The Seventh Mountain

by Gene Curtis

  Chapter 14

   

  Flags

   

  Venture is the heart of any journey.

   

   

  The last Saturday in October brought the second flags match of the year. Mark sat on the corral fence waiting for Charlie Goodfellow to signal solar noon, the start of the game. Nick, Jamal, Chenoa, LeOmi and Cap’n Ben were there with him. Krisa, the Emerald Team captain, was giving last minute instructions.

  Mark looked at the crowd in the bleachers. He knew that his family was somewhere up there. He just couldn’t tell where.

  Krisa rode back and forth and shouted so everyone could hear her.

  “Just a reminder for those of you that have never played before. We function as a team. Getting the flag into our corral is more important than who does it. If you see a chance to pass to someone in the clear, don’t hesitate; do it.

  “Keep up with what’s going on. Be ready when it’s your turn to play. Remember, the order goes, first team, second team, first team, second team, third team, first team, second team, third team, fourth team. That’s one, two… one, two, three… one, two, three, four, then repeat.”

  Steve, Shirley and James were sitting in the stands with Tim. Tim decided to use the stands for flags matches instead of the seventh level balcony. He still hadn’t gotten the bad taste out of his mouth since his run in with Mr. Thorpe.

  “This is Mark’s first match. I think he is going to do well. I have seen him at practice. He is pretty good.”

  Shirley gave a nervous smile. “I saw the last match. It looks like it can get pretty brutal down there.”

  “Yes ma’am, it can, but nobody has been seriously injured in a long time. Besides, the healers here are first rate, best in the business.”

  “Will Mark be playing much?”

  “I do not know. Krisa, the team captain, put him on the fourth team. The fourth team, for Emerald Tribe, generally plays every ninth flag. He might get to play three or four flags.”

  Mark, Chenoa, Jamal, Nick, LeOmi and Cap’n Ben comprised half of the fourth team. That would remain so until one of them showed themselves to be a better player than someone on the other Emerald teams. If and when that happened, the players would change places. It would be eight rounds before the fourth team got to play. That meant that they had an hour to an hour and a half before they rode.

  Steve said, “So, he’s a pretty good rider, is he?”

  “Oh, yes, sir. He is a natural. He has a way with horses. Remember, they talk to each other.”

  The announcer began. “Ladies and Gentlemen… welcome… to the second flags match… here at The Seventh Mountain… for this school year. The competition is predicted to be tight today…. The tribes of Ruby, Emerald, Diamond and Agate will be competing. May the best team win.”

  The occasion of the draw gave Ruby another chance to play. The other two teams drawn were Agate and Diamond. Mark had seen Ruby Tribe play. Not so the other two. Ruby had put in their second team after five flags. Their second team played four flags and then their first team was back in. That meant that Emerald’s fresh fourth team would face Ruby’s tired second team. Mark was doing this analysis in the front of his mind while he pondered how he wanted to go after the bonus flag.

  He looked at The Island. It was populated with brown and black bears. He leaned over to Nick. “Know where we can get some honey?”

  “Not offhand. Players can’t leave the field during a match.”

  “Oh well, it was just a thought.” Mark gave a slight motion with his thumb toward The Island.

  “Oh, okay.” Nick shook his head. “I think you need a better idea than that.”

  “Yeah, me too. I think I’ve got it. I just need to watch a couple of things, for a bit, to make sure that it will work.”

  “Noon.” The amplified cry from Charlie Goodfellow signaled the beginning of the match. The first flag was launched high into the air. All eyes squinted to catch its path against the gray sky.

  “Yah!” Every Emerald Tribe player shouted at once when the flag struck the ground.

  The announcer’s voice boomed over the field. “They’re off. Diamond takes an early lead. Leroy is out in front with Lloyd, for Agate, hot on his heels.”

  Mark wasn’t following the action. He hopped down off the fence and went to watch what was happening in the other corrals. He watched as Ruby brought up the replacement mounts for their first team. Agate tribe was doing the same thing. Diamond had riders and mounts ready to go. He looked hard and couldn’t see anyone guarding the backside of the three corrals. Ruby brought in the first flag. Everyone in their corral was up front waiting for the handoff of the flag.

  Mark watched as six more flags were played. No one guarded the backside of the corrals during play. He was sure that his plan would work.

  The eighth flag was being played. The fourth team mounted up for their turn to ride.

  Cap’n Ben rode up to Mark. “Nervous?”

  “Yeah, a little. I think that waiting is the hard part.”

  “Me, too. You never know what to expect out there.”

  John returned with the flag for Emerald Tribe. All eyes turned to the sky to watch for the next flag. The flag touched down and there was an explosion of hooves heading toward it.

  Tim was looking through his spotting scope. “That is Mark. He is the one holding back. It looks like something might be wrong.” Tim handed the scope to Steve.

  As all four tribes raced to the flag, Mark realized what Ruby Tribe was attempting. Four of the Emerald Tribe riders were out in front. It was “Donavan’s Ploy.” It had to be. The Ruby Team was impeding the other two tribes and letting the inexperienced fourth team of Emerald Tribe get the flag. That meant that one or two members of Ruby Tribe didn’t ride out. They were waiting to ambush the unwary, inexperienced Emerald Tribe rider just before they reached the Emerald corral. They would surprise the Emerald rider and take the flag. The Emerald horse would be too tired to outmaneuver the fresh mounts of the way-layers.

  Mark let his horse fall behind the pack. Jamal looked over his shoulder and saw Mark. Jamal slowed his steed enough for Mark to catch up. Mark shouted, “Donavan’s Ploy!”

  Jamal nodded his head that he understood. Mark knew that Jamal knew exactly what to do. Krisa had seen to it that the team studied for this very play. She didn’t let them practice it out in the open. She hoped that spying eyes would realize that they hadn’t practiced it and make an attempt to use the tactic. Her idea had worked.

  Jamal would hold back and wait for a pass, making the other team believe that they had taken the bait. Mark would go back and engage the ambushers just before Jamal returned with the flag. Mark stopped his horse and dismounted. He examined the front left hoof of the horse. He wanted to give the impression that something was wrong with his mount. He got back on the horse and rode slowly back toward the corral.

  Steve said, “I think you’re right. He’s checking his horse’s hoof.”

  Tim said, “Must have picked up a stone. Wait, Mark must have forgotten his utility tool. He is heading back to the corral.”

  Mark heard the announcer’s voice. “And it looks like young Mark Young’s mount has some sort of injury. It looks like he’s out of play.”

  A few minutes later, Jamal’s mount was running full tilt back toward the corral. The pack was being held back by Ruby and Emerald tribes. Just as Jamal approached Mark, Mark brought his mount to a full out run and ran the remaining short distance beside Jamal.

  Tim was on his feet. “Ah ha. I knew it. It had to be. Mark would never forget his utility tool. It is ‘Donavan’s Ploy.’ He is smart. He caught on to it pretty quick.”

  “Folks… that’s ‘Donavan’s Ploy.’” The announcer sounded positively giddy. “We haven’t seen that old trick in years. Young was good to have spotted it so soon.”

  There was only one Ruby rider laying in wait. Mark engaged him just long enough for Jamal to get by.

&nb
sp; The announcer sounded mournful. “Ruby tribe miscalculated that one.”

  The announcer’s voice boomed again. “There it is; nine points for Emerald Tribe and three cheers for Mark Young and Jamal Terfa.”

  The crowd was cheering. Mark saluted the Ruby rider and smiled.

  The next flag was flying. Krisa called to Mark. “Keep that up, and you’ll make third team in no time.” The flag hit the ground and they were off.

  Nick slapped Mark on the back. “That was pretty good. How did you spot it so quickly?”

  “I knew the Ruby players had to be tired. I figured that they would try something. I took it easy heading out and watched. It wasn’t hard to spot.”

  Chenoa was grinning. “Good job, Mark.”

  “Thanks.”

  Nick put his arm around Mark’s shoulder. “What are you planning for the bonus flag?”

  “I don’t want to say right now. I’ll fill you in when the time is right.”

  Thirty flags had been played when Mark decided that it was time to go for the bonus flag. It was about forty-five minutes before sunset, which would be the end of the match. He gathered up all of the number four-team members for a huddle.

  “I’ve been watching the other corrals. No one has guarded the backside of the corrals all day. I’ve talked to some of our horses. When I give the signal, they will just go over to the other corrals. Six of us will go to round up the strays. This creates a diversion. While this is going on, two of us will be scaling the columns around the moat, going for the bonus flag. That leaves four of us to slip into the back of the other’s corrals and capture their flags. Hopefully, all eyes will either be on The Island and the attempt to get the bonus flag or on the wayward horses.”

  Cap’n Ben said, “I like it. I’ll go to The Island with you. I’ve never faced down a bear before. There’s a story about how my great, great grandfather did once. I’d like to give it a try.”

  LeOmi said, “I’m in for getting their flags.”

  Nick and Jamal chorused, “Me, too.”

  Chenoa said, “I’ll go after the horses.”

  Mark whistled. About twenty or so horses jumped over the Emerald Tribe’s corral fence. They ran to the other three corrals and jumped the fence. Chenoa led five other Emerald Tribe players after the horses.

  The announcer said, “It looks like we have a little commotion in the corrals. It looks like there are some loose horses. Let’s get them rounded up, guys.”

  Mark and Cap’n Ben aimed crossbows with grappling hook bolts up at the stone structure. Swish. The rope was carried aloft by the bolts. What they didn’t see was that Slone Voif and Ricky Barns were on the other side of the moat doing the same thing. Mark and Cap’n Ben started their ascent.

  The announcer’s voice was a dull drone in Mark’s ears. “Calvin, for Agate, has the flag. He’s getting hemmed in. The flag is up. Carol, for Agate, makes the catch. Wait… what is that… we have some action around the moat. Players are going for the bonus flag.”

  Tim was looking through his scope again. “It looks like Mark and Cap’n Ben are going for the bonus flag… wait… Slone Voif and Ricky Barns are going up the other side.” Tim handed the scope to Steve.

  LeOmi led the raiders to the back of Diamond’s corral. They rolled under the fence and calmly walked up to the cache of flags. Nobody saw them when they took the flags to the fence and laid them on the ground.

  Two of the Emerald horses reared and tried to provoke a clash with some of Diamond’s horses. Chenoa mounted one of the aggressive horses and rode it out of the corral. The horse reared and she slid off the unsaddled back. The horse tried to reenter the Diamond corral and some Diamond players blocked the way.

  Mark, Cap’n Ben, Slone and Ricky reached the top of the Stonehenge-like structure at about the same time. Bears were starting to run up the ramps to the top of the inner ring. It wouldn’t take the bears long to cross the links from the inner ring to the outer ring.

  Shirley was on her feet looking down at The Island. “Are those real bears?”

  “Yes ma’am, they are. Do not worry. They have never killed anybody. Some got scratched up before, but that was it.”

  Cap’n Ben said to Mark, “Lay down. The bears will see Slone and Ricky first when they get up here. When they go for them; that will be our chance to go for the flag.”

  LeOmi’s raiders crouched as they walked to the Ruby corral, under the fence and over to the flags. Nobody noticed them. They grabbed up the flags and laid them outside of the corral.

  The Emerald horses in the Ruby corral were raising a ruckus. The Ruby horses were becoming very agitated. It was all that the Ruby and the Emerald players could do to keep the horses apart and quieted.

  Shirley clasped her hands and leaned toward Tim. “You’re kidding, right? Those bears aren’t dangerous, are they?”

  “What would be the point of having tame bears? Of course, they are dangerous.”

  The announcer said, “It looks like we have four players going for the bonus flag. They look like Cap’n Ben, Slone Voif, Mark Young and who’s that other kid… Ricky Barns. It looks like they are in for a bear of a time… Oh, yeah… John Grob scores for Emerald Tribe.”

  Slone and Ricky lay down, too. The bears saw both groups and started heading to whichever one they were closer to. Mark saw that the second link to his left was devoid of any activity. The link closest to him had two bears on it making tracks right for him. He decided to make a run for that link before the bears reached the outer ring. The only hope that Cap’n Ben had was to climb part way back down his rope and hope that the bears went away.

  Shirley said, “Well, he can always jump into the moat.”

  Tim chuckled. “Oh, no ma’am. He does not want to do that. There are leviathans in the moat.”

  LeOmi’s raiders found that Jasper Tribe was easy pickings, too. They started making their way back to Emerald Tribe’s corral with the flags.

  Chenoa and her group were finishing rounding up the Emerald horses. As if on cue, the Emerald horses settled down and started heading back to their own corral.

  The announcer was following the action at The Island. He had given up on commenting on the other players on the field. “Cap’n Ben is going over the side… I think he is going to climb back down.”

  Mark ran past the link with the bears on it. They roared when he passed. He made it to the empty link and started across to the inner ring.

  The crowd let loose with concerted shouts of amazement.

  Cap’n Ben rappelled part way down the stone column. Two bears stopped above him. They were looking over the edge and swinging their heads back and forth. Cap’n Ben decided to ease on down the column. When his feet were firmly on the ground, an idea hit him. He ran for the crossbow that he had lain in the sand. He cocked it and ran back to the rope.

  The announcer said, “Mark has made it to The Island. It took a lot of guts to get past those bears.”

  Shirley had her fist to her mouth, watching the action intently.

  Cap’n Ben whistled to get Chenoa’s attention as she was walking a couple of horses back to the corral. “Chenoa, I need a horse over here.” He flicked the rope so that a wave traveled up it and released the grappling hook.

  Chenoa mounted one of the horses that were with her and rode over to Cap’n Ben.

  The announcer said, “It looks like Slone and Ricky have given up. They are heading back down. They might be thinking of heading Mark off when he gets across the moat. I should say if he gets across the moat.”

  Mark saw Slone and Ricky scrambling back onto their ropes. He saw the flag straight ahead. He scanned for bears on The Island that might threaten him. He didn’t see any. He made it to the flag and pulled it from its mount.

  The announcer said, “Mark has the bonus flag. He still has to get back across the moat and back to Emerald’s corral.”

  Cap’n Ben shouted to Mark when Chenoa rode up. “Mark! Over here!” He handed Chenoa the loose end of the rop
e. He pointed the crossbow up and fired. The rope snaked its way through the air toward The Island. Slone and Ricky were in a full-out sprint, heading for Cap’n Ben.

  Mark ran for the rope. He grabbed it and wrapped it around his wrist before jumping into the water.

  Chenoa set her mount into motion. “Yah!” The steed set out at a full run. When the rope tightened, it jerked Mark forward.

  The force on the rope pulled Mark under. A terrible stench filled his mind, even though he was holding his breath. He felt an overwhelming desire to get the terrible thing out of the water. He knew that he was feeling what the leviathan that had targeted him was feeling. His head broke the surface. He knew the leviathan was only moments away. He was being pulled across the surface of the water at a fearsome speed. He didn’t know if he would make it to the shore before the leviathan caught up with him.

  The announcer was shouting now, “Mark is in the water… I see motion in the depths. A leviathan has got the smell of him… Hurry, Mark!”

  Cap’n Ben was standing by to grab the flag as soon as Mark reached the shore.

  Chenoa let go of the rope when Cap’n Ben whistled. The rope slid from the saddle’s pommel before she could come to a stop.

  Cap’n Ben pulled Mark out of the moat and just as he did, the water detonated. A fifty-foot-long sail-back ornathoptus launched from the surface. It sailed straight up, high into the air. It reached its apex way above the eighth level of the school, where the spectators were, and stretched its fins out. It glided for a moment, setting its course back to the moat. It folded its fins back and dove straight for the moat, like a guided missile. It hit the water with barely a splash.

   

  Tim watched as the flying leviathan shot skyward. “Beautiful! That is a sail-back ornathoptus.”

   

  Cap’n Ben looked at Mark with his mouth open. “That’d sure make a leprechaun drop his pot of gold.” He grinned and took the flag from Mark. He started running toward Chenoa.

  The announcer continued, “Whoa… That was close… Mark made it out of the water just in time. Cap’n Ben has the flag for a handoff to… Chenoa Day.”

  She took the flag and made like a jackrabbit for the corral. When she tossed the flag into the corral, cheers erupted from the crowd.

  “One hundred and forty-four points for Emerald Tribe.”

  Krisa was leading the pack back. She carried the thirty-fifth and final flag of the match. Charlie Goodfellow signaled sunset and the end of the game, just after she threw the flag into the corral.

  The crowd was roaring.

  The announcer called out, “That ends the match. By my count, Emerald tribe has two hundred and ninety-one points. They had one hundred and forty-seven points with that last flag and one hundred and forty four points added with the bonus flag. That’s a very big win for Emerald Tribe.”

  Chenoa rode up to Krisa. “Krisa, the announcer is wrong.”

  “What do you mean, he’s wrong? I counted the points myself. He’s right.”

  “We captured the other teams’ flags.”

  “You’re kidding? That’s funny. Nobody has done that in years.”

  “I’m not kidding. We have them.”

  “How did you get them without being challenged and no one seeing you?”

  “It was Mark’s idea. We created two diversions and then we sneaked in the back of the corrals.”

  “Well, if you have them, go get them. March them out onto the field.”

  Chenoa yelled, “Listen up! Grab a flag and go out on the field. The announcer didn’t count all of our flags.”

  Players scrambled to get a flag and get out onto the field.

  The announcer sounded. “Hold on, folks. Emerald Tribe is challenging the score. They’re coming onto the field with their flags for a recount… Folks, I count thirty-six flags… Emerald Tribe has all the flags! That’s a whopping seven hundred and thirty nine points. What an upset! I’ve been announcing here for more than fifty years. I’ve never seen anything like it. This is one for the history books. How’d they do that?”