Ghek felt the trembling and knew the time had come.

He began to separate himself from his rykor, then stopped. "His rykor," the words rang harshly in Ghek's mind. They had been companions for centuries. He knew on more than one occasion it had saved his life while taking near fatal wounds. Who was he to abandon his companion at the last. It was a strange feeling as he felt his life begin to slip away too. Then with one last effort the rykor took Ghek in hand, severing the bond forever. Ghek finally understood the meaning of 'love.'