by Jack L Knapp
“Not an easy thing for you to do, Shani. But the tribe needs to know what will happen if the slavers capture anyone.”
“I think they’d have killed us, or at least they’d have killed me. I killed a guard when we escaped.”
Robert looked at the teenager. Clearly there was more to this girl than just an escaped slave.
The two soon arrived at Matt’s camp and Robert signaled for Matt and Lilia to join them.
“You know Shani, Matt. She’s about to tell us how she escaped from the slavers.”
“Lee told me she had a story to tell, Robert. I didn’t want to press her until the two of them had a chance to settle in. I think they’ll be happy camping with us.”
Robert nodded. “Go ahead, Shani. Tell us the rest.”
“The slavers tied us to a long rope every night. They string the rope between trees and use shorter lengths of rawhide to tie people to the rope. Sometimes they tie it around our neck, sometimes it’s around an arm, but usually they tie it around an ankle.
“We couldn’t untie the knots. They soaked and stretched the rawhide ends first, and when they dried the knots shrank and got really tight. They leave a loop in the end, loose enough for it to slide along the rope. The rawhide is long enough for us to reach the bushes if we have to go during the night.
“The other end of the rawhide also has a loop that’s big enough for our ankle and the end is also soaked and stretched before they tie the loop. The knot shrinks as it dries and the slavers can’t untie it either, they have to cut it off. When they’re ready for us to work, they just untie one end of the long rope from the tree and slip the loops off.
“We have to wrap the rawhide strap around our waist while we’re working. When they’re finished with us they always put the strap’s loop back over the rope. The rawhide rubs the skin and blisters us, but they don’t care.
“There’s always a guard at night and he keeps his hand on the rope; he’ll wake up if someone unties it. I’d have escaped a long time ago if I could have gotten my ankle strap off that rope.
“But I finally found a way to untie the knot around my leg.”
“You said they soaked the rawhide and let it shrink after they tied the knots? How did you manage to unfasten that?”
“I asked them for water just before we went to bed. I drank as much as I could, and after they were asleep, I started soaking the knot around my ankle.”
“Urine?”
“Yes. I could only pee a little at a time, because I didn’t want to waste it. I caught it in my hand and held the knot in the pee. It was still tight, but I could pee a little more in a while and I soaked it again. It didn’t really stretch very much but it finally got wet.”
“If it didn’t stretch, how did you pull the knot apart?”
“My fingernails were too short. I had to use my teeth.”
Robert and Matt were clearly astonished. Not Lilia; from her expression, she’d have willingly done the same thing.
“The knot was in a loop that was around your ankle? You must be very flexible.”
“Yes. I’m still young enough to do that. Someone as old as you are wouldn’t be able to get at the knot with his teeth.”
Robert winced and kept quiet. His respect for this girl was growing. Bending over until she could chew a knot free from around her ankle, a knot that she had soaked in urine to loosen it? Yes indeed, greatly deserving of respect!
“I chewed on it and pulled it with my teeth until it began to untie. After I got the rawhide loop off, I slipped over to the guard. He had the rope end in his hand so that he could feel it move if we tried to untie it from the tree. I grabbed it and yanked it out of his hand, then tied it around his neck while he was waking up. Then I took his knife. He never noticed. He was too busy trying to get the rope off.
“The knife wasn’t very long. He didn’t keep it sharp either, but it was sharp enough. I laid across him and cut his throat. I held him down until he died.
“I untied the rope from the tree and slipped as many loops off as I could so that the others could get away. Some may have gone, but most were probably too frightened.
“I don’t know how many ran away. Maybe they were afraid they’d be blamed for untying the rope and killing the guard. I brought my sister with me.
“I think the others must have woke up the slavers as soon as we were gone. We hadn’t gone very far when those two caught us. They’d have found us sooner, but they couldn’t follow our tracks until the sun came up. They weren’t in a hurry. No one ever escapes.”
“Bella is your sister?” Shani nodded. “Well, you two are free now. We won’t let them take you back. Lee is watching their camp to see if finding two more dead men discouraged the rest.”
#
Lee and Laz ghosted silently through the trees, approaching the spot where Lee had killed the two men. The bodies were still there, judging by the stink.
Others had also found them. Two men now quartered back and forth across the clearing, twenty feet past where the two bodies lay just as Lee had left them. The trackers kept their heads down while they worked, looking for a trail that would show where the two girls had gone. After a low voiced discussion that Lee couldn’t hear, one of the trackers went back where the rest of the group was clustered around the dead men.
Another conference; judging by arm gestures, the tracker wanted to follow the trail left by Lee and the two girls. The other, apparently a leader, gestured at the dead men as another slaver indicated the wounds where Lee had cut his arrows from the body.
Lee slowly eased behind a large bush and gestured to Laz. Whispering in Laz’ ear, Lee said, “We need to get back. We can’t get to their camp now. If this group intends to follow my trail, Matt and Robert will need to know.”
Laz nodded and the two slipped away, using the bush for concealment. When they were far enough away from the slaver party to be unheard, Lee gestured and they began trotting.
“Shouldn’t we stay away from your trail, Lee?”
“I don’t think so. The trackers will find it anyway. I’d rather leave them a trail to follow. I want them concentrating on the tracks when they walk into the ambush.
“As soon as we’re five miles from Riverbend, you take off as fast as you can. Bring Matt and as many fighters as he can round up.
“I’ll shadow the slavers but stay out of sight. We can kill all of them if they don’t know we’re waiting. If they lose enough people, maybe they’ll decide to leave us alone.
“You tell Matt. He’ll know what to do.”
Laz nodded and the two resumed trotting, following the faint trail to the northeast that Lee and the two girls had left.
#
Riverbend was still a few miles ahead when the sun sank behind the trees. They picked a tree and climbed it in the dusk before eating some of their dried meat. A few careful sips of water and the exhausted pair soon slept.
Lee woke before daybreak and roused Laz.
“That bunch couldn’t have followed us last night, it was too dark. I’ll wait here. You’ve got a ways to go, but if you leave now Matt will have more time to get ready. We’ve been moving fast but they can’t follow at the same pace, and I won’t let them see me.”
Laz nodded and looked back down the trail toward where they’d seen the slavers. “How many did you see, Lee? Matt will ask.”
“I counted seven, including the two trackers. There was one in charge, four others looking at the bodies. Is that what you saw?”
“I saw two more back by the trees. I guess they didn’t want to get close to the bodies. That makes nine, if all of them decide to come after us. That fellow in charge might have sent one or two back to camp to report. After all, they’ve got two dead men and two missing girls, plus the tracks of a man. You’d expect the rest of them would want to know.”
“Could be. Tell Matt how many you counted. We have to figure on all of them following. The ones at camp would have known those two went after the girls, but not about
them being killed. It’s going to be a real surprise when they tell the rest. I just hope more of them don’t decide to join this bunch.”
“Do I need to run? Or is trotting fast enough? We don’t know how far Riverbend is from here.”
“Make your best speed. I don’t think you need to run.”
Laz nodded and loped away down the trail.
Lee looked after him for a moment and resumed watching the trail.
Observe without being discovered, fade back when they came into view; such was his task now.
It would make matters much more complicated if someone spotted him. They were too many to fight single-handed, so he’d have to run and the slavers would be pursuing. Far better if they continued following his tracks; the surprise would be even more unpleasant when Matt triggered his ambush.
#
Pavel lovingly examined the rifle. He had only a vague idea of how to use it. This was clearly a military weapon and it had features he’d never seen.
Keeping the barrel always pointed away, he pressed and tugged on the levers and buttons until he finally discovered how to release the magazine.
There were a number of shiny brass objects in the magazine. With some nervousness, he managed to extract one and examine it. The pointed object…that had to be the bullet. He’d seen bullets downtime, before he was transplanted, but they’d been smaller. The ones he’d seen were intended for use in target rifles, not this high-tech marvel.
Still, the rifle was worthless until he learned how to use it. Leaving the magazine out, he worked at a T-shaped handle, at first fearful of damaging the rifle as he pulled back the handle. Soon another bright cartridge popped free, ejecting from the rifle’s side. He grabbed it off the ground, wiped off the dust and laid the cartridge beside the magazine.
He eventually worked out the functioning of the safety mechanism and tried the trigger a few times. With more confidence, Pavel inserted the magazine into its well until it clicked. Pulling back the T-shaped charging handle, he let it slide forward and push a cartridge into the chamber. Turning the safety to its ‘S’ position, he slung the rifle over his shoulder.
Unquestionably, Matt would be astonished. He would be surprised when he saw Pavel, but he’d have no way of anticipating that Pavel now had a rifle. It would be the last shock Matt ever received.
#
Matt and Robert were helping people pack equipment on the carts. Little remained to do; the tribe would need to pack bedding and a few kitchen supplies in the morning, but they could do that and depart within an hour or less.
They were ready to resume their interrupted trek as soon as Laz and Lee returned.
The tribespeople had rested and eaten well while they were camped at Riverbend, and there was now ample dried meat for the next few weeks if hunting was unsuccessful. The weather was pleasantly warm and the game animals had returned to their summer range. Plants were growing, blooming, berries were ripening on the canes. The hungry winter was in the past.
Matt and Robert were still helping the tribespeople when Laz found them.
“Matt, there’s a group of slavers behind me. I counted nine of them. Two appeared to be trackers and they’ll be ahead of the rest. One’s a leader, and some of them may have gone back to tell the camp what they were doing. Lee thinks all of them will be following his trail, the one he left when he brought the two girls in. But if they alerted the camp, there might be more coming.”
“Is Lee shadowing the rest?”
“Either that, or he’s hiding in ambush, waiting for them to get closer. He didn’t want to be seen, though, so he may have pulled back after I left. He thinks waiting ahead of them would be best. He said you would know what to do.”
“I’ve got a few ideas. Let’s round up as many people as possible and bushwhack them where the guards were posted before. It’s a good site, plenty of cover, no place they can run to. Can you come along and give us a hand? If they aren’t on Lee’s heels, you’ll be able to rest there.”
“Give me a minute. I need a drink first if that’s possible. But I do want in on the fight.”
Matt nodded. “See what Margrette has available at the kitchen. You’ll have a few minutes while I get people together. Get yourself something to eat and a drink and we’ll leave from there when everyone’s ready.”
Laz got a slab of jerky and a gourd of Margrette’s tea and rested for half an hour while Matt assembled his force.
Matt led the group from camp with Lilia, Sandra, and Millie last; Laz sighed wearily and joined them in the rear.
At least he was walking now instead of running.
Chapter 13
Lee concealed himself near the trail and settled in to wait.
He’d seen no sign of pursuit; perhaps they were having trouble following the trail. But surely they could track someone? How else would they find escaped captives?
Matt should have the ambush party in position by now. Assuming that Laz had gotten through with the message, of course. Had something happened to Laz? Lee’s situation might become very interesting if Matt hadn’t set up the ambush!
But Laz was a skilled and experienced woodsman. He would have gotten through with the warning. And Matt was dependable; he’d be there, waiting.
Anyway, there was nothing Lee could do about it. He would act as if the ambush was waiting, and have a backup plan if that one failed.
The trackers wouldn’t be far ahead of the rest, no more than forty yards, probably less than twenty. The main party would be close enough to provide support, should the trackers need it, but far enough back not to get in their way.
Lee would eventually become bait for the ambush; he would reveal himself to the trackers. When they took up the chase, he would stay far enough ahead to keep them following but not allow them to get close enough to be dangerous.
If necessary, Lee could slow the pursuit by putting an arrow into one or two of the enthusiastic ones. After what he’d interrupted when the slavers caught up to Shani and Bella, shooting a few would be very satisfying!
If his plan worked, the pursuers would run headlong into a trap.
But if the ambush didn’t happen before he got close to Riverbend Camp, it might mean that Laz hadn’t got through.
Lee could then start to reduce their numbers, bleed them as much as possible, maybe force the remaining ones to turn back before they got to the camp. Such was his backup plan.
Lee was a skilled archer; with luck, he might even wipe out their entire party. But he was responsible for protecting the others in the tribe, so he preferred not to gamble.
Did he carry enough arrows to kill all of them? A mistake on Lee’s part could be fatal. And if that happened, the tribe might not be warned. Some could be captives before anyone even knew the slavers had found Riverbend Camp.
No, taking on the party behind him was something Lee would do only if he had no other choice. Better to lead the slavers into the ambush, let Matt and company kill them.
But if the raiders decided to quit the chase early, the situation would change. Lee could then go back to Riverbend Camp for help, or follow the retreating slavers and kill as many as possible by himself.
Could he salvage arrows along the way? Some inevitably became damaged in use and the slavers might break others. No, he could only count on the ones in his quiver, one shot for each shaft. Lee had a dozen arrows, barely adequate to take on the tracking party, but not enough if they’d been joined by others. He would shoot only when he was certain of a hit, then, and not miss.
Lee knew where the fleeing raiders would be going, so he could travel faster. And there were numerous places along the trail where he could hide and wait. He wouldn’t chase the slavers if they gave up and headed for their village, he would circle around them while they watched their back trail. Ambush them from somewhere ahead, launch one or two arrows, slip away.
He could do that until he ran out of arrows. Or targets.
If any of the slavers did manage to get back to thei
r village, they’d be completely demoralized. Instead of chasing the tribe, they might be more inclined to run from them!
#
Lee would wait a little longer. If the slavers didn’t appear soon....
What if they’d decided not to follow?
The tribe would then be left with two options, neither of them good: abandon Riverbend Camp and continue west, possibly while being pursued, or attack the slavers first.
Of course, the slavers might decide to simply ignore the escape of two captives and the death of three of their number. That seemed unlikely; they survived by conquest and held their prisoners through fear. As soon as the other captives realized that Shani and Bella had escaped, they would try it too. The slavers might claim they’d killed the escapees, but sooner or later the other captives would find out the truth.
Some would die trying to escape, others would have to be crippled by cutting the Achilles tendon. This would reduce the value of the crippled ones, and some might actually succeed in escaping. They would spread word of what the slavers were doing. Raiding would become more difficult.
No. The slavers would have to follow Shani and Bella. They would have no choice.
But for the tribe to attack a camp of sixty warriors, do it with only twenty bowmen? Say, a dozen shafts per bowman, two hundred forty arrows against sixty targets?
And some of the bowmen lacked the skills that Matt and Lee had.
Suppose the raiders had used slave labor to build a wall around their village? What if there were traps along the trails, something to discourage captives from escaping?
No, attacking the raiders’ village was something to do only if they had no other choice.
Fleeing, hoping to remain ahead of the raiders, was dangerous too. Extra guards would be needed and that would take manpower away from other tasks. Still, moving seemed less risky than attacking the village.
The raiders wouldn’t want to leave. They had established markets, other villages that bought captives and traded things the slavers couldn’t make for themselves. The raiders had developed a system, they wouldn’t want to abandon it.