Eagle People (6 page)

“Your words are wise for one so young.”

The entrance flap to the lodge opened and in stepped a Dog Soldier called Uriah. Blood covered his face and chest, and the broken shaft of an arrow was seen in his side.

“Who had done this?”  Jeptha asked.

“They—come.” Uriah said, and then collapsed to the dirt floor.

 Silas stood and said, “Someone bring the shaman and do it now!”

Chapter 4

ASA WAS LIVID
because many days had passed, and he'd heard nothing from Calvin. He was in his lodge speaking with Ninian, the shaman, when the medicine man said, “I have dreamed that Calvin and all his men have passed over the other side.”

“All of them? They were each proven warriors.”

“Calvin was a good warrior, but was he an adept leader?”

“Your words are true. What else have your dreams told you?”
“Not much more, other than the Eagle People know we'll come for them.”

“It matters little, because they do not know when we'll come for them. They have rich lands, clean water, and much wood, while we have little.”

“The Eagle People number how many?”

“It is hard to say because like us, they live in small villages and move as needed. If the water disappears or herds move, then so do all people.”

Ninian nodded and said, “It has been this way since the forming of villages, many long years ago.”

“The Eagle People have rich land, with many wild cows, sheep, and other foods. Their waters are clear and safe to drink. We must take their land from them.”

“I do not think you have given serious thought about what you wish to do. Like any people, the Eagle Clan will fight for what they now call their own. We will lose many warriors, and we may never recover, if too many die.”

Asa shook his head and said, “Foolishness. Any People can recover, given enough time.”

“Maybe.”

“I tire of this conversation, because I hoped you could help me.”

“I will return to my lodge then. You know how to conduct war as well as any man on earth and while I can pray for you, I know little of the art of killing. Besides, I'm an old man and must soon go to my blankets.”

“Wait, I have ten beautiful women taken from the Eagle People, and want to give two of them to you for your valuable knowledge and wisdom” Then raising his voice, he called out, “Bring the women in, Byron.”

One-by-one they were brought into the lodge and Ninian selected two young ones. He was smiling when Asa said, “They will keep you warm on cold nights, but always remember they are Eagle women and cannot be trusted. None of these has eaten since the day they were taken, so I'm sure if you offer one of them a little bread and meat, tonight she will keep your blankets warm. As you know, a hungry woman will do much when she is hungry enough.”

“It is common to keep captive women hungry before making them a wife.”

“As I reminded you, do not trust them. I hope my gift has pleased you.”

“It has, very much so, my friend.”

“Byron, take the two captives to the lodge of Ninian.”

The girls, wearing crude metal chains around their necks, were led to the lodge of the shaman and it smelled of strange things. Once inside, Byron chained them to the support pole and then tossed the keys to Ninian. “They are your responsibility now, old man, so watch your ass. More than one man of The People has been injured or killed by a slave.” he said.

“I was breaking slaves before you were born, boy. Get out, before I turn you into a bat or something.”

Byron laughed loud and long as he left.

The captives, both close to nineteen, were terrified and knew what was coming. Ada was the stronger of the two mentally and physically, and more mature as well. Her body was fuller, her eyes were blue, she had long blond hair, and she'd entered training to be a warrior. Her father always said she should have been born a boy. She was near the fourth year of warrior training and had progressed to the point she was to be taken on the next raid.  She'd fought until knocked unconscious and awoke in chains.

Theodosia looked younger than her years, lacked any real warrior training, and was spoiled by her parents. Her red hair was cut short, her lips full, and her eyes green. Until taken captive, she'd never missed a meal or been mistreated. Sitting on the dirt floor of the shaman's lodge, Theodosia was in shock at the brutality she'd seen during the attack and her suffering since captured.

Ninian looked at both young women and was attracted to Ada. He found her blond hair and blue eyes stimulating. The other woman reminded him of a child, and he had no interest in children. He'd trade her for something or sell her if he could. Or, he might train her to cook for him.

Hours later, moving to Ada's side, he squatted, lifted her dirty chin, and asked, “Are you hungry?”

“Yes.” His face was almost touching hers, and his breath was foul.

“If I feed you, you must do something for me.”

Sickened by the very thought of him touching her, she replied, “What of my friend?  Will you feed her as well?”

“My dear, do you understand what I want from you? Have you ever lain with a man before?”

“Yes, once. Feed us both and I will do as you wish.”

“Yes, I'm sure you will, won't you? Hunger forces everyone to comply eventually. Let me roast some meat and prepare some bread, then we will get to know each other better.”

Near Ada was a small stick, maybe six inches long and as big around as her little finger. As Ninian prepared the meal she knew if she attacked the old man, she had to be ruthless and cold-blooded. But, a warrior of the Eagle People did not need a weapon to kill, because all things could become a weapon.
First, I must disable him and then kill,
she thought as she caught the shaman smiling at her. She returned the smile.

Like all hungry people, both young woman ate slowly, enjoying not only the taste of the food, but the texture and juices as well. Ada was unsure of the time, really not caring, because death was preferred to slavery. However, she thought it was close to darkness and if she could escape, maybe she could steal horses for them. She expected little, if any, help from Theodosia and suspected she'd be more of a liability than asset, but if possible, she owed it to her People to take her along to safety.

When the meal was complete, the old man moved toward her and undressed her, taking his time to enjoy her beautiful body. The stick was behind her back and so was her hand. As he leaned forward to kiss her, she brought her hand up and struck him hard in the left eye. Then, pulling the crude weapon from his injured eye, she struck hard once more to his throat. As his scream started, she struck his nose hard, with the palm of her hand, and felt something break. His scream died instantly as cartilage from his nose entered his brain. His body fell to the ground and shook as his body started to shut down. She removed a small skinning knife from the man's belt and cut his throat.

Pulling the keys from from his pocket, she unchained both of them and then said, “We must try to steal horses and leave. Can you do this?”

Theodosia sat unmoving, her eyes open wide in terror.

Shaking her hard, Ada said, “We must hurry, because someone may have heard his short scream. If they find us here and him dead, they will torture us to death.”

The young girl was still frozen in place.

“Come and do it now, or I will leave you behind.” She saw a butcher knife, bow and arrows, which she took, but no other weapons. Ada then picked up two wool blankets, a full water bladder, and flint and steel she saw by the fire pit. She glanced at Theodosia, slowly shook her head, and left the lodge. It was full dark, with a quarter moon out. It was then she felt her friend touch her arm and heard her whisper, “I am here.”

“Stay behind me and we'll make for the horses. I may have to kill a guard. If so, I will touch you and you stay in place. Once the job is done, I will return for you.” She handed one of the blankets and the water bladder to the woman.

“I understand.”

Staying in the dark shadows, they made their way slowly to the herd. Seeing a young boy guarding and on the other side of the animals, she helped Theodosia onto the back of a horse and she'd just mounted when a warning yell was heard in the village.
They've found the dead shaman!
Ada thought and then yelled, “Ride!”

Arrows passed them in the night and one flew very closely to her nose, but missed. She leaned forward on the animal so she presented a smaller target, and kicked the big animal in the ribs. She shot forward and soon passed Theodosia.

After a mile or so, she slowed down to a fast walk, knowing the horses couldn't keep the fast pace up for long. As they moved, she glanced at the stars and headed west, toward her People. When she glanced overhead, she saw the sky was clear, so no rain would wash their tracks away.

An hour later, Theodosia said, “I hurt.”

“Were you hit back there?”

“I felt a blow to my back, but no pain until just a few minutes ago.”

“Damn, not good. Pull into the small clearing off to the right and stop where I can take a look at you.”

“There is no light.”

“The light of the moon will be enough, if you've taken an arrow.”

“I don't want to die!”

“No one said anything about you dying. Now, get off your horse and let me check you.”

In the dim light, Ada could see where an arrow had taken her in the shoulder, high, missed the bone, and was sticking out front.  She broke off the arrowhead, which brought a loud gasp, and then pulled the arrow out of her back. She'd lost a lot of blood.

“You'll be fine, just through your shoulder. I'm going to bandage you up and then we need to ride again. If your start feeling weak, let me know, okay?” she said and then thought,
we have to keep moving, injury or not.  If they catch us, we'll die a horrible death.

Ripping part of her blouse and Theodosia's, she soon had the injury bandaged.

“Here, I'll help you mount and then we need to get moving. I don't think they'll follow us at night, but by God, they'll come as soon as the sun comes up.” Ada said, but thought,
I hope my bandage job stays on you or you'll bleed to death way before sunrise. But we have to keep moving, no matter the risk.

They moved all night, due west, and just as a false dawn was seen, Ada turned north and rode up a wide but shallow stream for almost five miles. Then she cut the back out of her shirt, tied some patches of material on the hooves of each animal, and grinned. It wouldn't completely eliminate the tracks, but it'd reduce them a great deal. She checked on Theodosia's injury, which was bleeding again, then cut the back out of her shirt as well and bandaged the wound once more. She stuck the bloody rags in her pant pockets, not wanting to leave any evidence behind.

An hour later, when they entered a patch of mixed hard and softwood trees, she dismounted, and made a trap. She'd learned to make the trap early in her warrior training and it was a simple one. A thin vine crossed the trail, about three inches above the dirt, and a limb with five sharpened stakes tied to it was held in place by a simple release line. A stake in the ground held the release line tied to the limb taut and ready. The trap worked well in moderate weather, but if it turned too cold or icy, the trap would freeze in place and not work. Once the trap line was moved, by a human or animal, the release was pulled from the holding stake and the limb would swing over the trail, impaling anyone in it's path.  It struck with a great deal of force.

She checked her friend's bandages once more, and then they moved on.

My trap will not stop anyone following us, but it'll slow them down a great deal.  If I manage to kill or injure one, they'll pursue with more caution and that will cost them time. I'd guess we're another day's ride to the nearest band of Eagle People and the war chief Mongoose,
she thought.

Asa was in the lodge of Ninian and walking in circles around the old man's body, fill with deep anger.  He'd warned the old man about the dangers of the captives, but the woman who'd done the killing was no ordinary woman. He knew, just by the murder weapon, at some point one of the prisoners had been trained as a warrior.