by J. T. Edson
On the point of lighting the fuse of the second ‘Terrifier’, Mador refrained from doing so. He had been warned by the High Priest that he must not waste the precious devices. In addition, after the failure of the first to prevent the big foreigner from escaping, he could not share Dryaka’s enthusiasm for the new weapon. Returning it to the bag and replacing the ‘fire-cord’ in the metal box, he watched Bunduki departing and waited for the rest of his party to join him.
‘H-He did kill them with his bow!’ gasped the first rider to arrive, bringing his ocha-gatah stallion to a halt between the two young warriors’ bodies and staring from one to the other. ‘That means he must be one of the “Apes”!’
There were similar startled exclamations from different members of the party as they came up, stopped, and studied how their companions had been killed. All had heard of the mysterious ‘Apes’. The stories, having lost nothing in the telling, had been expanded to the stage where Dawn and Bunduki were credited with possessing magical, almost supernatural, powers. So their ‘nation’ had become a source of superstitious awe to all who had heard of them.
‘Judging by how he ran, he can’t be so terrible,’ Mador sneered, hoping that he sounded more confident than he felt. ‘Get after him, six of you.’
Normally, such an order would have been so welcome that the difficulty would have been selecting the required number from the volunteers. Faced with the prospect of tangling with the ‘Apes’, against whom their breastplates were clearly no defense, even the most ambitious of the warriors displayed reluctance to set off.
Scowling, Mador rattled off six names. After a few seconds’ hesitation, the men he had selected rode sulkily towards the stream.
‘Come on, the rest of you,’ the banar-gatah rider went on, going to the man who had collected his mount in passing. ‘We’d better find out what happened to our men.’
‘The “Apes” must have killed them and rescued the girl,’ suggested the party’s second-in-command.
‘I don’t think so,’ Mador contradicted, swinging on to his saddle. ‘From the way that one behaved as he rode up, he didn’t know anything about it. Even if they don’t catch him, we’ll have to find out what happened to her or Dryaka will want to know why not. It’s her he’s interested in.’
Although the six Mun-Gatahs followed Bunduki, their hearts were not in the chase. Nor could their gatahs match the quality and stamina of his quagga. After covering about five miles, they found themselves approaching an area of hilly, fairly open bush which was ideal terrain for the laying of an ambush. It was not a comforting thought when taken in consideration with the potency of the ‘Apes’ archery. By that time, the distance between them had increased until Bunduki was out of sight So, when they lost his trail on some rocky ground, they did not make any strenuous efforts to find the tracks. Instead, pleased to have the excuse, they turned back.
Once the blond giant was satisfied that he had thrown his pursuers off the trail, he slowed down the lathered quagga. While deeply concerned over what might have happened to Dawn, he knew that the animal must be allowed to recover from the strain imposed by the long chase. With that in mind, dismounting and leading it, he walked on.
There was another source of worry for Bunduki in addition to Dawn’s fate. The possession of even such a simple kind of hand grenade by the Mun-Gatahs had disturbing and grave implications. Warlike, aggressive, well armed and protected by their leather garments, guided by a man as ruthless and ambitious as their High Priest, they now had the means to defeat and subjugate every other nation. So he must do more than try to rescue Dawn if she was still alive. He had to do everything in his power to prevent the Mun-Gatahs from bringing the curse of the ‘Thunder Powder’ to Zillikian.
Hunger brought Bunduki to a stop on the bush covered side of a valley through which flowed a river. There was, he noticed, the means to satisfy it beyond the water. Having checked that there were no other predators close by, he removed the quagga’s saddle and bridle. After it had rolled on the grass, he hobbled its forelegs. Then, knowing that he would need to swim to retrieve his meal, he left his back-quiver with his shield. Making a stalk, he sent an arrow through a young Thomson’s gazelle ram which was one of a small band across the river. The rest scattered and, leaving the bow leaning against a bush he strolled forward.
Just as the blond giant was emerging through the undergrowth, which ended some twenty feet from the water’s edge at that point, he became aware of the sensation of being watched. Before he could halt and turn to check, there was a loud hissing sound and something lunged at him from the branches of the tree beneath which he was passing. Guessing what it was, he twisted his torso around and, bringing up his left arm to shield his face, started to thrust himself forward in the hope of evading the attack. Even as he began to move, he felt his left wrist gripped be powerful jaws.
An instant later, a heavy weight descended upon Bunduki and he found himself being ensnared in the coils of an enormous python.
Following the usual hunting methods of its kind, the big reticulated python had been lying in wait in the branch and concealed by the tree’s foliage. When Bunduki passed underneath, the forward portion of its fifteen foot long body swung down. It struck at him, mouth open ready to bite, but not with the intention of injecting a lethal dose of venom. The Boidae—which also included boa constrictors and anacondas—killing by squeezing their prey, did not have poison sacs. So the python’s bite served as a means of obtaining a hold which would allow it to throw its coils around the victim.
Due to the speed with which the blond giant responded, the attack was only partially successful. Pure chance had guided the reptile’s mouth to the one portion of his left arm where the long, curved and backwards pointing teeth could do the least harm. Powerful though the jaws undoubtedly were, the teeth could make no impression on the leather of the archer’s wrist-guard that they were grasping. What was more, although the python managed to encircle his biceps with one coil, his forward movement caused the remainder of its body to slip before its tail could secure a hold on the branch. That proved to be a mixed blessing. Dropping out of the tree, its weight knocked him from his feet.
Finding that its teeth were unable to penetrate at the point where they were grasping, the python opened its mouth with the intention of changing its grip. Before it could do so, despite having his upper arms pinioned and tumbling to the ground, Bunduki managed to catch its neck with his left hand. Nor did his fingers and thumb lose their hold just beneath the spade shaped head as he landed and felt the heavy body thrashing in its desire to wrap further coils around him.
For all his good fortune in preventing the snake from being able to bite him instead of the armguard, the blond giant realized that he was still in a terrible predicament. He was aware that, popular conception notwithstanding, a member of the Boidae did not kill by squeezing its victim into a pulp. However, the pressure of the constriction prevented the prey’s ribs from expanding and the lungs could not function, so suffocation resulted. There were rarely any broken bones, or even much deformity of the body, but death was no less certain.
Exerting all his enormous strength, Bunduki fought desperately against what he knew must be eventual defeat. While his left hand was clamped on the python’s throat, he knew that he could not hope to strangle it quickly enough to save his own life. His biceps were straining against the increasing pressure which was being applied upon them.
Writhing and twisting, the snake obtained a grip with another coil. It trapped the blond giant’s right forearm, but slipped from his bent left elbow and came to rest on the concave ivory hilt of the bowie knife. So even if he had been able to release the python’s throat without being bitten, he could not have drawn and used the weapon.
In addition to trying to apply more loops of its body to its victim, the huge reptile thrashed around with its tail. Having met with such strenuous resistance, it was seeking for some object that could be grasped as an aid to increasing its constrictio
n. Experience had taught it that once such a hold had been obtained it could subdue the most powerful prey.
Try as he might, Bunduki could not force open the uppermost coil. Nor did he expect that it would be possible for him to do so. He accepted that, in all probability, he was doomed. However, despite knowing that defeat was practically inevitable, it was not in his nature to give up without making a fight. In addition to applying strength so that his left hand could keep the python from sinking its sharp teeth into his flesh, he was striving to retain his biceps in such a position that they allowed his ribs to move sufficiently for his lungs to continue to function.
Slowly, inexorably, the reptile’s massive, pulsating coils built up their pressure upon the blond giant. The neck in his hand jerked, tugged and shook, demanding and draining away badly needed strength to prevent it from wrenching free. Then its tail located and embraced the bottom of a bush. Immediately, the terrible constriction began to increase. Not even his Herculean thews could resist the added compression which resulted from the leverage that was being applied by a body ideally adapted for such a purpose.
An involuntary groan burst from Bunduki!
Tighter grew the bands of living power!
The blond giant was finding it grew more difficult to breathe, or to retain his grasp upon the python’s throat. Blood was pounding in his ears and he felt himself weakening. In a few seconds, he would be unable to do anything further to stave off death.
‘D-Dawn!’ Bunduki moaned, trying to give himself an added inducement to continue the resistance.
It was, the blond giant realized, of no use!
There was no hope of escape for him!
Chapter Six – You Won’t Find It So Easy To Get Away From Us
Dawn Drummond-Clayton still had a headache, but at least she was sufficiently recovered to ride one of the spare grar-gatahs instead of being dragged along uncomfortably on a travois xxiii which was how she was being transported when she had regained consciousness. There had been no sign of the camp from which she had made her abortive attempt at escape, but that was not surprising under the circumstances. It had been daylight before she was able to take notice of her surroundings. In fact, from the position of the sun, she had estimated the time as being shortly before noon. She was being escorted by a dozen Mun-Gatah men and a woman, but only one of the former was a member of her original escort.
On seeing that the girl had recovered and learning she could ride, the leader of the party had ordered that she should be mounted upon the grar-gatah which had belonged to the young warrior whom she had rendered unconscious. Her wrists were manacled with a set of hobbles, the links of which were fastened to the saddle horn. As an added precaution, the reins and bit were removed and the animal was led on a rope by the sullenly beautiful young woman.
None of Dawn’s present captors had been particularly communicative. However, from remarks passed by the woman -whose name was Dolvia—and the warrior belonging to the previous escort, he and his companions had been attacked by a marauding band of Gru-ziaks. He alone had escaped and, helped by Dolvia’s party, had rescued Dawn while she was still unconscious.
Although the girl had apparently accepted the story, she suspected that it might not be the truth. Neither the fortunate warrior nor any of her ‘rescuers’ showed signs of wounds. What was more, they had all of his unlucky companions’ gatahs with them. She realized that they could have retrieved the animals from the Gru-ziaks. Against that, none of the enemies’ mounts or weapons were in the hands of Dolvia and her companions. Nor, despite giving the impression of being experienced warriors, had they taken the kind of precautions which might have been expected if there was a danger of other hostile forces being in the vicinity.
Prudently, Dawn kept her thoughts to herself. She recollected what had happened between her earlier captors. She had not mentioned her suspicions on that occasion and believed her reticence, as much as the High Priest’s interest in her and her weapons, had kept her alive. So she had decided to follow a similar line of action and let Dolvia and the men assume that she had accepted their story.
It was now late in the afternoon and, coming to the top of a ridge, Dawn saw another party of Mun-Gatahs travelling along the bottom of the valley at the foot of the slope. There were twenty warriors and four men. Two cage-carts, each with an occupant, were in the middle of the column. In the leading cage was what, from the girl’s position on the rim, appeared to be an ape of some kind and the other held a human prisoner.
Seeing Dawn’s captors approaching, the man and woman at the head of the column turned and rode in their direction. By that time, the girl had gained some idea of the Mun-Gatahs’ caste system. So she knew from the quaggas that the couple were sitting and, when they drew closer, the quality and style of their garments, that they must be of high rank.
In his early forties, the man was of medium height and thickset. Apart from having a scar on his right cheek, his swarthy, clean-shaven face was handsome, if hard, under a metal helmet with a gatah-mane crest. His elaborately carved breastplate, greaves and saddle were made of black leather. xxiv An ivory handled sword swung on a belt of alternating gold and silver discs. There was a throwing axe suspended by a rawhide loop from his saddle horn and he carried a lance in his left hand. Clad in the usual female attire, with its material a mixture of gold and silver mesh, the woman was a few years younger. Her attitude showed she considered herself to be a person of considerable importance.
‘Greetings, Lord Gromart, Lady Fabia,’ called the banar-gatah rider in command of Dawn’s escort, a lean, gray-haired and capable-looking man. ‘See what we’ve taken from a bunch of—Gru-ziaks—after they’d wiped out some of the Lord Dryaka’s men and carried her off with them.’
Listening to the man, Dawn was even more certain that he and his companions were responsible for the deaths of her former escort. There was a mocking smirk on Dolvia’s face as she exchanged glances with Fabia, who looked just as amused and far from distressed at having heard that some members of their nation had been murdered.
‘You’ve done well, Monak.’ The District Administrator of San-Gatah declared, looking at Dawn with interest. ‘To which nation does she belong?’
‘This is the famous Dawn “of the Apes,” my Lord,’ Dolvia announced in tones of derision.
‘Dawn “of the Apes”?’ Fabia repeated, staring at the girl and then turning her gaze to her husband. ‘She’s the one I told you about!’
‘Her weapons are very unusual, my lord,’ Monak commented, before Gromart could make any response. He removed the Randall knife from his belt and indicated the still disassembled bow and two quivers of arrows which were hanging on his saddle horn. ‘I’ve never seen such fine steel as the arrows’ head and the knife are made from. The bow’s broken, but it and the arrows are such strange wood that I thought you’d want to see them.’
While the banar-gatah rider was speaking, Fabia and Gromark had been looking at each other and were apparently paying little attention to his words. Expressions of satisfaction had come to their faces on hearing Dolvia’s introduction. Neither had expected such a stroke of good fortune when they had sent Monak’s party on a scouting mission the previous afternoon. However, their raiding expedition had been very successful up to that point and they were delivering two more sacrifices for the Quagga God. In their opinion, the latest addition to their captives could prove of even greater importance.
Before leaving Bon-Gatah with her niece, Fabia had had another consultation with her informant. He had gathered further details by that time and his findings had explained much which had been puzzling her. Setting out as if still meaning to take the bruised and battered Dolvia home, she and the girl had circled back to tell her husband of the latest developments. She could see that delivering the foreign girl who had escaped from Dryaka’s custody and helped to create so much havoc at the hunting camp would be a great boost to Gromark’s status.
‘I’ll examine them before we make camp ton
ight,’ the Administrator promised, proving that he had listened to his second-in-command’s comments about the unusual qualities of the new captive’s weapons. ‘You’ve done well, Monak, Dolvia. And you, Dawn “of the Apes”, owe them your life. The Gru-ziaks are merciless with prisoners.’
‘Then I’m grateful for being saved from them,’ the girl answered, wanting to satisfy her captors that she believed the story. ‘But I don’t think my fate at your hands will be much better.’
‘It’s a great honor to be chosen as a sacrifice for the Quagga God, foreign bitch!’ Dolvia snapped.
‘Then I’ll try to live up to it,’ Dawn replied with an air of mildness.
‘Huh!’ Dolvia went on, looking the Earth girl over. ‘I can hardly believe that you’re the one who beat Elidor with your hands manacled.’
‘She wasn’t difficult,’ Dawn said in an indifferent manner, apparently relaxed although she was tense and ready to avoid any attempt that was made to strike her.
‘I never thought she would be,’ Dolvia stated.
The conversation was brought to an end by Fabia and Gromark turning their quaggas. They started to lead the way down the slope. Giving a derisive sniff, Dolvia set her banar-gatah into motion and the animal carrying Dawn followed it without needing any instructions. As the party advanced, Monak handed the knife, one portion of the bow and an arrow to his superiors. They examined each in turn, showing interest. Then the warrior spoke quietly. Although Dawn could not hear what he said, she noticed that it caused Fabia to glance back from her to Dolvia.
On approaching the column, Dawn found something which diverted her thoughts from Fabia’s behavior. The girl ignored the escort as they were just ordinary Mun-Gatahs and not as interesting to her as were the occupants of the cages.
