Pat groaned, shaking her head slowly.

Moody came out of Maria's room, also shaking his head.

"I've given her a massive antihistamine, I've used a poultice to draw out the toxic fluid but the edema in the hand is incredible. I never thought – " and he shook his head again. "These kids – they just aren't suited to such conditions. And we haven't time . . ."

McKee came out, his face dark. When his glance took in Todd, his lips tightened over clenched teeth.

“She says Todd warned her and we mustn't think it was his fault this time,” and he emphasized the last two words slightly.

“I got her back as soon as I could, Mr. McKee,” Todd said softly.

“I know, son. The others ran off and left you. They, thought Maria was a mda screaming.”

Reeve put his hand on McKee's arm, trying to convey the secondhand guilt he felt. He was mixed up, for somehow it still seemed as if Todd emerged as the guilty one.

"It's not your fault, nor the kid's," McKee muttered dejectedly, sitting down heavily. "Like Ez says, these kids – they're not used to this. Oh, we showed 'em films, pointed out the dangerous weeds and animals and stuff. But they've lived all their lives where things that snap and bite are behind bars or in books – " He trailed off. "She's never hurt anywhere in her life. How do you explain pain to her?"

“Doctor?” Dot's voice called. Ezra, roused from his thoughts by the panic in her voice, rushed back into the sickroom.

“I'll fix something to eat for all of us, Mace,” Pat offered and busied herself in the kitchen.

They were ready to eat before Pat called their attention to the fact that Todd was no longer there. Full dark had settled when Ilsa knocked apologetically at the door.

“I waited and waited and I'm awful hungry, mother, and is Maria all right?” she asked tentatively.

“Oh, good heavens, I completely forgot we don't have an automat feeder,” Pat cried, full of remorse for her neglect of the biddable child. Spoon half-raised, she whirled from the stove to her daughter, her eyes wild. “Isn't Todd with you?”

“No, mummy, I thought he was here with you.”

Swearing words he didn't realize he knew, Reeve charged out of the house, up to the office for arms and power lights. Just as he reached the porch, he caught sight of torches on the bridge. Squinting, he was just able to make out a small group of Hrrubans Three of them and yes – that smaller figure must be Todd. They were headed straight for the McKees.

When Ken joined them, Todd came to a halt.

“I broke my promise,” he said in a defiant voice, “and we will have to leave Doona but Mrrva has something that brings down rroamal swelling.” He pointed to Mrrva who carried a pottery bowl carefully in both hands. “Only you gotta use it as soon as possible.”

Hrrula stepped out of the shadow. “He said it was a matter of life and death and too much time had already passed. That is why he broke his promise. He said he tried to tell his mother but she did not listen. We came as quickly as possible. Will your man of healing allow Mrrva to attend to the child?”

Christ, thought Ken irreverently, they have professional ethics, too?

“Mrrva has used it on cuts of Todd's so we know it will not have an adverse effect on a bareskin,” Hrrula added after Mrrva fluttered a purr at him.

Reeve hurriedly ushered Mrrva on to the McKees, and into Maria's room, explaining quickly to Ezra. Dot McKee jumped up with a cry and pulled Mrrva to her daughter's side.

“Anything, anything,” Dot cried. “Just look at her arm. What can I get you? Water, bandages?” she asked, peering urgently into Mrrva's face.

The Hrruban pointed to the pan in which cloths had been soaking. She gestured the level of water she wanted and Dot rushed out, muttering incoherent thanks.

Leaning slowly over the bed, Mrrva touched Maria's cheek gently with one soft finger. Maria was unconscious of her presence, moaning and restlessly turning her head from side to side, oblivious to externals. Her arm was immense with the edema, up to the shoulder. Mrrva took the pan from Dot and soaked a clean cloth, wringing it dry before dipping in the salve which she then began to spread generously on the child's shoulder. She motioned to Dot to imitate her. Side by side, the two women worked, laving the girl's arm in the yellow substance. Tenderly but firmly and ignoring the child's cries, Mrrva turned the hand so that she could see where the rroamal toxins had burned into the tender flesh of palm and fingers.

Then she repeated her ministrations, beginning again at the shoulder. The original application was already absorbed by the taut skin but it was obvious that the swelling had ceased its ominous spread.

“Well, I never,” Ezra sighed as he examined the result closely. “I never.” Then, because Mrrva looked up in concern, he hastily added in hesitant Hrruban, “This is good thing. We give you all thanks.”

Mrrva's jaw dropped into a smile and she nodded her head in acknowledgment before she turned back to her patient

Reeve and McKee left the sick room and joined the others at the table. Todd stopped eating, looked quickly at Hrrestan and Hrrula as if for reassurance.

“I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, Todd,” McKee said, holding out his hand to the boy. “You tried to tell me.”

Todd took the proffered hand and nodded solemnly. He immediately took up his fork and concerned himself with eating as much and as quickly as he could.

“I would ask a favor of you, Rrev,” Hrrestan began as Ken sat down facing the Hrrubans. “A very great favor,” he added, laying a hand on Todd's shoulder. The boy gave him a quick wide smile. “Concerning this very small one.”

With a pang which Ken had to admit was jealousy, he realized that Todd had never smiled at him with such spontaneous affection. Christ, what kind of a father was he, anyway?

''I'm sorry Todd is such a nuisance," Reeve began apologetically.

Hrrestan's upheld hand stilled his argument

“No, he is not a trouble to us,” Hrrestan continued, inclining his head in a courtly gesture that robbed his remark of any hint of discourtesy. “It would seem, however, that when someone is set to watch this young hayuman, it is the watcher who comes to harm,” and Hrrestan's glance traveled from one adult to the next around the table. “Yet it is not the fault of Zodd. The Bill misunderstood a friendly contest between Zodd and another cub of the same age and received small injuries. The second day, an older boy appeared to believe Zodd was in danger when he stepped into the stream to land a very large fish,” and Todd beamed up at Hrrestan. “Today, although warned, the watcher of Zodd plucked a flower that is poisonous. Are my facts correct?”

The Terrans grimly agreed.

“Already he speaks our not-so-easy-language. He understands what we say to him.” Hrrestan paused, his eyes carefully examining the faces of each adult before he continued.

«My cub, Hrriss, has spent the day unhappily,» he said with a sigh. «All morning he waited for the small figure of Zodd to come down the slope to our village. All afternoon he lay in his bed, sighing deeply and sad.» Hrrestan's jaw dropped and he shrugged in a very human fashion. «After today, I think Zodd will have no one to take him over the hill to our village and Hrriss will continue unhappy. Hrriss has ever been a lone cub – which happens to some – but in Zodd he has found a heart that reaches to his, and a mind that understands all that is not easy to say in words. This is rare. It is too bad to part such friends. If you are willing, may Zodd come to our village each day? Mrrva has suggested it and is willing to assume the watching of this young cub. There will also be an elder who instructs our young in the traditions of the Hrruban. We hope that you will permit Zodd to listen to this elder who is wise and kind. I believe it will be of great benefit to both our villages that one of your young becomes close with one of ours.»