Pillar of Fire (Book One-The Whale Hunter Series)

by Karah Quinney

  As children were born, the villagers turned weighty matters over to a council of elders. Umati and Dyami had only been boys at the time and unable to lead.

  Yet, when Dyami came of age, it was obvious that the elders would have picked him as the leader of the Hokum Village. Slowly, the elders began to die, but those deaths had only encouraged the remaining men to choose a leader. The elders thought that Umati was weak in the ways of leading others. One of the older ones had even gone as far as to say that Umati would only bring harm to their village.

  Somehow, Dyami discovered that Sarnom was behind the deaths of the Hokum elders. Dyami challenged him, but his mistake was that he had done so privately. If the challenge had been made in front of the village, he wouldn’t have been able to threaten Dyami’s young wife. He told Dyami that if he didn’t leave then his young wife would suffer the same fate that had befallen the older men.

  He made certain that Dyami believed his threat and when he fled, Umati took his place as the leader of the Hokum Village. Dyami had proven himself too weak to fight a man that hungered for power, a man that would kill for a taste of glory. When Ivy expressed her bewilderment over Dyami’s abrupt departure, Sarnom rested easy. He had known then that Dyami was gone forever and that he had never told his wife of the threat he posed. If Ivy had not been sickly, he would have taken her as his mate to add further insult to the man’s memory.

  Instead, he focused on Sunflower and swore that he would take possession of the girl that he craved above all others. He assured himself that he always won in the end.

  “Sarnom, the water is churning and the men are fearful.” Chumal’s loud voice drew Sarnom’s attention back to the ocean and the men that sat beside him.

  The boat rocked precariously as he stood and moved to the helm. He recognized that a few of the men dared to question his rightful place as their leader and he marked each traitorous man for death.

  One of the men retched over the side of the boat and he swallowed the accompanying bile that coated his tongue. Chumal’s voice went unnoticed as Hetol shifted nervously and Sarnom lifted his head. His eyes gleamed in the gathering darkness and his face was terrible to behold.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  Talon didn’t sleep. Although his eyes were closed, he was completely aware of his surroundings at all times. He trusted Matiye without question, but he couldn’t rely upon the other men, including Situ. This meant that he couldn’t rest completely, although he did allow his mind to drift.

  As the first rays of dawn lit the sky, Talon urged the men to row harder. The other men followed his lead as Situ called out directions. They were surrounded on all sides by deep blue water for as far as the eye could see and Talon hoped that they would spot the whale that they sought today. They had only enough food and water to last for one more day.

  In an effort to ration their supplies, several of the men refused to drink as the morning progressed and Talon was first amongst them. Before their departure, he drank several skins of water and as a result, his lips were not dry and his mouth didn’t plague him with thirst. However, the salt water drew every drop of moisture from their bodies.

  “Drink if you must drink. We will need your strength.” Talon’s voice carried to each man.

  By late morning, the men that had earlier refused water accepted a few sips. Talon was the last person to drink and then he took only a mouthful and let the water coat his tongue before swallowing. They had traveled a great distance without seeing any sign of the gray whale that they hunted.

  He knew that most of the men had never been adrift at such a great distance from land. Fishing often took place within eyesight of their village. As the day progressed, the water began to churn and cause their boat to sway. Talon finally asked Situ to have the men turn the boat back toward land.

  The men rowed in silence as they scouted the water around them. Talon didn’t waver from the course that he had set. Yet, there was only the lapping sound of the water and the constant splash of the oars.

  One of the men shouted that Sarnom and his men drew ever closer. Sarnom’s boat followed along until they were close enough to shout to each other. Instead of listening to Sarnom’s vengeful taunts, Talon reminded himself that he must keep his focus on the plight of their village and the people that relied upon them. Situ kept his eyes upon Sarnom’s boat as Talon raised his hand for complete silence.

  Situ made a sound that called for their attention and the men immediately stopped rowing. Talon pointed and as the men followed the direction of his finger, a few murmured excitedly when spouts of water flew up into the air.

  Talon silently acknowledged that the time had come to hunt the whale. He could feel the rightness of it like a song in his bones. Without a word to the men that looked at him expectantly, Talon urged them to move closer.

  Situ cautioned the men to remain silent, though the choppy water drowned out all sound. No one knew if the great sea beast would disappear the moment the boat drew near.

  He glanced at Talon and saw a man firm in his resolve. Kahm and Miche had placed red paste upon his face, which marked him as a hunter of the whale. His long black hair was braided and tied back from his face and his brown eyes flashed with single-minded determination.

  As they drew closer, Talon removed the parka that had kept the chill of the water away from his skin throughout the night. Bracing himself for only a moment, he stood and then slid into the water in one fluid motion. Situ was at the boat’s edge immediately.

  “Talon!” Situ’s fierce whisper caught Talon’s attention as he allowed the shifting waves to pull him away from the safety of the boat.

  “Have no fear, my friend. They will not harm me.” Talon didn’t look back as he swam ever forward, cutting through the rough water with clean strokes of his arms and legs.

  He surfaced once to gain his bearings and then dived again. The current pushed him toward the surface as he took in air. The world beneath the lapping waves was almost completely silent as Talon experienced the world in the same manner as Sunflower. As he surfaced, he heard the distinctive sounds that belonged solely to the great sea beasts and he knew with an uncanny certainty that they spoke to one another.

  He took a deep breath and sought the calmness of spirit that was always his for the taking during a hunt. He needed to remind himself that the whales were animals made of flesh and bone. It was true that the whales were sacred animals, but they were not gods of the sea as Sarnom had led them to believe.

  He moved as close as he dared and then he signaled for Situ to bring the boat near. He couldn’t say how he knew that the large whales were aware of their presence, but he felt certain that they watched them approach. The great sea beasts were feeding.

  Talon saw that they blew water into the air and then dived and surfaced repeatedly. One of the whales had a young calf with it and she circled protectively so that her body was between their boat and her young. Situ hauled Talon into the boat with a great amount of effort.

  Talon was chilled and his lips were nearly blue but there was a fire in his eyes that spoke of a hunter’s secret ways. Power seemed to shimmer over Talon as several of the men openly displayed their fear as the whales circled around their boat.

  The huge beasts were unwilling to give up their hunting ground, like many animals they sought to fatten up before a long journey.

  Talon waited to speak until his teeth stopped chattering. “Hand me the harpoon.”

  Situ glanced at the long spear that had been fashioned for the whale hunt and he quickly handed the weapon to Talon. He scanned the horizon and his heart stopped for a moment as he saw the telltale signs of a storm brewing at sea. He saw that Talon was aware of the turn in the weather and yet, he was undeterred. Situ’s heart stopped for a moment as he saw the distinctive form of another long boat. Sarnom had found them.

  It was just like Sarnom to shadow their movements until they discovered the whale. Sarnom’s boat moved swiftly toward them with Chumal at the helm.


  Talon stood on the edge of the boat with one foot resting on the side and the other on his seat. He knew that storms at sea could arise swiftly and the longer that they waited, the greater the danger. Sarnom’s boat was almost upon them. If he didn’t aim true, there wouldn’t be another chance. There was also the danger that the whale could also overturn their long boat.

  As he held the harpoon in his hand, he realized that the perils were worth the risk, if the result would give life to their people.

  “Move in closer!”

  Sarnom’s shout was meant to disrupt Talon from sending the long spear hurtling into the whale nearest his boat.

  However, Situ and the other men saw that Talon refused to aim at the mother whale and her calf. Instead, he aimed at a whale that fed nearby. Several of the men crowded to the side of the boat, almost tipping them into the sea.

  He watched helplessly as Sarnom and his men hurled their spears at the female whale and her calf. Such a thing had been specifically forbidden. However, Sarnom didn’t intend to make this a fair challenge. Situ breathed a sigh of relief when the female submerged with a flick of her tail, taking her young calf with her.

  Situ’s mouth hung open in astonishment as another whale surfaced and Talon leapt into the air without a sound. In one fluid motion, he extended his body in an arch that was meant to deliver the maximum force as he came down toward the whale below.

  Talon knew the moment when his spear met the flesh of the whale for the animal gave a great bellow of pain. He landed upon the back of the whale as the animal struggled to escape the sting of his spear.

  His harpoon was attached to a rope that was secured to the boat, but there was still the danger of losing the whale to the depths of the sea. A large splash was his only warning as one of the men from Sarnom’s boat jumped into the water. A quick glance over his shoulder told him that Hetol swam toward him with a determined gleam in his eyes. The future of the Hokum Village depended upon the success of their hunt.

  “Strike the whale!” Talon’s voice pulled Situ and the men on his boat out of their stupor. They immediately began hurling their spears into the water in an attempt to hamper the whale.

  Hetol’s knife flashed as he swam abreast of Talon and caught him around the chest. Talon’s harpoon was lost in the flesh of the whale and his only weapon was sheathed at his side. He drew his knife in a motion too quick to follow, but Hetol knocked the knife out of his hand and his cold eyes narrowed in determination as he struggled to sink his knife into Talon’s exposed chest.

  Talon struggled to remain above water as he blocked Hetol’s blow and rammed his hand against the man’s nose. A gush of blood was not enough to dissuade Hetol as he thrashed violently.

  “Die!” Hetol shouted over the sound of the water.

  Talon used the flat surface of his palm to smash Hetol’s nose with a mighty shout. He knew a moment of stunned silence as he felt the breaking of bone and cartilage before Hetol finally stopped thrashing.

  “Talon, behind you!” Matiye shouted in warning as the men on Sarnom’s boat launched an assault against them.

  Talon looked up just as his friend was dragged into the water from the crushing force of a hurtling spear. Chumal shouted in triumph as he claimed responsibility for Matiye’s injury with a vengeful cry.

  The force of the water sapped his strength as Talon struggled to reach Matiye even though he knew that his friend couldn’t have survived such a massive blow. His tears mixed with salt water as he swam toward his friend with an agonized shout of rage and grief.

  Situ countered Sarnom’s attack with one of his own and the shouting voices of the men slowly faded away as Talon struggled to reach Matiye, though he was still tethered at the ankle to the harpoon that had speared the thrashing whale. He saw that Matiye lay face up in the water with his eyes open, staring into a void that was concealed from the living. He reached out a hand to his friend, though grief choked him more than the eddying waves of the sea. Matiye had been a brother to him, a friend despite all that he had suffered and because of Sarnom, he was dead.

  These thoughts flashed through Talon’s mind in an instant as he was dragged beneath the canopy of the sea.

  As the whale sucked Talon under the water, Situ struggled to fight off Sarnom’s vicious attack. Chumal raised an angry fist into the air as his war cry reverberated over the water.

  The storm that approached drew ever closer and Situ was helpless to help Talon who had yet to resurface. Situ directed the men to row along with the tug of the rope that tethered the whale and Talon to their boat. Sarnom’s boat was a constant threat, but the churning water made rowing difficult and suddenly they were outside of striking distance.

  The water grew eerily silent. How long could Talon remain underwater before succumbing to the cold and lack of air?

  Only as more time elapsed did Situ come to realize exactly what Talon had brought to their people. For the first time in longer than Situ could remember their people had experienced a sense of renewed hope. As Talon remained underwater for far too long, Situ realized that his hope for a brighter future for their people had died with the fierce young man that had the spirit of a great warrior.

  “See! Look! Talon has fallen into the sea as a curse upon him for hunting the great whale that is sacred to our people!” Sarnom’s words struck fear into the hearts of the men on his boat. He made certain that his voice carried to Situ as well. “No man can stand against me and win! I am Sarnom, the rightful leader of the Hokum Village!”

  Deep beneath the sea, Talon felt the great shuddering breath of the whale. The animal moved through the water with a fluid speed and efficiency that would have thrilled Talon under other circumstances. Talon had no doubt that he was in a battle with another warrior, despite their differences in form and appearance.

  “You are a thing of flesh and blood, just as I am.” Talon spoke in the silence of his mind as the pressure from the water threatened to crush the breath from his body. He felt the warm flow of blood from a cut on his arm, but he didn’t release his hold on his spear. The whale surfaced once and he gasped for air before plunging back into the murky darkness of the water. He frantically worked the rope until it was twisted in great loops over his arm.

  “Brother, release your spirit to me and I will honor those of your kind always into the sunset until they reach the sacred path. I will never ask for more than I need from the great depths that you call home. I will never harm the females that you protect or their young.” Talon swore silently as he felt life slipping away from him.

  He struggled to hold his breath despite the length of time that he had remained under water. For a moment, he was a boy again as he swam underwater with his sister, both of them struggling to hold their breath longer than the other.

  He knew that Sunflower still needed him, despite Kahm and Oi’yan’s presence in her life. Matiye had died trying to warn him of the danger posed by Sarnom and he didn’t want his friend’s death to be in vain. Once again, he implored the whale to give up the mortal fight that they waged.

  “I am willing to give my life in trade for the gift that I seek. Hear me!”

  Talon pushed his thoughts toward the great sea beast as it shuddered once with such force that he felt the impact throughout his entire body.

  The whale suddenly dived as the black pit below swallowed them whole. Talon’s lungs screamed for air, but in that moment, he knew that all was lost to the depths of the Great Water. He had the presence of mind to cut the rope that tied him to the others as the realm above faded away.

  Situ had no choice but to turn their boat back toward land. The men moaned in grief as the storm that had separated them from Talon swept them even farther away. The wind shifted and a great rumbling sound shook the world as the heavens opened and released a deluge.

  Those that had the presence of mind to quench their thirst, did so while the other men used whatever method they could to keep the water from sinking their boat. The men struggled with the need to se
arch the water for Talon or save their own lives.

  Finally, after it became obvious that the savage waves of the sea had grown angry and wrathful, Situ acquiesced. Talon wouldn’t want them to sacrifice their lives for him, though he had been willing to give his life to secure their future. He lost sight of Sarnom’s boat and he found himself wishing that Sarnom had been taken by the sea, along with Chumal. Their war leader had betrayed their village by taking the life of Matiye, a loyal young man.

  The water that ran over Situ’s face mingled with the tears of defeat that fell from his eyes. Matiye’s death was a crushing weight upon his soul. Thoughts of all that he should have said and all that he should have done, came to him unbidden. The storm impeded their efforts to escape and a great wave sent their boat skimming over the water. The boat pitched and spun as the world around them became a watery grave, seeking to claim the living.

  “Row!” Situ shouted over the raging storm as the men bowed their backs against the onslaught of rain and salty water. He was effectively blind as the driving rain and towering waves drew forth terrifying screams from the men. “Do not look back!”

  Situ called out orders until he was hoarse and in the end, it mattered little. Their strength was as nothing in comparison to the strong arms of the Great Water and their cries for mercy went unheard.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Kahm stood looking out at the rolling waves. He ached with the need to return to Oi’yan but he couldn’t abandon his vigil. He watched the sea for any sign of Talon and the men that had accompanied him on the whale hunt.

  The storm from the previous night had rolled in from the sea, sending driving rain and wind against the lodges of their village. Kahm blinked to clear his vision and then narrowed his eyes as he caught sight of a dark speck in the distance.