Well, here's chapter 25, a short Durc and Ura bit. This is the last chapter I have 'pre-written', and with the new baby just home, it may be a little while before I can get around to another update. Still, this is very much a 'live' story so far as I'm concerned, so updates will follow just as soon as Real Life allows!

And then, blanching suddenly as an epiphany hit him, Durc stammered, "Ura, Broud is right! Maybe not for the right reasons, but… !" Then, focusing his gaze on his mate intently, Durc went on in a voice abruptly strong with conviction, "Ura, I don't know how to tell you this, but as quickly as we can, we need to prepare to leave this place. Not tonight, but as soon as possible. We have to leave this clan, or it may not survive to see summer!"

Predictably, Ura's eyes flew open at this pronouncement and, if she'd had any idea whatsoever what to say her carefully crafted Clan reserve would surely have broken. As was, she never even had a chance to get that far; Durc was on his feet and on his way out of the hearth before Ura had entirely grasped what he'd just said.

For his part, Durc was headed toward the back of the cave and an all-too-familiar passage with purposeful strides, his mind a roiling mass of turmoil as the implications of the dream that he knew wasn't really a dream continued to reverberate and expand. He knew that the mog-ur had told him to stay at his hearth until called for and felt a vague sense of guilt at disobeying the older man but he also knew with crystal clarity that what he had to discuss couldn't wait. He was convinced that what he'd seen in his dream bore nothing but ill for the clan and had to be acted upon as soon as possible.

As he entered the spirit cave, Durc spied the mog-ur sitting cross-legged in front of Great Ursus' skull, his head bowed and eyes closed in a pose of inner contemplation. Obviously he'd entered a deeper meditation on the night's events, possibly even aided by some herbal concoction. Again Durc felt a twinge of guilt, hating to interrupt his mentor while he was in such a state but he knew that it had to be done and he was sure that, once he'd heard what Durc had to say Goov would agree.

Moving a bit hesitantly, Durc approached the seated man and, placing a hand carefully on his shoulder quietly said his name. "Goov?"

The older man started slightly at this, obviously not expecting to be interrupted in whatever realm his mind was working in and then, turning, slowly focused on the younger man in front of him.

"Durc," he said slowly and with a bit of confusion. "What are you doing here? You should still be at your hearth."

Dropping smoothly to sit in front of the other man, Durc replied a bit sheepishly, "This man is sorry for failing to follow the mog-ur's instructions but- something important has happened, Goov. Something that couldn't wait to be discussed."

Scowling slightly, the mog-ur said, "This isn't anything to do with Broud, is it? He hasn't… done anything, has he?"

Making a sign of negation, Durc said quickly, "No, mog-ur, nothing like that. I haven't even seen the leader since we left this cave; perhaps he's gone off to contemplate matters by himself as well. But what I have to discuss with you certainly involves the leader and… his wishes in this matter."

Perplexed now, the mog-ur said, "You're speaking in circles, Durc. Please, stop tiptoeing around whatever it is you need to say to me and let us get whatever it is out into the open. By your manner I gather that this is a serious matter in your opinion."

Durc nodded and said, "Yes, mog-ur. I wouldn't have interrupted your meditations if not." And then, after a slight pause he continued with, "I- had a dream, mog-ur. When I reached my hearth I was so exhausted that I fell asleep as soon as Grev helped me to my furs and- I had a dream that I know was no dream."

His scowl deepening, Goov said, "You believe you had a vision then, something from the spirit world."

Durc nodded again and said, "Yes, mog-ur. I'm certain it was a vision, a true seeing, and- mog-ur, it was the most horrible thing I've ever seen! It was a vision of blood and pain and death! Death for this entire clan! And worst of all- worst of all, I was its instrument. I saw- mog-ur, I believe what I saw was what would have happened if the unclean spirit had taken me." Then, in a smaller and far more troubled voice he added, "What could still happen all too easily, I'm afraid."

Goov rocked back slightly at this, the implications of Durc's words percolating through his mind in layers. After several seconds of contemplation, he said, "You don't believe the spirit has given up. You think it will come again."

Staring earnestly at the older man, Durc said in a deeply troubled tone, "That's just it, mog-ur; I don't know. But I do know the- desperation I felt from the thing when it attacked me and the… sheer malice when I drove it away. It wanted me so badly… I can't imagine it won't try again if it can. And if I can't push it away again, if I fail… mog-ur, I've seen what will happen. This clan will die."

The mog-ur felt a chill creep up his spine at Durc's words, at the utter certainty behind them. In that moment he had no doubt that the boy had seen something real through his dreams and that it was every bit as horrible as he said. But that left a large question open in Goov's mind. "What do you propose to do then, Durc? It's obvious that you have something in mind."

The younger man was silent for several moments, a sure sign that whatever he was about to say wasn't easy for him. Finally he said, "That's just it, mog-ur. What I know has to be done, the only right thing to do, has already been proposed." He paused for a moment more and then said, "Whatever his reasons, right or wrong, Broud had the right idea. I- have to leave this clan. And I believe Ura has to come with me."

Nodding slowly, a resigned look on his face, Goov said, "I thought it might be something like that. But why Ura? She's only a woman after all. Do you truly think this spirit would have any interest in her?"

Durc shook his head slowly and said, "I truly don't know, mog-ur. But we both know, regardless of what anyone else might say, that she and I are more than just identically deformed. Both of us carry some part of the Others inside of us and perhaps that's what this… entity is attracted to. Or perhaps not; but it doesn't really matter, mog-ur. If you'd seen what I'd seen, you'd know that we can take no chances with this thing. One mistake in this will spell death for everyone in this cave. If preventing that means turning one man and his pregnant mate out into the winter cold then that's a price I'm willing to pay, mog-ur." And then, after a short pause for thought he added, "But don't think that means I intend to simply give up and go lie in the snow to die. No, mog-ur, I intend to leave but I don't intend to be Cursed. I think we can talk our leader out of that if we simply agree to go."

With a contemplative look on his face Goov said, "You may be right about that, Durc. But what then? Where will you go and what will you do?"

As it happened, Durc had been thinking these very thoughts himself since the moment he'd realized the need to leave and the answers he'd come up with had surprised him every bit as much as he expected they'd surprise Goov. Aloud he said, "We will go north, mog-ur. Away from the peninsula and the lands of the Clan and towards those of the Others."

Bridling slightly, Goov blurted, "Towards the Others? For what possible reason, Durc?"

Pausing to gather his thoughts for a moment, Durc finally said, "It's- a feeling more than anything else, mog-ur. An intuition, if you will. We don't know for sure whether the spirit's interest in me is related to my connection to the Others, but I'm certain it has to do with some aspect of my- differences. It only seems to make sense to me to see what I can learn of this from the Others, if they know anything of this beast that we don't. As I said, mog-ur, I don't intend to just lie down and die somewhere with my mate and her unborn child; I intend to find a way to deal with this spirit and perhaps, someday, even return to my home."