Time Out

Fallon and Alithea stayed out in open, but kept an eye out for movement in the trees. Alpen had taken their egg and Alithea enjoyed the single minded focus of pulling the travois, like a meditation. She paused to adjust the harness and looked back to check on Erthen. "Drindl!" She shouted. Alpen and Bebe turned back to see Drindl, who was slightly behind the group and throwing Erthen up in the air. It might have been fun but clearly Erthen was agitated. "Fallon!"

He turned back. At first glance, he didn't understand the problem. Drindl was playing with Erthen. A second later, he became alarmed as well. "Drindl!" he shouted. "Alpen!" he called for help. Fallon shrugged off his harness and ran back. Alpen was already there, trying to talk Drindl down. The short hair on Drindl's forehead was soaked with perspiration and his eyes had a peculiar glaze. Had he taken the rest of the energy? Fallon wondered.

He held out his arms and coaxed Drindl to give him Erthen. The small boy was clearly upset and held onto Fallon who cooed the soft sounds of a Burble bird to the boy until he calmly laid his head against Fallon's chest.

"We were just having fun!" Drindl protested.

Alithea came alongside. "We need to get him to the river. He is overheating." Fallon and Bebe stayed with Erthen, while Alpen and Alithea accompanied Drindl to the river. Standing out in the midday sun, Fallon and Bebe thought the shade looked inviting. Bebe couldn't tend her two eggs and pull a travois, so they left her and Alpen's travois while Fallon pulled the other. Fallon could see the other travois from the river and who was here that would take their belongings? He tied Erthen to the travois and they followed the others to the river. As they neared the river, Fallon pointed at the river and laughed. Alpen was sitting on Drindl's shoulders to keep him submerged in the water. He waved his arm as though riding an Ibik. Certainly this would cool Drindl off and tire him out at the same time.

To his right, Fallon saw what looked like a moving tree. He let the harness relax and paused to take a second look, then screamed at the others when he realized what he was looking at.