"In a day or two," I said.
"Perhaps," said Grunt.
"He is Kaiila," I said.
"That is true," said Grunt, smiling. Then he turned to Pimples. "Busy yourself,Girl," he said. "Pack our stores. A trail awaits."
"Yes, Master," she said.
I lent my assistance to Grunt and Pimples, and, in a few Ehn, we had secured thegoods about either on the travois attached to Grunt's pack kaiila or on my ownpack beast. Pimples put the discarded coffle chains, and the manacles, which hadbound the Hobarts, on the hides of the travois, fastening them about one of thetie ropes.
"I wish you well," I said to Grunt.
"I wish you well," said he to me.
I watched Grunt and Pimples, with the three kaiila, his mount, the kaiiladrawing the travois and my own pack beast, wending their way away, through thetall grass. They turned and waved, and I waved back. Then, after a time, theywere in the distance, following the trail of Canka and his party. I could seethe smoke of evening fires in the distance. That was presumably the Kaiila camp.
Canka had not tethered Winyela. He had let her run free at the flank of hiskaiila. That seemed an unusual courtesy to be extended to a new girl. I smiledto myself. I suspected the young warrior might already care for the red-hairedslave. I did not think he would be eager to surrender her to Mahpiyasapa, hischieftain.
"What are you thinking of?" asked Cuwignaka.
"Various things," I said.
"If you are not going to flee," said Cuwignaka; "perhaps you should followCanka, now."
"I will wait for you," I told him.
"I may sit here for a little while," he said.
I smiled. "I will wait," I said.
"The lot of a slave among the Kaiila, as among our peoples generally," saidCuwignaka, "is not an easy one."
"I do not suppose so," I said.
"At least you are not a female," said Cuwignaka. "The Kaiila, as others of ourpeoples, do not treat their white beauties with gentleness."
I nodded. I supposed not.
Total pleasingness, at all times and in all ways, and instant, and completeobedience, to the least whim of the master, is standardly required of Goreanfemale slaves, incidentally, not merely of those who wear the collars of redsavages. I had little doubt but what there were many in the cities who couldinstruct even the red savages in matters pertaining to the utilization,management and control of female slaves. If anything, I suspected that the lotof the female slave in the Barrens might be a bit easier than that of herimbonded sister in the smooth corridors and ornate palaces of the high cities.
Each street and each square in such a city is likely to have its tether postsand whipping rings.
"Canka did not even tether Winyela," I said.
"Let her displease him even in the least thing," said Cuwignaka, "and she willquickly discover that she is a slave and that he is her master."
"Doubtless," I said. I thought that this might be good for the former MissMillicent Aubrey-Welles, the former debutante from Pennsylvania. Such girlsthrive best when kept under a strict discipline.
"I was not stripped and tethered," I said.
"No," said Cuwignaka.
"I do not understand that," I said.
"It is not so hard to understand," said Cuwignaka.
"Why were such things not done to me?" I asked. "Why was I not attacked? Why wasI permitted an opportunity to attempt escape? Why have I been treated with suchlenience?"
"Can you not guess?" asked Cuwignaka.
"No," I said.
"Canka," said Cuwignaka, "is my brother."
"What are you doing?" asked Cuwignaka. I had fetched my kaiila. "What are youdoing?" he asked. I lifted him gently to the saddle.
"I can walk," he said.
"No, you cannot" I said.
"In a few moments, I shall be able to do so," he said.
"Ride," I said. I then handed him the lance from the grass. It was metal-bladed,with a long trade point, some nine inches in length. It was riveted in the haftat two places and reinforced with rawhide bindings. The nature of these bindingsand the three lateral red marks near the head of the shaft marked it as Kaiila.
The binding was traditional; the marks were an explicit convention, signifyingthe Kaiila, the Cutthroat tribe. Other marks upon it, which might have signifiedan owner, had been scratched away, probably with the edge of a knife. Nofeathers were attached to the lance. Never as yet, it seemed, had it touched anenemy.
Cuwignaka swayed in the saddle. I steadied him.
I looked out over the prairie. Somewhere, out there, somewhere, was Zarendargar.
I had come to seek him. Others, too, had come to seek him. Kog and Sardak, withsome companions, and at least one other Kur, as well, whom I had seen earlier,threatening the Waniyanpi, had survived the recent action. I did not doubt butwhat they would press ahead in their grisly mission. The Kur is tenacious. TheseKurii I did not think would be in great danger from the red savages. Several ofthem had departed from the scene of battle unharmed. Such beasts were unfamiliarto the red savages. Suspecting that they might be denizens of the Medicine Worldred savages might be likely to give them, wherever possible, wide berth.
They would have no such reservations, of course, pertaining to a lone white manwandering about in the Barrens. Such might be, I supposed, even hunted down forsport. Alfred, the mercenary captain from Port Olni, I supposed, must now bemaking his way back to civilization, with his men. I expected that they would besuccessful in this endeavor. Few tribes, most of which are usually dispersed inscattered bands, would be likely to wish to, or be able to, bring a forceagainst them, some three or four hundred mounted men. Doubtless, too, thesoldiers, now, would keep careful watches. The lessons of their foolisharrogance had been harshly learned; those who have survived such mistakes seldomtrouble themselves to repeat them. I did not expect to see Alfred, or his men,again.
I glanced back, down into the shallow valley. I could see Pumpkin, and hisWaniyanpi, down there, still clearing the field. Behind one of the partiallyburnt, abandoned wagons would be she who had once been the proud Lady Mira, anagent of Kurii, of the resort city of Venna. She naught but a stripped,luscious, yoked slave, tethered by the ankle to a wagon axle. She had been foundwith the soldiers. She had, in spite of this, after having been stripped, todetermine if there might be any interest in owning her, been given a slim chanceto save her life, prostrating herself and performing intimate acts at the feetof a master's kaiila. She had apparently licked and sucked well at the toes andnails of the beast, making clear to all, saving perhaps herself, her aptness,for slavery and the suitability of its collar for her fair throat. Then, afterhaving performed these foul and degrading acts, so fitting for a slave, and,doubtless having been passionately aroused by them, she had not been, as she haddoubtless expected to be, ravished at length by imperious masters, but bound andgiven over to Waniyanpi. What a rich joke was this played on the aroused andtormented woman. How cruel could be the tortures of the red savages! She hadbeen found with soldiers. Stripped, and forced to reveal herself as a slave, andaroused, she had then been given to Waniyanpi. She would be taken to one oftheir compound. They would respect her. She would be called "Turnip'.
"I think I am ready now," said Cuwignaka.
"Can you travel now?" I asked.
"Yes," he said.
I glanced once more, then, over the prairie. It open. The horizons were broad.
I then, leading the kaiila, on which Cuwignaka rode, slumped forward, with thelance, set my feet in the tracks of those who had preceded me, Canka and hisparty, and Grunt and Pimples, toward the smoke of the evening fires, toward thecamp of the Isbu Kaiila.
In a few moments Cuwignaka straightened his back. I was pleased to see that henow held his head up. He was strong. He was Kaiila.
"A trail awaits," said Cuwignaka.
"Yes," I said.