A traitor's brother... becomes a hero
The moon rose steadily in the dark night sky. The stars twinkled brightly overhead. The fire pit's embers glowed red and warm as they threw sparks into the cool night air, comforting those who lay near them in search of warmth. The camp looked peaceful to the unknowing eye. The moon washed tents flapped in the gentle breeze and the river flowed quietly by.
But all was not well. Kiwidinok knew this. He was expecting an attack at anytime, an attack that was to come from across the river tonight.
The tribe had no warning, no warning at all. The band of invaders had picked the perfect time for the attack, on the full moon night; the clouds were thick, casting the world into darkness. Wading silently through the water, they made sure their spears and shields did not make a sound. The band of marauders had slithered out of the river, just as silently as they had entered. Using the darkness to their advantage; they crept up silently and slit the throat of the sentry. He had not made a sound as he died, but his last sight of the world was the cool waters of the river lapping at his feet ready to wash him away into the afterlife. The camp's tents burst into flames and screams of horror filled the night.
Kiwidinok bent down and washed his blood and soil caked hands in the river. He had just buried the last of the dead. The sun rose, casting the harsh light of day onto what he had witnessed through the night. He walked back to the camp and observed the site. Tents had been burnt, fire pits scuffed out , the dirt and grass was stained with blood, broken bloody spears and shields scoured the earth. Kiwidinok new this was wrong and he knew he had to stop it from happening again. His tribe was his family, and no one was allowed to hurt his family.
As Kiwidinok stood helpless in the midst of his despair, he returned to the events of the previous month.
Earlier in the autumn, the peace of the tribe had been broken by one young man called Sibras. Sibras had just gone through his sacred tribal scarring to enter his manhood. He was already a noted warrior and hunter, and wielded his knives with better skill than anyone in the tribe.
But with time all the praise heaped on him by his fellow tribesmen had poisoned his mind. Sibras decided he was not satisfied with contributing to the rest of the tribe, he considered himself higher than others. He did not like hunting for them or sharing his skins, water or tents. He decided he wanted to be chief of the tribe and take what belonged to him.
Sibras had challenged Chief Chewbawah to a fight, a battle to the death. The wise chief chose to ignore him as he could see the evil swirling in Sibras's eyes. Sibras's anger grew and in the middle of the night, he had awoken and took revenge. He killed the chief's youngest daughter, Katma. In the morning the tribe was in an uproar, all fingers were pointed to Sibras, whose bloody knife was found wedged between rocks downstream of the camp. Sibras was sent into exile to the mountains. Many people of the tribe were loyal to Sibras and chose to join him in his exile.
But Sibras's lust for power never died, he started to make raids on the camp, even though his beloved brother Kiwidinok was among them. But Kiwidinok had betrayed him!
Even though Kiwidinok had refused to follow his older brother into exile he knew no one trusted him anymore, he could tell just by looking into their eyes. He received looks of distrust and suspicion from all those who once trusted him, all because he was the younger brother of Sibras. Only Alu, the chief's oldest daughter, would meet his eyes as a friend.
Kiwidinok sighed and returned to the task of salvaging what was left of the camp. He laboured through the day avoiding the stares of mistrust from his tribesmen. That night, Kiwidinok lay down to sleep, praying to the spirits that they would be spared that night from an attack. Just before his eyes closed he heard a rustle and heavy breathing outside. He leapt up and grabbed his knife. He looked outside his tent just as his brother Sibras, clutching a dagger, was entering the Chief Chewbawah's tent. Kiwidinok's heart raced as he quickly scrabbled up the slope in pursuit of his brother.
Kiwidinok reached the chief's tent and burst in just as Sibras raised his dagger over the frail Chewbawah. Kiwidinok lunged, knocking the chief out of the way. There was a flash of silver and then Kiwidinok felt a searing pain in his breast.
Kiwidinok looked down at his chest and saw his brother's dagger protruding from it. His blood flowed quickly, staining his deerskin tunic crimson. He looked up and saw Sibras, shocked, he was staring at Kiwidinok's blood now pooling on the floor. Kiwidinok met Sibras's dark eyes.
'Why did you not join me when I was exiled?' asked Sibras.
Kiwidinok, just managing to breath, lifted his head and spat;
'Because I am not like you brother'
His voice was gaining force, 'I want peace, but you... you want chaos!'
In a flash strength returned to Kiwidinok's limbs and he gave a war cry. He yanked the danger from his chest and he plunged it into his older brother's neck with the strength of a great grizzly bear. His brother fell to the ground dead. Kiwidinok's moment of victory was very brief as his strength failed him. His vision blurred and his world tipped over falling into darkness.
The next sensation was that of the autumn sunlight warming Kiwidinok's face. Then the face of the chief's oldest and fairest daughter Alu came into his vision. He stared at her bottomless brown eyes as he remembered his unspoken love for her buried deep into his soul.
Tears started to pool in Alu's glistening eyes and quickly ran down her face. Kiwidinok struggled to get up and give her comfort but quickly fell back as pain seared across his chest. Alu explained to him that Chief Chewbawah had died that night when Kiwidinok saved him. The stress had been too much for the chief's frail body and mind. Alu explained to Kiwidinok that in the chief's dying breath he had named Kiwidinok as his successor.
Kiwidinok was the happiest he had been in his whole life. He announced his love to Alu that night and she said she had loved him since she was a girl. That spring the camp celebrated as Kiwidinok and Alu exchanged vows under the blossoming apple trees. Chief Kiwidinok could feel the warmth of all the eyes of his family upon him as he embraced Alu, his wife.
Words: 1,175
Afterword: This was a story I wrought for my grade 8 engish assignment. I though i should share it! (the assignment subject was heroes and villians)
