Ay’len watched him in silence as he ate. “What happened?” he asked when the hunter finished eating.
“Ci’tali tried to poison me,” he said shortly, with a frown on his face. “A woman and her man stole the poisoned food from me before I could eat it. She ate it, and she died. As you said, she had black blood on her hands. She was already dead when I saw her.”
Ay’len nodded and encouraged Ma’ki to continue.

“I told them to burn the body. They didn’t listen.”
“They didn’t?” Ay’len stared at him in horror. “Ma’ki, we need to go to them!”
“No!” Ma’ki’s voice was loud and clear. “All your life, you did everything for them! They do not care to hear you! They are fools! They are not worthy!”
“Ma’ki, you don’t know what you are talking about. If this is what I think, they will die. The disease will spread. They will all …”
“Yes, all, let them die!” he boomed, jumping to his feet.
“But my mother …” Ay’len started to tremble slightly.

“I warned her,” Ma’ki spoke. “She said Pala’ka would choose the bad and the good. She didn’t want to leave. My father, either. I could only take Na’el with me.”
The hunter turned his back on Ay’len. He could feel the healer’s hurt, but he could do nothing about it. He felt warm arms embracing him from behind, and he closed his eyes.
“We will go there, Ma’ki,” he heard the murmured words. “We will save them.”
“Don’t, Ay’len. Please. They are lost.”

“No, they are not. You must trust me.”
He turned to look into Ay’len’s bright eyes. He let the healer kiss him deeply, and he let himself embraced.
That night, he got reunited with his love. And in the faint light of the torch, he could stare into the man’s beautiful eyes, and he believed everything was said to him.
Ma’ki could not believe that he had traveled such a long road to get to Ay’len. The healer was keeping Na’el in his arms, and only let the hunter carry his son, now and then.
“I think I envy Na’el, Ay’len,” he said jokingly. “He gets all the attention.”
The healer’s look was so serious; he had to laugh. He kissed the man’s temple quickly.
Something wet and warm pushed into his hand. The wolf was sniffing at his hand.
“What is it, Na’ra? Do you want to go hunting?” he caressed the animal behind the ears.
“It will not be long until we are reaching the village,” Ay’len murmured. “I still hope …” he trailed, squeezing the baby gently in his arms.
“Pala’ka protects the ones who are pure,” Ma’ki placed a hand on the healer’s shoulders. “Your mother and sisters, they are fine.”
“But the rest … I should save them”, the long-haired man spoke with determination.
“If gods want this, you will save them,” Ma’ki encouraged him.
He was trying hard to chase away his dark thoughts, too. He was thinking of his father, his mother, and his siblings. But his heart had to be tough; for him, Ay’len and Na’el were his family now.
There was too much silence. Followed by Na’ra and her pup, they entered the village. A trail of smoke could be seen from afar. The eagle soared into the sky with a cry. They did not speak a word, but both their hearts were clenching with fear and apprehension.
They arrived by Ta’yee’s hut, and Ma’ki entered, followed by Ay’len. The chieftain was sitting in his usual place, his eyes looking at nothing. He slowly moved his head when he heard them.
“Father,” Ma’ki hurried by his side, worried.
“They are burning the bodies now. They are so many,” the older man spoke in an even voice, devoid of all emotion. He looked much older than he was.
“Where is mother? … Ay’len’s family?” Ma’ki shook him.
“They are alive. But the rest … only their children are still breathing. Only a few are forgiven still.” Ta’yee stared into his son’s eyes. “You were right, Ma’ki. All your life, you have been right. We should have brought Ay’len into our home; we should have protected him always. The gods … they struck us down in anger for what we dared to do. Your wife …”
“I don’t want to hear about her,” Ma’ki’s eyes turned to stone.
“They say her suffering is great. She is not yet dead, but she struggles between life and death.”
“I should go to her,” Ay’len intervened.
“No. You stay here,” Ma’ki snapped at him, but a gentle hand touched him briefly, to calm him down.
“Her soul seeks forgiveness. And she must see her son before she’ll close her eyes forever.”
“She could make Na’el ill. She doesn’t deserve to see her son!”
Ay’len shook his head. “Children have not fallen ill. It is how Pala’ka wants. The innocents are always protected, isn’t this what you are often telling me?”
Ma’ki nodded curtly. Ay’len was wise. He was not the one to doubt him. So he asked his father to take him to the place where they were still caring for the ones remaining, as Ay’len headed towards Ci’tali’s hut, with Na’el in his arms.
There was little light coming inside. The air smelled of rotting flesh and illness, but Ay’len was not afraid. In his arms, Na’el was continuing to sleep soundly, without a care in the world.
“Is that you, Di’rah?” a faint voice was heard. “Please, water, a little water …”
Ay’len pushed the curtain at the door to let sunlight inside. He filled a cup with water from the jug outside to bring it to the dying woman.
“No, it is me,” he spoke with gentleness, as he approached the water cup to her lips.
“No!” Ci’tali cried, trying in vain to move and get away, splashing the water all over herself. “You’ve come to take me!”
“It is not for me to do that,” Ay’len got closer to her. He kneeled and showed her the sleeping boy in his arms.
“Na’el,” Ci’tali whispered, and raised a skinny hand to touch him, but refrained. “No! He will fall ill! Take him away!”
“He won’t fall ill. Pala’ka showed me; the innocents are spared,” Ay’len spoke.
“What do you know? You hate me! You want me dead and my son too!” She tried to withdraw.
“I do not hate you. I’ve never hated you. Repent your deeds, Ci’tali, so your soul can be free.”
“You’ve come to judge me,” the woman whispered, a trail of saliva on her parched lips.
“I’m not your judge. I am just a healer, nothing more.”
“Then save me!” Ci’tali cried, but Ay’len shook his head slowly.
“I am here just to ease your passing. This is your boy, Ci’tali, your own flesh and blood. He will live and show the gods that you offered something back to the world.”
Gently, Ay’len placed the child on the woman’s chest. Hesitantly, Ci’tali caressed the sleeping face. She started to cry. “I’ve done so many bad things,” she sobbed. “Forgive me.”
“Your suffering will be over soon. What’s done is done. The gods forgive you.”
Ci’tali cradled the boy in her weak arms, but her eyes grew heavier. When all movement in her stopped, Ay’len knew it was over. She took the child from his mother’s arms and left. His visions were telling him to hurry now.
His mother didn’t cry, upon seeing him. She took him in her arms and kissed him on both his cheeks without a word.
“So few left,” Ay’len murmured, looking around.
“Still hard to feed,” Kaa’sa smiled sadly. “Not enough food. The children are crying.”
“Gather all. We must leave soon”, Ay’len asked, and his mother nodded.
Ma’ki was waiting for him. He could not hide his concern, not from his love.
“Ma’ki, we will have to take everyone and leave.”
“Leave where?”
“Pala’ka showed me. Now help my mother get them ready.”
“All these children … who will take care of them?”
“We will take care of them, Ma’ki. Don’t you see? They are our children now.”
The healer let his family take care of the living ones, and he returned to Ta’yee’s hut. He knew, but he still had to try.
“You must get ready, too, father,” he gently spoke. “We must leave.”
“You call me father, but I am not worthy of being called that,” Ta’yee murmured.
“You did everything you could,” Ay’len touched his shoulder gently. “Now we have to leave. Men from the mountains will come, looking for Ci’tali. They will not let anyone alive if they find us here. We cannot fight them, as we are now.”
Ta’yee shook his head slowly. “You see all this. You’re like Ma’iala now. I wish I could be a better protector for you, for the tribe, Ay’len.”
“You have been, and you still are. Come with us; we will build a new tribe, free from the curse.”
“No, Ay’len. You children go. You have your lives ahead of you. I must remain here. This is my tribe. It is the last thing I can do for it. To mourn its passing. Are you going to tell me that mourning is a thing for women to do?”
“No, father,” Ay’len embraced him. “But Ma’ki will try to convince you to come with us.”
“He cannot. He will understand one day when he will look at his own tribe. Make sure he’ll be a good chieftain, Ay’len. It’s all I ask of you.”
He knew he could not sway the chieftain from his decision. It was the man’s right to see after the dead, as he had cared for the living for his entire life.
Later that day, when Ma’ki joined the rest, with clouds hanging on his shoulders, Ay’len let him be. Time was the only one to heal those wounds.