The Meat Tree Read Online Free PDF

can’t explain.

    She
    And Math seemed pleased and touched the fawn. And suddenly there he was, a lovely strong boy, much larger than he should be for his age. Though I suppose, I’d been counting in deer, not human, time.

    He
    I was horrified when Math turned the boy into a human child. That made it real, somehow. While we were in the forest, we were just animals. I was glad when Math sent the boy away to be baptised and fostered.
    I wanted nothing to do with the creature.

6

    Breeding Season
    Joint Thought Channel 3 Feb 2210, 09:00

    Apprentice
    I still don’t think it’s fair that I’ve got to be Gilfaethwy this time. You said you’d keep me from being sexually molested again. I don’t want to be the female like you were last time.

    Inspector of Wrecks
    As far as sex goes, we’re quits. You’ve been raped, I’ve been topped by a buck. Look, we don’t know what will happen next. You’ve just as good a chance of being safe in Gilfaethwy as anybody else.

    Apprentice
    Like hell.

    Inspector of Wrecks
    What was that? If I thought you were being insubordinate, you’d be back on Mars in a trice.

    Apprentice
    No, no, I wasn’t. Please don’t send me back.

    Inspector of Wrecks
    There are lots of people who would give their right arm for this opportunity…

    Apprentice
    OK, OK. I’ll take Gilfaethwy, even if it means being punished some more.

    Inspector of Wrecks
    It’s got nothing to do with what happened last time. I need to be Gwydion because it’s looking more and more likely that he’s the Mastermind. And if we can find his domain, then there’s a chance that its archaeology will show us what happened on board this ship. After all, we have nothing else to go on.

    Apprentice
    Right.

    Inspector of Wrecks
    Now I don’t want to waste any more precious VR time arguing. There’s a limit to how long we can spend in this mode. Are you ready?

    Apprentice
    I am. Let’s go.

    Inspector of Wrecks
    Oh, the forest again. Looks just like before. Except taller. And the smells, if anything, are even stronger.

    Apprentice
    It’s not that the trees have grown, it’s that we’re shorter. Look!

    Inspector of Wrecks
    So we are. We’re back to being animals.

    Apprentice
    Looking at you, I’d say we were some species of wild boar.

    Inspector of Wrecks
    Doesn’t the soil smell sexy? I can’t keep my snout out of the humus…

    Apprentice
    I don’t want to be the bearer of bad news…

    Inspector of Wrecks
    Can you smell that fungus? Quick, I’m sure there are truffles under this oak. Dig!

    Apprentice
    But it seems to me that I’m the taller of us two…

    Inspector of Wrecks
    You’re obviously not as sensitive to scent as I am, I’m a champion hunter. Here! Look! I’ve found the delicacy, which I snuffle, scoff.

    Apprentice
    Math has swapped our roles around this year. Gwydion, who was the male last time is now the sow. And Gil faethwy’s taking his turn as a male, so that both brothers get to learn what it is to bear young. Oh, that’s funny.

    Inspector of Wrecks
    What are you saying?

    Apprentice
    Because you swapped roles, you get to be the female again. And you know what happened last time. We’re meant to breed! You get to bear the young! That’ll teach you to cheat!

    Inspector of Wrecks
    If I were you, I’d change your tone of voice.

    Apprentice
    Sorry.

    Inspector of Wrecks
    Of course, it’s perfectly fine with me to be female again. I suppose the idea is that I bear another child. Well, Math will dispose of it as he did the other. Can’t even remember its name. Hyddwn or something. Never see it again, I hope.

    Apprentice
    That’s a bit heartless, even for a sow. To bring a child into the world and then abandon it gladly.

    Inspector of Wrecks
    I never wanted it, so why should I care?

    Apprentice
    Because, even if it is a fawn, it’s