The book of the Wild Child

Chapter 4

Chapter 4
It was a long walk that Ka'Tana took, probably 5 miles now. She was close to the river that split the two valleys up, Tigris river. She was down the mountain where the scene earlier had happened, Ka'Tana looked at the spot where her father was kneeled over crying out her name in pity. She looked down to her feet and held in the warm salty tears that threatened to escape her piercing brown eyes. Today was supposed to be her day, her day to become a true pack mate. Suddenly she heard shuffling in the tall grass beyond the scene, she shuffled back up the mountain hurriedly and leaped up into a tree, climbing to the highest branch she could reach, looking down at the tall grass she saw a human pop out. She edged in closer to get a better view, squinting her eyes to separate the details from the human. It was male, alone. He looked to be in a rush, but concentrated on finding something. She knew little English but maybe she could speak to him. No! He could be a spy sent from her father to find her, Ka'Tana was very cautious and let him climb his way up the mountain to her. She leaned in some more as he scrambled up the mountain's edge. He had black hair, not too shaggy and not too short. His skin was tan. He had perfectly placed abs and muscles, he was handsome.. For a human boy. He was probably the scout boy from the look of his thighs or maybe a warrior in the training. It was hard to tell. He looked to be her age or older.. As he made it over the mountain he put his hands on his knees and rounded his back, catching a breath. She growled, he was in her territory probably searching for her to take back to her father. That would not happen, no matter how appealing he was. He stopped huffing and looked around for the cause of the noise. She drew out her bow and aimed it at his head. He wasn't moving which was perfect for this headshot, but instead she released it towards a tree that was directly behind him, the arrow penetrated the tree which made him jump and fall to the ground. He had no weapons so he was helpless. The boy covered his face and cried aloud, "please don't hurt me! I'm only looking for a place to bury the sick and the weak! I didn't know this was your territory! Please show mercy!"
Ka'Tana only understood please, hurt, bury, sick, and show. She raised her eye brow maybe he could heal her sick alpha! She didn't reveal herself but attempted her most fluent English. Clearing her throat she said, "Leader hurt. Can you help?"
"I can't help unless I can trust you, who are you? What is your tribe's name?"
There was silence while she tried to translate what he was saying.
"Help, please." She murmured in audible range.
He sighed and replied, "I was told that these were traps. Is this a trap?"
He didn't sound bright, or confident, but he would be easy to convince. "No. Help."
"Then show yourself."
"No. Please help.." Ka'Tana didn't want to reveal herself to him, he would know it's Ka'Tana, the missing child, and would take her back. The boy was looking into the tree where she sat, but the leaves helped hide her profile though you could see her eyes. She shuffled slightly so her whole face was hidden. Her fingers were wrapped around the branch while her knee pressed against her chest and her other leg stretched out behind her, keeping her balance on the tree's edge.
"How will I know where the help is needed if you won't show me? I'm going to see your profile anyway."
"I can't rrr.." She tried hard to remember the word she needed but she couldn't say it in English. She sighed.
"What?"
"No English."
"But you're speaking it? And answering me?"
Honestly she couldn't understand half of the things he said but she pieced the words she knew together. She whimpered as she thought, 'maybe he isn't a scout sent from my dad.... He can help me.'
She slowly slid down the tree and leaped off of the lowest branch only a meter from the stranger, he didn't react much which was a good sign. It took a long pause and a couple of looks for him to realize.
"Wait... You... You are the wild girl that my tribe has been talking about! You..."
She stepped back and grabbed her arm anxiously.
"Please don't say," she whispered.
He stopped before he mentioned it.
"Say what?"
"Pa."
"Who?"
Her eyes widened, didn't he know she was the daughter of the chief who ran away and died?
"Story?"
"You are the foreign girl who was dropped off in the middle of the wilderness and the wolves brought you up as their own!"
She heard nothing of the chief or her pa. She smiled wickedly and happily, no one knows her true story. And she won't be returned to her tribe. His eyebrows were pulled together and he looked at her with confusion.
"Umm yeah," then realization hit him. "Wait that means, you have a wolf pack! You have to show me! I'll be coming back to my tribe as a hero and part of the whole story of 'Finding the Wild Child'!" He made some strange noises that were pushed out with happiness. This time Ka'Tana was confused, but she shrug it off. "Come. Help."
"Is that who needs help? Your wolf friend?"
Ka'Tana didn't understand, so she ignored his question.
"You don't know much English do you?" He asked. Ka'Tana ignored again.
"So you don't understand anything I'm saying right now?"
"I know some," she replied annoyed. Humans talked too much. They never just listen.
"How? I thought you were foreign?"
"Forrain?"
"No no no.. Foreign. It's when you aren't from around here."
"Foreign.. Yes, I foreign," the lie made her frown, if only she was just a foreigner, it would be easier to deal with.
"So the stories are true?"
"Yes. Stories, they true."
The more he spoke the more English and memories came back to her. It was strange because in all of her years of no English and when she begins speaking it again, she doesn't stutter like she did as a child. It was a good thing, it made her smile. Maybe... Just maybe.... No. She shook the thought out of her head and sighed.
"Hey, since you know these parts of the territory well can you show me a good place to bury my dead. A disease is spreading throughout my camp, spread by the akamo tribe."
Suddenly her eyes widened, that was her tribe... Her old one.
"How akamo tribe doing?"
"I don't know, their chief is in distress, but I don't know why, I mean they don't have to worry about the disease anymore, we do."
She didn't understand so she asked again, "Not well?"
"I guess?"
"Good spot... away from here," she sternly answered. Why can't they just put their dead in their part of the territory?
"Teach English to I?"
"To me, not to I. First lesson," he answered with sudden confidence. "By the way I'm Hiamovi. It means high chief. I was named that because I'm training to become the chief of my tribe."
"Hiomovee?"
"Hiiiiaaaaamooovi."
"Hiamovi!"
"And then you say?"
"Umm.."
"I'm ...."
"Oh!" Ka'Tana giggled. "I'm Ka'Tana, it means Ka'Tana. I'm from the pack of the alps."
"That's the most I've heard you say! Goodjob!" He attempted to pat her on the head like a dog but when he got close she growled and he quickly retracted his hand and whispered, "sorry.."
All that confidence he built up was now suddenly lost, and was transferred to Ka'Tana. She felt power over him, this must what it feels like to lead a pack. But no one treats her like a dog no matter who she is raised by.
"You um..." He stroked his black hair back anxiously, "learn quickly."
"Words better for praising. I'm no dog."
"Yeah, I know. I said sorry."
There wasn't any words left to say when they headed to the den. Hiamovi felt too awkward and Ka'Tana just was too at a loss for English to start a conversation. When they made it too the den site, Hiamovi was beginning to sprint towards it, ready to see his first wolf, but Ka'Tana stopped him with her arm, placing it in front of his chest and holding him off. He was silent as he kept back, following her lead. Ka'Tana squatted behind the log and pulled him down with her.
"Stay," she whispered and make gestures with her hands. Looking over the log she got up from the forest floor and placed her hand on top of the mossed log and pushed herself over the large object and started into the den. Kay, Obi, and Bongi were gone, but there stood Ebena over Briggs. She was still mad at Ka'Tana but some of the anger has calmed. Ebena glanced up at Ka'Tana and sighed before looking down.
"I don't know if my remedy will heal him," Ebena whimpered.
"I'm sorry, but if it helps I brought someone to help him?"
"What? Who?"
"A boy."
"What!! Ka'Tana you brought home a human?!" She growled, her anger was returning and you could see it in her eyes. "You KNOW that they are the reason Briggs is hurt! You think they want to help?! No! They want to kill! You filthy humans... You are no different from Obi. A waste of space that is still held in the pack to keep it from dying out."
Ebena turned to Briggs, "oh that reminds me, why is Obi even in the pack?? He's gone far out, too far. He stayed back in the shadows in fear! That whimpering pup!"
Briggs only flicked his ears back and forth before replying, "calm down now Ebena. Obi is in the pack because in the time of war he will be there, he is a good warrior until it comes to humans. You know what happened to his parents." His head slowly switched to me. "Bring in your friend, Ka'Tana, please. Though I do not need the help, I will not put your efforts to waste."
Ka'Tana smiled. Briggs was always there for her, he was wise. But his personality was still confusing. She nodded and left the den, looking at the log she saw Hiamovi peaking over and down at her. Ka'Tana made a gesture to show he could come in. Hiamovi pushed himself over the log and walked down the hill with his chest out as if he were going to earn a medal. Ka'Tana raised her eye brow at him and he smiled at that. Ka'Tana led him into the den and raised her arm to him and said to Ebena and Briggs, "this is Hiamovi."
Briggs got up and limped to him. Inspecting the boy up and down, Hiamovi looked frightened and breathed heavily, yet he was still intrigued.
"What is he doing?" Hiamovi whispered to Ka'Tana.
"Don't smile," she whispered back and watched Briggs silently. Hiamovi looked back and Briggs, but didn't dare to look in his eyes. He was mostly frightened by the size of Briggs, everyone is.
Briggs began circling him, but it was hard to do it gracefully like he always does because of his leg. When he finished the full circle he huffed out of his nose, causing Hiamovi's hair to flow backwards. This usually means that he has accepted you, you know when he doesn't accept you when you loose a limb. Briggs then used his nose to point to his wound and laid down. Hiamovi looked to Ka'Tana and she nodded for him to move on to the wound. His hands were shaking as he placed it on Briggen's fur, the wolf show up and snapped at his hands, missing them purposely. This caused Hiamovi to jolt back in fear.
"Don't touch, hurt," Ka'Tana spoke. Hiamovi nodded at her and inspected the wound.
"It looks bad, but all I know how to do is put gauss on it."
"Gauss?"
"Yeah, it's a wrap you can put around the leg when it's wounded."
Ebena barked, making Hiamovi leap out of his sitting position.
"Ebena says won't do much."
"I can bring the wise woman," Hiamovi suggested.
"No! No human," Ka'Tana gasped.
"No more humans? Well okay.. Umm," there was a Long pause, he sat there stroking his bare chin, thinking deeply. "Well I have to get going I'll be back tomorrow. I'll have something you can use then. Hold on tight, big wolf."
"His name is Briggen, but we call him Briggs."
"Alright, Briggen, I'll be back with a cure."
With that said, the boy got up and bowed to the leader before slowly leaving the scene, still thinking. Ka'Tana looked at him with confusion before looking down at her alpha who had no emotion on his face, only a panting tongue.