Summary

In Chapter 8, Isserley found herself in a nightmare come true when they reached the bottom level of the building. Amlis thought it was a nightmare too, but for different reasons. Isserley had been to the vodsel pens before but then there had been no animals there. She was surprised because the area was more crowded and dirtier than she remembered. Three new arrivals gestured and tried to talk to Amlis. He ran to them. One of the men lunged at Isserley through the wire cage but was unable to break through. Another of the vodsels wound together a bundle of straw and wrote the word “mercy” in the dirt. Amlis said his father had always described the creatures as being “vegetables on legs” (183) he believed the scratching was a sign that the creatures had their own language. Amlis asked Isserley what the word meant...