“Ho, Nobain, we thought you had forgotten us,” he called to the set, grinning. Large and gray-clad was the male, and light of hair, his sword and dagger easily upon his hips. “The others returned a considerable time before you.”
“We were pursued by those sons of Sigurr and could not chase them from our trail for feyd,” returned the male Nobain, his voice its usual smoothness. “In the interim we encountered these wenches, took them from the Sigurri who had captured them, then thought to share them with our brothers. I trust our late arrival will yet be well looked upon.”
“Only by those of us remaining,” answered the other male with a laugh, his eyes moving slowly over the captives. “The bulk of our warriors have already departed upon the mission begged of us by the city. Will you leave immediately to follow them, or are we to have the pleasure of your company for this darkness?”
“I am of the opinion that our early success entitles us to at least a single darkness of taking our ease,” said Nobain, halting before the new male. “Should you and the others remaining behind disagree, we will certainly depart immediately.”
“No, no, by all means you must take your ease,” said the guard male with a further laugh, reaching a hand up to stroke the thigh of Ilvin. “Should you depart immediately, your company would be sorely missed. Those within will be pleased to offer falar when once you have seen to your kand.”
“Not nearly as pleased as we shall be to accept it,” said Nobain with matching amusement. “Not to speak of adequate provender. You must be sure to join us when your watch is done.”
“I shall be there within the hin,” nodded the guard male, stepping higher upon the beginning of the protruding stone leg. Nobain raised a hand in temporary farewell then urged his kan forward, followed eagerly by those of his set. The males rounded the stone leg and rode toward the caves which disappeared in shadow behind the leg, they too disappearing with their forward movement. Within a hand of reckid were they gone from sight, the guard male looking about once before following. I stood a moment considering the matter, then I crouched down in the shadow which hid me, to await the darkness and the replacement of the guard male before I entered behind Nobain and his captives; I knew the time would not be long.
When the darkness was at last complete all about, I straightened and breathed deeply of the sweet forest air. Within the caves were males, and where males dwelt, there might one find even the air fouled. The silence of the shadows was mine as I passed from forest to rock, on toward the caves. Beneath my feet the ground was gritty and sharp; nearly speaking of my presence with whispers and hisses, yet was I Midanna rather than city dweller. He who stood within the cave mouth, faint light trickling out from behind him, was not the male who had greeted Nobain, nor was he one to search the darkness with his eyes when none might approach without being heard. He lifted to his lips the skin he held, drank deeply, then pulled the back of his hand across his lips, a low sound of satisfaction accompanying the faint odor of falar brought upon the breeze. Not much difficulty was there in slipping up behind the male with dagger in hand, and in a moment the throat of the male was no longer able to hold falar. Without a sound did the male begin the journey to Mida’s chains, and quickly did I grasp the body and drag it some paces from the cave opening before allowing it to fall. Should one come seeking the male the while I and my warriors remained in the cave, he would not be easily found.
The entrance itself was wide enough for three to stand abreast, faint light to be seen within it, coming from a turning to the right beyond a short corridor of stone. Low voices and laughter accompanied the trickle of light, the while the odor of kand came from the left. The place the males had come to rest was clearly evident, yet did I halt just within the entrance I had won, remembering the cave entrance to Sigurr’s altar. Though I berated myself, I could not halt the faint tremors which seized my flesh and brought accursed weakness to my limbs, all through memory of thrice-damned Sigurr. There in the darkness I stood, bloody dagger in my hand, trembling with the fear which had been well taught me in a cave in another place. My free hand stole upward, toward my life-sign, seeking the comforting, strengthening presence which had ever sustained me, only to encounter naught save unadorned flesh. Only then did I recall that my life sign had been taken, in punishment for my having dallied with a male. Had I been city slave-woman I would have fallen to my knees and wept, yet was I Midanna, and one who had learned much of males; I hated Sigurr and all things male, including the manner in which the pleasure of male bodies lured a warrior. Much pain and deprivation had I suffered because of males, and though I continued to tremble at the thought of entering battle without my life sign, the thought of spilling male blood bested the trembling. Were I to be lost to the final darkness with all of my obligations unseen to, the shame would be forevermore unending-yet would I have first taken the lives of many males.
Once made, the decision took my steps to the right, toward the light and the sound of males. The turning in the rock continued on a short distance, then did it lead to the entrance of a large cavern. Spires of rock hung from the ceiling and grew from the floor of the cavern, graying the black of its outer reaches, and within the center of this cavern were the males, resting themselves upon lenga pelts and handing round large skins which undoubtedly contained falar. Their laughter was cruel and anticipatory, no doubt stemming from thoughts of that which they would do to their captives, who sat bound to spires toward the rear of the cavern. Faintly struggling were three of those captives, their attempts to free themselves no more than aborted movements in the gloom beyond the torches near the males. The thought came that swords would be welcome to the hands of those who struggled, and then did I curse my own stupidity and retrace my steps to the body of the slain guard. Though he had undoubtedly made little use of the sword he wore, still would the weapon be more than adequate in other, more highly skilled hands.
With the sword retrieved I returned to the cavern, then began the chore of making my way around to the captives without taking the notice of the males. There were open stretches which must be traversed, and I was burdened with an unsheathed weapon. Across these stretches did I go like the sednet, upon my belly with head low, slowly and with senses alert against detection, yet were the males too engrossed in provender and drink to espy me. Indeed I had reached a place no more than four paces from the first of the captives, when that occurred which took the attention of all.
“Nobain!” called a sudden harsh voice, drawing the silence and eyes of the male and his set, as well as those of the five hands of males who inhabited the caverns. From the dark before the entrance stepped he who was Gengan, he who had taken himself from the traveling set upon the trail. Wild-eyed yet with strangely forced calm did the red-haired male appear, and resolutely did he march himself to a place before the lounging Nobain. The second male looked up more in amusement than in upset, and sounded his usual, abrasive chuckle.
“So, Gengan, you have returned to yourself enough to rejoin us,” said he, drinking briefly from the skin he held. “Had we known you suffered from phantoms of the mind, we would have aided you to a return to health.”
“The sole phantoms which plague me are those of the slain!” returned Gengan, nearly with a sob, his hands closed to fists. “You led them on, causing them to believe that they would have the return of that which was theirs, using them as slaves about your camp to spare your own men the efforts, and then, when you no longer needed them, you slew them! You forced me to unbearable bestiality and lust so that I would in no manner be able to council and caution them, yet I understood this far too late to protect their lives. You are no other thing than evil, Nobain, yet will your evil not long continue!”