"I guess I have an open mind,” Rowan thought, gratified. “Maybe it's something any person could do in our world, but nobody ever thinks to try, and by the time a person grows up, it's too late. I guess Gopher caught me just in time."
"When your mind was most open to contact."
"Yes, I guess so. I really, really wanted someone to talk to, who would understand. And he did."
"But it is even more remarkable that your human species is sapient,” Owl thought. “We had always assumed that mind projection was an aspect of sapience or near-sapience. Now it seems that intelligence and thought projection are not always together."
"To me it is remarkable that animals are smart,” Rowan said, still keeping her mouth shut. “But I'm glad you are."
"Now we have business. Are you prepared?"
"As well as I can be. I figure Gopher's in a cage somewhere, and I can pry it open and get him out. But first I have to find him."
"I will find him, and guide you to him. He is in that direction.” Owl made a mental indication. It was like a faint beam of light, only it didn't illuminate anything.
"Then I'll go that way. Uh, is it far?"
"It should take you a fraction of the night."
"Can you give that to me in hours?"
Owl peered into her mind. It was a peculiar questing, like a wisp of fog winding through her head. “What is an hour? You used that term before, but I do not know how long it is."
"One twelfth of a day. From dawn to dusk is about twelve hours, on average.” But she felt his confusion; Owls evidently weren't good at math. So she tried another way. “Here is my feeling about how long an hour is.” She thought of how long it felt to wait an hour.
"That suffices. At your rate of walking velocity, you might get there in under an hour. But there may be obstructions."
"I'd rather use the roads and open fields, especially at night.” She considered. “Look, Owl—can you play hot or cold with me?"
"Fire or snow?"
She laughed. “I mean, be encouraging when I'm going in the right direction and negative when I'm not? Hot for the right way, cold for the wrong way."
Owl digested this. Rowan felt his thought: Not only was this human sapient, her mind functioned in unusual ways. “This is feasible. Perhaps I can instill in you the appropriate direction, so you will know."
"That's good too. Gopher did that, and it worked.” She turned and speeded her pace. “This way, right?"
"Correct. I will go ahead and verify Gopher's situation."
"But without you I might lose the way!"
"I will remain in contact. Orient your mind on mine.” He spread his wings and left her shoulder, disappearing into the night.
Rowan tried, and found that she could. He had a bird feel to him, not exactly feathery, but—
"Avian,” Owl thought. “I am a bird."
She chuckled. “I sorta guessed that.” She peered at the dim landscape ahead. She saw it more clearly now; maybe she had picked up some of Owl's night vision along with his mind contact. No, more likely her eyes had adapted better. “Am I still going the right way?” But as she focused on it, she realized that she was drifting to the side. She did know the direction.
However, there was a road to her left, that went in the general direction, so she cut across to walk along it. There were no cars; this was backwoods country and not very busy. She increased her pace, walking rapidly, and drew obliquely closer to the right place.
After a time, Owl returned. “You are correct. Gopher is in a cage with several other tortoises."
"How will I know them apart?” Rowan asked, alarmed.
"The others are not sapient."
"But—” She broke off. She could tell the difference, because she could tune in on their minds. There was only one smart tortoise in all this world, and that was Gopher.
"Correct,” Owl agreed.
Now she had to leave the road and follow a dirt trail. She felt the trace getting stronger. In fact she felt Gopher; she recognized his mind. It was faint but familiar. “Gopher!” she thought as loudly as she could. “I'm coming for you!"
"I know it,” Gopher answered. “Owl told me."
Oh. Of course. She felt like a dull human. But still, she had succeeded in contacting him at a distance. She was improving. It was as if she were exercising special muscles in her mind that were getting stronger as she used them. Those mind muscles might feel stiff in the morning, but it was wonderful now. His trace was getting stronger as she approached him.
The cage was in a truck parked near a lighted house. So the tortoises had not yet been delivered, and were here overnight. They were lucky; there was no telling how far away the relocation site might be.
She sneaked around the truck, so that it was between her and the house. She reached the cage. It was big, holding about eight tortoises. She felt for its door—and it was a simple latch. She didn't need the screwdriver or wire cutters after all. That was a relief. She opened it, oriented on Gopher, reached inside, and picked him up with both hands. She set him on the ground, then closed the door.
"Thank you,” Gopher thought. “I was concerned."
"So was I,” Owl thought.
"We weren't going to let them keep you,” Rowan thought, relieved that it had after all be so easy.
Then she realized that all the tortoises were similarly captive. Should she release them all? But there were problems. She would have to carry them all far enough away to be well clear of the house and truck, or the tortoise abductors would just round them up again in the morning. And they would all be lost, because this was about three miles from the sink hole, and they could have come from anywhere. They surely wouldn't like being in unfamiliar territory any more than they would like relocation; it was really the same thing. Also, if she let them all go, the authorities would know someone had done this, and that could make trouble. They probably wouldn't miss just one tortoise. So, with regret, she left the others in the cage. After all, they were being relocated for their own good. If they stayed around the sink hole, and Rowan did not succeed in stopping the construction project, they could get killed by the bulldozers.
"I'm sorry, tortoises,” she whispered, wiping away a tear. “I hope you're happy in your new digs.” For she realized now that all gopher tortoises lived underground; Gopher was ordinary in that respect.
Then she picked Gopher up and walked back toward the road. Just then the door of the house opened and the dark shape of a grown man emerged. Rowan's heart leaped to her throat. She hurried behind a tree, hiding. Her pulse was pounding.
The man came out to the truck. He walked around it. “Thought I heard something,” he said to himself. He looked at the cage, found it closed, and returned to the house.
Rowan's knees felt like cooked spaghetti. Suppose she had been caught with a contraband tortoise?
But it was all right. She hurried on to the road, carrying Gopher. She wanted to get back to the sink hole as fast as possible.
Owl came to land on her shoulder. “You did well, Rowan Girl,” he thought. She felt the shift in his mind: he had been wary of her, but now accepted her even if she was a really odd creature.
"Thank you,” she replied, flattered. “But this was only the first and lesser challenge."
"There is another problem?” Gopher asked, alarmed.
"I found out why they abducted you. They didn't know you weren't a regular tortoise, and they're clearing them all out of this region. So they can make a huge project, maybe a housing development or a superstore. The law says they have to relocate the tortoises, ‘cause they're a protected species. But we have to stop that development."
"Why?” Owl asked.
"'Cause they'll fill in the sink hole and maybe pave it over. Then there won't be any way for you to get here from your world."
"That may be best,” Owl thought. “This realm is dangerous. We were lucky we were able to rescue Gopher."
"But then I won't be able to see you anymore!”
she protested.
"This is important to you?” Gopher asked.
"Yes!"
"But we are not your kind,” Owl thought.
"Yes you are! You're my only friends here."
"Friends?"
"The concept resembles burrow mates,” Gopher explained to Owl. “She lacks associates."
"But she can't be a burrow mate."
"I wish I could be,” Rowan said wistfully. “You all stand up for each other, and share your minds. It seems so nice. We don't have anything like that in this world."
"That is one of the things that makes this realm distasteful,” Owl agreed.
"So you see,” Rowan said. “You wouldn't want to be stuck here among the dull animals. Neither do I. I want to visit your world."
"Visit our realm!"
"She did rescue me,” Gopher thought. “She should get to meet the burrow mates."
"But she can't fit through the tunnel."
"Maybe I could widen it,” Rowan suggested eagerly. “If that's all right with you folk. I don't want to ruin your burrow, I just want to see your world."
"This much we might try,” Gopher agreed.
Owl's objection was weakening, but not gone.
Rowan tried to follow up while she could. “And maybe your burrow mates can figure out a way to stop the project here."
"We are not certain that further contact between our realms is wise,” Owl reminded her.
"Please!” she said tearfully. “My life will just end if I have to go back to dullness."
They considered. She realized with surprise that they were reacting to tears the same way human folk did, being swayed. Maybe it was because they were males.
"She did rescue me,” Gopher repeated.
"She is sapient,” Owl thought.
"She is learning mind communication."
"And I want to learn more,” Rowan said.
"We must ask the burrow mates,” Gopher decided.
Rowan saw that this was as far as they would go at this time. “Okay, ask them. And if they say we should keep the way open, then we'll have to figure out how to stop the construction."
"Agreed,” Gopher and Owl thought together.
She delivered them to the cave, and carried Gopher to the burrow tunnel, using the flashlight with her free hand. She shone it up into the slanting passage. How she wished she were small enough to go there with them!
"And we'll meet here again at noon tomorrow,” she said.
"Agreed,” Gopher thought, and Owl made a mental wash of reluctant acceptance.
When they were gone, she made her way back to the house. She crept quietly to the window, removed the screen, climbed in, replaced the screen, and found her bed in the darkness. No one had missed her.
She undressed, got into her nightie, and into bed. She was glad she had succeeded in rescuing Gopher, and hoped they would let her visit their realm. Maybe if she got there, it wouldn't matter about the construction; it would just lock her in that other world with her friends.
* * * *
Next day she was there, hoping for good news. She was early, in her eagerness and concern. Suppose they decided to let the tunnel between worlds be sealed over? That was their right, but how she hoped they would go the other way.
Now she wondered: she had her watch, just a cheap thing, but it kept reasonable time. So she knew when noon was. But how did they know? They did not have watches, or even any concept what an hour was, until she told them. Maybe they knew when the sun was directly overhead.
While she waited, she worked on the ramp, making it easier for Gopher or any other animal his general size to reach the floor of the cave from the tunnel. She wanted to encourage them any which way she could.
At last there was a sifting of dirt, and Gopher appeared. “What's the answer?” she cried. “Will you keep the way open?"
"We have not decided,” he replied gravely. “It is too big a decision for us, since we lack a really smart burrow mate."
"Smart? But all of you are smart, aren't you?"
"We are all smarter than beasts,” he agreed. “But there are differences. Each has his specialty. I can burrow well, and so can Peba."
"Who?"
"Peba Armadillo. Owl can fly. Cottontail Rabbit can move rapidly and far. Indigo Snake can slither into crevices none of the rest of us can reach. But none of us specialize in being smart. We need a raccoon, or a small fox, but so far we have not found one who wants to share our burrow. So we are not yet official, and we lack the intelligence to really handle a question like this."
"I'm sorry,” she said.
"So we decided to hold a burrow meeting with you, exploring it, and then decide."
"That's fair,” she said, relieved that they hadn't decided no. “But how can I get to your burrow? That tunnel isn't nearly big enough for me."
"We have come here."
"Right now?” she asked, amazed.
"Yes, if you are willing."
"Oh, yes!” she cried gladly.
"Then we shall come down, and view your realm, and think with you, and decide."
"Yes! Yes!” she cried, clapping her hands in girlish glee. They were going to give it a fair chance. She was totally thrilled.
Chapter 4
Revelation
Indigo Snake was not thrilled by this wild notion of Gopher's, but Owl supported him and a creature did have to humor the notions of any burrow mate. Especially the burrow landlord. However, Indigo was curious about this mysterious portal to another realm, even if he didn't quite believe it. So he slithered along with the others to make the arranged meeting. Maybe the supposedly smart human girl would not show up, and they would be free to go about their own businesses. Then they would be in the safe position of having supported Gopher without getting their lives disrupted.
But when they reached the hole into the nether cave, there she was: a half-grown human child garbed just as oddly as Gopher had thought. Her thoughts were all over, excited, hopeful, eager; Indigo had to damp down his reception as he came close, so as not to get confused by her undisciplined enthusiasm. Children were so—so excitable.
Gopher thought with her, and Indigo appreciated that the human child really did have telepathic ability. It was crude and untrained, but had potential once she got it under control. That alone was remarkable; there had never before been a human with more than the dull ability to receive tightly focused thought-commands. So obviously this realm was different in that important respect.
They moved down the dirt ramp to the floor of the cave, and each of them was introduced to the girl. She already knew Gopher and Owl, and had impressed them. That in turn impressed Indigo, because Owl was a surly bird not much given to socialization. If he thought there was something to this girl, there probably was. But it wasn't certain until they knew more about her. Too bad they didn't have their sixth member yet, a smart one, so that they could make swift and accurate judgments about such things. A burrow took on the mental ability of its most talented member, and that could make a significant difference. As it was, they had to gather for burrow meetings, and still not be certain their insights were correct.
"We must decide whether to maintain contact with this other realm,” Gopher thought. As a tortoise he tended to be slow of thought, but fairly objective; when he came to a conclusion, it was usually correct. “Rowan Human Girl wants us to stay in touch. The other creatures of her realm do not have mental communication, so seem dull. But the humans are smart despite their lack of mind contact."
"This is hard to credit,” Cottontail thought, leaping to an objection. “The girl has mind contact. She may be borrowing our intellect."
"No I don't have telepathy,” the girl thought, making accompanying vocal noises exactly as Gopher had mentioned. That was an irritation, but not important at the moment. “I mean, I'm the only one, and it's all because of Gopher. He showed me how to do it. No one else in my world has it."
"How can we be sure of that?” Cottontail asked
. “We have met no other animals here."
"I met another tortoise,” Gopher thought. “He seemed to have no mind."
"I met several chickens,” Owl thought. As a bird, he found it easy to get an overview and to gain perspective. “They also seemed to have no minds. They were not mental, and they were stupid. It is possible that I happened to encounter stupid ones, but it seems more likely that they were typical of this realm."
"What of other humans?” Peba asked, getting to a significant point. The armadillo was a swift digger, and tended to seek the bottom of things.
"I encountered one,” Gopher replied. “He had a strong mind, but could not project his thoughts at all."
"That was only one,” Peba thought. “One tortoise, one flock of chickens, one human man. That is not enough to judge a realm by."
"Does it matter?” Owl asked. “The question is whether to maintain contact with this realm, whatever its nature.” That was indeed perspective.
"Yes it matters,” Peba thought, still delving for the deepest essence. “Stupid animals and smart humans is a serious inversion of the natural order. If this is the case throughout this realm, it is surely worth avoiding."
"And if there really is no mind projection here,” Cottontail thought, jumping to an obvious conclusion, “communication is seriously limited. We should have trouble having a dialogue with any creature."
"Why should we want a dialogue?” Indigo demanded. It was his nature to slither between facts or issues to discover hidden aspects. “These creatures seem best left alone."
"But I want to keep talking with you,” Rowan protested. “All of you. I can't do that if you go away."
Indigo considered her more carefully. She was human, which was unfortunate, but she could communicate, which redeemed her considerably. She was also a child, which made him want to avoid hurting her feelings. Young creatures needed to be nurtured, not rebuked. “I think we lack information to decide. We don't know enough about your realm."
"You can find out!” she thought emphatically. “I'll be happy to show you anything I can. Anything at all. There's a lot that's interesting here."
"Then perhaps Rowan should show Indigo,” Gopher suggested, seeking a way to make all their viewpoints align. “Then he will have information, and can share it with the rest of us."