The First Jumper (first draft version)

The First Jumper 23: I will Kill You!

Little Bear and Tiger made three more trips that afternoon, as the temperature rose slightly and the wind slowed down.  Each time, they returned with three or four of the large rabbits.  When they carried two rabbits apiece, it was as much as they could carry.

On their first trip back out, Little Bear took Tiger in a different direction.

“We should go that way,” said Tiger, pointing back to where they had gotten the rabbits before.

“The rabbits are this way.”

“Are you challenging me?” demanded Tiger, and Little Bear found that a spearhead was at his throat.  He could not help swallowing.

It wasn’t until that moment that Little Bear realized that Tiger thought that his succession to his father’s place as chief was under threat, and the logical way to deal with that threat was to kill Little Bear, out where they were alone.

“Tiger, I don’t want to be Chief,” he said.  “I know I’ve always said I want to be a warrior, but my place is as Medicine Man, after my father.”  He paused, and when the spear point did not move away from his throat, said, “You will be a great chief, Tiger, and I will be a great medicine man.  We will be good for the tribe.”

“No,” Tiger said, breathing heavily, “We will not.  Willow is mine!  I will kill you, and take her.”

Little Bear’s eyes went wide, as he realized being Chief someday had nothing to do with Tiger’s anger.

The hermaphroditic Tarshen didn’t have either sex or pair bonding, and they didn’t compete for mates, so Tiger’s behavior was incomprehensible to his Tarshen side.

The human side understood it all too well, however.  Tiger was not going to give up, until he had Willow and Little Bear was completely out of the picture, at least as far as Willow was concerned.  There was nothing Little Bear could do that would appease Tiger.

Both boys stood still.  Tiger was waiting for Little Bear to respond to his challenge, and Little Bear was at war with himself.  His human side wanted to accept Tiger’s challenge, and kill him.  He thought, if he used his new abilities, he might be able to win, despite his recent weakness and Tiger's superior strength and skill, even considering the spear currently at his throat.

His Tarshen side didn’t see any problem with just handing Willow over to keep the peace--except that Willow had chosen, and the Tarshen believed in free choice.  Gerleesh had not completely forgotten about being tossed out of her apartment to be forced to train for interstellar exploration.  Even though it had saved her life in the end, Gerleesh still believed strongly in self-determination.

For Little Bear's human side, it was much simpler.  Willow had chosen him, and she had slept by his side the last two nights.  While they had not yet done anything but sleep, she was his.  He was not going to let Tiger take her, without a fight to the death.

With his two sides seeking the same goal, their very different reasons did not matter.  His Tarshen education had included a study of strategy, in ways that, had he thought about it, were remarkably applicable to human interations.  That side had no comphrehension of why Little Bear wanted to hang onto Willow, but it was just as committed to Willow's freedom of choice.

“Tiger,” said Little Bear, “Think!  The tribe is in trouble, and only I know how to save it.  Willow has made her choice.  When her time comes, she will be with me.  If you fight me, you might win.  But Rabbit might help me as he has been doing.  If he helps me, you die.  If he doesn't help me, you still might die, as I've been doing all sorts of things I couldn't do before.

"But if you manage to kill me, Tiger, think about what happens.  Rabbit might kill you.  Our whole tribe will probably die.  If they don’t all die, they will blame you.”

Now Little Bear waited, as Tiger’s brow furrowed, and he thought through what Little Bear had said.  It took a moment, but then his eyes cleared, and he smiled, stepped back, and lowered his spear.  It wasn't a nice smile.

"For now, Little Bear, I will let you live.  When Willow's time comes, know that if she has not changed her choice by that time, then I will challenge and kill you, before you and Willow have time to marry.  That day will be your last."

Then he gestured in the direction Little Bear had been trying to lead.  "That way, you said."  The smile was there, but there was a promise of blood in it.

Little Bear took a deep breath, shuddering from the internal struggle, and began to walk toward the rabbits he knew were there.

Tiger followed with his spear, and Little Bear could not help an itchy feeling in his back, as he walked.

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