Chapter 6

Harmony is considered when disparate sources learn to work together for the benefit of all. Such is the fragile nature of things like the human body. When it becomes threatened it does what it has to do in order to protect the whole and be rid of the threat. It is the way of things though sometimes you have to force disharmony in order to achieve a greater goal.

By the count of the moons, she could tell that she was going into her third month in the pit that had become jokingly home. She looked up at the sky and could tell that it was early morning. The night was starting to lose its cloak to welcome the sun. Soon she would give praise to the sun and then endure another meal that poorly disguised the poisons they tried to bring on her.

Her name was… She had a name that everyone knew her by, several actually. It was done to fit two worlds, one that was considered dying and the other who had a bunch of arrogant shits who thought they knew everything. There was one though that she carried proudly. She had it shortened for those of her adopted tribe to say but she still carried it with pride. Her true name was the one her father had given her and in the presence of Matoskah; the name she was born to.

She was a hunter, a warrior… the kin to the eagle. Few were ever able to claim that right she had been told. She had been told a lot of things. Most of it was in stories but they were all lessons. All were to teach her what she was. She was one to fight and fight she would. It was how she was taught; it was how she had been born to be. She would be what she had been taught and told she was. She would stay strong. She had to for her adopted tribe, her brothers… for him.

It had only been eight… or was it seven… nights but it was a natural thing. It felt like she had always belonged there by his side even when they barely knew each other; it felt right. His arms held her like she held him and he respected her virtue. Just being next to each other was enough and he was content with that but they held each other's hearts.

He was a hunter like she was. He was her equal in every way. He was strong but she feared that her being here would hurt him worse than any physical injury dealt to him. She understood that now having the time to think about it. She understood why he made the choice to tether her wings and prevent her from following as she knew she would. Only one who was her equal would be able to look at her with the regret he did and kiss her with the silent request for forgiveness. She was not angry with him but worried.

She decided she had been careless. That was why she was there. She had been careless and allowed Otaktay to grab her and incapacitate her. But she was also a protector as she had been for those that had been in her care. It had extended to those that she fought alongside with. They were warriors and as brothers in arms you fought together. She had followed to protect her equal and his brother.

She had always followed what she had sensed. It was the nature of a hunter. It had kept her alive all the years she served. She served for honor and to protect others. It was her nature and her way. She had been careless but only because she loved. She loved him. For that alone she would stand strong. It was a secret that she had learned.

Find the source of what you will fight for and let it be your strength… Love little Hawk. In the end, even when all looks like the end, love will be your power…

She had been told that when she thought there was no caring in the world. It held great truth for the one who taught it to her. She had learned to see that through the subtleties that presented themselves to the world. It taught her that not everything is as it appeared and she had been told this too. As she had mulled over, she had been told many things.

Everything is permitted, child. Truth is what it is but not always what it appears to be.

As she lay on her side, she looked up at the sky as it lightened into the early hours of morning. She played with her dog tags wondering if they had found what she had left behind. It wasn't much but it was a promise that she would not give in and if she was close then she would go down fighting. She hoped he found it and had it and that it would bring some comfort.

We are to know but we know nothing.

She had to smile wryly at that. It sounded enigmatic and in truth it was. It was handy when it came to certain practical means but now it was like a strange reminder. She knew she left something behind but she didn't know if it had been found. So in the end, she knew nothing beyond what her actions carried. It spoke of consequences to actions. Some people tried to predict their actions and called it consideration while others had no care and continued through life. Here every action she did had a goal in mind.

"Are you awake yet Little Charlie?"

She heard the voice and rolled her eyes slightly. She disliked that name but she would not give Otaktay the satisfaction of knowing who she was. Not at this time. There will come a time when he would know the hunter he tried to force into submission. When two hunters meet, neither would be the first to submit. His name for her was a blow to gain her submission. She had a name though.

"You better be awake, Little Charlie and you better eat this or you'll wish I broke your arm."

There was another barb. She blinked as she slowly sat up and stretched languidly like a cat would. She recalled how her equal teased her when she stretched. His touch had sent a thrill down her spine. That was her counter. The other counter lay in the covered tray that had been placed on the ledge for her.

"Hurry up I don't have all day."

Slowly she stood up and stretched. Otaktay thought she would have it rough sleeping in the outdoors with the rain and mud. It was amusing on that note. She moved slowly and cautiously as she always did. She didn't know what was planned or who was watching. Vigilance was called for. She reached the tray and took it off the platform that it had been resting on.

"Now you eat that."

"Depends on if it tastes good, Otaktay," she spoke her first words of the morning to him. She sauntered away to the corner that she had chosen and put the tray on the floor. She sat cross legged and stared at it.

"You're a fucking pain in the ass but you'll break. They always do. You'll see Little Charlie."

She ignored him even though she heard the words. She had heard them before. Otaktay had broken that is known to be true. Yet he presumed what went for him would prove the same to her. He knew nothing beyond his own experiences. She knew her own experiences, strengths and weaknesses. She would die trying not to break. She would prefer not to die since it was drastic but when you know nothing…

"Hurry up. I have plans for you."

The best thing is to make the hunter believe what he wants to see. The trick is to keep his eye on one thing while ignoring others.

She could do this. She always told herself this every morning as she awoke from the safe haven of dreams. That place she was always reluctant to leave since she was always with him, her Shappa. He will come for her; that she had no doubt along with Sungmanitu whom she teased with the name Laughing Pup. Until then she would have to be patient, be the hunter… make Otaktay see what he wanted to see while she kept up her plan. She looked at her meal and sighed. The things she had to do to make him see otherwise. She would do it though and she slowly reached for the tray and picked up what looked like meat.

"That's it Little Charlie. This one is real special."

She sat there and gently touched her piece of food to her lips and tasted. From up there it looked like she was eating. It had been the same and it was hard. She had to eat but she had to be wary. For her plan to work, she must deceive. It was painful since a couple of times she felt like begging for a knife and ending it but she remained strong. She knew it annoyed Otaktay with her lack of response so he tried minimizing her water. She was prepared.

Pain is in your mind. If you are caught, you will be subject to it. Best to get it out of you…

She shook her head at that but took care to not let it show. There were things that she knew that had to be protected. That was what she had been told. To protect what she knew at all costs. She dutifully took a small bite and chewed. It wasn't one of those but there was still a ways to go but it will be done. She took a bit of the sauce and tasted it. There is was.

"I ain't got all day Little Charlie. Eat up. You're getting too thin."

It was true she was getting thin. She could still function though. She looked upwards and said in Sioux, "You are weak and pathetic and have not earned your place."

"Keep talking Little Charlie. We all know that you say the same thing."

That is what you think.

She had called him other names, even ones that would have caused her people to laugh. They would have been proud. She had used the conversation as a distraction to hide the rest of what she sought. She did manage to take a little of it. She finished taking what else was not poisoned. She wasn't always correct but for the most part she was. She left half on the tray and looked up defiantly at her captors and tossed the plate back up.

"You fucking little shit. You're trying my patience."

She stared defiantly at Otaktay. She felt her heartbeat and with it the sound of her people's drums. She could hear the singing and knew that if they were there they would be dancing. She continued to stand. As she faced this hunter, she would not submit. She was a warrior and protector. She had a name. She was known by many as Sequoia Williams. Her true name was Tahatanskah.

"I don't understand why the boss is persisting with this one."

"I'd say just shoot her and let her rot in the jungle."

"Boss says she's special."

"What about?"

Tahatanskah listened to the conversation and wondered how stupid these guys were. She understood Spanish perfectly. She was able to listen in on conversations and learn things. It certainly gave her a certain perspective on things on the outside. At least these two idiots' babble was a change up from Otaktay's chatter about how her adopted tribe left her to her fate.

He taunted her while she suffered through the pain from the day's poison. He tried to tell her that her pain was a result of their mistake; that it was the fault of Shappa and Sungmanitu and the tribe that she was there. She remembered he used the same thing on her Laughing Pup.

Resentment was one of the major items she had been taught that would be used to break one. You fostered it, cultivated it until your prisoner believes everything you tell them. Then you used it as a basis to retrain and the prisoner becomes what you want them to be. It was powerful with those that felt everyone was at fault but themselves. Mistakes are never made and responsibility not taken. There was a talent to it though.

Matoskah had shared that there were techniques that had been perfected over the centuries. Knowledge was that way. You learned it and passed it down. The truth that is learnt is that everything is permitted. A lie could be a truth or the other way around. There were some things that she knew that were similar to what happened here. She would just have to remember her training. That was the only thing she had.

"I don't think this one is going to break."

Tahatanskah perked up and shifted slightly to hear better. She kept her position and listened. This was something new.

"Everyone does. The boss managed on two others before this one and the other that got away. It can be done."

"I don't think so. This one is different."

"The bitch suffers the same…"

"But not the way the others did."

There would have been more but a voice interrupted, "Well?"

Tahatanskah quickly shut her eyes to appear that she was sleeping and not listened. She heard him talking and the sound of the grate opening. There were multiple boot steps coming down. She wondered what it was this time since it was too early for the noon meal or was it past that? She was going to find out.

Rorke was growing impatient. They were on two months and maybe a week into the third. She should have been begging for relief or at least be writhing in pain as he did. This was unheard of. Even the two weaklings his men captured broke faster than this and he didn't even half to get to the hard part of physical torture. He went straight into the mental and they broke like toothpicks. She though was different and it frustrated him so he was going to go with a different approach.

He instructed one of the locals that was serving the position more like a servant to fill a pitcher with water and to come with him. He had been restricting her water intake and he didn't want her to get dehydrated though that was another way to go. No… he wanted her in a near perfect physical condition as possible. Dehydration would be a last resort.

He walked down with the servant following into the pit and stood in front of the huddled form that was sitting against the wall and appearing to be sleeping. He nudged her with his boot, "Rise and shine Little Charlie. The day ain't over yet."

Tahatanskah opened her eyes slowly even though she was fully awake and could easily spring on the man. She took the time to take in what was going on in the pit with her and outside it. It would annoy Rorke but that would bring some pleasure to this game of the hunt between them. Slowly she looked up at the man standing with one of the servants with a pitcher of water. Speaking in English this time, she asked, "What round is it today?" She gave a smile as she said it.

Rorke grabbed the pitcher and shoved the servant to get out. The cup that had been placed to accompany the pitcher fell to the ground and rolled away. He walked up to where she was now standing since it was expected of her. She conceded on some things but not all. He then said, "You get your water ration," and shoved it at her. Some water splashed on the ground.

Tahatanskah held the pitcher in her hands and peered in it. Water was not really free to grab so she made do with other things. She was fine but… She looked up and asked, "No ice?"

Rorke gave a nasty looking smirk at her, "You really like trying to piss me off don't ya Little Charlie?"

"Usually it is polite to add ice especially considering we are in the middle of a humid jungle," she replied in a normal and straight tone. Had it been any other situation it would have been quite funny. Now it was just an annoyance.

Rorke eyed her with a grim expression. It was enough to melt lead for the weak hearted. He pointed a warning finger at her. "There's no such thing as that. Now drink up before I make you."

Tahatanskah held the pitcher in her hands. The water that sloshed out dribbled down the sides and fell on her hands. The urge to throw it was great but that was more like childish behavior. However at this point, was there any need to quibble? Then again it was also about calculating your odds. It was like the game of chess. You had to think three to more moves ahead and it took even greater skill to be able to predict what your opponent was going to do.

I concede because you were going to win anyway.

How do you know that Hawk?

Let me show you.

At that moment, Tahatanskah was thinking about the consequences of her decision to throw the jug at her opponent. She knew that it would be a tough fight and given the state she was in… there was the possibility that she might not make it and the result of that could impede her overall plan. That was the logic of things but it didn't say anything about the part where it would just plain feel good to just hit something. She had to be smarter than that though.

Slowly she lifted the pitcher with her eyes on him. She didn't trust him. She suspected he might have put poison in the water. She couldn't well pretend since he was standing right in front of her though she could make the liquid touch her lips and she could ascertain for herself. Yet he expected her to drink up and right in front of him.

Rorke watched as she watched him while she lifted the pitcher. At least she was learning that she needed to cooperate if she was going to have it a little easier. He wanted her to willingly cooperate and do what he said. He kept the grin on his face as she slowly raised the pitcher to her lips. "Drink up Little Charlie. I hear tell the humidity's a bitch this time of year."

Tahatanskah kept her gaze on him as she heard that annoying southern drawl taunt her about the humidity. She was from the plains. She was now at the point where the pitcher was going to block her view. It was the chance to fight and flee or suffer the consequences.

Patience is the greatest virtue you have my little Hawk. Use that to your advantage. It may be painful in some cases but through patience you will find your opening.

With a firm look of defiance, she tipped the pitcher up. She was unprepared for the sudden movement and was pinned against the wall. The pitcher was tipped up as her jaw was grabbed and pinched open. It was helped along by the lip of the pitcher wedged between her teeth. She couldn't move very well since the body on top of her pinned her effectively. The most she could do was to give a hard scratch with her talon on the forearm that squeezed her jaw.

Rorke growled when he felt her nails dig into his skin but it was in pleasure. He loved it when she fought back and he knew she didn't expect that from him. He pinned her down and tipped the pitcher to get the water into her mouth. When she scratched him, he grabbed her hair and forced the back of her head against the wall to stun her and it forced her mouth open a little more. It also put him in a position to pinch her nose with his free hand once she got a good sized gulp in there and with his forearm, forced her jaw shut to keep her from spitting it out.

When he was satisfied that she swallowed it he released her mouth and pushed her against the wall and watched her cough. He was grinning at her trying to catch her breath and said, "Didn't expect that now Little Charlie?"

Tahatanskah coughed since some of the water went down the wrong way but most of it went down. It didn't help that he had thrust her back to slam into the wall of her prison. She tried to bring her eyes up to meet his gaze but she was still coughing. She did manage to note that she had spilled blood when her talons raked on his forearm. They were deep and as well as should be since he pissed her off when he did what he did. She looked up and glared at him. How dare he do that!

Rorke saw the reddish brown eyes narrow in a glare. It was expected but he noticed the fiery rage that started to develop in her eyes. That was what he wanted but it would be to fight him. He wanted her to use it against the Ghosts. "Be pissed at me all you want Little Charlie. In the end you will find that this is better."

Tahatanskah took a couple of deep breaths now that she wasn't choking anymore. She then said, "There will be no satisfaction until I kill you."

"Bold words Little Charlie. Charlie himself wouldn't have said something like that without backing it up. Just a little kid trying to step into big shoes." Rorke reached out and brushed a stray lock. He chuckled when she jerked away from his touch. He hadn't had that in a while. "Now there's that fire I like seeing in ya. Now be a good little Charlie and join us."

"No."

"You say that now…"

"I will not betray my tribe."

Rorke raised his brow in amusement, "You think the Ghosts are your tribe?" He shook his finger to reprimand her, "That's where you're wrong. They aren't your tribe. They were the ones that left you on that beach. They didn't even come after you. You really think that those guys give a damn about you?"

"More than you think."

"And where has that gotten you? You give everything you are and hell you tried to stop me from taking my other prize…"

"I did… stupid."

"Now we're name calling? Not very like you."

"It is very much like me," she replied with narrowed eyes. She blinked for a moment. Something wasn't feeling right. She looked around in confusion before they lighted on him. "What did you do," she demanded.

Rorke merely laughed at her. "What makes you think I did anything?" He watched she tried to stay on her feet. He only advanced as she tried to back away but she was pinned against the wall. He put his arms on the wall to give the illusion she was trapped. In a low voice he said, "I told you you're mine Little Charlie. You're mine and you will be most beautiful creation."

Tahatanskah took a couple of breaths as her limbs felt a little heavy and she recognized the feelings of being chained. She felt her vision start to blur as she looked up. She growled as she came to a few realizations and launched herself forward and managed to clip Rorke on the jaw with her fist but she was thrown off balance and didn't see the backhand that struck her across the face and she fell.

Rorke rubbed his jaw and looked at the blood from his split lip and then looked down at her. She couldn't move very well but her hand was on the pitcher that had been dropped and miraculously not broken. He nudged it away and then kneeled to roll her over. He looked at her as she struggled to stay awake and grinned, "You are a fighter Little Charlie but when you wake up… you'll be able to stretch those wings and be set free."

He left leaving her on the ground. Tahatanskah blinked trying to stay awake but whatever it was took its hold. She felt the darkness come on and it swallowed her. She thought she heard him saying, "Have a few 'good' dreams cause the real nightmare will begin soon."

~0~0~

Translations: Otaktay (Kills Many); Tahatanskah (White Hawk); Matoskah (White Bear)- All are approximations of Sioux names. I apologize for any misspellings or mistranslations.

A/N: Looks like we are two months or so in and Rorke is trying everything to get Hawk to break. Seems though she has an iron will and maybe is listening to the advice from those she knows. We'll see what happens next on The Hunt...