The Lost Tribe: Maliha the Wanderer (Book 1)

Der Surjaz

The shrill ringing in her ears jolted Maliha from her deep slumber, forcing the thin blankets that covered what was left of her torn clothes to the side. The quick movements caused her world to tilt on its axis as the ground climbed into her vision. Her eyes rolled and then she was thudding to the ground, her body burning as bile gushed through her lips.

The internal alarm in her head vibrated through her body and had her world rocking. Her brain felt as if it would have exploded within, the pounding in her head causing whimpers to escape from her lips. White light blinded her as her brain splintered at the edges, the pain like nothing she had felt before.

Her body shook even as fire lit her soul alight. She was struggling to breathe, her throat dry as a burning ball of fire began to ascend across the sky. Sweat beaded along her skin as she tried to rise form her curled position, panting and wheezing as she felt her insides churning and boiling. Her face felt swollen as if she had run head first into a wall and she wasn't sure if it was from the piercing that hung from her nose and was locked around her neck and draped across her ear. Or if it was from all her exposure to the harsh elements of nature. She could taste blood in her mouth, but she had no idea where it came from.

"Daz," the soft voice travelling into the light wind was barely noticeable until a cold mug of water was shoved into her hand. Maliha jerked back, the hand catching her by surprise.

Dark glossy brown orbs stared at her as the female shoved the cool liquid against Maliha's dry lips.

"Shera" she motioned towards the cup and then moved Maliha's hand to clasp the cup, she held it at the bottom for support until Maliha's hands stopped shaking enough for her to grasp the cup.

"Wataaa" she stammered, her brows knotting as she struggled to speak in the common tongue.

"Water" croaked Maliha in acknowledgment of the females attempt to speak. The cool liquid sliding down her throat in one large gulp. The woman's eyes sparked with pride and then she was grabbing the cup and shuffling further back into what Maliha assumed was her tent.

Her eyes roved over the walls of her temporary prison, the furnishings were plain and minimal, but it was warm as well, as if this female had taken her time to decorate the room with what meagre possessions she had.

The woman came back into her sight with a second cup "Slowly" she stammered, putting the cup in Maliha's hand and retreating back into her corner.

The woman before her had beautiful cocoa skin, it was rich and flawless except for the two scars she had slashed across her cheeks. The skin puckered and folded over bringing attention to her high cheek bones. The scars were jagged and looked as if they had been done maliciously. Her eyes were deep pools of coal, dark and glossy as they stared back at Maliha's pale green.

Maliha had always thought her skin dark. Among her adopted tribe her skin had seemed as dark as night compared to their milky tones but, here she seemed to be too light. Though not everyone was as dark as Xiuri or even Abazz, but they were all much darker than her. Nahi's skin had been bronze, a shining glow to her skin and Abazz had been the colour of tar, a deep rich black that shone with radiance and health.

The woman sat back in the corner of her mallet, staring at Maliha in concentration. Her lips pursed as she took in the hesitant moves of Maliha's body. The world was rolling, spinning and twisting as she tried to keep her body from dispelling what was left in her stomach.

Sipping on the water she winced at the taste and frowned deeply when she saw the small yellow and green flecks in her drink. She shot the female across from her a distrusting look all the while gulping back more. The liquid tickled down her throat and helped ease the throbbing behind her eyes.