I do not intend for there to be any disrespect to the persons who were actually involved with this. I wanted to try and capture the faith that the 2000 young warriors displayed when they marched to war.
Please read and enjoy.
NOTE: None of these names are real. The places, situation, and more than 2001 of the characters are.
Kamei laughed as she ran, her long brown hair flying behind her. The stolen sandals clutched tight in her hands.
"Give those back! This isn't funny!"
A tall young man with thick black hair chased after her. Kamei ran all the harder, weaving through the crowded marketplace.
"I have you!" the young man declared, seizing her around the waist.
"Let me go, Eder!" Kamei cried. Eder laughed and took back the kidnapped sandals.
"Stop taking my shoes! I have to work, and the roads aren't smooth!"
"Come on Eder," Kamei sighed dramatically. "You're no fun."
Eder smiled and tweaked her nose. He turned and left, re-shouldering his bag of builder tools. Kamei controlled her giggles and began to head for home, at the edge of the city. As she walked, she could hear the conversations of the people she passed.
"The Lamanites are becoming violent again."
"Another war? Were we truly that foolish?"
"The Nephite Army has come to the land of Jershon. There's tension at the borders between us and the Lamanites."
Kamei didn't remember the time when the people of Ammon had been one with the Lamanites. Her Father had covenented that he would never go to war again the year of her birth. That same year, when she was newly born, the people of Ammon had fled the land of the Lamanites. They now lived in Jershon, where the Nephites protected them.
At the edge of the City of Ammon, Kamei's house stood, simple, but comforting. She joined her mother in spinning thread on the grass. Several of the women began to talk about recent events. Kamei was content to focus on her task silently.
The grass behind her crunched. Two hands grabbed Kamei around the middle, and she shrieked, suddenly finding herself in the air.
"Samuel!"
Her older brother laughed. He gently set her back down on the grass.
"I thought you were out in the fields with Father," Kamei said, fixing her hair. Samuel laughed.
"I am taking a rest. It is only time for planting. The weeds haven't gotten into the tilled earth yet."
"Then perhaps I shall speed up their journey."
"Enough you two," their Mother interrupted. "Samuel, go back to the fields. Kamei, help me with midday meal."
Samuel embraced Kamei and ran to join their Father. In no time, Kamei was happily slicing herbs and fruit. With no warning, a commotion began outside the house. Mother went outside to see what the matter was.
"Helaman has come to Ammon! He has news for the city! Come quickly!"
Kamei and her Mother raced to the city. The crowd was astonishingly large: Kamei could barely see the muscular white-skinned man, Helaman.
A hush fell over the people as Helaman mounted a platform. He looked over the multitude and said in a loud, clear voice:
"Anti-Nephi-Lehis! The Lamanites have entered the land of Jershon."