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"Stop it," the Copper said "She’s dead"

The other bats crept across the ceiling, yeeking at one another in the shadows

"That’s three lost How on’s not such a lucky strike after all"

"No one asked you all to come," Thernadad said He

"Let’s keepback up to the ceiling "M’lordship’s right"

"And just be leaving her here?" Thernadad asked "Bats should be living above the bones of their elders"

"I’ll carry her, if you like," the Copper said He picked up the cooling little body and sed it whole

"A, sir," Thernadad said "That was unkind"

"She had enough meals fros got her?"

"Y’see another gone," Mamedi’s sister whispered "Who’s next?"

"The Lavadoround"

"Long way yet," Enjor said, whipping back "Little to eat until w’be reaching the river"

Enjor hurried the party past another shaft plunging down--the source of the bad air--and they entered some naturally formed caves The reen threads that vanished whenever the eyeantennae slipped into cracks as they approached, and insects with bodies like glass froze against the striped cave walls

The older bats grew tired and clung to the Copper as he walked, and only Enjor, tireless for all his bulk, and soy to flit around

A bat squeaked

"What’s that?" the Copper asked

"Boktehter patch lay ahead The Copper smelled rot and ures sitting back-to-back, dead for a day or two at most

"Ahhh, that be more like it There’s some juice there still, down in the lower quarters," Maan to scratch around at an outthrust leg Tendrils of blue cave moss had found the bodies as well, and climbed toounds on the bodies

The Copper examined the faces These were no dwarves or men; they were thicker-skinned than either, pebbled like a dragon’s stoes at the skull and jawline A row of spines, thin as straw, grew froh not in the dwarvish fashion These hel rods that capped the natural ridges on their skulls, and had a fearsoristle

"Are these--"

"De the eyeballs," Thernadad said

"A’taking more than your fair share!" Mamedi protested

"Says who?"

"Faaaaaa!"

She ju for a fight

"Easy, now," the Copper said "I’ot here?" Enjor said, shoving a younger bat away fro fluid

"Blast these thick skins," another bat commented from the darkness "Wish these were dwarves"

The Copper tried to ignore the bats The two derievous injuries, yet no dead lay around the down to succumb to their wounds But why back-to-back? And why hadn’t their fellows carried them to safety?

He suspected that the answer to both questions was a lost battle They were either on guard against the victorious dwarves--or who deadlier lurked in the darkness