While Valery can't understand the Wenja language, the Wenja tribes' words are in brackets eg: But they may change in a future chapter :)
The first thing I noticed after regaining consciousness was a pounding headache that made me groan, alerting whoever was nearby that I was awake.
"What hit me?" I groaned, hearing footsteps beside me and I forced my eyes open to find a tall man standing beside me. As I stared at him I noticed he had long brown hair, twisted into dreadlocks that hung behind his head. Shirtless but wearing what looked like animal skins that covered his waist and legs, he knelt beside me his boots close to my forehead. He stared at me for a moment, eyes studying me before he rose.
"Who is this woman?" He asked someone I couldn't see and that's right when I heard a chuckle, a set of bare feet stepping into my line of sight. Too close to my face for my liking but the headache distracted me, making me raise my hand towards my head. Or at least I tried to until I realized I couldn't move my hands, finding them bound tightly by a thick vine.
"Hey, let me go." I growled, coughing as my head pounded.
"She is not Wenja so what is she? Izilla? Not Udam. Too thin." The barefoot person commented and I growled again, ignoring the pain in my head.
"I'm not...whatever they are. Now let me go!" I shouted, which just made my headache worse and I groaned closing my eyes.
"Strong temper. Who is she?" The barefoot man asked, letting out a chuckle as I rested my head against the dirt floor. I must have passed out at some point because I woke to find myself alone. This time when I raised my hands I found them untied and I grinned, my headache faded to a dull ache as I slowly sat up.
"Great, maybe I can finally escape from here...wherever here is." I whispered, in case anyone overheard me. Climbing to my feet proved a little more difficult with my aching head but I managed it, taking my time as I headed outside. Finding no door, that I could see anyway, I raised my palms and pushed at the animal skins in front of me. When I pushed it aside I grinned, feeling a little more confident about my escape.
I had just left the hut when someone grabbed my shoulder and I whirled around to find the dreadlocked man towering over me. There was silence as I stared at him, worried I was in trouble until he cracked a tiny smile. Beckoning me with one hand he started to walk deeper into the village and I followed, a little curious as to why he hadn't tied me up again.
Wonder if he's the one who cracked me over the head, well side anyway I thought as I kept pace with him. After a few minutes we reached another hut and I stopped, unsure until he smiled at me. Without hesitating he opened the animal skin flap, waving me over and with nowhere else to go I followed.
Just inside I saw a woman wearing animal skins that covered her from head to legs, with matching boots,kneeling on the ground sorting through a few pieces of jewellery scattered on the floor. Once I got a closer look I jumped back, finally seeing the 'jewellery' for what it really was; severed and bloodied human ears!
"Is this the woman you found?" She asked, gathering the ears into her hands before she rose. When I took a step back, eyes wide she gave me a gentle smile. "What is your name?"
I couldn't understand a word so I just kept staring until the tall man answered her instead.
"She doesn't speak Wenja. Tensay doesn't know her but she is not Izilla or Udam." He answered and she growled at the 'Udam' part.
Must be enemies of this tribe, I thought as she turned her attention back to me. This time she set a hand on her chest, looking directly at me.
"Sayla." She said and when I understood it was her name I did the same. "Valery? Odd name." She muttered and I frowned, making tall man laugh.
"Takkar." He spoke, his voice almost a rumble and I grinned relieved I could understand that at least.
"Take her to Tensay. Maybe he can help her." Sayla suggested and I tilted my head, wondering who this Tensay was. I found out a short time later when we returned to my 'prison' hut and I froze, shaking my head at Takkar. But he just pushed me towards the hut and I sighed, taking a deep breath before I entered the tent.
To find the barefoot man kneeling on the floor of his hut, a stone bowl in his hand. When he turned I swallowed, a little intimidated by the older man who stared at me with his one eye the other clouded. "Thought you had escaped?" He chuckled and I stared as he reached for my hand. A little unsure I still raised my hand only to see something shiny in his hand and with a quick slash he cut my outstretched hand.
"Oww!" I yelped, trying to pull away but he grabbed my hand. Raising it above the bowl he squeezed my hand, making my blood drip into the bowl. Hissing from the pain, I pulled my hand free and he grinned kneeling to drop a handful of dust and herbs into the bowl.
"Drink." He ordered, handing the bowl to me and I gripped it out of reflex. Gross, I thought as I stared at the mixture. "Drink." He growled, pushing the bowl towards my mouth and I tried to swallow it quickly.
The coppery taste made me gag but he tilted the bowl back, forcing it down my throat. Swallowing I coughed, raising my head only to see the room spinning. Laughing, Tensay muttered something about the spirits as I struggled to stay upright. In a heartbeat I felt the strength fade from my legs and I fell to my knees, clutching my head just as my vision grew dark.
Just discovered that when I posted this chapter online the brackets didn't appear :( Sorry if I confused anyone but I just found this out now.