“Excellent. I have studied their communication as you have recorded it.” She stood erect and spoke in the proper Sorogetso manner. “Help-given, person-aided, gratification.”

Enge was truly impressed. “That is perfect. The time has come for us to penetrate the jungle. I fear only for your safety this first occasion. Perhaps I might take Setessei now, she has healing skills, and might be more suitable for this first visit…”

“It is I who will go now.” Said with all her imperiousness and might. Enge accepted; this was one time she knew that Ambalasi would not be disagreed with.

Ambalasi pushed the bulge on the hide of the carrying creature and its mouth opened to reveal the medical equipment stowed inside. After carefully checking the contents Ambalasi added more nefmakels, large ones for serious wounds, and other items that might be called for. When she was satisfied she shut it, then turned to Enge.

“Carry this yourself — we want no witnesses with us now. Lead the way.”

The Sorogetso was waiting in the river, only her head above the water. Her eyes widened with fear when Ambalasi came up and she turned about and moved away through the stream. They followed her into the river but she was the faster swimmer and her orange crest quickly vanished from sight. Ambalasi saw her emerge on the distant bank and splashed ponderously in that direction. Enge followed, much burdened by the medical supplies. She was gasping for breath when she finally stumbled ashore. Moorawees was at the forest edge, slipping away between the trees as they approached. They hurried after her, losing sight of her finally, but noting that they were following a well-trod path. When they emerged from the shadow of the jungle, on the bank of a stream they found her waiting for them.

“Stop,” her palms flashed, with head-movement controllers of danger-imminent. The two Yilanè stopped at once, looked about in all directions yet saw nothing to fear.

“In-water,” Moorawees signed, then opened her mouth wide and emitted a high-pitched warbling cry. She did this a second time until there was an answering call from the other side of the stream. There were movements in the brush there and two more of the Sorogetso emerged and looked doubtfully across the flowing water.

“Danger of strangers, much-fear,” one of them signed.

“Death of Ichikchee greater danger,” Moorawees answered with some firmness. It was only after more hesitation, and shouted commands from Moorawees that they shuffled to the large tree trunk floating by the shore and pushed it out into the stream. One end remained secured on the far bank so that, when the free end had drifted across and lodged on the shore, a bridge was made across the stream. Moorawees led the way, hooking her claws carefully on the rough bark and holding to the projecting stubs of branches. Enge waited for Ambalasi to precede her — but the scientist was rigid and uncommunicative.

“I will go first,” Enge said. “I believe that there is nothing to fear.”

“Stupidity and incomprehension,” Ambalasi said with some vehemence. “I am not afraid of these simple creatures. It was the silence of thought and observation that stayed me. Did you see what they did?”

“Of course. Floated this log over so we could cross the stream dryshod.”

“Brain-of-lowest-fargi!” Ambalasi snapped with quick anger. “You see with your eyes but fail to understand with your brain. They have used an artefact in the manner of the ustuzou — not the Yilanè. Now do you see what is happening?”

“Of course! Joy-of-revelation, acknowledgment of stupidity. Though physically like us, they are fixed at a social level scarcely above the lower animals with no knowledge of Yilanè science.”

“Obviously. But obvious only when pointed out to you. Proceed.”

They crossed the bridge as carefully as the Sorogetso had done, though Ambalasi stopped halfway over and bent down to look closely into the water. The Sorogetso called out with fear until she signed a negative and went on to the other bank.

“No danger visible,” she said, watching with great interest as the Sorogetso pulled on projecting branches and trailing vines — careful not to step into the water — until the tree had been pulled back into its original position. As soon as this was done the two Sorogetso hurried out of sight among the trees. Enge called for attention.

“Moorawees has gone this way; we must follow her.”

They followed another well-trod path through the thin growth of trees and emerged into a clearing. Only Moorawees was visible, waiting for them, though they felt that many others were watching them from the concealment of the brush. Ambalasi expressed happiness at excitement of new knowledge.

“Look at the shore there, through the trees. I do believe that we are surrounded by water, an island in the stream that acts as a barrier, containing some danger-to-be-discovered. Gaze upon primitive and disgusting habits, discarded bones now black with flies.”

“Moorawees calls to us,” Enge said.

“Follow me and bring the medical supplies.”

Moorawees pushed aside a low bough to disclose a nest of dried grass under a tree. Lying there unconscious, eyes closed, was a Sorogetso. Obviously female, her sac gaped slightly open, she stirred and moaned with pain. Her left foot had been bitten by some creature, was half eaten away. Now it was swollen and black, covered with flies. Her ankle and the leg above were also swollen and discolored.

“Neglect and stupidity,” Ambalasi said with some satisfaction, opening the container creature. “Drastic measures must be taken and you shall assist me. This is also the opportunity for certain scientific experiments and observations. Send Moorawees away. Tell her this one’s life will be saved but she must not watch or the cure will not take.”

The Sorogetso was happy to leave and retreated quickly. As soon as she was gone Ambalasi, with quick, accurate movements injected an anesthetic. As soon as Ichikchee was silent she wrapped a binding creature around the injured limb, centering the head over the large artery behind her knee. When prodded, the binding smoothly swallowed its tail until it grew tight, sunk into the flesh, cutting off the blood supply. Only then did Ambalasi take her string-knife and cut off the infected foot. Enge turned away but could still hear it crunching through flesh and bone. Ambalasi saw this and registered astonishment.

“Such squeamishness! Are you then a fargi with no experience of existence? Watch and learn for knowledge is life. The foot was possible to repair — but only as a partial, crippled thing. Better to remove it all. Or rather all not needed. Half of the phalanges and metatarsal bones gone. With care and skill I excise the rest, stopping at the tarsus. We need that. Now — the large nefmakel, yes that one, clean this wound up. Give me the container.”

Ambalasi found a small bladder of viscous red jelly. She cut it open and used a tiny nefmakel to remove a white kernel from its core — which she fixed into position on the stump of the severed leg. Only when this was placed to her satisfaction did she close the wound and cover it with a larger nefmakel, then found another single-fanged creature for a second injection.

“Antibiotic. Finished.”

She straightened up and rubbed at her sore back — and realized that they were no longer alone. A number of the Sorogetso had emerged silently from hiding and now stood close and watched, stirring and moving back a bit when her glance caught theirs.

“Pain ended,” she said loudly in their manner of communication. “She sleeps. Will be weak, but pain will be gone. She will have many days’ rest, whole again, as she was before.”

“Foot… gone,” Moorawees said, staring wide-eyed at the bandaged stump.

“I will return and treat her. Then something will be seen that you have never seen before.”