go , go go ' '' kitai nodded once , then stooped to the ground tavi hesitated behind the girl , dancing in place as he looked back over his shoulder `` hurry , '' he panted `` hurry , hurry , hurry `` kitai drew out the firestones smoothly , her expression cool , and struck them together sparks fell from the stones onto the oil-soaked blanket that lay on the croach before them kitai watched the flames leap up , then moved quickly , reaching up to grab the end of the fishing line that tavi had soaked in the icy water before he left she jerked the line toward her , hand over hand the other end of the line looped up over one of the higher branches of the tree , up where living leaves grew above the grasp of the croach , and then fell back down to where it was tied at one corner of the oil-soaked blanket kitai hauled the line in , and the blazing blanket rose up into the tree 's branches and snagged among the living leaves fire leapt up from the tree in a blaze , sudden and high , and once again , from the direction of the central spire , whistling shrieks rose up in a solid wall of terrifying sound-one underlaid , this time , by that deeper whistle , one that overrode the shrieks and continued over the silence kitai stared at tavi , her eyes suddenly wide `` what is that ? ''