"There are other maidens who are fair, Anak, and when you are Father you will have them all."
"Leave me, Esle," said Anak shortly. "I desire none but Una."
"And may the cousins of Gumor crack your bones between their teeth," she hissed venomously as she slipped away into the darkness.
As the sun rose above the horizon, Anak and Invar took their way up the valley. Each carried three flint-tipped throwing-spears, while a good supply of flint throwing-stones were in their skin pouches. Half a mile from camp, Anak turned to his companion.
"I thank you for coming with me," he said, his hand on Invar's shoulder. "It is the deed of a brave man."
Invar flushed and looked down.
"The least that I can do is to go to Degar Astok with my friend," he said.
"It is the deed of a brave man, yet I think we are not yet ripe to die."
"We go against the cousins of Gumor, do we not?" asked the lad.