“Just the elder?” She wondered oddly.
“Just him. Chief to retired Chief.” She let go and walked over to the group.
Less than a minute passed before the old man came closer to say “You needed to speak with me?” Cage turned around, finding themselves able to speak in private, and sat. The elder sat before him. The babbling of water further obscured the conversation.
“I’ve thought through several scenarios and none will go over well with our people and I’ll need your help and advice.” The old chief didn’t show any outward reaction and simply listened. “We both know Meeka, Zatal, Lanna and Moril are being held captive and I cannot allow them to be enslaved. I cannot leave anyone behind, I just can’t. Even if it weren’t Meeka out there I would go save the others. This is where problems will arise and I need your insight. We both know the whole tribe wants to turn around and go after the four, but to go in force will not work. The slavers would hold our people hostage like they do to the children to make the adults more submissive. The mates of Zatal, Moril and Lanna will be the most difficult with my ideas.
“We cannot bring the children along and must get them to safety. That won’t be a problem with the parents, but they won’t be protected enough if I take all the warriors and hunters. A large group will slow us down if we go after the train. More than five people will complicate the rescue mission. I can see in your eyes that you’ve also considered splitting up.” Metak nodded once and remained silent. “What we need is the best skilled to go after Meeka and the others while sending a sufficiently capable force to get the children to safety. Already Hammit and Quitte head east to the ocean, likely to follow the plan we told everyone. They will take the beach once they find it and I’d like for you and the kids to do the same and hope they meet up with you.”
“I did not think of that, but you will be right.” Metak voiced.
“The problem I face is how many I should take? What I find hard is it would be best if I went alone, but we both know it wouldn’t be ideal.” The old man inclined his head. “Out of everyone here I can trust only one person to accompany me. Brooke has skills superior to any other in the tribe. She proved to keep a clear head despite her anger. She knows her priorities and is the best fighter we have. My issue is this, if I take Brooke with me, can I have your help to take the title of chieftain and get everyone to travel to Kote?”
Elder Metak closed his aged eyes to contemplate for several minutes. Cage watched as Brooke kept people away from them and had the villagers clean up to leave soon. The old chief opened his eyes. “Being chief has never been easy. We must always consider the best solutions for our people, especially when they disagree. I am glad I’m not in your position, but I cannot disagree with any you have said. Every hunter knows that when you go hunting a herd of buffalo, small numbers make less noise, smell and can get closer without being seen. Anger and impatience will likely ruin any hope of freeing our people from those men. And as you say, Brooke might have a temper against men, but she can control it better than the mates of the other three. We also cannot risk weakening the protection of the young. So far, it is because of you that we’ve come to this point and remain free. Because of your magic you are worth more than a dozen of our finest warriors, not to mention how deadly you are in physical combat. Brooke is a fine match to your skills as she can be the most stealthy of us all and her weapon skills are great. If only the two of you go I can persuade the rest to follow me as the eldest member of the tribe. Shania and my other six loves will also likely support me. The question is what are we to do while you go save our people?”
“I’ve thought of that and I need you to do something important.”
“Anything.” The man said. “You’ve extended my life and made me feel twenty years younger. Also you’ve given me the ability to make love to my mates again.”
When no one looked Cage pulled out Meeka’s knife from his pack and handed it over. “When we leave the valley and reach the safety of the south side of the mountains and split up I’ll need you to lead our people to Kote. I left the map in your pack to guide you. I put it there last night knowing I’d separate to find Meeka anyway, but now that she’s been captured my plans changed. Stick to the plan and head for the coast and use it to reach Kote. Once you get there in the next few weeks head alone or with a few warriors to find Meeka’s parents Cillian and Tiffa. Show him this knife and tell him everything and I’m going to save her. He will know the truth because he has a similar knife in his boot. I’ll also let you have her pack. Inside it is a small fortune of coins. Use it if needed.”
“As for my island, don’t bother trying to reach it without me. The area around Kote is abundant with wildlife. Make a temporary home in the forest or near the ocean and get accustomed to it. When I return to Kote I’ll bring our people to a well protected home.
The old and fit man discretely hid the knife in a pocket of his leather pants. “How will I know what this Cillian and Tiffa look like?” Cage focused and created an illusion of the two in question. Metak stated calmly “Tiffa looks almost exactly like your woman.” Cage nodded and made the magic fade away. “This will not be easy to overcome, but I know the difficulty a chief faces better than anyone. When do you think we should inform our people of this unfavorable plan?”
“There is a road that runs east to west from Emrocan Port along the Darshay Mountains before going north to Castle Emroc. When we reach that road is where Brooke and I will break from you.” In a serious voice Cage said “Metak, if Brooke and I do not meet up with the Utala at Kote this time next year, consider we are dead and have been lost. You must move on and find your way without us. A year will be more than long enough to find and return to you.”
“That is how or tribe lives. If one of our people do not return in a year we mourn for them and must move on. If you return after a year we hold a celebration, but such a thing has occurred a handful of times. I know only death with prevent you from rescuing your woman and the others. Brooke is the same. I will wish you good luck now, but I think another suggestion will work now that I think about it.”
“What do you have in mind?” The old man deviously explained and Cage smiled. “I like the way you think. I have a way to fix the concern too...”
The conversation came to an end and Cage got up. Metak called his elder mates over to explain the plan as Cage scooped up his pack and helped finish breaking camp. As he worked he studied the seven elders. Each sat still and didn’t react as their age and wisdom prevented needless worry in others. Occasionally the women would glance at Cage, revealing nothing. At one point they all nodded and the conversation continued, but their hushed voices and running water made it impossible to overhear. They spoke and gestured calmly, not reacting in any disappointed way or speaking angrily to voice an opposite opinion. Cage saw Metak pat his pocket where the knife hid and another round of nodding took place. Seconds later Shania and the others spoke. They stood together, each one looking at Cage casually and inclined their heads with discretion the rest of the tribe missed, acknowledging his judgment to be the best option and had their support.
Brooke finished what she was doing and approached her male love. “Cage, what have you decided?”
Others also listened. “We are going to head down the valley and go from there. I have a plan, but it would be prudent it not be spoken till the right time.”
“What of those captured?! You aren’t going to abandon them are you?!” One of Zatal’s women nearly shrieked.
In a calm tone he said “I never said we’d abandon them. If you haven’t forgotten Meeka, mate to myself and Brooke, is there too. I promise you, I will never abandon one of my people. Right now we need to find a way out so that we get to them. I worry greatly for my love, but if I don’t get the tribe to safety first she’ll beat me senseless. Will you continue to follow and trust me?”
Angry tears flowed down the warrior’s cheeks as she nodded.
“Alright then… Zanza, have the hunters loca
ted a safe place for us to travel down the valley?”
The huntress nodded while stroking the neck of a trained dog. “If we follow the stream for a half mile there is a large game trail that will lead us to a trail caused by a landslide made many years ago. It will last for awhile heading southeast. When I reached a high point I spotted a great meadow at the bottom of the valley. It also holds a lake where I believe many animals go to drink. From there we would need to hike over a smaller mountain to most likely escape these confining walls.”
“Since you know the way, lead on.” The sturdy woman grabbed her weapons and moved to the bank and began walking with four other women with similar weaponry. One brought another leashed hunting dog eager to please.
Cage shouldered his pack as Brooke mounted her horse with Rena.
They cautiously followed the slippery stream bank for a half hour and turned onto a large trail. Once free one of the children asked “Chief, I have questions.”
More children and a few curious adults listened in silence. Brooke most of all. “Go ahead, I welcome questions.”
“It is about my mother, Lanna…”
He saw the embarrassing distress on the ten year old boy. “Tell me.”
“Well… what was that ornament in her ear? She never wore anything except her beads.”
Cage sighed and looked up to Brooke who nodded to tell the truth, no matter how ugly. “The earring is something they did similarly in my world.” Cage kept walking and dug his coin bag out and pulled out a copper, silver and gold. He handed it over and asked “I know the Utala do not use money, but can you tell me which metal is cheapest to more expensive?” The boy simply didn’t understand. He returned the coins to the chief who held up a copper. “This is the smallest coin of worth and would buy about a small bowl of soup and a piece of bread.” He then held the copper. “Ten copper equals one of these. A silver can feed you for about ten days.” Then he held up a smaller gold coin. “This can feed you for a hundred days without you needing to do anything.” He put the coins back in the bag and closed it shut. “The most likely reason for the earrings is to tell how much they think your mother is worth. Its kinder than other markings. Some use tattoos or even use a hot iron and brand their slave. When I was learning about the men who took your mother I reasoned this. Most likely they will use the earring to sell your mother for more money at the slave market. She is quite beautiful and will cost more to be owned.”
“You mean someone can own my mother?”
“Some think they are better than any others and see anyone who isn’t as rich or influential as inferior and use them to work. They see people as you see buffalo or that knife on your forearm. To them we are tools or cattle. I couldn’t tell you how many human traffickers I took pleasure in killing. Usually I don’t care if I take a human’s life, but their death fills me with joy. Slavers don’t have a right to dominate others or beat people down till they break. Those bastards don’t know what it is like to be tortured… well, until they strayed into my line of fire. Don’t worry, kid, I’ll be sure you mother is rescued too.”
The boy grimly nodded and looked up to ask “If silver is worth less than gold, why did your mate Meeka have silver in her ear. She is, don’t tell my mother I said this, but she is more beautiful. Meeka should be gold too.”
Brooke steely asked “I would like to know this as well. For someone to make my woman a silver when she is certainly a gold is disrespectful. If this is how men truly categorize a person’s appearance and price them that is.”
“It might have looked like silver, but it was too white and clean a metal. I saw only two other women and a powerful man with similar earrings. Most likely it is platinum, a more valuable element. It is a rarer metal than gold and thus more valuable. It means Meeka’s worth is greater than many others. Only someone with the deepest pockets can likely afford her.”
“How can deep pockets…” Brooke began and then understood “Oh you mean they can put more of those coins into the deeper pockets.”
Cage grinned.
Brooke then said “I’m glad they see the greater worth of my woman, but won’t like what is coming if they do anything to her.”
He said “The slavers already did something.” Everyone looked to him at hearing the cold threat. “They just pissed me the fuck off.”
“All of us.” She amended and many heads nodded in agreement.
The end of the trail came soon and Zanza showed the path along a small ridge. Cage noticed Brooke focused only on the back of Rena’s head for some odd reason. He couldn’t ask why as he remained preoccupied keeping the children and animals safe on the rocky path. An hour later they stopped for a few minutes to break. He stared from the high point Zanza mentioned. He saw the large meadow to determine they would reach it an hour or two past noon.
The time of rest ended and they moved on. It wasn’t until they got off the ledge that he noticed Brooke finally look around and relax. He figured she had a fear of heights. Quite likely it as a result of growing up on the plains. He determined. It would be reasonable because she grew up on flat lands, never worrying about falling unless she climbed a tree. Several others also were more comfortable after exiting the ledge.
Hunters found another stream which they followed and continued gradually making way downhill.
Thick vegetation began thinning as the sun began its initial descent. In minutes of following the growing stream they came upon a lush meadow. The serene landscape relaxed all who looked upon it. Thick grass and wildflowers smelled fresh and clean as an array of birds chirped musically. Clear water and a gentle breeze cooled off all their hot, sweaty bodies. Cage sighed “We rest here for an hour. We can all bathe, cool off and have a bite to eat.” His words went over well with those who heard. The children took off their weapons before making a mad dash to the water with a laugh. Before even one kid made it Cage sped past them all and did a series of acrobatic flips off a rock to end in a cannonball, causing a large splash. The kids saw and ran over to the large rock to use as a ledge and emulated their chief. Their laughter caused the adults to enjoy the children’s delight.
Cage swam deep and laid on the bottom of the small lake, staring up at all the children trying to follow his lead. They couldn’t hold their breath long enough to even reach half his depth. After five tense minutes Cage kicked off the bottom and breached the top. “Chief!” one of the children called. “Were you using magic to breathe under water?”
“Nope. I just have a great lung capacity. I can really hold my breath.” He looked over when he saw Brooke without her leather top or bottoms run to the ledge and showed a fast aerial dance that surprised and intrigued him in a aesthetically pleasing way. She moved fluidly and with such grace, slipping into the water like an Olympic diver and not creating much of a splash. She swam beneath the children and emerged right in front of him with a satisfied grin at his reaction. “You also have a good lung capacity.”
Brooke gave him a deep kiss, making her people relax and have a laugh so easily. They swam for a few minutes before exiting. The adults also went for a swim or used sand to wash their bodies. Hygiene is an important part of their tribe.
Cage began to noticed an unease in the animals as the children continued to play to their hearts content. He and Brooke sat together with their belongings while most adults watched over the children and relaxed. The dogs scented the air and their ears perked. The pointed ears began to wilt and they whined quietly. Horses swiveled their ears back and forth and stomped the ground in agitation. Clucking chickens began heading for the trees. He remembered the last time an animal had such a reaction and felt a chill in remembrance. In an ominous voice he asked “Brooke, are your horses naturally skittish?”
Her brown eyes went to his face as he slowly rose to his feet. She looked to the horses and stood too. In a similar tone she said “No, they do not show fear. Neither do the dogs. They would run at a herd of charging buffalo without pause. The birds are also silent. The only thing that
I’ve known our animals show fear is…”
Their eyes met with concern.
Cage turned around and shouted at the top of his lungs “OUT OF THE WATER NOW!!! MOVE!!!”
Before he could utter another word there came a heavy thud of air pressure. It could be heard and felt. Silence truly stunned everyone. A moment later came another thud, only louder and the pressure stung at the senses.
On the cloudless day came an ominous shadow from above.
Cage looked up to be blinded from the sun until a huge being blocked it. He had seen a wyrm over fifty feet in length and the creature descending upon them had a length of over a hundred and fifty feet with double for a wingspan. Cage looked at its two huge back legs with four curved claws like some great falcon that could swoop down and grab whatever it wanted. The back legs were thicker than an aged oak tree and protected by thick, bony scales of brown, green and red for camouflage when on the ground. The wings were leathery, without scales and the sun showed thick veins pumping blood to the membranes. A huge breast showed it to have powerful lungs capable of feeding the creature’s blood. A long tail covered in scaly spikes curved to half spin the descent and it acted like a rudder. Extensively muscled shoulders were needed to pump the gigantic wings to fly and it had it in abundance. The prehistoric reptilian’s head attached to a fifteen foot neck and had spikes all around the skull that acted like horns. An eye of two feet in length looked hungrily upon them. From all that he could see Cage understood what it is thanks to Meeka’s explanation when they once faced a wyrm.
It is a wyvern.
The wyvern opened a huge mouth and roared defiantly. The frightening roar scattered birds and was louder than the air pressure its wings created. All screamed and fled for cover. All but one who grinned and held his ground.
Familiar's Ancient Throne (Book 2 of the Death Incarnate Saga) Page 6