Winged Raiders of the Desert

by Gilbert L. Morris

  “Television?” Swiftwind asked curiously. “What is a television?”

  “It's a box, and you can see pictures on it.”

  “I don't care anything about drawing pictures. That's for girls.”

  “You'd like this,” Lareen insisted. “You can see a picture that moves and talks.”

  “Moves and talks?” Swiftwind stared in disbelief at the two. He put his eyes on Jake saying, “You're making all that up. Pictures can't move and talk.”

  Jake shrugged. “Well, I know it's hard to believe for someone who hasn't seen it. But if I went back there and tried to tell my friends that there were people who could fly, they wouldn't believe that either.”

  “They don't fly in your world? What a dull place it must be!”

  “Well,” Jake said, “we flew, but not like you do. We didn't have wings.”

  “How could anybody fly without wings? Don't be a fool.”

  “I wish you could see a jet. Then you'd see something really fly.”

  “I don't know what a jet is, but if you like it so well there, I'm sorry you ever came here.”

  “Me too,” Jake said angrily. He had a fiery temper and said defiantly, “That's the only thing you can do that we couldn't do—fly.”

  Swiftwind moved quicker than Jake could imagine. He grabbed the younger boy by the arms and dangled him over the cliff. “Let's see you fly—without wings!” he cried angrily.

  “Let him go, Swiftwind!” Lareen cried out. She put her hands on Swiftwind's shoulders, and soon the three of them were engaged in a pulling contest.

  In disgust, Swiftwind tossed Jake back on the ledge. “If you ask my opinion, they'd be better off hauling water and finding firewood. They'll never make warriors. They're too weak.” He leaped into the air and, with a graceful turn, caught the breeze and sailed away. He was angry and for the rest of the day was snappy and irritable.

  It was in this sort of mood that Jalor found him. The small, dark visitor came to where Swiftwind was sitting and saw at once the restlessness and anger in the eyes of the young man. He was clever, this Jalor, knowing men well and how to handle them, and his plan was continuing to evolve in his mind.

  “Well, Swiftwind,” he said, smiling, “how goes it with you?” He added slyly “I see you've been talking to Lareen. She's a great admirer of the Sleepers, especially the redheaded one they call Garfield.”

  He knew the words would cause Swiftwind's temper to flare, which it did.

  Swiftwind kicked at a stone and sent it flying. “They're worse than women,” he said. “I don't know why my father doesn't put them back to work. They'll never be Raiders.”

  “I think you're right about that,” Jalor agreed quickly. “Come, tell me what you've been doing.”

  The two walked along, and as the young man talked, the plan took final shape in the mind of the small, dark Jalor.

  “It's a little dangerous to have visitors like that,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “They confuse things. Now, I've been watching how things are going, and it seems to me that there's a chance here for a young man with courage and daring to achieve something.”

  Quickly Swiftwind glanced at him. “What do you mean, Jalor?”

  “Well, what's the one thing that would impress your father and the rest of the tribe?”

  Instantly Swiftwind said, “To recover the lost crown of the Raiders. Ever since it was stolen by the Shadow Wings, it's been a shame on our people.” He referred to a crown of gold that had been the greatest treasure of the Winged Raiders. It went far back in their history. It had been lost in a raid when the Shadow Wings had appeared suddenly. There had been a fierce battle. Many had been wounded and some killed, and the crown had been stolen.

  “Exactly! I think if you could get that crown back there would be no question in Lareen's eyes when she looks at you. And your father would be pleased too.”

  Swiftwind was suddenly aflame with desire. “Do you know where the crown is, Jalor?”

  “Well, I think I may say that I do. Not that I have anything to do with the Shadow Wings, but I met one of their elders once. He told me the whole story. Actually, it shouldn't be too hard to get it back. They're not expecting anyone to come. It's not in a well-guarded place.”

  “But, how could we get it? My father won't go to war. I've tried to talk him into that.”

  “I think I can be of some help to you. I have a map,” Jalor said, lowering his voice to a whisper and looking around as though he expected the enemy to be behind him. “If you had just a little help, I think you might make it inside their lines.”

  “Would you go with me?”

  “Why, of course,” Jalor said.

  “Good, I'll get some of my friends—”

  “No, it would get back to your father. They are very loyal to him.”

  “But we have to have some help.”

  Jalor nodded. “This may sound surprising, but suppose we ask the Sleepers to go?”

  “The Sleepers?” Swiftwind stared at him with astonishment. “What good are they? They're not warriors!”

  “No, but they have some power. I don't understand it exactly, but the servants of Goél get things done when strong men fail. On a mission like this, I think they might be quite helpful.”

  Swiftwind looked doubtful, but he was burning with desire to go on with the feat. “All right. I'll talk to them. They've been saying they want to do something. This will give them a chance. But once we get the crown, I will tell my father to send them back to the chores of slaves.”

  “Good,” Jalor said, “and I think you must move quickly. Let me know when the plan is ready.”

  “Yes, I'll talk to them today.”

  Swiftwind was as good as his word. He did not say a word to Lareen, for he knew she would be against the plan. Instead he went to Josh.

  “Josh, you're the leader of your people. I have something to tell you.” He set forth the plan, leaving out Jalor's part in it, and his eyes glowed with excitement. “We want the same thing,” he said. “You want to convince my father and the tribe that Goél is strong, and I want to get the crown back. If we could do that, everyone would admit that Goél is worthy.”

  Josh was wary. “Well, it sounds good,” he admitted reluctantly. “We're not getting very far where we are, but you understand we're not Raiders. That is, we're not strong warriors.”

  “I know that, but if Goél has any power, it's with you. I'm going,” he said defiantly, “even if I have to go alone.”

  “Wait!” Josh said. He stood hesitantly, then added, “We'll have a meeting. I can't decide this by myself.”

  “Good, but it must be fast. There's no time to waste.”

  Josh left Swiftwind and called the group together. He led them to an open spot in the desert where no one could possibly overhear, and he set Swiftwind's proposition before them. He ended his story by saying slowly, “I just don't know whether it's the right thing to do or not. It sounds good, but if something goes wrong, it could be bad.”

  A debate started at once. Reb Jackson, as Josh had guessed, was all in favor of going, but Abigail and Sarah were not so sure.

  Sarah said slowly, “I wish Goél were here to tell us what to do. It's awful just having to guess like this. Maybe we'd better wait. He may come at any time.”

  Reb shook his head, saying loudly, “Why, shoot, if we wait around, we'll never get anything done. This is our chance, and we better take it.”

  Dave slowly nodded his head. “I think I agree with Reb. It looks like just the thing to win the confidence of the people.”

  The debate went on for some time. For some reason, the plan did not sit well with Jake. He said, “I know we need to do something, but I'm not sure this is it. Swiftwind is too impulsive. We don't know anything about those Shadow Wings. And neither does he, except that he hates them.”

  “He really does,” Sarah said, “and that's bad. We've got to convince him and these other people somehow that hatred won't do.”

 
“Well, we've got our hands full, but I think I'll vote for going,” Wash said.

  “Well, then,” Josh spoke up, “I guess that's the majority. I'll go tell Swiftwind, and I guess we'd better get ready to go. He's really anxious.”

  * * *

  The sky was still dark, although dawn was beginning to glimmer in the east as the Sleepers glided through the cool air. They were led by Swiftwind and Jalor, who had brought them in a roundabout way to the camp of the Shadow Wings.

  “There is the camp below,” Jalor cried out. He gestured toward the earth and even in the dim murkiness Josh could see small glowing fires.

  “Let's go!” Swiftwind cried out.

  Jalor said quickly, “We've gone over the plan. I'll stay up here as a sentinel. When you get the crown, fly back. If anyone follows, I'll fight a rearguard action myself.”

  “Right!” Swiftwind cried. Then he turned to the others. “Come now!” He folded his wings and descended in a swift dive, falling almost like a stone.

  Josh and the others had not learned that trick, but they followed as well as they could. They landed on a space outside the camp and gathered around Swiftwind.

  “Now, you know the plan,” he said. “We'll have to take a roundabout way to come in from the back.” He held up the map. “The crown is in a cave—right here.”

  “Is it guarded?” Josh asked cautiously.

  “Only by one guard, and I'll take care of him.” Swiftwind nodded confidently. “Come! We need to be out before the camp awakes.”

  The Sleepers followed in single file, and soon they found themselves standing beside a large outcropping of rock. Far to the right was a dark hole in the rock, and Swiftwind said, “That's where the crown is.” His eyes glowed with excitement. “See! There's the one guard. I'll take care of him, pop in, get the crown, and then I'll be right back.”

  “No, we'll all go with you,” Reb said. “You take care of the guard. There might be more inside.”

  “All right.” Swiftwind agreed.

  The plan went just right. Swiftwind crept silently up beside the guard and leaped on him. The guard never knew what hit him. There was a short, fierce struggle. Soon the guard lay trussed up with pieces of rope, bound and gagged.

  “Come on, let's get the crown,” Swiftwind said. He turned and disappeared into the cave, and Josh followed.

  “I don't like this, Sarah,” he said. “We're trapped in this cave.”

  Sarah shivered. “I don't like it either. I'll be glad when it's over.”

  “I can't see where I'm going,” Reb complained. “I don't want to step in a hole full of snakes or something.”

  “Snakes!” Abigail shrieked. “What snakes?”

  “Oh, there ain't no snakes,” Wash said. “Don't be scaring her, Reb.”

  “How do you know there aren't snakes?” Dave grumbled. He seemed to feel the same sort of apprehension that Sarah felt. “There might be a dragon down here for all we know.”

  “Hush, be quiet,” Josh whispered. He turned to Swiftwind. “What do we do now?”

  Swiftwind looked ahead, peering into the darkness. “There's a light up ahead. That's probably where they keep the treasure. Come on.”

  He led them down the twisting corridor and then cried out, “There it is!” He broke into a run, and the others followed.

  They found themselves in a room that was piled high with plunder of all sorts—jewelry, clothing, armor, weapons —and Dave said, “Yikes, I wish we had a pickup truck.”

  “We don't want anything but the crown,” Josh warned. “Do you see it, Swiftwind?”

  Swiftwind peered about. “Yes, there it is!” He ran at once across the cluttered room, and there, high on a rock, all by itself, was a golden crown. It seemed to glow with a light of its own. Swiftwind snatched it, his eyes burning with excitement. He turned to say, “Now, we're going back.”

  “Well, let's do it quick,” Josh said. “I don't like this.”

  They started to leave the room, but suddenly they were met by a tall, strong-looking guard who held a gleaming sword. He grinned through broken teeth and said, “Well, what have we here?”

  A smaller guard suddenly appeared beside him, holding a wicked-looking spear. “It looks like we've got thieves, come to rob us, eh?”

  Swiftwind showed then why he was fit to be a chief's son. Without warning he threw himself against the two, dispatching one of them with one blow of the sword that leaped into his hand. The other cried out, “Help! Help!” but he, too, went down bleeding.

  “Lets get out of here! Come on!” Swiftwind shouted.

  Josh and the others drew their weapons, seeing there would be a fierce fight, for the enemy had obviously been alerted.

  Sarah fell behind, and the others were almost out of the cave when Swiftwind noticed her. “Get out of here!” he said to the others. He was holding the crown in his left hand and his sword in his right. “I'll take care of Sarah.”

  Josh and the others had their hands full with attacking warriors, but he knew that Swiftwind was the strongest and the best hope for rescuing Sarah. “Come on!” he cried and led them outside.

  They saw other figures gathering, many of them, and it was Dave who said, “We've got to get out of here, Josh.”

  “We can't leave Sarah.”

  “She's all right. Swiftwind'll bring her,” Abigail said. “Let's go!”

  Josh allowed himself to be stampeded into action. Actually he had no choice, for enemy figures were appearing everywhere. He leaped into the air saying, “Come on, we'll go get help.”

  The others followed. When they were airborne, high above the camp, they were met by Jalor, who came up crying, “Where's Swiftwind?”

  “Down below. I think he's been captured.”

  Jalor shook his head. “That's too bad. We'll have to go back and convince the chief to bring a raiding party. We'll get him back.”

  As the Sleepers flew back in the gathering light of dawn, Josh's heart was filled with heaviness. “Sarah,” he mourned, “why couldn't it have been me and not you?” He knew fear, for he had heard tales of the cruelty of the Shadow Wings. “I wish I'd never listened to Swiftwind,” he said, “but we'll come back and get them both.” He had one fleeting thought as they sailed quickly back toward the camp of the Winged Raiders: I wish Goél were here. I don't see how we're going to get them back unless he comes.

  12

  Another Prison

  As soon as the Sleepers and Jalor landed, Josh said, “We've got to tell the chief what happened.”

  Dave shook his head in despair. “He's not going to like it,” he muttered. “Looking back on it, I see how we jumped into this thing too quickly.”

  “But it's too late to argue about that,” Wash said. “Quick! We've got to do something to help Sarah.”

  “That's right,” Josh said. “Let's go find the chief.”

  He led the group, and they discovered that White Storm was having a meeting with Sure Flight. Darkwind was there too, and there was an evil light in his eyes. “Well,” he sneered, “have you come to join the council?”

  Josh ignored his comment and said quickly, “Chief White Storm, I have bad news.”

  White Storm looked up at once. He saw the disturbed look in the face of the young man, and his gaze swept the others. “What is it?” he demanded.

  Josh swallowed hard and began to tell the story. He noticed that Jalor was lurking over to one side rather than standing with the Sleepers. Josh sketched the story out and said, “And everything went well until we got in the cave. Your son got the crown, and then we were jumped by the enemy.”

  At once White Storm's face grew angry. “Where is my son?”

  Josh's voice wavered as he said, “Well, to tell the truth, we think he was captured—along with Sarah.”

  “Captured?”

  White Storm stood to his feet, his dark eyes filled with anger. His hand went to the sword in his belt, but Sure Flight said, “Wait, let us hear it all.” His gaze went over to
Jalor, and he said, “What part have you played in this, Jalor?”

  Jalor stepped forward and nodded. “I have evil tidings. Your son is taken prisoner, Chief,” but he turned and waved his hand at the Sleepers, “and these are the ones who have done it.”

  Josh stared at Jalor in amazement. “What are you talking about? You're the one who led us there.”

  “I'm afraid he has concocted this tale, Chief,” Jalor said smoothly, “to cover his own guilt. Your son came to me and told me the seven prisoners had convinced him to go on a raid to capture the crown. Of course,” he added, “as soon as I heard it, I was against it. But Swiftwind is a stubborn young man.”

  “What happened?” White Storm demanded.

  “Well, I did all I could to keep them from going. Even when we got there, I offered to go down and get the crown myself—but these are clever people, these servants of God. They talked Swiftwind into going himself. I could do nothing to prevent him.”

  “Well, what happened then?” Sure Flight asked. He was watching the Sleepers' faces carefully, probably looking for signs of guilt.

  “It was a trap,” Jalor said, his voice turning hard. He pointed at Josh. “They deliberately planned this. They are in league with the Shadow Wings.”

  “He's lying,” Josh said, his face turning pale. “Why, he led us right to that place and gave us a map!”

  “Yeah, he's the one that's in with the Shadow Wings!” Reb shouted.

  Jalor spread his hands before the chief. “That's always the way with the guilty. They try to put the blame on someone else, but the truth is that they betrayed your son. I heard that one—” he pointed to Josh “—give the orders to take your son. I also found this note.”

  He extended a paper and handed it to the chief. The chief looked at it and then glared at Josh. “This proves that you've been dealing with the Shadow Wings,” he said.

  “Why it's a lie, a forgery! I never had anything to do with writing a note!” Josh cried out.

  But the chief was utterly convinced. “Guards! Guards!”

  The guards suddenly swarmed around, and Chief White Storm said, “Put these six in prison. See that they're well guarded.” He ignored the protests of the Sleepers, and, as soon as they had been carried away by the guards, he turned to Sure Flight. “We must get my son back.”