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| >> Static Item >> Short Story >> Fantasy >> ID #385278 |   |
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{c}Dance of Life, Dance of Death
I could hear them. Their movements rustled the stalks of the grasses. They have not learned to hide their steps. As they moved, so too did I. Their own noises mask what little I make. I could hear them calling. "Vanadi! Vanadi! We know you're out here." I heard the rustle again, this time to my right, and close. It was time. I leapt up out of the tall grasses. Even to me, they covered to my waist. To my stalkers they towered over their heads. "Hear I am!", I cried, and grabbed little Sani. My arms wrapped around her waist, and my fingers found just the right place on her small frame. She shrieked, and then laughed as I tickled her. "Hahahahaha...stop it Vanadi...heeheehee..." Her giggles almost masked her brother's attempt to sneak up on me. As he moved in for the kill, I switched my grasp on Sani and spun around and caught Kallat with my other arm. Now I had them both. Their laughter filled the air. Finally, Kallat asked me, "Vanadi, why are you here with us? You should be on the hunt. Why don't you go with the hunters Vanadi?" "Well, little cub, a hunter needs to be big and strong to carry the meat from the prey. He needs to be able to throw a spear far to catch the prey before it can run. Sometimes he even has to drag a whole antelope back to the camp so it can be cleaned and cut apart. I'm not strong like that, so I can't be a hunter." Now it was Sani's turn. "Doesn't that make you mad? You could be a great hunter, but they won't let you." "But if I went away to the hunts, I couldn't stay here with you. I get the best of it, I think. Who wants to drag a smelly antelope around the plains when I can drag two cubs back to their tents?" Their laughter howled out across the grassy plain as I took my two charges back towards our settlement. As we walked back, I heard movement in the grasses. "Are any more of your friends out here?", I asked my two companions? They both shook their heads. "Stay down and keep quiet." The movement came closer, and I could hear the coarse voices of outlanders. I learned to speak the language of the nearest outlander society, since we trade with them sometimes. They were men, and their voices grated like lion's claws on stone. "You sure this is the way? Everything looks the same out here." Yeah, this is right. Sun's just starting to go down. They're the other way from the sun. We'll get there before nightfall and have the lot." "You think we've got enough men here? These wild folks can be tough." "We probably won't need what we've got. All their boys are off hunting. Just the girls and kids left. Easy pickings for us. This time next month..." Their voices trailed off. I didn't know if they could still hear us, so I used the fingers' silent songs to tell my charges to stay low and quiet. If these outlanders were going to the settlement, they would still be looking for a while. I had to get back faster, but quietly. It was a nerve wracking trip home. With every rustle of grass, I was praying it was merely a lion. Finally, the tents were in sight. I sent Sani and Kallat home. Then I sought out the my Great Sister, of The Sisters of The Eternal Dance. Once I found her, I told her all I had heard. Her normally calm face became much more active. Finally, she flipped her long black hair back and gave commands. "Vanadi, tell all the sisters to bring their blades. These outlanders may leave us in peace if they see that we are not as helpless as they believe. Go now, and go quickly. In this, you are my second." My heart swelled with pride, but I had no time to celebrate this honor. I had to warn the sisters and the rest of the tribe. This I did, and three score sisters answered the call. The rest of the tribe sought the safety of their tents. Not long after we had gathered, the outlanders arrived. There must have been a hundred of them. Their intentions were clear. They brought cages of timber planks lashed together. All were armed, but they carried themselves less like men trained for battle, and more like boys trying to cow other boys. Both groups stood staring at each other. Finally, Calandri, my great sister, spoke. "Begone, outlanders. There is nothing for you here. If you leave now, and do not return, you may go in peace." The tallest among the outlanders seemed to think for a moment, then replied, "Nope, I don't think so. There's more of us, and while you're pretty and all, I don't think you'd stand up in a fight. Why don't you just toss down your, heh, weapons and you can live, huh?" "We prefer the Dances of Life, but you threaten our young ones. We are among the mothers of the tribe, and like any mother, we will protect our children with the Dance of Death." "Okay, this is dull. Let's kill them and take the rest." The outlanders charged. To the untrained watcher, it would look bad for my sisters. We bore knives and spears, they had swords. They all had leather breastplates, and some had metal studded gear, we had the clothes on our backs. There were also nearly two of them for each of us. But, we were protecting our children, and we were of The Eternal Dance. The Dance of Death was our ally. As they charged we began to move. They fought much like our own men. They tried to crash into us and tear us down by thier size and numbers. They lost perhaps half their numbers in that poorly thought through attack. We swayed past them and let them crash past us. Then we brought our weapons down upon them while they were off balance. Now that they had closed, they did show some skill. But we had trained since girlhood to protect the young and the other women of the tribe. They relied mostly on their size and strength while we counted on our speed and skill. I was locked in battle with a giant of a man. His stench was almost enough to kill me, but I stood my ground. He bore a huge sword that could easily have cut me in half if I were foolish enough to let it hit me. I was armed with my two knives. To get close enough to land a deadly blow, I would risk a killing blow. The solution was simple. He lashed out, I danced back out of the way. As he reared up again, I danced back towards him, as if to strike. He lashed out again, and I dodged back away. Even for a man that big, swinging a weapon that size tired him out. Finally, he was barely able to lift the blade, so I darted in and slashed him across each arm. The cuts were deep and bled freely, and he dropped his sword. He fell to his knees, and looked up at me with fear in his eyes. I simple looked at him, with steel in mine and said, "Go!" He stumbled to his feet and fled. Perhaps not the wisest thing, but I saw no reason to slaughter a helpless foe. Finally, the outlanders had either fallen or quit the field. Seven of my Sisters had gone on to dance The Dance of the Stars. Another sixteen were badly injured and most of has had some injury. Luckily, all the wounded would be tended by the Sisters of Green Path. They would be healthy again by the time the hunters rerturned. We would have to explain the dead Sisters in some way. If we tell them what happened, they would be too afraid to hunt again, and that is their purpose in the tribe. For our lives, and The Eternal Dance, to go on, we must all move in the proper patterns.
© Copyright 2002 Colin Back on the Ghost Roads (UN: colinneilson at Writing.Com).
All rights reserved.
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