CHAPTER 19: Actions and Reactions
"Mommy, why did leader Treece go away? She was nice and she promised to let me help her make a new sleeping fur."
"My child, Treece and Donnab left because a tunic was stolen, and it was found in their hearth. She and Donnab were found out and were ashamed they stole it and they left us in the night to avoid looks of disgust from our people."
"Mommy, they didn't steal the tunic, Scar and Rutta did. Can Treece come back now?"
"Nickee, how do you know it was those two people who stole the tunic?"
"Because Rayma and me saw it. The sun was down, but the dark wasn't all here and we saw Rutta leave her hearth and a folded tunic fell out from under her tunic while she was walking."
"Scar was with her and he picked up the tunic and kinda brushed it off and handed it back to Rutta. Then she and Scar went to Treece's hearth and Rutta went in and then came right back out. Me and Rayma both saw it."
"What did Scar do?"
" I don't know 'cause he walked away from Rutta."
"What did Rutta do then? Did she see you?"
"She didn't see us 'cause Rayma and me were playing the hiding game. We were following Rutta for fun."
"Nickee, why didn't you say something sooner?"
"No one asked me to, and nobody told me Treece was in trouble."
"Nickee, you did a good thing by telling me what you saw but now it is time to bed down. I am going to make you a special meal in the morning as a reward for telling me what you saw but right now I need to ask you to do something very important. I don't want you to tell anyone at all what you just told me unless daddy or I are with you and give you permission to speak of it. I want it to be a secret just between you, me, and daddy for a few days. Can you do this thing for me sweetheart?"
"Yes, mommy, I won't talk about it to anybody, not even Rayma!"
"Your father is here, and I need to go someplace right now but before I leave our hearth I will tell him what you have told me because he needs to know. When I get back, I will bed down right beside you tonight."
Now it was time for action. After a brief conversation with her mate, Mara left and went directly to Rayma's father. "Wycam, you need to hear something Nickee just told me." After hearing what Nickee had told her mother, Wycam called to his mate, "Arva, please stop what you are doing and bring Rayma to me."
"Wycam, Rayma has bedded down, can't it wait until morning?"
"No, this needs to be handled right now, bring Rayma to me." Arva had no idea why Wycam insisted on speaking with Rayma but did as her mate had requested.
"Rayma, I need to ask you some questions, is that okay?"
Rayma rubbed her eyes and yawned, "Yes, daddy but can I bed down again after the questions?"
Yes, you may bed down again. Nickee's mother told me you and Nickee saw someone go into a hearth that wasn't hers some days ago. Who did you see?"
"Nickee and me saw Rutta leaving her hearth and she dropped a tunic on the ground then Scar picked it up and handed it back to Rutta. Then she and Scar went to Treece's hearth."
"Did she see you watching?"
"I don't think so."
"Why don't you think she saw you?"
"Because Nickee and me were playing the hiding game and we are good hiders."
"Yes, I bet you two are really good hiders. So where did Rutta go?"
"She went into Treece's hearth and came right back out and then we saw her run away. She didn't have the tunic with her, or it would have fallen from under the tunic she was wearing when she was running. Can I bed down now daddy?"
"Yes, sweetheart, you can bed down now."
Alarm was running through the minds of all three adults. "It may be late, but I think we had best talk with our leaders who are native Markaii and no one else at this time." Wycam knew this information would likely light a fire among his fellow Markaii and probably cause an uprising.
"Mara, Vorn has been our Hunt Leader for years. He is loyal to Scar but I am certain his loyalty will change with this information. I will also tell Spirit Leader Normah as she lives near to Vorn and needs to be told. Arva, you tell Medicine Woman Becca. Mara, would you…"
"…Yes Wycam, I will stay here with Rayma until you or Arva get back then I will go tell Cemper."
"That would be good Mara but Cemper is old and needs his sleep. We can tell him tomorrow when we gather at his hearth at high sun. Each person should bring some food and a birthday gift for our Wisdom Leader.
"I don't think tomorrow is his birthday!" Mara took pride in knowing such things.
"Probably not Mara, but it is now..." Wycam was not smiling as he spoke. A surprise 'birthday celebration' was held at Cemper's hearth at high sun the following day. When Mara, Wycam, Arva, Vorn, Normah and Becca were all present outside Cemper's hearth it was time for the old man to get a summer older. Each person held a small gift for the event. "Hello this place," Normah called out.
"Hello, you who are calling! What is it you want of me?"
"We are six friends bearing food and gifts for you, may we enter your hearth?"
Recognizing Normah's voice, and puzzled at the statement, the Wisdom Leader replied, "Yes, please enter." Mara and Arva entered first, followed by Wycam and the group of three native leaders spoken to last night. Being blind, Cemper asked, "Who is here and why have you come?" Spirit Leader Normah answered for all, "It is Vorn, Becca, Wycam, Mara and me within your hearth."
"I know your voice Normah, but why are you and the others here?"
"Cemper, we are here to give you a surprise birthday party and we know it is not your birthday. I don't mean to be cryptic, but I ask we all venture to the deepest part of your hearth. At the moment, no one else should hear what we need to discuss with you." Normah's statement caused a look of concern to come across Cemper's face.
"Yes, please go to where you feel is best and I will follow your lead." Being blind wasn't the worst thing in the world for Cemper, he had seventy-some summers of practice at it.
Now settled and in a private space, Normah continued. "Mara, please tell your story, and then Wycam can add his story to yours." Both stories were fully told in detail and without embellishment. "Cemper, this is why we are here pretending to give you a surprise birthday party."
"What you have told me is something I would believe Scar would willingly do to gain control of the Markaii. I have also been told of many other unsavory and unprincipled things he and his people have done lately. Right now the independent matching statements of two innocent children are proof enough of Scar and Muckee's part in these actions. What do you propose be done?"
"We were hoping you would have some suggestions," Vorn said. "The best we came up with is to call for a celebration feast honoring our new leaders. We could announce the feast tomorrow morning and have it at high sun the following day. Scars people would come and would naturally be unarmed at such a feast and I can see to it our native hunters are the last to arrive."
"They would only be told to bring their weapons and be ready in case trouble breaks out and they would be told not to speak among themselves or to anyone else about bringing their weapons to the feast, nothing more would be said to them."
"Before our hunters arrive at the feast, I can have ten of my men collect the weapons Scar's hunters will have left behind in their hearths. Other than some belt knives, Scar's hunters will not have weapons at the feast and would be overpowered by the number of our armed hunters."
"Vorn, I don't think there could be a better plan, but I want no vote on whether Scar's people should go, they just need to be told to leave and to leave NOW. We must stand firm in telling them we will use force if necessary, as we are evidently dealing with Gypers." Cemper was showing some of that firmness in his statement.
"Cemper, I agree but I would suggest we give them a finger of time to gather clothing, sleeping furs, whatever food and possessions they have on hand and gather their children." Vorn was being fair-minded.
Spirit Leader Normah now spoke up. "I agree with Vorn, but let them take their belt knives, that way they would at least have a chance of survival in the wild. I fear The Great Earth Mother would frown upon us if we sent them naked into the wilderness." Being Spirit Leader, the others in the group felt Normah would know best in the matter.
"I can accept that but understand, as Hunt Leader I should be the one to hit Scar with the facts and tell him and his people to go. If he is to get upset with someone, I want it to be me." Vorn was showing his honorable nature.
"Your thoughts are well taken and shows us why you were, and still are our Hunt Leader." Vorn smiled at Becca's statement; he wouldn't allow any woman or blind man to expose Scar's actions and then confront the man."
It would be Vorn who would confront Scar and tell the lowlife to pack up and go. The plan was set and the native Markaii hunters were now made aware of the impending revolt against Muckee and the rest of his people. The hunters could have been told sooner but Vorn didn't want to risk one of Scar's people overhearing a conversation. Stepping to the top of the three-step terrace, Vorn quieted the people and asked Scar to stand with him.
"People, I ask that no one speaks until after I finish what I want to say about leader Scar and his people." A wave of his hand was all Vorn needed to set things in motion. Vorn was a man somewhat taller, stronger, and in better shape than Scar and was primed for action.
As Scar stepped up to the speaker's terrace, he thought to himself, 'Vorn is about to sing praises of my worth and leadership. The man is as gullible as they come.'
Vorn now spoke. "A thief recently stole a tunic from one of our hearths and that tunic was discovered inside the hearth of Treece and Donnab. Just days later they left the Markaii to evade our looks of disgust. As leaders, Scar and Rona knew of the matter." Now Vorn raised his voice markedly. "EVEN IF SCAR AND RONA WERE NOT OUR LEADERS THEY WOULD KNOW WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE THEY WERE THE DIRECT CAUSE OF THE THEFT AND I HAVE TWO EYEWITNESSES TO THE FACTS IN THE MATTER!" Vorn was angry and continued shouting. "SCAR AND HIS BAND ARE GYPERS!" For someone to say Scar's jaw dropped would be a massive understatement.
"That is not ..."
"Silence Scar! We don't want to hear your lies. I have two witnesses who saw you and Rutta with the tunic. Rutta put it in Treece's hearth and it was Rutta who quickly 'discovered' the tunic while with Treece."
"There is no room for error in this as the witnesses both told the story independent of each other."
"Who are these so-called witnesses?" Scar demanded.
"You have no right or need to know who saw these things and you no longer have a voice in the matter. You and each of the people you brought with you will now be given one finger of time to grab your sleeping furs, belt knives, and children. Also gather whatever other things you brought when you came to the Markaii. Your spears have been confiscated by our hunters but your men will be allowed to keep their belt knives and any slings they may have.''
''Know that if any native Markaii are injured or killed in your leaving, you, your mate, and each of your other Gyper leaders will personally suffer the same injuries. Now go and collect your auroch's crap and leave the lands of the Markaii knowing that if any of your people, be it man, woman, or child, is seen within our lands after today, they will be killed on sight."
Scar initially resisted the three native Markaii hunters escorting him from the speaker's terrace. This was a bad choice but his injuries were not much worse than any other hard fall. The native Markaii were riled up now and their disgust was quickly in full bloom. This was positive and visual proof of the native Markaii taking control of their tribe again. Vorn was now finished speaking and a roar of approval echoed from the native Markaii.
"Mommy, why do we have to go? Why don't the murky people want us anymore?"
"My child, you must understand, you can't trust anyone outside of our own people."
"The other people lie and cheat, and all the while act nice even when they are planning to do you wrong. This is why we lie and cheat them whenever we can. This is how we get back at them."
The Gyper men spoke among themselves about Scar's failure to maintain the takeover. "The Markaii people were fully gullible and using Rutta is how Scar messed up our takeover!"
"I agree with what you say, now we need to figure out what we will do to Scar, Rona, and Rutta. They screwed up a perfect steal and punishment is due to all three of them." The men saying these things were angry… Very angry.
Forcing the Gypers to the south and away from the Markaii hunting lands was good. With the warning Vorn had spoken, the Markaii leaders were confident the Gypers would never return.