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“It’s a different one,” Lin said.

“How do you know?”

“Hear the lower pitch, the more of a roar?”

“Hey!” Extrone shouted. “You, down there. There are two coming. Now let’s hear you really scream!”

Ri, below, whimpered childishly and began to retreat toward the tether tree, his eyes wide.

“There’s a lot of satisfaction in fooling them, too,” Extrone said. “Making them come to your bait, where you can get at them.” He opened his right hand. “Choose your ground, set your trap. Bait it.” He snapped his hand into a fist, held the fist up before his eyes, imprisoning the idea. “Spring the trap when the quarry is inside. Clever. That makes the waiting more interesting. Waiting to see if they really will come to your bait.”

Lin shifted, staring toward the forest.

“I’ve always liked to hunt,” Extrone said. “More than anything else, I think.”

Lin spat toward the ground. “People should hunt because they have to. For food. For safety.”

“No,” Extrone argued. “People should hunt for the love of hunting.”