“But you ran away!"

“I wanted so much to see my people,” Bedh said. “And I did not want them to be killed. I only would have shouted to them to warn them. But you tied my legs. That made me so sad. You did not trust me. I could think only about my people, and so I ran away. I am sorry, my lord."

“You would have warned them. They would have killed us!"

“Yes,” Bedh said. “But if you had let me guide you, I would have taken you to the Bustu or the Tullu village and helped you catch children. Those are not my people. I was born an Allulu and am a man of the City. My sister's child is a god. I am to be trusted."

Ten Belen turned away and said nothing.

He saw the starlight in the eyes of a child, her head raised a little, watching and listening. It was the one who had followed them to be with her sister.

“That one,” Bedh said. “That one, too, will mother gods."

II

Chergo's Daughter and Dead Ayu's First Daughter, who were now Vui and Modh, whispered in the grey of the morning before the men woke.

“Do you think she's dead?” Vui whispered.

“I heard her crying. All night."

They both lay listening.

“That one named her,” Vui whispered very low. “She can follow us."

“She will."

The little sister, Mal, was awake, listening. Modh put her arm around her and whispered, “Go back to sleep."

Near them, Bedh suddenly sat up, scratching his head. The girls stared wide-eyed at him.

“Well, Daughters of Tullu,” he said in their language spoken the way the Allulu spoke it, “you're Dirt people now."

They stared and said nothing.

“You're going to live in heaven on earth,” he said. “A lot of food. Big, rich huts to live in. And you don't have to carry your house around on your back across the world! You'll see. Are you virgins?"