Villagers gaped while the Elders conversed in huddled murmurs. Elders had summoned Talon and his family, they had no choice but to attend. The meeting was held publicly outside the council chambers. Talon suspected this was a deliberate move by the Elders, but couldn`t yet see how.

　　What will you do if they send you away?` Sosa looked nervous, but stood solidly enough. Talon hadn`t meant for the others to join him, he just didn`t want the lad standing alone. Ego shrugged slightly.

　　I ran the trees once, I will do it again. I haven`t even decided if I`m staying anyway, yet.` In lieu of a father, Talon wanted to slap the boy. He shouldn`t have let Sosa come. It only forced this false show of bravado which would serve no purpose but get the idiot child in more trouble than he realised. He could also do without his daughter hearing ridiculous ideas about running the trees. Her eyes were lit with excitement. She was too young, and too infatuated to recognise the hollow bluster.

　　If you stay,` Halo whispered, will you live with us?`

　　I suppose I might.`

　　Talon ground his teeth.

　　Halo thought a moment. Well okay, but I`m still head of the family after Pawe if you do, just so you know.`

　　Sosa flicked Halo on the ear. You`re the lowest branch, twiglet, and you know it.`

　　Stop it.` Talon nudged them both.

　　Should I go and get Grammawe?` Halo whispered to Talon. She`s still in the hut.`

　　Leave her be, then.`

　　Elder Jode was turning back to the crowd to make a pronouncement. Talon was pleased to see Ego trembling a little, not that he wanted anyone to fear for their life, but a little humility might overpower his adolescent bravado.

　　Omaki,` Elder Jode addressed the gathering. The mumbling quieted. He looked around seeming to catch every individuals eye before he began. Our village lives in a fine balance. A balance of food and of labour. A balance with our people and our anki. A balance of life&` the Elder paused, &and death.` Talon had to keep from rolling his eyes, but the crowd murmured while the chief waited, marinating in his drama. Many of you feel that we cannot afford another mouth to feed.` Talon felt heat in his cheeks. The Elder never took an interest in the fields. If anyone could comment on mouths to feed, it was Talon. He stepped forwards but Kala grabbed his arm, her fingers tight in warning. Some feel the stranger is not at one with our ways, our fadi, our anki. Some worry his presence might anger the anki. Where would we be if a crop failed?` he let the crowd absorb the possibility, if the fish abandoned Highstream?` another pause to nurture the murmuring alarm, or the water did not flow?` The noise grew. Talon closed his eyes. He had hoped to protect the boy from the Elder`s hidden justice, but by forcing things outside he might have made everything worse.

　　Talon eased Kala from his arm and stepped forwards again.

　　Jode ignored him. Some, feel that we cannot give a ki to the trees who does not deserve to be given. We do not know why he is here, or how our village will react to his presence. As such the Elders have yet to decide whether the stranger is to be allowed to stay.` Jode seemed proud of this indecision on Ego`s death sentence. We must discuss further.`

　　The gathering dispersed as people returned, gossiping, to their work. Whatever words Talon had been reaching for melted away. His fingers were clamped into his palms and it was only at Kala`s gentle touch he managed to release all the muscles in his body.

　　How could they be so stupid? Clearly Ego was not another mouth to feed but another worker, a worker they dearly needed. The boy was young, but he was strong enough and only as impulsive as any young lad his age.

　　We won`t let anything happen to you,` Sosa said

　　Ego stood quiet and small. What does that mean?` he whispered.

　　Talon gave his shoulder a squeeze. It means the council of Elders has come to announce they cannot tell if it is day or night because the sun`s glare obscures their view.` He smiled at the boy. They haven`t decided what to do yet.`

　　But what does that mean?` He was the boy again, no longer the man.

　　Well, for now it means they`re not giving you to the trees,` said Kala, come on let`s feed you.`

　　I can`t eat.` Ego whined. He looked like he might wilt.

　　Tough,` said Sosa looping her arm through his and propping him up. Talon pretended not to see. Chief Elder Jode drifted after them, but waited until they were well away from the crowds before he caught up.

　　Kala tensed and sighed. Be nice. We need to be nice,` she whispered to the others. Talon invited the chief inside, pushing away his hostility; Ego and Sosa made no attempt to disguise their`s. Grammawe snoozed, probably for the best, and Halo stood behind his mother`s legs. Talon worried Halo was being overwhelmed.

　　Ego,` Jode greeted, nodded to Sosa, then turned to Talon and Kala. I`m very sorry to not have delivered better news. A lot of the Elders wanted to move Ego on&`

　　Move him on?` Talon began, but Kala squeezed his arm.

　　This, this indecision, was the best I could manage for the time being.` Jode scanned their faces. This is not a bad thing. What I have done is bought time for Ego to prove himself.`

　　Talon swallowed his misgivings. He doubted that Jode was the sole island of reason among a river of fear, but it was likely the majority of Elders wanted the boy gone. His sudden appearance in the village was disturbing and terrifying. Talon should be afraid of him too, of what his being here meant, but there was a thought that floated higher than the fear.

　　What if it was Halo?

　　Thank you, Elder Jode. We appreciate your efforts.` Talon`s forced gratitude jarred against the Elder`s duplicity. Jode`s nod was so gracious Talon wanted to push him into Lowstream. He had never noticed quite how theatric the man was until it was a weapon being used against him.

　　The Elder looked grave and spoke quietly as if making them party to some secret. I know you`re trying to help the boy and Ale-ki bless you for your kindness. It is gracious of you as a family to take on this burden, this risk.`

　　It took a moment for the words to soak in. Wait, what do you mean? Risk?`

　　Elder Jode wore an expression of reassurance, another of his masks. I wanted you to know I will do my best to protect your family. If things go,` he glanced at a now terrified Ego, wrong, I will try to ensure that they do not reflect on your family, but,` he leaned back and swept his gaze over the room lingering on Ego, it is important that every effort is made to help Ego fit in and become part of this village. There will be other conditions.`

　　Talon bristled. How dare the Elder come here making threats then have the audacity to impose conditions on Talon`s already burdened family? He felt Kala`s warning pressure on his arm and he clamped his mouth closed.

　　Kala worked with Jode as chronicler and, though not an outright supporter, she was always sympathetic to his politics. For Talon things were simple. Sewed correctly, crops grew and people ate. There was more to life than that, perhaps, but he resented people who traded in the unnecessary intricacies of life.

　　Kala dissolved the tension and turned to Ego. Do you understand fadi, did you have it where you were?`

　　Ego nodded. We had many. Some of them were a bit weird.` Talon winced. He glanced at Kala. She flicked her eyes at him in acknowledgement.

　　Here, they are taken very seriously,` she said. We are in balance with the anki. The anki look after every part of our village. They are in every tree, every field, every part of the stream. They watch over the crops, the fish, the fruit. They keep us safe from what might harm us, from the trees, from the weather. They are not just the ki of our ancestors, but ancient ki who have always resided here. They owe us nothing, but they care for us, and us for them. We cannot risk changing that balance.` She paused to let it sink in. Ego had the grace to not interrupt. I think that`s what Elder Jode and the council want you to understand.`

　　Talon loved her, he would never had found those words himself and while Elder Jode would, his would have taken far longer to employ. She was right though. Talon thought of the fields. With the funeral arrangements he`d been neglecting the fields and while they were well cared for by others, he needed to be mindful of the balance himself. He should speak to the anki soon.

　　We will tell you of our fadi.` Sosa said sitting beside Ego, her legs touching his. Just be careful about what you do until you know more.`

　　Halo leaned out from behind Kala and reeled off a list.

　　Talon patted the boy on the head. Very good, but not right now, Halo. Go fetch us some more water,`

　　Oh, but&` Halo looked at Ego and his parents with panic. He was not so much overwhelmed as fascinated. There was entertainment here he`d never see again. Halo slunk through the door.

　　Don`t you dare go to Midstream, either,` Sosa shouted after her slumping brother.

　　No, I know,` he intoned. I`ll go to Highstream. Promise.`

　　Move faster, be back faster, twiglet,` Sosa shouted. Halo stopped, thought, then sped off.

　　Talon watched his son disappear. I have conditions too.` Talon wanted Jode to know that they would be putting rules in place. If it did go wrong he didn`t want his family accountable as Jode had suggested. There are no relations with a woman outside of the marriage vows&`

　　Father!` Sosa started, shuffling herself away from the boy and staring first at him and then at the chief.

　　Ah,` said Jode with a wry smile, Sosa is a hard worker as I understand. She has showed an aptitude for many skills around the village and of course is learning the script from Kala. She will be a fine woman and, one day, an excellent wife.`

　　Sosa glared at Talon for a moment then stared at the floor intently.

　　Well yes, one day.` Talon said. Eventually. Perhaps. One thing at a time.`

　　Light and fast footsteps heralded the return of Halo and the water in a dripping and half empty jug. What did I miss?`

　　Pawe being unnecessary.` Sosa scowled into the floor. Halo looked around, but no one elaborated, so he set his water down and rejoined them, panting.

　　Elder Jode smiled at them all and nodded. I have faith that you will give the boy every chance.`

　　You said there were other conditions?` Talon knew what they would be. He was surprised no one from the council had interrogated Ego yet. He certainly had questions.

　　People are frightened of his arrival and fear does not lend to tolerance. He will have to learn quickly and tread lightly.` Elder Jode looked solemnly at Ego. I hope you realise what a risk these people are taking in letting you stay here.` The Elder looked up at Ego. I recommend that you go nowhere alone, always with a member of this family. That is not a requirement, but&`

　　But you`re much less likely to mess something up if you`re always with one of us.` Sosa smiled at the boy, who returned a weak grin.

　　Quite. You must give offerings to Ale-ki,` Jode continued.

　　I`ll take you,` Sosa said.

　　Thank you Sosa-ses.` Ego smiled at her. I`ve not done anything like that before, I`d be very grateful for your wisdom.` His words felt as disingenuous as Jode`s and it made Talon want to choke.

　　He`s a youngster. They`re all odd. Especially the boys.

　　Sosa giggled, You`re welcome, er, ses.`The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

　　Sosa, no,` Kala warned, shooting a look at her and then at Elder Jode, but the old man didn`t react.

　　We haven`t made our decision yet, but if Ego shows he can fit in and is not afraid of hard work then the council will have no reason to do anything other than accept him. Another hand in the field, Talon, would he be useful to you?`

　　Certainly.` Talon tried to sound enthusiastic for both Jode`s and Ego`s sake. There`s more than enough to do, another strong back can only aid the village.`

　　And will you work for Talon and do as he tells you?` Jode asked the boy. Ego simply nodded.

　　When you are well again, of course,` Kala reminded everyone.

　　Then there is only one other thing.` Jode continued. For a long time, we had no reason to believe there were other villages.`

　　But there is the smoke!` Halo jumped in.

　　Talon hushed him. The smoke isn`t a village, Halo, it`s a single column of smoke. Now don`t interrupt.`

　　Indeed.` Jode continued. To find you here challenges our truths and that feeds people`s fears.`

　　It isn`t Ego`s fault we were wrong,` Sosa said.

　　Kala was about to reprimand her, but Jode spoke softly. Of course not, but fear will count against Ego when decisions are made. The trees, the anki, the fields, the stream, the people, all these things are in balance. If we lose this balance, there will be consequences, regardless of fault. Do you see?`

　　Sosa nodded. Talon was not sure he would have understood at her age. There was much of Kala in his daughter.

　　It is important that we know about your village, about why you came here. And how. But it is nearly as important that you don`t talk about these things outside of the this room or the council chambers. I leave it up to Talon and Kala what they will accept in their home, but outside you must not talk about your village to anyone.`

　　You want us pretend there isn`t another village?` Halo asked, disappointment thick on his face.

　　Talon made to quiet the boy, but Jode answered. Not at all. People understand our balance. You`re very young and I don`t expect you to know this yet, but,` Jode looked apologetically at Talon and Kala, our people have much to be afraid of. They know the balance keeps them safe and if they control the balance, then they are happy. Losing that control changes their world and that is frightening indeed. Do you see?`

　　Halo frowned, but looked thoughtful. He didn`t understand, but at least recognised the weight of the words.

　　You want to know about my village.` Ego said. That`s one of your conditions of me staying?`

　　Well, of course.`

　　Ego shrugged. It`s similar to yours but larger. Our river, we call it Tachi, curves around the village and it floods every year bringing new soil. We have oriza crops that grow in the wet fields and others that look like the ones you have here. I think we might have more types, from what Sosa tells me. There are more people, I don`t know them all. Here you seem to know everyone. A guardian is in charge of our village. You talk of your balance, I suppose she is part of ours. It is said she converses with the ki and keeps the village safe. She`s the reason I left.`

　　Please, do not stop.` Jode leaned forwards. We would know of the reason for your exile.`

　　Ego gave a laugh, bloated with bravado. I wasn`t exiled, I ran away.` He drew himself up. We have Elders too, and we pretend they`re in charge, but they are not, not really. Eleris is our guardian. She lets them run most things, the day-to-day boring things, but even the Elders have to do what she says. She oversees everything, especially justice and executions. She says her job is to maintain order. But she is just a soldier. She runs things like a soldier. It isn`t always what`s best.` Talon wondered if the boy fully understood what he was saying. It rang slightly with the echo of other people`s words. She is cruel and harsh in her rules and her punishments. There are no trials or hearings, not like here,` Ego looked at Jode who bowed his head, but silently let the boy continue. What Eleris decides is what happens. She executed one of my friends for breaking fadi, so I decided to come here.`

　　Talon frowned and tried to catch Kala`s eye, but his wife was looking at Ego with motherly compassion. Breaking fadi could lead to the Elders giving him to the trees, but it would take something serious. Could this other village be so harsh, or was the boy embellishing to save his own pride?

　　This soldier, why is she there?` Jode asked.

　　Ego shrugged. She protects the village.`

　　There was far more to his story. No doubt it suited Ego`s tale for this soldier to be unimportant. From the way Jode nodded, a little too sympathetically, Talon suspected he had similar thoughts.

　　What did she protect you from, exactly? Was she a peace keeper? Did she protect you from wrong doers? Something else?`

　　Ego looked at Jode like this was a trick question. Well we,` he paused correcting himself, they need her to keep the village free of the&` but Ego looked at them all with sudden awareness. Talon frowned.

　　&er, the, you know, in the trees. I don`t want to say in case&`

　　Talon realised. Oh no, it`s not fadi to mention the tree-ki. We call them bodaki.` This next few weeks was going to be difficult for the boy as he navigated his new life.

　　We have anki, good ki, mostly. They protect us from all sorts of things.` Sosa said, including the bodaki. They`re the bad ones.`

　　Jode looked pleased at the youngster. That`s right. Now you see why our balance is so important.`

　　Yes.` Ego agreed. We have anki too. They only look after certain special places. It isn`t their job to keep the bodaki out.` Ego looked around. We only have a few of them.`

　　Ah!` Halo said, pleased to be involved, We have loads. Every tree has anki. And every bit of grass. And every field. And every&`

　　Halo&` Talon whispered.

　　Halo barely took breath. Maybe that`s why you need your soldier person? Because you don`t have enough anki to keep you all safe?`

　　Ego shrugged. Could be.`

　　Jode shifted in his seat, keen to steer the conversation on. Did you know about our village? When you left? Did you know there was another village out here?`

　　Not really,` Ego swelled a little, I just left. I was going to find somewhere safe to live in the forest.` Talon looked away. Earlier the boy had claimed he`d come looking for them. Jode`s expression hid his thoughts well.

　　You were going to live with the bodaki?` Halo asked, his face fixed on Ego. Weren`t you frightened of them?`

　　No, of course not!` The lie ran so deep it was etched on Ego`s face. He basked in Halo`s adoration and, more worryingly, the lingering attention of Talon`s daughter.

　　Jode raised a hand slightly to silence further deviation. So your guardian, this Eleris, she doesn`t know about our village either?`

　　Ego shrugged, then thought, then shrugged again. I wouldn`t know.`

　　Does she ever leave your village?`

　　Sometimes she goes into the trees alone.`

　　Talon understood what Jode was driving at. He wanted to know if this Eleris was a threat. The idea of another village was as intriguing as it was frightening, but Talon had been more concerned with stopping the Elders sending the boy away, keeping him alive and keeping his family safe. Beyond frightening people, he hadn`t let himself consider the real implications of Ego`s appearance. He had hidden from the complicated thought. Obviously, the Elders had not.

　　Talon sat back wondering if he`d made a mistake. Perhaps he shouldn`t have got involved, although it did stop Sosa trying to intervene which she undoubtedly would have.

　　So how did you find us? How far did you come?` Jode asked.

　　I tried to follow a path, but it isn`t clear and I lost it a few times. I don`t know how far, but it took me about three days.`

　　You spent three days with the monsters?` Halo blurted, How? Did you have to fight them, tell us what&`

　　Jode glanced at Talon.

　　Talon took the hint. Hush, Halo, you can ask more questions later, but let Elder Jode ask his questions first, okay?`

　　Halo looked excited and disappointed. He placed his own hand over his mouth.

　　Tell me about this path.` Jode`s voice lost its soft edge. Does it lead from your village to ours?`

　　Difficult to say for sure. I& I did get lost for a while, and couldn`t always find it. I probably spend some time going around in circles. I just headed towards where we sometimes see smoke&`

　　Ooh, we get that&`

　　Halo, hush.` Kala pulled the wriggling boy close.

　　Jode sat back, thinking.

　　How did you get the bodaki to leave you alone?` Sosa asked him. Talon could see a little scepticism tinting her adoration. You didn`t fight them.` It wasn`t a question.

　　The idea of disagreeing crossed Ego`s face. Of course not. You can`t fight bodaki, but I was clever. I hid and outsmarted them.`

　　I seem to remember you running quite fast,` Sosa said. Talon looked away a hand over his mouth. Sosa was teasing the lad, but he probably deserved it. He`d done well to survive, no doubt. But he still deserved it.

　　Ego went with it. The bodaki were after me, some huge ones were chasing me in the end. I could only fool them for so long. I think they were&` Ego stopped short of suggesting he had angered the bodaki and fled into Elder Jode`s village. So, he wasn`t entirely stupid.

　　So your village is three days away, on the other side of the smoke.` Jode said finally, thankfully leaving the other implication unacknowledged. Ego nodded and pointed towards the wall, towards the side of village where the smoke sometimes rose.

　　Sosa leaned over, grabbed his finger and gently pulled it down to the floor. We don`t do that. You don`t want to anger the ki `

　　Why would that&?`

　　You might accidentally point&` Sosa paused. You just don`t do it, it doesn`t matter why. That`s not how fadi works. You don`t want them to notice you, that`s all.`

　　Ego looked at his finger, then folded it back in. Talon`s stomach tightened. This wasn`t going to work and when it failed, it was going to come back on him and his family.

　　Jode left them with reassurances that did nothing to ease Talon, and the promise of more questions for Ego. The boy looked exhausted, frightened and alone. His brave face had slipped. Sosa and Kala shared a motherly expression.

　　Talon unclenched his teeth. Why don`t you take Ego out and show him around the village. He won`t need to point at things if he knows where everything is.`

　　Sosa nodded. Come on, twiglet, you can come too. I`m sure Ego might like to tell us more about his home.` Halo jumped up, whooping.

　　Er, Sosa.` Kala sounded worried.

　　We will be super quiet and we won`t ask anything or talk when there are people about.` She looked pointedly at both the boys. Will we.`

　　Ego shook his head subdued. Halo bounced from one foot to the other.

　　Take him to see Ale-ki and maybe take an offering to the field as well. He should meet our anki.` Talon suggested and watched them go.

　　I should go after them and make sure&

　　Kala caught his arm. They will be fine. Sosa will look after him, teach him what he needs.`

　　Talon slipped his arms around Kala. Thank you. Sit, I will start some food.`

　　No, if I sit, I`ll worry. I`ll cook, you see to your mother. You`ve not really talked since the funeral. She hasn`t met Ego yet, this is going to be very confusing for her.`

　　He kissed Kala. It`s all going to be okay.`

　　I won`t chronicle that until it happens.`

　　#

　　Sosa knelt on one side of Ego while Halo did his best to contain himself on the other. They ignored the whispering villagers also gathered around Ale-ki.

　　Am I supposed to talk to her?` Ego nodded at the great tree. The other trees of the village were small, never more than four people high. Out in the forest, the monstrous darktrees stretched up into a canopy so thick it looked black from the underside. Neither were as majestic as Ale-ki. Its wide trunk separated just as it emerged from the soil into two sloping limbs which split countless more times until they reached a thousand feathered ends. The branches were adorned with leaves of deep red that spread wide, shading those who came to speak to it.

　　It,` Sosa whispered, and yes, but not with your mouth.`

　　Ego nodded and Sosa hoped he was thinking nice things at the tree and the ki that resided there.

　　A leaf tumbled into Sosa`s lap. It felt soft, but she could feel the veins that ran through it, branching and branching like the tree itself. She held it softly while she spoke to the tree. Talking to Ale-ki was easy; Sosa didn`t think words, she simply opened her thoughts to the tree and its ki. She didn`t need to explain who Ego was, Ale-ki saw. She thought about how Ego needed their help. Perhaps the Elders would come here and Ale-ki would help them come to the right decision. Then she thought about the worried looks that passed between her mother and father when they thought she wasn`t looking and decided to also ask Ale-ki to take care of her family, though she supposed that was more something to ask of the anki in their fields.

　　Ego was also holding a leaf. That Ale-ki had chosen to give him one too was a good sign. When it looked like he was done, she showed him how to scrape a shallow hole in the soil, place the leaf in and cover it over. It was considered lucky to be given a leaf when talking to the tree, but you always gave it back. Like everything in the village, nothing went to waste.

　　Normally Sosa would bring Ale-ki an offering from the fields. Instead she had picked three orange flowers and handed one to each boy. They left these at the bottom of the trunk and departed.

　　Other villagers should have been concentrating on their own private thoughts, but Sosa knew they had been watching Ego. He`d done well, even attracting an odd smile or nod.

　　It is going to be okay, she thought.

　　Sosa was greeted at the field where they repeated the ceremony. Rem smiled at her, but gave them space. She felt more at home with the field anki, but offered them the same respect as Ale-ki. There was no object to direct their devotions towards as the anki here lived in the soil itself. Instead, they picked up handfuls of earth and let it trickle through their fingers.

　　Instead of bringing orange flowers they had collected fallen leaves from the other trees they passed, making sure they thanked the anki that resided in each - Sosa hoped she thanked the right tree-ki - and buried them at the edge of a fallow field.

　　Sosa was in awe of Ale-ki, but this ceremony meant more to her. The anki of the fields had been much more part of her life. Ale-ki must have seen these thoughts in her head, too. She hope it didn`t mind.

　　Taking a few tubers as a belated offering for Ale-ki, they sought out quiet shade where they could safely talk. Halo launched a barrage of questions. Sosa just enjoyed listening to Ego and his strange accent. There was something odd about him. Despite rescuing and defending him, she knew her father didn`t trust him and it wasn`t just because he was about Sosa`s age. With each revisitation Ego`s journey through the trees grew more elaborate and animated. It was never quite the same twice.

　　Come on,` she said before Halo drowned Ego with incessancy. Let`s go for a walk through the market. People need to get used to seeing you around.`

　　It was a mistake.

　　Keep it down,` she warned them, but Halo was flitting about like a fish on the riverbank, still firing childish questions. When they reached the market, Halo grabbed a ladle from a display of whittled tools and threw it to Halo.

　　We have these, do you have anything like this?` Then he danced away looking for something else to witter about. His tendency to fill the air with his own noise was one way he differed greatly to Sosa.

　　The whittler looked surprised and frowned at Sosa. She tried to grab her brother, but he was already grabbing a long stick used to hook bunches of banefruit from high branches. Do you have anything like this in your village? Did you use one to fight off the bodaki?` He started swinging the stick around in an imaginary battle.

　　Sosa wished she could disappear. If she shouted everyone would look. If she didn`t, Halo would attract everyone`s attention anyway. To make things worse, Ego, caught in the flow of the young boys exuberance, was playing along. He took the picker and began waving it as if fighting off Halo`s imagined attackers, much to Sosa`s horror and Halo`s delight.

　　She shouted, too late, her voice was no match for the boys` antics. With a growl she snatched the stick from Ego, almost breaking it, and without really meaning to she threw it back at the whittler, then shoved Ego hard in the chest before grabbing Halo. Her brother cried out in pain. Good, she thought, and yanked him toward her. Stop it, now, both of you.`

　　Ow, Sosa, you`re&`

　　You,` her words sharp enough to cut off his whine, will go home right now. Do not stop. Go straight there and do not come out again.` She sent him scuttling with a shove. And you,` her ire turned on Ego, will come with me and not say another word,` her voice lowered to a furious whisper, or I swear I`ll give you to the trees myself.` Ego had the grace to look abashed. Sosa would drag the boy back to Ale-ki where they would bury her offering of tubers in the hope this made up for her failure. Her eyes felt hot and she refused to wipe them. Avoiding the gaze of those who watched, she grabbed Ego`s hand and turned sharply to drag him away. Before she had even completely turned she struck something, bounced off and landed in the dirt. In surprise she looked up.

　　Looking back at her was the worn, grey-haired face of Gris.