They were waiting for us. As we passed through the groups of people gathered around their fires, hostile eyes followed us. The chief of the Aurochs, Old Yaska, was sitting apart, ringed by his counselors. He was a huge, majestic, grey eyed man, his reddish hair had been rubbed with sheepfat till it shone, and braided.
Necklaces of bear claws were around his neck, and he wore a disk of some shiny yellow material on his forehead, on a leather headband. I couldn't stop staring at it, I had never seen anything like it..it was like a piece of the sun.

Presently I was aware that someone was poking me in the back, and none too gently either. It was Vidur, and I knew that I had forgotten to make the formal gesture of courtesy when we entered the Chief's presence, and I hastily stretched right arm forward, palm downwards and bent my head.

We were invited to be seated, and once my job of handing over the presents we had brought to one of the underlings, I figured my job was done, and I sat back and planned to enjoy myself. The men were busy negotiating. It would take them ages to come to the point and longer still for a meeting of chiefs to be fixed. My attention wandered. I suddenly realised I was ravenous. I made short work of a platter of roast fish and nuts that was placed before us, and which Vidur and Aja had barely touched.

I was engaged in making faces at a little girl who stood looking at me with huge round eyes, sucking her grubby little thumb. The child had just caught on to the game, and had started to think I was the most marvelous thing she had ever seen. Suddenly there was silence, and I realised somehow it had to do with me.

I looked around, and saw that Yaska was looking at me. All of them were looking at me. He had asked me a question, and clearly expected an answer. If only I knew what his question was. There was question of asking him to repeat it. Vidur looked like he was choking, and even patient Aja looked strained.

I had to say something, fast. But what? Ok, here goes, I thought to myself-

"Yes" I said, gravely, nodding as if to emphasize the point.

There was a silence, and then there were smiles all around. Even old Yaska allowed himself a smile. I could feel Vidur relax, and Aja clapped me on the back. "Good! You're a brave boy, and I'll tell Kuros he was right in sending you. We'll come back for you in a year's time."

WHAT? A year's time? What had I agreed to?