The Battle Within
By Angel
Sixteen Years Later
Kadok work up to the sound of running water. She looked around and noticed that she was still in her hiding place. Itzak was going to be angry with her for not coming home last night. She stood up and stretched out the kinks in her body then crawled out of her little hole.
It was early morning. The sun was bright and hurt her eyes. She could smell breakfast cooking from the nearest hut and thought it best that she head home.
The old widows shook their heads as she ran past. Some yelled at her what she already knew, she was in trouble.
Kadok slowly and quietly ducked into the hut she knew as her home. Itzak had her back to the door, pushing the logs around in the fire. She was muttering to herself as she prepared the morning meal for her husband and children. She turned around and saw Kadok kneeling in the door, staring at her toes.
"KADOK! Whercha estaba tufi? Iya wascha worriba enferma!" Kadok where were you? I was worried sick!
"Sorga, Itzak." Sorry Itzak.
"Sorga, humph." Itzak turned away from her child. "Vaya anya getsa Fizak anya tusfi brozas. Desayuna isya rediba." Go and get Fizak and your brothers. Breakfast is ready.
"Ya, Itzak." Yes, Itzak. This could be a good thing or a bad thing. Itzak did not punish her, but Fizak surely would.
She climbed the tree where the council usually sat watching over the tribe. Fizak was the tribe leader and sat in the highest seat. The council looked at her and she knew not to meet their gaze. Surely they all knew that she was not home last night.
"Fizak, desayuna isya rediba." Fizak, breakfast is ready.
Fizak grunted and nodded in response. She turned to leave but he told her to stop. Slowly, he stood and both took the lift to the ground.
"Whercha estaba tufi, Kadok. Itzak wascha worriba." Where were you Kadok? Itzak was worried.
"Sorga, Fizak. Iya caiba aleepya enya la caverwai." Sorry Fizak. I fell asleep in the cavern. Again he said nothing. They approached the hut just as her brothers were also coming in. She stayed behind as Fizak went in and waited for Nadok, her twin.
"Esta enya troubiba?" Are you in trouble?
"Iya nunka knopai." I don't know.
She watched Nadok wobble into the hut and slowly followed behind him.
Nothing was said at breakfast. Itzak told her to go and hunt berries and come right back. She did so in half the time it usually took. She did all of her chores in half the time, hoping that it would lessen her punishment, whenever she got it.
Dinner was quiet. Kadok was still scared. Fizak was fair but very stern. He was probably thinking up something really brutal. Perhaps she wouldn't let her dance in the next tribal celebration, or not even be able to go. Or worse, he could marry her off so he wouldn't have to deal with her rebelliousness any more.
After dinner Fizak took her out for a walk. "Iya nunka knopai queja aba dova conwi tufi. Tufi eresya delva reshai ovya nosotrola." I don't know what to do you with you. You are different from the rest of us.
Fizak looked at his daughter and remembered that day sixteen years ago when they found her in some rubble. No one knew what it was and said that she was a gift from the Gods. He raised her the way he had raised his sons but lately she was changing. Always daydreaming, looking up at the heavens, and getting sick for a week once a month. He didn't know what to do anymore.
He took Kadok's face in his paw, "Iya amoya. Nevela olvideya thatafi. Nowla vaya aba sleega enya tusfi beza." I love you. Never forget that. Now go to sleep, in your bed.