The sun was rising on the battle. As night evaporated sunlight lit their muddy faces and blood stained hands. Still they raged on. Behind her broken home, the Lady Kriva stood bravely whispering the words of her mother tongue. With each command fire, water, wind and earth rose to meet the tigers and beat them back from the village. Away from the frightened families concealed in their cliff homes. One of the vandals shoved the remains of the great granite house off his shoulders, and stumbled onto Kriva's hiding place. Her spell was broken by his claw, but the power lashed out and ripped at his skin. The shredded corpse fell to the ground. Outside where the battle raged Karuku's strange fever subsided as she felt the spell snap.

"Mother!" she cried, and took to the sky. The tigers roared angrily at her, but the birds stole away their attention. Karuku landed by her mother's side. "Oh goddess…" she whispered.

"Worry not, my child." Kriva's voice was very faint and Karuku leaned close to hear her. She cradled the woman in her arms. "I never wished to live a song different than your father's, and I can feel his soul flying from this place. The skies are ever ours." Karuku's tears felt hot, and washed away the mud and blood on her cheeks.

"Don't go. Don't leave me," she pleaded.

"Don't be silly," hissed her mother. "I love you, and I can never leave you."

"I know" said Karuku, and Lady Kriva died in her arms. Behind them, the battle continued to rage. Tears slipped down Karuku's cheeks, her silent grief overflowing. She gripped her mother's hand tightly, threw back her head, and screamed. It was the cry of a grieving hawk; filled with sorrow, anger, and incredible power. The birds began to fall back. They wept as they carried away the wounded. Tigers abandoned the corpses and ran quickly, stumbling over their own dead. The unending cry rang painfully and commandingly in their ears with only one word in their minds;

LEAVE.

The rain departed as well, and even the sun seemed frightened to take over. It hid fearfully behind the clouds, and they were reluctant to stay. The cry ended with noisy tears. Two warriors stepped beside Karuku. They too were hesitant to be there.

"Lady…we must take care of the dead." Karuku clung to her mother's body and tried to calm herself.

"Care for the wounded first so we add no more to their number, and search the rubble of the house for survivors. The bodies will be burned and set to fly forever."

"But Lady…for your parents…there are rites to be performed for the village leaders," said one of the warriors hastily.

"We'll perform them later. Tend to the wounded." They left quickly. Karuku carefully released the Lady Kriva, and stood slowly. There was much to be done.