The magnificent moments passed. Blade heard his breathing and Riyannah's, felt the needles and leaves sandpapering his bare skin, smelled the cool mustiness of the shelter and the sharper odor of burning cloth-

Blade started and slapped Riyannah on the buttocks. «Let me up-quick!» He sprang to his feet so violently his head crashed into the roof of the shelter, bringing down a shower of twigs and needles. Then he dashed out into the open.

The blanket where he'd laid the parts of the rifle was sending up a haze of gray-brown smoke. As he watched, one edge began to turn black and little flames danced up. Blade clutched the other edge and yanked hard. Several parts rolled off into the dirt. Blade snatched up a log of firewood and hammered at the burning edge of the blanket as if he was pounding the life out of a deadly enemy.

At last the fire was out. Blade gathered up the scattered parts, blew the dirt off them, and was putting them back on the blanket when he heard Riyannah laughing.

«Blade, are you-is this a thing your people do after sex? Pounding on the ground with a piece of wood?» Her laugh became a giggle.

Blade shook his head. «No. My people do many odd things, but this is not one of them.»

«Will you tell me more about your people, if I tell you about mine? I do not know who or what your people are, but they must be quite interesting.»

Now Blade felt like jumping up and down or running around the camp several times, shouting at the top of his lungs. The door to Riyannah's secrets was opening at last, opened by trust, shared danger, and shared passion.