Zura spoke first, "Barsa, stay with Nat and Dara. Saba and I will go to Wilki and help Nagar. Let's hope the others will be back soon. We need many hands right now. Send Esri to me as soon as you see her."

Saba and Zura found Nagar encouraging Wilki to breathe slowly. The women helped Wilki walk to the birthing place they made near the river. Birthings went better when there was water close by to wash mothers, babies, and birth-helpers, and make teas.

Nagar gathered the salves and teas that she and Zura had prepared to help Wilki. They knew their preparations would provide only small comforts for the birthing and hoped that Wilki's labor would not last long and that there would be no complications. Saba would provide most of the assistance to Wilki while Nagar explained what was happening, and who should do what and when.

Nagar was disappointed that the others had not yet returned. As with Skywatching, she wanted to share her birthing knowledge with many, men as well as women. And right now she could use extra hands to support Wilki, tend the fire, warm water, and sing songs for the new life coming into the world.

The women made Wilki as comfortable as possible in the birthing place. The contractions were powerful but still spaced far enough apart that Nagar knew the birth was not imminent. She showed Saba how to feel the position of the baby, what to look for in the dilation. They kept talking to Wilki, assuring her that all was normal. Between contractions and moans, they encouraged Wilki to join their birthing chanting and singing.

And then the contractions picked up their pace. Wilki squatted while Nagar and Zura held Wilki's arms on either side. Saba positioned herself in front of Wilki. They rocked and chanted with each contraction. Nagar kept repeating, "Slowly, slowly, little mother, let the little one come." She didn't want Wilki to push too quickly, trying to prevent her from tearing badly. A large tear could take a long time to heal, and sometimes it didn't heal well and the mother died.

Just then the hunting party returned to the camp and saw and heard that Wilki's labor had begun. They hurried down to the birthing place. Nagar was relieved to see them and started giving orders. "Jolim and Grayla, come take Wilki's arms. You are stronger and can give her better support. Dagan, look after the fire. We need some good coals. Riga, make tea from these leaves. Kai, use the coals from the fire to warm water in these bowls. Wilki and her little one are working hard. We will do everything to help her. The baby is well positioned but needs a little more time."

Zura took Esri aside. "You must go to Nat. Dara died."

"Oh no, poor little Dara. Poor Nat."

"Barsa is with Nat. They are grieving for Dara. And Barsa is worried that Nat will now go back to Marim's grave and give up wanting to live. You need to help them."

"What can I do?" asked Esri.

"Nat listens to you. He went on the hunt."

"Not because of me," Esri said. "You should have seen him, Zura. He sees so far and moves like the big cats. Nat and Dagan's spears brought down the eland. Nat was the first to see the eland. Without him, we would not have made a kill."

Zura said, "Go now. We need Nat to stay at Flat Rocks and he needs us, but he can't move beyond his grief with Dara gone. He may be lost unless something keeps him here. Dara was still alive when he returned. She died in his arms."

"I will go. I don't know what I can do, but I can help prepare Dara."

Esri found Nat still holding onto Dara with Barsa at his side. Barsa was singing quietly. Nat's face was filled with pain and sorrow. He said to Esri, "I shouldn't have gone on the hunt."

Esri knelt down by him and put her hands on Dara. "You made the hunt successful and helped the whole bode, and you were with Dara for her last breath."

"Maybe if I stayed she would still be alive."

"Do you really believe that?" Esri looked at Nat.

He looked at her and his face crumbled. "No, she was hardly awake anymore, and hardly ate. Feel how little she weighs," and he placed Dara in Esri's arms. "She opened her eyes right at the end. I almost wasn't here."

"But you were here. And if you hadn't made it back, Zura was with Dara and you know how much Dara loved being with Zura. I don't know anyone who is more caring than Zura. But you were here with Dara at the end and so it was meant to be, as it was meant to be that you would hunt with us."

"Perhaps," Nat said softly.

"Should we prepare Dara?"

"Yes. Can you help me? In time, I want to take her back to Marim. If we bury Dara, after a few journeys of Moon-Woman Dara's bones will be ready to take back and lie with Marim."

Barsa said, "Or Dara can stay here, Nat."

"I'm going back. I said I would and I will," Nat spoke gruffly.

Esri handed Dara back to Nat. "I want to get a few things to prepare Dara for burial. I'll be back soon." She returned with Zura and the two women took Dara. They tucked the bone dolls into her hands and wrapped Dara in a skin left from the time before the Ash Rain. Esri began singing. Now and then Barsa and Zura joined her. Nat stared at the little enshrouded body. They would wait until Wilki's delivery was over and then gather thebode.

At the birthing place, Wilki was now in the final stages. Nagar urged Wilki to push and the baby's head slowly emerged. Saba helped Wilki nudge out first one of the baby's shoulders, then the other, and suddenly, there he was. A new little life, the first in so long. No babies had survived since the Ash Rain began. After the death of so many, they needed to start having children. Maybe this one would make it. He was beautiful.

Nagar explained how to wait for the afterbirth and when it came they buried it beside the birthing place.

Everyone was smiling. The delivery went well. The baby looked healthy. Wilki beamed at the little boy and said, "I will follow your ways and call him Wilki-Dumu until his naming. I was afraid of the birthing. I worried on the long walk here what would happen, but now I know it was the right thing to do." She smiled at Nagar and Saba and looked for Esri and Zura, then turned to Kai.

"Where are Esri and Zura, Kai?"

"They are with Nat. And Dara."

"What is happening?"

"Dara died, Wilki. Zura said Dara died in Nat's arms. Dara opened her eyes at the end and Nat's face was the last thing she saw. Esri and Zura are preparing her to be buried," said Kai.

"We should be with them."

Saba said, "And you should rest."

"I can rest later. I want to see Dara before she is buried."

Nagar said to the group, "Come, with many you can carry Wilki and Wilki-Dumu to Nat. She should not walk until the bleeding is less but she needs to say good-bye to Dara."

Saba drew Dagan aside, "Let the others do this. I need you to help me with Nagar. The birthing took all of her strength. It will be hard for her to climb to the cave."

He nodded, "Of course."

Kai organized the rest of the group at the birthing. They moved Wilki onto a large antelope skin, tucked Wilki-Dumu against her, and grabbing corners and edges, carried them both back up to Nat.

Nagar sat down, her breath coming in shallow gasps. Saba knelt beside Nagar holding her. Dagan stooped down, picked up Nagar, and carried her back to her sleeping spot. She wanted to join the others but Saba held Nagar's hands and told her she had done enough for the day. Saba sat by Nagar until she fell asleep.

The group from the birthing placed Wilki and Wilki-Dumu near Nat and joined Esri and others in singing songs for Dara. Nat sat without moving, as if he was also dead. Wilki-Dumu started to cry. Nat looked over, surprised to see Wilki.

"I have a little boy, Nat. He wanted to say goodbye to Dara." She held up Wilki-Dumu.

Nat turned to them and traced his fingers along Wilki-Dumu's cheek and stroked his arm. "I remember the day Dara was born."

Esri looked at Kai who nodded to Riga and Fenti-Dumu. The three went over to Nat. Kai spoke, "Our mothers are buried on the hill beside Turtle Rock. It would please us if you buried Dara near them. It's a special place for us and a good place for Dara."

"You would allow that? We are strangers and, in time, I will take Dara's bones back to Marim. Maybe it's not right to bury her with your mothers if I take her later. But what you're offering is a great honor for Dara, to rest with your mothers."

Esri said, "You're not strangers. Bury Dara near the mothers, Nat. You don't know when you might go or if something would happen to you. This is a good place for Dara to be right now."

Nat agreed it was good to bury Dara beside Kai, Riga, and Fenti-Dumu's mothers. That evening he carried her to Turtle Rock. Others went ahead and prepared a place for her body. He laid her in a shallow grave and each member of the bode brought rocks to cover her. Nat kept a vigil by Dara's grave throughout the night. Someone was always with him.