Gur’mekh gasped in a deep breath and let it out. The air felt good venting his lungs, and he lay on the grass for a long time waiting for his heart to stop pounding.

Tormented by the entity, Gur’mekh went to his okash and tearfully begged her for help. “I’m in trouble, Muti! You have to help me! Please help me!”

Kambra frowned, then sighed. “What were you caught doing THIS time?”

“I--I can’t say it.”

She looked into his eyes inquiringly and concentrated gently but firmly. The answer made her hackles raise and her jaw tremble. “Oh God! Oh dear God!!”

Gur’mekh fell to the ground and began to sob. “If I could put things back the way they were, I would! I swear! Oh gods I’m so sorry! Help me, Muti! Don’t let it destroy me, Muti! I’m so scared!”

As soon as Kambra could overcome her initial shock, she nuzzled Gur’mekh and kissed him. “My son, my poor son! I’ll have to tell your okhim.”

“Must you? He already thinks I’m a failure.”

“No he doesn’t. You must be brave, and you must be honest. I can’t fight this without his help.”

“You aren’t going to tell the others are you?”

“No.” She hung her head in shame. “They would kill you.” She sighed. “Whether or not you keep this promise, I will help you because I love you too much to do my duty. But please promise me you won’t use the curse of Melmokh any more. Please?”

“I swear,” Gur’mekh said fervently.

She could see in his eyes that it was so, and she kissed him. “You’ve had a hard life, but you’re still my good little boy. We’ll get you back on the right path. My poor child, how you have suffered!”

Tears streamed from Gur’mekh’s eyes. “Muti, I love you! I’m so sorry! You deserved a better son! I’d have rather died than hurt you like this!”

“We’ll survive this thing,” she said. “I can only pray that you’ve learned something from it.”

She went to meet Gur’bruk privately, afraid that he would lash out in anger at his son. There was no fear of that. Gur’bruk merely sighed, resigned that his son would end up in trouble someday. But he held out the hope that Gur’mekh had hit the bottom of his downward slide and could only climb up from there.

So they covered up the truth about Demrath and the two of them took Gur’mekh to a place alone where the ceremony would not be observed.

Gur’bruk and Kambra nuzzled Gur’mekh as he lay on his back. They prayed over him words as ancient as the hope of eternal life:

“Might of mights, love of loves, before the sun you were the light of the world. Look upon this child to be born and know that his name is Gur’mekh. He is consecrated to you, receiving from us the fires of rebirth; may he carry on the line that after we are gone that the name of Roh’kash may not be forgotten. Protect him from the claws of day and the jealous eyes of night, and gather his spirit when his eyes grow dim. Hear our prayer.”

Then as Gur’mekh lay on his back, Gur’bruk and Kambra took turns urinating on him, soaking him from the neck down. Then they scratched dust on him, turning him into a mud-caked mess. Kambra said, “Husband, it is time for me to be delivered. Pray for the protection of Roh’kash.”

From time to time, Kambra howled pitifully in her birth pangs. As she did, the wrath of the Makei began to make itself known. A stiff wind blew from the west, trying to force them away from their goal. The spirit began to torture Gur’mekh, closing up his throat till he had to gasp for every precious bit of air, and dimming his sight until he had to lean against his mother for guidance. Still Gur’mekh, who was considered still unborn, spoke not a word as the ceremony demanded. Finally, Gur’mekh’s throat closed completely, and as he lay being choked to death Kambra gazed deeply into his eyes.

“I love him,” she thought. Her love became a mighty wave that swept over the Makei like a painful rash. “I love him! You can’t have my son! Give him back to me!”

Gur’mekh gasped in a deep breath, but he stayed silent and submissive. With trembling legs he tottered forward, straining to see his target just ahead.

He was escorted to the river where with a silent bow of submission he flung himself in head first. He rolled about and splashed, removing the pungent mud from his fur. The evil clung to the bloom of muddy water that opened around him and traveled downstream. His eyesight returned, and the hard, cold look left his eyes. A peaceful smile spread across his face. Even without words, Gur’bruk and Kambra joined with him in a warm shimmering love that made him feel drunk and giddy. How long it had been since the family was that happy! And when he was completely clean, he stepped from the water reborn. He fell to the ground and shouted, “Holy Mother, blessed is the name Roh’kash, sweet as honey upon the tongue!”

“Thanks to you, O God, for our child is born alive and healthy,” Gur’bruk said.

“May he grow in love and beauty,” Kambra said. She remembered saying those words for the first time under happier circumstances. Nuzzling Gur’mekh worriedly, she asked, “How do you feel?”

“Wonderful. Better than I have a right to feel.” He nuzzled his parents and said, “I’m going to resign from the clan council. I have no right to hold office. Instead, I’m going to be a seer and maybe a healer too. Roh’kash gave me this talent for a reason, and with the time I have left, I’m going to find that reason.”

“Thank God,” Gur’bruk said.

Gur’mekh nuzzled them both again. “Hey, I’m hungry! Why don’t I go bring you back a nice gazelle? Maybe even a wildebeest?”

“You ARE feeling better,” Kambra said. “Go with Roh’kash, honey tree. Success.”

Meanwhile, Fabana had just finished a good hunt and brought back a small duiker antelope to where Lenti and her pups sat stranded. “Maybe this will help the little fellows.”

“May I take a few bites too, Fay?”

“Sure. It’s for you too. It could have been my Jalkort, and I know you’d be there for me.”

Lenti nuzzled her. “You are a sister to me. You’re the best.”

Famished, the pups lit into the carcass. Lenti held back to let them get their fill first.

“Bless their hearts,” Fabana said. “I want to help you raise those pups.”

Lenti winced.

“What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?”

“No, it’s just that Gur’mekh was by earlier. He offered to help me.”

“That was uncommonly kind of him.”

“Kind?? He killed my husband. I just can’t prove it yet.”

“Killed him??” Fabana shifted uncomfortably. “I’ve seen the body. I don’t see how he could have done that.”

“That’s because you don’t know about the dark lore. You grew up around humans. They don’t know what lies beyond the western sky.”

“What are you trying to tell me?”

“Don’t laugh. Gur’mekh cursed my husband. There’s a demon curse that burns the blood. It’s an old protection used by the seers in times of great need.”

“I see.”

“You don’t believe me.”

“Oh I believe you. I’ve seen his eyes. Gur’mekh gives me cold chills.”

“Keep Jalkort away from him for his sake and yours. I tell you Fay, have a talk with your husband.”

“Are you safe?”

Lenti sighed. “I don’t know. He wants me, Fay. He tried to hit on me earlier. It’s not safe to turn him down--everyone knows that. I take the pups to a different place each night to sleep because he’ll try to invade my dreams.”

“Can he do that?”

“That and more. Much more. He can persuade the feeble minded, forcing his thoughts on them. He’s dangerous. No one is safe with him around. Not when he’s angry.”

Fabana sighed. “Jal thinks the moon and stars rise and set on Gur’mekh. Jal is basically good, but he can be led astray. I love him. I’d kill for him. I’d kill Gur’mekh and face the consequences.”

“You wouldn’t have a chance. There’s only one way: come with me to see the Roh’mach.”