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sound of my official figurehead title! It's so much
better than being regarded as a living person with feelings that can be
hurt!"
"But Princ ... I mean--" He floundered, not quite sure what had caused
her reaction.
She made a visible effort to compose herself. "I'm sorry," she said. "I
suppose my ... husband ... is quite right; an immature female has no
business trying to rule a world and the sooner the marriage is confirmed,
the sooner a competent man can take over the job."

"No," he said. "I think--"
He decided that what he thought had better be left unsaid.
"I'll"--she looked toward the cabin she shared with Narf--"let you know
when we can talk."
She went back toward the cabin, walking slowly. From inside Narf's
half of it came the sound of Narf's voice as he spoke to Sonig:
"... Of course, this collection of heads is nothing compared with what I
have in the Sea Islands ... but some interesting stories here ... take that
snow fox there...."
Hunter sighed, and saw that Lyla had stopped before her door, as
though dreading to enter. Narf's voice droned on:
"... Only wounded, so I finished it with a knife. Even with its heart half
cut out, it still wanted to live ... beautiful pelt ... coat for Janalee, the
strip-tease queen ... always had a way with women--Lyla could tell you
that ... had my pick of hundreds but I'm letting her be my choice...."
He saw Lyla half lift her hand, as in some mute gesture of protest, then
she turned and walked swiftly away; up the path that led into the ghost
trees, and out of sight.
He waited, but she did not come back. He went into his cabin and
moved about restlessly, hearing again Narf's sadism-and-sex boasting
and seeing again how she turned and almost ran from it--
* * * * *
"Rootenant!"
Alonzo was panting, a look of frantic appeal in his eyes.
"Prease herp me ... Princess Ryra ... she wirr die!"
He felt his heart lurch. "She's hurt?" he demanded, and was already on

his way to the door.
"She are about to cry and she are going to where the tree tigers riv.
They wirr kirr her--prease come with me!"
He asked no more questions but went out the door and up the path,
Alonzo running ahead of him.
The ghost trees grew thinner as they went up the mountain's slope, and
the blue-green fernlike trees of the tiger forest began to appear. They
grew thicker and thicker, until the ground was black with their shadows
and the midday sunlight was filtered out by the foliage overhead.
Alonzo was trailing her, his nose to the ground, and Hunter hurried
close behind him, watching for the red-and-white of the clothes she was
wearing and hoping they would not find her too late.
They were deep in the forest when they found her.
She was standing motionless in the center of a clearing, facing away
from him and looking as small and alone as a lost child. She seemed to
be waiting....
He realized for the first time how alone she really was, with only a
doglike alien, Alonzo, to love her or care what might happen to her,
and with a future she could not bear to face. But Rockford had been
wrong when he had said, For her, there is no escape.
There was escape for her. She had only to wait, as she was waiting now,
and it would come in the windlike whisper of a tiger's rush through the
grass behind her....
He hurried to her. She turned, and he saw the stains of tears now dry on
her face and in her eyes the darkness of utter defeat.
"I was afraid you might get hurt, Lyla--"
Then, seemingly without volition on his part, he put his arms around
her and she was clinging to him and crying in muffled sobs and trying

to say something about, "I didn't think anybody cared...."
It was some time later, when her crying was finished, that he was
reminded of the tigers by Alonzo:
"Rootenant ... awr the time, some tigers are coming croser and croser.
We better get her out of here, Rootenant, before they find us."
Lyla looked down at Alonzo. "Thank you, Alonzo, for watching over
me and ... and--" Her voice caught and she dropped to her knees and
hugged the shaggy head tight against her.
Hunter watched ahead, Lyla beside him as they went through the dense
trees. Alonzo walked soft-footed behind them, watching the rear. When
they came to the first ghost trees and the dwindling of the tiger trees,
Hunter thought it safe to walk slower and talk to her.
"I saw you go,"