Eventually Clara spotted the small fire of the mute Eskiman trader slow burning her dead donkey, twenty-four hours after the creature’s death as was required by the old customs. Now knowing how far down the mountain she and Ran had traveled, Clara adjusted her descent to a steeper mark, banking east toward Rancher.

Landing in the outskirts of the village, Clara wasn’t sure if Ultramax Rocky Pen had set off its electromagnetic pulse until she found all of Rancher in the dark. She left Ran with the hang glider and silently stole into the horse stables. There she retrieved her horses.