The Last Sundancer (57 page)

“You will not leave the safety of this village and seek out your mate.” Denoa’s voice was firm. 

“I cannot promise you that I will remain here while Kaichen faces danger.” Amara would not be forced to give a promise that she could not keep. 

“I do not expect that of you.  I will not sit
and wait while Ni’zin or Tonaka murders my son.” Denoa picked up her husband’s spear and turned to face Amara. 

“I did not expect that of you.” Amara turned the phrase back upon Denoa as the older woman smiled.  “But you and I realize that to leave the safety of the village would be to walk into a trap set by our enemy.  They knew that Kaichen would send the injured man back to the village and they know that we would seek out Kaichen to assure ourselves of his wellbeing.”

“Then what would you have us do?” Denoa’s voice was strident though she meant no harm.  Amara understood how Denoa felt, her heart had not settled into a regular rhythm from the moment that the hunters returned without Kaichen. 

“We will trust the Sundancer and we will help Kaichen defeat Ni’zin and Tonaka once and for all.” 

Kaichen waited for an attack that never came.  When daylight filtered through the
sky, he eased out into the open and the scout that had first watch over their village called out to him from above.  Kaichen made the climb with ease, each footstep was familiar and each handhold was known to him. 

His bow was in his hand as he stood upon the red rocks that protected his people.  For a
moment, he stood highlighted by sunlight as he surveyed the village below and it was then that he knew.  His enemy was near.

Kaichen spun with his bow raised and his arrow already set in place.  His eyes caught movement and he released his hold on the arrow as it soared through the air faster than his eyes could follow. 

Kaichen fell to the ground only as a precautionary measure.  When the first of the warriors from his village crested the ridge, Kaichen was already kneeling beside the body of the man that his arrow had dispatched.

Tonaka.
Kaichen did not speak the dead man’s name.  It was a name that would never again be spoken by their people.  He turned away from the man’s body and hurried up the path that led into the village. His eyes widened at the sight before him.  The men standing before him were armed with weapons ready for battle.  The women stood silently alongside their husbands, brothers and sons. 

Amara made her way through the crowd of people and then she stood solemnly before Kaichen.  She was in his arms before he could form words to speak.  He breathed in the heady scent of her hair and forced himself not to crush her slender body to his chest. 

In the dark of night, he had wondered if he would ever return to his people, to the village of his birth and the woman of his heart. 

Kaichen moved forward to embrace his mother.  She did not cling to him, she had too much pride to show her true heart before their people, but he read the
deep concern in her eyes.

“The man that lies dead outside of the rock walls that protect our village will be left to rot.
He waited for an opportunity to strike, hoping to catch us unaware.  The actions that he took were meant to make us aware of his presence.  Our enemies sought to instill fear in our hearts, but we are unafraid.”

The people cheered in response to Kaichen’s bold words and their courage was renewed.  They spoke amongst themselves as several of the men volunteered to keep watch over the rocky entrance to their village. 

Kaichen was relieved to hear that Tralek still lived and would recover from his wounds if all went well. 

“Will you wait for our enemy to strike?” A familiar voice called out to Kaichen as he moved forward with Amara’s hand clasped in his. 
Ever since the battle against the raiders he had managed to form an uneasy alliance with Urri.

“No.” Kaichen preferred to speak with his wife privately and assure her of the actions that he planned to take.  Urri pressed him for a
n immediate response and he understood the urgency that could be heard in the man’s tone.   Kaichen’s mind was made up and he would not be persuaded to walk along any other path except the one that was set before him.  “I will hunt down any man that welcomes death.”

“I will go with you.” Urri was the first to offer his assistance, but the other men were quick to offer their help
, which he readily accepted.  

Kaichen pressed his lips to Amara’s hand as they walked into the welcoming circle of their village.  With the matter settled
, Kaichen accepted the offering of food and water that was handed to him. 

He refused to allow his future to rest in the hands of evil.  Instead, he vowed that he would make a future of his own choosing. 

That was the warrior’s way and Kaichen had become a man of war.

Throughout the night, he held his wife close.  Amara snuggled into the warmth that radiated from Kaichen but she was not asleep, instead she simply listened to the inhalation and exhalation of breath.

“Thank you for remaining with our people.  If you had put yourself in danger, I would have not been able to focus my full attention on ridding
our people of the threat that still exists.” Kaichen brushed his palm over the top of Amara’s hair, he loved the touch and feel of it.  There was so much that he loved about her.

“I feared for your life,
but your mother and I knew that we would only put your life in further danger by leaving the protection of the village.  But there is something that I must tell you.” Amara shifted so that she could look into Kaichen’s dark gaze. 

She did not need firelight to see his face.  She knew the width and breadth of her husband and even in the darkness, lit only by moonlight, she could make out the features of his face.

“There is time enough to speak of what is to come.  For now, allow me to enjoy the softness and warmth of my lifemate.” Kaichen did not give Amara time to speak further.  He pulled her to rest on top of him and reveled in the feel of her curves as she fit her body against his.

When he tasted her lips they were already parted and waiting for his possession.  He knew by now that nothing would sate the hunger that he had for this woman, Amara. 

Kaichen wanted only to give his wife pleasure in their joining and when she responded to the touch of his hands and the warmth of his mouth he sighed in satisfaction.  There would never come a time when the feel of her small hands upon his skin would fail to arouse his desire for her. 

Amara offered Kaichen the peace that she knew he sought and together they were born away under the healing glow of moonlight.

Kaichen watched his wife until she disappeared from sight.  The glimmer of concern that he saw in her eyes was clear to see.   Despite her
misgivings, she joined the other women. 

It was common for the women to go to the caves to check on their stores of food for the
cold season.  Amara had been invited to come along.  It would be the first time that she saw the underground caves and though Kaichen wanted to be the one to show her and share in her excitement he urged her to go with the women.   He needed time to speak to the men about his plan to draw out Ni’zin and any men that remained with him.  

He cast one last glance over his shoulder as Amara looked back and waved bravely.  She did not want him to worry unnecessarily. 

Kaichen grimaced as he realized that they both wished to protect the other.  He was not surprised to see Antuk waiting for him.  After his return, his friend had loudly proclaimed that he would sleep a few steps outside of the entrance of Kaichen’s dwelling.  Denoa had managed to assure Antuk that Kaichen preferred to have privacy for the night. 

The morning warmed slightly as the sun rose but it was obvious to all that the time of long cold was upon them.  Kaichen had taken to wearing knee high moccasins, along with leggings and an animal skin parka
turned fur side in. 

Antuk was similarly garbed and Kaichen had to wonder where he came upon his new garments.  In easier
times, it would be a matter of amusement, but Kaichen was focused only on doing what was necessary to find Ni’zin.  Waiting for the man to strike would only feed into their enemy’s perverse sense of enjoyment.

“Why have you allowed Cloud Bringing Woman out of your sight?” Antuk frowned at Kaichen and looked around anxiously. 

Kaichen narrowed his eyes in return but he did not speak.  Antuk often asked questions that meant very little at first, but had a greater impact much later.  Kaichen turned to stare back at the trail the women had taken to reach the caves.  Most of the men were busy keeping watch over the village.  The focus was on keeping Ni’zin out.  Antuk seemed to believe that Amara was in danger even within their village. 

Antuk strode past Kaichen with the customary sound of his weapons accompanying his every step.  Kaichen soon outdistanced his friend as he ran toward the waiting caves.  He had never considered that Ni’zin was already here, waiting for them to let down their guard so that he could pounce.  His enemy had already breached their defenses.

Kaichen did not spare the time to question Antuk or doubt himself.  He put all of his effort into running as fast as he could as he sought to catch up to the women.  Kaichen stifled a groan as he realized that not only was Amara in danger, but there were other women with her, including his mother. 

Amara had never seen anything quite like the underground caverns that the women showed her.   Denoa squeezed her hand in reassurance. 

“Do not worry, my people have used these caverns for generations to store their food during the time of long cold.  The caverns are cold even in the warm season and they lead deep underground.  We will not go far and the other women carry torches.”

Amara glanced around in concern.  She had never felt such a certainty that something was wrong, something just out of sight.  Her steps slowed as they walked toward the cave entrance.

“Denoa, I do not think I can go into the caverns.  Something feels wrong to me.  We should return to the village.” Amara’s hand trembled slightly as she spoke to Denoa and the older woman stopped and looked at her in stunned disbelief.

Amara had not meant to offend Denoa and she started to explain when Denoa suddenly pulled the knife given to her by her husband and held it between them.

“Run!”

Denoa shielded Amara with her body as the cavern shadow behind them shifted.  She pushed Amara with her free hand and kept the knife pointed down with her fist around the hilt.  She glared at the man that stepped free of his hiding place revealing himself completely.

Ni’zin.  

He was covered completely in the colors of the night; he was a thing of shadow and dark gloom.  Fear was a weapon used by Ni’zin and he wielded it with skill.

Denoa saw the weapon in Ni’zin’s hand and she shouted a warning to Amara
but her words were too late.  Ni’zin threw his boa and it ensnared Amara’s feet just as she took heed of Denoa’s warning to run. 

Amara twisted even as she fell.  Denoa threw herself over Amara’s prone form, eager to protect the young woman who had become the daughter of her heart. 

Ni’zin’s dark gaze welcomed the challenge that Denoa presented.  Unable to free Amara she forced herself to stand and face Ni’zin.

“My son will see you dead before you ever have the chance to do us harm.”  Denoa’s words were a prediction of death and she forced her voice to remain steady as she faced her enemy.

“I thought that I killed you.” Ni’zin’s cold eyes raked over Denoa with a malevolent promise. “You will soon know the blaze of my anger.  I am Ni’zin! Hear me!”

The first arrow pierced his arm as he turned to face his attacker with a stunned expression upon his face.  He had not heard a war cry or a shout of challenge. 

Kaichen did not bother to speak or call out a warning. He remembered the words given to him by Tamol.  Ni’zin was not a man of honor and he did not deserve a display of mercy.  If given the chance, Ni’zin would destroy all that Kaichen cherished.  Given this knowledge, he acted swiftly and without hesitation.  Kaichen refused to give Ni’zin time to think or react.

The next arrow barely missed Ni’zin’s chest as the man rolled, knocking Denoa aside even as he fell upon Amara.  He was on his feet swiftly, bearing her slight weight as he used Amara as his shield.  It was this action that gave Ni’zin a few more moments of life. 

It was in that same moment that Amara stared at her husband with undeniable trust. 

Kaichen never wavered, he sent his next arrow flying and Amara fell to the ground.  Kaichen never stopped moving, he ran forward with the intent of ending Ni’zin’s life when the man shuddered violently and released the breath of life from the dregs of his depraved soul.

Kaichen turned his attention to Amara as the full enormity of all that had happened came to the fore. Amara opened her eyes and he pressed a kiss to her lips.  He was unable to speak past the wave of relief that surged through his body.  Amara clung to him but despite the trembling of her body her eyes were dry and her lips turned up in a tremulous smile.