When Althesis and his men were gone, Tinda departed. The cat came to its feet as he left. Both Cetan and the boy nervously watched, as the cat followed the departing sub-chief for a few man lengths before turning to look back at them. Hasti’s head swung slowly back and forth, between Tinda and Cetan and the boy, as if he was making up his mind. Without making any more seemingly aggressive moves, the cat returned to lay down next to the women and children where it appeared to fall back into a deep sleep.

“What do you make of that?” the boy asked the older warrior. “And you are now chief of this tribe. That’s got a great sound to it Chief.”