Otherworld

Part 34

The village was waiting for them the next morning as the travelers made their way into the village. Chief Nakiki met them with her council. She seemed to have aged in the months that had passed since they'd last seen her. Naknaki and Nakira both gave her tight hugs before they introduced her and the council to the warriors.

"I am grateful that you have offered us your aid. We desperately need you."

Jungka inclined his head respectfully to Chief Nakiki. "Show us the current locations of the enemy. I want to see where they are at and then I will look at the armor that Arnold has told us about."

Chief Nakiki led Jungka and his warriors over to where several maps were etched permanently in the ground. Movement slithered across the surface. Chief Nakiki pointed out the locations of the enemy and the villages. Each village was isolated from the others with a solid blob of red encircling each.

"We are completely surrounded and cut off from the others. The last runners we sent through the trees didn't make it. If things don't change soon, then we will be defeated in a matter of days. I had feared that you wouldn't come until it was too late."

Renen grinned cheerfully at Chief Nakiki. "It's not too late until you are dead."

Jengka grunted at his companion. He pointed to half a dozen men and women. "I want the six of you to stay here. Study the maps. Ask questions. Find us a way."

The six warriors dipped their heads in understanding and moved to encircle the maps.

"I want the rest of you to break into two groups. Half of you will filter through the village and tend to those who are wounded. Heal their wounds and listen to them. I want to know anything and everything that they can tell us about the enemy."

Twenty warriors broke off immediately and started filtering through the village. The nineteen warriors who were left moved closer together and waited for Jengka to speak.

Jengka spoke to Arnold. "I want you to show the rest of us this armor that you made."

Arnold headed off with Jengka leaving Bridged behind with the rest of their group. Bridged ran a hand through her hair and grimaced as she felt how dirty it was. Chief Nakiki tittered a little at Bridged's look.

"I think the rest of you can use this break as a chance to freshen up."

Nakira groaned. "I am so ready for a long soak in the river."

Mumbles of agreement was echoed by the men. Bridged linked arms with Nakira. "If you and I move quickly enough, I think we can beat the men to the river."

"You're on."

Nakira and Bridged took off towards the river with the men bounding at their heels like dogs after a hare. The women won the race, but it wasn't without hard effort. Bridged and Nakira won through the ingenuity of the female race.

"You cheated." Naknaki alleged as the men made it to the riverside.

Nakira looked up from where her and Bridged were already waist deep in the water. "We did not. It's not our fault that women are smarter than men."

Naknaki pointed accusingly at his sister. "I don't know how you did it, but you cheated. I know you did."

Bridged laughed gaily at the two siblings. "How about you shut up Naknaki and join us in the river?"

Naknaki sent a scowl his sister's way before he stripped off his loin cloth and climbed up on a rock so that he could dive straight in to the river. The other men followed Naknaki. Bridged shared a look with Nakiki who rolled her eyes. Bridged dove under the water wanting to spend as much time in the river getting clean as she could. She had a feeling that she wouldn't have the luxury of bathing in the river any time soon once they were done.