The Lord of the Plains

by Sarah Chapman

Chapter 65

  The days ran into each other. The last was the same as the next. But that was ok. Despite her realization that the tribe was really just the same as before, Riley was happy. Everything was going well. That was, until someone got the bright idea to challenge her for control of the tribe.

  Not someone from her tribe though. No, a stranger just wandered in one day from the grasslands and demanded to challenge the leader of the tribe. It was a surprise, but she defeated him easily. The gemeng then decided he would stay with the tribe. He’d gazed around, hackles raised, as if daring anyone to disagree. It had been unexpected, but she saw no reason to refuse him. She explained the rules and asked if there were any questions. The newcomer had looked at her as if she was crazy. Then he’d asked if he could find somewhere to sleep. When she said yes he proceeded to go get into six fights in the space of four minutes. That was how long it took before Riley realized what was happening and managed to stop him.

  ‘What are you doing?!’ she demanded. ‘I told you no fighting!’

  The gemeng looked at her as if she was crazy again. ‘I was finding my place in the hierarchy.’ he said as if she was slow. Riley had a sudden feeling he was used to being the toughest gemeng in the tribe. ‘How else am I supposed to know where to sleep? You gave me your permission.’

  Riley gaped at him. How was she to know asking if he could find somewhere to sleep was the same as asking if he could get in a fight with every member of her tribe?

  ‘Figure it out without fighting.’ she said ominously.

  And so her tribe grew by one.

  And then another showed up. Riley was more careful explaining things. There were, of course, some problems. But the second newcomer settled in, as had the first.

  And then another showed up.

  And another.

  The trickle turned into a flood. Every day gemengs, alone or in small groups, demanded to challenge her for control of the tribe.

  ‘What’s going on?!’ Riley demanded of Aerlid, a panicked look on her face. ‘Where are all these people coming from? Why are they attacking us? The tribe is already big enough! I don’t want it to get any bigger!’

  Aerlid gazed at her calmly. They were at their own camp some distance from the tribe, which gave them at least a little privacy.

  ‘Well,’ Aerlid said, ‘my best guess would be you destroyed the structure of the tribes we ran into by humiliating their warriors. If the leader of the tribe was among those you stripped and tied up, they wouldn’t have been able to get the rest of the tribe to obey them anymore. Daklis’ tribe is probably out there somewhere too.’

  ‘So you’re saying by defending the tribe I’ve destroyed all the other tribes, which are now joining me.’

  ‘Not joining you. They’ve found a cohesive, functional tribe and want to take it over. I don’t imagine they demand to fight you thinking they’re going to lose.’

  ‘B-but… how am I going to get the other gemengs to leave us alone? If I defeat their leader, they join me. If I humiliate them, they join me. And then we’ll just get bigger and run into more tribes and we’ll have to defeat them and they’ll join me too and… I don’t want them to join me! Gakra’s tribe is enough trouble!’

  ‘Well, you could kill them.’

  Riley’s expression spoke volumes.

  ‘I think the best bet would be to avoid the other tribes. Large groups will be easier to avoid than these remnants. And you know, they won’t all come and challenge you. I’m sure the other tribes in the area are getting challenges as well.’ he paused. ‘If there are any left.’

  Riley looked at him helplessly, as if begging him to offer her a solution.

  Aerlid merely shrugged. ‘Well, now you know actions have consequences.’

  ‘I already knew that.’ she said in a small voice.

  ‘Did you think through the effect on the social structure of the other tribes of humiliating their leaders?’

  Riley didn’t say anything.

  ‘Well, there you go.’

  Riley looked like she was about to cry.

  ‘Well Riley,’ Aerlid said sternly, ‘perhaps you’ll be more careful in future. Right now though, you have new recruits to integrate and,’ he cocked his head as if listening to something.

  Riley heard it too and paled.

  ‘And a new challenger to deal with.’

  ‘Go away.’ Riley said flatly.

  The gemeng hesitated. He was small for a gemeng from the Plains. He was slightly shorter than Riley and had a certain bird like delicacy to him. His face was very pale and his dark eyes big. Dark, feathery hair was swept back from his face. His clothes were loose and disguised his size, as if he didn’t want anyone to know exactly how small he was. He wore a heavy cloak over his back. There was a curious roundness to it, as if he were hunchbacked.

  Riley glared at him, her green eyes narrowed. ‘We’re not accepting any new members to the tribe. I’m sorry, you’ll have to leave.’

  ‘May I ask why?’ he asked politely, but with a certain cautiousness, as if he were wary of her.

  ‘It’s too big.’

  ‘Too big.’

  ‘Much too big. Two weeks ago it was the right size. Now it’s far too big.’

  His eyes drifted to the side, as if he were thinking. Then he asked, ‘why is it too big?’

  Riley, startled, looked at him as if just noticing him. ‘Why? Gemengs are difficult to handle. That’s why. And I’m sick of being challenged every two minutes. I’m not going to fight you. You’re going to turn around and leave me alone.’

  ‘I wasn’t going to challenge you.’ he said, in that same cautious but brave tone.

  Once again, surprise flashed across her face.

  His eyes drifted back to her. He held her eyes. ‘I don’t want to challenge you. I accept your leadership.’

  ‘That’s… that’s a very odd thing to say.’ She frowned slightly. ‘You don’t want to lead the tribe?’

  He shrugged slightly. ‘No, just be a part of it.’

  Riley’s gaze moved past him to the four gemengs standing behind. Then they moved back to him. ‘Who are they?’ she asked.

  ‘From my old tribe. We…’ hesitation, ‘we decided to stick together.’

  Riley hesitated before asking, ‘what’s your name?’

  ‘Karesh.’ he said.

  ‘Just Karesh?’

  ‘Just Karesh.’

  ‘Alright.’ She sighed. Another four. ‘Alright. There are rules I expect you to follow. No fighting without asking for my permission. No courting either. Is that clear?’

  He started. His eyes wide, he said, ‘really?’

  ‘Yes.’ she said firmly.

  ‘And,’ the caution was back, ‘may I ask, when do you usually allow fighting?’

  ‘So far? Never.’

  ‘A-and courting?’

  ‘Never.’ she said grimly.

  And he beamed.

  Surprised and pleased, she smiled back.

  Despite her reluctance, Riley did not refuse entry to the tribe for long. Those left outside were at the mercy of everyone else outside.

  What she hadn’t anticipated, though got used to, was that those who first approached her making challenges and throwing their weight around often brought in others after they’d been accepted into the tribe. Mostly, those others were children. Once or twice, a pregnant woman was among the others.

  The gemengs hid their children somewhere safe in the grass, and after they’d found a place in her tribe, the children just appeared. They never informed her they were joining. One day they were just there. And when she asked where on earth these children-or pregnant women- had come from the gemengs got very defensive. She didn’t mind, really, despite her bewilderment. Any sign that the gemengs could care for something was precious. She certainly wasn’t going to harm that.

  Eventually, she had her warriors gather up the remnants. She felt it better to get it over and done with all at once. Rules were explained. Fights and c
hallenges were dealt with.

  She was sickened at the size of her tribe. It had gone from around fifty to closer to five hundred. Managing that many people was a completely different game. Everyone needed to be fed. Fights needed to be handled. She enlisted Gakra and some of the original fifty to help manage her new tribe. Once it was clear authority was given out not based on killing ability but on ability to please her, some of the tension eased.

  Gemengs were used to adapting themselves to whoever was leading them after all.

  And of course, scouting became extremely important. Riley intended to stay far, far away from any other tribe at all times. Five hundred was way more than enough for her.