Chapter 5: A Noble Thing
"That one, with the feathers and silly garments", Goes Alone nodded, "is one of the two leaders. The other was a true warrior who led the attack group. I don't think this one will fight."
Spinner nodded. The rest of the warriors had to be in position by now.
Goes Alone had spied on the Enemy encampment until the 3 scouts returned to report on the Sea People's rich, tempting village.
He had studied their reaction and preparations, then counted and marked the party (of over 90 warriors) they had dispatched.
He'd waited long enough to count and mark the guards they were posting to about the main camp in their absence (or really, to prevent their slaves from escaping.)
Goes Alone had reached the combined group of Sea and Wolf warriors behind the knarled tree they had used as their common way-point before the Enemy warriors passed that point, and had had the bulk of them move farther north to minimize the chance of detection.
Spinner and the senior warriors had watched the group pass, (fortunately, on the far side of the river.)
There were over 90 of these, but about a third of them carried no rods in their belts, and were kept inside a circle of those who did. This had made Spinner smile.
The Wolf People were disappointed that the Sea People had only brought 26 warriors. None were younger than 16 or older than 35, even though they used spear-throwers too, while the Enemy didn't.
The Sea People didn't seem to understand that if they lost here, both of their tribes were probably doomed.
Words were exchanged, and Finds Tracks had called the Sea People spoiled women. Spinner and Sees More had stepped between him and the Sea People's war chief before they could fight.
Later, Samon (the war chief) had found Spinner alone and admitted that he agreed with the Wolf People. The mothers of the younger boys and the women in general had refused to let their boys and middle aged men risk themselves.
"It was all Light Foot and I could do to bring this many, even though almost all the males were willing. It was Sidling who came down in the middle."
"Like he always does.", Spinner had sighed. The Sea People's Chief always stood firmly in the middle.
"But these I brought are our best. We don't train as often as you, but they're brave and skilled."
Now, observing the Enemy camp from bushes and other foliage, Spinner hoped so.
There were well over 150 people there (the Wolf People had progressed past counting fingers and hands not long ago), but most of them were women and children.
These were predictably kept inside a perimeter of 20 rod-carrying "masters".
Most of the slaves wore grim expressions, with downcast eyes, although one group of four 10-12 year old boys kept separate, and seemed more upbeat, and freindly with their masters.
Goes Alone followed his eyes, nodding.
"The old peacock seems to have control of their young minds. Most of the others resent them. That's why they stay apart from them. I think some of the others will kill them if they can."
Spinner was troubled by this.
The slavers all had to die, but no one else who didn't fight was to be killed. But what then? Should he allow these foolish boys to be killed...or have them killed himself?
A question for a later time.
Spinner stood up, notched his first spear (carrying it and the spear-thrower at his side, cupped butt-end down, so that the spearpoint pointed up, behind his shoulder.)
So did 19 other warriors, in a semi-circle facing the camp. They walked toward the camp, stone-faced, as the guards shouted and gestured towards them, and collected in a semicircle of their own.
Their leader pointed himself out by shouting a challenge at them, and Spinner pointed at him with his left hand.
Now, nearly 40 more allied warriors jogged forward from behind the camp, coming directly through it, gesturing to the slaves to remain silent.
...but the four boys shouted and pointed. They had been distracted as well, and were too late, but Spinner pointed at them, as well, as the 40 coming at the slavers from behind launched their spears, and Spinner's group ran forward to throw their own spears.
The Enemy had no chance. It was clear that they'd never faced these weapons before, and they were shocked when the spears struck them with meaty thuds.
Some of the slaves screamed in terror, but two boys were already leaping up and down in celebration, recognizing their liberation. Spinner marked these two.
The allied warriors notched new spears, but had no need to use them. Spinner doubted that more than six or seven of the sixty spears had missed, as they had been thrown from what (for them) was short range.
Many of the spears had passed all the way through their targets, and a few of the enemy had over three spears through them.
Three of the foolish boys were also dead, but one sat, alternately stunned and begging for mercy.
Elsewhere, most of the slaves were weeping with joy, and some were rushing to embrace warriors they recognized. Often cousins, but sometimes brothers and sisters, as two of the conquered tribes had been intermarrying with the Wolf People, and a few with the Sea People.
Spinner himself was swarmed by grateful people, except one young girl, who looked hard at him, and said "What took you so long?"
Spinner blinked, staring back, but Finds Tracks pulled him away, to the "peacock" man, who was being protected from several vengeful former slaves by a ring of warriors.
He was between middle age and elderly. He wore a costume with a feathered head dress, and appeared calm.
"He doesn't speak our language." Sees More said. "This boy" (he indicated a 14 year-old who looked at the "peacock" with open contempt) "was of our cousins who we found first. He can translate for you."
Spinner nodded, but looked around first.
To certain warriors, he said "Collect the corpses, along with a lot of wood, and burn them. Strip them first. We might have a use for their garments. Burn them to the east of here.
"Bring that boy who warned the enemy, but survived. He's of the first tribe we found, and I want him present for this interrogation."
"He's a traitor.", the young translator growled. "The other three wanted to become masters, but that one," he said, with a glare "was learning to be a Priest!"
"A what?"
The boy sighed, and started to explain...
Spinner nodded. The rest of the warriors had to be in position by now.
Goes Alone had spied on the Enemy encampment until the 3 scouts returned to report on the Sea People's rich, tempting village.
He had studied their reaction and preparations, then counted and marked the party (of over 90 warriors) they had dispatched.
He'd waited long enough to count and mark the guards they were posting to about the main camp in their absence (or really, to prevent their slaves from escaping.)
Goes Alone had reached the combined group of Sea and Wolf warriors behind the knarled tree they had used as their common way-point before the Enemy warriors passed that point, and had had the bulk of them move farther north to minimize the chance of detection.
Spinner and the senior warriors had watched the group pass, (fortunately, on the far side of the river.)
There were over 90 of these, but about a third of them carried no rods in their belts, and were kept inside a circle of those who did. This had made Spinner smile.
The Wolf People were disappointed that the Sea People had only brought 26 warriors. None were younger than 16 or older than 35, even though they used spear-throwers too, while the Enemy didn't.
The Sea People didn't seem to understand that if they lost here, both of their tribes were probably doomed.
Words were exchanged, and Finds Tracks had called the Sea People spoiled women. Spinner and Sees More had stepped between him and the Sea People's war chief before they could fight.
Later, Samon (the war chief) had found Spinner alone and admitted that he agreed with the Wolf People. The mothers of the younger boys and the women in general had refused to let their boys and middle aged men risk themselves.
"It was all Light Foot and I could do to bring this many, even though almost all the males were willing. It was Sidling who came down in the middle."
"Like he always does.", Spinner had sighed. The Sea People's Chief always stood firmly in the middle.
"But these I brought are our best. We don't train as often as you, but they're brave and skilled."
Now, observing the Enemy camp from bushes and other foliage, Spinner hoped so.
There were well over 150 people there (the Wolf People had progressed past counting fingers and hands not long ago), but most of them were women and children.
These were predictably kept inside a perimeter of 20 rod-carrying "masters".
Most of the slaves wore grim expressions, with downcast eyes, although one group of four 10-12 year old boys kept separate, and seemed more upbeat, and freindly with their masters.
Goes Alone followed his eyes, nodding.
"The old peacock seems to have control of their young minds. Most of the others resent them. That's why they stay apart from them. I think some of the others will kill them if they can."
Spinner was troubled by this.
The slavers all had to die, but no one else who didn't fight was to be killed. But what then? Should he allow these foolish boys to be killed...or have them killed himself?
A question for a later time.
Spinner stood up, notched his first spear (carrying it and the spear-thrower at his side, cupped butt-end down, so that the spearpoint pointed up, behind his shoulder.)
So did 19 other warriors, in a semi-circle facing the camp. They walked toward the camp, stone-faced, as the guards shouted and gestured towards them, and collected in a semicircle of their own.
Their leader pointed himself out by shouting a challenge at them, and Spinner pointed at him with his left hand.
Now, nearly 40 more allied warriors jogged forward from behind the camp, coming directly through it, gesturing to the slaves to remain silent.
...but the four boys shouted and pointed. They had been distracted as well, and were too late, but Spinner pointed at them, as well, as the 40 coming at the slavers from behind launched their spears, and Spinner's group ran forward to throw their own spears.
The Enemy had no chance. It was clear that they'd never faced these weapons before, and they were shocked when the spears struck them with meaty thuds.
Some of the slaves screamed in terror, but two boys were already leaping up and down in celebration, recognizing their liberation. Spinner marked these two.
The allied warriors notched new spears, but had no need to use them. Spinner doubted that more than six or seven of the sixty spears had missed, as they had been thrown from what (for them) was short range.
Many of the spears had passed all the way through their targets, and a few of the enemy had over three spears through them.
Three of the foolish boys were also dead, but one sat, alternately stunned and begging for mercy.
Elsewhere, most of the slaves were weeping with joy, and some were rushing to embrace warriors they recognized. Often cousins, but sometimes brothers and sisters, as two of the conquered tribes had been intermarrying with the Wolf People, and a few with the Sea People.
Spinner himself was swarmed by grateful people, except one young girl, who looked hard at him, and said "What took you so long?"
Spinner blinked, staring back, but Finds Tracks pulled him away, to the "peacock" man, who was being protected from several vengeful former slaves by a ring of warriors.
He was between middle age and elderly. He wore a costume with a feathered head dress, and appeared calm.
"He doesn't speak our language." Sees More said. "This boy" (he indicated a 14 year-old who looked at the "peacock" with open contempt) "was of our cousins who we found first. He can translate for you."
Spinner nodded, but looked around first.
To certain warriors, he said "Collect the corpses, along with a lot of wood, and burn them. Strip them first. We might have a use for their garments. Burn them to the east of here.
"Bring that boy who warned the enemy, but survived. He's of the first tribe we found, and I want him present for this interrogation."
"He's a traitor.", the young translator growled. "The other three wanted to become masters, but that one," he said, with a glare "was learning to be a Priest!"
"A what?"
The boy sighed, and started to explain...
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