A lover of history and specultative fiction

In the early 2000s, vulture populations in Asia began to crash for no apparent reason. It was eventually discovered that a drug veterinarians used to treat cattle was highly toxic to vultures and poisoning them when they fed on cattle carcasses. The governments of India, Pakistan, and Nepal all worked to ban the toxic drug and support vulture conservation programs.

"Great empires are not maintained by timidity"

Prince Kail! What do you mean by "contrary"? Even your status as a prince will not protect you from punishment. Allow me to explain, Mother. I put a stop to this so that we would not insult our god. Oh, yes. This is the girl. Father. An offering to Teshub must be pure and unsullied, correct? Of course. Then, allowing the ceremony to proceed knowing the offering is not pure would constitute a sin. Come again? Alas, I am obliged to confess. This girl has graced my bed. I did not know she was an offering, yet I haven stolen her purity and innocence. Th-That cannot be true! She was the one that I- Oh? How are you so sure, Mother? I'm sure you haven't forgotten what we did under the three yesterday. Th-That was just... All you did was force... If you wish to keep your head, you'll do well to corroborate my story. I-I still don't want to die here, but we didn't do anything more than kiss. Child, does the prince speak the truth? There you have it. I will bear the blame for ruining the offering by keeping this girl as my own. Stop where you are, Prince Kail. I will not allow this! I will send 100 virginal cows to this temple as recompense. That should suffice as reparation, yes? Father? Mm-hmm. Your Majesty... Kail. You are free to live as a philanderer, but I wish you would find yourself a true bride and settle down. That would be ideal, Father, but with so many pretty princesses around, how can I choose just one? Farewell.

We shall now commence the ceremony. O almighty Teshub, god among gods, we pray for the blessing of rain and fertile lands by offering up to you this pure, untouched maiden. May you hear our prayers and accept this offering. Answer my prayer. Proceed. N-No! No! I don't want to die! Show yourself! Who dares to interrupt the ceremony? Who insults the great Teshub? I object to that charge. It is to the contrary, Mother. He threw it?