CHAPTER 23:  OUT OF CONTROL

	Avina was staggering across the grassland, lamenting her crushed 
face and the death of her happiness.  It was a foolish accident, one 
that she never should have had, and since she was on a solo hunt there 
was no one to help her.  She had leaped for a hartebeest, and all was 
well until she felt almost like someone had grabbed her ankle and 
pulled.  The hartebeest struck her in the cheek, burying her under a 
mountain of pain.
	She desperately sought out Rafiki, and instead she encountered 
Gur'mekh....
	Gur'mekh saw with horror what the Makei was doing inside him.  He 
was a spectator, helpless in the grasp of an irresistible force.  He 
seized her throat, tasted lion blood, and felt the ground tremor as her 
once beautiful face struck the grass.
	She struggled weakly, begging him to stop in God's name.  For one 
brief moment, he met her eyes and her horror and sadness came pouring 
into him.  "What's going to happen to my cubs?" she silently dispaired.  
	"May Roh'kash bless them," Gur'mekh tried to say--it would not 
come out.  And as a tear trickled down his cheek, he grasped the tender 
skin of her abdomen and ripped her alive.
	Her shriek pierced him like a thorn.  "Why, God??  I thought I was 
free of this!  I thought I was free!"
	"There's only one way to be free of me," a voice echoed inside his 
head.  "You don't have the nerve to do it, you little coward!  Now shut 
up and eat!  You must set a good example for your friends."
	Gur'mekh's stomach was in knots and his limbs quaked as he was 
forced to eat the still-warm lioness.  The huge bites Melmokh made him 
take nearly choked him.
	"Gur'mekh?  Brother?  Do you think we should have done this?"
	It was Jalkort.  Gur'mekh looked around, unable to say what was in 
his heart.  But tears were streaming down his cheeks.
	"Oh Gur'mekh!"  Jal watched the tears fall silently.  "What's 
wrong?"
	Gur'mekh looked at him pleadingly for a moment, mute against his 
will.  "Oh Jal!" he thought.  "My nearly perfect friend.  If only you 
could hear my thoughts!"
	As he looked back, blood and mother's milk ran from Avina's torn 
abdomen.  "Oh gods!  Oh gods, show me the way and I'll be rid of this 
thing!  I'd do anything!  ANYTHING!!"
	"Your gods won't help you now.  You told me to kill Demrath of 
your own free will, and you're beyond their help.  You're mine to do 
with as I please!"
	A terrible roar shattered the air, and for an instant Gur'mekh 
expected Melmokh to materialize before him, revealing his shame to all 
present.  The other hyenas looked at him, frozen in terror, wide-eyed 
with fear as they backed away from him.
	Abruptly he realized they were not looking at him, but at 
something beyond him.  He turned his head to see the the furious charge 
of a male lion hurtling towards them, his face burning with fury, fangs 
bared as he uttered another challenge.  Without waiting for Gur'mekh's 
command, the hyenas broke and ran.  Gur'mekh joined them, stumbling away 
in a haze of horror.
	The Makei fell into mocking laughter as the lion looked up at 
heaven and raged against the awful crime.  "I said I'd pick the next 
victim!  Run, Gur'mekh!  Run while you still can!  Ha ha ha ha!!"


CHAPTER 24:  ONE FALSE STEP

	Free to run, Gur'mekh beat a hasty retreat toward the clan 
territory with his companions.  Muti would know what to do!  Muti would 
know it was not his fault!  
	Perhaps this demon was stubborn and required a harsh regimen of 
fasting and ordeals.  He would gladly do whatever it took to be rid of 
the spirit, assuming he could live long enough to find the way.  The 
lion was not faster, but he would not stop.  
	"Roh'kash, why have you forsaken me!  Great Mother, help me!"
	Gur'mekh crossed the creek and headed up the eastern meadow.  Then 
he saw Antelope Kopje on his right and the Clan Acacia on his left--
right between the two of them stretched an invisible line where the 
lion's territory ended and he was on his home soil.  Ah, blessed 
sanctuary of home!
	But Shaka crossed the border and continued into the Clan's turf!  
He would not turn back!  Gur'mekh had only three choices.  He could find 
strength in numbers, and if that failed he could keep running until the 
lion tired and stopped.  If that did not work, he could stage a last 
desperate battle for his life with his three companions.  Good old 
Jalkort would not run out on him.  The other two would probably run in 
different directions and leave them there to fend for themselves.  At 
least good old Jal really loved him.  Maybe--just maybe--they would live 
to see twilight.
	Gur'mekh topped the rise that surrounded the elephant graveyard.  
He half ran, half slid down the other side, barreling toward the spot 
where his parents would no doubt be taking their evening nap.
	Behind him, he heard a yelp.  Turning his head, for one awful 
moment he saw Jalkort turning end over end down the slope, coming to 
rest in the dust, then trying to right himself.  "Jal!!  Get up!!"
	Shaka pounced, and in one horrifying arc covered the distance to 
the unfortunate hyena.  Jalkort found himself trapped under the awesome 
weight of Shaka's front paws.  The lion leaned back or he would have 
crushed him at once.  He had other plans, and merely kept Jalkort 
gasping in a tight embrace of rage.
	"You killed my wife!" Shaka roared.  "You ripped out my heart, and 
I will rip out yours!"  The lion looked at the terrified face and knew 
there was nothing more he could say to frighten him.  "I give you a 
moment to pray to your god."
	Fabana watched, beside herself with terror.  Jalkort glanced about 
frantically and saw her in the crowd.  He silently mouthed her name, the 
cried, "Somebody help me!"
	"You are trespassing on our lands!" Amarakh said.  "You are 
holding one of my people!"
	"He's a murderer!  He killed my wife in cold blood, and he was on 
my land!  She had two cubs, Amarakh.  Two cubs that won't have a mother 
coming home tonight!  She was alive when they ripped her!  Alive!"
	She looked at Jalkort.  She recognized that he was one of 
Gur'mekh's followers.  "I will investigate it.  I know him.  He's a 
trouble maker anyhow, and you can be sure I will punish him if he's 
guilty."
	"IF??"  Shaka glared down at his prisoner.  "I saw him over her 
body.  Zazu saw the kill."  Shaka bent down.  "You tell her!  TELL HER, 
VERMIN!"
	Jalkort squealed, "Somebody help me!"  He looked at Fabana, her 
anguish piercing him to the core.
	"Husband!  Why??"
	In desperation, Jal saw Gur'mekh and looked into his eyes.
	Gur'mekh could feel the agony.  He considered rushing the lion to 
give Jal a chance to escape.  After all, Jal took no part in the 
killing.  Maybe a bite on the foreleg to make him let up for one brief 
moment.  That's all Jalkort would need.
	He crouched, ready to spring.  "Roh'kash, give me strength."  
Suddenly his strength failed him.  He didn't feel too afraid to move, 
but he could not straighten his back legs.  "Leave me alone, Melmokh!" 
he thought.  "It's MY neck, you fool!  I can risk it if I choose!"
	"Fool, am I?  Who called a grand makei just to have an affair with 
a married ban'ret that hates him??  No, you'll die when I'm good and 
ready.  Right now, I want Jalkort!"
	Amarakh said, "You can't extract a confession to a murder by death 
threats.  This is my land, and I give you my word we will investigate 
within the customs of our law.  But you must let him go.  Leave--now!"
	Shaka said, "I do not believe you."
	"You are not in a position to negotiate.  Leave at once.  I will 
see your brother the King tonight.  We will talk."
	Shaka wept.  You are right.  You are absolutely right.  I am NOT 
in a position to negotiate!"  Looking up, he cried, "Aiheu abamami!!"  
He swung down and with one snatch of his jaws severed Jalkort's head.
	Fabana ran around in tight circles screaming, "Oh gods!  Oh gods!"
	Gur'mekh rolled on the ground howling.  The entity reminded him 
that "Isn't it strange that your best friend happened to trip when he 
did?  Such a pity.  And right after you tried to exorcise me.  You'd 
think it was more than a coincidence, wouldn't you?"
	"My gods!" Gur'mekh screamed.  "No!!"
	"Yes!!  Oh, the sweetness of his suffering!  I feel stronger, 
bolder, freer!  And now watch the lion!  How bravely he meets his 
death!"
	The hyenas closed in on the lion, and Shaka died without much of a 
struggle.  The entity began to giggle like a ban'ret on a hot date.  
"Look, Gur'mekh!  See how a lion dies!  Will you be that brave when your 
time comes??"
	The Roh'mach prepared for the real backlash to come.  In a state 
of heightened alert, the hyenas doubled the guard, closing off all 
entrances and exits from the Clan territory unless the proper passwords 
were given.
	Gur'mekh sought out Fabana.  He told her, "Fay, I want to help 
you."  
	She replied, "The way you tried to help Lenti?  And my name is 
FABANA to you!"
	He followed her, persisting.  "Look, I loved your husband as a 
brother.  Ask anyone!  I tried to help him just now, but...."
	"But WHAT?"
	"Oh, you wouldn't understand!"
	"I understand perfectly.  Jal was your pal, as long as he was 
doing stuff for you.  But the moment he got in trouble, you turn your 
back on him!"
	Gur'mekh's hackles raised.  "To hell with you!  I knew you 
wouldn't understand!  You can raise your own brats without my help!"
	Fabana acked back, whining.
	Tears came to Gur'mekh's eyes.  "I'm sorry!  I'm so sorry!"  He 
began to sob.  "Fay, I loved him!  I really loved him!  I'm sorry!"
	"Yeah, well...."  She backed off suspiciously.  "Look, thanks for 
the offer, Gur'mekh.  We'll talk sometime, OK?"
	She turned and hurried off, trying not to break into a run.  But 
the intent was clear.  She put a great deal of distance between herself 
and him, mixing with a large crowd where she could grieve in peace.
	Then came the confrontation with Ahadi.  Gur'mekh was hiding in 
his cave sobbing while the Lion King was demanding a settling of 
accounts and setting the ban.  All Gur'mekh could think about was Jal's 
haunting whimper as he peered into his eyes.  "Jal, if you can hear me, 
I tried to help you!  Oh gods, Jal!  Jal!"
	Ahadi made his demands clear.  In response, Amarakh made clear 
demands on her people: someone must pay for the attack, or all would 
suffer.
	Gur'mekh tried to find his parents.  He began to work his way 
through the crowd.  Before he was successful, the Roh'mach called out 
assembly.  
	"I don't have time for this!"  He kept working his way through the 
crowd.
	"Come to order!" the Roh'mach called again.  "That means you too, 
Gur'mekh!"
	The Roh'mach lined up everyone.  Amarakh said, "We are in 
desperate times.  If we don't find out who lead the hunting party, we'll 
all have to suffer for the actions of a few.  I cannot stand by and see 
the innocent suffer with the guilty."
	Ber spoke up.  "Roh'mach, we have a seer whose innocence is beyond 
dispute.  Why don't we have her hunt down the guilty party?"
	"Shimbekh?  Excellent suggestion, Ber!"
	Ber leered at Gur'mekh, and watched him squirm with all the glee 
of a wrestling pup.
	The hyenas were lined up by Ber and Amarakh, and each one had to 
look Shimbekh in the eyes.  There was no adequate defence except 
possibly love.  "Shimbekh loves me," Gur'mekh thought.  "Surely to God 
she won't betray me!"
	Gur'mekh glanced nervously down the line as Shimbekh counted off 
the hyenas, one at a time, marking them with a pawprint in Shaka's 
blood.  It was the red badge of their innocence.  For one frantic 
moment, Gur'mekh considered blaming it on Jalkort.  He was dead anyhow--
his suffering was over.  But he thought about Fabana and her unborn 
pups.  She would surely be exiled to scrabble for leavings in the 
desert.  In desperation he bit his own leg--deeply--marking his cheek 
with a bloody pawprint.
	"Hey Gur'mekh, your leg is bleeding!  How did you do that??"
	Gur'mekh jerked his head to look at Korg, who stood next to him, 
looking at him curiously.  "Hsssh, Korg!  Not so loud!  You know good 
and well what I did.  And just you keep your silence."
	Korg shook his head sympathetically.  "You should have that looked 
at."
	"I will later."
	"But it's serious."  He bent his head to examine the wound closer.
	"I'm serious.  Drop this conversation!"
	Korg sniffed of his wound, spreading the blood with his nose.  
"Looks bad for you, fellow!"
	Gur'mekh to slapped him with a paw.  "STOP!"
	Heads turned.  Now Gur'mekh was the subject of scrutiny by dozens 
of hyenas.  He began to tremble, then as Amarakh drew close to him, he 
panicked.
	Gur'mekh tried to run, but his leg cramped up.  He was quickly 
overtaken and stopped by bared teeth on all sides.  Pushing through the 
crowd was Shimbekh.  He tried not to look in her eyes.
	Shimbekh finally secured a straight-on stare into his eyes.  "Did 
you lead the attack?"
	Gur'mekh squirmed as he felt the first touch of her mind.  Gentle 
but insistent, he felt the probe of her psyche like a gentle tickling in 
the back of his head.
	"You know this is necessary.  Be calm--just relax...."
	Her thought broke off abruptly.  Her mind's eye opened and she saw 
the struggling lioness crawling through the grass, her shattered jaw 
dripping blood and saliva on the ground.  She saw Gur'mekh move forward, 
and heard the lioness's dying shriek.
	"Oh gods, nephew!"  she thought.  "Why?!"
	"She was dying anyhow!"  Gur'mekh said aloud.  "In the name of the 
gods, there is no way she could have lived!"  He fought frantically with 
teeth and paws, but was grabbed roughly by the throat and choked into 
submission.
	Shimbekh stood over him, her face twisted in pain as she touched 
his mind again.  "The deed is done.  I will pray for you, nephew, for 
there will be a reckoning."
	Gur'mekh looked up at her, eyes pleading.  "Please," he thought 
frantically.  "Lie, do something!!  It was not my fault!  Can't you see 
it was Melmokh!  Melmokh!"
	"I can see that, but there is more to it than that.  More that 
you're not telling me.  He couldn't force you unless you had sinned."
	"They'll kill me!  Oh gods, I don't want to die!  I was turning my 
life around!  I tried exorcism!  Tell Muti I was forced to do this!  
Tell her, Shimbekh!  I can't control myself anymore!  Don't you love me 
anymore?  You said we'd always be friends--you PROMISED!!"
	"I will pray for you," she repeated, tears staining the dark gray 
fur of her cheeks to black.  "Maybe death will set you free."
	"Please!  Please no, I'll do anything!  Just let me talk with muti 
first!  Please!  Just five minutes!"
	"I can't.  I'm sorry."  Shimbekh broke contact and turned, looking 
to the Roh'mach, who stood by, waiting.  She shuddered to say the words.  
"Gur'mekh is guilty."
	Amarakh glared down at him.  "You've been a thorn in my side long 
enough.  This time you went too far, and you will pay for it."  She 
jerked her head.  At the signal, three guards strode forward and seized 
Gur'mekh at various points with their powerful jaws, not breaking the 
skin, but firmly enough that he realized he could not escape.  The 
guards pulled him firmly along.
	"Look at him!" Ber shouted to the pups that huddled by him.  
"That's the devil that murdered your father!"
	Kambra fell on her back and began shrieking uncontrollably.  
Gur'bruk stared into space, a look of hopelessness on his face.  "Not my 
son," he stammered.  "Why, God?  Why my son?  Why??"
	Kambra tried to push through the crowd, but she was held back.  
"Gur'mekh!  Oh gods!  Let me pass--I must see him!"
	"Mother!"
	Shrill laughter echoed in his mind as he was led away.  The Makei 
told him, "After all, it was your destiny to look off Pride Rock."


CHAPTER 25:  BEFORE THE JUDGEMENT SEAT

	Ber jeered Gur'mekh on the way to judgment.  "I hope the King rips 
you alive!  Kill my son, will you??  May you rot in hell!"
	Lenti was right behind him, crying, "Murderer!  Murderer!"
	Gur'mekh looked back at her and said plaintively, "I love you!  
How can you hate me, Lenti??"
	Ahadi came to the promontory and looked out at the distant 
approaching band of hyenas.  He was not sure what was on the wind, but 
he had a good idea what was about to happen.  He sent out a delegation 
of lionesses headed by Uzuri to confirm his suspicions.
	Gur'mekh whimpered.  "Roh'mach, I was posessed by a demon spirit!  
Please, I didn't want to hurt Avina!  I swear!"
	"And you are much better now?  Is that it?"
	"No!  I'm not better!  Please don't kill me while I'm bound to 
this thing!  It will steal my soul!  Don't let it steal my soul!"
	"I'm not letting it do anything to you," Amarakh said curtly.  
"Explain this to Ahadi.  You're at his mercy, not mine."
	Just then the lionesses fell in around the hyena guard, walking at 
a distance but still menacing with their strong, lithe bodies looming 
like giants around them.  Gur'mekh began to shudder.  "I didn't want to 
hurt her!  I swear!"
	One of the lionesses glanced over at him and scowled, showing her 
fangs.  "So, you're the little wretch that killed her!  You'll pay for 
that meal, scum!"
	"He killed my son," Ber said bitterly.  "He'll pay for a lot of 
things today!"
	"Silence!" Amarakh said.  "The King alone will pass judgment on 
the prisoner.  The King alone!"
	Of course, ringed by so many powerful lionesses, Amarakh's 
shouting was so much empty noise.  She began to feel apprehensive 
herself.
	Ahadi stood on the promontory.  Gur'mekh caught sight of him and 
began to squeel and yelp, struggling against the hyenas that held him 
fast.  "Oh gods!  Don't do this!  I'm innocent!  Let me go!  Oh gods, 
he's going to kill me!"
	"Quit whining like a pup!" Amarakh said.  "We have our dignity.  
Face him the way you faced Avina."
	"I was possessed!" Gur'mekh shrieked.  "In God's name, ask 
Shimbekh!  Please, call for Shimbekh!  She'll explain everything!"
	Ahadi watched the agony in Gur'mekh's eyes.  "There goes the most 
unfortunate of creatures," he said to Akase.  "I expected an arrogant 
buck and instead I got a terrified boy."
	At the base of Pride Rock, two more lionesses appeared, flanking 
Gur'mekh on either side as he scrabbled up the slope, babbling almost 
incoherently about the Makei.
	Gur'mekh tried to hold himself steady as they reached the top of 
the path, but when he turned to see Ahadi sitting silently in the mouth 
of the cave waiting for him, he began to whimper again.
	"This is Gur'mekh," Amarakh said.  "He called for Avina's life.  
His jaws are stained red with her blood.  We bring him to your justice."
	The hyena looked into the face of Ahadi.  He could see death in 
his eyes.  His knees began to buckle, and he urinated on the cave floor.  
"Roh'kash, help me!  Help me!"
	Ahadi came over to him.  Quietly, without malice, he purred, "I do 
not want to kill your immortal Ka.  Aiheu will decide.  I give you a 
chance to admit your guilt."
	"Have mercy!  Oh gods!"  Gur'mekh fell on his back, soiling his 
fur in the urine as he began to paw at Ahadi.  "I don't want to die!"
	"That is not an option at this point.  You will have an 
opportunity to be right with your God.  Now tell me Gur'mekh, they 
didn't torture it out of you, did they?  Are you guilty as they say?"
	Gur'mekh knew there was nothing he could do to save himself.  He 
decided to do the only decent thing.  "Forgive the others.  I talked 
them into it.  All my fault.  The Roh'mach didn't know.  All my fault.  
And I'm sorry.  So sorry!"
	"It's good that you're sorry.  Your friends are glad as well, for 
I will not punish them.  Now don't you feel better telling the truth?"
	"I thi-think so.  Yes."
	"Now then, I want you to think really carefully.  I can make it 
swift and nearly painless.  But the gods may not think you have suffered 
enough.  Or I can punish you now, and you will die forgiven."
	Gur'mekh knew he was not guilty of killing Avina.  But he was 
guilty of killing Demrath.  With the chance of eternal damnation looming 
over him, he tried to think clearly.  "I don't know," he cried.  "I 
don't know!"
	"But you must know, Gur'mekh.  When you do something, be it good 
or bad, there are consequences.  I would not want to face God after an 
easy death.  I would take my punishment now, but it is your decision."
	Gur'mekh's jaw began to tremble.  "Help me decide," he silently 
prayed.  "Roh'kash, Great Mother, your will be done."  He gasped for 
air, his heart pounding.  "Well then, I want to be sure.  Hurt me bad.  
Hurt me very bad."
	Ahadi looked around.  "Take the cubs outside.  Far away.  Wife, 
you may want to leave as well."
	Time dragged by as the young and fearful walked away.  Gur'mekh 
kept silently repeating his prayer.  "Roh'kash, Great Mother, rescue my 
spirit.  Roh'kash, Great Mother, rescue my spirit...."
	Finally, Ahadi nodded gravely.  "You ripped her alive.  If you 
would find peace, I will have to return in kind."  He looked upward.  
"Oh gods, look down on your child.  Witness his suffering and accept his 
atonement."
	"If you do this, do you promise you'll forgive me?  Promise?"
	"I promise, son.  While you can, go as far as you can.  Your 
friends will have to drag you the rest of the way."
	"I understand."  Gur'mekh shut his eyes and whimpered.  "Mother 
Roh'kash!!!"
	Ahadi swept his abdomen with his outstretched claws.  In a private 
hell of pain, Gur'mekh shrieked all the air from his lungs, gasped in 
and shrieked again.  It was often said that at that same moment Gur'bruk 
and Kambra fell to the ground and covered their ears, trying to block 
out the squeels of his death agony.
	Gur'mekh gasped for air, foaming at the mouth and shuddering on 
the floor.  His mangled, bleeding entrails were laid open to the 
horrified audience of hyenas.  The Roh'mach had to look away, covering 
her face with a paw.  Ahadi looked at his paw red with Gur'mekh's blood 
and glanced again and the unfortunate wretch gasping out his life.
	"Somebody help me!" Gur'mekh cried.  "I can't get up!"
	Ahadi looked on the youth with compassion, taking Gur'mekh by the 
nape of the neck and lifting him upright.  "Can you walk?"
	"I'll try."  He shuffled forward, stiff-legged, his face a 
portrait of pain and hoplessness.  "Roh'kash, great mother, my spirit 
longs to nurse at your side."  He gasped, struggling to finish the 
prayer of confession.  "Forgive me.  Brother Sun, Sister Moon, do not 
shine on my transgressions.  Shine only on my good deeds.  Let my debt 
be paid."  Tears began to flood his cheeks.  "Oh gods, I'm hurt!"  
	"I know," one of the lionesses said.  "It was a brave thing you 
did for me.  I forgive you."
	He looked and saw it was Avina.  His heart focused on her.  One of 
the blessed, she might be able to protect him from the Makei.
	Demrath nuzzled him.  "I accept your sacrifice.  Oh gods, we could 
have been good friends.  Why do things work out that way?"
	"You are good and noble.  Protect me in the moment of my death."
	The members of the hyena escort looked around to see whom he was 
talking with.
	"He's in shock," Ber said.  
	Gur'mekh turned to look at Ber.  The old hyena, once so full of 
hate, could not meet the desolate eyes of the dying ban'ret.  "I admit 
it.  I killed Demrath."
	Ber gasped.  "Why did you do it?  Why?"
	"Because I loved Lenti.  I would have done anything for her love, 
but I destroyed her."
	"Are you saying you really were possessed?"
	"Yes."  Blood-soaked drool began to run down his neck.  "I'm 
sorry, Ber.  Accept my death."
	"You die a brave death.  I accept it."
	Gur'mekh's agony was so great that his head swam.  He stumbled, 
and some of the hyenas propped him upright.  Reduced to a bare crawl, he 
had to will each step up the promontory. 
	The Makei's voice echoed in his head.  "You don't have to die.  If 
you will curse Ahadi with the words I teach you, you will be King on 
Pride Rock and he will crawl to his death.  Even now it is not too late.  
Do you understand me, Gur'mekh?"
	"Oh I understand," Gur'mekh thought in reply.  "I understand that 
you are afraid!  I will feed off YOUR agony for a change!"
	One of the hyenas that walked ahead of him was Jalkort.  "I know 
you tried to rush Shaka to save me.  You were willing to die in my 
place."
	"You knew I loved you, Jal."
	"I'm going to try and help you, but you must resist the evil.  
Resist it, brother!"
	"I'm doing my best!"
	Again, the hyenas looked about.  Ber alone understood what was 
happening.  "Pray, Gur'mekh.  While you still draw breath, pray.  The 
Nisei are coming for you."
	"You are good, Ber.  Just like your son."
	The makei's voice ran through his head once more.  "I also forgive 
you for attempting to drive me out.  If you'll swear alliegance to me, 
we will be friends, not enemies.  I will give you power, fame, and the 
pleasures of Akase.  The prophesy was for you to take Ahadi's place.  
And when you're king, you can help the hyenas achieve mastery of the 
world.  We will rule together, unbeatable and immortal.  Just swear 
alliegance to me, and all this will be yours, and much more."
	"No."
	"Don't be a fool!"
	"For once, I'm not a fool."
	"If you don't say yes, I'll hold you together and let you linger 
for hours in this agony!  And it can get worse, much worse!"
	Gur'mekh began to wretch up bloody scraps, wincing with the effort 
but helpless to stop.  His moans were broken by fits of gagging.  
"Never!" he defiantly replied.  Still, he felt such pain that he 
couldn't stand it much longer.  A cold sweat ran from his brow and his 
jaw trembled.  Wretching again, he shrieked, "God, let me die!"
	One of the hyena guards offered to push him off the tip of the 
rock but he gasped, "No!  Don't touch me!  I can't stand heights!"
	Jalkort whispered silent advice into Ahadi's heart, and the King 
came out to the end of the promontory.  Gur'mekh looked up and saw 
Ahadi's large, sad face.  He looked into those eyes and saw the goodness 
and sorrow Ahadi felt for him.  Gur'mekh was glad that that noble 
creature would not be victimized by the Makei.
	"Do you release me, friend?" he asked in his desperation.  "Have I 
paid the price?"
	Ahadi reached down and whispered, "You have paid in full.  I 
forgive you.  Relax, son--I'll be gentle and quick."
	Gur'mekh knew that the Makei was defeated.  He smiled at Ahadi and 
exposed his throat.  
	The lion took it gently but firmly, kissing away the burden of his 
mangled body.  Forgiven, Gur'mekh's spirit slipped away toward the 
eastern horizon to join his ancestors.  He found peace at last.

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