Bird As Fish

Vadel sat alone on a stump, contemplating. Trees overshadowed her and the dark green light filtering through the leaves far above reflected off the shield laying at her feet. She sat strongly rigid, unmoving, while the noise of exotic birds who flew through the tops of the trees echoed all around. Smells of dank and rotting wood swarmed all around as little flies swarmed all along Vadel's body, while she sat unmoving, her hands clasped tightly and her lips pursed.

A little ways off, a company of other women stood waiting. They knew not to disturb their leader when she looked like this. They were a tall group, with black hair all chopped off, short enough not to grasp. Their faces and bare arms were all covered with deep scars and recent wounds. They didn't grumble but shifted their weight impatiently. One left to relieve herself a short distance away. They numbered about twenty and were rather a motley group, only dark skin and hair bonded them together. Armour plating and shields were all different, some dented, some only leather, but all looking fierce enough. Many were tatooed on the face and arms. Some had rubbed white and black ashes into wounds to make them even more fierce and battle worn.

In the distance, a shout was heard. Vadel motioned to two of the women who silently hastened away in that direction, bearing shields and all of the military trappings. The rest of the women stood guard, but Vadel remained motionless.

A few minutes later, the two returned with another of their group who sweated and panted and had the smell of battle and haste all over her. The other women attended to her silently, bringing her food and water and letting her rest. After she had rested, she went to speak to Vadel. Vadel stood when the scout approached, and they talked almost silently for several minutes.

"I have returned as speedily as possible." She began. "I first made my way to the Clearing of Ratorn where we said we would meet, but you were not there."

"No, we fled here when the sounds of battle reached us. Did you see the message I left you?"

"Beside the elephant tusks? Yes. That is how I knew to come here."

"What news do you have for us? I am about to make a decision."

"I have returned to the road to Doquorn, where the Mokoi are camped. They have impaled our members on sticks to mark the gates of their encampment. They are more than two hundred strong, and all have unmatched armour."

"How could the Mokoi have amassed an army that large? Did you hear anything?"

"I did not. I could not get close enough to hear, except when the night fell and the men went to sleep. They were silent then."

"Weaknesses?" Vadel asked quietly.

"They are very well protected. Night watchmen, torches, supplies under heavy guard. They even piss in twos."

"Any signs of expansion?"

"Men arrive all the time."

Vadel sighed and licked her lips. "Did you see any battle on the way?"

The scout almost smiled. "I caught two of them pissing in the dark. They won't do that again." She pulled two Mokoi sashes from her belt and handed them to Vadel, who nodded approvingly. "I also passed a battle field of Mokoi and Damaroi."

"They are just small. Surely they will be all killed."

"The Damaroi are have all died on the field of battle or have fled."

Vadel shook her head. "That I should ever see this day."

The scout returned to the other women.

Vadel picked up her shield and strode soundlessly over to the waiting group. Standing erect, and with a dead seriousness in her eye, began.

"We were ambushed on the road to Doquorn and there lost twenty six of our members." The group shifted uncomfortably. "Karmel has told us it is the Mokoi who have done this." The hatred in the women's eyes suddenly burned. "We shall flee but we shall not be without our revenge." They stomped their feet in angry agreeance. "Tonight we shall perform the ceremony of proxy and tomorrow, I, Karmel, Torel and Dequel shall return to the place where the murderers are and shall slaughter twenty six of them - one for each of our mothers and sisters and daughters." The women offered up gutteral cries while the three women mentioned defiantly put on their helmets and strode over to Vadel's stump. The leader summoned a thin woman named Unel as well to join them. "Now eat!" Vadel shouted, "for tomorrow we march!"

Vadel then joined the four women by the stump. They all greeted her with a nod as she began to quietly speak.

"Unel you shall take charge of the group and shall lead them to the Borderlands as quickly as possible." Unel nodded curtly. "You shall not stop until you arrive except for food and rest, and shall avoid all conflict. You shall be stealthy. You shall wait for us ten days at the Rekemorn Pools, in the caves there. If we do not return in ten days, you shall continue east to the Arches of the Sea. Wait for us there ten days. If we do not join you then, you shall know we are dead and shall make your way to the Northern Forests, where you shall find the Reday. They shall help you if you give them this." Vadel showed her an oblong piece of stone carved into the shape of a snake wound around itself again and again. "I shall give it to you tonight at the ceremony of proxy." Again Unel nodded. "Do you swear to do all of this, in the presence of these witnesses and in the presence of your two sisters - spirits, slain, and seeking revenge."

"I do."

"Very well. Go and prepare. You have a long journey ahead." Unel left the circle bruskly. "The rest of you," Vadel sighed almost unnoticably, "will be returning with me to the road to Doquorn. I cannot deny that it will be dangerous, but we shall avenge the Mokoi for our deaths." All of the women looked tiredly at her. They were the best fighters that she had left. Karmel had lost her mother with whom she always scouted, and had learned scouting from. Torel had lost two of her three sisters, the fiercest of the group and Dequel although one without blood ties, had lost her comrade with whom she had joined the group. Vadel felt as tired as the women before her and felt like she should lie down and die, but those were shameful, shameful feelings, and her sense of honour demanded more than the grief she felt. "We shall avenge them for the pain and anguish they have caused us, we shall avenge them for our mothers, our sisters, and our comrades who they slew with mercilessness, whose bodies they impaled as trophies." The women heard the anger building in Vadel's voice as they felt it building in their chests. "We shall slay twenty six of them, one for each of us. We shall steal back their bodies, and bury them so their spirits can rest in peace. And right now, we shall all swear to each other that as long as one of us is alive we shall carry out this mission. Do you swear it Karmel, on your dead mother's spirit, longing for rest?"

"I do. I swear it until my dying breath." Vadel could hear the passion in Karmel's voice and see the murderous glint in her eye. She was impatient to begin.

"I swear it on Maquel's spirit. She was-" Daquel stopped silent. It was not a good thing to talk about the dead, especially when they had not found their rest. As well, the group's defiant stance did not favour this emotional talk. "I shall do it."

"Do you Torel?"

"I do." Torel was not one for speaking but an oath demanded that words be spoken so that the spirits listening could hear and take witness.

They all glanced around surreptitiously as if the spirits gathered would show themselves, or give some sign that they had witnessed the oath.

"They are still armoured," whispered Torel almost silently, "they cannot find their rest."

© 2003 All rights reserved MJ Jackson
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