Pillar of Fire (Book One-The Whale Hunter Series)

by Karah Quinney

  “Tell us.” Sunflower pointed to his mouth and then signed to Kahm. “Speak!”

  Kahm sighed. “When you sat down, I know that you moved quickly. I know this and yet…” Kahm couldn’t bring himself to finish his sentence.

  “And yet…?” Talon prompted.

  “It appears as if you move as slow as a snail.” Kahm said the last in one expelled breath. He couldn’t bring himself to look into Sunflower’s eyes. Talon signed in an effort to translate Kahm’s words to his sister.

  “As slow as a snail.” Talon repeated the phrase in surprise and awe.

  “Slower.” Kahm replied grudgingly as he lay back upon his pallet of furs and covered his eyes with his hands. He didn’t see the look of excitement and awe that passed between Sunflower and Talon.

  “Slower!” It took Talon a moment to recover, but his words came out as a shout as Kahm looked at him out of one eye, while the other remained closed.

  “Your whisper is a shout, your shout a war cry.” Kahm shook his head in confusion as Talon translated. This was madness to him and yet to them it was a matter of great interest.

  Sunflower reached forward and tapped Kahm’s knee twice. Once again, Kahm opened one eye to stare at them.

  She removed a vine from her parka with painstaking care. Reaching out, she handed the small piece of vine to Kahm. She passed the dried parcel over reverently as if she gave him all that she valued in the world.

  “What is it?” Kahm could think more clearly, now that the fog that overshadowed all else had passed.

  “It is something that our mother gave her.” Talon was surprised to see that his sister still had the small piece of dried ivy. How had she protected it for so long?

  Sunflower glanced at Talon and the pinched look of his mouth, made her think that he spoke of their mother. Sunflower understood Talon’s anger even if she didn’t feel the same way. Death couldn’t be stopped. Not by her hand or anyone living, but nothing was gone forever. One day she would have the words to tell Talon what she knew to be true. One day soon.

  For now, she focused her attention upon the man that had given them shelter. He was confused by the various attributes of his gift and she wondered if he had the patience to learn how to harness the power that flowed through his veins. It suddenly occurred to her that only she held the knowledge that would help the man that she had named Warrior.

  CHAPTER NINE

  Kahm’s dreams were a plague to his senses. Each night he went to sleep determined not to dream of Oi’yan. Yet, he was just as eager to capture her in his arms, even if only in his fevered memories.

  He knew that he was dreaming, but he was powerless to stop the sharp inhalation of breath that took him even deeper into the past. Oi’yan was there, just as she had been when they had first allowed their passions to run free.

  He could still remember the taste and scent of her honeyed skin. Her long hair had fluttered in the warm breeze and he had captured the black cloud in his hands and tugged her close until their bodies melded together. He groaned over the heated contact that came from their joined bodies. He delighted in the feminine sounds that Oi’yan made as he pressed his lips against her warm flesh.

  Each kiss scent shards of sensation through his body and her cries of wonder and astonishment were echoed by him. Together they burned for one another and it was just as it should be. Kahm’s breathing was ragged as he suddenly opened his eyes.

  Instead of the warm press of Oi’yan’s body, his hands swept over the cold rock walls that framed the cave. The grass mat that molded against his face was a poor substitute for the soft texture of Oi’yan’s hair.

  Talon roughly cleared his throat and Kahm groaned as understanding dawned.

  In the past, when memories came to him while he slept, he opened his eyes to find himself alone. He was very much aware that he was not alone any longer. Despite his decision not to look, he turned his head and two pairs of prying eyes watched him with various expressions. Talon’s raised eyebrows were almost comical, but it was Sunflower’s quick slashing gesture that forced Kahm to a sitting position.

  “What does this gesture mean?” Kahm clumsily repeated the hand sign as Talon choked on a sound that sounded like muffled laughter.

  “She says that you need a woman.” Talon sent a stern glance toward Sunflower who merely shrugged and returned her attention to the basket that she had been weaving.

  Kahm groaned in embarrassment as Talon returned to the task of sharpening his hunting knife.

  “There is something that Sunflower wishes to tell you.” Talon added.

  “Talon, am I to be punished for my dreams? I have no idea what I said or did, while sleeping.” Kahm’s voice was a low growl and Talon held up a staying hand.

  “What dreams?”

  It suddenly occurred to Kahm that he might have assumed too much. It was possible that they had no knowledge of the reason for his fevered dreams. The twinkle in Talon’s eyes belied that idea, but Sunflower was apparently oblivious to his plight. Kahm sighed with relief as he realized that she had simply responded out of concern for his wellbeing.

  He lived alone in a cave with a wolf. It was unnatural.

  Another groan of dismay threatened to erupt from his chest, but he quickly stifled the sound.

  “What is it that your sister wishes to tell me?” Kahm moved closer to the small fire and took his place across from Talon and Sunflower.

  “You have a gift.” Sunflower signed her words and Kahm tilted his head as she stood.

  “What do you mean?” His curiosity was piqued as Talon translated Sunflower’s signs.

  “Our mother told Sunflower all the stories of the ancients. Sunflower has the entire history of our people memorized.”

  Sunflower signed the words directly to Kahm as Talon translated. “Great Ones from long ago were blessed with the battle rage that overtakes you. The sounds of battle were enhanced and time slowed to a crawl as the Great Ones of old fought those that would pillage, kill and destroy all that they valued. You have been given a special blessing that lives in the blood of warriors from time before memory. You carry the blood of warriors in your veins.”

  Kahm could admit to himself that he had experienced an extraordinary degree of rage when he was in battle. If Talon and Sunflower were to be believed, such a thing would explain the way that time seemed to slow and sound echoed around him when faced with danger. Kahm raised his head in dawning understanding as Sunflower and Talon moved away to give him space and time.

  Already, the anguish that lived in his eyes had begun to fade and in its place Sunflower saw something rare and beyond value. She saw the first stirrings of hope.

  Kahm hunted by the light of dawn and returned to the cave with a fresh kill that Talon prepared and Sunflower cooked. He had never tasted such a well-seasoned meal and the next day, he surreptitiously watched as Sunflower crushed dried leaves in her palms and coated the fresh meat before staking it over the fire.

  Wolf remained close to Sunflower’s heels as if he was certain that she would give him a few tasty morsels. Sunflower’s laughter filled the cave as Wolf sniffed her hands relentlessly.

  “Talon, do you miss the hunt?” In the tight confines of the cave, Kahm’s voice boomed louder than he had intended.

  He was still unaccustomed to the presence of others. Talon looked up sharply and his eyes lit with excitement, which was quickly banked as he regarded his sister.

  “She will be safe here with Wolf.” Kahm said, as Talon took his measure with a hard glance.

  Talon was right to question Sunflower’s safety. At times, Kahm drifted into a fog so deep that he didn’t know reality from dreams.

  “Wolf will protect her.” Kahm said, as he finally found his voice. Over the past several days, Wolf had become Sunflower’s constant shadow and protector. Sunflower often ran her fingers over the hackles that rose on Wolf’s shoulders as he growled in warning.

  Talon didn’t believe that Kahm would hurt Sunflower intenti
onally, but it was as if Kahm fought against a wildness that lived inside of his body. In his sleep, he spoke quickly in the Chimar tongue and he often called out one name. Oi’yan.

  Talon shrugged his shoulders and picked up his bow. His arrows rode upon his shoulder in the quiver that Sunflower had made for him. She had a way of working an animal hide until it was soft to the touch and durable.

  As Talon stood, Sunflower looked up at him knowingly. Her hands moved fluently over her words. “Bring back something good for the stew pot, Talon.”

  Kahm chuckled deep in his chest as he sat back against the cold cave wall. He couldn’t understand how an entire village could sit by and idly watch as Sunflower was separated from her brother. He reminded himself that there had not been any sign of Sarnom or the Hokum warriors. Talon deserved to run through the forest unhindered, if only for a little while.

  Talon felt free. For the first time in more days than he cared to count, he was able to breathe deeply without anyone else nearby. At times, he felt an urgent need for freedom. It felt good to stretch his limbs in the crisp morning air.

  Sunlight filtered through the trees as he went about his search for animal tracks. He found a well-used trail and settled in to wait. He told himself that very soon he would have something good to bring back to Sunflower.

  As the sun reached its zenith, Talon suddenly realized that he was not alone. He instantly thought of Sarnom and the warriors that were at his command. Could they have found him? The forest was great in its expanse and there had not been any sign of Sarnom and his warriors for many days.

  Talon had used dense brush to shield himself from view, but it was not an animal that approached. The footsteps were distinctive and clear. At least one person, perhaps two, walked directly toward his hiding place.

  The man was a hunter, skilled at tracking game through the forest and over open land. His every movement was intentional, leaving nothing to chance.

  He walked with his weapon drawn. He held a sharp knife made of bone with a chiseled handle engraved with carvings. The man turned sharply as he scented the wind. They were not alone. Whoever was nearby didn’t immediately call out and their silence defined them as an enemy.

  The man’s fingers clenched around his throwing spear. The figure behind him was wrapped from shoulder to knee in a bulky parka. When the man froze, so too did the one that followed behind him.

  His posture was relaxed and his hands were steady. He didn’t give away their position by speaking. Whoever awaited them in the forest already knew exactly where they were.

  After a moment of tense silence, the man spoke through teeth that were clenched and lips that were turned back in a fierce snarl. “Show yourself!”

  Talon was stunned to hear Kahm’s voice. He shifted slightly and the man immediately turned toward him. It was Kahm, but not Kahm! The man in front of him had the face of Kahm and the warrior’s same build, but he was adorned in garments that bespoke his status as a leader of men. Talon took in the sight of the man’s breastplate tied above the neck and around the waist, made of pale bone, unlike anything that he had seen before. He also inhaled sharply at the sight of the strung beads of shell and turquoise that glinted in various hues as they shifted with each movement from the warrior.

  Talon’s mouth felt dry and his tongue was thick with fear for his sister. He stood uncertainly as he met the warrior’s level gaze and felt the full force of the man’s inspection.

  “Where is Sunflower?” Talon’s brow wrinkled in confusion and growing anger. Why did Kahm look at him as if he had never seen him before?

  “He speaks Chimar.” A feminine voice sounded from behind the man and Talon gasped when he caught sight of the woman.

  Her raven black hair was long and flowed almost to her waist. Her cheekbones sat high upon an oval face and her eyebrows were like the black wings of a bird resting upon a flat forehead. Abalone shell casings graced her ears, marking her as a high-ranking woman.

  The man shifted again so that he blocked the woman from view.

  “Quiet, Oi’yan!” The warrior growled low in perfect imitation of Kahm’s voice.

  Again, Talon thought that this man was not the same man that he had come to know. He flinched suddenly as he realized that the man had called the woman Oi’yan. The name was familiar only because he had heard Kahm whisper it upon waking.

  “Who are you?” The man’s gaze pinned him in place.

  Talon didn’t know how to respond.

  It was possible that Kahm was suffering from the illness that afflicted him, but his first concern was for his sister’s wellbeing.

  “You know me.” Talon tilted his head at an angle as he waited for the man to recognize him, but there was no sign of recognition in his cold gaze and he was tempted to reach for his knife.

  “I do not know you.” The man’s voice was a low-pitched growl as his hands flexed upon his weapons.

  “I am Talon.” Sweat rimmed Talon’s forehead and his heart started to beat rapidly. Talon didn’t think that Kahm would harm Sunflower while he was in control of his mind, but he had never considered what would happen if he lost control.

  “What have you done to Sunflower and where is Wolf?” Talon asked.

  “Sunflowers? Wolves? What nonsense is this? Where are your people and how is it that you speak the Chimar language?” The man stalked forward with deadly intent, but Talon held his ground.

  It took courage to stand still while a predator walked the forest and that was exactly what the man before him had become. A predator.

  “Wait!” Oi’yan grabbed hold of the man’s parka to forestall any violence. “He thinks that you are Kahm.”

  The man froze and studied Talon carefully. “Is this true? Do you know Kahm?”

  “You are Kahm.” Talon looked back and forth between the man and woman.

  “No.” The man waved his hand dismissively. “I am Miche. It seems that you know my brother, my twin.”

  Miche saw surprise flicker in the young man’s eyes and he realized that Kahm had not told him that he had a twin. Miche remained silent, as was his way.

  Twins! Talon couldn’t believe it. Since the beginning of time, twins were forbidden. If twins were born, the firstborn was safeguarded while the second child was given to the wind. Twins were only allowed to live in times of plenty or if they were born male and female.

  Talon hesitated; he knew that Kahm called for Oi’yan whenever the nightmares came for him, which was often. It was possible that Kahm’s brother was an enemy, but Oi’yan was not.

  “I will not tell you where to find Kahm. If he wanted to be found, you would already know his location.” Talon’s decision was firm and he didn’t back away as the man eyed him with disdain.

  “You do not need to tell me where to find my brother.” With those words, Miche turned and stalked away with Oi’yan following after him. It was only then that Talon realized that they were headed directly toward Kahm’s hidden cave.

  Wolf alerted Kahm to trouble by the change in his demeanor. The animal’s ears moved forward and he surged to his feet with a low growl. Kahm put a silencing hand upon Wolf’s shoulders and silently urged Sunflower to move to the back of the cave.

  When she was securely hidden by darkness and shadows, he stalked toward the cave entrance with his short spear poised to strike. He knew without question that Wolf wouldn’t growl at Talon. The animal’s fur wouldn’t bristle and stand on end unless danger was near.

  Kahm spared Sunflower a brief glance and his heart tightened when he caught and held her frightened gaze. What must it be like to suffer fear in silence? Kahm flinched as Wolf surged forward. He gave the silent order for Wolf to remain at his side and then he edged to the cave entrance to peer outside.

  Shock gripped him as he stared at the man that had dared to seek him out. Miche!

  Kahm almost stumbled when he caught sight of his beloved, Oi’yan. Heart of the forest.

  Talon wore an expression of wary concern and suspicion
as he quickly assured himself that Sunflower was unharmed.

  Kahm shuddered as he looked into Oi’yan’s lovely, upturned face. He forced himself to drag his eyes away from that which was not his and could never be. Oi’yan was his brother’s wife by now. Surely.

  His eyes rounded as he took in her bulging stomach.

  Aieee! She was pregnant and by the size of her belly, Kahm knew without a doubt that Oi’yan carried his child. They had promised themselves to each other, joining their bodies together as man and woman, long before the sickness clouded out all else and took away his future.

  Before he could speak, Oi’yan surged forward and slapped him across the face with an open hand. “How dare you leave me?”

  Kahm sucked in air as he struggled to reconcile the gentle woman that he had known with the angry, sharp-tongued viper standing before him. Oi’yan’s blow had been swift and unexpected and it didn’t escape his notice that his brother glowered at him without sympathy.

  “She is undoubtedly angry and perhaps bitter, would you say otherwise?” With those words, Miche walked past Kahm and entered the cave. “Relieve me of this burden! She has become crazed due to the child that grows in her belly. You take her!”

  “She is your wife!” Kahm muttered the words but Miche and Oi’yan heard him clearly.

  “We are not lifemates. Thankfully, she is no longer my responsibility.” Miche’s beleaguered expression spoke volumes about Oi’yan’s emotional state. He tried not to laugh when Oi’yan shook her fist at Kahm and then just as suddenly turned her back on them.

  “How is it that you have not taken her as your lifemate? You said that you would look after her. I trusted you!” Kahm sputtered, despite the flood of relief that washed over his soul.

  The mere thought of Oi’yan as his brother’s woman made him feel ill and full of wrath. Yet, Miche had promised to look after Oi’yan and he wanted to know the reason that his brother had not kept his promise.