Taikiuu seemed to be in a peaceful state of rest. She sat so still that Yaa had to look closely to see that she was not sleeping. Yaa noticed that Taikiuu’s breathing was slow and steady. Yaa forced herself to calm down, her breath came under her own control and she forced her tense body to relax. Kii also sat with her eyes closed although her brow was furrowed in concentration, her posture and poise closely mimicked that of her hearth mother.
Mar-ee cuddled into Kii’s lap and her eyes were wide, shadows of her past before joining their band seemed to flash before her eyes and Yaa reached out and grasped her hand. She did not want Mar-ee to remember the past, even though the storm was fear inspiring.
She loved the happy little girl that Mar-ee had become and she hoped that one day Mar-ee would have no memory of her life before being adopted as a daughter of their people. Mar-ee smiled tremulously at Yaa and this encouraged Yaa to sign to Mar-ee. She began to tell her a story using her hands to sign the words. She hoped that her story would take the little girl’s mind off the storm that raged outside.
Giad shifted so that he was better able to see his sister’s hands. Her thoughts were easy to read as they crossed her face and he had been caught up in watching her as she struggled against her fear. Ordinarily she would rely on Giad to shield and protect her but he was glad to see that she found comfort in their mother’s arms. Giad also realized that Yaa found courage in the strength of their Aunt, who was surely the Ada’na, blessed woman and secret keeper. There was no other explanation for the calm that he felt by simply being in his Aunt’s presence.
Anaay settled back into the recesses of the crevice that sheltered them from the storm. Rhea stalked back and forth before returning to her litter, where she cleaned each leopard cub with a focused intensity that surprised Anaay. He remembered Rhea as being little more than a baby herself, despite her large size; she had always had an air of youth about her. He no longer sensed that Rhea needed him for anything; in fact she seemed to be tolerating his presence in her den. Anaay could only imagine that Rhea had somehow followed his trail, for why else would she be here in this cave?
Jon’lan and Roark patted the young man on the back as he squatted on his hunches. Jon’lan could see that Anaay was battling with this thoughts and he did not wish to disturb the young man, but the storm outside drew his attention. The snow no longer fell, but it was obvious that the temperature was rising; even the icicles in the cave had started to drip rapidly. Jon’lan had never seen anything like it in all of his days. It was as if the snow was rapidly melting and the storm outside only aided the effort.
Water began to trickle down from the top of their shelter and Jon’lan sweated with worry. As a man that loved the rivers and lakes that he had been born to, he could only imagine how quickly the snow could be turned into a churning mass of ice cold mountain water. He shifted so that he could peer down into the melee and all he could see was swirling snow and water. He clenched his teeth and locked his jaw to avoid the groan that wanted to burst forth from his lips.
Roark and Anaay looked at him, watching his reaction and he did not allow a flicker of doubt to show on his face, nor did he offer them any hope. The only thing he had to offer was his leadership and his will to survive. In the flickering light of the small fire Jon’lan looked steadily at the men that trusted him with their lives and he swore that he would find a way out, for all of them, the women and children included.
The morning dawned and the air held a trace of warmth that Star Feather had not expected. She checked the children; her son lay warmly against her breast and Yaa was snuggled into her side. Star Feather smiled as she realized her daughter still held her hand as she had all through the night. Giad was awake and he was staring up and into the sky above the cavern that sheltered them.
The Old One was also awake and he smiled gently at her when she caught his attention. Kii held Mar-ee in her arms and there was no sign of Taikiuu. Star Feather looked at the Old One and then at Giad who shifted his attention to her and answered her unasked question.
“She went out.” Giad spoke softly but there was anger in his words. He had asked his Aunt to remain within the shelter of the cavern. But she had insisted that she needed to see what was around them. Giad had offered to leave and return with a description of their surroundings but Taikiuu had insisted that she must see the land with her own eyes.
“She will return.” Star Feather spoke softly, not wishing to wake the sleeping children. Let them rest, she thought, for who knew what the day would bring. She insisted that Giad take his rest and she told him that she would watch for the return of Taikiuu as well as the men. Giad did not question his mother, not when she set her chin at such a demanding angle and he knew that he must be well rested for the day ahead.
Star Feather shifted her weight and lay still as her son snuggled into his bed furs and immediately drifted off to sleep. Giad was a brave boy and she would remember to tell him how much she valued such a strong son. Star Feather met the eyes of the Old One and she smiled when he nodded as if he shared the same thought. Her insides trembled at the thought of Taikiuu in danger on the mountain, but the woman was strong and she was especially blessed of the People. Perhaps she knew something that they did not and as always she had their best interest at heart.
Taikiuu climbed higher up, there was no where to go but up, the way below them was blocked by a churning river that had developed seemingly overnight. There were huge chunks of ice that moved in great crashing waves and in some areas the water churned as if stirred by invisible hands. Taikiuu could barely hear her own thoughts over the sound of the glacier below her. She trembled even though the air felt almost warm and she realized that somehow the mountain had been affected drastically by the weather and they were now faced with escaping before the water rose any further. Taikiuu could find no other escape route except to continue upwards and she was thankful that the way up was not very steep. The children would be able to make it this far, all she had to do was the find a way forward that would take them in the direction that they wished to travel, away from the rising sun.
Taikiuu wanted to feel Jon’lan’s strong arms around her, she wanted to know that he was well and that they would be together again, but her immediate need was to move the small band while there was still time to escape. If they stayed in the shelter of the mountain and the water continued to rise, there would be no escape. Taikiuu did not allow fear to control her emotions; she steadied her breathing and took a last look around, noting several landmarks before returning to the shelter of the cave.
Star Feather hid her dismay when she peered outside and saw the churning waters below them. Her heart screamed for her husband, but when she looked back at her children her face was calm. She had always wondered at her own mother's ability to hide her worries and she had never thought that she would be capable of such control with her own emotions.
But as she looked at the concerned faces of Yaa and Giad she knew what motivated mothers of the People, it was love. Her love for these children would not allow her to burden them with her worries, besides Taikiuu, Kii and the Old One shared the same fears.
She took comfort in knowing that she was not alone. She needed Roark now more than ever before, but until he could return to her, she would be strong. She squared her shoulders and raised her eyes to greet the new day. They had survived this much and they would continue. There was simply no other choice.
Marad and his men hunkered down against the mountain, for the moment they were safe. They were sheltered by an overhang that offered them adequate protection from the storm. The men shared the water skin full of his mother’s elixir, it brightened their eyes and made their pupils turn into two small points.
The men were ready to travel and Marad was ready to lead. They had picked up the trail of the band that they sought only the day before, the snow and rain may have washed away some of their tracks, but he knew which direction they traveled. He would find them and when he did they would rue the day th
at they have ever sought to cross him.
The foreign warriors did not complain when his men took the lead, they realized that they were outmatched and outnumbered and they had reasoned amongst themselves that all they had to do was make it back to I’naram with the trader and his wife. Once that was done, they would take the glory that was their due. Marad cared nothing for their reasoning, he only allowed them to live at the request of his mother, Sirion sought to integrate the two bands, into one. She told her son that it would make them stronger and Marad scowled with rage as he thought of the man called I’naram sitting as his mother’s mate. That would not happen so long as She’teth was I’naram’s first wife.
At the thought of She’teth Marad smiled maliciously, the woman was a seductress and she believed that she had captured Marad’s attention completely. He played the captivated fool in front of her, but secretly he plotted to take what she offered and then set her aside. He had no wish to be tethered to the woman for the rest of his life. She was a passing pleasure and nothing more. Marad enjoyed the enraged look that entered I’naram’s eyes every time She’teth brushed against him provocatively.
I’naram had taken his wife to his Haik and beat her for her insolence and while she had suffered his blows without sound the next morning she rose with the other women and went about her duties for the day. She smiled at Marad when he caught sight of her, though she was bruised in several places she did not hide her face in shame and Marad was once again captivated by the woman.
I’naram had not succeeded in beating his wife into submission and Marad wondered if the woman had secretly wanted to bring I’naram’s rage down on herself. As Marad glanced back he saw the foreign warriors falling farther and farther behind. They refused to partake of the elixir that Marad’s men craved to strengthen them on their journey. Marad felt his anger subside as he thought of the glory that awaited him when he returned home with the trader as his captive and the Ada’na as his slave.
Taikiuu allowed Giad and Yaa to take the lead. She cautioned them to be careful even as she secured the rope around herself and checked the others. Giad had solemnly sworn to go slowly and to take no risks in his attempts to climb higher into the mountain. They were headed in the right direction and Taikiuu kept scanning the area around them for any sight of the men of their band. She wanted to see her husband so badly that she had to mentally shake herself so that she could keep her focus on the trail.
Star Feather helped Mar-ee gain a foot hold and she pushed while the young child struggled up the steep incline. Once they reached the top it was just a matter of navigating past the huge boulders and rocks that were in their path.
Taikiuu touched Kii’s shoulder and the young woman instantly went to Star Feather and offered to hold Mantiloff for a time. Taikiuu picked Mar-ee up and carried her as her daughter laid her head on her shoulder and snuggled into her mother’s warmth.
Taikiuu realized that she was numb inside, not from the cold, but from the thought that they were now alone in this wild land with enemies in pursuit of them. They were basically weaponless except for Yaa who held her spear and bow and arrow.
Giad was also armed with similar weaponry but Taikiuu did not expect two young children to fight for them. She asked Kii for her bow and arrows, it would make her feel more secure to have them readily at hand. Taikiuu realized that if they were faced with an enemy she would have to shoot without hesitation.
Any hint of uncertainty on her part could mean the death of one of the people that she had come to cherish beyond words. She would not hesitate to dispatch any threat to their safety, be it man or animal.
Kii looked into her mother’s eyes as she watched her raise the weapon and test out its weight in her hands. She shivered when Taikiuu seemed to look past her as if spying their enemy from afar.
The young woman was held in thrall by her mother’s determined gaze until Taikiuu released her and moved her line of eyesight to the distant valley behind them. Kii nodded her head in agreement, although she did not know how to fight, perhaps one day she would learn.
Never again would she be left to feel defenseless without the men for protection. She was sure that her mother would teach her, as well as Yaa. Kii reasoned that anything Yaa could do, she could learn herself. Kii realized that Yaa made her skill with the bow appear easy. Anything Yaa aimed at, she also struck with her arrow. It was a valuable skill to learn and Kii was determined to succeed.
Chapter Forty-Six
Taikiuu was determined to find Jon’lan, Roark and Anaay. She needed to search out any areas that appeared to offer shelter. She would not allow herself to believe that her mate had been buried by the storm. In her heart, she believed that he was still living and if he had perished, surely she would know it. Yet her heart beat in rhythm with Jon’lan’s and each breath she took was another breath that he drew into his own lungs. She had to believe that he was alive because the alternative was unthinkable.
“I wonder if a girl can learn to fly?” Yaa asked no one in particular yet her voice carried over the sound of the crashing river below, which seemed to have retreated into a dull hum.
There was silence for several moments, but then Yaa felt her Aunt approach. She did not hear Taikiuu’s carefully placed steps but she sensed her Aunt’s presence. The others, even her small framed mother, made noise when they walked. Yet Taikiuu seemed to place every step with deliberation and Yaa imagined that her aunt simply did not touch the ground. She walked upon the wind.
“If man were not meant to fly, then it would not be in his heart to do so.” Taikiuu whispered for Yaa’s ears alone and the woman’s voice was a soft caress on the child’s heart.
“But it would be foolhardy to fly without wings.” Giad piped up from behind the woman and girl and they both turned to regard him. Yaa frowned at her brother for ruining her imagined flight over the mountains.
“Perhaps then, Yaa should make wings.” Taikiuu responded simply and smiled at the young girl who had dreams in her eyes. Yaa brightened considerably at the idea and seemed to retreat into her thoughts without giving Giad even a spare glance. The boy frowned slightly but already he was busy scouting the way ahead and Star Feather marveled over the maturity that Giad showed as he led the small band forward.
The Old One was in the rear and he moved slowly, but the women could not move quickly without the men to guide them. He was not a hindrance or a burden and the woman of power had even stopped to ask his advice. He agreed with her assessment that they must move on in order to survive. Waiting in the crevice that sheltered them was not a viable solution to their problem. Still his shoulders straightened and his chin lifted in pride at being included in the decision.
“We will find father shortly.” Giad mumbled to himself, although his hands tightened into fists as he felt fear take hold of him. He was too young to be responsible for the women and children, but Roark trusted him with the weighty task, so perhaps not. Giad yearned to be a man, but a part of him still wanted to remain a boy for a little while longer. Although he grimaced and complained he liked his mother’s attentions at the end of each day and he enjoyed telling her of the things he saw and discovered.
Star Feather always reserved some time each day to hear about his day and listen to him talk about all the things that were on his mind. She made up for the years that he had been without a mother and had only suffered the abuse met out by his hearth father. He enjoyed being her son, more than anything he could have ever imagined. But life without Roark would not feel as safe and secure and Roark had much to teach Giad.
His father had told him so only a few days before. Giad contained his thoughts just as his father had taught him that warriors did when facing battle. He kept his mind on the trail ahead of them and making the way easier for the women and children. He kept his hand on his spear and his bow on his shoulder. His pack was made as lightweight as possible so that it did not slow him down. He would be ready to face any challenge that confronted them and even though the part of hi
m that was a boy trembled, the part of him that was already a man stood firm in resolve.
“We need to leave soon.” Jon’lan spoke to Anaay and Roark. Anaay stroked one cub while he directed his attention to the snowed in cave entrance. Roark rose to his feet and approached the snow covered entryway. He lifted a large branch that he used a club and went to work clearing a way out for them. Jon’lan stood by and when the man began to tire, he took his turn with the club, battering at the wall of snow.
Anaay returned one of the cubs to its mother and stroked Rhea’s fur covered chin affectionately before taking his turn with the club. The men were careful not to sweat, even though the weather was warmer, they were still at risk for growing too cold. In this rugged landscape death was a certainty, only the strong survived and even then, only those able to adapt to the changing landscape could hope to thrive.
By the time the men were able to dig themselves out they were weary with fatigue. The avalanche had buried them deeply into the mountain and the ice was slippery and melting even as they made their way down. Jon’lan was startled to see the water below them; just the day before there had not been a river on their mountain and now a great river flowed along with large chunks of ice, some pieces of ice were larger than anything Jon’lan had ever seen. He kept calm; there was no reason to show his worry or his panic.
Already he knew that Anaay and Roark were eager to return to the women and children. He could not let them see that he feared what they would find upon their return. The men made quick work of their travels and they found the crevice that had sheltered the women and children just as the sun was setting. Anaay was the first to see what Jon’lan would not say aloud, the crevice was filled to the brim with water.
Keeper of the People (Book One) Page 49