,” I said to the rencer.

“I did not see it well,” he said.

“It could only have been one of the Kurii,” said Samos.

“The Kurii?” I asked.

“The word is a Gorean corruption of their name for themselves, for their kind,” said Samos.