“If Talon dies then our future dies with him.” Sunflower’s eyes beseeched Kahm to listen to her without interruption. “I will do all that I can for my brother. My life does not matter, but Talon’s life must not end.”
“Your life matters to me.” Kahm spoke fiercely.
He knelt before Sunflower and he saw that her eyes were bright with unshed tears.
“Then know this, whether I live or die, I will remain the light in your eyes forever into the sunrise, but you can do nothing more for Talon. You must help Oi’yan. We will be safe until you return.”
“I cannot leave you and Talon.” Kahm yearned to return to Oi’yan, if only to assure himself that she was still alive.
“We are not alone. You must see to the wellbeing of your wife and the child that you seek to welcome into the world.”
“I will remain here.” Miche said. “I will watch over them until Talon is strong again.”
Kahm knew that his brother’s words were as good as a vow to protect Talon and Sunflower with his life.
“Beware of Sarnom.” Sunflower didn’t turn her gaze away from Talon’s injury as she warned Kahm to be careful.
Kahm stood over Talon for a long moment and then he touched the top of Sunflower’s head, before placing a small object in the palm of her hand. He clasped his brother’s wrist in farewell and without another word, he gathered what he needed to journey back to the cave that sheltered his wife and unborn child.
Sarnom glanced back at the men and women that remained loyal to him. One of the children had suffered a fatal snakebite and he had not allowed the parents to mourn the death of their child. They had already wasted enough time waiting for the child to die. His future was at stake and nothing would stand in the way of his revenge.
Hetol’s death angered him, but only because he had lost a source of information and knowledge. Because of Hetol’s ability to listen in when others were not aware, he had come to learn about the calamity that had befallen the Chimar Village.
He knew enough about the once proud village to understand that there was an opportunity for revenge if he could align himself with the invading warriors.
He would see to it that Talon came to regret the day that he returned to the Hokum Village. Sarnom seethed with anger as he thought of all he had accomplished, only to have it fall through his fingers like so much sand.
Umati’s voice whispered in the back of his mind and a chill stole over his body. “You are a fool!”
“You are dead!” Sarnom glanced around and shivered as the men threw startled glances his way.
He took a few measured steps toward those that remained loyal to him and when he spoke, they listened. A few of the women were angry that he had not stopped to grieve over the child that had died earlier in the day. He made no excuses for his behavior. He was their leader; he was the one that they had chosen to follow. Sarnom glanced at his simpering wives and his eyes narrowed in silent threat.
“In a few days, we will reach the Chimar Village and we will make an alliance with the ones that have taken its people captive. The Mingha will join us and shortly thereafter Talon and those that have betrayed us, will die.” Sarnom’s voice carried to the men listening and in the gathering darkness, he smiled.
Miche saw the moment that Sunflower doubted her ability to help her brother. His attempt to remain calm and unaffected had met with little success. “Sunflower.”
She looked up with tear-filled eyes as he waved his hand to get her attention.
“Only you can help Talon. He has killed the whale and he is now the rightful leader of the Hokum Village. However, Talon’s success with the whale hunt and his position as the leader of this village will not matter, if he dies.” Miche knew that his words brought Sunflower pain, but he was forced to speak plainly.
“I do not know enough to help him fully. I am uncertain.” Sunflower let her tears spill over as she looked at Miche. He was completely different from Kahm, in so many ways. Miche’s words were direct, but she knew that he only wished to aid her.
“I say to you now that the knowledge that lives inside of you is a fine thing. Do what you can for Talon and let us pray that it is enough.” Miche didn’t wait for Sunflower to nod her head in acceptance. The pain in her eyes almost undid him and he had to look away. “What did my brother give you before he left?”
Sunflower swallowed with difficulty and then opened her palm to show Miche the small vine. “It is a thing that gives strength. Something sacred to the heart.”
“This is good. I will keep watch. You need only to ask and I will see to it that you have everything needed to help your brother.” Miche nodded once and left Sunflower to her thoughts.
Upon leaving the lodge, he immediately saw that Situ and most of the village waited outside. He didn’t reassure them or answer their questions. Instead, he sat by the fire that they had kept burning during the whale hunt.
For the first time since Miche had unknowingly betrayed his village and returned to find utter devastation, he closed his eyes and prayed.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Talon’s wound held Sunflower’s full attention. Sunflower was thankful that he rested, even if he was locked in an unnatural sleep. Already, she had given him willow bark tea, which she forced him to drink until the clay bowl was empty. She rotated warm stones around his body, but despite her best efforts, Talon remained unresponsive.
Sunflower left the lodge only to ask Situ to join her. Miche sat by the fire with his eyes closed and Sunflower recognized the signs of deep meditation. She needed Miche’s prayers for Talon.
Situ’s eyes widened slightly before he responded with an eager step forward. Sunflower opened the lodge entrance so that fresh air could enter.
She turned and spoke to Situ and her words left no room for questions. “Bring your wife to me.”
Situ didn’t know when Sunflower first noticed Wiope sitting near the lodge entrance, but he didn’t waste time with questions. Instead, he immediately beckoned his wife to come forward.
Wiope entered the lodge and bowed low to Sunflower. Situ was pleased by his wife’s show of respect.
“I will need your help.” Sunflower carefully spaced her words as she spoke. She couldn’t hear the sounds that she verbalized and she was concerned that her words were not clearly spoken.
Wiope immediately nodded and knelt beside Talon.
“Do you know the yarrow root?” Sunflower waited in tense anticipation as Wiope thought over the question.
Many of the women of the village collected green plants and roots to add to their cooking pots, but Sunflower used these same plants for healing purposes. She would have gladly shared such knowledge in the past, but the women of her village had avoided speaking to her.
Wiope’s eyes widened and she nodded eagerly. Sunflower motioned for Wiope to go and gather the root that would fight Talon’s fever. Wiope quietly backed out of the lodge and Sunflower turned her attention back to her brother.
When Wiope returned with a basket full of the yarrow root, Sunflower motioned for the woman to clean her hands. The water she had set aside for just that purpose was heated and sprinkled liberally with dried green leaves. She pointed to a different clay bowl that held water for rinsing.
Sunflower was pleased when Wiope did as she asked without question. Situ bowed low before he left the lodge. It was a strange turn of events to see Sunflower, the young girl that had always been shunned by their village, command respect with a gentle flick of her fingertips. Situ wondered if Sunflower had always moved with such grace and inherent confidence. If so, he couldn’t imagine how such a thing had gone unnoticed.
It was true that Sunflower was beautiful to look upon, even in her slightly disheveled state, but the inner strength that radiated from her was impossible to mask. Without another word, he settled close to the fire outside of the lodge.
The cold wind that blew was a sign of the season to come. For the first time, he realized that he didn’t feel the o
verwhelming dread common to the people of his village. However, because of Talon’s efforts, the whale would see them through the season of cold and they wouldn’t need to endure a cycle of weakness and hunger.
He glanced at Miche who remained silent and motionless. His presence or lack thereof didn’t seem to affect the other man. Even the cold wind failed to produce a shiver from the warrior. Situ had never seen anyone remain still for so long.
He noticed that Miche wore a breastplate of whalebone, which bespoke a man born of a prestigious lineage. He was clad in a sleeveless parka and a pair of fringed pants that covered his legs. Miche didn’t stir as Situ kept watch.
Several of the villagers tried to catch Situ’s eye, but he studiously ignored them. When a few of his boldest men tried to gain his attention with unnecessary questions, he refused to give them an answer. They would wait; they would all wait until they were assured of Talon’s wellbeing.
Until then, no one would touch the whale that waited upon the beach.
Sunflower passed her smallest bone awl through the fire ceremonially several times and then she said the sacred words that would promote healing and the return of strength to Talon’s arm. In the silent world that she dwelled in, her words flowed like the wind. It didn’t matter that she was unable to hear her own voice, it mattered only that the Great One of All Things give ear to her request.
“Ti’ipia rah-wan wacike. Yuwachape!” Sunflower spoke in the language of the ancients.
She repeated the phrase three times for emphasis even as she glanced at the highest point of the lodge. She closed her eyes as she sent her thoughts hurtling toward the heavens.
Wiope glanced at Talon’s sister, but she saw only the whites of Sunflower’s eyes before she forced herself to turn away. She shivered as the girl spoke in a language that was foreign yet familiar. Power swirled through the lodge, Wiope was certain. She was also certain that such things should not be shared with her.
It was true that her husband held a position of honor as a warrior, but she was a young woman of only seventeen seasons and untrained in the healing arts.
By some blessing of creation, Situ found her to be desirable, but she did possess the beauty that came from perfectly sculpted features and a face that was radiant like the sun.
Yet, her mother had given her a secret that allowed her to hope for a brighter future than the path laid out for her at birth. Her mother warned her that beauty faded over time, but Wiope held something of greater value. Wisdom.
She was wise for her age and she used the knowledge and wisdom that she possessed to make good decisions. Wiope knew without a doubt that Sunflower was special. This she knew well.
Instead of questioning what was already evident, Wiope focused instead on how best to support her husband during the unprecedented transition of leadership that they now faced.
If Talon lived, he would be a far better leader than Sarnom. Therefore, her husband would benefit and so would their family.
The cold hand of fear made Wiope want to run to Situ and find comfort in his strong arms. Wisdom made her consider the consequences of doing such a foolish thing. As she glanced up, Sunflower’s determined gaze held her in thrall and she saw gossamer shadows of the powerful woman that she would one day become.
“Stay.”
Wiope reasoned that if Sunflower thought that she could help Talon, then she would stay and learn all that she could.
Sunflower’s fingers were steady as she threaded the bone awl and began to close Talon’s wound. Already, she had cleaned his arm until the blood that seeped from the wound was bright red. The deepest part of the wound took all of her skill to close. First, she concentrated on placing small stitches on the inner layer of flesh, covering the muscle. Then she placed several small stitches over the outer layer of skin to close the wound.
She staunched the flow of blood and made quick work of stitching the wound closed before packing the inflamed area with crushed herbs known for their healing powers. Wiope didn’t speak, not once and for this Sunflower was grateful.
The woman seemed to sense that she needed to focus her complete concentration upon Talon’s injury. She could only hope that once Talon healed, she would be able to remove the sinew that held the wound together.
Sweat beaded upon Sunflower’s brow as she worked and Wiope used a clean garment to wipe the moisture away. Sunflower’s tense face relaxed for a moment as she met the woman’s intelligent gaze.
When at last Talon’s wound was covered, Sunflower sat back and watched her brother. He remained asleep and she knew that he had lost a great amount of blood. The healing stories from her mother came to her and Sunflower requested the things that she would need from Wiope.
The woman left and returned quickly just as she had before. Sunflower brewed a strong tea made of ground yarrow, burdock and willow bark. She knew the taste was bitter, but she forced Talon to drink his fill. Again and again, she poured the warm liquid into his mouth, massaging his throat so that he would swallow. Yet, there was no change in his condition. The fire in his blood raged even as Sunflower willed her own strength into his body.
“Go to your husband, you must eat to provide nourishment for your child. I will sit with Talon.” Sunflower said.
Wiope gasped as she placed one palm over the hidden mound of her belly. Not even Situ knew that she carried new life. She lowered her eyes and nodded as she backed away.
When Wiope raised dark eyes in inquiry over Talon’s health, Sunflower answered in the only way that she could.
“Pray.”
There was nothing else that they could do for Talon. His fate was now in the hands of the Great One of All Things.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
As dusk fell, Kahm made it to the hidden entrance of the cave. Wolf stalked back and forth outside the cave as Kahm entered swiftly and almost stumbled as he caught sight of his wife’s naked form. She stood against the back of the cave wall with her body braced between two boulders.
“Oi’yan!” Kahm was immediately at her side, pressing his face against hers as she panted.
“My labor is upon me.” Oi’yan had prayed for Kahm’s return, but it was not the way of the women in her family that a man should witness the birth of his child. “Sunflower? Talon?”
Panic assailed Kahm’s senses as he realized that his wife barely had enough breath to speak. He couldn’t imagine how she would find the strength to give birth to their child.
“She is well. Talon has taken leadership of the Hokum Village. Miche remained behind and he will see to their wellbeing.” Kahm struggled to find the words to tell his wife that Talon had been injured during the whale hunt.
“Water.” Oi’yan panted and Kahm felt sweat bead upon his forehead. It was almost unbearable to see his delicate wife in such pain. Yet, her concern was for Sunflower and Talon, not herself. Oi’yan. Heart of the forest. She was his life. His hands trembled as he held a water skin to her lips.
“Leave.” Oi’yan’s strong voice startled Kahm out of his reverie. Though she was thirsty beyond measure, the water made her feel ill.
As Kahm watched, her belly seemed to shift and move in the flickering firelight. Once again, she asked him to leave.
Kahm was stunned, but he also understood that it was not the way of her people, to allow a man to be present during the birth of a child. As he backed out of the cave, she motioned to the fire and he added more wood to it until the heat fairly seared his skin.
Oi’yan noticed the panicked expression on Kahm’s face, but she was too overcome with pain to tell him that women had successfully ushered children into the world since time beyond memory. Now that Kahm had returned, she was confident that she could handle the birth of their child. His very presence gave her strength.
Her mother had told her what to expect and she had been instructed to follow the natural instincts of childbirth. In her first village, she had been among the women that would gather together and see an expectant mother through her labor p
ains. However, there were not any women nearby to offer comfort during her labor.
As Oi’yan thought of her mother, tears filled her eyes. Her parents had been taken captive and there was no way to know their fate. She needed to be strong. She could almost hear her mother’s voice telling her to breathe through the pain.
Throughout the night, Kahm appeared at the cave entrance briefly only to have his wife request that he leave. Oi’yan clenched her teeth through the pain as she glared at him.
“Go and find something good for our stew pot and when you return, you will greet our child for the first time.” Oi’yan grimaced as another pain seized her, making it impossible to speak.
Despite his desire to stay at his wife’s side, Kahm left to check the various traps that he had set, but he remained within shouting distance of the cave.
Oi’yan used a piece of bone that she had secured for the purpose of silencing her labor cries. Instead of calling out as her body urged, she used the pain to force the child from her womb. Without women to aid her, she leaned into the walls of the cave for support and reminded herself that the land was feminine, a giver of life. In her mind’s eye the cave became the innermost womb of the land.
Her thighs trembled from fatigue as she crouched over the leaf padding that she had prepared in advance for the welcoming of her child. Her legs quaked with strain, but she remained standing. She panted and pushed as her body demanded, until a raw guttural cry came forth and she sobbed in relief as her child slipped from her body.
As Oi’yan lifted the child, she saw that the baby was not breathing. She struggled to think past the fear clogging her mind. She had never allowed herself to consider how she would feel if her child was not born healthy and whole.
Overwhelming grief filled her heart as she thought of her husband. She couldn’t allow Kahm to return and find their son lifeless in her arms. She couldn’t endure her husband’s pain along with her grief. They had already endured so much loss with the destruction of the village of Chimar. Suddenly, she remembered a story told to her by Sunflower as she shared her knowledge of healing.
Pillar of Fire (Book One-The Whale Hunter Series) Page 22