Chapter 10 - Eavesdropping

V did not want Leaf to go but she could not draw attention to herself. Leaf was right. It was important to notify the Chief and the whole of the warren of them being so close. From her hiding place she tried to sneak closer to them. Long range became medium range, enough for a stone’s throw as it was called. It would be foolish to get any closer than within throwing range, but she vaguely knew that one with the bow was the most dangerous one. Few Gobbos knew how to use bows, but those prized weapons brought down dangerous game with a single shot. Fowl, deer, goats, even boar were all typically taken out with a good shot. Stories tell of how even the mighty black bear was felled by Rekki. The Chief’s own mantle was made of the hide and served as proof of the strength of the warren itself.

The dark-skinned bow-wielding Mahn was alert and searching with his eyes. This one was especially alert. Taking cover behind a thick bush, she was able to conceal herself with the darker green, her eyes and the brown tunic blending in with the twisting and bending. The interior was largely a mass of branches and a few dry edges that left the ground barren except for some fine and wet leaves from the heavy rain.

They talked for a long time as they set up little pots and gathered some sticks from trees. They cut a path with a strange spear-like object with a spade leaf shape and cut the top layer of soil away. They built a place for the fire and summoned Belos from their hands with a metal piece and struck it with their hands. Sparks of brilliant light shot forth and soon a crackling, mesmerizing flame rose up. Puffs and hisses, cracks and other strange noises erupted. The divine flame never did such things at the warren. Were they forcing Belos? Some kind of protest? She did not know, but the Great Mother likely did.

Their little camp was set up in short order, with water drawn from buckets and a cookpot filled and something from their packs was added. Whatever they were making smelled wonderful. As a group they settled down in a circle and ate their meal from the same pot. Were they all of equal status? Why did the leader not have their fill first? It was strange.

They had names and addressed one another throughout the meal. Cade, Wilde, Huron and Stirge were the four males. The female was Violetta. Obviously, she was the one in charge. A female chief? Perhaps. Maybe a brave warrior? While they made the food and handled the setting up of the camp, she had been content to sit around and stare at a small object that unfurled in her hand. It was like a very long blanket that was no wider than her hand to elbow. It was filled with strange markings, and she seemed to be completely engrossed in it.

She did not know what they were doing or why, but just from viewing them for a short time she had come to know that they were very resourceful and very different from Gobbos. She saw the two darker skinned Mahn had long pointed ears like Gobbos, but they were taller and thinner than the other three. They also spoke a language that she could partially understand that was distinct from the other three. The words she knew of her dream and those that came from the lips of those dark skinned Mahn were very different. One was spoken without the gut; the other was raspy but still relied on speaking from the depths of one’s gut to form the words with sincerity and purpose. The conversation carried on in two languages, but it was clear that the two were not united in language or purpose.

“Cave dangerous. Trap. Not want die.” she understood the fragments from what Stirge said.

“Huron lead way. Stupid. First die.” she followed a fragment of Wilde’s response.

Having said it in front of Huron, the Mahn reacted to his name and asked something of Wilde. Cleverly, Wilde responded in a way that made confusion turn into a toothy grin and give a beaming smile. Was it pride or maliciousness? She did not understand, but it did not make science that displaying one’s teeth to another was anything other than a threat. And the others who barely gave a glance, did they not know the language either?

“Push trap, die. You attack female. I kill shiny male.” She parsed together Stirge’s plan to dispose of Huron and slay the other two.

They were openly plotting to kill the three of them off. Did they really not understand? Even as they finished their meal and attended to their duties, they seemed entirely unaware of the plot those two hatched in their very presence.

“Sneak poison food.” Stirge added after the meal, “If stupid not die by trap.”

Wilde responded with a word that was the same in both of their languages, “Mushrooms.”

Mahn was strong, but stupid indeed! How was it that no one of the three were aware of it? Who were these two, another type of Mahn? Dark skinned Gobbos? Yes. That must be it. A dark skinned Gobbo; kin to the Dwellin. ‘Dark of skin with ears of size and point, our kin we do not fight.’ The original rhyme was skin of white, but the ears were important. Green skin or not, those long and slender ears marked them as allies. They must be fighting Mahn. She felt a little giddy at the fact they might be able to help her understand the speech. The Great Mother would be pleased.

After they ate their meal, they split off to the bushes not far from camp, her vantage point was concealed from their view. One by one they went and rejoined the group. The female took her turn last and headed to the water, sitting on the shore and began to wet and comb her long brown hair. She was out in the open and unguarded. It would be so easy to kill her. The dark thought crossed her mind, the sick joy of killing rising up from deep within. She could pluck the dagger and end her in one single slash. In the confusion, those two would take care of the other two. It would be the end of them and their plans. Why wait until winter? Do it now.

“Stop it.” She told herself and gasped at having spoken aloud.

Violetta turned to the bush right and V knew she had been heard. Her heart began to pound hard. Her pulse filled her ears as Violetta came closer and closer. Then their eyes met, separated by only an arm’s length, Violetta stared at her with a curious look.

Then Violetta's eyes squinted from the wide toothy grin that spread across her face.