Suddenly a great cry of alarm arose from the watchers. The hunters paused on the edge of the forest. Before them stood the sky god, the big crazy one with the beard. The one called _Fronk_. In his hand was a lightning stick, and he pointed it at the hunters. He made signs to them which were unmistakable. They were not to approach the Valley of the Gods. Derla could not help it. She ran across the intervening space and stood beside her brother, Kuru, staring at the god she loved, in desperation and amazement. He was crying. His face and his beard were streaked with tears. He was crying, almost screaming at them--but he would not let them pass.... * * * * * "I didn't mean to kill them! Mother of God, why didn't you take me instead! Only wanted to cripple the power so they'd be stranded.... All right! Keep back! You, too, Dark Eyes! Those sacrifices mean nothing now, boys.... Just a smoking pit back there filled with radiation. But what would you know about that? Thank God now you'll _never_ know! That's the first and the last mushroom cloud you'll ever see. Go on back to your Paradise. Maybe you'll never know I saved it for you.... Go on! Beat it!" * * * * * "He killed all the other gods, Derla. In his madness he destroyed the great sky-cave, and now not even he can return to the country of the sky." "I don't think he meant to kill the others. He cried for days about it." "And got terribly drunk! We had to stop giving him _qaral_-juice. It was making him sick so that he could not eat, and he grew thin." "But he has been gone for many, many suns. Do you think he is dead?" "He is a god. Perhaps he will never die. He went away because he knew we were afraid of him. In fact, he is not welcome in any of the families." "He is a lonely God. I have made up my mind, my brother. I am sad because he is sad. If our people will not comfort him then I must. I am going to him. I will try and make him a happy God once more." Derla turned away from Kuru then and walked into the dark forest. Kuru watched her go and then shook his head. "You are a strange one, my sister. But go to your God. You will never be happy unless you do." He shrugged then and turned his thoughts to other more important matters. And Derla went to find her God. She was eager, and happy....