His mother, Sirion, often assured him that he was a leader of men, bound for great things. With this reminder Marad refused to look back at the distant smoke that signaled the destruction of all he had ever known and he did not shed one tear for those that had perished. Once he had the Ada’na as his mate, he would rebuild the village of Aztlan and the mountain gods would bless his greatness by remaining silent.
Marad reminded himself that it was the woman that called down the wrath of the volcano upon their village. He had always known that the Ada’na’s power was great, but he had never thought to fear her.
Marad wanted the woman back within his grasp and he vowed to stop at nothing until he reached his goal. He gathered his men together and when they were crowded around he lifted his hand high and with a steely resolve he took his knife and sliced deeply into his forearm until blood poured from the wound.
When all eyes were focused on him he roared a battle cry that seemed to shake the heavens themselves. His warriors caught up in the fervor of blood thirst let loose with resounding cries until it seemed that the very ground began to shake in fear. Marad tasted his own blood and smiled grimly as he envisioned his grand future.
Deep within the shelter of the forest Taikiuu stopped in her tracks and listened. They walked beside a river that roared like some wild animal which made listening out for their enemies very difficult.
Yet Taikiuu could just make out distant sounds that caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand up straight. Kii drew close to Taikiuu while carrying her new sister on her back so that the child would not tire out.
Taikiuu was aware that Kii still hesitated to touch her without permission and so she deliberately stepped backwards until she lightly brushed against Kii as they walked. The contact comforted them both just as Taikiuu intended.
Jon’lan had been scouting ahead and returned swiftly when he realized that the others had stopped. A menacing growl pierced the air which caused everyone to look around in fright. Jon’lan felt sweat break out on his forehead as once again the realization that he walked alone through the jungle without even a spear for protection hit him with full force. He carefully nudged everyone into a protective circle.
Jon’lan started to grab the young man when he lunged forward unexpectedly and fell to his knees opening his arms wide as if in an imaginary embrace. Taikiuu watched with interest as Boy Alone presented himself to the surrounding forest.
Suddenly the boy growled from deep in his throat in perfect imitation of the sound that they had heard only moments ago. An answering call came from the trees and out of the forest shot a blurring mass of black speeding toward their small circle.
Jon’lan did not know the name for the animal that raced towards them, with his spear he would name it predator, and without his spear the animal would likely name them prey. Still he fearlessly took a stance in front of the boy, pushing him off balance despite his muttered protest. With undisguised grace and a flurry of movement both boy and animal came together in a clash of snarls and fur.
Jon’lan started forward but Taikiuu placed a staying hand on his arm and this alone made him hesitate.
He was able to make out the form of a large cat through the fog and mist. The boy seemed to be holding the animal to his chest in an embrace, as one would hug a brother, not an enemy. The cat jumped to his feet and pranced around the boy as if playing with him, still Jon’lan feared the worst.
Many times in the wild he observed a predator play with a smaller animal instead of devouring it only because the prey was too frightened to move. The boy looked at his new companions and he saw that they feared his animal brother.
He did not know the words to explain how one that was a boy of the People had become leader of the animal kind that ran wild upon this land. He looked at First Man and hoped that one such as he would understand his words, “He is my brother.”
Jon’lan’s eyes widened in understanding as he worked to translate the boy’s words. Somehow this boy had made friends with the wild animal and expected Jon’lan to understand that it would cause them no harm. Still Jon’lan was hesitant to accept the boy’s explanation.
The cat stood as tall as his youngest daughter who was not yet named. Surely this was an enemy. Hawk came to rest on Jon’lan’s broad shoulder seeking to get a closer look at this animal that threatened his people. The cat turned golden eyes upon the bird and slowly crouched into a hunter’s crawl as he stalked ever closer to Jon’lan. With a sound unlike anything Jon’lan had ever heard the boy called to the cat, stopping him in his tracks.
The cat looked at the boy and growled menacingly but again the boy made an admonishing sound. Again the cat growled at the boy but this time its body seemed to relax and his tail flicked the air near the boy’s face in silent apology. Taking the cat by the scruff of his neck the boy motioned the cat forward. He released his hold as soon as he noticed the cat following behind him.
Boy Alone motioned for his new people to stand still and slowly he led Brother Cat to Jon’lan. As leader of their band it was important that the cat recognize Jon’lan first and foremost.
Leaning close the boy sniffed at Jon’lan’s hands and neck, scenting him until the man’s smell was locked in his memory. The cat growled low in its throat and then imitated the boy’s actions. Jon’lan held perfectly still as the cat first sniffed his hands and then raised himself to stand almost to Jon’lan’s chin, both paws resting on his shoulders to sniff at his neck and ears. Slowly the boy went around the circle sniffing at those he had named First Woman, First Girl and Little Girl.
He watched with absolutely no tension radiating from his body as the cat then sniffed each female in turn. The cat paid special attention to Little Girl, even going so far as to lick the child’s hands in affection before Taikiuu pulled the child closer to her.
Their youngest child watched the cat with solemn eyes, but for once Taikiuu noticed that the child’s gaze held a hint of curiosity instead of the blankness that had been present since the terrible events of the previous day. Kii held perfectly still as the boy sniffed her hands and then her neck and face. It seemed that he took longer bringing her scent into his nostrils than he had with the others.
Kii’s brown face flamed as he breathed in her smell, his nose almost touching her cheek as he sniffed her. She was aware that this was some kind of introduction or ritual that would let the animal know that they were not prey but her attention was more focused on the boy than the cat. He stood a head taller than her and his body was lean and fully muscled, yet he had the look of one that had gone a long time without enough to eat. He did not have even a small layer of fat on his body like most of the boys in her village.
When he again bent to sniff at her hands she felt certain that he could hear her heart pounding inside her chest, still she stood perfectly still, watching him closely. Finally when he was finished with his inspection the cat took its turn although the boy did not allow the cat to stand on its hind legs to sniff her neck or face, nor did he allow this with Taikiuu. Obviously this was an honor allowed only to Jon’lan as the leader.
Finally when the introductions had been made Taikiuu stepped forward, although she held the small child in her arms she knelt gracefully, following her example Kii slid easily to her knees. The boy put out a hand to both women motioning that they should rise, but his face flamed behind his stony look as he realized that they gave a sign of honor to Brother Cat.
“Well, that was not exactly what I expected to find hunting us in this forest.” Jon’lan muttered to himself as he ran his fingers through his hair and caught a glimpse of a smile in his woman’s eyes. He approached the boy and after conversing with him to get a full understanding he came back to the women.
“He says that the cat is his brother, a friend and that he would like to take him with us. I can’t help but think that since we are unarmed the cat would offer protection or at least warning of a stranger’s approach.” As he spoke he watched the way Taikiuu listened to him,
weighing his words before slowly nodding her head in agreement.
“Then let us move quickly.” Jon’lan spoke to them all, “Stay close and move quietly.”
Jon’lan once again left the women and children behind as he and the boy scouted the beach where he had left his boat. Jon’lan had taken both trading packs, full of supplies and now both he and the boy each carried one on their backs.
As he approached the place where he had hidden the boat all of his senses came fully alert. He motioned with his hand that they should halt and the boy immediately came to a stop. Jon’lan felt a swell of admiration as he looked at the young man; surely, he himself had not been as well trained in stalking through the forest at such a tender age.
Carefully they began to back away until they were only a few paces away from where the woman and children were hidden.
“We cannot go to the boat. Our enemy has set a trap and waits for us there.” Jon’lan spoke slowly in the boy’s own language. Jon’lan did not tell the boy that his trusted bird was not present and Hawk would never leave the boat unless threatened with force.
The boy’s eyes held a spark of surprise that the man had mastered his tongue so quickly, still he frowned with concern upon realizing that their escape would be prevented. His breath held in his chest as he realized that there might yet be a way.
“Below.” The boy spoke quietly as he pointed to the ground.
“It is possible that we are on another island, the only thing below us is the water.” Jon’lan appreciated the boy’s desire to help but he felt supremely frustrated. He could not fight off a war party with his bare hands and hope to live through the experience.
“There is a way.” The boy answered, taking Jon’lan by the shoulder, he turned him until he was looking at the rock wall that hid them from view. “We must go down.”
“Are you saying there is a way into the rock?” Jon’lan spoke without hope, expecting the boy to disagree with his statement. Surely he had misunderstood him because of the language barrier.
“This is how I came to be here, I could not ride a tree the way First Man did.” The boy had only a rudimentary understanding of Jon’lan’s boat.
Jon’lan had tried to explain the process of how a boat was constructed so that he would have some understanding, but it was difficult to explain without actually showing him the vessel. Obviously he had done a poor job translating if the young man thought he and the woman had come here by riding on the back of a tree.
Still, this led him to believe that there may be another way out of the forest, one that Jon’lan didn’t know, but a way out none the less.
“Show us.” Jon’lan heard himself say.
Sunlight trickled through in some places but it was almost pitch black towards the back of the cave. Jon’lan felt frustration tense his shoulders. He had searched the cave carefully for any exit the night before, not wanting to be surprised from a secret entrance as they slept.
Still the boy moved purposefully forward until he reached the back wall of the cave. Brushing rocks away with his hands he lifted to his full height and felt along the top of the cave wall until finally an opening was revealed. Looking back at Jon’lan with a fierce smile on his face he continued to clear away loose stones until finally a small hole began to appear.
Taikiuu moved forward and began to help him, handing over the small girl to Kii who stood staring transfixed as a passage way was slowly uncovered. After a few more moments Jon’lan saw that it was possible to lift up and slide inside. Cool air blew from the cave entrance suggesting that a tunnel of some sort lay ahead.
“Is it safe?” He asked the boy.
“Safe enough to walk through to the old land.” The boy replied quietly.
“How far must we travel?” Jon’lan needed to know. He couldn’t risk the woman or the children.
“Many sun sleeps, water and cold. But if we survive it is better than dying here.” The boy again replied in a whisper, it seemed as if he were afraid of frightening the woman and children, even though they could not speak his language or understand his words.
“Then we must go, it is our only hope.” Jon’lan turned to his new family and relayed the message quietly. Taikiuu looked into the entrance of the cave and felt her body react in fear, yet her face remained expressionless as she nodded. This was the same cave that her mother had taken her to as a young girl. Taikiuu had to trust that Shi’nar had somehow known this day would come. She signed to Kii quickly.
“It is good.” The girl answered the trader’s unspoken question, relaying her new mother’s words.
A shout could be heard from outside the cave and Jon’lan knew that they had been discovered.
“Quickly!” He grabbed the woman and child in one swift motion and lifted them both up to the tunnel entrance, Kii followed and then Jon’lan.
“Come!” Jon’lan reached an arm down to the boy but the youth had a stricken look on his face.
“I cannot go with you.” the boy spoke solemnly although his eyes were wide with pain, “It is forbidden that I should ever return to my people. I am an outcast.”
“You are now of my band, you are no longer of your own people. Never would I leave such a strong son to be tossed away.” Jon’lan felt Taikiuu’s reassuring hand on his shoulder and again he reached down to help the boy saying, “Come.”
This time the boy did not hesitate, with a low growl he hefted himself up and over the lip of the cave, there was a blur of motion and the cat followed using its claws to easily climb up the wall.
“We must fill the entrance with rocks or they will find us.” Jon’lan spoke to the others to calm them and also to allay his own fears.
Without the use of fire there was no way to see inside the tunnel, they stood in inky blackness with only a few rays of sunlight seeping into the cramped area.
Jon’lan did not know his way and would be incapable of leading them in the darkness without the help of the boy to guide them. But that was not his reason for wanting the boy to come with them; he truly meant what he said.
All four bent to the task of thrusting rocks into the hole to seal its entrance. Finally, when Jon’lan thought he could bend and lift not one more stone, the entrance was sealed. He placed a silencing hand upon Taikiuu’s arm and she in turn held both girls close to her, the boy stood silently beside Jon’lan willing the cat to remain quiet as well. He heard the echo of sound from behind the wall and knew that their enemy was upon them.
The Hetmos Warriors
Marad seethed with fury as his men entered underneath the waterfall to view the hidden cave their leader had discovered. He retrieved his spear which he had thrown with such force that it was embedded in the stone.
He had acted without thinking, allowing rage to overcome his good hunting sense. With unreasonable certainty a part of him had known that he would find the woman and her trader hiding here in fear. Marad was not used to being wrong and so he did not allow his men to see that he had made an error in judgment.
He searched the ground for sign of those he was hunting and barely resisted the urge to roar in frustration. It was important that a leader remain in control. If he were to show fear, overwhelming anger or any other emotion it would be a display of weakness, not bravery and he was nothing if not brave.
His nostrils flared as he scented the ground, although this was only a pretense, his action relayed no new information. However, he pretended as if he had learned something from his careful search.
He could barely make out the sign of footsteps in the sand other than his own. Due to his own foolishness he had rushed into the cave expecting to surprise the trader and the woman. He had not taken care and because of this he had lost all sign of their passage. He was certain that they had recently been there but as to when and which direction they had taken upon leaving, he could not say.
Marad motioned to Roark, his second in command, who judiciously stepped forward to stand at his leader’s right side. “How may I serve you?”
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br /> Roark spoke with a quiet and humble voice as he averted his eyes from the ground. He was also a seasoned tracker and with a glance it was obvious that his leader had walked without thought upon the footsteps of those that they pursued.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up as he noticed the tracks of a large cat. A small prickle of doubt bothered Roark when his leader did not mention the footprint. It would not do to show disrespect to the one that provided food for his wife and son as a gesture of faith for Roark’s good service and so he remained silent awaiting his leader’s command.
“We must split up into two parties. It is not good to remain as a group when this is a large forest and we must search for them thoroughly.” Marad studied Roark carefully, were it not for the man’s unerring humility Marad might have seen Roark as a foe to be reckoned with. “Do you agree?”
“I would agree with my leader.” Roark spoke the words that the man wanted to hear although he had to force himself to believe them.
It was his opinion that they should have headed back to see to the welfare of their families when the island volcano had erupted. He feared for the lives of his family. But pride would not allow him to return without his leader’s approval.
Roark struggled with this decision. It did not matter to him whether they ever found the Ada’na or the trader. He cared only for the well-being of his own family. The sooner that they could bring this mission to an end the more quickly they would return to what was left of their homeland and for Roark that meant only his wife and small son.
Marad saw the tension in the man’s shoulders but brushed it away from his mind at Roark’s reassuring nod. Roark never wavered in his loyalty and this was a trait that Marad could not fully understand, nor trust. Turning with his back to the cave wall he looked at his men in the dim light.
Keeper of the People (Book One) Page 10