Intended Ch. 10

He did not know what had wounded him, but he felt an overwhelming urge to flee. Had he been attacked by an animal? Was it still lurking nearby? Groping around the cold wetness surrounding his body, he found the paddle, using it to steady himself as he tried once again to stand. This time successful, he lurched toward his pack.

His vision blurry, temples pounding, in a panic the Spiritwalker decided to head for the cover of the nearby trees. He felt too exposed, too vulnerable here in this wide-open space and did not even want to stop to tend to his injuries first. No, he could treat them once he had secured a safe place to hide from whatever it was that waited for him in the darkness.

With great difficulty he lifted the haversack to his shoulder, and with halting steps staggered for the border of the forest which partially surrounded the lake. Though it would have been a brief journey for an able-bodied individual, the distance was greater than the shaman had hoped and he began to wonder if he had been too hasty to leave the shore. Yes, it was out in the open, but if he could find some dry wood the campfire would offer protection from nocturnal beasts. And what if something awaited him in the forest, hidden in the shadows? Perhaps he should turn around.

The Spiritwalker froze when he heard the rumbling growl of a large, unknown animal behind him. Body quaking uncontrollably, his eyes scanned the darkness. Finding nothing, he had nearly convinced himself that he had imagined it when he glimpsed the flash of a pair of glowing eyes, eyes which were drawing closer.

Terrified, he tried to run, his dizziness making it a challenging endeavor. The weight of his pack also proved a hindrance to his escape; without thinking, he dropped the haversack to the ground and stumbled toward the woods.

His heart thudded in his chest as his scrambling feet crushed the undergrowth. The heaving of his own breaths filling his ears, he could not be certain if the creature stalking him followed, but he was not about to stop to find out. Just as he reached the first cluster of trees he got his answer.

"ROWWWWRR!"

Losing control of his bladder, urine soaked his leggings as the Spiritwalker desperately searched the darkness for some means of escape. Thorns scratched his arms when he ran blindly into a patch of brambles. His instincts taking over, the shaman dropped to his knees and crawled headlong into the thicket, crying out as the sharp barbs slashed his exposed skin. When he could no longer take the pain of going further, he cowered, curling his body into a ball, whimpering helplessly while the animal circled the brier, growling and pacing in frustration.

Fueled by fear and anger, despite his exhaustion Jakal remained watchful and alert, disturbed by the knowledge that the Spiritwalker was out there, somewhere in the black night. Although he suspected the cat stalking the area would keep the shaman at bay, it was hardly an encouraging thought.

Sometime during the course of rescuing Sala he left the Spirits' realm; precisely when it occurred he did not know. He had been so focused on his mate that he actually forgot he was in the Other World. It was almost as if the Spirits had shown him the way back home just in time to save her.

Though he no longer walked in the Spirit World, Jakal sensed his body was still being affected by something. He had not stopped sweating almost since he left the settlement, and his heart pounded in his chest as if he were still running. He was certainly anxious, guarding against predators, both animal and human, but what he was experiencing went beyond mere anxiety. He could not risk taking something for it from Sala's pharmacopoeia, however, lest he fall asleep, so he did his best to concentrate on his surroundings rather than his body.

First thing in the morning he would take Sala back to the Camp. Despite a burning desire to strike back at the Spiritwalker, the Light-Eye hoped they could avoid another confrontation. The most important thing right now was to get home safely, as quickly as possible.

He was glad he had the presence of mind to bring his mate's medicinal herbs, but her injuries were so severe she required proper treatment. He had never seen anyone so badly beaten before. Even gently caressing her skin as she slept caused her to whimper in pain. After appealing to the Spirits that someone at home could heal her, Jakal filled with rage; the very person who would have been most capable of caring for her was the one who tried to kill her.

He had never considered himself a violent man, but he wanted to kill the shaman for what he did to Sala. Before this night he had not fully considered what he had in mind whenever he and his mate talked about "defeating the Spiritwalker" or "exposing his crimes". He supposed he thought the Spiritwalker would be removed from power, banished by their people. But to see her, like this... A man like that could not be allowed to roam free in the world. What if he found another People; what would happen to them? Whatever it took, he had to be stopped, permanently.

Tormented by Sala's near continuous, heart-breaking moans of pain, many times that night Jakal fought the urge to plunge into the black, setting out for home. But in her condition, he understood that her bloody wounds would only draw predators; he could not fight what could not be seen. Even as he kept vigil, feeding the fire with his spear in hand, he heard them growling and snuffling about, the occasional glimmer of glowing eyes exposing their proximity. Again and again he got up, shouting and waving a torch to keep them at bay.

Finally they gave up, slinking away when at long last the sun made ready to return. Realizing for the first time that he had not thought to bring a change of clothes with him, the Light-Eye removed his own tunic, gently dressing Sala as he shivered in the cold dark of predawn. Covering her again with the bundle of furs, he placed her in the middle of the hide the Spiritwalker had left behind, carefully wrapping the leather around her body as he secured her for travel.

Touched by the first brilliant rays of the morning sun, the land sparkled with dew, its peaceful, breathtaking beauty belying the violence and near-tragedy of the night before. As the Tracker scanned the immediate area for signs of the shaman his keen eyes spied a trail of trampled grass leading away from the camp. It appeared that the Spiritwalker headed toward the woods after coming to. Fresh anger burned hotly inside him at the thought of the man getting away, but when he looked down at Sala's battered face Jakal was reminded of his first priority, getting her home. Putting aside his desire to track down her assailant, he tucked the poles attached to the hide under his arms and set out for home.

Despite his best efforts to lessen the bumps and jolts as they traversed the hilly grasslands, there was little he could do to make his mate comfortable; under the circumstances, even regular doses of a bitter, pain-relieving tea offered only partial relief. Her plaintive cries repeatedly brought him to a stop so he could check on her, whispering in her ear to hold on; soon they would be home.

Sometimes she would appear to rouse, her unseeing eyes flashing open as she screamed his name. From the way she struggled at those moments, trying to break free, Jakal knew Sala dreamed the nightmare had not ended, and was terrified to find herself strapped to the hide. Again he would stop, only this time to free her body, carrying her in his arms until she fell asleep.

The strain of his burdens -- physical, mental and emotional -- along with lack of sleep made the journey arduous and slow. Nevertheless, he lumbered on, undeterred. No matter what, he would not rest until they reached their destination.

"How is she?"

The old woman looked up and saw Keta and Tejed standing at the entrance of the dwelling.

"I am afraid there is no change," the Spiritwalker replied, placing a wrinkled hand on the flushed forehead of the young woman lying still on the sleeping platform.

"Will she recover?" Keta asked, her face sober.

"It is too soon to tell," Fox Clan's spiritual leader answered honestly. "I tasted the beverages she had brewing when your people found her, and I must tell you each contained powerful magic. Ingesting too much of one is dangerous enough; if she did indeed drink both as I suspect, the fact that she breathes at all is an encouraging sign."

The Clan Leader wrinkled her brow. "Thank you, Spiritwalker. Please keep me informed."

The two Leaders left Veba's residence, walking together in silence. Surprised as she was by their unexpected arrival that morning, Keta was grateful for the company of her colleague and the assistance of his people's spiritual leader, though she struggled to wrap her head around the idea that they made the long journey because of the old woman's dreams.

She could not deny that the Spiritwalker's presence seemed to have a calming effect on her people; she was very much like her Clan's previous spiritual leader. Never had Keta missed the old man more than now.

Not given to brooding or second guessing herself, up until this point she had largely considered herself to be a decisive, responsible leader. While she did her best not to meddle in the personal affairs of others, the woman prided herself on her ability to read the pulse of her people. This awareness was one of many things she relied upon to guide her leadership. But after the events of the last day... Not since her first days as a Clan Leader had she been filled with so much self-doubt.

Midmorning had come and gone. To Jakal's disappointment they still had a great deal further to go before reaching the settlement. Motivated as he was, his body was beginning to falter from fatigue.

He had to do something. The choice before him was becoming clear: keep going until he collapsed or rest now and risk falling asleep. Clearly neither option was ideal. But what else could he do? Well, he had to stop anyway; it was time for Sala's next dose of medicine.

"Sala," he said softly, lightly touching her shoulder. "My sweet woman, it is time to drink some more tea."

Her eyes fluttered open. "Jakal, it is you," she rasped, grimacing as she attempted to smile. "I was afraid you were only a dream."

Blinking back tears, he smiled. "How are you feeling?"

She groaned. "Not bad," she lied, trying to be brave. "My leg hurts a lot, though. How bad is it?"

Jakal looked down. "The wound is pretty deep. Did he...?"

Sala nodded. "I was trying to escape and he got me with a spear."

"Do not worry. We will be home soon where you can be properly treated."

"Are we close?"

He hesitated. "We are...a little more than halfway there." Seeing the distress in her eyes he continued, "Sala, do you have anything in your medicine bag that would assist in keeping one...alert?"

"You are tired," she acknowledged. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

He shook his head. "There were predators prowling around the camp all night. I could not risk sleeping."

His mate thought for a moment. "There are a few things I think might work," she replied, "but you will need to build a fire. Do you have enough water?"

The Light-Eye stood up and surveyed the area. There were a few trees, but they were some distance away and would require a significant detour. Dismayed, he squatted at Sala's side. "I have plenty of water but nothing beyond tinder for a fire. There are some trees in the distance, but we would have to go out of our way to reach them. I do not think it would be a good idea to move you any more than necessary."

"Perhaps you should sleep for a while," she suggested. "I will be alright."

"No, I need to get you home. Your wounds may fester if we do not take care of them soon."

"But how can we get home if you are too tired?" she pointed out.

"What if I soaked the herbs in cold water? Would that work?"

"I do not know," she admitted. "I have never tried it before."

"There is a first time for everything," he stated, smiling at his mate, "and this is as good a time as any to find out. Now, which ones should I use?"

Although the effect of the herbs was mild, the stimulation they provided gave Jakal energy enough to continue on his journey. Sala had offered to walk on her own for a time, but because she was so weak and could put no weight on the injured leg, their pace slowed to a crawl; all too soon they were forced to stop so she could rest.

Pulling the hide behind him as his mate slept, the Light-Eye wondered what became of the Spiritwalker. He thought it possible that the great cat or one of the other predators skulking around the lake the night before had killed the shaman. Though he clearly failed to kill the man himself, Jakal was certain the injuries he had inflicted were not minor. The paddles were heavy, and even in the dark he had seen the blood.

But if there was one thing he had learned, it was to never underestimate the Spiritwalker. Not until he saw his dead body could he rest easy, know that Sala was truly safe.

In the distance his bleary eyes spied several figures coming toward them. Apparently they had seen the two of them as well, for the party soon began to run, shouting and waving their hands. As they drew closer, Jakal sighed; to his great relief, it was their people.

Six men, led by Kitad, approached as the Light-Eye rested, kneeling on the ground beside his mate. Now that they were here he could allow himself a moment to recover.

Upon sight of Sala's bruised and battered body they broke out into a cacophony of shock and righteous anger.

"Please!" Jakal cried out above the din. "We need to get my mate home as quickly as possible. I will explain along the way."

Standing at either end of the poles, four of the men lifted the hide, keeping it level as they carried the delirious young woman flat on her back. They listened in stunned silence as the Light-Eye recounted what he knew of the horrifying events of the day and night before.

"How did you find us?" he asked wearily once his tale had ended.

"It was a hunch," Kitad explained. "Belak, Ritol and I decided to split up in order to widen the search. We agreed that the lake was a possible destination, given Sala's reaction the day of the accident. The way people talk, we figured the Spiritwalker must have heard of the incident and perhaps decided to use her fear against her."

"I am grateful you thought of it, my friend. Thank you."

"You are welcome, but you are not the only one who loves her, Light-Eye..." The older man cleared his throat. "You should know that we went to Keta and told her what was going on. Nira and I spoke with Belak and Ritol and we all agreed we needed more help to find you and Sala. I am sorry for breaking your confidence, but we could not do it alone."

"There is no need to apologize," the Tracker assured him. "I am glad you did. It is time our Clan Leader heard the truth. How did she take the news?"

"Not well. Keta was very angry she had not been informed sooner. Fortunately, she also recognized it was not the time to berate us -- for long anyway -- and she quickly organized several search parties. We were supposed to return when darkness fell and share information about anything we had found, but the Traders and I convinced our Leader to allow our groups to camp for the night so we could have a head start in the morning."

"Did you have an opportunity to talk with Nefa and the other women?"

"I spoke to Nefa briefly before we left; she told me you had reason to believe the Spiritwalker tried to use his magic to keep you from following him... Why would Veba agree to help him? It does not make sense."

"Did she not come to see you?"

Kitad shook his head. "I am afraid not. But so many things were going on at once I cannot say I would have noticed if she were there, and we already had such a late start I did not want to delay our departure any longer."

"That is odd," Jakal replied, puzzled. "When I left I told her to seek out you or any of the others; it was she who alerted me that something was wrong, only I do not think she meant to spill her secrets."

"What do you mean?"

"It is a long story, and I am too weary at the moment to talk much of it. But for some time the Spiritwalker has been using her to spy on Sala and me, and who knows what else. I think he threatened her, forced her to help him. Whatever he did, she is terrified of him, and begged for protection. I had to leave right away, so I told her that you and the others would help keep her safe. I wonder why she did not go to you?"

"I cannot answer that, my friend. But since everyone in the Camp is now aware of the situation, I do not think she needs to fear the Spiritwalker any longer. When the others see what he has done to Sala, it is he whose life will be in danger."

Thanks to the assistance of Kitad and the rest of the search party, Jakal and the others arrived at the settlement before midday. As those still remaining at the Camp mobbed the group, the air filled with the shouts and wails of outrage and disbelief.

"Please, my people!" Keta called out, straining to be heard above the pandemonium. "Give them room to pass!"

"No," she heard. "Let them see." The Clan Leader searched for the individual who had contradicted her and saw the Light-Eye, his sweat-stained body betraying his exhaustion, looking at her with determination.

Working her way through the crowd, the woman placed her hand on his arm. "Jakal, I know you are angry," she acknowledged, steadily holding his gaze. "So are the rest of us. But do you honestly believe that all this noise, all this...discord is helping Sala right now?"

As everyone continued to clamor around them, the young man lowered his eyes.

"Come, let us take her to your dwelling," she said encouragingly, glancing at Tejed, who had been observing them from the other side of the throng. "There is someone here who can help your mate."

Jakal nodded. "Yes, Clan Leader."

Upon noting the Light-Eye's acquiescence, without further delay the great Leader of Fox Clan boomed, "Make way!"

Startled, silence fell over the crowd as they quickly parted, allowing Keta, Jakal and the men bearing Sala to pass.

The Light-Eye sighed with relief when he saw the tiny, ancient Spiritwalker from the Fox Clan awaiting them outside of his dwelling. Immediately she took over.

"Place her on top of the furs," the old woman directed, holding open the flap covering the entrance. "Gently! You, and you. Fill these pots with water. Quickly. The rest of you, out. I cannot have you underfoot, breathing down my neck while I work."

The men from the search party promptly exited the residence. However, both Jakal and Keta remained, watching intently as the Spiritwalker began her examination.

Glancing in their direction, she snapped, "I thought I told you to leave. Your presence is distracting. Where is that water?" she grumbled.

"I will go find out," the Clan Leader volunteered, moving toward the entryway. She lifted the flap. "Spiritwalker, I will return later to check in on her."

Without looking back the old woman waved in acknowledgement. "One down," she mumbled. She looked at Jakal, standing at the foot of the sleeping platform. "What do I have to do to get you to leave, Light-Eyed One?"

"There is nothing you can do, Spiritwalker. I am not going anywhere."

She sighed, though her eyes twinkled with affection for the stubborn young man. "Very well," she said gruffly. "I suppose you could be of some assistance. However, unless I ask for your help, you are to stay out of my way. Understood?"