Winter in Eden

mightiest on high to lowest below. "I tell you this now, and will tell him the same words. We will stay together. You will all obey me. You will be my fargi. He will be my fargi. You will be efenselè to each other. This is our efenburu."
    When he had told Ortnar the same thing he turned on his heel and left. Sanone was waiting for him when he came out of the hanalè.
    "You leave us," Sanone said.
    "I will come back—with Armun."
    "We all follow the footsteps of Kadair. Do you go alone?"
    "Ortnar goes with me. He is a good hunter and knows the path. And we take the murgu to carry food."
    "That is well, for I could not promise their safety once you were gone. We will be here when you return."
    Winter in Eden - Harry Harrison
    There was little enough to take for Kerrick had few possessions. The unbreakable ring was always around his neck, the little knife and the big one hung from it. He would need all the furs he had for the north and he rolled these carefully and tied them to his pack and pulled it on.
    Back in the hanalè he was relieved to discover that his small sammad was still intact—although Ortnar stood against one wall, the two Yilanè against the other. They all moved with relief when he entered.
    The word had spread, and it seemed that every Sasku was there to watch the strange procession when they emerged. Kerrick went first, looking neither to right nor left, while the two males stumbled after him, bent under the weight of their packs, fear in every movement of their bodies. Ortnar came last looking as though he wished he were somewhere else. He carried two of the hèsotsan, as did Kerrick—the extra weapons in case the first died, Kerrick had explained. Through the city they went, to the northernmost exit among the fields, where the nenitesk turned placid eyes upon them as they passed.
    Only when they had marched for some time, were well clear of the city, did Kerrick order a stop. Ortnar merely stood and waited but the males fell to the ground, writhing with expressions of fatigue and despair.
    "Death is better—the birth-beaches are better!"
    "The hanalè is our home, we belong there."
    "Useless males be still," Kerrick ordered. "Rest while you can, then we go on."
    "Why do they moan and shake like that?" Ortnar asked.
    "They are like children. They have never been out of the city before—nor have they ever done any work like carrying those packs."
    "That is not work," he said scornfully. "They are big and ugly and strong. We'll make them work before we kill them."
    "They are my friends—and we will not kill them."
    "Then the winter will. It is the same to me."
    "That will not happen either. When we looked at the plan of the land—did you notice the large lake north of here?"
    "We call it Round Lake. I have been there."
    "Good. We go there first—if you will lead the way." Because of the complaints of Nadaske and Imehei, and their slow gait, it was not until the third day that they reached the lake. There was swamp to the south Winter in Eden - Harry Harrison
    of it, but Ortnar knew the path that took them around it to the lakeshore.
    "Good fishing here," Ortnar said. "Hunting as well."
    "All for the best," Kerrick said. "Because we are leaving the murgu here with a supply of meat. We go on alone. We will go faster that way."
    "We do not kill them? I cannot understand this."
    "I won't kill them—because they are my friends. And they are of my sammad. They do not ask me to kill you."
    Ortnar found this difficult to understand. "But you are Tanu—and they are just filthy murgu. I will kill them for you, do not worry."
    "Part of me is filthy murgu too, Ortnar, you must never forget that. I grew up with them—and do not see them as you do. Put aside thoughts of hatred for a short while. Help me make this place safe for them, then we will go on."
    Ortnar looked at the murgu: one of them yawned and he stepped back at the sight of the rows of conical teeth. "If this is what you want, sammadar, then I will help you. But I cannot lie and say that I like it—or even understand your reasons for doing this thing."
    "Thank you for your help—that is all I ask. Now let me tell them what has been decided."
    Kerrick waited until the screams of agony had turned to wails of despair before he silenced them.
    "Wet-from-ocean—or fearless-males? Which are you? Here is your opportunity to live, to be free of the females and the hanalè. To be strong and independent. We will build a shelter against the rain.