“But Mal’keth laughed and said, “Whatever you kill, you may eat alone. Whomever I marry, I shall love alone.”
“And Gol’shekh became exceedingly angry and he seized his brother by the throat and slew him because he laughed.
“Before Gol’shekh could hide his brother’s body, Baellea saw her lover dead. She rolled upon the ground, crying out to Roh’kash for a reckoning. Gol’shekh was afraid and he killed Baellea.
“The next morning as Roh’kash was walking through the meadow, she saw Gol’shekh and asked him, ‘Where is your brother Mal’keth?’
“’He is with Baellea,’ Gol’shekh replied.
“’Indeed he is,’ Roh’kash said. ‘Their spirits have cried out to me for justice. And so tears shall you drink all the days of your life. In grief and darkness shall your spirit languish until the sun is quenched and mountains are laid low. Henceforth your name is not Gol’shekh (Bright star) but Melmokh (Dark path).’”
--FROM THE HYANNICHA URU’GUTH
Demrath once thought the happiest day in his life was the day he married Lenti. But he changed his mind when the pups were born. Small expressions of the miracle of creation, he looked at them lost in wonder and love.
Tela was a small Lenti, her pushed-in nose and large eyes were typical of a pup, but he could tell that she would grow to be like her Muti with the fire of Roh’kash shining in her eyes. Krull and En’geer naturally held Demrath’s attention, for he knew in the months to come he would spoil his twin sons the way his father spoiled him. “Mighty warriors, you make the earth tremble in your wake!” He laughed softly, nuzzling them, then kissing his daughter. “Look at them, Lenti! Our family!”
Demrath showed off the pups whenever he could. Many of his friends were veteran parents, having raised several litters. But the pups of the next Roh’mach generated a great deal of interest. There were those out there who could see Tela as the future leader of her people.
Of course, the depth of Demrath’s happiness only rubbed salt into Gur’mekh’s wounds. “Lenti, I would have given in to your every whim!” he said passionately, but only to the back wall of his cave. “I would have made you a goddess and worshipped you night and day! Now you have his pups when you could have had mine--seers, visionaries, destined for greatness!”
After Gur’mekh had his say, he decided he must pay his respects to the pups or lose all of the progress he’d made with Lenti. After all, if he was going to be their father someday, they must get to know him. Though it rankled him that they were Demrath’s pups, he remembered that they were also Lenti’s children, and he would love them if only for that.
Gur’mekh trotted down to Demrath’s den, grumbling about all the nice things he’d have to say to him. But when he arrived, he was soft-spoken and polite.
“Hello, Demrath! You old married buck, let’s have a look at the kids!”
Lenti said, “See, darling? I told you.”
Gur’mekh gave him a firm pat on the shoulder, then headed straight for the pups. “Oh look! Two little Demraths and a Lenti!” He fairly bubbled over with excitement. “I’ve never seen newborns before. Aren’t they tiny! Look at those perfect little toes!”
“They’ll grow,” Lenti said. “She’s Tela, and these two boys are En’geer and Krull.”
Gur’mekh carefully pawed Tela and she looked up. “Can you see me, hon?” He concentrated, touching her with his paw. “Yes, you can. Not clearly, but you can.”
“You can tell?” Demrath asked.
“Oh yes. I’m a seer.” He smiled pleasantly. “Tell me, do you already have a ma’khim for them?”
“Well--uh--no.”
“I guess you wouldn’t consider me.”
Lenti looked at Demrath and nodded slightly.
“Uh--sure. It would be an honor.”
Gur’mekh frowned slightly. “I know about my bad reputation. But I’ll be good. Better than good. This evening, I’ll hunt up a gazelle for old Amarakh to repay the one she thinks I stole. I’ll even patch things up with your okhim. By the way, how is Ber these days?”
“Fine.” Demrath looked uncomfortable. He scratched behind an ear. “Don’t be offended, but isn’t this kind of sudden? I mean, what happened to you?”
“It’s kind of personal.”
“I didn’t mean to pry.”
“No, I didn’t think you did.” He drew up close and in a low voice said, “Actually, there’s a certain bak’ret involved. You know, a chance I may be settling down with a wife and pups of my own. And I don’t want them to suffer from being associated with me.”
“That’s very honest of you. And very noble.”
“When did this happen?” Lenti asked, pressing Gur’mekh for details he was clearly unwilling to volunteer.
“Last night. But I have to prove myself worthy of her. I must let nothing stand in my way of my one chance for happiness.”
Demrath smiled. “Gur’mekh, we’ll have to hunt together sometime.”
“I’d really like that. I hear you’re quite good.”
Gur’mekh walked off, pleased as punch. He kept repeating the names of the pups to himself so he wouldn’t forget. “Yes, my children, I will give you things that Demrath could never provide for you. Some day a great empire will be yours and many will bow before you who now sneer at us.”
CHAPTER 21: HYANNICHA URU’GUTH
For the next two weeks, Gur’mekh kept his word to Demrath, behaving as well as a priest at high moon. He did kill an antelope for Amarakh, and a couple of hares for good measure. He even said something nice to Ber, who almost fell back on his haunches with surprise.
He brought a rabbit to seal the relationship as ma’khim to the pups, and spent hours playing with them.
Even his father Gur’bruk noticed the change in him and congratulated him on making it through the “rough spots.” That meant more to Gur’mekh than he dared admit. Despite their love for each other, their relationship had been strained for months.
“I hear that you’re interested in a bak’ret. I don’t know who, and I’m not going to pry, but son I’m proud of you for putting your priorities in order. Roh’kash really knows what’s best, and when you follow her will, you can’t help but be happy.” He took Gur’mekh aside where Kambra couldn’t hear them. “Frankly, son, for a while I was really worried about you, and so was your mother. She was having nightmares about you getting yourself exiled or killed. But the last week or so, she’s slept like a pup. I love you, son. I’ve always loved you, but lately I’ve really felt--well--so proud that I could just burst. Whatever you did, or however things turn out between you and your bak’ret, I hope you’re going to remember to reach for the stars.”
Gur’mekh nuzzled his father and stroked him with a paw. “I love you, Maleh. I’m happier than I’ve ever been before, and things are going to all right from now on.”
Gur’mekh gazed in his father’s eyes and felt the love there. He determined not to steal food from the Roh’mach or pull pranks on Ber. But the one thing he DID plan to do would stand out above all the rest.
He was much less patient than Shimbekh was with Kambra. He wondered what he could do to gain the upper hand with Demrath. Enough time had passed to change his reputation, and he’d already secured custody of the pups if anything happened to Demrath. And more importantly, Lenti did not shrink away from him the way she used to do.
Now there was a darker side to hyannic lore and magic. There were potions that opened the subject to powers and places beyond the experience of the ordinary mortal.
A real seer would have been taught the hidden knowledge of the Hyannicha Uru’guth, the shamanic lore of their people. Gur’mekh was not the type to commit to that sort of lifestyle. He wanted the abilities, but not the responsibilities that went with it. It was a volatile mixture.
He remembered his experience with Demrath on his wedding night, and felt the solution to his problem lay in such a link. For no one would willingly tell him the secret words under pain of death. Th
erefore he went to his mother as she slept and lay close by to her. He rolled on his back and murmured, “Lend me your thoughts, mother. Lend me your feelings, Mother. Lend me your eyes and ears, Mother. Let us be one.”
He concentrated and at long last fell into a trance. Soon he found himself in her dream.
It was a playful one--she was sparring with her sister Shimbekh. For a moment, he felt a little bad about what he planned to do, but he promised himself he would make it up to her. Besides, it was for the good of the race.
“Hi, Muti!”
“Gur’mekh!”
Shimbekh took the opportunity to push Kambra to the ground. “Thanks, Gur’mekh!”
“Cheater!” Kambra cried, trying to push off Shimbekh’s powerful body. “This is not over!”
“I’d be careful if I were you,” Gur’mekh said. “I hear there are wild dogs out here.”
“Wild dogs?” Shimbekh let Kambra up. Kambra dusted herself off, the conflict momentarily forgotten.
“They were coming from that direction. Oh, look!”
Gur’mekh concentrated with all his might. As he said, a pack of wild dogs came over the rise. One stood right in front of Shimbekh and said, “You are surrounded. Give no resistance and we’ll be quick and merciful.”
The dogs quickly overwhelmed Shimbekh and began to tear away at her while she struggled and shrieked. Gur’mekh ran into the fray, managing to kill one of the dogs, but suffering bite after bite. “Muti, help me! Use the curse!”
That was when the words came out. Words that shall not be written here or passed on in the lore to avoid the anger of the heavens.
The spirit of Melmokh overshadowed them powerfully, and she commanded him that all the wild dogs be killed. They shrieked as one by one they fell to the ground bleeding from the nose, mouth and ears.
Gur’mekh knew that he had the key to unlock his great future. Of course the one thing he did NOT do was explore how to control this force. That would haunt him for the rest of his life.
Gur’mekh stumbled over to Kambra and kissed her. “I love you, Muti! I will spend the rest of my life showing the world your greatness.” He felt a little noble despite his theft. He withdrew from her dream, feeling quite proud of himself. Jumping up with triumph, he ran to his sleeping mother. But her expression of pain hurt him. He could sense that she was bent over Shimbekh’s dead body. Quickly he nuzzled her.
“Muti! Wake up! You were moaning in your sleep!”
She opened her eyes. “Oh gods, where is Shimbekh??”
“She’s fine, Muti. You were just having a bad dream.”
With mixed guilt and love, Gur’mekh nuzzled her as she lay on the ground. “I love you, Muti! Someday I’m going to make you proud of me.”
“I’m already proud of you.” She smiled wonderfully and beautifully, and Gur’mekh’s heart melted, lost in the depths of her unconditional love.
Gur’mekh trotted off, floating on a cloud of good feelings, but repeating to himself the words of damnation lest he should forget them in the hour of need.
Seers were trained to keep Makei at bay by the words of binding and loosing. Of course, Gur’mekh had not been trained, and he did not know to ask for a binding spell.
First, he caught a rabbit and choked off his wind.
“Karfas of the Rising Sun, Melgath of the Setting Sun, hide me from the jealous eyes of night! Accept my sacrifice! A hare without blemish, no part of him consumed!” Then he spoke the words of fell significance.
The dead rabbit stirred, and Gur’mekh jumped. In a deep voice, the hare said, “Who calls?”
“Gur’mekh, son of Gur’bruk.”
“And why have you disturbed my long sleep?”
“Because vengeance is more satisfying than sleep!”
There was a long pause. Then the rabbit said, “I am Melmokh, the great destroyer. I do not settle petty squabbles. Make it worth my while or you shall regret waking me.”
Gur’mekh, drunk with his power, said triumphantly, “Petty squabbles! I desire the blood of my enemy, and I shall consecrate it to you!”
“And who is your enemy?”
“Demrath, son of Ber.”
“And you bid me do this of your own free will?”
“I do.”
There was another quiet moment. Then in the distance Demrath came rushing madly from his cave, yelping and whining.
Close on his heels was Lenti. “Demrath! Oh gods!” She began to run around him in tight little circles. “Help! Oh gods! Somebody help us!”
Demrath crumpled to the ground, blood oozing from his nose, ears, and mouth.
“Demrath! Don’t die! Oh gods! Don’t die, darling!”
His trembling paw reached up and touched her cheek, then fell back limp.
“No!!! Demrath!!!”
His pups came out and gathered around the body. She began to shriek, and the pups howled pitifully over the body of their beloved okhim.
Gur’mekh watched in horror. “Did you have to torture him to death?? What did you do to him??”
“What you asked by your own free will,” the hare said. “Taste the sweetness of triumph, Gur’mekh. You’re right--vengeance is more satisfying than sleep.”
“Yes, but THIS?”
“Who is next?” the hare asked impatiently.
“Just Demrath for now. It would look suspicious if the Roh’mach died the same night.”
A deep voice came from the hare that made the fur on Gur’mekh’s back stand on end. “I kill packs of wild dogs, prides of lions, whole troops of baboons, and you called me to kill one napping hyena??”
“There will be others, but there is need for stealth here.”
“Stealth? No one may call me who worries about stealth. You are weak, Gur’mekh son of Gur’bruk. You called a mighty gale to shake a single leaf??”
Gur’mekh began to tremble. He lost his concentration and in doing so lost what little control he had over the situation.
“I said just Demrath for now. There will be others. Many others.”
“Oh, there WILL be others. But I will pick the next one, understand?”
CHAPTER 22: BIRNAM WOOD TO DUNSINANE
Gur’mekh came running over to Lenti. He looked down at Demrath, and stared with horror at the ugly hemorrhages that killed him. “Oh my gods!”
The pups, knowing no better, came sobbing to him and huddled next to him. Very gently, Gur’mekh touched each tearful face with his tongue. “He’s gone! He’s gone!”
Lenti ushered the pups away. “Gur’mekh, what do you know of this?”
Gur’mekh looked at her, wondering what she meant by that. “I’ve never seen bleeding like this before. Did he complain of any pain or run a fever? I’m no healer, but I mean this all seemed very sudden.”
Lenti collapsed over Demrath’s body, sobbing. “Sudden?? One minute he was playing with the pups, and the next minute....” She fell over the body. “Oh gods!!”
“I’d be careful if I were you. What he had may have been catching.”
“That’s not a disease! No disease does this!”
“I’m no healer, Lenti. I wouldn’t know.” He took his paw and gently stroked Demrath’s face. “And to think we were getting along so well. He had everything in the world to live for.”
“And now I’m left with three young pups to raise. They will want to know what happened to their okhim. They’re too young to really understand.”
“They have a ma’khim.” Gur’mekh pawed her gently. “I’ll take care of them. They will lack for nothing.”
Tears welled up in her eyes. “Bless you, Gur’mekh! I didn’t know if you were serious about that. You can still surprise me.”
“I was never more serious in my life. You stay here and I’ll get some help. We’ll move him, my little barak ler.”
Gur’mekh started off to get help, when he suddenly heard a loud cry. He froze.
“What did you call me??”
“I’m sorry? I don’t understand.”
She stared at him with a look of horror. “How did YOU know he called me that? He only used that name for me when we made love!”
“Just a coincidence.”
“I don’t think so! There’s a story behind that name, one you couldn’t possibly know, unless....”
Gur’mekh started to squirm. “Don’t get upset, my dear! You’ve been through a terrible shock, and you’re not thinking clearly.”
“Now I remember,” she said, her eyes narrowing. “The bleeding curse of Melmokh! My gods, surely you wouldn’t want to hurt that sweet, gentle ban’ret! He trusted you, Gur’mekh! Tell me you didn’t speak the unholy words!” Her hackles bristled. “Tell me you didn’t!!”
“No, I didn’t! I swear! Melmokh doesn’t even handle petty quarrels!”
“And how would you know that?? You haven’t been initiated!”
“Things leak out! For the gods’ sake, surely you don’t think I would do a thing like that!”
“Oh, I think it! You go around stealing and working mischief. All of a sudden you have this big change! You want to be the pups’ ma’khim in case anything ever happened to Demrath! Who’s the bak’ret you’re thinking of marrying? Was it me??”
“No!”
“Her name, Gur’mekh! What’s her name??”
“I’d rather not say! She’d die if you found out!”
“Or kill, you mean! It’s me, isn’t it?? Be brave enough to say it to my face!”
“You don’t know what you’re saying! You’re hysterical! Besides, you can’t prove anything!” He realized with horror what had just slipped out.
“Maybe I can’t prove it now, but as Roh’kash is my witness, I’ll make sure they all know what you did! Murderer! Murderer!”
“No, I’m not a murderer! I’m not!”
“Murderer!!!”
“For God’s sake, not so loud! You’ll get me killed!”
“That’s what I want! You’d better curse me while you still can.”
“No! I love you!”
“You’ll come to regret that someday. I swear by Roh’kash you will. I’ll never rest till I see you dead!”
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