The Last Sundancer (4 page)

“Which of these elements is the greatest?” Azin’s question caused Kaichen to raise his
eyebrows and narrow his eyes.

Never before had
Azin asked such a thing and Kaichen did not rush his response. Instead, he closed his eyes and studied the question from all of the various angles.  He found that each answer that he came up with could be dismissed by the other.

Kaichen studied Azin’s eyes. 
Azin gave nothing away and it was in this way that Kaichen knew that he was being tested.

“Each element exis
ts in balance with the others.” Kaichen gave his answer after much thought and Azin’s eyes widened slightly before he nodded. 

“My grandfather asked me that question when I had completed my training as medicine man for our band.  I gave him the wrong answer.” Azin allowed his words to ring in the silence of the mo
rning for a long time.

Kaichen did not interrupt with words or unnecessary speech.
Long ago, Azin had helped him to understand the value of silence.  Kaichen knew that a strong warrior and able hunter valued silence.  The absence of speech often communicated far more than mere words could contain.

“You have learned all that I am able to teach you.” Azin’s spoke with carefully concealed disappointment.  He knew that this day would come, but it seemed as if the seasons fell through his fingers like sand, disappearing too quickly. 

Kaichen was ready to return to his first village.  Azin no longer had a reason to keep Kaichen at his side.  The young man seemed to sense that Azin had released him from further instruction for the day.  Kaichen stood and bowed his head respectfully before he took his leave.  He had promised to hunt for food tomorrow, so that he could add to their food stores.  Kaichen would not benefit from food left behind, but he wanted to ensure that Azin was not left in need.  Azin watched the young man until he faded from sight. 

“How far do you wish to travel in search of the herd of buffalo?” Antuk asked his question without any show of concern.  Kaichen knew that his friend enjoyed the wide open spaces, as much as he did.  As long as their supply of food and water held, they would continue to follow the animal tracks that led them. 

“Do you plan to send your spear hurtling into the side of the animals we seek?” Kaichen knew that Antuk avoided killing animals at all cost, but he had also watched as his friend enjoyed the meals prepared by the women of his village. 

Antuk understood the need to hunt for food, but he preferred not to wield the killing blow.  Others might scoff at Antuk’s reticence but Kaichen understood the origins of the man’s reluctance to kill a living thing.  When they were young boys Antuk had flown into a killing rage over the abuse done to a small child.  Kaichen was the only one that had been able to pull Antuk away from the father of the injured boy.  Antuk had refrained from any type of violence since that day.  From that time on their friendship had been solidified. 

“If you fail to take down one of the bison, then I will have to try my best.” Antuk’s voice was full of mirth but Kaichen grunted in consideration.  It was possible that his friend spoke in all earn
estness.  Perhaps he would once again learn to trust himself.  Though Antuk had only been a boy at the time, he stood as tall as a grown man.  In his anger, he had broken the man’s arm and would have injured him irreparably if not for Kaichen.  As it was the man had lost the use of his arm and could no longer hunt. In the eyes of their band, the inability to hunt was crueler than death itself.

Kaichen sought to restore the food caches of their band.  Antuk enjoyed the freedom of such a journey.  They were in unexplored territory about a full day’s walk from the mesas inhabited by Antuk’s band.

Kaichen expected to find other people living upon the mesas and residing along the narrow river.  He stumbled to a halt as his nostrils flared over the smell of blood.  Antuk mimicked his stance perfectly.

“Blood.” Antuk’s voice was a
low murmur of dread.

Kaichen used caution as he walked forward.  He did not have to see the first burned dwelling to know that death had come to the small village that bordered the river. 
After motioning Antuk to stay behind he clenched his jaw and forced himself to walk through the abandoned village. 

Signs upon t
he ground told him what had befallen this small village as his eyes caught sight of running footsteps and the sign of pursuit.  The villagers had been taken unaware.  Several of the men had tried to put up a fight, others had fallen by arrow or spear.  Kaichen searched for survivors.  It was all he could do to slow his breathing and move with purpose as he took in the sight of senseless death all around him. 

Kaichen did not find any survivors.  But he could see that the men that
raided the village had taken captives with them.  He was one man against many and there was little that he could do to help anyone.  Even with the help of Antuk, he could not stand against so many men.  The day was already fading to night.  He resolved to return to Azin and share the fate of this village with him.  Azin would take the matter into consideration and then he would make a decision that would not endanger the lives of the men, women and children of his village.

When the time came to choose a
place to rest, Kaichen chose an area that was easily defensible.  Antuk was restless and angry over the senseless killing of so many.  Both men took comfort in the familiar night sounds and the small fire gave them a sense of wellbeing.   

With the
coming of the dawn, Kaichen opened his eyes and immediately took in his surroundings.  All was not as it should be.  He sensed the absence of Antuk.  Kaichen moved swiftly so that he was on his feet, weapon in hand.  Antuk had allowed the fire to die out.  Kaichen had given Antuk the responsibility of keeping watch throughout the darkest part of the night. 

In truth, he had
remained watchful most of the night as he listened to the night sounds around them.  Kaichen felt most comfortable when he was surrounded by the great expanse of land that made even a strong man feel insignificant. 

Kaichen’s first thought was to find Antuk.  He could not imagine how his friend had slipped away without waking him.  Antuk was never silent.  Kaichen’s lips turned up slightly at the corners. 

It was as close to a smile as he could get.  Kaichen did not smile and he did not laugh.  Remaining emotionless had aided him in the past and it was one of the only reasons that he had survived until now. 

His knife was in hand and his bow was slung across his back as if it were another appendage.  A quiver of arrows hung over one shoulder and in his hand he used his hunting spear as a walking stick.  

Kaichen’s intense gaze landed upon the imprint of Antuk’s footsteps.   Kaichen spared a glance for his horse and the donkey.  He had never named his horse and did not plan to do so.  It was better not to get attached to things that would one day die. 

He blended into the small copse of trees that encircled their shelter. 
He could not think of reason that his friend would leave without waking him.  

A prickle of unease made Kaichen stand still as he looked around for any sign of movement.  His eyes widened momentarily as he caught sight of Antuk sprawled upon the ground.  His friend lay upon his belly and as Kaichen approached he saw no sign of blood or injury. 
Still, Antuk did not move. 

Kaichen notched an arrow into place without a second thought and
scanned the area for a threat.  With each breath he moved steadily toward the unmoving form of his friend. 

Kaichen fell to his knees without sound and placed his hand upon Antuk’s shoulder.  Antuk flinched and would have shrieked if Kaichen’s hand did not snake out to cover his mouth. 

“What are you doing?” Kaichen spoke in anger.  He did not have patience for foolishness, Antuk was not injured and he was not lost.

Antuk did not immediately
respond, in part because Kaichen’s hand still covered his mouth.  Instead of moving, Kaichen followed Antuk’s wide gaze to look down over the land beneath them.

They were standing upon a bluff which overlooked several canyons and natural pas
sageways.  It was an awe-inspiring sight to behold as the morning light cast its rays upon the world, highlighting the land in sepia tones of amber, orange and yellow.

But it was not the light of the sun that captured Kaichen’s attention.  Nor was it the shadows of the land that held his interest. 
Instead, he strained to believe what he saw before him as he slid to his belly beside Antuk.

Men walked upon the canyon floor with their spears held firmly, as if in expectation of an attack.  Between three men, one lone figure in white stumbled forward.  Kaichen knew that the slight figure was a woman by the delicate way that she placed her footsteps. 

Her every movement was graceful and measured.  He could see the flow of hair that hung to her waist even from this distance.  He narrowed his eyes as the woman stood in place and looked directly toward them.  

It was almost as if she could see them clearly.  Kaichen knew that it was not possible.  But for a moment he felt her gaze connect with his and pull her toward him. 

Kaichen waited until the small group continued on.  He winced when one of the men tripped the woman and stood over her as she sprawled helplessly upon the ground. 

“Get up.” Kaichen found himself whispering the words to the woman who was obviously a captive.  “Get up.”

Antuk looked at him strangely but Kaichen did not see.  He willed strength into the woman who forced her limbs to heed her commands as she finally stood.  Once more the group of men continued to walk forward with the woman between them. 

Kaichen saw what others might not.  The men cooled their parched throats with
waterskins but they offered nothing to the woman. 

Their weapons were well made and their clothing finely stitched.  The men wore foot coverings that would protect their feet from the hot sand and dirt yet the woman walked barefoot, stumbling often. 

“They seek her death.” Kaichen knew better than to interfere. 

There was little that could be done for a woman surrounded by six armed men.  He needed to return to
Azin and then journey to the aid of his mother’s people. 

There could be no delay and yet
the woman’s terrible plight caused him to hesitate.  He reminded himself that she had not asked for help nor had she even spoken.  It seemed that she was resigned to her fate and though she had not given up, she did not expect anyone else to intervene.

It was the woman’s quiet dignity that moved Kaichen to action.  He immediately considered the weak points of his enemy.  The men who brutalized one small woman had marked themselves his enemy from the moment that they had struck her.  The woman was small of form and as thin as a willow. 

He did not have to draw close to know that her body was a mass of bruises.  Even as he watched one of the other men turned and stared at the woman as she was forced to walk past him. 

The man grabbed a handful of the woman’s hair and tilted her head back so that she was forced to look at him.  Kaichen could not hear what was said, but his jaw clenched as the man released the woman by thrusting her from him, causing her to fall to her hands and knees. 

Kaichen held his breath, he was ready to act, but perhaps he was already too late. If the woman did not get up, it appeared that the man would slay her where she had fallen. 

“Get up.” This time it was Antuk that whispered the word fervently, as if his words alone would will strength to the woman. 

Kaichen could not speak, he readied his bow and arrow, checking to make certain that he had more than enough at his disposal.  He could almost feel the woman’s struggle to stand, but she forced herself to her feet. 

His own mouth was parched from the heat of the sun and he could well imagine how long she had been forced to walk without water.  What other injuries did she have besides the bruises that mottled her arms and
legs?  

Kaichen whistled softly.  The sound was almost inaudible, just as he intended.  But it brought his horse to his side.  He had slithered away from the ledge until he was certain that the men walking below would not see him outlined against the sky.

“What are you doing?” Antuk whispered his words even though there was no need to do so.  They were too far away to be overheard. 

Kaichen spared his friend a quick glance
only to see that Antuk was armed with his bow and quiver of arrows, as well as a spear.  The man’s large size could easily intimidate an enemy.

Antuk stood a full head and shoulders taller than Kaichen.  He was ma
de of lumbering muscle and bulk; it was this that often confused Antuk’s family. 

The young man looked the part of a seasoned warrior
but Antuk rarely hit his target when he cast his arrow to the wind.  He had never brought his spear against an animal, though Kaichen sensed in Antuk a desire to preserve life in any form.  Kaichen did not fault his friend for his ineptitude with weaponry, it only made him more protective of his friend.