Chapter 11 — The Mooncalf Pastures

           Sowetwopoorterrestrialcastaways,lostinthatwild-growingmoonjungle,crawledinterrorbeforethesoundsthathadcomeuponus.Wecrawled,asitseemed,alongtimebeforewesaweitherSeleniteormooncalf,thoughweheardthebellowingandgruntulousnoisesoftheselattercontinuallydrawingnearertous.Wecrawledthroughstonyravines,oversnowslopes,amidstfungithatrippedlikethinbladdersatourthrust,emittingawateryhumour,overaperfectpavementofthingslikepuff-balls,andbeneathinterminablethicketsofscrub.Andevermorehelplesslyoureyessoughtforourabandonedsphere.Thenoiseofthemooncalveswouldattimesbeavastflatcalf-likesound,attimesitrosetoanamazedandwrathybellowing,andagainitwouldbecomeacloggedbestialsound,asthoughtheseunseencreatureshadsoughttoeatandbellowatthesametime.

           Ourfirstviewwasbutaninadequatetransitoryglimpse,yetnonethelessdisturbingbecauseitwasincomplete.Cavorwascrawlinginfrontatthetime,andhefirstwasawareoftheirproximity.Hestoppeddead,arrestingmewithasinglegesture.

           Acracklingandsmashingofthescrubappearedtobeadvancingdirectlyuponus,andthen,aswesquattedcloseandendeavouredtojudgeofthenearnessanddirectionofthisnoise,therecameaterrificbellowbehindus,socloseandvehementthatthetopsofthebayonetscrubbentbeforeit,andonefeltthebreathofithotandmoist.And,turningabout,wesawindistinctlythroughacrowdofswayingstemsthemooncalf’sshiningsides,andthelonglineofitsbackloomedoutagainstthesky.