It was evident to Tanar that this hunter had failed to get in his second
blow quickly enough and now he was at the mercy of the great beast.
Since they had started upon their flight through the trees Stellara had
overcome her fear and was now able to travel alone with only occasional
assistance from Tanar. She had been following the Sarian and now she
stood at his side, watching the tragedy being enacted below them.
“He will be killed,” she cried. “Can we not save him?”
This thought had not occurred to Tanar, for was the man not an
Amiocapian and an enemy; but there was something in the girl’s tone that
spurred the Sarian to action. Perhaps it was the instinct in the male to
exhibit his prowess before the female. Perhaps it was because at heart
Tanar was brave and magnanimous, or perhaps it was because that among
all the other women in the world it was Stellara who had spoken. Who may
know? Perhaps Tanar did not know himself what prompted his next act.
Shouting a word that is familiar to all tandor hunters and which is most
nearly translatable into English as “Reverse!” he leaped to the ground
almost at the side of the charging tandor and simultaneously he carried
his spear hand back and drove the heavy shaft deep into the beast’s
side, just behind its left shoulder. Then he leaped back into the forest
expecting that the tandor would do precisely what it did do.
With a squeal of pain it turned upon its new tormentor.
The Amiocapian, who still clung to his heavy axe, had heard, as though
it was a miracle from the gods, the familiar signal that had burst so
suddenly from Tanar’s lips. It had told him what the other would attempt
and he was ready, with the result that he turned back toward the beast
at the instant that it wheeled to charge after Tanar, and as it crashed
into the undergrowth of the jungle in pursuit of the Sarian the
Amiocapian overtook it. The great axe moved swiftly as lightning and the
huge beast, trumpeting with rage, sank helplessly to the ground and
rolled over on its side.
“Down!” shouted the Amiocapian, to advise Tanar that the attack had been
successful.
The Sarian returned and together the two warriors dispatched the great
beast, while above them Stellara remained among the concealing verdure
of the trees, for the women of Pellucidar do not rashly expose
themselves to view of enemy warriors. In this instance she knew that it
would be safer to wait and discover the attitude of the Amiocapian
toward Tanar. Perhaps he would be grateful and friendly, but there was
the possibility that he might not.
The beast dispatched, the two men faced one another. “Who are you,”
demanded the Amiocapian, “who came so bravely to the rescue of a
stranger? I do not recognize you. You are not of Amiocap.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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