The Last Sundancer

by Quinney, Karah

  Kaichen was surprised to see that Tamol was just as his mother had described. He had thought that Tamol would have changed with the passage of time yet, the man walked with an easy stride that brought him to stand before Kaichen. His back was not bowed by age or time. Kaichen noticed that the stern plains of Tamol’s face did not shift into a welcoming smile and his eyes were cold as they appraised him.

  “I have come to you because you once swore to stand beside my father.” Kaichen did not correct Tamol’s assumption that he had returned to join their band.

  He did not expect Tamol to readily hand over the supplies and food that his mother’s people would need to survive. If it had been as simple as asking for help, then his mother could have sent someone else with her request.

  Kaichen was not under the impression that the relationship between his mother and the outlying bands had changed.

  “You are welcome amongst my band. It is time that you took your rightful place with us. We welcome you.” Tamol clasped Kaichen’s shoulder noting the strength in the younger man and the way that he stood before him with the same pride and bearing of his father.

  Kaichen kept his eyes upon Tamol as he turned to address his men. “Remain here and keep watch.”

  Tamol nodded to himself as his men agreed to his request.

  Kaichen did not move. He did not doubt that he stood before a powerful man that could also become a formidable enemy, if he was not already of that inclination.

  “You must tell me of your time with Azin. Your mother was certain that he would ease the scars brought about by your twice cursed grandfather.” Tamol did not say how he had come to learn that Kaichen had been sent to the mesas to live with Azin. He spoke of Kaichen’s deepest pain as if it were nothing of great interest.

  Kaichen allowed himself a moment to truly look at the man that was said to be his father’s closest friend. Most of the dye used to coat his skin had been washed off by two women that appeared eager to do Tamol’s bidding.

  The women cast furtive glances at Kaichen, but they did not offer food or water to him until Tamol inclined his head. At first glance, Tamol’s face was the face of a young man, though the man was at least twenty seasons his senior.

  When Kaichen looked closely, he could see crow’s feet at the corners of Tamol’s eyes. He knew at a glance that the markings did not come from laughter which eased the heart, but from the narrowing of one’s eyes to block the sun. His eyes were dark like the night before the moon rises and his face was solid and strong though weathered. Tamol held his chin at a proud angle and his stance was that of a man at ease with his physical strength and stamina.

  “Azin is a teacher of that which must be taught.” Kaichen did not give in to Tamol’s carefully worded inquiry.

  Tamol invited him to boast or lay claim to Azin’s teachings and skill. Kaichen knew that wise men remained silent until speech was necessary. Boasting was something that fools did often to their own detriment. How many times had Azin told him to hold his tongue?

  Silence was a hunter’s most treasured weapon. It was more powerful than a well-aimed arrow, more lethal than a well thrown knife. Kaichen was a hunter of unparalleled skill and this he would remain.

  Tamol slurped noisily from his clay bowl as he filled his belly with food. When he was finished one of the women returned and refilled his bowl. Only after Tamol finished eating did Kaichen press the bowl given to him to his lips.

  He did not taste the food that provided nourishment after his long day of walking. He kept his eyes upon his host as the man waited for him to finish eating.

  “Have raiders sought to harm those of your band?” Kaichen knew that it was possible that the same problem that plagued his mother’s people also plagued Tamol’s band.

  “It is not a concern. The men of this band are strong men but they are not warriors. Just like your mother’s people we live off the land.” Tamol shrugged his shoulders as if the matter was of little concern.

  But Kaichen was not fooled. He had easily made the climb that many men would have found challenging. Tamol and his band lived upon the rock spires that rose out of the land. A guiding rope had been lowered down to assist the men with their climb as the sun burned down upon them.

  “When did you start to dwell in the high places?” Kaichen knew that his question was disrespectful and bold, but he felt a sense of urgency that did not allow for the necessary formalities.

  “Why have you come here, if not to join with our band and live as one of us? This is your birthright.” Tamol’s eyes narrowed, not due to sunlight, for the cavern that sheltered them was exceedingly dim. It was as if he sought to draw the truth from Kaichen with his stare alone.

  “I am here to seek aid for my mother’s band.” Kaichen refrained from claiming his mother’s band as his own. There was no need to anger Tamol before he could state his request.

  “Denoa.” Tamol’s eyes closed in recognition. “We failed to save your father’s life and your mother grew angry over our failure. Why would I offer help to her band now when she has rejected the hand of friendship that we have extended in the past?”

  Kaichen listened to Tamol’s words, but he also watched the way Tamol’s face grew tense and angry. It was the first time that Tamol showed any emotion, it was the first time that the calm mask slipped and Kaichen caught sight of the man beneath the stony exterior.

  Kaichen also noticed that he felt anger simmer beneath the surface of the still waters inside of him when Tamol spoke against his mother.

  “Your mother sent you to Azin, so that your own people would not slay you. How long did they suffer while you were raised to become the salvation of your band?” Tamol laughed cruelly when Kaichen stiffened and glared at him without speaking. “Did you think that I forgot?”

  Kaichen remained utterly still. He knew that Tamol bated him and he could not understand what the man hoped to accomplish with his actions. Tamol studied him with piercing dark eyes that captured every expression, every shift of his weight and every inhalation of breath.

  “Where is Farren? Do you still claim him as your friend?” Kaichen already knew the answer to his question, just as he knew that Tamol was waiting for him to speak.

  “That is not your concern.” Tamol’s voice was controlled but Kaichen could detect a resonate tone that he could not identify.

  Kaichen and Tamol did not speak for a time. From their high place, they looked out over the land that spread out beneath them. Kaichen felt completely at ease high up upon the spire that Tamol claimed as his own.

  “This land of our birth has been a good place for my people. The men of my band have enough to eat, there is game to hunt and food for all. We do not suffer.” Tamol’s mouth grew tight and he turned to face Kaichen. “What does your mother ask of me? I owe her nothing now.”

  “You failed my mother long ago, how is it that your debt has been paid?” Kaichen spoke of Tamol’s vow given long ago. Sympathy for the proud young woman that his mother had once been caught him by surprise.

  What had his mother suffered while she had walked unafraid into the wild lands, searching for two small boys and their embittered grandfather?

  “Your mother once thought that her people were on the brink of death but she was wrong.” Tamol did not answer Kaichen’s question and Kaichen knew that the man would refuse to help at all if he continued to press for an answer.

  “I have seen the plight of my mother’s people with my own eyes.”

  Kaichen did not say that he could also see that Tamol’s people did not fare well in his estimation. Tamol’s people suffered much as they worked to cultivate grain and vegetation from the land.

  “My people are the children of the desert. We have taken to the buttes and spires that offer natural protection from enemies and predators alike. No man can climb as fast or as high as the men of my band.” Tamol boasted proudly though Kaichen had surprised him with his agility and strength.

  It was like looking into the face of Shale as
he watched Kaichen take in his words and quietly analyze them.

  “I am disappointed to see that you do not take your rightful place amongst us. You would have been made welcome because of the man that I once called brother and friend.”

  Kaichen remained silent. Evening light shifted and changed before his eyes as he looked out over the vast landscape below. Tamol challenged him to deny or confirm his statement and Kaichen would not give in to the man’s prodding.

  “You are like your father, silent and arrogant.” Tamol’s words caused anger to burn along Kaichen’s spine.

  It was true that he did not know the strong hand of his father but the urge to defend his father’s name was strong inside of him.

  “I see that your mother kept her promise. She made your father come alive for you with her gift of storytelling.” Tamol’s laughter was dry and strained as if he could not shake aside the vestiges of the past.

  He could well remember the first time that he had caught sight of Denoa standing over Shale’s weakened body. He had known from the beginning that Denoa and Shale would become a mated pair. They had all known or so it seemed as he cast his thoughts to the past.

  “Was there a reason that you did not offer my mother the protection that was her due, so long ago?” Kaichen’s question brought instant tension to Tamol’s shoulders. Tamol knew that it had been his responsibility to help care for Shale’s wife, their bond of friendship should have ensured Tamol’s offer of protection to Denoa and her children.

  “Your mother could not stand the sight of my face or that of Farren. She cast aside all of our efforts to help her.” Tamol’s quiet words made Kaichen flinch and look once more into the man’s face. He spoke the truth.

  Kaichen had never spoken to his mother about her reasons for remaining behind when Tamol and those loyal to his father would have taken care of her. A woman without a strong hunter at her side would have been certain to waste away overtime, except his mother had defied the odds by calling green shoots to come forth from the land. Others had walked with her, uncertain of the future, but loyal to the woman whose lifemate had given them their freedom.

  Kaichen watched as Tamol turned away from his direct gaze, but for a moment he saw the true man behind the harshly spoken words tinged with bitterness. He saw a man bowed low with grief and uncertainty, but also a strong leader.

  “I see that our guests have arrived. You should have told me from the beginning that you did not travel alone.” Tamol’s words brought Kaichen’s head up instantly.

  They had gathered around a fire circle built in the center of a large cavern. It was the central gathering place of Tamol’s band.

  The cavern was large enough to fit three hands of men, with half as many women and children. Kaichen had known a moment of uncertainty as he traveled along a rope that was interwoven into a bridge. The interlocking structure was secure beneath his feet and it allowed him to walk pressed close to the rock until he reached the central place of Tamol’s band.

  In this way, Tamol’s people were not so different from his mother’s band. They too had a central place where all gathered for ceremonies, the telling of stories and sharing of concerns.

  Kaichen reasoned that if he did not show courage and bravery his entire purpose would be thwarted. Tamol would not respect a man that could not keep up with the pace that he set as he climbed hand over hand until he reached the opposite end of the rope bridge.

  Kaichen’s face was impassive and calm as one of the men lit a torch and held it low to the rope bridge. The light from the torch was enough to illuminate the way and Kaichen took advantage of the moment by scrambling over the bridge after Tamol.

  Kaichen was his father’s son and as such he was born to feel at peace up high where he could imagine that the luminaries were within reach. Yet, Kaichen had never lived the way that Tamol’s people did, high up above the land.

  The men descended when necessary to hunt and bring back fresh meat and the women often took shelter within the caverns that they had claimed as their own. Each day the people worked the land below, caring for the land that would in turn feed and nourish their bodies.

  Kaichen understood the necessity of such a way of life, but he could not imagine limiting himself to the caverns claimed by Tamol’s people. He took in the sights, scents and sounds of the people around him and though they cast only furtive glances his way, he knew that they also observed him just as closely.

  The mention of guests caught Kaichen’s attention and he struggled to remain calm as he took in a sight that defied explanation.

  Two figures were cast in shadow as they were prodded forward. Kaichen did not have to see their faces, offset by firelight, to know who stood before him.

  Amara and Antuk shifted forward as one and Kaichen felt his entire body grow tense with alarm.

  He had meant to keep them at a safe distance while he implored Tamol for help, but instead he had put them directly into harm’s way.

  “I always check the enemy’s trail, to see if anyone else is hiding in wait. Did you think that I would simply entertain you for well into the night after determining that you had not sought us out to join us?” The man that spoke stepped forward so that he was highlighted by the fire.

  Kaichen felt that he should know this man that spoke to him with reason in his tone. Suddenly, it occurred to him that he knew the man by description alone. His mother had often spoken of another close companion of his father’s whenever she mentioned Tamol. The man called Farren stood before him, observing his reaction. Watchful.

  Farren was as lean as he must have been in his youth. He was the leader of his own band, an offshoot of the band that followed after Tamol. Smaller bands were more practical when it came to the harvesting of food and the feeding of so many.

  Kaichen remembered that his mother had called Farren a wise man though he was given to fits of nervous laughter. He did not sense amusement in the man’s intense gaze.

  He saw Tamol’s eyes narrow as they took in the sight of Amara and Antuk. Kaichen knew what caught Tamol’s interest.

  Amara kept her eyes cast down toward the sand and rock of the cavern floor. Antuk made no move to reach for the many weapons strapped to his body and his eyes never left Kaichen’s face.

  “A rare flower, this woman that is ripe as any wild growing fruit.” Tamol’s eyes were not upon Amara, instead they were watching Kaichen closely.

  “Do not touch her.” Kaichen started to rise and two of Tamol’s men moved swiftly, locking strong hands around his arms and shoulders.

  “I will not be ordered about by you, a man unproven and unknown to me.” Tamol looked at Farren and the men nodded. They had known each other for a lifetime and their thoughts were easily evident to one another.

  Kaichen saw at once that he had all but challenged Tamol in front of his entire band. He uttered a silent curse as he thought furiously. Tamol would need to save face before his men. Tamol would be forced to not only show his superiority but also a display of anger. Kaichen saw that the women had quickly drawn away to the farthest recesses of the cavern and a few of them pressed their children behind them, though curious eyes still watched.

  Sweat trickled down Kaichen’s neck to pool between his shoulder blades. From across the fire he saw Amara stiffen as Farren moved to stand in front of her.

  Kaichen hated to see the fear that caused Amara’s slight form to tremble. Antuk’s face held no expression at all. He simply watched Kaichen as if observing his friend while he faced unbeatable odds was commonplace.

  Farren stepped close to the young woman and he lifted one finger to touch the fine angle of her chin. With deliberate intention, he forced the woman’s head higher until her upturned face was lit by the firelight. Kaichen knew at once what they saw. Such beauty. Such fragile innocence.

  Farren was curious to know if the woman’s eyes would hold fear, resignation or something more. He was impressed by her show of will. What woman did not know the fate that awaited her as she s
tood before a band of enraged men? Yet, this woman kept her eyes carefully lowered, they were not squeezed shut in terror, but cast downward so that her black lashes shielded her gaze from them.

  Kaichen struggled inanely against the men that held him.

  “She is my mate, my wife.” Kaichen’s voice was firm as he laid claim to Amara.

  Amara’s eyes flickered open as Kaichen’s words caused those around him to murmur in surprise.

  Amara had managed to hide her unusual eyes from the men when they had come upon her and Antuk. She had stood bravely and walked without cease. Unlike with the raiders, she could not sense the intent of these men. It did not escape her notice that they had not taken advantage of their superior position. Yet.

  Antuk had not balked or put up any resistance when the men stood against them. They did not even have to bind his hands and Amara was stunned to see him go along with the men without a sound of protest. She had managed to keep her silence and force her eyes to remain low to the ground. Until now.

  A few of the women gasped and stepped closer, despite admonishing glares from the men. Amara knew what they saw when they looked at her. She had once peered into a still pool and watched as her reflection rippled before it grew still. Her eyes were dark orbs, yet they were filled with shards of amber and gold that sparkled brightly in the sunlight. Her eyes sparked with an inner flame, enhanced by the flickering firelight.

  Kaichen struggled anew as Farren grasped Amara’s chin and forced her face to turn toward the firelight. Farren peered into Amara’s eyes for long seconds before turning to face Tamol. He gestured for Tamol to speak as he released Amara.

  “You have chosen well if this woman truly is your wife. But my men would fight for the honor of claiming such a woman as their own. She would bring good fortune to a man of my band.” Tamol put an emphasis on his words so that Kaichen would know that he had not dismissed the slight paid to him by his refusal to join their band.