A man wakes with no memory of the past weeks, to learn that a deadly fever which strikes Darkover in cycles is about to return. A cure depends on the trailmen, a reclusive humanoid people of the high forests, and a mixed expedition of Terrans and Darkovans must climb into freezing mountain country to reach them.
One of the earliest Darkover stories, first printed in Amazing Stories in 1958 and a fine entry point to the series. Download the free EPUB.