King Chronicles: When Darkness Falls

Chapter 6 - Enter the Jinkuw

It took them a little more than half a day to get to the next wooded area. As a precaution, they had left Marrie, some warriors and the elders who were unable to fight behind, much to Hawk's discontent. He told Marrie how much he loved her... cooking and that he would be back for more before he left. Marrie had graciously prepared some food for their journey, and much to his surprise, included a much larger quantity for Hawk. His smile could have blocked out the sun.

James looked up into the sun from under the shade of the trees, relieved and thankful for the rest. He pulled his hat off and wiped his forehead with his sleeve. He stole a glance at Savannah, who was talking to a few of the young warriors. He felt a pang of jealousy. He creased his brow at this new emotion and turned to focus on Hawk, watching him as he tore off a piece of jerky with his teeth. "Hawk, you eat like a man who was told he would never have the stomach to eat again," he teased, "you might want to ease up before you run out."

The large bear of a man continued to smile as he chewed and took a swig of his water. "When I fight, I don't have the time to eat, and when I work, I have no time to eat either. I eat for the times I will miss because I have to make sure I have the energy to keep my strength up," he stated, simply.

James nodded in acknowledgement to Hawk's logic, which, unsurprisingly, often revolved around his stomach. There was no way you could argue with him on topics like these.

James snapped to attention when he saw Joseph jump as what he could assume was a sudden chill run up his spine. "Shit! Not a good feeling," Joseph whimpered. Hawk stopped chewing as his horse, Big Bear, stopped in his tracks, neighed once and shook its head. He listened intently as the rest of the warriors followed. James didn't like the sudden tension that fell over the group as he subconsciously grabbed his crossbow in anticipation. Hawk stuffed the rest of his jerky into his mouth and dismounted slowly.

"What's going on?" Joseph asked, uneasily, as Savannah approached them on her horse.

"The Jinkuw only come out when it is dark," she explained, "and Big Bear only reacts this way when he senses them. I hate to say this but it looks like we may have an infected person going through their transformation."

"Wendigo..." the Kombai began to murmur uneasily. Hawk studied the dense forest, stopping directly ahead of them as he approached cautiously into the tree line. He stepped through the bushes carefully until he was out of sight, the bushes falling back into place as they engulfed Hawk's silhouette. Another voice could be heard very faintly, breaking the long deafening silence. The tension grew tighter as everyone tried to process what was happening. The closest warrior, known as Apaa, took a courageous step forward before Hawk suddenly emerged from the leaves with a small bundle in his arm. He quickly handed the bundle to Apaa and walked back quietly to whisper to an elder. James watched as the elder's lips trembled in reaction. He laid a hand on Hawk's shoulder before walking towards the direction in which Hawk had emerged from the forest. The Elder was the Kombai shaman, and James understood there was a survivor.

Suddenly the forgotten bundle in Apaa's arm began to stir, much to the warrior's surprise, but he regained his composure before he could drop it. A small girl of about 6 stuck her head out of the cloth, her face covered in mud. She wrangled free enough for everyone to see the blood stains on her clothes, face and hair. Savannah quickly grabbed the child from the shocked Apaa and spoke to her quietly. The child appeared to understand as she whispered back, nodding. Savannah put the child down and began to check the child for injuries as the girl's eyes scanned the warriors until it fell onto James and Joseph. She whispered quietly to Savannah, who let out a small chuckle before falling back into full concentration. When she was satisfied with her inspection, she picked up the little girl and asked one of the female warriors to help her bathe the child. Hawk approached the King brothers while they silently watched Savannah with the little girl.

"What did you find Hawk?" Joseph asked, breaking the silence. James threw him a warning look, which Joseph conveniently ignored. Hawk's eyes looked distant before he responded.

"Old friends and new enemies," he stated, before walking back to join the shaman in the bushes.

* * *

By the time Savannah reappeared, the tension had dissolved and the warriors were relaxed enough to begin making fun of Apaa for being scared. At least, that was the most the King brothers could make of it. Savannah sat down with the brothers and plucked James' cup of coffee from his hands. She inhaled the aroma before taking a sip.

"I could have offered you a new cup," James teased.

"It's much too urgent to wait," she murmured, closing her eyes and taking another sip. She opened them again as James watched, her green eyes sparkling with the setting sun.

"I suppose the Kombai have decided to settle here," Joseph said as he motioned towards the group. "Hawk and the Shaman have not returned and no one else made the move to follow them. When I tried, Grey Wolf stopped me and shook his head."

Savannah looked over to the Kombai warriors and to their young leader, Grey Wolf. She turned back to explain. "Hawk found the child and the mother. The child tells me her father and brother are "sleeping" nearby... I did not have the heart to correct her. It is important that the dead not be disturbed by anyone until the sacred rights are given by connecting the spirit world to the human world." She paused when she realized that the looks they gave her were short from confusing. "The shaman, the connection to the spirit world, is there to send the dead on the right path. Hawk is the connection to the human world, and he makes sure that the dead can return. That is why you were stopped, Joe. An interruption by another human vessel, especially an outsider, can cause the spirits to become upset."

Joseph nodded, clearly concerned. "How is the little girl?"

Savannah smiled at the mention of the child. "She doesn't understand what is going on. Her name is Kokomi and she is from the Miramee Tribe. She has a few scrapes and bumps, but otherwise she is fine. I think she likes you Joe."

"Really?" Joseph said, puffing up his chest "She obviously has good taste. What did she say?"

Savannah's green eyes flashed in amusement "That you are "pretty" and that she would love to braid your golden hair."

James held in his laughter as best as he could, but he couldn't stop himself from making a comment. "You know, the salon girls did say you are pretty to look at."

Joseph grumbled under his breath.

Just then, Hawk appeared with the Shaman following behind him. This was a different Hawk then they were used to, he was more reserved and serious. The warriors all stood up as he spoke in his native tongue with a low firm tone. The King brothers did not understand a word, but they knew enough not to speak.

"The lost will be guided and the fallen will never be forgotten. The spirits have come to claim those whose time has come," Savannah translated quietly. "Their lives will not be a lost cause because their stories will be engrained in our hearts. I have been given the gift of knowledge from the spirited ones. The Jinkuw are near, we hunt in honor of our dead brothers tonight."

After Hawk's speech, he immediately ordered a female warrior to take Kokomi back to Marrie. Before she left, Kokomi approached them with her chosen guardian, a female warrior known as Swift Wind. She was slim, athletically built and tall with bronze skin and large brown eyes, but regardless of her many features, it was her pendant that caught the most attention.

"Her family heirloom," Savannah said as she watched James focus his eyes back on her. "It is a carving of the Wind god who ensures swift passage." James smiled, nodding as he watched Savannah focus her attention on the child.

Swift Wind was told not to stop for anything until they got to their destination. Kokomi began to tear up because she had to leave Savannah, but she nodded her understanding and whispered a few words. Savannah nodded and gave her a hug.

"What did she say?" James asked, curiously.

"That I promise to come back for her and bring Joe so she can braid his hair," she replied. Joseph snorted in disapproval and rolled his eyes.