One Tree by Stephen R. Donaldson

Giantship.
    Galewrath’s rhythm took on a febrile edge, like pleading. But the answer did not vary, gave no sign that it understood. Yet it cast suggestions of power which made Linden’s knees tremble.
    Now through the water she could see a dark shape. It writhed like a serpent, and every heave of its form bespoke prodigious strength. As the
Nicor
came within jerrid-range of the vessel, its head-wave reached the height of the rails.
    With the clarity of panic, Linden thought, It’s going to ram us.
    Then the Storesmaster hit her drum a resounding blow which split it; and the creature sounded.
    Its long body flashed ahead of the wave as the
Nicor
angled into the depths. A moment later, the surge hit with a force which rocked the
dromond
. Linden staggered against Cail, rebounded from the railing. Starfare’s Gem bobbed like a toy on the Sea.
    Gripping Cail for balance as the Giantship resettled itself, Linden threw a glance downward and saw the colossal length of the
Nicor
still passing the keel. The creature was several times as long as Starfare’s Gem.
    The coracles lurched in the waves which recoiled from the sides of the
dromond
. But the four Giants kept their poise, held themselves ready. Galewrath had abandoned her riven drum. She stood now with the loop of the hawser in both hands; and her eyes watched the Sea.
    Another shout. Some distance off to port, the
Nicor
broke water. For an instant, its head was visible, its snout like a prow, foam streaming from its gargantuan jaws. Then the creature arced back underwater and plowed away in a long curve westward.
    Starfare’s Gem fell still. Linden could feel nothing except the pervasive ache of Covenant’s need and the rapid beating of the
Nicor
’s talk. She lost sight of the wave as it passed behind Foodfendhall toward the stern of the vessel. Every eye in the rigging followed the creature’s path; but no one made a sound.
    Her fingers dug into Call’s shoulder until she thought the joints would part. The thrumming of the creature became louder to her nerves than Covenant’s plight.
    “Ward!”
    The suddenness of the cry stung Linden’s hearing.
    “It comes!”
    Instantly Giants scrambled out of the rigging. Honninscrave and the Anchormaster yelled orders. The crew gained the deck, braced themselves for a collision. Half a score of them slapped holding-blocks around the hawser near the cable-well.
    The Storesmaster’s strident shout rang over the vessel.
    “How does it come?”
    A Giant sprang into the prow, responded, “It comes truly!”
    Linden had no time to do anything except cling to Cail. In that instant, the heel of the Giantship began to rise. Starfare’s Gem tilted forward as the
Nicor
’s head-wave struck the stern. The creature was passing along the ship’s keel.
    At the same moment, Galewrath dove into the Sea. Hauling the hawser behind her, she plunged to meet the
Nicor
.
    Linden saw the Storesmaster kicking strongly downward. For one suspended heartbeat, Galewrath was alone in the water. Then the head ofthe
Nicor
flashed out from under the ship. The creature drove straight toward Galewrath.
    As the two forms came together, a flurry of movement confused the sight. Linden clutched Cail’s hard flesh, ground grip toward bone. The
Nicor
seemed to shout at her through the Sea and the stone. She heard its brute hunger, its incomprehension of what had called out to it. At her side, Pitchwife’s hands wrestled the railing as if it were alive.
    All at once, the hawser sprang outward. It leaped past the coracles, rushed hissing like fire into the water.
    “Now!” cried the First.
    Immediately Galewrath’s helpers abandoned their craft. As they did so, they overturned the coracles. With the openings downward and air trapped inside, the coracles floated like buoys, supporting between them the tackle and the iron ring through which the hawser sped.
    Beneath the swimmers, the long dark body of the
Nicor
went writhing eastward. Lines were thrown