Short stories by Jade Crispy

The Unwanted Saviour: Part 3

Akita didn't like the fact of staying in the home of an Aquitem but she had no choice. She was injured badly and couldn't move around much. But Torek didn't seems to mean her any harm. That doesn't mean she should let her guard down. Torek had put her weapons far from her so she couldn't harm Torek in anyway. Akita has become his unwilling guest.

Torek had hardly spoke to Akita after that night. In the day he would be out hunting for food, and in the evening he would cook for the both of them. Akita never spoke a word to the banished heir and Torek never said any words to her. Despite this, many questions came in Akita's mind, why is he saving her? Torek belongs to no tribe yet he's helping her, an Aritago. He did say he wants to be an Aritago… what a betrayer. No wonder he was banished.

But she did look forward to the night when Torek played his flute. It was beautiful music. Despite the little number of tunes he knew, it was enough to please Akita. Yet Akita long for the time where she could go out again and find her father. Who would take her father's place? Her brother was dead, and she was a girl. She cannot be a chief despite being a warrior and the chief's daughter. Mainly because she is a girl.

When she did get slightly better, she started to move around the cave. It was a one room cave, the tunnel was small enough for one person to crawl through. But she was still injured, she couldn't go through the tunnel without hurting herself. So she spent most of my time looking around the cave, looking carefully at the painings. Torek wasn't a good painter but it was still beautiful. Once Akita tried to play his flute but she was scared he might catch her playing it so Akita stopped the moment after she blew a few notes. It was a good thing too because Torek had came back a minute later.

During that time, Torek and Akita did talk a few times. While talking to him, she realised he really meant no harm or he is very good at convincing people. Torek is a good hunter, brave hearted and yet caring. He doesn't speak much but he is good. By the time Akita was healed, she didn't have any ill intentions towards Torek. But Akita had to leave to find her father.

" Will you be headed off to your tribe?" Torek asks Akita when she came out of the tunnel.

" No, I will not." Akita said " I have promised my people that I will return with my father and the warriors, without him who will take his place?"

" It has been a long time. You may want to return to your tribe to tell them you are fine." Torek said.

" And return home in defeat? I will not do such a thing." Akita said loudly. Torek paused for a moment and then said " Where will you be heading?"

" To the Aquitem tribe, I suspect they have been holding off my father and the rest of the warriors." Akita said.

" My tribe has nothing to do with your father." Torek said. Akita glared at Torek and said " They do, may I remind you that the Aquitem is an enemy of the Aritago? They would have taken father."

" If the Aquitem did such ruthless things, don't you think they would have stormed into your camp, faced your father and kill him? They do things fast, they do hold people off. If they did capture them, your father and the other warriors would have been with the gods a long time ago and the tribe of Aritago would have now fallen in the hands of the Aquitem." Torek said. 

" Who else would have captured them? They could have not been lost or killed. I have receieved a message from father about his capture. But he couldn't explain where he was or who captured him." Akita said.

" The settlers." Torek said plainly.

" The settlers have got nothing to do with the rivalry of our tribes." Akita said. " They do not know much of our language."

" But they have a role. The settlers trade goods with both the Aquitem and the Aritago, am I not right?" Torek said. Akita was silent and then nodded. " It is not possible for them to attempt a capture?"

" But the settlers have no ill intentions towards us." Akita said.

" Did your tribe trust the settlers?" Torek asked.

" No, we do not trust them." Akita said again. " But I do not see how the settlers would have captured father. I will have to go now."

" What if my tribe assisted them?" Torek said as Akita was about to walk off. Akita looked at Torek and said " It may be. Then it would explain the message and their intensions. Yet it gives me a better reason to storm into their camp and demand for my father's release."

" Alone? You will be captured in an instant. May I remind you of how you got injured in the wild in the first place?" Torek reminded Akita. Akita grew angry and yelled " Do you not think I cannot care for myself?! Is it because I am a girl?! I am leaving." Akita quickly ran off. She ran as fast as she could, but her healed injury may have slowed her down a bit. Torek ran past her and stopped her.

" I do not mean that. You have just recovered and you will surely be outnumbered. Let me accompany you." Torek said.

" What will I benefit from it? More importantly, how will you benefit from it?" Akita said.

" You will have help, two is better than one. It would be easier to save your father and his warriors. My own tribe slain my grandmother, their own kind. I will see this as revenge." Torek said. Akita nodded and said " Then we shall go."