Chapter 55
When gemengs from another tribe were finally spotted heading towards Gakra’s camp, it was a surprise- for Riley at least. It had been a few weeks since she and Aerlid had arrived at Gakra’s tribe, and in all that time they had seen neither hide nor hair of any other tribe.
All that had changed.
‘They’re coming.’ Riley said to Aerlid when she returned from her patrol. ‘Do you think they’ll line up and attack me one by one?’ She didn’t think she could deal with them if they all attacked her at once. Even if she could, some would be able to sneak past her and attack the camp. Even if Aerlid helped, there were just too many of them.
Aerlid was silent for a moment as he thought. Then he said ‘Perhaps. But only if you challenge their leader to a fight.’
Her gaze darkened. ‘I don’t want to end up protecting two tribes.’
‘No. You’ll have to kill the leader. Then you should be able to order that tribe to protect this one. Then we can leave.’
Riley glanced towards Gakra’s camp. She didn’t know if she had it in her to kill a person when she didn’t feel threatened. She turned back to Aerlid and began speaking.
When she finished outlining an alternate plan he mulled it over for a moment.
‘I suppose it could work.’ he said finally. ‘Killing the leader would be less risky though.’
Once the plan was decided on there was nothing to do but go and do it. Riley quickly disappeared into the grass, heading in the direction of the attackers. She had not gone far when she suddenly heard wild yells and hoots. And they were not coming from the direction of Gakra’s camp! Astounded- could the attackers really be announcing their presence like that?- Riley quickly headed towards the source of the noise.
Riley found the attacking gemengs by nearly running three of them over. It was difficult to see far in the tall grass. She was momentarily startled- and so were they- but she recovered quickly.
‘You!’ she cried quickly, ‘take me to your leader! I challenge the leader of your tribe!’
The atmosphere changed instantly. The gemengs puffed up, cocky grins jumping onto their ugly faces.
‘You fight Daklis? Huh! You soft! He rip you apart and use your head for a bowl!’
Riley stared for a moment. Then she said, ‘are you going to take me to him or not?!’
‘Huh! We take you to Daklis! See you killed! Then we take your tribe, use them as slaves or eat them!’
‘Eat them! Too weak to be slaves!’
‘Pah! I smell them from here! Taste bad! Just kill!’
‘Hey!’ Riley interrupted, ‘you’re wasting my time! Are you taking me to Daklis or not?!’
‘Huh! Soft woman, wants to die quick!’
‘I think I can oblige you, softie!’
Riley was in no mood for this. She only had three of the attackers here, and until they brought her to Daklis, who knew what the rest of their tribe would be doing to Gakra’s tribe?
Riley solved the problem rather easily by punching the closest gemeng in the face.
He went down like a brick.
‘Huh…’ the other two stared down at their unconscious comrade.
‘Take me to Daklis. Right. Now.’
One of the gemengs disappeared while the other started leading her somewhere. The third was left where he lay.
It did not take her long to realise she was being led back to Gakra’s camp. When they arrived Riley was greeted by the sight of familiar tents and faces, mixed with a whole lot of unfamiliar faces. It seemed Daklis’ entire tribe had descended on Gakra’s tribe. It was crowded. But they weren’t fighting. They were just waiting.
Riley spotted Aerlid. Their eyes met for a moment. And then a creature stepped out of the crowd. It was about her height and had green, scaly skin, like a snake. It had two muscular arms with short but very sharp claws on the end. Its face was human in shape and it had dry, yellow hair growing from its head.
‘I am Daklis, Lord of my tribe, you challenge me?’ Daklis’ voice was surprisingly human. It did not hiss or slur its words. It was when it spoke Riley noticed small, white teeth in its mouth. Like the teeth of human babies.
‘I do.’ Riley said, while her eyes moved over him, noting everything. Then, remembering her manners, she added, ‘I’m Riley, nice to meet you.’ She had a strong urge to shake hands, but she managed to overcome it.
‘It will be nice to kill you.’ He agreed. Daklis lunged at her, not a moment after he had finished speaking.
Riley felt a moment of trepidation, but she stood her ground. This was not being careful at all. Daklis collided with her. Riley did not even tremble, though inside she was. She did not know this creature’s strength. Perhaps he would tear her to pieces.
But the only other option was killing it.
Riley allowed Daklis to claw at her. It burned and stung and her clothes were getting ripped, but he did not draw blood. Then Riley shoved it away and turned her back on Daklis. He threw himself at her again, and bit her arm. Her skin burnt where Daklis gnawed at her, as if he was slathering poison over her arm. She roughly pushed Daklis away and turned her back on him again.
‘I asked to fight the Master of this tribe! Why have you sent this child out to me?!’ she demanded angrily.
Daklis’ tribe erupted in angry muttering. Gakra’s tribe remained silent. It sounded like a swarm of bees.
Daklis got to his feet. He didn’t say a word, but his eyes glittered with rage. He began circling around her warily. Riley glanced at him once and then ignored him. Daklis attacked from behind. He came in, claws ready. Riley spun. She grabbed his hand and she slapped him lightly across the face.
‘No. I do not have time to teach you how to fight, little one. Go fetch your master for me.’ Then she threw Daklis towards his tribe. He sprawled on the ground at the feet of its subjects.
A few outraged screeches punctuated the angry drone. Daklis got to his feet. He watched her, and said nothing.
Riley gazed at the crowd imperiously. ‘I do not have time for your games. Is your master so cowardly?! I will be waiting by the river.’ and she pointed towards the river camp. ‘Do not disappoint me!’ and she turned and stalked from her audience.
Back by the river camp Riley inspected her stomach. She found herself trembling as she looked at the long grazes and rips in her clothing. If Aerlid had been wrong that thing could have killed her, and she would have allowed it. She shuddered. When she looked up she found Aerlid was watching her.
‘You were not in any danger.’ he said calmly.
‘How do you know that?’ she felt a little ill. Daklis may not have more than grazed her, but it hurt. And he had wanted to hurt her.
For once Aerlid did not make a big fuss about her asking.
‘It is a bigger question than you think.’ he said slowly as he glanced off to the side. ‘You are a gemeng, but you are of a different mix than the other gemengs.’
‘I think I would like to know now.’ she said. Perhaps knowing would ease her fears if she had to do this again.
Aerlid smiled a little smile, his dark eyes lighting up, but when he continued his voice was serious. ‘Well,’ he said as he made himself comfortable on the ground, ‘do you know what gemeng means?’
She shook her head. Aerlid knew she didn’t know, though perhaps this way made it easier for him to talk.
‘It means ‘mixed’.’ he said, his intent gaze fixed on her. ‘Most gemengs are a mix of human and ehlkrid. You are human and something else.’
Riley knew that word. ‘Like those monsters that attacked us sometimes in the forest?’
Aerlid nodded. ‘Yes. The ehlkrid were here long, long ago. They mixed with the humans and that’s where the gemengs came from. There are no longer any pure ehlkrid here. They left. But I know no gemeng of ehlkrid and human blood could hurt you. You are from my own people, Riley, and the valkar are stronger than the ehlkrid. Of course there are always a few exceptions, but on average, the valkar are much stronger than the ehlk
rid. A pure ehlkrid would endanger you, but not a human ehlkrid mix.’
‘You should feel things as much as a human does, or more. What would kill them wouldn’t you, it won’t damage you the same. That is how it is with the valkar. You have nothing to fear from the gemengs here.’
‘Hmm,’ she mused. Then she frowned, ‘why on earth wouldn’t you let me play with the cats then?!’
Aerlid stared at her in disbelief, before exclaiming, ‘you were a child!’
Riley considered that carefully for a moment, unbothered by his affronted stare. ‘Alright.’ That all seemed to make sense to her.
‘So you are a valkar then?’ she asked after another moment. ‘You are not a gemeng?’
He nodded.
She was silent for some time. She was not thinking about herself.
‘Why are you not with the valkar?’ she asked
He blinked in surprise. ‘Uh…’
‘You don’t need to tell me.’ she said, seeing his expression. She wondered if they were all gone too, like the ehlkrid. And thinking that, she regretted asking. However she had another question, ‘do the ehlkrid eat each other?’
Startled, he said, ‘why do you ask?’
‘I remember the gemengs in that village we went to wanted to eat the deer. You said they weren’t strong enough.’
‘Well, you certainly have a good memory.’ he muttered. ‘But you are right. Pure ehlkrid eat each other. But for most anything else, ehlkrid meat is like poison.’
‘And the deer… that wouldn’t have had human in it, would it?’
‘No,’ Aerlid confirmed, ‘that was part ehlkrid, part deer… the ehlkrid weren’t very discerning, when they were here. I imagine many of the ocean gemengs don’t have any human in them either, and are a result of ehlkrid breeding with other animals.’
‘Alright. When do you think I can go get that other tribe to protect this one?’
Aerlid stared at her. ‘You are not troubled by what I have told you?’
Riley frowned. ‘I don’t understand.’
Aerlid observed her for a moment longer and sighed. ‘Now you know what you are. Doesn’t that… doesn’t that affect you in any way?’
She didn’t understand the question. ‘I’m Riley.’ she said. Human, ehlkrid, valkar, gemeng, the labels didn’t matter to her own idea of herself. All it meant was that she could be slightly less worried about letting gemengs try and rip her to pieces.
Aerlid continued gazing at her. Finally he said, ‘it would be better if they came to you. Do you have no questions about your family? Your mother and father?’ he asked, his voice a mixture of shock and almost, a bit of accusation.
‘Oh.’ Startled, she thought for a moment. ‘Are they alive?’
‘Your mother is, I’m sorry your father… he died before you were born.’
‘Ok.’
‘Does this not upset you?’
Riley just looked at him.
And he could see the words meant nothing to her.