He dropped the sharpening stone into his pouch and slid his right hand back along his uncle’s spear. “At least,i’ he said, slowly and definitely, “at least, my woman will stay convinced, Roy the Runner. She won’t be open to offers from every other man in the tribe.”

“You lousy little throwback!” Roy the Runner yelled. He leaped away from the rest of the band and into a crouch facing Eric, his spear tense in one hand. “You’re asking for a hole in the belly! My woman’s had two litters off me, two big litters. What would you have given her, you dirty singleton?”

“She’s had two litters, but not off you,” Eric the Only spat, holding his spear out in the guard position. “If you’re the father, then the chief’s blonde hair is contagious—like measles.”

Roy bellowed and jabbed his spear forward. Eric parried it and lunged in his turn. He missed as his opponent leaped to one side. They circled each other, cursing and insulting, eyes only for the point of each other’s spears. The other young men had scrambled a distance down the burrow to get out of their way.

A powerful arm suddenly clamped Eric’s waist from behind and lifted him off his feet. He was kicked hard, so that he stumbled a half-dozen steps and fell. On his feet in a moment, the spear still in his hand, he whirled, ready to deal with this new opponent. He was mad enough to fight all Mankind.

But not Thomas the Trap-Smasher. No, not that. mad.

All the tension drained out of him as he recognized the captain of his band. He couldn’t fight Thomas. His uncle. And the greatest of all men. Guiltily, he walked to the niche in the wall where the band’s weapons were stacked and slid his uncle’s spear into its appointed place.

“What the hell’s the matter with you, Roy?” Thomas was asking behind him. “Fighting a duel with an initiate? Where’s your band spirit: that’s all we need these days, to be cut down from six effectives to five. Save your spear for Strangers, or—if you feel very brave—for Monsters. But don’t show a point in our band’s burrow if you know what’s good for you.”