Star Ka’ats and the Winged Warriors by Andre Norton & Dorothy Madlee

Author:Andre Norton & Dorothy Madlee [Norton, Andre & Madlee, Dorothy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ethan Ellenberg Literary Agency
Published: 2017-03-16T05:00:00+00:00

6

The Cave Dwellers

THEIR CRAFT HEADED TOWARD a higher rise of hills and swooped closer to the ground. Once more they could see tall growing grass from which objects flew up as they passed. Elly Mae cried out and Jim gasped.

Something huge, looking as if its long legs held strength enough to batter in the bubble over their heads, leaped directly over them. A grasshopper? Could any grow that large?

“Ahead!” If the ka’ats had been startled by the leaper they did not show it. Only Boots, now braced on Jim’s knees, had growled.

They spun over a stream. The flyer was losing altitude steadily. The burst of energy that had torn them loose from the web must have drained the energy dangerously.

When they were across the water they coasted barely above the top of the tall grass. The hill ahead looked very high and bare. Nothing grew on its sides—no grass, no trees, no shrubs. Only tall stones stood in humps. It was strange, indeed, for the heights on either side had growth upon them.

“Look at all the holes!” Elly Mae cried.

Some of the upright rocks framed dark patches that looked as if they might be the mouths of caves.

Suddenly Jim’s grip on the back of the pilot’s seat tightened. He gulped as he saw a tall creature standing close to one of the holes, braced on big black feet. Although it was statuesque and unmoving, the boy knew it was alive. He did not need Boots’s hiss to tell him it was dangerous.

Two sets of stilt-like hind legs supported its long, vividly green body. Its thicker forelegs were held close to the creature’s upper body as a human might raise its arms ready for use. Each of its arms ended in a third part shaped like a giant curved knife. Its triangular head held two bulging eyes at the top under two long antennae before it narrowed to a sharp point.

At the labored approach of the flyer the creature’s head turned to watch the aircraft. Elly Mae said in a whisper voice:

“Look at them eyes—jus’ look at ‘em!”

“Do not do that!” Mer’s order whipped instantly into their minds. “It is dangerous to make eye contact. This creature may have the power to control its prey that way.”

“Mantis—it’s a praying mantis!” Jim had seen one in a cage at school just last year. But it had only been the size of his middle finger. This one, which would tower far above his head if he were unlucky enough to stand near it, was a very different thing.

“We must land on the ridge.” Tiro made no comment about the waiting monster. He was pressing levers with both forefeet, attempting to raise a last possible spurt of energy, enough to take the flyer to the top of the hill.

There was a flash, a grating sound. The flyer wobbled but recovered. The mantis had struck at them! It had attacked with lightning swiftness raking across metal it could not stab and hold as it apparently was used to doing.

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