Chaldrin chuckled at Dotil’s words as he dismounted, and even Wedin showed a grin of amusement. I, too, smiled at the picture evoked by the light-haired Summa warrior, for the paslat is a small, gentle child of the wild, easily frightened and easily hunted. I joined the three by their kand and looked upon the paslat, pleased to note that the beast was indeed larger than most of its kind. Easily would its flesh feed the four of us, even with my hunger as high as it was. Dotil took her dagger to the carcass and began skinning it, and Chaldrin took my arm in indication that he wished to walk with him to the opposite side of the glade.
“How do you fare, wench?” the male demanded as soon as we were beyond hearing of the others. “When last I saw such rage upon you, bodies dropped lifeless to the ground about us. It was not my intention to give you such woe, and I have come to a decision. Should it become necessary, I will face the Sword as I faced so many others in my time in the Caverns, for I am indeed not without skill.”
His voice was firm and confident with decision, and I halted to turn and look up at him. His dark-eyed gaze did not avoid mine, and decision was as strong there as it had been in his voice. I continued to look upon him for a brief moment, and then made a sound of annoyance.
“You are much of a fool, male,” said I, allowing him to see my displeasure. “Think you I allow you to ride beside me for the reason that I have grown tired of seeing to battle my own self? Should it become necessary to face Mehrayn, it is I who shall do so.”
“He will refuse to face you,” said Chaldrin, folding massive arms across an equally massive chest. “Should it truly be your desire to have naught further to do with him, it will be best if I face him immediately, else must you resign yourself to empty furs. I shall ever be as eager for your use as I was in the Caverns, yet do I refuse to sneak about behind the back of another man. The Sword will allow no other to life with you while he lives, therefore must he be faced.”
The foolishness the male spouted was so incredible I laughed. “Chaldrin, you are most amusing,” said I, reaching my hand up to touch his shoulder. “You have succeeded in lightening my mood, and for that you have my thanks.”
“You believe I jest?” said he, continuing to frown. “You see the matter in another light?”
“Most certainly,” said I with a comfortable chuckle. “Though you continually succeed in putting the point from your mind, I am a war leader of the Midanna. No male is permitted to speak upon the matter of who will fill the sleeping leather of a war leader who is not a captive, and Mehrayn is well aware of this. Should the male appear, he will not attempt to counter my decision.”
“He spoke of this to you?” asked Chaldrin, surprised. “You have his word upon the matter?”
“For what reason would his word be necessary?” I asked in turn, enjoying the feel of my hand against the warm, muscled flesh of the male. Much pleasure was Chaldrin capable of bringing to a warrior, and little need was there to deny myself upon that journey. “Mehrayn is aware of the duties and rights of a war leader, the responsibilities and freedoms demanded by the position. Should he appear, he will abide by that knowledge.”
“And I, the only other man about, am to test that theory,” said Chaldrin with something of a groan, closing his eyes briefly as though at the urging of deep pain. Then did his arms unfold and his hand came to mine, and gently was my hand taken from his shoulder. “With each moment that passes do I learn more of how little you know of men,” said he with a sigh. “There is a great deal of difference between being captive to men and being cherished by one; you have learned much of the first, naught of the second. It is my fond hope that I shall survive till the new learning has had opportunity to come to you.”
He then put his hand to my face before turning away from me, back toward Dotil and the paslet she skinned. I had no understanding of why the male seemed so despondent, yet was that the way of males, to fret over the unimportant. Again I chuckled at Chaldrin’s foolishness, and then followed him to where Dotil skinned our provender.
Our halt for provender continued to be a time of amusement. When once the paslat had been skinned and quartered, the Summa and I began our feeding at once, relishing the taste of the bloody flesh. Not often among males does a warrior find opportunity to feed upon uncooked meat, for males must ever burn their provender to ashes before they find it palatable. The sweet blood ran down our fingers and marked our faces, and a full two reckid of silence passed before it came to me that Chaldrin stared upon us rather than upon his portion, his own provender as yet untouched. A good deal of dismay looked out from the eyes of the male, undoubtedly due to witnessing for the first time the manner in which Midanna feed, and then did a throat-clearing sound come from him.
“Have none of you wenches a need for a fire?” he asked, his voice filled with upset as he looked from one to the other of us. “Is there a ritual you follow which requires uncooked meat for your mid-fey meal?”
“Midanna prefer their provender as Mida has provided it,” said I, refraining from adding that this preference held sway most often only upon the trail. When in their home tents, warriors would also see their provender cooked, yet not to the extent sought by males. “Surely Chaldrin will have no difficulty in emulating mere females.”
Again dismay gripped the male, he failing to see the amusement in the eyes of Dotil and Wedin. The Summa knew I twigged the male, therefore did they refrain from comment. Chaldrin looked again upon the paslat which was his, likely considering the matter, yet did the effort prove beyond him.
“I cannot,” said he, a great deal of distaste behind the words. “Never have I eaten uncooked flesh, as it is said some hunters are able to do. I am no hunter, and I cannot do as they and you. I shall have to build a fire.”
“To stand above a fire in the heat of this land will prove no pleasant chore,” said Wedin, her amusement continuing cloaked, her tongue licking the blood from her fingers. “Such inability to feed properly is no doubt Mida-sent, as a punishment for males who presume and attempt over-familiarity with the warrior they follow. Are you not aware of the fact that Jalav is Mida’s chosen, as well as war leader to Midanna?”
“So I have been told, wench,” said Chaldrin, as he rose to his feet. “I have attempted to mend the matter of over-familiarity, yet do others refuse to have it so. With war leaders and goddesses, a man stands little chance of finding victory in life.”
The sourness in Chaldrin’s glance to me again brought a smile, yet did I see him gone about the matter of gathering wood for a fire without additional comment. The paslat was toothsome and already doing well to heal my hunger, the glade was lovely in its gold and green, and even the grass I sat cross-legged upon brought comfort. I tore off another mouthful of meat with my teeth, chewed with pleasure, then abruptly felt the urge to sigh. The peace of the glade would not be long in continuing, and that was a great pity.
“The Hitta approaches with what seems determination,” said Wedin about a mouthful, her tone held low. “You will, of course, do with her as you earlier proposed.”
“Of course,” I replied, following the movements of Ilvin with no more than the corners of my eyes. Once within the glade she rode to where our kand were tied, dismounted and tied her beast beside the others, then hitched up her swordbelt and strode toward me with the determination Wedin had spoken of. As we sat not far from our mounts, her light-haired form was quickly before me.
“War leader, I have come to accept the punishment decreed for me,” said she, a look about her which spoke of a grim willingness to accept in silence the cruel stroke of the lash. “It is my duty to stand beside you come what may, therefore shall I do so.”
“It is your duty to obey your war leader, sister,” said I, barely glancing upon her as I continued with the paslat. “Apparently you have not yet learned this truth. Should Mida smile, the learning shall come to you in due course, along with a proper regret for having done as you have. You may now approach the male.”