The upper handling tentacles gestured a question, and Kahvi pointed in answer.

“Fire, we think,” Earrin supplemented in the regular mix of voice and gesture. “You see better than we. It’s smoke, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” a tentacle signified.

“Do you remember what was growing on the other side, there? It is explosive? Should we go closer, or stay here, or go back?”

“Not explosive, as I recall,” the Watcher signalled, “but of course it’s weeks since we were here.

New things could have grown, especially with those Young Ones around.”

“Do you really think they’d have that much influence? The normal Hiller would destroy anything that hadn’t been growing in the neighborhood for a hundred years.”

“If they saw it in time,” her husband pointed out. “Something could have gotten ahead of them.

But that doesn’t answer the question — should we risk getting closer, or wait until it burns out?”

“It’s safe enough to approach, I judge,” replied Bones’ tentacles — the being had neither voice nor breathing equipment. “The floats are well varnished, and the tent tissue does not burn too easily. What growth I see on this side of the hill is mostly low-power, though there are a few blasters, of course.”

“Are you sure?” asked Kahvi. “It looks to me as though nearly everything has become a shade lighter since we were last here. Couldn’t there be overgrowth? Or have you seen this before, too?”

“No. You are right. There is overgrowth. I must withdraw my assurance of safety for the raft.”

“And for the jail,” Earrin pointed out. “If fire gets there, we’d have to walk quite a distance to the next nearest air supply. I say it’s safer to get in there and clear risky plants away from the walls, if we can make it before the fire gets to this side of the hill.”