Wolves of Nakesht

Chimquar counted on the hours it would take the Nakesht to recover his precious collars. Night would come, bringing the full moon, Tala Who Loves Earth: the full light of She Who Holds Back Darkness would deter the Nakesht from battle as the distant, disinterested sun did not.

She kept her companions moving all night, alternating the pace to spare the horses. Chimquar held herself apart, avoiding Katalla's questions and provocations. They diminished the distance to Anaria's camp enough to halt at dawn.

"Makajia," Chimquar called, dismounting. She led her stallion farther from her companions.

The girl came, leading her black filly. She held her head high, but her dark eyes were dull with weariness.

Chimquar caressed Makajia's head. "You've not ridden so long and hard before." Makajia smiled shyly. Chimquar still wondered how the girl could be so bold and wild one moment, and so shy and quiet the next. Chimquar bent to look her in the eye. She had tried not to make the girl an outsider among the Euzadi as she had Hazier. Chimquar knew she had caused Hazier's life to be more difficult than it should have been. He was her pride, but Makajia was her jewel. The warrior straightened, swinging Makajia up. She giggled, threw her arms around Chimquar's neck, and pressed a kiss on her cheek. Chimquar held her briefly, fiercely as though to press all of the love of many years into the embrace, then set her down and stood back. She took the horn from the saddlebag and slipped the strap over Makajia's head. "I have something for you to do, little one."

"I can do anything!" Makajia asserted proudly.

Chimquar pulled off the saddle and pack from the stallion. "It's half a day's ride to the ruins, Makajia. We can hold off the Nakesht and Bakran there." Chimquar took her crest ring from her pouch, pressing it into the girl's hands. "You know where I have said Anaria's camp is?" Makajia nodded. "Give that to her. Blow Sharani calls all the way, Makajia. They will come to you." Chimquar lifted the girl onto the stallion's bare back. Every ounce of extra weight gone, Adoni could probably outrun the wind spirits. She put the reins in Makajia's hands. "Adoni! Davan, Adoni! Volasyar!" Chimquar cried in Sharani. The stallion leaped away, running like dark flame before a gale. One person whom Chimquar loved would survive her — at least. Chimquar smiled slowly. She picked up the saddlebags and threw them across Makajia's filly.

"What have you done?" Katalla demanded, rage coloring her voice. "Are you mad?"

"She will reach Anaria." Chimquar was grim.

"She bears no arms!"

"She's no warrior!" Chimquar growled back, looking up from the saddle. "But nothing can catch her."

"They'll tear her to pieces! You know the ways! Why didn't you teach her the ways!"

"What goes here?" Meadusea joined them, watching the fading figure of Makajia. It was already too late to overtake the girl.

"The half-breed has sent the girl to Anaria — weaponless! Those creatures will tear her apart!" Katalla's face was adarkmask of rage.

"Half-breed?" Meadusea pulled that out, staring curiously at Chimquar. "You mean Sharani, Katalla?"

"Yes!" the woman snapped.

Chimquar stood still under Meadusea's scrutiny. "Sharani sword, words, and some ways. There are no Sharani males your age."

"None?" Katalla gasped, eyes wide, then loathing twisted her features. "God damned, skin-changing wolf-bitch!"

A tremor of rage ran through Chimquar. The back of her fist bloodied Katalla's mouth the same instant her left foot snapped into the young Sharani's stomach. Katalla landed in the dirt, sobbing for breath. She rolled on her side,drawing her dagger. Meadusea placed her foot firmly on Katalla's arm. A glance passed between them and Katalla sheathed the blade. Chimquar left, leading the filly apart.

"What is your name?" Meadusea asked gently, following her.

Chimquar glanced up sharply. "That's none of your concern."

"It is hard in these lands."

"You think it is hard now?" Chimquar murmured, her voice rough. "I was first in these lands. First!"

"The way you reared the girl—"

"Is none of your concern!" Chimquar snarled. "On that stallion she is safe. She can out ride the wind-lords."

Meadusea shook her head. "I want to understand you. But the way you have reared the girl to be so…"

"Don't say it!" Chimquar's voice rose in warning. "Should I have made her an outcast in her own land? None knows better than I what it means to be outcast. You don't want to understand — you want to excuse!" Chimquar mounted and moved away. Hazier joined her, but kept his questions to himself.

Mid-morning the wolves returned, pacing them, their cries keeping the horses and riders tense. The Sharanis held a javelin ready, shields rested on their arms. Chimquar searched the grasses with her eyes, her ears anticipating the cries of the Nakesht master and Bakran's men. Chimquar mused grimly, It is odd Bakran has not attacked. Some aspect of his deal with the Nakesht must be holding him back. He must want my head badly.

The roofless hull of a stone house rose in the distance, the south wall gone completely, the east side a sloping fragment. Chimquar kicked the filly into a canter, then a full gallop. Hazier sprang forward with her. Meadusea and Katalla came a few strides behind. The sudden full flight triggered the actions of heir pursuers. A high human wail wounded. The wolves answered and came leaping at the heels of the racing horses. Chimquar drew her sword. The wolves avoided her blows, concentrating on her horse.

Six beasts splintered from the pack, out-stripping the horses to gain the ground ahead of them and turn, teeth bared, to halt the flight. Chimquar's filly plunged into the middle of them. A wolf fixed its teeth in the filly's throat. Chimquar leaned out to cut it away. The filly stumbled and fell, hamstrung. Chimquar sprang free a moment before the beasts swarmed over the hapless horse, landed wrong and stumbled, falling. She lost her grip on the sword and it lay a yard off. She stretched her hand to reach it and a wolf landed on her. Chimquar dug her right hand into the folds of skin around its throat, twisting hard. Her left hand got the dagger from her boot top and with it opened the beast's belly. It was a naked, gutted man with a golden collar she saw dead. Another wolf, charged. Chimquar flung herself out of its path, her hand closing on her sword. She rolled over, the steel blade flashing in the morning sun. The wolf dodged neatly and came back. Chimquar gained her feet and impaled the lunging beast.

"Heads up!" Meadusea extended her empty sword hand to Chimquar. Chimquar took the hand, springing up behind the warrior. Meadusea's gelding covered the last yards swiftly, jumping a small pile of tumbled stone to enter the ruined dwelling.

Chimquar leaped down, turning to face the wolves with steel. The cries of their master rose and once more the wolves held back. Then Hazier and Katalla reached the dubious fortress.

A line of horsemyn drew up twenty spear-lengths from the ruins. One man sat at their head, his huge body muscled to grotesqueness. A bright, crimson scarf made a headband holding his black mane from his face. He rode out a few yards and shouted, "Chimquar!" Surrender and the others go free."

"Lies, Bakran!" I know you too well. "You've already promised them to the Nakesht!"

A gaunt figure rose at Bakran's feet. His horse shied. Wolves gathered about their master. Bakran's horse reared. Hecursed, struggling with it, then brought it back to the Nakesht.

The master raised one hand and dropped it. The wolves surged forward and their master ran among them, crying them on. The renegades followed.

Meadusea and Katalla took the empty expanse where the south wall had stood. Chimquar dropped back along the east wall fragments. Some would come that way and, on foot, she would have a better chance there. Hazier wavered in the middle. Chimquar gestured sharply at the Sharanis. The youth went to their side as the men struck.

The wolves circled the ruins with their master. Chimquar listened to the cries of the battle, scant spear-lengths from her as she watched the wolves. Her instincts were to aid her companions, yet she waited, knowing the Nakesht would come. She had to hold the rear when they came. An image of Makajia on the tall stallion, her neck pressed against his, his pale mane whipping around her narrow face came into Chimquar's mind. Then the first wolf came over the wall. She sprangbefore it, her sword impaling it in mid-leap. Another attacked as she kicked her blade free. Her dagger grazed it ribs and it turned, coming again. The day-old wound throbbed and hurt, slowing her dagger hand. Teeth closed on that arm, tearing the wound further. Chimquar cried out in pain and anger, bringing her sword blade down on the beast's back. Itwrithed, snapping in bloody circles on the ground. Two more danced around her. Chimquar feinted at one, then pivoted to meet the charge of its mate. The wolf dodged too slowly and died. It was easy telling which wolves were truly dead, for even in their death throes they had turned to men. It was like fighting in an illusion or a dream, slaying beasts but felling men, but Chimquar had no moment to consider the eeriness of the battle.

Teeth raked her calf. Chimquar twisted, landing a sword blow on the wolf's head. She whirled back, kicking and striking with sword and dagger. The battle became a blur; she ceased to think, reacting by reflex. She moved and fought in a sea of teeth that threatened to overwhelm her. Some wolves got past her. Only the death of their master could stop them.

The hollow, whistling laughter of the Nakesht Master drew Chimquar. She glimpsed him half a spear-length beyond the wall watching. Anger and desperation became a hot, screaming rage within her. All the long bottled and controlled energies became a violent strength. She broke from the wolves, vaulting a low piece of wall. "Aroana God! My God!"

The master's note changed. He retreated. His wolves drew together, swarming over the warrior, clinging to her like ticks. Chimquar cut them away, the force of her rage making her oblivious to her wounds. The Nakesht retreated again, waving his arms and crying in his strange, whistling tongue. Bakran appeared, stepping into Chimquar's path.

"You're a dead man, Chimquar!" He said coldly.

"Man?" Chimquar paused, laughing crazily. "I'm a woman!"

An incredulous expression entered Bakran's face. Chimquar rushed him, her blade dancing swift and hard about him. He dodged, gave ground. Chimquar moved after him, breathing raggedly, her strength faltering. Bakran's sword left a bloody furrow across her ribs. She brought her longer weapon down, biting into his arm. Bakran lost hand and weapon. Chimquar left her sword standing in his stomach. She lurched toward the retreating Nakesht, her sword arm pressed against her ribs. Her rage-born strength drained away as her pain overtook her. She staggered, went to her knees, then fell on her face. Her left hand lost the dagger as she fell.

The core of her awareness fought the darkness lapping at it. Clawed hands pulled at her, turning her over. The mate to her lost dagger slipped from its arm sheath into her hand. She thrust up into the face of the Nakesht Master. He fell dead across her.

Chimquar heard horns blowing and many Sharani voices shouting. She tried to get up, but her body would not answer her will, and she passed out.

A soft voice chanting her name and wet drops falling on her face touched Chimquar's drifting awareness, disturbing the warm, fuzzy haze enveloping the warrior. A sweet-sharp fragrance colored the air she inhaled, it cleared her head as she took a deep lungful of it. Heaven Flower so far from the western forests? She felt for Makajia. Her fingertips brushed the girl's tear-streaked face. Chimquar opened her eyes. The outlines of the Euzadi girl's narrow, creamed-coffee face slowly congealed.

"Chimquar!" Her chant broke off with a fresh, joyful sob. She buried her head against her guardian's chest. Chimquar stroked her head and shoulder, awkwardly, her limbs feeling stiff and weak. Chimquar murmured soft, meaningless words to Makajia, soothing, reassuring.

Light flowed in suddenly. Makajia straightened quickly. Chimquar levered herself up on her arm. Makajia snatched several pillows, shoving them to her back.

The slender figure standing in the tent's entrance lowered her lamp and limped in. She placed the lamp on a small tablebeside the dim candles, the moved to Chimquar and knelt.

Chimquar looked into the unchanged face of her youngest and only surviving sister, Anaria. After so many years among the lesser races, the imperceptibly slow aging of her long-lived race startled her.

Anaria raised a flask to her sister's lips and Chimquar drank. It filled her body with warmth, eased it, clearing the last cobwebs from her mind. Pollonae. "Anaria…"

"Shhh, Tomyris. Just listen to me." Her voice was soft, yet stern. "You and your children are coming home. I am not surprised to find you are Chimquar. I've suspected it since talking to Aejystrys Rowan several years ago in Vallimrah." Anaria waved aside Chimquar's attempt to speak. "Not all like that fact. But if you are not ha'taren enough to face them, you will be of no use to the High Priest Sonden who sent us after you. Shaurone is growing, changing. Great deeds are in the offing." Her sternness dissolved into a child-like lostness. "Do I have to beg you again? Or will you listen this time?"

Chimquar remembered a very young girl crying, pleading, and cursing her on a moonlit wold. She could not repeat that night's decision. "I want to go home," she said, and then smiled.

GODWAR CENTRAL

Wolves of Nakesht

THE END