-ten-

- - -

"My mama." Fluttershine put her flipper to the still shoulder of Brelanda as she lay in the shallow grave. Maelstrom himself, along with many of the others in the flock had helped with the digging. They would bury her in the field that she had so lovingly cared and looked after her flock in, throughout much of the year.

Maelstrom blinked and kept his eyes downcast as the flock created lightsong, sang songs and spoke to the ancestors that had gone before Brelanda into the other realm where the dead lived. It was another realm, but at once it was in the same world. The dead lived in everything, from the waving blades of grass that surrounded them, to the clouds that sailed in Watakko's great sky, to the bodies of Maelstrom and his flock-brothers and sisters.

"It was your time to go," said young Darinna, watching the body.

-But it was not her time,- thought Maelstrom. He knew what had done this although he did not know how to speak it aloud. The demon had appeared in his dreams two nights ago...and then that dream had been shattered by the scream of Melody. They had held the light-vigil for Brelanda all that day and through the night, until it was certain that her lights were not coming back. In the sunlit day, it was hard to tell whether Brelanda's lights had been out or merely dim, as Phos's light reflected in them; but by night, when the flock stepped away and simmed their lights, it was much more certain.

The sheep created cotton-spore that covered Brelanda in a blanket of white before they buried her.

"This was not caused by any normal factor," said Heero-ki as they tamped down the soil over their departed eyomah. "This was caused by a demon. First the demon defiled our shrine...then with our power gone it attacked our eyomah. And if we do not act, it could happen again."

"What--what do we do?" said Forestweaver, a four-year-old ewe with lamb at side.

"Oh, Heero-poo," said Fluttershine, her eyelids batting in fear, "will you protect us?"

"You can bet your lights I will! I sweat by the lights of my own dead mother and probably dead father...well...maybe he's dead, I dunno, I haven't heard from the old bastard in some time. But!" Heero stamped upon the grave. "What we need to do is locate ourselves one of those great demon fighters, the Mah...Mure-na-kuros...err..."

"Mure'marië," said Thalenes. "Endeed. Buuut weh faaarst heff tuh looocate 'im. An' ai knooow where th' greeetest demon battler in the laand be. Heh leeeves en Cheppa, heh be mai grandfather Illugi. Illugi Grievous...the beest Mure'mar aroound, heh knoow hooow tuh best any demon whah' threaten denryuu kaind!"

Mure'mar were something Maelstrom knew little about, only that they were rams--and the occasional ewe--who studied the other realm and possessed a gift for speaking with the dead and of fine tuning their electricity to aid them in almost psychic ways. They had the ability to fight demons beyond what ordinary ampharos could do. More Maelstrom did not know, for no one in the flock was one nor had anyone met one. Not anyone except Thalenes.

"Then it's settled! We go to Chepporgavvo and find this Mure'mar, bring him back and hope to Phos that he knows how to deal with this problem better than we do!" Heero flashed his lights and let sparks ride over his skin. "Naturally we'll need a strong ram to go. That'd be me."

"But Heero-poo! The end of summer is coming...what if it takes you too long and you're not back for me when my season comes?" Fluttershine reached out and took hold of Heero's flipper.

"My dear," said Heero, squeezing her flipper, "the very lives of our flock are what matters. I've got to go or the party may never get there."

"An' withooot me yew ain't gonner' get thaire neether," said Thalenes. "Yew dunno the weey."

"A ewe? A ewe on the journey?" Heero shook his head. Maelstrom glared at him. To think that Heero couldn't figure out that Thalenes had gotten here on her own two legs! "You could get hur...well...now that I think about it I'd really hate to be stuck up some trail with no ewes, in the middle of the rut! Yes, of course you may come along." He winked at Thalenes.

"Ai got alla' plans o' findin' a better ram than yew whayle ai be at it, tew." Thalenes put her flippers on her wide hips.

"Nonsense," said Heero. "There is no better ram."

Maelstrom stepped over to his mama. "I'm going, too."

Heero's lights flashed in protest. "Oh...now wait just a sec...ewe AND lambs?"

"Nooo Maalstrom, this ain't a jarney fer lambs, dear." Thalenes shook her head. "Yurr' steyin' raight--"

"But I had a dream. The demon was in that dream!"

Some in the flock gasped. Heero knelt by the flaaffy-child and took hold of his arms. Heero pinned them to his sides. Maelstrom squirmed.

"I'm going! Let go of me. I'm going!" And he wasn't going to leave his mother to travel with this creep.

"What did the demon say? What did it look like!"

"Dark...with stingers."

"Moonbeam's spawn! What have I been telling all of you!" Heero gave Maelstrom a last shake and stood up. Maelstrom staggered to keep his balance. "That's none other than the demon probably known as Muh...m...but we shan't say his name aloud, that would only make things worse, you don't say the name of a demon aloud unless you want to call it upon you!" Heero stood facing the flock, then he whirled back round at Maelstrom. "You'll come along all right--and maybe the Mure'mar will finally put an end to the darkness inside you. I wouldn't be surprised if you're the reason why that demon's out and about!"

"Heero! Doon't yew be seeyin' thengs laaike thah' tuh MAAY son!" Thalenes stepped over and pulled Maelstrom towards her by the flipper. "Maalstrom dooon't lessen tew a theng heh says!"

Maelstrom stood in front of his mama. "I'm going."

He didn't see Kyaru slip away from the flock and head up towards the peak of the mountain.

- - -

Kyaru climbed the mountain, going up any way she could find. She had to get to Tallaluna and tell her what was going on. The hardy giant mountain lamb saw the lights of Tallaluna shining steadily as the solitary ewe grazed, up in an alpine meadow where the wind blew cool and crisp in the summer afternoon.

She took off towards Tallaluna at a trot. Kyaru wondered whether the ewe would even believe her...but then, she had never proven herself to be anything other than a stalwort, steady and truthful young ram, now had she?

"I warned you about coming to see me alone." Tallaluna stood up from grazing and put her flippers to her hips, which were slender for those of a giant mountain ewe of two years. "There's all kinds of danger--"

"And that's why I'm here!" Kyaru came bursting forward and reached Talla breathless. "The eyomah was killed last night! Someone said it was a demon."

Tallaluna tried to make sense of this in her mind as Kyaru caught her breath. "Some kind of hard evidence must have made them jump to conclusions. What happened? Calm down..."

Kyaru told her everything--about Brelanda's wounds, and the talk that Heero had had with Thalenes. And Maelstrom's vision. "I thought maybe you would wanna know about the journey so you can maybe, well...come with us?"

"I'm certainly going," Talla made a start towards the direction they would be headed, then she looked over her shoulder, "but why do you say 'us'? You cannot go. You're only a lamb and an unevolved one. That Maelstrom is going is bad enough!"

"You can't stop me!" Kyaru scraped her foot over the still-wet ground. After all the rains it would be some time before it was dry again. The winds blew cool against her coat, which was just beginning to grow in its winter pelage. "I won't stay behind."

"This journey is no place for any lamb. Not even a yearling! No--do you have any idea how distant a land Chepporgavvo is? What, is Thalenes crazy bringing her lamb on this?"

"She's not crazy! She's scared like me!" Kyaru blinked away her tears. "Brelanda was dead with a hole in her neck. Something stabbed her in her sleep without the flock even waking up. What if it's me or Maelstrom next?" She shook her head, walking in front of Tallaluna. "I'm going and you can't stop me."

"However much of a ewe you may be, you have a stubborn streak strong enough to put any ramling to shame." Tallaluna looked at the lamb standing in her long, late afternoon shadow.

Kyaru sighed, then sniffled. "I'm -not- a ewe."

- - -

"The fewer who go on this journey the better," said Heero, who had only a vague idea of where Chepporgavvo lay. He stood at the east edge of the flock, ready to depart. "Smaller parties travel faster and more easily. Chepporgavvo lies an unbelievably large distance from here and those who make the journey will face more than one obstacle before they are through. Therefore, I will be going along with Thalenes for a guide," he nodded to Thalenes, "and Maelstrom because...because he had a vision or something or other," he mumbled, getting past the inclusion of Maelstrom. "The three of us shall journey. A little family flock."

He had thought of bringing along a couple of rams, but those couldn't be trusted around Thalenes. He wanted that big juicy ewe all to himself if she came into season while on the trip, and she had come into season early in years past. Yes, Moonbeam wouldn't be having her this fall! And fall came early to the slopes; the weather was cool, leaves changing by the end of August. It would be upon them before they knew it. Heero rubbed his palms together. Nothing like her to keep him warm in the snow.

"Obviously, Flutter dear, you are in charge of things now with Brelanda dead..." Heero nodded to Fluttershine, his one and only favourite ewe. It really was a better situation with Brelanda dead. Now the eyomah would be a ewe who supported him rather than despised him. Things had taken a turn for the better...the demon, if there was one, had worked in his favour so far.

"Take care Heero darling," said Fluttershine, running up to hug him. Äre you sure you don't want Kikunos with you?" She indicated one of Heero's strongest sons, his son by Thalenes, of four summers.

"My darling, I am certain. Kikunos will remain behind to spread my seed in my absence. You hear that Kikunos? You get the ewes if I'm not back in time to breed them myself."

"Of course," said Kikunos, though he knew he had little chance of getting any breeding done with older, larger rams also fighting for them. Those would surely arrive.

As Heero watched his flock for the last time, he felt a deep, deep regret for not waiting until after the rut. But if this demon was really going to start picking them off one by one, or worse, then he shouldn't delay. Dead ewes could not carry his lambs.

Maelstrom did not know why Heero was choosing to bring no other sheep with him. Didn't he know that only three sheep travelling together was dangerous? He tapped his mama's side.

"I want to say goodbye to someone."

"Oookeey," said Thalenes, "buut meeyke et quick. Ai want ter get goin' as soon as ai ken."

She touched her son's back, then let him go. Maelstrom ran through the flock with his light flashing. "Kyaru?" He did not see her anywhere and she did not answer. "Kyaru!"

Heero's ears flickered backwards at Thalenes' words...it was a harsh reminder that she was the one in charge on this journey, out of necessity, since she was the only one who knew how to get there. She would be calling the shots. Damn ewe! "Yeah, you heard your mama, make it quick!" He wished they would just leave without him, and if he had been determining when they would go he'd have done it. At least the predators would target Maelstrom and not the two large, evolved sheep.

Maelstrom came rushing back to his mama and Heero in a daze. Not only was he leaving, but he could not find Kyaru to tell her he might not be back for a long time. "Fluttershine--" he stopped by her, "if Kyaru comes back...can you tell her I left on a journey with my mama and might be gone a long time? And that I send Phos's light to her."

"I will," said Fluttershine, nodding to the ramling and then watching him head off.

Maelstrom was feeling no better about it even with the message left with Fluttershine. Why was Kyaru not here? Had the demon picked her off too? Of all the sheep here, Maelstrom would be the last to doubt that a demon was on the loose. And Kyaru was too close to what had happened. Anyone who knew him was...

- - -

Heero's spirits were looking up since he had left the flock. They had not been travelling all that long and already he was seeing the benefits of becoming a travelling ram once more. Forget breeding the ewes back home--he could mate tons of them just by way of all the flocks they were sure to encounter on the way to Chepporgavvo! He would be spreading his seed farther and wider than he could have ever dreamed of doing had he remained on Cloudspin all autumn. The -ritus n'aru- would be spent in plenty! Hopping from flock to flock, breeding ewe after ewe...And of course there would be their destination, too. A smile spread over Heero's yellow-orange face.

"So Thalenes, about how many sheep would you say live in Chepporgavvo?"

"Oooohh faaar tew manneh tew cooount," said Thalenes. "Maawwr sheep than thar be staars en the skaayy."

Heero licked his lips. "Wonderful."

"Cheppa be a deffren' warld from Clooudspin," said Thalenes. "Menneh lands, menneh denryuu...sooo manneh more'n any oother pleeyce ai ever seen."

The more Heero heard, the more he thought about just staying there. Why go back? He would let Thalenes escort the demon-fighter back to Cloudspin and bid them Phos's light. They wouldn't need Heero. He could not fight demons, anyway; although he knew some things about how to counter them, he lacked the gift of the Mure'mar. But he did know how to mate ewes. He liked to think that he did have a gift with that.

And perhaps his ideas would have been flawless, except for that he would not have his dear Fluttershine with him...Well, he could go back for her in the spring, then journey back to Cheppa and keep her there! Or just bring the whole flock. He wouldn't care if some lambs were lost on the trip. They wouldn't be his lambs anyway, and despite his allowing Kikunos free breeding of the flock this year they probably would not be his son's either. Therefore they were disposable. Yes, the journey was already set for the following spring. As soon as the fields thawed...And this was something he could not have done had Brelanda still been in charge. She would have never let Heero hang around in the spring at all, much less take them on a trip! -Oh Brelanda, thank you sooo much for dying!- He could scarcely contain his glee.

Maelstrom was wondering just what was so funny that Heero was barely containing his laughter about. He had always had this feeling that the gûndah was mad. Or did he have some kind of foul plans once they got to Chepporgavvo? Would Heero ruin this whole mission for them? Did he even give a damn?

The flaaffy ram thought that he saw a wink of familiar lights just over the rocks ahead of them. Then the lights came into view, attached to none other than Tallaluna, and with her, Kyaru. Maelstrom did not know what to say, but as they approached him he felt lifted. They would be coming along...it would not be him alone between his mama and Heero-ki. He would have two friends along.

"Phos's light to you!" called Talla through the harsh wind. She came to stand before them in the amber rays of sunset.

"Phos's light," said Maelstrom, to Kyaru. "Kyaru! You -were- visiting Talla...I was looking all over for you! Did Flutter tell you--"

"I saw the whole thing. That's why I went to get Talla! I'm coming with you. You'll need a strong ramling along if this is really your whole flock now."

Maelstrom smiled, then ducked and headbutted her. Kyaru took a spill backwards.

"Hey! Hey." She was laughing. "Let me up."

"I did not mean for it to begin this way," said Tallaluna, trying to save face and do the right thing. "Nor do I intend to shove myself and my companion upon you if you do not wish it so. But--when I heard that Maelstrom was undertaking this journey--"

"Of course you may come along," said Heero, to Tallaluna's body. Wasn't this just his luck! The ewes were already coming out of the very rocks just to accompany him. And nice young ewes, by the look of this one. She couldn't have seen more than three summers. Then he looked at Kyaru and Maelstrom, wrestling in the dirt. "But the lamb had better stay behind with the flock."

"I know. I tried to convince her to remain behind but she was adamant about coming too. If you wish that she stay behind I will go back..."

"On second thought, don't bother," said Heero. "That would only hold us up." They had already gone a way away from the flock.

"Weh canna' let a leetle ewe lamb goo along," said Thalenes.

Kyaru, who had pulled free of Maelstrom, stamped her hoof on the ground. "I'm perfectly able to travel on my own or with you, which I WILL do, and I'm NOT a ewe!"

"She--I mean he--" Maelstrom endured a sideways glare from Kyaru, "Kyaru--"

"Oooh my," Thalenes clicked her tongue, "ooooh maayy."

"And what, pretty ewe, is your name?" Heero asked Tallaluna.

"I'm Tallaluna of the fallen flock of Tuntun Ridge and member of the eyoraië," said Tallaluna, ignoring his compliment, "and although eyorai code has told me I must not travel with a flock right now, I realise that necessity overrides this. I will be accompanying you, with both of your permission, on the journey. I am a friend of Maelstrom and feel responsible for his and Kyaru's well-being as well as helping with the crisis." She could go on her -ritus n'eyoban- another time, another season. When the lives of a flock were not on the line.

Heero looked her up and down. "You are more than welcome."

When Tallaluna looked up, way up, at Heero-ki and met his lustful gaze, she realised that unless she stayed far away from this flock during her season, her own body and soul would betray her into bearing a lamb that would ruin her training, her development as an eyorai. Such a lamb would force her to abandon her warrior path to raise it, and she would be waylaid by motherly duties for a year. She wished now that she had not been so hasty to decide to go on this mission. Had not her flock elders always warned her against acting before thinking? She could only pray to Watakko that she did not come on heat this fall. But to rely on chance was equally foolish.

"Ai never said ai be lettin' yew join," said Thalenes, thinking it over carefully, but finding nothing but delight at the fact that an Eyorai was joining. "But hoow can ai tarn yew dooown, a member o' the sisterhood of the -skiku-."

Tallaluna looked at Thalenes in shock. "You...you're..."

"Was." Thalenes smiled. "Been a mighty loong tayme."

-I pick my ewes well,- thought Heero-ki.