*also appears in the anthology[Again, Dangerous Visions](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11570386.Again__Dangerous_Visions Again, Dangerous Visions) (1972) and the collection [The Eye of the Heron / The Word for World Is Forest](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1902206.The_Eye_of_the_Heron___The_Word_for_World_Is_Forest The Eye of the Heron / The Word for World Is Forest) (1991)* When the inhabitants of a peaceful world are conquered by the bloodthirsty yumens, their existence is irrevocably altered. Forced into servitude, the Athsheans find themselves at the mercy of their brutal masters. Desperation causes the Athsheans, led by Selver, to retaliate against their captors, abandoning their strictures against violence. But in defending their lives, they have endangered the very foundations of their society. For every blow against the invaders is a blow to the humanity of the Athsheans. And once the killing starts, there is no turning back.