Becoming the stars

In the Northern Plains.

A doctor in a white coat knelt on the ground and held down a lamb as he explained to a large group of nomads, "This lamb's current symptoms are typical of lamb dysentery. It's an acute toxemia caused by pneumocystis bacteria. In addition, salmonella, E. coli, and streptococcus can also cause illnesses that often lead to mass deaths in sheep flocks."

A herdswoman hesitated for a moment before saying, "You mean they were not taken back by the gods? That's what our ancestors have told us for generations. A lamb that dies within a month of its birth is someone who sinned in their previous life. Therefore, the gods in Heaven punished it to suffer in this life."

The doctor in the white coat did not know whether to laugh or cry. "This has nothing to do with the divine. If you don't believe me, you can ask the god in our midst."