Lomasi sat without speaking.
Cano continued, "We came in peace, we tried to return what was yours. But you wanted slaves and power over others. Your own people died for you and you scorned their deaths. Even when we escaped you couldn't accept that you were beaten. Now you sit in the mud and you have nothing. Can't you learn that there are things that are right and those that are wrong?"
Lomasi continued to sit silently, but inside his rage was festering itself. He was planning what he should do next.
Cano stood silently watching, waiting for some form of reply. Then he said, "You are not only beaten, but you are worthless. Even your own kind despises you. This is the end for you. Not only are you going to die, but you will also be forgotten. It will be as if you never lived."
Lomasi rose from the mud and faced Cano. "You say that I am nothing and that I'm to die and be forgotten. But there is something that you have forgotten."
Cano stood silently listening and then said, "What is it that you think I have forgotten?"
Lomasi launched himself at Cano. "I still live." He had lowered his head and tried to crash into Cano.
Cano had expected his attack and jumped to the side. He was armed and Lomasi wasn't. Cano swung his Canohawk and hit the side of Lomasi's head. The blow was strong and well aimed, but Lomasi's head was down and covered in slippery black mud, the blow glanced off of his head. Cano tried for a backhand blow, but Lomasi had one hand raised and as Cano struck, his wrist hit the raised arm and it knocked the Canohawk from his hand. The Canohawk spun through the air and landed in the water with a splash.
Lomasi's charge had carried him past Cano. He spun around and dropped to one knee, the blow had hurt him. He shook his head; blood was running down his face. He looked at Cano with hate dripping from his eyes, and then he smiled. "Now we will see who dies."
He rose and rushed at Cano. There was a fierce exchange of blows as they struggled, each trying to better vent their fury on the other. Lomasi was able to pin Cano's arms to his sides. He was much bigger and used his size to crush his foe. Cano twisted trying to break Lomasi's death grip. Lomasi's strength was based on two things, hate and desperation. The grip held. Cano swung his head forward and smashed it into Lomasi's face. There was a bloody spray as his nose was broken, but the grip did not loosen. Cano swung his head forward again, but Lomasi twisted away from the blow. The pressure of the arms around him cut off the air as he tried to breathe. He couldn't get any air in; if he exhaled Lomasi tightened his grip. Cano's eyesight was starting to turn fade and he saw flashes of colored light as he gasped for breath. He knew he had to do something and do it quickly. He twisted and tried to bite Lomasi, but he was lifted from the ground and spun around. Cano was almost unconscious. In desperation he kicked out with both legs and was able to land a blow on Lomasi's leg wound. Lomasi screamed as the pain raced through his ravaged body, but he refused to loosen his grip. Cano smashed his head forward again and again, striking savagely with his legs against the wounded leg. Involuntarily Lomasi lost his grip, they fell to the ground. Cano was gasping, trying to regain his breath. Lomasi held his injured leg with one hand and tried to wipe the blood from his eyes with the other.
As the fight was ravaged, so did the brush fire. The tall grasses yielded to it hungry breath, licking flames spread to the bushes and trees. Waves of smoke drifted on the hot wind the fire was generating. The fire became a wild thing more fierce than a trapped animal, charging forward destroying anything in its path. The two struggling bodies before the raging inferno were nothing more than fuel to it.
Lomasi was the first to regain his strength. Wiping the blood and mud from his face with the back of his hand he came forward and dragged Cano to his feet. He smashed his fist into Cano's face and then grabbed him by the shoulders and lifted him from the ground. Using the last reserve of his strength he threw Cano at the trunk of a tall dead tree. His body bounced from the tree and fell to the ground. Lomasi started forward, but then jerked back. The force of Cano's body hitting the dead tree had knocked some large branches loose and they fell on Cano, trapping him there.
Lomasi straightened up and took a deep breath, and then he smiled. "Now we know who will die and be forgotten." He started forward again, but the swamp fire was closer now, the heat was like a hungry animal. He still had time to rush forward and finish Cano. He paused as an idea came to him. There was a better way, a much more fitting way for Cano to die. He smiled to himself and then turned away from Cano. He walked back into the water until he was in it up to his waist. Then he turned; he would watch Cano burn to death from the safety of the river.
Cano slowly awoke to pain; he tried to move but found he was pinned beneath the tree. He saw Lomasi standing in the water watching him. Cano's heart sank; I almost won. He looked around for some method of escape, but couldn't see anything that could help him. He looked back to Lomasi and that was when he realized what was going to happen. It was he who would die and not Lomasi. The hungry flames where getting closer and closer.
Death was near and both men knew it, but neither of them expected it to change form.
Death came in the next few moments, and it was fast. It didn't come from the fire, but from the brown water in a swirling rush. The gator was more than twice the length of Lomasi. It closed its jaws on Lomasi's bleeding legs and crushed them together. Cano could hear the sharp crack of the bones in Lomasi's legs as they broke. The gator spun in the water dragging the still living body into the bloody foaming water. A short cry was all that Lomasi had time for before he was dragged under the red tinted water. As the splashing subsided, only a "V" on the surface of the water marked his passage from life, and soon even this was gone.
Cano had watched Lomasi die. He didn't feel happy or sad. The worst enemy he had ever known was gone. The only feeling he felt was relief. Then a thought crossed his mind, what a waste of lives. Lomasi's life had cost others their lives, and he hadn't cared. He was only concerned with his wishes and his wants. Other people were less than tools; they were more like fire wood, than individuals. They were used until they could not do more and then they were ignored as the ashes at a fire were ignored.
The heat from the forest fire forced Cano's thoughts back to the here and now. The fire had ignited the ends of the branches that held him captive the heat from the fire was a living thing. It was a creature that probed with an invisible tongue of heat. It tested each thing before claiming it as its own. Cano tried to free his trapped legs, but there were branches in the way and he couldn't pry himself loose. Try as he might he couldn't break free. The heat was greater now and the wind was fanning the flames. Cano had to smile to himself. He had told Lomasi that he would die and be forgotten. Now I am going to burn to death and be forgotten.
The smoke was getting thicker and Cano was coughing, he had trouble breathing. His head started to throb and then just as he was slipping into unconsciousness, he saw Ceola's face again. His last thoughts were; it was all such a waste. Then the flames began licking in earnest at the larger limbs of the tree. Lomasi may have failed, but another executioner had replaced him.
Back at the campsite Morf was tied to the same sapling where Gennos had been tied. He lay quietly; his head had a large purple bruise from Cano's blow. Dola sat nearby, a long spear across his lap.
Na'pe came over to Gennos. She had a haunted look in her eyes and a smile on her lips. She stood silently looking up into his eyes.
"What is it," he asked. But his mind wasn't thinking in words, he felt as if he was in water and was swirling around. He tried to regain balance, I love those eyes, he thought.
"I have the spirit of the smoke in me, everything is slow and the colors of the day are mine. I have wanted to say this for a long time, but did not know how." She took a breath and said, "I want to be with you."
Gennos's heart almost stopped. He had hoped, but now he knew. He didn't speak; he put his arms around her and pulled her close. She snuggled in and fitted her body to his. Their love for each o
ther was a tangible thing, it not only could be seen, but it could be felt.
Dola was sitting with the little wolf who had returned as soon as Lomasi left. The wolf was watching Morf's still form.
Gennos lifted his chin from Na'pe’s hair, and looked to Dola. "Na'pe and I will mate," he said with a smile.
Dola returned the smile and said, "Well, I'm glad you finally know what the rest of us have known for days."
Before Gennos could reply, a large tree fell in the direction that Cano and Lomasi had taken.
Dola took a stronger grip on the wolf, "Do you think Cano will be all right?"
Gennos looked from Dola to Na'pe. "I will go and see," he stated.
Na'pe held him close, "He will be back soon. Please don't go into the fire," she pleaded.
"I will be safe. I'm sure he's all right, but he may need some help."
Dola said, "Let me go, I'm fast and Whiteface can help find him quickly."
Gennos thought for a few moments and then said, "You could do that, but I need you to take care of Na'pe while I'm gone. You must also watch Morf; we don't want more trouble from him."
Na'pe started to say something, but the look in Gennos's eyes stopped her. She looked over at Dola and said, "I would feel safer if you stayed with me."
Dola wasn't happy; he wanted to go. "Well, I will stay with you if you need me."
She rewarded him with a big smile. Then she looked deep into Gennos's eyes, "Must you go," she asked. "I want you back at my side soon."
He looked down at her. "I don't want to go, but I must. He is my brother, my blood. He is here because of me. He wouldn't leave me to die alone. I won't leave him when he may need me," he stated.
Na'pe didn't answer with words. She laid her head on his chest and then wrapped her arms trying to crush him into her body.
Gennos held her for a few moments more and then he moved off towards the flames, looking for a passage that would take him to his brother.
The fire raged on through the day. Fortunately the wind was blowing upriver and the campsite was safe. As the time stretched on and the fire burned itself out, so did their hopes die. At first they expected Gennos to return when he found he couldn't get through the flames, but this didn't happen. The more time that passed the more their hopes fell. They became genuinely worried when neither of the brothers returned. They should have been back by now if they were coming. Then a horrible thought reared its ugly head; it could be Lomasi who returned. It was difficult waiting and not knowing.
It was almost dusk when Whiteface stood and faced the burned out end of the island.
Smoke still drifted in waves across the island, but there was a dark movement at its center. Na'pe stood, and tried to see who or what it was. Dola moved to her side, and she put her arm over his shoulders and stood silently.
As the figure materialized, they could see that it was strangely shaped. As it came closer a cry escaped Na'pe, then she rushed forward. The figure was Gennos, and he was carrying the burned body of his brother. They were both burned and covered with ash. Gennos was exhausted, he was dragging his bad leg and it was plain to see he was in agony.
Dola rushed forward with Na'pe to help him. "Is Cano all right?" he asked anxiously.
Gennos forced a tired smile to his face, "He's a little cooked, but his big brother will take care of him."
Cano's eyelids fluttered, weakly he said, "I keep telling you I can walk, put me down," he said as he passed out.
They carried him to the fire and laid him down gently. Na'pe’s eyes were looking more normal and she didn't seem to be moving around in a dream any longer. It appeared that the effects of the spirit of the smoke was leaving her. She moved to the strange bush with the pointed leaves and selected some, and then returned to Cano. She crushed the leaves and let the juice of the leaves drip onto Cano's burns. Then she treated Gennos's wounds the same way. Next she sent Dola to the river to retrieve water so that they could see what damage the fire had caused.
Na’pe asked Gennos, “What of Lomasi?”
Cano raised his head and looked up at her and said, “Lomasi is no more, the river has claimed him.” The he sank in to the deep arms of sleep. He only awoke once during the night, and that was when he found a small wolf licking a burn on his arm.
The next morning as day was breaking; the small group was preparing to resume their journey. Na'pe was excited to be going home that she had been packing the dugout before it was light enough to see. She and Gennos had been awake most of the night making plans.
The only one that wasn't excited was Morf. He was apprehensive. They weren't including him in their plans. That could only mean that he wouldn't be a slave, but it also could mean that he wouldn't be leaving this place. In his mind this meant he was to die. They hadn't told him what had happened to Lomasi, but it was apparent that he was no longer a threat. That could only mean that he was dead. Morf knew he would be next. They were probably waiting until they were ready to leave before killing him. There wasn't anything he could do about it. His worst fears were confirmed when everyone except Gennos got in the dugout. He saw him pick up a Canohawk and walk slowly over to where he was tied.
Gennos looked down at Morf, and then he raised the Canohawk and swung it down. Morf couldn't watch, he closed his eyes and waited for the pain. The blade landed with a whack, but there was no pain. He waited with his eyes squeezed shut, still no pain. He opened his eyes and looked to where the head of the Canohawk had landed. Gennos had cut through his bindings. He looked up questioningly.
"We are not going to kill you. It is not our way. We are going to leave. You should too. When we get to Na'pe's clan we shall tell what has happened. Their ways may not be as our ways; they may come for you. You should be far from here if you wish to live." With that said Gennos pulled the Canohawk from the sapling, turned and limped toward the dugout.
Morf thought about trying to overpower him and take the weapon. But to what purpose? They had given him his life back and now he was free of Lomasi. He sat and watched as the dugout floated away.
Before the sun was overhead the weary travelers came to the Mother River. The brothers looked silently at it; it was so vast that they had a difficult time believing it was a river. The current was strong and the dugout moved swiftly through the muddy brown water. They only had to steer and stare. They saw clouds of birds that lifted from the water when the dugout got too close. Others just swam far enough away to avoid the dugout.
While it was still light Na'pe directed them to turn off the Mother River. A smaller river turned inland and she grew excited as they entered it.
The small wolf was in the front of the dugout with Dola, Cano lay propped up behind him. Na'pe was in front of Gennos, who was steering the dugout. She was so excited that she was bubbling. "Soon you will see an island, it is a big island and it is in the center of this river. This will be my home, my people."
Just before dusk she shouted and pointed. They all strained their eyes looking. They could almost see it. The Future.
The Thinking Rocks Page 32