Dion said nothing, but accepted the food Balph handed him, inspected it and carefully stored as much as he could before beginning to eat. He was obviously in a great deal of pain and ate very little before lying back down to rest.
Balph looked around at the men, and noticed that Gabry had disappeared. Balph felt a thread of worry, but dismissed it assuring himself that the little weasel had just gone to hunt down more secret stores. The Hugbidtha was still, unbelievably, asleep. Until today it had guarded them and the tunnel, on the Commander’s behalf, sleeplessly day and night. Why now, with the Commander gone, it slept, he could not fathom, but he was grateful. Those blue fires in its eyes were nerve-wracking. He was very respectful of callow-fire and the creatures that produced it, he knew what it could do and did not wish to become one of its victims.
The sense of freedom in being unsupervised was exhilarating.
“Well, who wants to go back to Tiglath?” Balph asked. The men gazed at him with expressions ranging from horror to disbelief.
“I like the outside.” Reko said simply. “I like the trees.”
“I’m not going back. I’m taking my share of the upland.” Kip asserted.
Balph wondered if Kip thought he had a right to the outside world. He supposed he did. The Commander’s words about taking the outlands and putting them in order had not been questioned by any of them. Indeed they had never questioned the Commander’s words or actions at any time, even when they were being forced into the path of the rampaging grivor. This now seemed incredible to Balph. What had been the purpose of it all? Gorn had died, most of the others were injured and to what end? Did the Commander really know best? Balph looked around guiltily as if the others might hear his thoughts. Yet if the outside world were really as mismanaged as he had been told, surely it would not be so beautiful and pleasant.
The men were all agreed that they wanted to stay away from Tiglath, most went further, they wanted to avoid the Commander as well, “And Kade, and Gabry.” Nestor put in. “Actually where are they?” He looked at Balph.