The Great Hunter slid back down to the ground, roaring in rage and frustration as it lost its balance. It was up again in a moment, sniffing around. A long sigh went through the crowd as the beast scented Awgal and turned toward him.

Then one clawed hand came down like a butcher's cleaver, tearing Awgal open from ribcage to groin. No drugs could dull that kind of pain; he gave a horrible bubbling scream and sprayed blood all over his killer. Then the Great Hunter picked him up like a torn-apart rag doll and smashed his skull against the stone hard enough for Blade to hear the crack that put Awgal past feeling any more pain.

The Wise One shouted something and waved her staff; so did the four warriors. The Great Hunter grunted several times, then grabbed Awgal again. Apparently the rite called for the victim to be devoured in public, instead of carried off to the cave. As hunger won out over whatever else the creature was feeling, it tore off one of Awgal's legs and started gnawing on it.

The rest of the feast was just as gruesome as the killing. By the time Awgal was reduced to a pile of bloody fragments, Blade was glad he'd ordered his stomach to be quiet. The only consolations were that the Great Hunters apparently killed fast, and that at the sight and smell of Awgal's death, Cheeky hadn't lost his nerve to follow through with their plan.

Blade did allow himself one small hope. It would be nice if the Rutari cleaned up what was left of Awgal before putting him into the pit!

Chapter 6

The warriors led Awgal's killer back into the cave. Apparently each candidate for cleansing got a fresh beast. Blade would have been happier to fight Awgal's killer, not so much for vengeance but because a Great Hunter slowed down by a heavy meal would be less formidable. Also, he'd rather face a seven-footer than a nine-footer-its reach would be shorter. Little details-but Blade could hardly remember a time wren he hadn't been aware of them and used them in his plans as naturally as he breathed. Being an essentially practical man, he didn't spend much time wondering why this was so; he was alive and healthy because of the habit, and that was enough for him.

Under the Wise One's supervision, a dozen men and women cleaned the pyramid with buckets of water drawn from the hot spring. By the time they'd finished, the whole pit was filled with steam and smelled of sulphur and the herbs the Wise One threw out in handfuls while the others worked. Then the Wise One raised her staff and pointed toward Blade.

Blade rose, and Cheeky jumped up on his shoulder without needing a signal. Blade grinned and sent a picture of him and Cheeky standing beside the corpse of a Great Hunter. This was the first real life-or-death battle he and Cheeky had fought as a team; he hoped it would also be the first of many victories. The sensation of not having everything depend on his own strength; speed, and wits was odd but agreeable.

At the rim of the pit, Blade was solemnly inspected by the warriors for signs of any clothing or weapons not allowed by the rules. They practically ignored Cheeky, and completely ignored the feather-monkey's plastic harness. Blade heard one say, «If he wants his good-luck pet with him… «but nothing else.

Blade went down into the pit so quickly that the guards had to scramble to keep up with him. One of them lost his footing on the slope and slid the rest of the way down on his rump. Murmurs of approval for Blade's confidence mingled with laughter at the guard. A good start, Blade thought.

The Wise One called Blade to the foot of the pyramid and asked him a series of ritual questions, waving her staff and throwing handfuls of herbs about while she did. Blade answered the questions as quickly as he could without seeming disrespectful. As long as he had to look at the Wise One, he couldn't study the floor of the pit and check the footing it offered him.

However, there was always Cheeky, who would know what to look for. If Blade could just send him a brief mental message-very brief-without the Wise One «hearing»… Well, why not try it once?

Blade sent-Cheeky a picture of him jumping down and running around, poking at the gravel and grass, picking up stones and pulling up tufts. Cheeky yeeeped and obeyed the implied order. The Wise One's staff and herb throwing never missed a beat.

Cheeky couldn't have been more thorough if he'd been searching the pit for jewels. He even threw a handful of pebbles into the hot spring to see what would happen. A cloud of steam gushed up, and he jumped back, squeaking indignantly.

At last he finished his inspection, and the Wise One was still asking Blade questions. Was she trying to trip him up in public, make him say something ill-omened so that he would have to be «cleansed» like Awgal? Blade hoped not. He might fight his way out, but he'd have little chance of saving Cheeky. That meant he wasn't going to get out of here at all if the Wise One wanted his blood. He would never leave Cheeky; they were going to live or die together.

Even if the Wise One didn't want his blood, this interrogation was buggering up his survival chances. As long as it went on, Cheeky couldn't report what he'd learned. The Wise One would notice Blade's attention wandering elsewhere, then ask why.

In fact, Blade realized that he couldn't even see Cheeky anymore. He couldn't imagine the feather-monkey running off in fright, but if the Wise One suddenly decided his presence here was against the law and custom…

Then a small feather-crested head appeared over the top of the pyramid, between the Wise One's feet. Blade forced himself to go on talking, but also got ready to move fast. Now Cheeky was up on top of the pyramid, and the Wise One still hadn't noticed him. If anyone else saw him they didn't seem ready to warn her.

Then Cheeky leaped forward. Someone shouted, someone else cursed, but both were too late. Cheeky leaped up-and tweaked the Wise One's pubic hair.

The Wise One let out a shriek and clapped her hands to her groin. This left her completely defenseless against Cheeky, who swarmed up her body as if it were a tree. He planted his hind feet on her breasts, gripped both shoulders with his forepaws-and kissed her on the nose.

For a moment Blade was surrounded by the awesome silence of a thousand people all holding their breaths. He hardly breathed himself, and didn't dare move anything except one hand, in a signal to Cheeky to come back down and join him.

Then the silence fell apart as the thousand people dissolved in laughter. Blade let out his breath in a long whoooosssh. The little bastard had certainly been gambling for high stakes! If the Rutari had taken his antics as a breaking of taboos…

But they hadn't. They'd taken it as a good joke on the Wise One. Her own pride should keep her from ordering Blade killed or sacrificed now. Of course, she might have a few notions about what to do some other day, but Blade believed in living through each day as it came.

Cheeky responded to Blade's mental message, leaping down and hurrying back to his master's shoulder. He left the Wise One to recover her staff and as much of her dignity as she could manage. By the time the laughter died, she'd succeeded, and her acolyte had joined her on top of the pyramid.

Cheeky took advantage of the Wise One's distraction and reported his findings to Blade. The water in the hot spring was more than hot enough. The stones of the gravel were too smooth and fine to hurt Cheeky's paws. The footing was solid. Blade could not be slowed down-but neither would the Great Hunter.

Blade did not much care for the look in the Wise One's eyes as he turned his back on her to face the mouth of the cave. The acolyte, on the other hand-well, if she was still looking at him that way after the cleansing, he might take her up on the offer. He'd be in better shape to enjoy it than Awgal!