As he pulled the dismembered furs together he tried to assemble his thoughts as well. By now the Yilanè would all be dead. So be it. Aragunukto had ordered his death simply because she did not like the way he spoke. Once again it was only death; peace was unthinkable. Perhaps it was better this way. He looked up as Kalaleq came back in, panting, his spear bloodied, blood drenching his hand and arm.

“What strange and horrible creatures! How they wriggled and screamed and died on our spears.”

“All dead?” Armun asked.

“All. We went into each of these big paukaruts and found them and speared them. Some ran, but they died as well.”

“Here is what must be done,” Kerrick said, forcing himself to think, to plan. “We must leave no trace of our presence here. If the murgu even suspect that we are on this side of the ocean they will seek us out and kill us.”

“Put the bodies into the ocean,” Kalaleq said practically. “Wipe up blood.”

“Will others come?” Armun asked.

“Yes, in their boats that swim, the dock is here. If they find them all missing it will be a mystery—but we will not be suspected. Take nothing, disturb nothing.”

“Want nothing!” Kalaleq cried out, shaking his spear. “Nothing that these things have. We must carefully wash their blood from our spears or we will have the worst bad fortune. You spoke of how terrible and strong and different these murgu were, and I marveled. But you did not tell me how I would tremble with anger and hatred at sight of them. This is a very strange thing and I do not like it. Into the ocean with them, then we return to pleasure of cold north.”

No, south . . . Kerrick thought, but did not speak the words aloud. This was not the proper moment. But he did turn to look at the chart one last time before he left. Reached out and touched it lightly just over the irregular dark green circle set into the light green sea. Sea-girt Ikhalmenets.

Armun saw his body writhe with the name and she took him by the arm. “We must leave. Come.”

Darkness had fallen before they were done. The sea received the bodies and the blood-stained fragments of his furs. The tide was on the ebb; the corpses would be carried out to sea. The fish would take care of the evidence.

Niumak had little difficulty in leading them back in the darkness. But the track was steep and they were all tired when they finally saw the light of the fire flickering between the leaves. There were shouted greetings when they finally stumbled out onto the sand.

“You are here! All is well?”

“Things have occurred, terrible things!”

“Death and blood, creatures unbelievable.”

Kerrick dropped onto the sand, then drank greedily of the cold water that Armun brought to him.