"Price?" said Kargen.
"You can not expect me to send my tribemates to their death without a cause."
"I am talking about the survival of our people."
"And yet, as I explained, my own tribe is safely within the walls of Khasrahk."
"You would have your kin pay you in exchange for your support?"
"Certainly," said Zahruhl. "I have taken an oath to do what is best for my tribe. Have you not taken the same sacred oath?"
Kargen felt defeated. "I have. What is your price?"
"I do not seek material wealth, but rather the enrichment of my people."
"Which means?" asked Shaluhk.
"I will consider your proposal, but I must have more hunters. You must force a vote of your tribe, and convince them to join the Stone Crushers."
"I shall do no such thing," said Kargen, his temper rising.
"And yet you already have," said Zahruhl, "or did you forget the seventeen of your tribe who already chose to join us."
"I have forgotten nothing, but I will not surrender the entire tribe to you."
Shaluhk heard the door open. Hunters flooded into the room, led by Rugg, but Kargen appeared to take no notice.
"You must do what you think is best," said Zahruhl, "but I wonder what your tribe would do if their leader was no longer amongst them."
Kargen leaped to his feet. "You dare to threaten an Orc chieftain?"
Zahruhl rose in response. "This is my village," he declared, "and I shall do as I please."
"Seize them!" shouted Voruhn.
Kargen pulled his axe, ready to leap across the firepit, but a motion to his side caught his attention. Three hunters stood, their spears levelled at Shaluhk.
"Go ahead," said Zahruhl, "kill me if you can, but know this, before you can cross that firepit, your precious bondmate will fall to my spears."
Kargen fought hard to control his impulses. He looked at Shaluhk, seeing the defiance in her eyes but knew he couldn't do it. He dropped his weapon, then his arms were seized, along with those of Shaluhk as more hunters crowded into the hut.
Rugg looked at his chieftain. "Your orders, Zahruhl?"
In answer, the great Orc turned to his shamaness. "Your thoughts?"
Voruhn gave careful thought before replying. "Let them suffer the fate of Garok."
A smile crept over the face of Zahruhl. "An excellent idea," he said. "Take them away and prepare the punishment. We shall see how much favour the Ancestors show them."
Kargen sat in silence, his hands bound behind his back. Across from him, Shaluhk was calm despite the unknown punishment that awaited them. They were under guard in a small hut while the sound of axes on wood echoed outside.
"What are they doing?" demanded Kargen.
His guard answered with a blow to the head. Kargen spat blood but said no more. The axes fell silent and then the door opened to reveal Voruhn.
"It is time," she announced.
The guard prodded Kargen with the tip of his spear. "Get up," he commanded.
Shaluhk, seeing her bondmate's look of refusal, stood. "Let us show courage in the face of adversity," she declared.
He nodded, mimicking her actions, and then they were led outside to where the tribe had gathered to witness their punishment. Zahruhl stood nearby, between two frames of wood, each constructed in the shape of an X.
"I can not order the death of a chieftain," the Orc proclaimed, "and so I commit them to the Ancestors. Kargen and Shaluhk shall be bound to these frames and allowed no food or water. It will be the elements that kill them, not I."
"Perhaps," offered Voruhn, "the Ancestors will see fit to preserve them."
Zahruhl chuckled. "Perhaps," he agreed, "but I doubt it. Your journey here has been in vain, Kargen. I shall see you dead within a ten-day, and then I shall invite your people to take shelter within these very walls."
"My tribe will not submit," proclaimed Kargen. "They would rather die than give up their freedom."
"We shall see," said Voruhn. "Thirst and starvation can curb the enthusiasm of even the strongest."
Hunters seized their arms, pinning them by their sides, while Voruhn severed their bonds. They were then pushed into place, their arms and legs tied to the posts, leaving them facing one another.
"There," said Voruhn. "Now you can watch each other as you slowly succumb to the elements. Tell me, how does it feel to know your bondmate will die?"
Kargen stared back, pure hatred on his face.
"We shall leave them," announced Zahruhl, "for they are now in the hands of the Ancestors."
"You are making a big mistake," warned Kargen.
"Strong words for one in your position," said Voruhn, "or did you forget it is you who are suffering, not me?"
Zahruhl appeared indecisive, possibly regretting his decision, but Voruhn quickly intervened. "Pay no attention to him. It is an empty threat."
Kargen watched as the whole tribe turned their backs, walking away from the scene. Only a pair of hunters remained, standing at a distance to watch over their plight.
They hung thus for some time, struggling in vain to lessen their bindings.
"You should have killed him," said Shaluhk, "when you had the chance."
"I could not bear the thought of your death," he admitted.
"And yet now we are both doomed."
"It changes nothing. Even if I had managed to kill him, there was still the matter of all those hunters. We would have been dead either way."
"At least our deaths would have been quick," she said.
"Would they? I doubt that very much. If anything, we would have suffered the same fate, but instead of just standing here, we would be bleeding to death. Maybe this is better after all."
"Better? It will take a long time for us to pass to the Afterlife. How can you possibly think it better to end like this?"
"Tell me. You are the healer. What can we expect?"
"The initial thirst will come first, but once we get past that, it will be bearable. The bindings are likely to grow increasingly uncomfortable, and once we weaken, they will grow worse as they have to support our weight."
Kargen frowned. "Stop. I
