A hunter slipped out of the brush near Neju, scarcely rustling it. Neju turned his head and the hunter bent and whispered in his ear. Neju looked suddenly concerned and frightened. He stood up, motioning for the others to keep their seats. He turned and followed the hunter into the forest. * * * * * They threaded their way toward what was left of their village. Near the edge of the natural clearing, the hunter hissed and began to advance cautiously. When they both stood looking out from behind a clump of _clato_, Neju saw a group of the god-men in the middle of the wrecked village; the god-men were poking around idly, kicking rubble, fingering this and that. They talked. Their voices were, to Neju, slow, low pitched, lazy. Neju held his breath, watching. Finally one of the god-men, seemingly the leader, started toward the very spot where they were standing. Neju and his companions drew back hastily, and their movements rustled a dew heavy bush, causing it to shower a spray of water on the dead leaves of the ground. Almost immediately, there was the deadly hiss of the leader's weapon, and a projectile thudded into a tree, just to the left of Neju. "I saw two of them! Over here!" the leader called, running heavily toward the forest. The other god-men galvanized into action. "Let's hide," Neju's companion whimpered, terrified. "No! They'd find us. Follow me." Neju started off, skirting the clearing, going away from the direction of the villagers' temporary camp. The god-men fired four times in the direction of their flight. The shots came at short, measured intervals, and they struck in a fan-like arc. The nearest one snapped by Neju's ear with a loud popping noise. "This way!" the god-man cried excitedly crashing after his prey. He was joined by the others, all running heavily, and the air was filled with their coarse explosive curses. Neju and the hunter ran for what seemed a long time, the noise of pursuit still loud behind them. Then the noise ceased. Neju stopped, puzzled, breathing heavily. On the other side of a small clump of viny _scarbj_, there was the sound of god-men's voices. "They might be leading us into a trap," the one said. There was assent. "They must be near. I don't hear 'em runnin' any more. Over that way. Let's spray that whole damn section!" Their weapons began to hiss. Neju instinctively dropped flat to the ground. In following his lead, the hunter coughed once, a projectile catching him in the chest even as he was dropping. Blood gurgled in his throat. "That's one, by God!" one of the god-men cried in elation, and after another barrage of increased violence, they began to withdraw, nervously, darting glances at the quiet trees around them. Neju remained motionless. Then, leaving his dead comrade, he set off at a lope in the direction of the makeshift camp. When he arrived the villagers were still huddled fearfully together.