Sol kicked her. "Is this the way youguard my weapons, woman?"

      She jumped up, embarrassed and angry."It's the same way you take care of mine!" she retorted. Then,afraid, she bit her lip.

      Sol ignored her. "Let's find a placequickly," he said, glancing at the nearest marker. Sos gave the woman theleggings and helmet he had brought for her; Sol hadn't thought of it. Soswondered why they stayed together, when they evidently didn't get along. Couldsex mean so much?

      He forced his eyes away from her again,afraid to answer that.

      They stepped across the line and movedslowly into the badlands. Sos repressed the nervous twinge he felt at theaction, knowing that if he felt it, the others were struck much moreforcefully. He was supposed to know; he had, to prove he was right. Three livesdepended on his alertness now.

      Even so, the personal problem preoccupiedhim. Sol had said at the outset that he needed no woman. This had sounded likea courteous deferral to the other man, since no second woman was available. Butthen he had given the girl his bracelet, signifying their marriage. They hadslept together two weeks, yet she now dared to express open dissatisfaction.Sos did not like the look of it

      The leaves and underbrush of the forestand field seemed healthy, but the rustle of wildlife faded out as theypenetrated deeper. There were birds and numerous flying insects, but no deer,groundhogs or bear. Sos watched for the traces and found none. They would havetrouble locating game for their arrows if this were typical. At least thepresence of the birds seemed to indicate that the area was safe, so far; he didnot know their tolerance, but assumed that one warm-blooded creature should beable to stand about as much as another. The birds would have to stay put whilenesting, and would certainly have developed sickness if they were going to.