Winged Raiders of the Desert (8 page)

S
wiftwind found Lareen sitting beside Jake, the two of them with their backs to the wall of stone that rose high above them. They were staring out over the desert, and when Swiftwind lighted beside them he demanded, “What are you two doing here?”

“Oh, Garfield has been telling me how it was back in the world he came from. It's so exciting!”

Swiftwind had been rather jealous of Jake, although he knew it was foolish to feel such a thing for a mere slave. He was by far the most accomplished young man among the Raiders. He was able to fly faster, soar higher, and perform gymnastic feats beyond what any other young man could accomplish. Now, however, he said grumpily, “What did they have that we don't have here?”

“Oh, they had a lot of things,” Lareen said. “Garfield was just telling me about something called a 'television.'”

“Television?” Swiftwind asked curiously. “What is a television?”

“It's a box, and you can see pictures on it.”

“I don't care anything about drawing pictures. That's for girls.”

“You'd like this,” Lareen insisted. “You can see a picture that moves and talks.”

“Moves and talks?” Swiftwind stared in disbelief at the two. He put his eyes on Jake saying, “You're making all that up. Pictures can't move and talk.”

Jake shrugged. “Well, I know it's hard to believe for someone who hasn't seen it. But if I went back there and
tried to tell my friends that there were people who could fly, they wouldn't believe that either.”

“They don't fly in your world? What a dull place it must be!”

“Well,” Jake said, “we flew, but not like you do. We didn't have wings.”

“How could anybody fly without wings? Don't be a fool.”

“I wish you could see a jet. Then you'd see something really fly.”

“I don't know what a jet is, but if you like it so well there, I'm sorry you ever came here.”

“Me too,” Jake said angrily. He had a fiery temper and said defiantly, “That's the only thing you can do that we couldn't do—fly.”

Swiftwind moved quicker than Jake could imagine. He grabbed the younger boy by the arms and dangled him over the cliff. “Let's see you fly—
without
wings!” he cried angrily.

“Let him go, Swiftwind!” Lareen cried out. She put her hands on Swiftwind's shoulders, and soon the three of them were engaged in a pulling contest.

In disgust, Swiftwind tossed Jake back on the ledge. “If you ask my opinion, they'd be better off hauling water and finding firewood. They'll never make warriors. They're too weak.” He leaped into the air and, with a graceful turn, caught the breeze and sailed away. He was angry and for the rest of the day was snappy and irritable.

It was in this sort of mood that Jalor found him. The small, dark visitor came to where Swiftwind was sitting and saw at once the restlessness and anger in the eyes of the young man. He was clever, this Jalor, knowing men well and how to handle them, and his plan was continuing to evolve in his mind.

“Well, Swiftwind,” he said, smiling, “how goes it with you?” He added slyly “I see you've been talking to Lareen. She's a great admirer of the Sleepers, especially the redheaded one they call Garfield.”

He knew the words would cause Swiftwind's temper to flare, which it did.

Swiftwind kicked at a stone and sent it flying. “They're worse than women,” he said. “I don't know why my father doesn't put them back to work. They'll never be Raiders.”

“I think you're right about that,” Jalor agreed quickly. “Come, tell me what you've been doing.”

The two walked along, and as the young man talked, the plan took final shape in the mind of the small, dark Jalor.

“It's a little dangerous to have visitors like that,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “They confuse things. Now, I've been watching how things are going, and it seems to me that there's a chance here for a young man with courage and daring to achieve something.”

Quickly Swiftwind glanced at him. “What do you mean, Jalor?”

“Well, what's the one thing that would impress your father and the rest of the tribe?”

Instantly Swiftwind said, “To recover the lost crown of the Raiders. Ever since it was stolen by the Shadow Wings, it's been a shame on our people.” He referred to a crown of gold that had been the greatest treasure of the Winged Raiders. It went far back in their history. It had been lost in a raid when the Shadow Wings had appeared suddenly. There had been a fierce battle. Many had been wounded and some killed, and the crown had been stolen.

“Exactly! I think if you could get that crown back there would be no question in Lareen's eyes when she looks at you. And your father would be pleased too.”

Swiftwind was suddenly aflame with desire. “Do you know where the crown is, Jalor?”

“Well, I think I may say that I do. Not that I have anything to do with the Shadow Wings, but I met one of their elders once. He told me the whole story. Actually, it shouldn't be too hard to get it back. They're not expecting anyone to come. It's not in a well-guarded place.”

“But, how could we get it? My father won't go to war. I've tried to talk him into that.”

“I think I can be of some help to you. I have a map,” Jalor said, lowering his voice to a whisper and looking around as though he expected the enemy to be behind him. “If you had just a little help, I think you might make it inside their lines.”

“Would you go with me?”

“Why, of course,” Jalor said.

“Good, I'll get some of my friends—”

“No, it would get back to your father. They are very loyal to him.”

“But we have to have some help.”

Jalor nodded. “This may sound surprising, but suppose we ask the Sleepers to go?”

“The
Sleepers?
” Swiftwind stared at him with astonishment. “What good are they? They're not warriors!”

“No, but they have some power. I don't understand it exactly, but the servants of Goél get things done when strong men fail. On a mission like this, I think they might be quite helpful.”

Swiftwind looked doubtful, but he was burning with desire to go on with the feat. “All right. I'll talk to them. They've been saying they want to do something. This will give them a chance. But once we get the crown, I will tell my father to send them back to the chores of slaves.”

“Good,” Jalor said, “and I think you must move quickly. Let me know when the plan is ready.”

“Yes, I'll talk to them today.”

Swiftwind was as good as his word. He did not say a word to Lareen, for he knew she would be against the plan. Instead he went to Josh.

“Josh, you're the leader of your people. I have something to tell you.” He set forth the plan, leaving out Jalor's part in it, and his eyes glowed with excitement. “We want the same thing,” he said. “You want to convince my father and the tribe that Goél is strong, and I want to get the crown back. If we could do that, everyone would admit that Goél is worthy.”

Josh was wary. “Well, it sounds good,” he admitted reluctantly. “We're not getting very far where we are, but you understand we're not Raiders. That is, we're not strong warriors.”

“I know that, but if Goél has any power, it's with you.
I'm
going,” he said defiantly, “even if I have to go alone.”

“Wait!” Josh said. He stood hesitantly, then added, “We'll have a meeting. I can't decide this by myself.”

“Good, but it must be fast. There's no time to waste.”

Josh left Swiftwind and called the group together. He led them to an open spot in the desert where no one could possibly overhear, and he set Swiftwind's proposition before them. He ended his story by saying slowly, “I just don't know whether it's the right thing to do or not. It sounds good, but if something goes wrong, it could be bad.”

A debate started at once. Reb Jackson, as Josh had guessed, was all in favor of going, but Abigail and Sarah were not so sure.

Sarah said slowly, “I wish Goél were here to tell us what to do. It's awful just having to guess like this. Maybe we'd better wait. He may come at any time.”

Reb shook his head, saying loudly, “Why, shoot, if we wait around, we'll never get anything done. This is our chance, and we better take it.”

Dave slowly nodded his head. “I think I agree with Reb. It looks like just the thing to win the confidence of the people.”

The debate went on for some time. For some reason, the plan did not sit well with Jake. He said, “I know we need to do something, but I'm not sure this is it. Swiftwind is too impulsive. We don't know anything about those Shadow Wings. And neither does he, except that he hates them.”

“He really does,” Sarah said, “and that's bad. We've got to convince him and these other people somehow that hatred won't do.”

“Well, we've got our hands full, but I think I'll vote for going,” Wash said.

“Well, then,” Josh spoke up, “I guess that's the majority. I'll go tell Swiftwind, and I guess we'd better get ready to go. He's really anxious.”

* * *

The sky was still dark, although dawn was beginning to glimmer in the east as the Sleepers glided through the cool air. They were led by Swiftwind and Jalor, who had brought them in a roundabout way to the camp of the Shadow Wings.

“There is the camp below,” Jalor cried out. He gestured toward the earth and even in the dim murkiness Josh could see small glowing fires.

“Let's go!” Swiftwind cried out.

Jalor said quickly, “We've gone over the plan. I'll stay up here as a sentinel. When you get the crown, fly back. If anyone follows, I'll fight a rearguard action myself.”

“Right!” Swiftwind cried. Then he turned to the others. “Come now!” He folded his wings and descended in a swift dive, falling almost like a stone.

Josh and the others had not learned that trick, but they followed as well as they could. They landed on a space outside the camp and gathered around Swiftwind.

“Now, you know the plan,” he said. “We'll have to take a roundabout way to come in from the back.” He held up the map. “The crown is in a cave—right here.”

“Is it guarded?” Josh asked cautiously.

“Only by one guard, and I'll take care of him.” Swiftwind nodded confidently. “Come! We need to be out before the camp awakes.”

The Sleepers followed in single file, and soon they found themselves standing beside a large outcropping of rock. Far to the right was a dark hole in the rock, and Swiftwind said, “That's where the crown is.” His eyes glowed with excitement. “See! There's the one guard. I'll take care of him, pop in, get the crown, and then I'll be right back.”

“No, we'll all go with you,” Reb said. “You take care of the guard. There might be more inside.”

“All right.” Swiftwind agreed.

The plan went just right. Swiftwind crept silently up beside the guard and leaped on him. The guard never knew what hit him. There was a short, fierce struggle. Soon the guard lay trussed up with pieces of rope, bound and gagged.

“Come on, let's get the crown,” Swiftwind said. He turned and disappeared into the cave, and Josh followed.

“I don't like this, Sarah,” he said. “We're trapped in this cave.”

Sarah shivered. “I don't like it either. I'll be glad when it's over.”

“I can't see where I'm going,” Reb complained. “I don't want to step in a hole full of snakes or something.”

“Snakes!” Abigail shrieked. “What snakes?”

“Oh, there ain't no snakes,” Wash said. “Don't be scaring her, Reb.”

“How do you know there aren't snakes?” Dave grumbled. He seemed to feel the same sort of apprehension that Sarah felt. “There might be a dragon down here for all we know.”

“Hush, be quiet,” Josh whispered. He turned to Swiftwind. “What do we do now?”

Swiftwind looked ahead, peering into the darkness. “There's a light up ahead. That's probably where they keep the treasure. Come on.”

He led them down the twisting corridor and then cried out, “There it is!” He broke into a run, and the others followed.

They found themselves in a room that was piled high with plunder of all sorts—jewelry, clothing, armor, weapons —and Dave said, “Yikes, I wish we had a pickup truck.”

“We don't want anything but the crown,” Josh warned. “Do you see it, Swiftwind?”

Swiftwind peered about. “Yes, there it is!” He ran at once across the cluttered room, and there, high on a rock, all by itself, was a golden crown. It seemed to glow with a light of its own. Swiftwind snatched it, his eyes burning with excitement. He turned to say, “Now, we're going back.”

“Well, let's do it quick,” Josh said. “I don't like this.”

They started to leave the room, but suddenly they were met by a tall, strong-looking guard who held a gleaming sword. He grinned through broken teeth and said, “Well, what have we here?”