Tarrapaldi

by Wayne T Mathews

Nathaniel squawked, spread his own 6 foot wings, jumped backwards, and dropped like a rock. He squawked again, then twisted around to face the ground, and began beating his wings frantically. With only feet to go before impact, Nathaniel spread his wings to their fullest extent and willed himself to rise, swooping clear of the rocks with only inches to spare.

  “You crazy, son-of-a-bitch,” Nathaniel shouted in his mind. “I could have been killed.”

  “Careful, Son. If the girls were to hear you say that, you probably would be killed. — Look around you. You aren’t dead, you’re flying. Now use your wings to climb,” Tunggaree said. “You can see for miles from up here.”

  Nathaniel swiveled his head from one side to the other until he located the huge black wingspan of the eagle that was Tunggaree. Flapping his wings in powerful beats, Nathaniel climbed up to join the circling Tunggaree.

  Looking east, he could see the towering walls of the valley coming together, and the narrow crack gouged through the mountains by the stream as it gurgled its way to the Hawkesbury, and the ocean beyond.

  Nathaniel followed Tunggaree as he winged towards the northwest, following the valley’s northern wall.

  From altitude, Nathaniel was amazed how clearly he could see anything that moved. Finches that flitted from one branch to the next, drew his attention like a magnet until something else moved.

  The lush green valley, dotted with majestic eucalyptus trees, seemed to be crawling with life.

  “Good Lord, Tunggaree. I’ve never seen so much stock before. Where’d all these sheep, cattle and goats come from? And look over there. That’s a herd of horses. There must be hundreds of them. Where’d they all come from?”

  “Is that what you call them, Nathaniel? Horses? We call them yaramans. After the Goobahs landed, some of the animals they brought wandered off. We’d watched the Goobahs herding their animals. So when they gave up looking for the ones that had wandered away, we went and herded them up here to the valley,” Tunggaree said. “It’s becoming a problem though. There’s getting to be too many of them now. And apart from the dingoes, and sometimes the eagles, they have no natural enemies.”

  Tunggaree went on to explain how the valley only had 9 places where people, or any of the larger animals, could get in or out. For years, Tunggaree and his family had kept the places closed with brush and fallen trees. But with the family numbers dropping, there hadn’t been enough people to do the work for several years.

  Some of the animals left the valley and joined up with others of their kind running wild in the surrounding country. More often than not though, the animals that had left, and especially the horses when feed was scarce in a bad year, would return to the lush valley, bringing the animals they’d joined with them.

  Tunggaree showed Nathaniel each of the nine passes into the valley, explaining, and at times, swooping down to show him the landmarks he’d need to use to find them from ground level.

  With the sun dipping towards the western horizon, Tunggaree turned away from the valley walls they’d been around, and headed for the large outcrop of rock that covered the cave.

  After circling twice to check there were no surprises waiting for them on the ground, Tunggaree turned towards the rock and gently descended. When he had 3 feet to go, he extended his legs and flared his wings, touching down smoothly with only a slight correcting hop. Moving quickly away from the touchdown zone, he turned his head to watch Nathaniel’s approach.

  Nathaniel came in faster than Tunggaree had. With only feet to go, he realized his mistake and as he extended his legs, he began beating his wings in an attempt to wash off speed. Too little, too late, Nathaniel bounced back into the air before tumbling forward and crashing into the ground in a flurry of feathers and dust.

  Picking himself up, Nathaniel ruffled his feathers before limping across to where he could feel Tunggaree laughing to himself. “Son-of-a-bitch. You made it seem so easy. But man alive, landing is harder than it looks. A man could do himself a serious injury if he’s not careful.”

  Tunggaree blinked once before Nathaniel felt the pulsing begin again. “Close your mind’s eye again, Nathaniel. You’re going to be stiff and sore in a little while, and I need to get you back to your body while you can still concentrate on me and not the pain.”

  Nathaniel felt himself being lifted and moved. When Tunggaree told him to open his eyes, he found himself sitting in front of the black-man with their palms still pressed together.

  Dropping his hands into his lap, Nathaniel shook his head as if to clear it. “Man, I just had the weirdest dream.”

  “Uh huh,” Tunggaree grunted, while he rose to his feet. “Would you like to tell me about it on our way back to camp?” Tunggaree said.

  “Only if you promise not to laugh at me.”

  “In this land, my son, clever men do not laugh at dreamings.”

  Tunggaree dived into the pool and swam through the tunnel. When Nathaniel followed, he was surprised how painful it was to move his arms. Coming to the surface outside the cave, he gulped air into his lungs while trying to keep his head above water, with muscles that seemed to have no strength left.

  “You’re doing well, Son. Hang onto my shoulders and I’ll take you to shore.” The words came to Nathaniel from outside a fog of weariness. Reaching out, he grasped Tunggaree’s shoulders while the older man towed him to safety.

  When he was able to touch bottom, Tunggaree draped Nathaniel’s arm across his shoulder, and supported him while the younger man staggered ashore. Leaving Nathaniel sitting on a rock, Tunggaree went to gather his spears before he came back, and half carried the exhausted young man to his camp.

  Tarrapaldi jumped to her feet and raced to help when she saw her father coming into camp with Nathaniel staggering beside him.

  “What have you done to him?” she asked in her native language. “An initiation isn’t supposed to kill him.”

  “I haven’t killed him. But he is tired. Help me get him to your gunyah. He’s going to sleep like the dead tonight.”

  Between them, they managed to stretch Nathaniel out under the bark roof of the little sleeping-hut Tarrapaldi had made for them. Leaving him there, the father and daughter went back to squat by Tarrapaldi’s cooking fire.

  “Why is he so tired, Father?”

  “After I circumcised him, I took him out of his body. He responded so well, I decided to fly him. We’ve been up all afternoon.”

  “What!” Tarrapaldi grabbed her father’s arm. “Are you mad? You flew him all afternoon on his first day? What if one of the other birds, like a hawk or something, attacked him,” Tarrapaldi said. “He wouldn’t have had the skill, or strength, to defend himself.”

  “That wasn’t a problem,” Tunggaree said. “I went with him, and we flew as wedge-tails. Nothing’s going to attack a pair of them.”

  Tarrapaldi’s eyes bulged. “You flew him as a wedge-tail eagle, on his first day?”

  Tunggaree smiled while poking the coals of the fire with a stick. “Not just first day. First flight,” he said, looking up from the fire to meet Tarrapaldi’s amazed eyes. “He’s better than any I’ve ever seen, Lass. You should have seen him recover after I knocked him off his perch. And the things he called me after he cleared the ground and began to climb. It was grand to see and feel his determination and temper. You’ve chosen well. There’s no doubt about that.”

  “But a wedge-tail on his first flight.” Tarrapaldi clasped her hands together and smiled. “Oh, Father. Even I’m not good enough to do that yet. He must be truly great.”

  “He is good. And perhaps one day he’ll be great. But you already are, daughter of mine. You’re strong enough to fly as an eagle. It’s only your confidence that’s stopping you.” Tunggaree frowned, and went back to poking the coals. “It was partly the problem with your lack of confidence, Tarrapaldi, that decided me to fly him as an eagle first up. He doesn’t
have any idea how difficult it is. Therefore, he did it.”

  “I do not lack confidence, Father. I know exactly what I can, and cannot do.”

  “Nonsense! You have no way of knowing what you can do until you try. And there is nothing we cannot do, or overcome, if we use the power in our minds.”

  Tarrapaldi shrugged. “We’ve had this discussion before. There’s a limit to what I can do. I’m a woman.”

  “In the old way of doing things, that was true. Women were limited in what they could do. But our world is changing, and for us to have a place in the new world, we must change. We must remove any limits on people that are put there because of family, race, skin color, or sex. We can do that by harnessing the power of people’s minds. The first step to that, is to get rid of our self thoughts. We must not let our external appearances, influence our internal thinking.” Tunggaree said.

  “That’s very hard to do.”

  “Of course it’s hard,” Tunggaree said. “That’s why most people don’t, and won’t, do it Tarrapaldi. But let me tell you, that young man sleeping in your gunyah did it. He harnessed the power of the people’s minds when he cleared his own mind of self thoughts. And then he flew as an eagle.”

  “And it totally exhausted him,” Tarrapaldi said.

  “So?” Tunggaree said. “It exhausted you the first time you flew as a crow. But it doesn’t now. It will be the same for him. The more he does it, the less it will tire him. –- Look, my time here in this land is drawing to a close. It’s bothering me to be passing on the Koradji secret skills to a man who may not stay to teach them to my grandchildren. I’m going to tell you, my daughter, the most important truth there is. All the world’s great Koradjies know it’s true, and only the pretenders will tell you it’s not. -– It doesn’t matter what color your skin is, or what form your body is in, whether you’re a man or a woman, tall or short. What matters is who and what you allow to influence, and therefore control, your mind.

  “That man,” Tunggaree pointed to Nathaniel with his chin, “has the potential to be one of this land’s greatest Koradjies. And so do you.”

  “I can’t be a Koradji, Father. I’m a woman.”

  “That was true in the old ways, but everything has changed. The Goobahs are here now, and they won’t be going away,” Tunggaree said. “We need to change our ways for our children to survive. You need to become a Koradji.”

  “That would be very dangerous,” Tarrapaldi said. “If the men from the other clans found out you’re teaching me the Koradji secrets, they’d kill us both.”

  “They’d kill us now if they knew how much I’ve already taught you. That’s why we must keep it secret.”

  “But if we keep it secret,” Tarrapaldi said, “how would I be able to function as a Koradji. The people won’t obey someone who isn’t known.”

  Tunggaree shifted to be able to look at Nathaniel sleeping in the gunyah. “Use him as a shield. His color is a problem. But when they hear his thoughts, and see him fly as an eagle, the elders will recognize and accept him as a Koradji. When that has happened, you can begin working with him in secret. He will be credited with what you do, and eventually, he’ll be admitted to the council of elders.”

  “The elders will know he’s being helped, Father. They’re not fools.”

  “Of course they’ll know. But no-one else will. Very few but the elders knew that your mother helped me.”

  Tarrapaldi narrowed her eyes. “Mother was a Koradji? She never told me.”

  Tunggaree laughed softly. “She was one of the best. And she knew how to keep a secret. Just like you’re doing right now, Lass. She never told you, but you knew.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Tarrapaldi watched over Nathaniel while he slept. For a day and a half, she moved quietly around the camp doing only what had to be done.

  When he woke, he tried to lift himself with his arms before falling back with a groan. “Oh God. What have I done to my arms?”

  Tarrapaldi rushed to his side when she heard him speak. “Are you all right, Nathaniel? Can I do anything to help you?”

  “Help me up. I need to piss, and my arms aren’t working.”

  Tarrapaldi knelt behind him and helped him wiggle out from under the bark shelter. When they were clear, she placed her hands under his armpits and hoisted him to his feet. With one hand holding his biceps, she led him out of the camp, to the narrow trench she’d dug as their latrine.

  “Can you aim it yourself, or do you want my help?” she asked.

  He grinned. “A wise man once told me, it’s not gentlemanly to refuse a lady when she’s offering to help.”

  Her chuckle came bubbling out when she moved in behind him, pressed her breasts against his back and reached around to hold his almost solid erection.

  When his stream finished, she shook the last drops free and led him to a fallen log. Seating him, she went behind him and began massaging the muscles in his neck, shoulders and upper arms.

  “Oh God, Woman. You’re killing me.”

  “No I’m not. Bear with me. What I’m doing will soften your stiff muscles and make you feel good.”

  After a half hour of moaning, he began flexing and moving his shoulders and arms. “The stiffness has gone from my back and arms. Can you do anything for the front?” He asked.

  “Perhaps.” She stepped over the log and backed onto his lap. “But my shoulders are sore now. Can you rub them for me while I soften your front?”

  A moan was all the reply she heard.

  “Surely you jest, Dennis,” Claire said from the front of the skiff Harrington was sailing across Sydney harbor. “The Governor’s ball is tomorrow night. What could be more important than that?”

  “How about our colonies very existence. Would that be a good enough reason for you?” Harrington said, while studying the swell coming through the heads. With practiced ease, he brought the little boat about, and set course for the deserted beach he could see on the other side of the harbor.

  Claire’s eyes never left his face. “Don’t patronize me, Dennis. If you have a valid reason, tell me what it is. Perhaps I can help. If you don’t tell me,” Claire said, “you leave me no choice but to think you’re off to chase another tart somewhere. And if that’s the case. You can bloody well turn this boat around right now.”

  “Ooh, a low blow, young lady. I’ve not been with another wench since the first time you showed me you’re knickers,” Harrington said, with laughter lines radiating from his eyes while he smiled. “And I see no reason to change that. Unless of course, you choose to leave my passion in it’s current rampant state.”

  “Oh God, stop it,” Claire said through her laughter. “You’re a beast at times. But I love it. What can I do to help the boat go faster?”

  “Nothing. For God’s sake, the last time you helped, we damn near capsized.”

  “Really?” Claire said with an air of total innocence. “I can’t see much with my face in your lap, so I didn’t notice.”

  Half an hour later, Claire arched her naked body with feline grace. Lifting herself off an equally naked Dennis, she lowered herself onto the blanket beside him. Across the sand, 30 yards away, the boat rocked gently while the waves nudged it further up onto the beach.

  “I was serious, Dennis. I want to know what’s so important, that you won’t be here for the Governor’s ball.”

  “There’s been more gold found,” Harrington said quietly.

  “Oh God. Not again.” Claire rolled onto her back and hugged herself to control her trembling hands. “Will you have to kill this man too?”

  “I certainly hope not,” Harrington said. “I know him well. He’s a good man. And there’s Aboriginals involved this time. He’s asked for a meeting with the Governor.”

  “And Macquarie’s sending you as his representative,” Claire said. “It’s not fair, Dennis, when wil
l it be your turn to order others to do the really dirty work?”

  “I don’t know that I’ll ever get others to do this sort of thing, Claire. It’s far to important to trust to someone like Caruthers, as an example.”

  “That little weasel,” Claire said. “Did I tell you he had the gall to ask me to marry him? And in front of Mrs. Ferdanez would you believe? When he started foul-mouthing your name, I had Mike throw him out.”

  “Good for you. But you’ve put Mike in a dangerous position.”

  “Do you think so? I don’t think the little rat has enough courage to harm one of my father’s servants.”

  “He won’t do it himself, Claire. He’ll have his bully-boys do it. You remember what happened to Mrs. Ferdanez’s husband don’t you?”

  “Oh, I remember all right,” Claire said. “What a scum bag that Caruthers is. What would it cost me to get you to put a snake in his bed?”

  “Claire, I’ve only done that once. And the rogue I did it to was about to come on down to Sydney, blowing his horn about the gold he’d found. I only did it to protect the colony.”

  “I know, Darling,” Claire said, rolling onto her side and hugging him with her head on his chest. “I was teasing you. If Caruthers hurts Mike, I won’t involve you. I’ll have him killed by somebody else.”

  Claire lifted her head and jiggled up so she could look into his eyes. “Have you given any more thought to when we can get married?”

  Harrington burst out laughing. “You’re incredible, Claire. You’re talking about having an officer murdered in one breath, and getting married in the next. Where’s your sense of perspective?”

  “You’re avoiding my question. When are you going to marry me? These little trysts into the wilderness, and your scampering through my bedroom window are a lot of fun. But I’d really like to wake up in the morning with you still in my bed.”

  “All in good time, old girl,” Harrington said. “I’m not in any financial position to be able to afford you at the moment.”