Bing Gananda 21

Bing Gananda had brought Tindor to Pandurina's den. There, she had fed him most of the fruit Pandurina had gathered. After that, he had promptly fallen asleep.
She studied him laying there. In many ways, he was like the Lithorians. But, he was a giant. He must be a creature of the day. His skin was well tanned by the sun. There was hair growing on his face. His clothing seemed restrictive to her. It even covered his feet. She wondered how he could use his toes at all.
Bing Gananda was curious about his world. Where was it? How had he come here? They would have a long talk, when he woke.

While Bing Gananda and Pandurina occupied themselves with the man, Tomono decided to get a look at the other men who were on the beach. He crouched in the shadows and watched.
There were four of them huddled around their fire. Their boat was pulled up above the tide in the sand. Two were from the band he had encountered earlier, in the jungle. One of the other two seemed to be the leader. They were drinking something from a cask. It smelled a bit like rotten fruit when the breeze blew toward Tomono.
Against his better judgement, Hull had let the men have the rum. Isaac and his companion were in need of a drink after their ordeal. In fact, they all were in need of one.
Hull pressed them for the details of their scout. Isaac told him of their encounter with Tomono. When it came to the part about Grinder, he was purposely vague.
But Roper wouldn't let it be. Hull tried to get him to drop it, but he kept pressing them. Finally the seaman let it out.
"Isaac killed him. It was a fair fight."
Then there was silence. Grinder and Roper had been partners for years. Roper stared at Isaac with hatred. The rum had emboldened him, and he staggered to his feet, hand on his cutlass.
"Sit down, you fool!"
It was Hull. There had already been enough trouble in his opinion, and he meant for it to stop.
Isaac didn't get up. But the other seaman did, and faced Roper.
"You're a bloody fool too! Sending us out there in that cursed jungle. Why the hell didn't you go yourself?"
"Shut your bloody mouth!"
Roper drew his blade. Hull and Isaac both got to their feet and backed out of the way as the two drunken seamen began to fight clumsily.
Soon they were both bleeding. Then Roper saw an opening and struck. The other man went down. But as he fell, he made one last effort, pushing Roper toward the bonfire. He shrieked as he fell in.
Roper had never drawn the pistol thrust into his belt. But now, as he clawed his way out of the flames, it discharged, ripping open his thigh. Then, his powder flask exploded, blowing fire in all directions.
The explosion terrified the Shadocatch hiding nearby. The frightened cat burst past the startled men, with a snarl, and fled back into the jungle.
Hull and Isaac slowly got to their feet and stared at each other in the silence.
"This isn't our fight," said Hull quietly.
"No, it's not."



*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.