Blood Brothers of Gor (59 page)

"What could have done this?" asked Cuwignaka, in awe.

I heard Mira, a few yards behind us, throwing up in the grass.

"I am not sure," I said.

Hci came up to join ys, from where he had been crouching down in the grass.

"Aiii," he muttered.

"What do you think?" asked Cuwignaka.

"Never have I seen anything like this," said Hci. To be sure it was awesome to contemplate the forces and pressures that could have done it.

The tarn, besides its rude bridle, wore a girth strap.

I glanced back at Mira. She was on her hands and knees in the grass, sick.

She was correct that she had seen legs. The knees were thrust under the girth strap. There were also thighs and a lower abdomen. There was no upper body.

"I do not understand this," said Cuwignaka, in a whisper.

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"Only something from the medicine world could have done this," said Hci.

I looked up, scanning the sky. Whatever had done this must still be about, somewhere.

"Why has the bird landed?" asked Cuwignaka.

"It is a domestic tarn," I said. "Probably it wishes to be freed of the remains of the rider. It saw men."

"I am uneasy," said Cuwignaka.

"I, too," said Hci.

"This is great boon for us," I said. "Remove the legs from the girth strap."

"How is that?" asked Cuwignaka. He and Hci removed the legs from the girth strap and discarded them in the grass. Sleen could find them later.

I patted the tarn on the neck. "This is a domestic tarn," I said. "It is trained. Not only will it be unneccessary to break it but it will be of great use, in a brace harness, in training the two tarns we have already caught." This is a common method of training new tarns.

"Mira!" I called, sharply.

She ran to me and knelt before me, putting her head to my feet.

"You may be pleased to learn," I told her, "that for our purposes we now have tarns enough. It will no longer be necessary, at least at this time, to put you out again on the tether."

"Thank you, Master!" she cried and, almost uncontrollably, half sobbing, kissed my feet in gratitude.

"Destroy the tarn pit," I said, "and address yourself to the task of concealing all signs of our activities here."

"Yes, Master," she sad, leaping to her feet.

"And take that tether from your ankle," I said.

"Yes, Master," she said, and knelt down on one knee, her hands at the knot.

"We will fetch the kaiila and attach them to the travois," I said. "We will take this tarn to our temporary camp."

"Yes, Tatankasa," said Cuwignaka.

"We do not wish to remain in the open longer than necessary," I said.

"No, Tatankasa," said Hci.

I glanced down at Mira. She was now sitting in the grass, her fingers fighting the knot.

"If you have not finished with your work here before we

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leave," I told her, "follow the travois tracks in the grass back to our temporary camp."

"Yes, Master," she sobbed.

"Tonight," I said, "after food and woman, losing not time, we shall proceed toward Two Feathers."

"Good," said Cuwignaka.

"Our plans proceed," I said to Hci, "expeditiously and apace."

"Splendid," said he.

"Master!" sobbed the girl.

"What?" I asked.

"I cannot undo the knot," she said, tears in her eyes. "You have tied it too tightly!"

I handed the reins of the tarn to Cuwignaka. I crouched down beside the girl.

"I have tried," she said. "I have tried! Please, don't whip me!"

I unfastened the knot.

"Thank you, Master!" she said.

"Quickly now, to your work," I said.

"Yes, Master!" she said. "Oh!" she cried, in surprise and pain. I had sped her on her way with a proprietary slap.

I turned, grinning, to face Cuwignaka and Hci. Cuwignaka, not unwillingly, returned the reins of the tarn to me.

"Can you ride such a beast as this, truly, Tatankasa?" asked Hci.

"Yes," I said.

"It amazes me that such a thing can be done," he said.

"It can be done," I assured him.

"Perhaps the Kinyanpi have some special medicine, some special powers," he said.

"No," I said. "They are men, such as you and me."

"The back of the bird, the feathers, are drenched with blood," he said.

"It is dried now," I said.

"It is not yet that dry," he said, pinching some between his fingers. There was a reddish smudge there, not a brownish-red poweder.

"You are right," I granted him.

"This was done, then, not so long ago," he said.

"That is true," I said. I had not seen any reason, earlier, to point this out.

"The rider," he said, "surely only something from the medicine

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world could have done that to him. It is like finding only a foot in a moccasin."

"Are you afraid?" I asked.

"Yes," said Hci.

"I find that hard to believe," I said.

"You know what it is that I fear, do you not, Cuwignaka, Mitokola?" asked Hci.

"Yes," said Cuwignaka.

"What?" I asked Cuwignaka.

"It is nothing," said Cuwignaka. "It is only a matter of myth."

"What?" I asked.

"He fears that it could only have been the work of Wakanglisapa," said Cuwignaka.

"Wakanglisapa?" I asked.

"Yes, Wakanglisapa, 'Black Lightning,' the Medicine Tar," said Cuwignaka.

"That is foolish, Hci, my friend," I said.

"I do not think so," he said. "While I crouched in the grass, awaiting the landing of the tarn, I found something. I would like to show it to you."

Neither Cuwignaka nor myself spoke. We watched Hci return to the place in the grass where he had waited, bow ready, for the landing of the tarn. In a moment or two he had returned to where we stood.

In his hands he carried a large feather.

"It is black," said Cuwignaka.

"There are many black tarns," I said.

"Consider its size, Tatnkasa, Mitakola," said Cuwignaka, in awe.

"It is large," I granted him. It was some five feet in length. It could only have come from a very large tarn.

"It is the feather of Wakanglisapa, the Medicine Tarn," said Hci.

"There is no such beast," I said.

"This is his feather," said Hci.

I said nothing.

Hci examined the skies. "Even now," he said, "Wakanglishapa may be watching us."

I, too, scanned the skies. "The skies seem clear," I said.

"The beasts of the medicine world," said Hci, "may appear, or not, as they please."

"Do not be foolish my friend," I said.

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Hci thrust the feather down, like a lance, in the dirt. I looked at it. Its barbs moved in the wind.

"Let us draw the travois ourselves," said Hci. "It will save time."

"Cuwignaka and I will draw it, after we have tied the reins of this tarn to one of the poles," I said. "You go ahead, to fetch the kaiila, and then meet us."

"I think it will be better if we all remain together," said Hci.

"You feel there is danger?" I asked.

"Great danger," said Hci.

"We shall wait then, too, for the slave," I said.

"It is well, unless we wish to risk losing her," said Hci.

"Let us not risk losing her," I said. "She may be worth as much as a kaiila."

"Yes," said Hci. It seemed not improbable that the former Lady Mira of Venna might bright that much in a bartering.

In a few moments the slave had joined us. She had worked swiftly. She had not needed to be hastened with blows.

"It is not necessary to tie me by the neck to a travois pole, Master," she said.

I slapped her, snapping her head to the side.

"Forgive me, Master," she said.

"It seems you still have much to learn about being a slave," I said.

"I am eager to learn," she said, her head down.

"I will help," said Hci.

"No," I said. "Your wound might open."

"I will keep watch on the skies then," said Hci.

"Good," I said.

"What are you doing?" asked Hci.

I had uprooted the feather and placed it on the travois, with the bound tarn.

"I am taking the feather," I said. "It may prove useful."

"I do not know if that is wise, Tatankasa," said Hci. He shuddered.

"It is all right," I said. "I have an idea." If Hci were convinced that such a feather was that of the fabled medicine tarn, Wakanglisapa, perhaps others, too, might so regard it.

I checked that the reins of the unbound tarn were bound securely to the right travois pole, looking forward. I then checked the slave's rope, that it was securely bound on the left travois pole, looking forward, and that a smiliar, uncompromising

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security was manifested in the neck-knot, at the other end of the rope, under the girl's chin.

"The knots are tight. I am well tethered, Master," she said. When my hands were at the knot she suddenly, desperately, licked and kissed at my wrists. Her eyes looked at me, eseechingly. She lifted her lips to mine. I took her nude, tethered body in my arms. It is glorious to kiss a slave, a woman one owns.

"Let us be on our way, Tatankasa," said Cuwignaka.

"Yes," I said. I disengaged myself from the slave, and slipped into the harness beside Cuwignaka. We would draw the travois tegether. We did not enter the girl inot the harness. We did not wish to be slowed by her shorter steps and lesser strength. I did not doubt, however, that the girl, not having to pull, would be ale to keep up with us. If nothing else the neck tether and blows from Hci would see to it.

"Do you see anything Hci?" asked Cuwignaka.

"No," said Hci.

"You do not believe in Wakanglisapa, do you?" I asked Cuwignaka.

"Sometimes," said Cuwignaka, uneasily, "I do not know what to believe."

"I see," I said.

"There is the feather," said Cuwignaka.

"It is only the feather of a large tarn," I said.

"Something did what it did to the rider, to he of the Kinyanpi," said Cuwignaka.

"That is true," I granted him.

"And it is still out there," said Cuwignaka.

"Somewhere, doubtless," I said.

"It was Wakanglisapa," said Hci.

"Do you see anything?" I asked.

"No," said Hci.

"Then do not worry," I said.

"Tatankasa," said Hci.

"Yes?" I said.

"Leave the feather," said Hci.

"No," I said. I then, followed by Cuwignaka, threw my weight against the harness. The travois moved forward easily. The tarn, even an adult one, is a bird and is light for its bulk.

"One thing puzzles me in this," I said, after a time, to Cuwignaka. "Why would a tarn, if it was a tarn, have attaked a rider in flight. That is extremely unusual."

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"It is explained in the legend of Wakanglisapa," said Cuwignaka.

"Tell me," I said.

"It is said that Wakanglisapa prizes his feathers and is jealous of them, for they contain powerful medicine."

"So?" I said.

"Perhaps the rider had found the feather and was carrying it, when Wakanglisapa came to reclaim it."

"I see," I said.

"We did find the feather in the vicinity," said Cuwignaka. "Perhaps it had been dropped by the rider."

"That is possible," I said.

"That is why Hci wanted the feather left behind," said Cuwignaka.

"I see," I said.

"He is afraid that Wakanglisapa may come searching for his feather."

I shivered. "Do you see anything, Hci?" I asked.

"No," he said.