The birth of a tribe : Sa’ng Suri
The Sa’ng Suri may no longer be active but it lives on in the heart and mind of those who where part of that great tribe. Marli former elder and healer of the Sa’ng Suri talunas.
The Sa’ng Suri
The shore of Talbot showed nothing of what a beach should be; the golden sands were stained a deep red, dried and hardened into clay as the sun beat down. The now red glass cast an eerie light along the mounds of bodies, spears and arrows ordainments jutting from the sparse leather clothing of the women scattered around, the battle’s end leaving their bodies in twisted wrecks on the ground, the birds already circling to claim a feast.
Rising from the ground, as if a sore splinter amongst all the death, jutted a scorched pole, the scrap of cloth that was tied haphazardly flapping in the wind. “Sa’ng Suri” was scrawled on it. The whine of the air taking that flag and the ever beating wings of the birds completed the image of end.
The plump Wader’s black eye gleamed as it waddled closer to the woman’s out stretched hand, the long gash running the length of her hand tempting the creature. With a great sweal the bird gave flight as the hand of the woman darted up aiming a blow to the bird. With the longest of groans the hand dug its track into the red hardened sand pushing one shoulder off the grave of so many, pulling her knees up under herself slowly she let her head fall, the thought of what was to greet her, the sights of that battle… the aftermath.
She gave her head a small shake, the long blonde braids slapping wet against her cheek each contact creating a small blossom of crimson on her pale skin.
Her breath came slower and slower, that argument, the denial of what would be before her when she rose fought and lost, with all of the remaining energy she caught the shaft of a shattered spear, the leather hanging from thigh and chest creaking as the blood chipped away with each movement, teeth gritted her eyes locked with the massacre laying all around her, long fans of blood creating a great art work along the beach front to the water where the foam rolled in a sinister pink.
A pain settled on her, a fire spurring around her body lighting up every small nick and exploding along her side where the spear had caught her, wavering on the spot for a moment she tilted her head to the sky, her mouth opening to emit a dreadful wail the sound crackling out of a dry throat as a small tear caught the blood carving a line down to her chin in the dirt and mess of the day.
“The Sa’ng Suri has died,” her voice rasped over the words and the wail took the little strength left in her and she swayed with the world before the air drove its way out of her and blessed blackness over came the scene.
A gulls call woke her, the cold had already begun to sink into her bodys, with a shiver she wavered to a sitting position in the alter of bodies, the pain in her dwindled as a new rage took its place.
“Why, why lead us against a city… such a fool.”
Suddenly out of the corner of an eye she caught movement, another blonde head, arm outstretched, clawing her way towards the tree line mechanically pulling herself along her belly carving a deep red furrow in her wake.
Digging the would be walking stick into the ground she pushes herself up to her feet, in the first step her face contorted with jarring stab along her side threaten to treat her to sleep again. Teeth gridding she pushed herself on towards the struggling woman.
“Cal…” she coughed, a gravel rasp coming instead of her normal smooth tone.
“Cally.”
Stopping just short of the woman she dropped to a knee the breath freezing in her throat as the lines in the sand became clear, fixing a hand on her shoulder she gave a firm pushing rolling her over to expose what she already expected. Rising from the leather chest piece the woman wore stood a shattered wooden shaft, the woman’s eyes already half glazed she managed a gurgle as a flood of tears broke free cutting lines in the dirt covering her cheeks.
Cupping her head gently she held the sobbing woman to her breast as she attempted to run fingers though mattered hair.
“Come now… Get it all out”
“Ama…” Her wail was terrible, a woman that had lost everything before her and could only watch.
“Hush now,” came Ama’s grating tone. “We must get off this beach.”
Cally made no move to fight the Ama’s pulls, hoisting her half over her shoulder. Only a firming of the lips could allude to the pain of the two. Unsteadily they weaved from the beach, fighting their way into the forest’s protection. The two stumbled over unforgiving thickets, thorns peppering whatever bits of exposed skin the battle had not already bloodied. Mercifully the obstacles thinned, giving way to a river bed, the raging torrents of the vosk delta whipping by.
At the end of her strength Ama laid Cally down to begin inspecting that wound that seemed to be drinking in all of her energy, her fingers skated over that place with a sigh, her fingers feeling behind her shoulder, praying for the tip of the arrow head to be felt there.
“Can you suffer a little more?” Ama’ voice had such a cold edge to it as her fist tightened around the shaft.
“Do it!” The command came shrill, the anguish clear in the last of it as Cally’s face screwed up, before that mind set broke and gave way to fear.
Ama’s hand forced the arrow head the rest of the way though the Cally’s shoulder, her hands began to work, a skill all the youth of the forest learn as the belt knife appeared in her hand desperately working the last of the shattered shaft free, all of Cally’s weigh crashed down on Ama, so involved in her work she didn’t notice the high screams fading to silence.
With a sigh she laid Cally back on the grass before swaggering towards the vosk hands busy trying to unhook the bota from her belt. Dropping to her knees at the river bank she leant forwards drinking in a low breath before burring her head in the white water rushing by.
“Ahhhhhh” she pulls her head free the braids slapping wetly on her back before scooping some of the water into the narrow opening of the bota.
Kneeling beside Cally, Ama pushed the small nose of the bota into the angry red hole standing free on Callys chest giving it the smallest of squeezes to force the stream though, her face hardend as she put more and more pressure, a pool of watered down blood forming around the pair until the water began to drip from her back was clear. Twisting the daggers blade free from the ground where it had been left a long strip of Ama’s skirt came free under the razors edge to form a bandage looping around Cally’s chest .
The hard look melted from Ama’s face as she laid Callys head back down on the grass a finger brushing aside some loose strands of hair before turning her attention to her own wounds. Lifting an arm her eyes widened a little as purple engulfed her entire side the middle of which hosted a long jaggered slash.
“Priest kings be damned!”
Ama’s finger tentatively traced the purple skin the expression on her face dark, picking the bota up from its resting place she directed the nozzle at her side before giving it a squeeze letting a jet of water splash into the long slice. Giving another long sigh, this time for once laughing at studying the green arts she fastened her top over the injury hiding it from view.
The crackle of a fire woke Ama, her hand already moving to her long sheathed dagger before a voice carried over the wind.
“Did you really have to be so rough in removing this…? I fear I will bruise and not be a sight for an age now.”
Ama sat up, the sun only an orange haze behind the mountains and trees…
“How long did I…”
“It’s been a day now.” Cally cut her off. “As far as I can tell anyway, assuming I did not sleep longer.”
Cally finger extends to the fat bota skin laying beside Ama’s head.
“Water” her voice was cut and sharp, Ama almost cringed at its tone, so unlike Cally, but her mouth burned for water, and hastily it was being dipped over cracked and dried lips, until it flooded her mouth, sending her into a spasm of coughs and splutters.
Ama’s head raised with the skin drained, the gold of her eyes seeming dull as if something was missing.
“We are all that is left, aren’t we?” the question was a hard one but Cally only sniffed and went on with the fish, the knife taking the scales off and gutting it before flipping it into the bucket with three other of its bare friends.
Ama stirred trying her feet before an almighty crash of pain thundered though her side, radiating from the opening there, with a sharp gasp she dropped back down, Cally grunted, as if with a half laugh.
“If you do not get that looked at, I will be all that is left.” Cally looked over from her work as she spoke, her eyes rimmed with red.
“What do we do now…? Rudderless boats sink and I am not sure we even have wood left on our boat.” Cally’s stare pierced Ama as she waited for those cogs to turn.
Ama gave a shake her head for a moment, thinking, trying to drag at some hope, something to keep the spirits alive, and with a half hearted exclamation of “Voltia,” she returned Cally’s stare just as hard.
“Voltia?”
“Yes, Voltia.” came Ama’ reply still hard trying to meet that lost gaze. “We will ask the panther En’s that exile themselves to those heights for guidance… They must know what to do.”
Cally gave nothing but a nod, breaking eye contact as little pieces of wood spitted the fish, leaving them to lay open over the licking flames. Ama stirred again, a little more caution spared to lean her weight on the spear shaft, with a hobble she picked her way over to where Cally sat teasing the fire up into little sparks against the twilight.
“We will leave as soon as time allows.” Ama stared at the sparks as she spoke, “Voltia is at the end of the Vosk, a simple raft will have us there in a few days if it doesn’t fall apart”
The meal of charred fish and water from those hollow bark mugs was shared in silence, both women going over and over the events that had brought them there; the slaughter, names that no longer existed and that safety that now seemed to have only been smoke and mirrors. With all the fish devoured, preparation for the raft began.
Ama sat by the fire, her leg propped up in front of her, dagger working against the tree branches; taking long strips off it before finishing the cut and throwing it into a pile, her eyes only took in the work, the occasional grunt behind her from Cally returning dragging another log only bringing a moment of pause. The sun had fully disappeared behind the mountain caps before the logs of wood were being lashed together using the makeshift rope. The night birds were calling before the last of it, but finally, with the camp fire dwindling to nothing, the raft was completed.
“If we challenge the Vosk at night, it will be the end of us for sure.” Ama murmured, a hint of a yawn hidden quickly by a hand.
“We could not steer it without light anyway. We shall sleep and then set off in the morning.” Cally was already lying down near the embers of the camp fire. Ama not far behind her as sleep took them.-
Ama woke slowly, the roar of the Vosk, blending with the tree songs and the trilling of the birds bringing a smile to her face. It seems peaceful, before a loud grunting snore issued from the other woman. Cally was on her back, the straps of leather formerly covering her breasts and midriff mostly caught around her head somehow. With the shake of a head and a laugh, Ama extended her foot, giving Cally a quick kick to the side .
“It is time we were on our way. The sun seems to have an hour or some on us, and if we wish to meet the foot hills today we should have left then.”
Ama was already hauling herself up on her broken spear, one free hand coiled in the rope fastened to the side of the raft. Painfully slowly the wood began to bounce across the dirt as stumbling steps propelled her towards the back. She struggled on for only a moment before Cally’s hand curled around the second handle and Ama was having to limp in order to keep up with its pace.
They stood at the bed of the Vosk, the handles lashed to trees hanging over the banks and the raft bouncing and straining with the rushing current, until both were balanced on it precariously’ doing everything but tying themselves to the wooden logs before cutting the tethering ropes.
Slightly green in the face Ama shifted her weigh trying to stay up right on the raft as each new wave smashed against it lurching them back and forth.
“Um is walking still out of the question” her voice carried the faked sound of surety about it while her eyes where as wide as plates staring at the collection of rocks smashing the waves laying before them.
“Yes, I suppose there is” Came Cally’s voice as the raft gave an almighty lurch forwards, Ama’s head swung to see a dagger in Cally’s hand and the tethering ropes now flapping, severed in the tree branch.
With no anchor the raft took off along the vosk, jumping and shaking as it crashed into the rapids, trees and rocks on the bank becoming only an indistinguishable blur to the two. Ama turned her head to look at Cally, a grimace forming on her face at the lack of green to the woman’s face and more so to the almost bored expression she gave to the passing rocks.
Cally gave a laugh as she slapped Ama on the thigh
“Being a Teletus born woman had its advantages; one of which was the ability to hold onto dinner in rough waters.”
The hours flew by, the sun making its quick race towards the mountains as rocks and snags clam small chunks of their raft.
“This is not going to hold out for much longer, the bindings at the front are all but gone” Worry seemed to have finally snuck into Cally’s voice before suddenly they seem to burst free from the forest thickets, into the monolithic shadows of the Voltia foot hills, the incredible heights carving into the heavens with impossible twists and turns scattering shadows to the edges of the great forrest lines.
Cally was already moving, the dagger in her hand dancing around ropes hanging this way and that off the raft slicing them free.
“Ready!” came Cally’s yell before the daggers blade took the last of the intertwining ropes dropping a heave plank of wood off the back, the effect was instant.
Rather than staying with the currents the raft veered off course, carrying them at an amazing speed towards the bank of the Vosk.
“Brace!” Ama’s shout was only an instant before the raft collided with the stones dotting the bank. Everything seemed to shudder for an instant, before all the sudden the raft was gone, both women where flying though the air over the licking swells of the vosk.
With a load crack Ama’s back sliced though reeds and branches before coming to a crushing halt on the mud bank driving the air out of her, shaking her head side to side to clear the spots from her vision showed her Cally spread eagled against a stone. An angry mutters, only the kind a deck hand would know the meaning of coming from her. A smile broke on Ama’s face catching the tail end of the triad as she laid her head back into the muddy pillow “A bird, a fish better a be a bloody priest king in they think I can bloody well climb like a ape too”
Suddenly, Cally’s hand was around her shoulder, forcing her up in what was now full dark, and Ama spluttered.
“How did it get so dark?”
“You have been asleep for an hour now… It is time we made up some ground.” Cally’s voice sounded sleep laden too, and the hints of a yawn marred the end of her sentence.
With those hands around her shoulders Ama acquiesced, leaning on the spear as she stumbled to her feet, and together the two started the trip towards the foot hills, the looming spires becoming more and more impossibly tall with each step towards them.
All though the night they picked their ways around pit falls and razor sharp ledges that came to a sudden halt in a cliff face. The day broke early; Cally sat panting on a boulder, the dark rings under her eyes showing more than she would say.
“We must press on,” Cally sounded half hearted as she picked herself up. “Come on.”
Ama’s side cried out with each shambling step, the progression up the impossible climbs and rises had opened the wound and started the blood flowing down along her side, grounding the spear she took another shaking step forwards. Even Cally’s wound seemed to have taken life again, issuing a dark red patch on her back.
“Cally… I… I…” Ama’s words caught as the corners of her sight turned black, everything started to seem like a tunnel “I… I” she tried again before her knees buckled. Cally was there, slowly taking the weight of the fall but seeming to come down with the strain of it.
Ama’s head jerks with a large bump, raising a hand she curled it around her forehead against the head ache that seemed ready to split out there, with an effort she forced open her eyes to take in the starry sky. Ama jolted again as another bump came, rolling to one side she looking at the stones sliding by before catching Cally’s voice in a heated discussion with other gruff, dry voice.
“You foolish children should have seen your death in attempting these mountains in your condition. I understand your desperation, but life is sacred and if your story is true, it is all you have left.”
Ama’s eyes close again as the sled skips over the rocks clenching them against the pain each bump caused in her head before sleep over came her again.
Ama gave a gasp as she shoot upright, the red hot pains in her side replaced by only a dull thudding, confused and trying to blink the sleep from her eyes she looked around the cave trying to take everything in, from the bed she lay in to the linen cloth wrapped around her midrift before finally coming to rest on Cally sitting on the end of the bed clothes removed and a matching white dressing over her shoulder. Their eyes meet for an instant, before Cally nods off towards the far side of the cave. Ama follows her gaze, falling upon a woman in dark grey cloth, her features stern and a frown fixed on her lips.
Ama’ eyes widen, taking in the woman, the curve of her hips tracing up to the fall of her breast, bright blue eyes seeming to measure and know everything in a single glance. Her heart quickens and before could stop herself she smoothed down the mess of her hair, acting as if she was a little girl with a crush.
“Dani,” The woman barked breaking Ama’s trance.
“You can call me Dani… Now speak of what has happened.”-
Dani starts forward, picking her way towards the two, her gaze shifting between them, a small smirk coming to her lips as she sees the blonde with the braid double taking at the sight of her. Dani crosses her arms beneath her breasts as she stalks forwards, cutting in before either of them can speak.
“And most importantly, what advice from me do you think can bring back the dead?”-
Ama’s mouth works Dani’s sudden appearance, her manner; her beauty stealing all the moisture from her mouth, thankfully Cally’s voice breaks the awkward silence.
“Our tribe was slaughtered… I do not know how many escaped… Ama is all I have seen and we… Came to find help from… “Cally trailed off under the woman’s glacial stare, her mouth opened again and clicked shut before cupping her hands in her lap and dropping her gaze.
Dani’ mouth twitches for a moment, stewing over the thoughts in her mind, all of the things that placed her into exile in these mountains.
“You say men came and killed all of your tribe.” Dani pauses for a moment, before giving a strange mix of hiss and spit by blowing air though her front teeth.
“Men… “That strange whistle came again as Dani seemed to be stewing that word in her mind, or the concept put to her by Cally all that time hissing whistle coming from her teeth, Dani’s back turned to look up and down the bare wall of the cave.
“You will first need to round up all you can, any that did not die and find safety.” Ama gave a quirked smile, Dani’s change conversation seeming to jump from idea to idea every other second, she drew back as looking up she noticed the woman’s stony face was fixed on her again.
“How?” Came Ama’s timbered voice she cringes a little at the accusing note in her voice.
“How, we have no leader, nothing can pull us back together, for us to go back there would be death! And… I just… Well” A crimson explodes across Ama’s cheeks as the gaze forces the words clear from her mind again, cupping her hands together she takes on the same pose as Cally glaring at the floor just clear of their feet.
Dani turns from the pair, striding towards the fire, her mind steaming with the ideas, free women slaughtered and left to the collar. She put her hands to her forehead, pushes the long strands of hair over her shoulder before giving a long sigh.
“Foolish girls,” She mutters to herself. “Foolish foolish foolish.”
Standing there Dani seems to address the fire in a heated discussion
“I am too old” she tells herself firmly. “Too old and hard for the new age.”
Blowing the air though her teeth again Dani’s fist tightens in her hair, Amethyst’s annoying sing song voice ringing in her head “Do what needs to be done and make it work later!”
With a snarl she rounds on the two again, anger now painting her face. Ama sunk back a little, as that blue gaze now seemed to shield flames. “Could the woman mean to kill us after all of this?” her eyes darts around for a weapon, or some escape.
“I will be coming.” Ama’s mouth falls open, there is no reading this woman; she seems to want you dead before offering you her help, raising her head Ama’s mouth opens before being cut short again.
“My name carries death and when word of me spreads, death will come to claim what it has been denied so long.”
Wide eyed she turns to Cally, the O shaped mouth mirrored there.
“I thought she was going to spit us and give the larls a feast.” Said Cally, wringing her hands in her lap.
“Beautiful.” Ama could not catch the word and crimson splashes her cheeks, the shock on Cally’ face now seemed all for Ama. The silence lasted only a few moments before both broke into laughter, the tension marching from the room on Dani’s heels.-
Sitting alone, Dani stares at the meagre possessions, all she had managed to bring with her to this place. The old sigils of the Pa Ri Tor lay scattered among selected daggers and the strangest pair of goggles banded in leather. One of the lenses in them is snapped. She picks up a dagger from a small table in one hand, the other gathering up the length of hair travelling down to the small of her back. With the quickest of jerks her hair falls about her shoulders, the bulk of it littering the floor at her feet.
The dagger dances around the gray strands hanging in disarray around her face nicking and carving the mess into a style resembling a town boy’s, Flicking the daggers blade down into the table top she picks up the bizarre goggles rubbing the leather fastenings in her fingers for a moment, the lines of her face seeming all too apparent with the pained look she gave them, giving herself a quick shake she fastens them behind her head, the lenses sitting in the short cropped hair.
“Death rides again, Apathy. Forgive me.” Dani speaks to herself as she begins fastening daggers into boots, saving a long blackened blade for last. Dani’s hand gives the smallest of shakes as it takes hold of the elaborate hilt never meant for the hand of a woman to wield; the small skulls, eyes made from black pearls gave the thing a truly sinister look, spinning the thing in her palm she adds it to the array decorating her body. With that she turns back to the room holding the other two.
To Ama it seems as if her mouth would never be closed again around this woman. Dani reenters the room, her hair now shorter than most boys would keep it, her cheekbones and frame so sharp against the guttering flare of the fire.
“Test that side” Dani ordered.
Ama stumbled, almost dripping over her own feet to free herself of the blanket, she stood stretching awaiting the explosion of pain to roar down her side, clapping a hand to her side she looks between Cally and Dani trying to find an answer in either of their faces.
“Its fine” Ama stammered…
“Very well… I have prepared… Come. We have work before us.” Dani’s words left no room for rebuttal. She was already half way towards the cave entrance. Ama hurried to follow, before realising that Cally was still rummaging to find the top she had been wearing earlier. Ama came up alongside her.
“Do you really want this woman to lead us?” Cally’ voice was barely a whisper meant only for Ama’s ears, though Dani could not have heard from that far even if they had have been speaking normally.
“She is the perfect one to lead us, tell me you do not feel safe in her wake.” Ama’ response was met with only a grunt from Cally as they tailed along behind the woman.
Over the weeks, their band grew, bedraggled women stumbled out of the forests, a few faces from the Sa’ng Suri blood stained and always injured. Dani’s skill at the green arts startled all of them; coming from a woman covered in scars and wearing so many daggers a gift like that was not expected.
By the turn of the season Dani called a halt. Their numbers had blossomed from what had started as a measly three, to an astounding sixteen survivors of the beach massacre. Ama looked over the faces; Poet, Bridgette, Nikki, Delle, Fin and others she had only seen in passing. Camping that night, Dani as always stood alone, bow at the ready, scanning the woods around the dwellings, Ama and Cally sat by the fire, only Ama could not tear her eyes from Dani’s back until the conversation twisted, Poet’s arrival meant that Sa’ng Suri had a surviving Elder.
“So we ask her.” Ama broke her gaze at Poet’s words.
“She has enough knowledge and strength to be our En.” All eyes fleeted to Dani’s back for that moment as Cally spoke.
“I will follow her, as my En or not.”
The nods carried around the fire, some of them rising to voice their agreement. Poet rose to her feet, picking her way towards Dani, Ama and Cally at her heels. Dani’ blue gaze fell on them before they came too close; she eased her bow fletching to turn fixing each of them slowly considering.
“What is it?” That voice never seemed to change to Ama, always that clear command expecting to hear the answer rather than giving a choice.
Poet spoke up first. “Dani, you have united what is left of us,” suddenly she took a knee before her, “I pledge you my bow and protection, my En.”
The ritual rippled through the crowd, each of the women in the crowd dropping to one knee and almost shouting the oath.
For a moment nothing moved, Dani’s gaze skated over the scene before her “And damned to you Amethyst” she roared in her head. Taking a long breath she allowed her eyes to lose some of their heat.
“It is I that usually leave no choice in these matters,” Poet shifted for a time, everyone in the clearing seemingly holding their breaths “But it appears that this time, it is you all that have left me with little. I will take the title as your En, all of your pledges and lives I take as my responsibility to protect and honour.” She halted for a moment, before continuing. “Sa’ng Suri is born tonight, my blood is this tribe and you are my blood. I am Sa’ng Suri! The blood and life of it!”
A roar spread though the crowd, a cheer, and a chorus of, “We are Sa’ng Suri!”
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The Sa’ng Suri – Kalana
A sunburst climbed over the mountains, black silellots dotted the cliff face, all that could be seen bows in hand with two standing along at the head of the pack. One of the two swept a hand out high above her head and then down. With a single movement the dots became one for a moment and then disappeared leaving the two lone figured pasted against the suns brilliant back drop.
Howls filled the air, a swelling mixture of war cries and shrieking death as carrions began to gather in the high branches. Smoke carried along the lines of the forest obscuring the pair of the cliff top for a moment. Ama’s lips curled in a smile as she waved her own arm forwards, the wemon lining the tree branches around her beginning their decent, bow fletching snapping to cheeks, the feathered arrows whistling though the air as the volley begins to claim the lives of the small camp below them.
Dropping from the trees, the Sa’ng Suri scouts enveloped the small party of men in a cloud of death and confusion, the soft leather boots all meeting the forest floor at once to draw short spears and begin their dance with the few men still crawling for weapons or managing to survive the rain of arrows. The women worked with an old skill of killing working between the tents spear heads dipping into the bodies of any that could be reached, in minutes no noise but the screech of the carrions could be heard, the shadows on the cliffs gone.
Ama turned waving a hand and the scouts started melding away into the growth of the forest, a pile of bodies the only evidence of their existence here today. A long horn broke the silence of the wood.
Ama heading for the booming noise the soft swishing of boots running though brush beside her told her that all of the tribe where on their way, with a last push she broke though the underbrush into a small clearing, standing there in the middle, two women. One with a long black tail creeping along her back her hand closed around a pole supporting the banner of the Sa’ng Suri and the other a stern looking woman with short cropped gray hair, her blue gaze noting and ticking off each of the taluna that broke into the clearing.
“Was it done well” Dani’s eyes never left from their counting but Ama knew the comment was meant for her.
“Yes En, all dead, no losses. My forward scouts tell me that is the last of the holding parties here”
Dani’s head inclined a little to show she heard that ever counting gaze skimming along the lines, suddenly a group broke free of the trees between them seemingly dragging a woman by the arms, a long red gash seemed to divide her midriff. Dani’s voice rose only enough to be heard over the commotion “Soph, you are required”
A small red headed woman broke the lines, a green hemp back bouncing on her rump as she cut a bee-line towards the group, Dani stepped forwards the taluna breaking aside as she moved towards the collection.
“Break apart, give Soph room” Dani’s voice did not change with the circum stance she simply took a knee beside Soph looking down at the woman laying sprawled on the ground.
“This is not something I can fix my En” Sophs hands ran over the wound grimacing at each long slash carving along her ribs, Dani’s head inclined again giving the smallest of nods, she took the womans hand in her own fixing her with a rare smile.
“You were braver than any I have seen before Dragonfly, you were born to lead our tribe into battle and today you won this battle without risking one of them, go to the clearing at the end of your path and take your rightful place in the histories”
The woman sprawled on the grounds lips gave the smallest of twitches as her chest rose and fell for the last. Dani gave a long sigh as she stood turning to face the collection of onlookers.
“Sa’ng Suri!” Dani’s voice cut the commotion to dead silence “Dragonfly, Our first bow has been killed in defence of her tribe… Of our lives. She died in the last fight securing these lands. We will now enter a time of morning.” Dani stepped forwards into the crowd Soph hot at her heels
“Soph, please see a pillar is prepared, we will give her body to the flames. Ama see the tribe is given make ups to wear for the dance and have a slave sent to prepare mine and poets dress for the dance”
Dani foot step stopped dead as her eyes widened a little, Ama’s bow shot into her hand voice already high and issuing orders “Scouts into the trees! Our En is under attack”
Dropping to a knee Dani scoops the dagger free from the ground turning the hilt over and over in her hand, a wry grin covers her face taking in the distinct engravings. A dagger only two women have ever held.
“Ama, call your scouts back, I am not under attack” Dani stepped forward as she spoke her eyes scanning the tree line.
“You never did guard the most obvious places Dani!” the voice thundered from the tree’s to the left of her, a cluster of bows swung that way arrows straining in strings.
“Enough! Bows down!” The order dropped bows all over the gathering, the few looking at each other in confusion.
Dani’s voice rose once more directed at the tree line “If you would Morene come and see me in my hut… Your being alive is somewhat of a surprise to me”
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Wanted List
The following persons are wanted for Goat rustling and other crimes, as listed, in the Village of Kerling Fjord and mountains of Srimgar.
WANTED ALIVE – A women described as being for ever hungry with a taste for Bosk meat, fully described as BRATZ NEOX wanted for theft and stalking in the Srimgar region. REWARD Leg of Bosk
WANTED ALIVE – A women described as being nearly attractive fully discribed PATTYJESS DAGGER for theft and fire setting of private property of Free in Srimgar. Homestone unknown, last seen in Srimgar and Skerry of Einar. REWARD Bag of salt and barrel of Carrotts
WANTED IN ANY STATE – A male of pock marked looks, bad breath and small equipment described in detail as CAINE AH for rape and attempted rape. Last seen in fields of Cardonicus. REWARD Two barrals Paga and sack of ground meat and bones suitable for pig feed (added 0111)
WANTED ALIVE – A huntress of chubby build, sly eyes and crafty demeanor, often to be found sneaking about going by the name of Cali fully described as CALIEGH CERISE. Believed to be a sister of the SSH tribe of Jorts. Wanted for attempted incitement of hostilities against the Goat Herders Guild of Srimgar. REWARD; Goat skin and kid goat water carrier (added 0111)
WANTED ALIVE – A male of imposing build and gruff countenance described as ADAMMAIR SABERTOOTH last seen fighting from the battlements of Midgaard Village. Wanted for attempted entrapment and kidnap near the docks at Kerling Fjord, Srimgar. REWARD; 5 gold tarns (added 1210)
WANTED ALIVE – A female of slight build, nimble on feet, possibly a bond going by the name of Pip, more fully described as ‘PENNY PERETZ’. Was at some time collared to Sa Nahele tribe but is believed to presently reside at Midgaard. Wanted for aiding and abetting the above male in entrapment and kidnap REWARD; Pouch of Kanda and 50% of any compensation paid by last Master/Mistress (added 1210)
NEWS OF THE CAPTURE OF THESE PERSONS SHOULD BE LEFT AT THE MARKET PLACE KERLING FJORD. Information aiding in the capture of one of the wanted will be rewarded with 3 copper Tarn
SEND NC TO; Squeek Veeper (rp Squeek. FW) or Saphira Ishtari (rp Kaiila. Bond) to arrange rp with.
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source: sa’ng suri talunas
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