The Wild Warrior
By: Nathaniel Niño
Prologue
The night was cool and calm, a full moon blazed in the sky spreading soft light on the earth. A coyote howled on the plains crying its loneliness out into the silent night. Suddenly a shrill cry rang out through the night sky, a small animal flew low and fast across the sky. Some thing whistle three time short and shrill, the animal cocked its head and flew toward the sound its fierce eye’s determined. It flew until it reached a small hut standing out in the darkness a single lantern was lit inside. The bird flew through the open window and landed on the table the eagle stepped into the light and looked around screeching
“Hush Nala” an old voice whispered hoarsely “you’ll wake the others, do you have news”
The beautiful animal held its leg out waiting for someone to untie the message from its leg
The mans old fingers struggled to take the paper off when he did he unrolled it shakily. “This is not good” he whispered he put the note down and ran into the other room in it were three people one was a man barely in his twenties the other two was a woman around nineteen and a baby a few months old “wake up” the old man said “our enemy comes”
The man woke up “what do you mean Awan” he asked his voice deep and rough
I mean that Askook is looking for this hut right now!” he said
The man looked at him and shot up “get the weapons” he said
“Dagda you’re a good fighter but even you know you can’t win this fight you’ll die trying” Awan said
“Then I will die a hero.” He growled “not a coward who ran away”
“Think of your wife and son” Awan said, “they stay with you then they die for nothing”
Dagda thought about it “I will send them away so they won’t be hurt” he said sadly “better I die and Chilaili live then both of us die”
Chilaili stirred “Dagda what are you two talking about” she asked groggily
“Chilaili do you love me” Dagda asked
“You know I do”
“Will you do something for me then”
“What?”
“Take our son and leave get to the stable and take a horse as far away as you can” Dagda said
“You’re asking me to leave you” she asked quietly “why?”
“My enemies come for me I do not want you to get hurt when we have a son to care for, please go for me”
Chilaili had tears in her eyes but nodded “okay but we will see each other again either in this world or the next”
Dagda kissed her forehead “I hope we do” he whispered a tear trailing down his cheek
Chilaili nodded a lone tear fell from her eye she wanted to say more but thought better of it, she picked up her son she went to the stables and saddled a horse she got on it and rode away her son cradled in the nook of her arm.
Dagda looked away from his wife afraid he would start crying he turned around and opened the closet door he took out a two handed sword with three feet of sharp iron for the blade he took it out of it’s sheath and walked to the front of the house he saw Awan sharpening his war axe “Awan this is my fight, leave while you can” he said
“I haven’t been in a fight for years” Awan grumbled “I’m old and due to die soon I want to at least die in battle honorably, besides I can’t leave my old apprentice to die when I could help”
“You honor me my friend,” he said “I hope we live through the night to congratulate each other”
“We will my friend” Awan said “our enemies will cower beneath our blades now enough talk here they come!”
Dagda got into his battle stance looking at the horde of warriors running at them “tonight” he said “I live by the blade and die by the blade” he roared and charged Awan by his side, as he ran a single tear fell from his eye to the ground he met the enemy head on and struck out with his sword. He didn’t know what he was doing or where he was he aloud his instincts take over as he fought slicing stabbing parrying as he fought he heard a cry of pain he turned around and saw Awan fall a gash in his neck “AWAN!” he shouted “NO!”
Chilaili looked back hearing her husbands cry of anguish. She turned the horse back and headed toward him
Dagda fought as hard as he could but he was tiring, he had a slash across his chest and a gash in one eye, he sucked in the pain as he roared again and charged. He stabbed one of his enemies but another threw a javelin and it hit him in the stomach he grunted in pain and fell to his knees. He looked up and saw the warriors walk backwards and separate when they stopped moving they had made a small isle and coming down it was a man in black armor “so dagda” he said his voice like a knife scraping on rock “you thought you could fight my men and live?”
Dagda looked at his worst enemy “I only did this to stall you Askook,” he said “I’d have taken you on myself if you didn’t cower behind your men” he spat on the ground in front of him
Askook smiled “I sent my men in because there disposable” he said “I could have gone in and killed you any time”
“Then why send in your men,” he challenged
“To watch the fight see how well you’d do” askook said smiling “you did well”
“Go to hell” dagda spat
Askook smiled and took out a sword it’s blade was pitch black the handle was wooden leather bound the pommel was set with a green stone “good bye dagda” he said and struck dagda in the neck
Dagda spluttered as his blood sprayed from his neck “ch-chilaili” he whispered and fell on his back the light leaving his eyes.
“No” chilaili whispered tears streaming down her eyes
Askook looked up and saw chilaili “get her!” he snarled to his men
The warriors shouted and roared in agreement and charged at chilaili
Chilaili got on her horse again and started riding as hard as she could she looked at her son asleep in her arm and knew that she had to protect him she started riding as hard as she could not looking back
A man leading the men saw her “there she is boys!” he shouted, “Extra rations for any one who kills her”
The men roared in delight and started throwing javelins
Chilaili swerved to avoid the javelins one of them hit her horse and it tumbled to the ground dead. Chilaili struggled out of the saddle and ran into the woods her son in her hand. She kept running she was slowing down when an arrow went through her shoulder “aaaaaaah” she screamed in pain but kept walking “I have to keep running” she said to herself “for my son” she kept running another arrow flew out and hit her knee. Chilaili tried not to scream, “I have to find a place to leave my son,” she whispered through the pain she saw a lantern light in the dark and ran toward it.
When she got there she looked around to make sure no one saw her and she placed her son on the hay cart with a small bundle she had tears in her eye’s she kissed her sons forehead and said “so long my son Cheveyo” she said a little too loud the door to the house opened “who’s there” a gruff male voice shouted chilaili got up and ran only looking back when she reached the tree’s “so long” she whispered and kept running
The farmer walked to his hay cart to make sure no hay was stolen then he saw a small bundle he picked it up and looked inside a small baby was lying asleep in it, his eye’s grew soft and he looked up into the forest “hello anyone there” he shouted then he looked at the little baby “I’m guessing your all alone huh” he whispered “don’t worry old Chayton will take care of you” he took the little boy into his house as he did he thought of the name he heard “Cheveyo huh” he said “is that your name or is that the name of whoever left you” Chayton shrugged and went into his house closing the door behind him.
Chapter 1
17 years later
Cheveyo woke up breathing hard, this dream looked more real then physically possible. He looked at walls of his room he looked out the window and saw that it was still early in the morning, about 5 in the morning “might as well get up and do something” he muttered. He got up and put on his pants and a shirt he put on his leather shoes and grabbed his bow, Chayton always told him they were low on meat so he figured going out early to get meat wouldn’t make his father mad. He picked up his quiver and his skinning knife and quietly slipped out of the back. He took in a huge breath, gathering the sweet scent of the morning. He started walking towards the woods a smile on his face.
When Cheveyo got to the middle of the woods he chose three arrows and took them out placing one on the string. He started treading lightly looking for any good meat to shoot, as he walked a plump buck jumped out from behind a tree. Cheveyo tensed but stopped moving, not wanting to startle the deer he pulled the string back on his bow it bent gracefully he sighted down the shaft and aimed for the deer’s eye, a clean kill, he released the arrow but the buck started running it hit the bucks thigh and it shot off. “Damn” Cheveyo said and started chasing. He nocked another arrow and aimed it at the deer’s back he released and the arrow left the string with a twang, it flew steady and fast and hit the buck in the neck it fell to the ground whining because it couldn’t breath, Cheveyo ran over and took out his knife “thank you my brother” Cheveyo said “for feeding my family” he stabbed the buck into the eye killing it. Cheveyo put the body into his hunting bag “I’ll take it to the butcher today” he said to himself he stood up when he heard a quiet voice say “Cheveyo” he turned around quickly another arrow nocked quickly he looked around “who’s there!” he shouted “Cheveyo” it said a little louder “what do you want” he shouted looking around his eye’s wild “Cheveyo” it said loosing it’s strength. Cheveyo looked around and waited for it to talk again it never did “I’m just tired” he muttered to himself he turned around and saw a beautiful women her eye’s were green like his but they were full of sadness she looked like she was trying to say something but couldn’t Cheveyo took a step toward her and she vanished.
Cheveyo shook his head “I’m dreaming” he muttered and went to finish hunting. He quickly found another target a small but plump rabbit he pulled on the string and shot it through the eye he retrieved it and put it in his bag “if I could find one more buck I could go to the butchers and get home before Chayton woke up.” He said to himself he started looking for any signs of another buck he looked for tracks, droppings, anything to help him but no luck. Tiredly he got to the stream and bent to take a drink when he saw something that he hadn’t seen in a long time, a large plump strong caribou was drinking from the stream it’s eye’s were old and worn it was nearing the end of it’s life. Quietly ever so quietly Cheveyo took out three arrows licking his lips for the meat to come as he pulled back on the string and shot the caribou in the eye. Cheveyo yelled in glee and ran over to get it when he got there he felt the caribou around it’s body “it has meat” he said “plenty of meat to last me and Chayton for most of the winter” he put the caribou on his back and started walking toward town whistling a happy tune.
After a few hours Cheveyo got to the little town of Graywater, it sat on the edge of the lake that’s water’s were gray hence the name Graywater. Cheveyo walked through the town looking at the chops and taverns that were in the town, riff’s tavern and hotel, ricks convenience store, greasy toms diner. These were some of the few places he and his friends met to hang out. Finally he reached big Sal’s butcher shop, he opened the door and stepped in the day was barely waking so it wasn’t overly packed but there were a few early risers there. Cheveyo waited for his turn and watched Sal cutting and packing the meat “next” she shouted Cheveyo stood up and walked over “ah the mighty hunter have you come to dwell with us peasants” she said giving a mock bow. Cheveyo smiled she always did this when he came back from a hunt “hey Sal” he said “I got some meat that needs cutting and packing” he took out his first two kills from the bag. “Is this all you got” Sal asked disappointed “I thought you were a good hunter” Cheveyo smiled “oh I almost forgot” he said he took out the caribou. Sal’s mouth fell “Is this caribou” she asked in awe “yep found it drinking in old man’s stream” he said ‘it’s old but it was strong and has a lot of meat on it” Sal looked at it “you want all of it packaged and cut” she asked. Cheveyo shook his head “the buck and the rabbit yes but the caribou I want half” he said “what about the other half” she asked curiously, “you can have the other half to sell or keep” he said smiling. Sal looked at him cautiously then a huge grin broke on her face “well thank you Cheveyo I’ll put it on the front shelf a lot of people want to taste caribou I’ll cut it into small mouth sized nuggets so people can get some” she carried the meat into the back to be cut and packaged “you can take a drink out of any of the kegs you want Cheveyo” she said. “Thank you” he said and walked over to them and opened the faucet to a keg of mead and filled his two wine skins one was for him the other was Chayton’s, the old man was fond of big Sal’s mead and usually grumps around for a day if Cheveyo gets a wine skin full of it and drinks it all without sharing. Sal came out of the back with four big packages “here you go” she said “you were right that caribou was meaty it took up to three of these big bags and only left enough room for the buck and the rabbit” Cheveyo smiled “thank you” he said and started taking out money “No no” Sal said “this is on the house that other half of the caribou will keep me good for a few months on money” he nodded “thanks I’ll be back in a few more weeks to get some more meat cut” he said walking out he started walking to the edge of town and got on a dirt road toward his house.
Cheveyo opened the door quietly and tip toed to the kitchen he got there and put the packs down “where were you” a voice said behind him he jumped and turned around Chayton was sitting in his chair wearing his pants boots and a white shirt his hat was lying on the table beside his chair a book was in his hand “Well where were you” he asked again. “I went hunting father” he said “I shot a caribou and got enough meat to last us weeks” he picked up the four packs and put them on the table. Chayton stood up and walked to the packs and looked inside each of them “who cut and packed them” he asked “big Sal” Cheveyo said “and you didn’t bring any mead boy” Chayton asked surprised. Cheveyo smiled and pulled out one of the wineskins and tossed it to the old man “there” he said “I don’t know if you need it the doctor said you were too old to drink” Chayton laughed “too old to drink is like saying I’m too old to breath or eat” he said he unstopped the muzzle of the wineskin and took a long draught of the sweet liquid he put it down and restopped it “I needed that” he said. Cheveyo looked at the man who was calmly rocking back and forth on his chair and decided to ask a question “father” he said “did you ever meet my mother” Chayton sighed and sat back “I wish I did” he said “when I found you were in the back of my hay cart sound asleep I looked around in the woods looking for your mother but didn’t find anyone but a snake” he looked at Cheveyo strangely “why do you ask?” Cheveyo sighed “after I killed the first buck I looked up and saw a woman” he said “she had black hair brown skin and green eye’s just like me” he looked at his guardian “I tried to get closer but she just disappeared into thin air” Chayton thought for a while “my money would be a ghost of her is in those woods boy” he said taking a drink of mead “don’t put too much thought into it just move on” “your probably right Chayton’ Cheveyo said “I’m going to start my chores” Chayton nodded “get to it boy” he said rocking back in forth
As Cheveyo started his chores and, again, as he fell asleep, his only thought was but how can I forget about her?