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When we reached the threshold we patted Ruby Stone's wingstumps and placed him within but did not ourselves enter.
"Behold, you will wait," we said together.
"I wiil wait, Beloveds."
Kwib and I faced one another. The humming ceased. We ignored the onlookers.
"Beloved, let us walk together," Kwib said.
"Yes, Beloved. We shall walk."
We turned and made our way past those who had accompanied us, moving into the solitude of the Wood. For a long while we went in silence, taking care not to touch one another. We came at length upon a small glade, pleasantly shaded.
"Beloved, shall it be here?" Kwib asked me.
"No, Beloved," I said.
"Very well. Dear One." ^
We continued on, watching one another, moving in a leisurely fashion. The sun reached the overhead position and began its descent.
After a time, "Beloved, do you wish to rest?" Kwib asked.
"Not yet, Beloved. Thank you."
"It occurs to me, Partner in Love, that we are heading toward the place of Trader Hawkins. Would you wish to stop by there?"
"For what purpose. Fire of my Life?"
"A drink of the heating beverage. Love."
I thought about it. The effects of the heating beverage might well serve to hasten things.
"Yes, Co-Walker in the Path of Bliss," I replied. "Let us visit Trader Hawkins first,"
We went on toward the foothills.
"Light of Love," I asked, "is it true that there is a mate in a hole behind the Earthman's dwelling?"
"I have heard this. Love, and I have seen the place, but I do not know. I have heard that the mate is dead.""Strange, Dearest."
"Yes, Beloved."
We sat across from one another when we finally rested, watching. Kwib's dear form was sharp and supple is the deepening shadows, and larger than my own. A moon climbed into the sky. Another, far smaller, followed it later. I had grown hungry as the day progressed, but I said nothing. It is better not to eat, and so it is better not to speak of it.
We arrived at the foothills around dusk. Small lights from the trading post were visible among the trees. Night sounds had already begun about us. I smelled strange odors on the breeze that came down from the mountains.
As we passed through the brush, I said, "Dearest Kwib, I would like to see first the place where the dead mate is kept."
"I will show it to you. Partner in Life."
Kwib led me around to the rear of the building. As we went, it seemed that I caught a glimpse of Trader Hawkins sitting on the darkened front porch of the dwelling, gigantic in the moonlight, drinking.
Kwib led me to a huge plot of earth on which nothing grew. At one end of it was set a stone with peculiar markings. A bunch of dead flowers lay at its base.
"The dead mate is under the ground, dear Kwib, under the stone?"
"So I have heard. Light."
"And why are there dead plants, Love?"
"I do not know. Life."
"It is very strange. I do not understand. I—"
"Hey! What are you bugs doing out there?"
A light far greater than that of the moons had occurred atop a pole near the dwelling. The Earthman stood at the door, one of me long fire weapons in his hands. We turned toward him and advanced.
"We came to drink the heating beverage," Kwib said in trader talk. "We stopped first to see the place of the mate who is under the ground."
"I don't like anyone back here when I'm not around."
"We apologize. We did not know. You have the heating beverage?"
"Yes. Come on in."
The Earthman held the giant door open and stoodbeside it. We entered and followed the hulking form through to the front of the dwelling.
"You have the metal?"
"Yes," I said, taking a bar of it from my pouch and passing it over.
Two bowls of the beverage were prepared and I was given more than three smaller bits of the metal in return. I left them beside my bowl on the mat.
"I will buy the next one. Beloved," Kwib said.
I did not reply but drank of the sweet-and-sour liquid which moved like fire through my limbs. The Earthman poured another beverage and perched with it atop a wooden tower. The room smelled strongly though not unpleasantly of odors which I could not identify. Tiny fragments of wood were strewn upon the floor. The chamber was illuminated by a glowing jewel set high on the wall.
"You bugs hunting, or'd you just come up this way to get drunk?*' ..
"Neither," Kwib said. "We were married this morning."
"Oh," Trader Hawkins's eyes widened, then narrowed. "I have heard of your ceremony. Only two go forth, and one remains behind...."
"Yes."
"... And you have stopped here on your way, for a few drinks before continuing on?"
"Yes."
"I am more than a little interested in this. None of my people ever witnessed your nuptials."
"We know this."
"I would like to see the fulfillment of this part of the ceremony."
"No."
"No."
"It is forbidden?"
"No. It is simply that we consider it a private matter."
"Well, with all respect for your feelings, there are many people where I come from who would give a lot to see such a thing. Since you say it is not forbidden, but rather a matter of personal decision on your part, I wonder whether I might persuade you to let me film it?"
"No."
"No, it is private."
"But hear me out. First, let me refill those bowls, though.—No, I don't want any more metal. If—now,just supposing—you were to let me film it, I would stand to make considerable money. I could reward you with many gifts—anything you want from the post here—and all the heating beverage you care to drink, whenever you want it."
Kwib looked at me strangely.
"No," I said. "It is private and personal. I do not want you to capture it in your picture box."
I began to rise from my bowl.
"We had best be going."
"Sit down. Don't go. I apologize. I'd have been a fool not to ask, though. I did not take offense at your looking at my wife's grave, did I? Don't be so touchy."
"That is true, Beloved," Kwib said in our own tongue. "We may have done offense in viewing the mate's grave. Let us not take offense ourselves from this request now that we have answered it, and so do ourselves shame."
"Soundly said, Beloved," I replied, and I returned to my beating beverage. "This drink is good."
"Yes."
"I love you."
"I love you."
"Consider the ways of our dear Ruby Stone. How delicate he is!"
"Yes. And how graceful his movements ..."
"How proud I was when we bore him to the Home,"
"I, too. And the sky-dance was so fine... . You were right about the stone. It shone gloriously in the sunlight."
"And in the evening its pale fires will be soft and subtle."
"True. It will be good."
"Yes."
We finished our drinks and were preparing to depart when the Earthman refilled the bowls.
"On the house- A wedding present."
I looked at Kwib. Kwib looked at Trader Hawkins and then looked at me. We returned to the mats to sip the fine drinks.
"Thank you," I said.
"Yes, thank you," said Kwib.
When we had finished, we again rose to go. My movements were unsteady.
"Let me freshen your drinks."
"No, that would be too much. We must be on our way now.""Would you wish to spend the night here? You may."
"No. We may not sleep until it is over."
We headed toward the front door. The floor seemed to be moving beneath me, but I plodded across it and out onto the porch. The cool night air felt good after the closeness of the trading post. I stumbled on the stair. Kwib reached to assist me but quickly drew back.
"Sorry, Beloved."
"It is all right, Love."
"Good night to both of you—and good luck."
"Thank you."
"Good night."
We moved off through the hills, striking downward once again. After a time, I smelled fresh water and we "came to a Wood through which a stream flowed. The moons were falling out of the sky, and there was a heaviness of stars within it. The smaller moon seemed to double itself as I watched, and I realized that this must be something of the heating beverage's doing. When I turned away, I saw that Kwib had moved nearer and was regarding me closely.