"a YEAR? w-w-wait! please, Aja. What did I agree to do? Tell me!" I stammered, hanging on to Aja's arm. The Aurochs people were busy now, talking among themselves, and the three of us were unobserved for the moment.

"The fool didn't even hear the question!" Vidur choked back a guffaw "I knew it! This good-for-nothing would never knowingly volunteer for a job like this."

Aja looked aghast, and looked me in the eye as he said, "young idiot, you have volunteered to be a member of the Aurochs Clan for one whole year. Moreover, you have agreed to run the in race at the end of the year, at the Mountain of Yama, where all tribes will gather as always."

"What? the race in which half of the runners die?" I croaked.

"The very one!" Vidur said, with a mean smile.

"Why did they want me?"

"Puru, even a dolt like you must be aware that the Wolf people and the Aurochs people have never been the best of friends. You are our Chief's nephew, son of his dead brother, his blood-kin. Having you will ensure that we don't begin hostilities. If we do, then they will kill you, and our Chief will be responsible for your death. A year later, when you run the sacred race, you may live or you may die. Yaska will not be responsible if you die in the race. Don’t look so tragic, they'll take care to see that you don't die during the year. If any harm should come to you, then the Wolf clan is bound to avenge your death...

“Yaska and his people are camped here on the plain beside the only source of fresh water….the lake has turned salty, and we cannot drink from it anymore. If the two tribes decide to fight each other for this plain, there will be many lives lost. The two chiefs must negotiate, and decide how best to share the water, and this plain. Our people have walked for long miles, and they are tired, and thirsty, and need to rest. Yaska’s people have been camped here for the last few days and are reluctant now to make room for a large tribe of newcomers. If we are not careful, there could be bloodshed.”

Aja took over from Vidur, saying “Whatever happens next, one tribe will stay and the other must move on. Keeping you is the way that the Aurochs chief can ensure that at least the fight wouldn’t start from our side. The Wolf clan warriors outnumber the Aurochs, and it will not go well for Yaska if it comes down to a fight. That’s why he pushed to have you as a ‘guest’.

The wily old bull knew he would have a hard time negotiating that one with the Chief. We had already refused to make that decision, saying only the Chief would decide at the meeting. Then Yaska said that he would ask you, and surely if the Chief knew you had agreed, he would not possibly refuse. So he asked you….”

“And I said yes!” I groaned. It occurred to me that Yaska had known all along that I had not been listening to the discussion, and had no clue what was being asked of me. I could have kicked myself ! He assessed me to be a fool, and he was right.

But what was worrying me was the Sacred Race at the end of the year. I did not want to die….

“Before you go, tell me about the race” I begged .