Embers of Fall

Ch. 2

Noon had been quiet, with only the occasional scurry of small critters, but by night wolves howled long and low nearby. She worried that they could smell her and the chunks of dried meat left in her satchel. She had gotten little rest and laid awake, listening.

There was a chorus of growls and the sound of paws scratching at the earth. They sniffed at the area her baby had rested earlier that evening, smelling his scent and then her own. They tried to creep close to her shelter, but with the fire in the way, they didn't dare to stray too close. They were wary of the flames, baring their teeth, and with wild and hungry eyes, they paced.

It was now a waiting game. Either the fire would gradually go out or they'd risk being burned to get to her and her baby. Then as if the heavens had abandoned her, she felt the first drops of rain. A cry of fear washed over her as she felt the rain grow heavy and drip through, falling against her hair and dampening her dress. It was cold, stealing her warmth, and sounded like a million beads shattering.

Some of the droplets fell from her face and hair onto her sleeping child, causing him to wake and release an angry cry. She kissed the top of his head, shushing him, and held him closer. What should she do? If she left the shelter, the  wolves would chase her and if she stayed, she'd be soaked by the downpour of rain and the wolves could find a way in.

She forced her dagger free from the cuff on her wrist, always keeping it there for when she needed it most and held it tight in her grasp while she hovered over her baby, shielding him from the droplets of pouring rain.

The wolves saw that the fire had grown small and doused by the rain and shook their fur out before creeping towards her shelter. They bore their teeth and wagged their tails, pawing then at the entrance of the shelter. There was the snapping and gnashing of their teeth as they tried to fit their heads in and sniffed for them. In return, Navati didn't hesitate to strike their snouts and heard them yelp and fall away, but just as quickly they returned, more eager to reach her.

She was growing soaked and weary, crying out then for her lover. "Kotve!" Her child erupted in a fit of screams below her upon hearing her yell and sensed her distress. He wailed with her, despite her attempts to soothe him.

Then strange bells chimed, shaking and trembling. The noise grew louder and followed an odd rhythm. A thud hit the earth, followed by another, and the wolves yelped and snarled before they fled, leaving them be. But the bells remained.

She cradled her baby close, not wanting to see what had scared the wolves off, then tensed when she saw ankles prance into view. Leather tied bells to each and with every step, the bells jingled in response. She saw that they were barefoot and positioned towards her. She did not know their language, unable to hear it clearly through the sound of rain, and watched the entrance defensively.

Soon with a great big shake, her shelter was knocked away, revealing her. She rose into a crouch, hair long and wet against her face and narrowed her eyes, training them on the new threat. Her baby still cried against her chest, but she could not comfort him. He thrashed, but she held him tight and kept her dagger enclosed tightly in her other hand.

Surrounding her were three men, all dressed in fur that only covered the width of their shoulders. The rest of their skin lay bare and wet with rain, so did their dark hair that hung loosely upon their shoulders. They eyed her first with contempt, until they heard her child cry and she saw only the smallest glimpse of pity.

One of the men closest to her, took a step, crouching, but she scowled and swiped her dagger through the air in a wide arc, keeping him away. She watched the others, eyes bouncing between them to see who would try to get to her next. She'd kill them all if she had to.

But the other to her right looked down on her, "Get up, Inakewaka (wild one)."  His eyes were nearly black and daring. It had been many moons since anyone had stalked through their territory. To see that that one would be a young woman with a child made him suspicious. It only meant that she was either a decoy or that she had risked death to escape another far worse fate.

Had she been exiled or ostracized by her tribe? Her green eyes that sparked amber could have been the reason why. Not even they would take a halfbreed.

Palo and Tewane were equally as unsure of her, but they had to applaud her fighting spirit. She was strong and would ensure that her baby would live. When they tried to get close and inspect her further, she'd swing, forcing them back. But they circled her, eyes dark and penetrating. They eyed her soft face and body that was ripe and womanly, then peered at her young child.

She hissed sharply between clenched teeth, but Ako had grown tired of their tango. He yanked his spear free from the body of a dead wolf and pointed the bloody tip towards her. She could not defend herself or her child in her condition. Nor against his men and his staff. Realization fell over her and she stilled.

"What tribe do you come from?" Ako asked, standing over her as her fight had come to an end. Exhausted, she struggled to stay grounded and could only think of her child. But she caught her breath and spoke, her voice quiet but firm, "Vahili."

"Daughter of who?" He questioned her, using the point of his spear to lift her chin so that he could inspect her face further. He scarcely knew anything about her tribe, only news carried on from the hills that they had merged with another called Kende. But it had been burned down.

"Chief Apohi," She said and glowered then, moving her chin out of reach of his spear. Her eyes still flickered and sparked. A flame desperately trying to keep itself alive.

A chief's daughter, with such eyes? He almost laughed. "So you are a liar now? No wonder they have abandoned you."

She grit her teeth, spitting at them, but restlessly shook as her child continued to scream.

"I am no liar," She scowled, but at her sign of disrespect, Palo and Tewane cornered her, then tried to pry her child from her arms.

She kicked and fought, holding the child closer, but they tore with brute strength at her arms until they broke the child free and took him. A scream tore from her then as she used the last of her strength to stab Palo in his shoulder and swung, carving into Tewanes cheek when he tried to stop her. He hissed out in pain, his hand falling to his bleeding cheek, but Palo ran off with her child, leaving her to wrestle against the other two men.

Ako, however, nudged her with his spear, forcing her to walk forward. "Give me my baby," She whimpered now, desperately. Tears filled her eyes and she burned with anger and fear. What would they do to him? But Ako did not respond, only forced her to keep walking.

She tried not to slip and felt mud stick to her wet boots as she walked through the forest with unfamiliar men behind her. They kept prodding at her until a rocky ledge came into view. Around it were tents similar to the ones they had back at home and a cave had been revealed atop the ledge whose rocks surrounded the wide entrance.