"Kegan."
The blonde teenager lifted his gaze from the dirt of the tent floor to meet the deep auburn eyes of the man that had called his name.
Kegan was a strong young man, nearly the same age as Caleb, who lived with his mother in the nomadic village. He was tall and muscular, and often scared off the younger children if he was not careful. His brown eyes matched that of all of the others in the village, but his dirty blonde locks were what made him visible in a crowd. Kegan had a calm and quiet personality, and he was often referred to as the 'Gentle Giant' of the tribe. The teenager had many friends, Caleb having been one of his closest before he had fled.
Now, the blonde stood in the presence of Avi, who had called him to his tent for unknown reasons. Kegan had great respect and secret fear for Avi. Unlike the other teens, Kegan hadn't grown up attached to his tribe leader, instead choosing to keep his distance from the middle-aged man. There was just something about Avi that made the young blonde so uneasy and anxious; something just wasn't right about him in his adolescent mind.
"Yes, my Lord?" Kegan finally answered, gazing into the eyes of his elder. Avi was sitting in a wooden chair not far from the teenager, his legs crossed in a defensive manner. Kegan shifted uneasily as he stood in his spot near the tent's entrance. The younger pulled at his brown knit shirt awkwardly.
"I know that you were close to Caleb before he fled our family," The elder murmured, his voice laced with hushed disappointment.
"Indeed, my Lord," the teenager swallowed. "Caleb was a good friend to me."
Avi stood when those words escaped Kegan's hesitant lips. He crossed the small space and hovered just in front of the blonde. The elder stood barely an inch taller than the teen, but the height was still enough to make Kegan quiver the slightest bit.
"I have a request of you, my boy," Avi continued, placing a hand on the younger's right shoulder. "I need you to track my son, and bring him back to me."
"Bring…Caleb…back?" Kegan whispered, as if he didn't understand.
"You are a strong and willing young man, Kegan," the elder's voice faded to a more thoughtful tone. "I know you have skills in hunting and tracking. You were part of Caleb's hunting party, yes?"
"Y-yes, my Lord…"
"Then I know you will have no problem retrieving Caleb for me." A small smile crossed the elder's face and he patted Kegan's shoulder encouragingly.
"But…my Lord…"
"But there is one thing I need to tell you, Kegan." Then, suddenly, Avi's expression seemed to darken, as if regrettable thoughts were haunting his mind. The elder looked straight into the eyes of the blonde teen, and the atmosphere became tinted with a strange serious feeling. Kegan didn't inquire what his tribe leader was going to tell him, instead choosing to stay silent in his place.
"If Caleb refuses to accompany you back to our home…" Kegan was starting to become increasingly nervous as Avi continued to stare at him with his deep, russet eyes. The elder's hand gripped the teen's shirt tightly before proceeding with the rest of his sentence.
"Then you must kill him."
Kegan's auburn eyes shot open as Avi finished speaking. He stumbled back a few steps and flinched away from the Avi's touch.
"I-I…I'm…" Words were unable to form within the teen's mouth.
"Kegan."
Unlike before, the teen's name was now an order, like a word that would be barked at a misbehaving child. Kegan froze, suddenly very afraid for his own safety and Caleb's as well.
Kill him…
How could he kill one of his best friends?
"You must do this, Kegan." Avi commanded, suddenly grabbing both of the teen's shoulders. The elder's eyes glowed in the low light, jolting a low terrifying sensation in the pit of Kegan's stomach. A hint of desperation became apparent in the tribe leader's body language as he continued to tightly grasp the younger's upper arms.
"My…m-my…" but the words still would not form. Dread pulsed through Kegan's frozen veins, halting every action that the teenager willed his body to perform. He wanted more than anything to just run away and be free of this horrifying situation, but his legs would not dare move from their position. His mouth became covered with a frosted barrier that prevented him from pleading to be released of this horrendous task.
How could Avi even suggest that this young man kill the leader's very own son? Was being part of the tribe that important to the elder? What kind of father would want that outcome for their child? Kegan couldn't see or think straight; Avi's grip was the only force that kept the teen on his feet.
"You must do this." Avi repeated, shaking the blonde forcefully. Kegan shrunk back at the violent touch, his expression plainly displaying his fear.
Unable to do anything else, Kegan managed a weak nod of his head. Avi appeared to become immediately satisfied. He released the teenager, who stumbled again, and then the elder smiled an eerie grin. Kegan remained in shock, unable to respond to or even mentally register the action. Avi then left the tent all together, his footsteps harshly scraping the dirt floor as he pulled aside the door flaps of the entrance.
Once alone, Kegan fell to his knees, unable to hold his own weight any longer. How could he have agreed to such a horrible request? How could he betray his friend that way? The teen felt awful as he buried his head in his shaky hands.
What had he done?
A/N: Thank you Twilight Princess for inspiring some writing topics. Hopefully I'll have more soon 'cause now I have a more immediate conflict, but there are no promises! NONE! I have mid-terms right now and I'm HELLA stressed. Hugs and kisses to all!