The likelihood of another attack was low since The Chief and I figured we had probably killed all the Wendigo and Teihiihan in the area. Still, we told Walking Coyote, who had came to say goodbye, to keep a watch going at all times. I checked my screen real quick.
WAR SHAMAN
TRIBES – The People, Jicarilla Squad
ELITE WARRIORS – Chief Running Hawk, Moon Flower, Thunder Foot, Ice Blossom, Lightning Fist, Night Star, Silent Mouse, Shadow Bear
NORMAL MEMBERS – 32 workers/warriors, 6 builder/warriors
RESOURCES COLLECTED – Wood – Abundant, Metals – Iron – abundant, Food – Abundant, Animals – N/A
Closing it quickly I grasped hands with Walking Coyote and then mounted Winston, Moon Flower quickly leaping up behind me. There were thirty-eight of The People left in The Springs. They’d be fine and that left them plenty of people to gather resources and work on the ditch and pikes.
“Let’s go.” I called, squeezing my heels and waving goodbye.
Winston took off with the rest of the elites plus Freak followed along. I set a moderate pace and everyone began at a medium jog. After about an hour of travel through the beautiful Colorado countryside we slowed our pace and walked. There was no boundary per se of The Peoples territory but things got more dangerous now the Chief said.
Without a word Moon Flower slid off Winston’s back and motioned to Silent Mouse then called to Freak. The three of them went ahead to scout. The Chief motioned me over so I slid off Winston’s back as well moving over and walking next to the Chief and Shadow Bear.
“What can you tell us of your mother, the Chieftess, Shadow Bear?” Hawk asked when I was close enough to hear.
The short young man walked in silence for a minute before speaking.
“She’s… unique. I think intense would be an accurate word to describe her.” He finally said.
“What does that mean?” Chief Running Hawk asked.
“Let me explain some things.” Shadow said sighing. “I am trying to prove myself to my mom. That’s one of the reasons I was on the hunt. It was my first real command. My mom is the best warrior in generations in our tribe. My sister is a close second. I fall very far behind them. You see in our tribe the men and woman both fight but the woman specialize in it usually and the men specialize in building and working with stone. Obviously with anything there are exceptions but that’s the way it usually is.”
“All your best fighters are women.” I interjected. “Is that why you gave up so easy?”
Shadow Bear looked at me ashen faced and began to splutter.
“Relax man I’m just fucking with you.” I joked, slapping him on the back to show no hard feelings. “Seriously though, will your mom be willing to let you help us with stone working?”
“It really depends on you. I was going to tell you this later but now’s just as good a time as any. She’ll probably have some type of duel set up for whatever it is you ask for. She’s really into that sort of thing.” He replied.
“Shadow Bear we really got to work on your information sharing.” I said sighing.
“What’s that?” He asked.
The trip thankfully passed uneventfully and we made good time. That first night we camped at the same spot we fought the Wendigo. Watches were set but nothing disturbed our rest. So it was just becoming dusk on the second day as we came in sight of the Jicarilla home.
After rounding the final hill we came to a canyon but not just any canyon. It was a hundred feet high and made completely of red rock. It had different balconies and openings carved all up and down. The sun shined on it as it set turning the rock a fiery color that seemed to burn almost as if it were real fire. At the base of the massive rock structure was a huge gaping maw of a cave. It was lit with torches and as we closed in I could tell it had been shaped into a perfect half oval. The cut and shaped rock was polished to a high sheen. That was the reason the sun reflected off it so greatly. The whole thing reminded me of a smaller Petra.
“Wow…” I said. “Nice place.”
“Thank you.” Shadow Bear replied. “Come it will be night soon. Let us get in and make introductions. But more importantly let’s eat. I’m starving.”
He began a brisk pace towards the village entrance and we all hurried along in his wake so as not to be left behind. I was even more impressed as we approached the entrance. Two guards stood on either side of the entryway. I studied them as we approached. Both were a little shorter than Shadow Bear, just a little under five feet, I noticed as he shared a round of hugs and slaps on the back.
The next thing I noticed was that both were women. They had the same dark skin, hair, and clothing as the other Jicarilla tribesmen I had seen. Although these were the first females I had encountered and I was impressed. They were perfectly proportioned little women not short like modern day midgets, or little people as is the PC term, with tiny legs and long torsos, or vice versa.
The woman wore skintight buckskin so not much was left to the imagination. Pretty heart shaped faces with high cheekbones and full lips completed the picture. At each guard’s hip was a stone hammer attached with a thong and they also each had a stone tipped spear in hand. They saw Winston and Freak and after few minutes of Shadow Bear explaining about them they calmed down.
“It’s good to see you. Welcome home your mother has been worried sick about you and has been on the warpath ever since you left.” The first guard Shadow Bear had hugged said.
I watched as the scion’s face fell and both guards began laughing. He recovered quickly and then introduced us to both the guards, Stone Fox and Smiling Owl, respectively. Stone Fox ran ahead to alert the Chieftess that we were here while we walked along at a more sedate pace following behind with Smiling Owl. Shadow Bear and the guard made small talk while the rest of us gazed around in wonder at the interior of the stone edifice.
“This is unbelievable.” Chief Running Hawk whispered. “I had no idea the Jicarilla were such amazing stone workers. I mean I know we have been talking about it but…”
The rest of us nodded in agreement. We walked down a long corridor carved into the mountain. It was ten feet high and twenty feet wide. The rock was polished inside to an even greater degree than out. The inside was lit with torches interspersed every fifteen feet beside each corridor we passed on our walk. Jicarilla tribesmen, women, and children were going about their business, some waving as they walked by others stopping and staring. I imagined the giant tiger and horse had something to do with it.
We finally came to the end of the corridor and entered an even larger chamber. Stone Fox stood at the side and waved us ahead. The room was a square forty feet high and forty feet wide. Dual stairways were on both sides of the room leading up to a second floor with a railing carved from stone that wrapped the whole way around the room. Jicarilla tribe’s folk lined the railings around the room and exclaimed as we walked and they saw Freak and Winston. I ignored them and continued my study. More torches were set up in strategic places lighting the whole room and shining off the polished stone.
Guards were posted around the room decked out just as the two at the entrance to the village had been. In the back of the room sat the Chieftess. She was sitting on a large wooden, I wouldn’t call it a throne, but definitely a large chair on a dais. It was actually a little out of place in this grand room. She stood up as we approached and I had to suppress a whistle, the woman was absolutely gorgeous. She had all the same features as the rest of her tribe but hers were all enhanced. Everything was a just a bit better, her lips more full, her eyes more luminescent, and her bust a little bigger. She wore buckskin as well but on her it looked like fine silk.
At her side, to the right of the dais was a younger woman but just as attractive as the Chieftess. She could only be Shadow Bear’s sister, the Chieftess’s daughter. Dressed as her mother, she had weapons as well, a hatchet and hammer on each side and a spear in hand. She grinned at her brother.
“Oof…” I winced as Moon Flow
er elbowed me in the side. Maybe I was staring a bit too hard.
I rubbed my side as I continued my study. On her left was what I assumed was a man but it was hard to tell. He wore a dire wolf’s head and its fur as a coat. They were so large they enveloped him and all you could see was the barest outline of his chin.
Shadow Bear led us to the center of the room and we followed behind spreading out and forming a line behind the scion. We stopped about ten feet in front of the sitting Chieftess. She held her arms out wide and a large smile graced her face as she looked at her son. I didn’t see how this beautiful smiling woman could be as intense as Shadow Bear intimated. Then her eyes flicked around to us and her visage changed. Gone was the smiling beneficent mother and in its place was a wrathful Valkyrie.
“Hello mother I have returned this is…” Shadow Bear began.
“You!” She screamed interrupting her son and pointing at our group.
TRACK 46 – GANGSTER TRIPPIN – FATBOY SLIM
“You!” Chief Running Hawk called pointing at the Chieftess at the same instant.
I looked back and forth between the two leaders as perplexed as everyone else around me. The guards bristled at the shouts and brandished their weapons. In turn, everyone in my party drew theirs except for the Chief and me. Now we were all in a Mexican stand off weapons drawn and facing out.
“Ok… ok… let’s all just calm down.” I said activating my Smooth Talker skill. Everyone’s eyes turned to me as I spoke, thank god for skills. “Now I think there has been some type of misunderstanding. Let’s all put our weapons away and talk this out. Chieftess Shining Eagle, my name is Lawrence, Lawrence Wrath. Your son has told us much about you. We are honored to meet you.” I finished bowing slightly to the beautiful woman.
“You are welcome Lawrence Lawrence Wrath. My son has told me about you from when you fought the Wendigo. Welcome to the home of the Jicarilla. Although you bring with you unwelcome company.” She said sitting down in her chair.
“Ah yes… I take it you and Chief Running Hawk already knew each other?” I asked.
“Knew?” The Chief scoffed. “That woman is a murderous, violent, and mean person.”
“Me!” She screamed again jumping back to her feet. “That man is a pervert, a coward, a thief, and a liar!”
I sighed this was not going to go away. We better hash this out if we were going to move on to the reason we had come.
“There seems to be something wrong here. I know the Chief and he is nothing but an honorable man. From what Shadow Bear has told me you are also honorable. Can we talk this out maybe you both tell us what happened and we can clear this misunderstanding up?” I asked both parties.
“Fine!” The Chief snapped crossing his arms over his chest.
“That is acceptable to me as well. Like that man is even capable of telling the truth.” She said, waving her guards down for good and sitting back in her chair. “I will tell you what happened and you all will see this man for what he is.”
“You…” The Chief started to yell.
Moon Flower grabbed him and shook her head. The Chief quieted down but still fumed. I smiled and sent a mental thanks to my fiancé. Chieftess Shining Eagle glared daggers at Chief Running Hawk before speaking.
“It was many years ago that he and I met but I would never forget his face. I was just a young maiden only fifteen summers but I remember it like it was yesterday. The Great Suffering hadn’t yet started and our tribe had just settled this area. I was alone on my first solo hunt and had been tracking a rare giant white moose for days. It was my fifth day of the hunt and I had lost its trail. My body was tired and sore. I was thirsty and covered in filth. By chance I came upon a crystal clear pool in a secluded glade.” She paused collecting her thoughts before continuing.
I looked over at the Chief and he was still angry but he seemed to be lost in memories of his own. She had collected her thoughts and continued. I focused on her story.
“At the time I remember it being serendipitous and I thanked the gods for leading me to it. After checking the area I found it safe and then slaked my thirst in the pool. Once I was satisfied I decided to clean myself and stripped down to bathe in the water. It was during my bathe that the moose appeared from the forest and came to the pool to drink. It was even bigger and more amazing up close. I was silent as the huge beast bent its head down and drank from the pool just a dozen feet away from me. The animal was awe inspiring and I was sure that the goddess herself had sent it to me. I slowly made my way to my weapons so as not to startle the beast. Just as I was about to reach my bow this oaf burst out of the tree line and spooked the moose. Not only that he fired an arrow at it and missed. Then he had the audacity to sit and stare at me in the pool. Who knows how long he sat watching me bathe.” The Chieftess finished, staring scornfully at Chief Running Hawk.
“That is not what happened!” The Chief said.
“Are you calling me a liar?” She hissed.
“Now wait a minute.” I said, cutting them both off. “You had your turn to speak Chieftess, now it is Chief Running Hawks turn.”
“Thank you Law.” He said. “The part about meeting at the pool was right I also remember it like it was yesterday. But I was not a sneak thief coming in to spy on the Chieftess. I was also hunting the giant white moose and had been tracking him for days as well. It was also my first solo hunt and I was also tired and exhausted. I had spied the moose through the trees and I quietly snuck my way up to the glade. My view was hindered and I had a bad shot so I had to move out of the trees to get a good line on the beast. It was then when I exited the forest and was just about to release my shot when I saw you.” The Chief paused looking at the Chieftess. “You were the most enchanting and beautiful creature I had ever seen. It was what distracted me from my shot and caused me to miss. I still remember the way the light played off the water, glistened off your skin, and the way your hair followed the curve of your back. Then you shrieked and began screaming bloody murder at me. I was so shocked that I didn’t know what to do. When you reached the bank and grabbed your bow and began firing arrow after arrow at me like a crazy woman, shrieking and yelling obscenities while shooting at me…”
Chief Running Hawk trailed off and the room was silent as he stopped speaking. The look on Shining Eagle’s face had changed to one of curiosity.
“Did you just say I was the most beautiful woman you had ever seen?” She asked in the sudden quiet.
“Well… yes…” The Chief said, turning red and coughing, but for a different reason than anger this time.
I watched as the two leaders looked at each other with new interest now and obvious attraction. It’s funny sometimes how quickly hate can turn to attraction. I could use this to my advantage.
“It seems that you two have some things to talk about. Perhaps we can…” I began.
“Mother what is the matter with you?” The Chieftess’s daughter called from her side.
Her voice broke her mother from her moment with the Chief and somehow I felt her break the Smooth Talker skills effect as well.
“What was that dear?” The Chieftess said her gaze still lingering on the Chief.
“I said snap out of it. You told me stories of the man who assaulted you during your coming of age hunt. Now you look like a maiden with a crush. Are you the famous warrior of the Jicarilla tribe Shining Eagle?” She replied.
This caught the Chieftess’s attention and her visage hardened as she turned her gaze and looked at her daughter then nodded.
“You are right my daughter, as usual. It matters not why you did what you did. Per the rules of the Jicarilla tribe you must answer for besmirching my honor.” The Chieftess intoned.
“Wait a minute mom, Chief Running Hawk is…” Shadow Bear tried to say.
“Be quiet brother.” Dancing Lion said, silencing her brother.
He stepped back and his mouth snapped shut. His sister glared at him for a moment before turning her gaze back to her mother who began
speaking again.
“I, Chieftess Screaming Eagle of the Jicarilla tribe, hereby challenge you, Chief Running Hawk of The People of The Springs, to a duel. In accordance with the old ways I choose my daughter, Dancing Lion as my champion.” She said formally, looking at the Chief almost apologetically.
“I, Chief Running Hawk of The People, accept your challenge and reserve the right to choose my own champion.” He paused and we locked gazes.
I nodded at his gaze but Moon Flower stepped forward putting her hand on my shoulder and looking to her father. They shared a look and he nodded.
“I choose my eldest daughter Moon Flower, next in line to become Chief of The People.” He said formally.
The Chieftess’s daughter and Moon flower stepped forward coming almost toe to toe together.
“I accept and am proud to be champion for the Jicarilla tribe and to regain your honor mother.” Dancing Lion said solemnly.
“I accept father. I will represent The People and be your champion to defend you and the honor of our tribe.” Moon Flower said formally.
“Well that shit got out of hand quickly.” I whispered to Freak. He just growled softly in response.
TRACK 47 – MOVE THIS (SHAKE THAT BODY) – TECHNOTRONIC
Everything happened quickly after that. Chieftess Shining Eagle shouted a few orders out and the room burst into action. Shadow Bear told us to follow him and gestured to the corner while the guards in the room spread out and began forming a circle in the center of the room.
“Jesus Christ Hawk do you think you could have given us a heads up before we got here?” I asked the Chief incredulously.
He was still staring at the Chieftess with a perplexed expression, after a moment he shook his head and looked at me wistfully.
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