West of Eden

the night birds could see everything, watch everyone. Yet this great force had come here, striking directly at this valley like a far-flung spear. Why? Because he was here; it was a chilling thought. Vaintè, it had to be her, still alive, still seeking vengeance.
    What could be done? Where could he escape to? What possible defense had they?
    Anger possessed him, shook his body, sent him leaping to his feet brandishing the hèsotsan over his head, shouting.
    "You cannot do this, Vaintè, you cannot kill us all. You will try but you cannot. This is our land to live in and you cannot cross the ocean with your cold creatures and drive us from it. You will not win here and you will go crawling home with your few survivors as soon as that is clear to you. Then you will come again…"
    Kerrick realized that Sanone was looking at him in amazement, not understanding a word that he was saying. His temper died but the cold anger remained. He smiled wryly at the mandukto and spoke in Sasku.
    "You have seen them for the first time today. Do you like it? Do you enjoy seeing murgu kill your people? We must put an end to them—once and for all."
    Kerrick stopped then, breathing hard. Looking out at the high-piled dead, the handful of living. Could the Yilanè be stopped? If so—how?
    There could be only one way. They could retreat no more, hide no more.
    The battle must be taken to the enemy. That was the answer, a clear and resolute answer and an inescapable one.
    Sanone looked at Kerrick in wonder now as he spoke. No, he was not speaking, for the sounds he was emitting were like nothing he had ever heard before. And as he talked he moved his body, threw his head back, and his arms shook as though he had a seizure.
    Kerrick saw the expression on Sanone's face and realized that he had spoken in Yilanè for he was thinking about the Yilanè—and thinking like a Yilanè now. Coldly and savagely analyzing what must be done, examining the facts then reaching a solution. When he spoke again it was in Sasku, carefully and clearly.
    "We will take the war to the murgu. We will seek them out in their city far to the south. We will find them there and we will kill them there. When this place that they call Alpèasak is gone so will they be. I know that city and I know how to destroy it. That is what we will do." He turned and called down in West of Eden - Harry Harrison
    Marbak to Herilak at the water's edge.
    "You will have the wish that was shown to you in your dream, Herilak. We will leave here and go south and you will be sacripex of all the Tanu who march with us. The murgu will die and you will lead us. I now know what must be done and how to do it—and how to destroy them all. What do you say to that, great hunter? Will you lead us?"
    Herilak heard the authority in Kerrick's voice, knew that he would not have spoken this way if he did not know how the deed would be done. Hope tore through Herilak and his wordless roar was answer enough.
    "They come again," Sanone called out forgotten in the threat of the moment.
    CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
    The Yilanè advance broke against the rock wall of the defenders. The fargi died. The spirit seemed to have gone out of them and the attack was not pressed home. It was the last attack of the day because the sun was low in the sky, hidden by a bank of clouds, by the time the few survivors had withdrawn.
    Kerrick put all thoughts of future battles from him until the present one was finished. He stood atop the rock barrier, watching the crows and buzzards already starting on the luxurious feast that awaited them below. It would be dark soon. There would be no more attacks now since the Yilanè would be setting up their night camp and preparing its defenses. If he could only see what they were doing. There might be some way to harass them after dark. They could not be allowed to sleep in peace, to prepare themselves for the morning. Their attacks had come too close to succeeding this day: this must not be permitted to happen again. The prey must become the hunter now.
    "We must do more than simply lie here and wait for more attacks," he told Herilak when the big hunter had climbed up to join him. Herilak nodded solemn agreement.
    "I must follow them," Kerrick said.
    "We will follow them."
    "Good—but we must not follow them in death. Something happened today. A dart hit Sanone's headband but did not penetrate the twisted cloth. Darts are not like arrows or spears, they are light and do not go in very