Savages of Gor

19 In the Distance

There is the Smoke of Cooking Fires Evelyn cried out with misery as the tether was knotted about her neck. Her smallwrists pulled futilely at the bond, which held her hands confined behind herback. Then, stumbling, she was thrust beside Ginger, and Max and Kyle Hobart.

All had been stripped.

"Hi," cried the Sleen warrior, a high warrior in their party, and kicked backinto the flanks of his kaiila. The animal squealed and snorted, moving to theside and then forward. In a moment it was following the line of withdrawingwarriors, led by their war-party leader, he followed by the banner-bearer,carrying the crook like, feathered staff, used in giving directions in battle,and then the others.

It was he, it seemed, who would lead them in triumph in their camp. He held thetethers of the Hobarts, and Ginger and Evelyn. Two other Sleen, too, thenfollowed, who would bring up the rear, riding behind the column, some yardsbehind the captives.

Grunt stood behind, his fists clenched.

Near Grunt, on their stomachs, stripped, lying in a standard binding position,their ankles crossed and their wrists held crossed behind them, placed in atandem line, head to feet, one after the other, were Corinne, Lois, Inez andPriscilla. Priscilla made a tiny noise and winced as a Yellow-Knife warrior,kneeling across her body, tied her wrists behind her back. One ties the lastgirl in such a tandem line first. That way the other girls are less likely tobolt. A girl, thus, does not see the girl before her bound until she herself hasbeen bound.

I watched the withdrawal of the Sleen war party. They were well pleased withtheir share of the loot. Ginger and Evelyn were lovely prizes and the Hobartswould doubtless prove useful in heavy work and, as boys, minding the kaiilaherds.

The Yellow-Knife warrior now tied Inez's hands behind her back.

The coffle chains and the manacles, which had bound the Hobarts, lay discardedin the grass.

The red-haired girl was on her hands and knees in the grass, naked, warriors,some on foot, some astride kaiila, Yellow Knives and Kaiila, gathered about her.

Lois's hands were tied behind her back.

"Hopa," said one of the Kaiila warriors, one mounted tall, broad-shoulderedfellow, with long braids, tied with red cloth, looking down on the red-hairedgirl. He touched her on the left arm with his long-bladed lance, the blade oftapering, bluish, chipped flint. She looked up at him, frightened, and then,unable to meet his eyes, quickly lowered her head. "Wihopawin," commented thewarrior.

A Yellow Knife crouched near the girl.

The mounted Kaiila warrior said something to Pimples, whom, it had been quicklyestablished, in the interchanges, was conversant in Kaiila. "Ho, Itancanka," said Pimples. She then quickly went to the red-haired girl and knelt her, withher hands behind the back of her head and her head back. "Breasts out," she toldher in Gorean. The red-haired girl then knelt in this fashion, with her elbowsback and her breasts thrust forward. Tears came to her eyes. It is a commonposition for slave assessment.

Corinne's hands were tied behind her back.

"Hopa," said more than one Kaiila, looking at the red-haired girl.

I wondered if the former debutante from Pennsylvania had ever dreamed, in thebed in her mansion, that she would one day kneel in the grass of a distantworld, a helpless slave brazenly posed for the assessment of masters.

Tethers were now being tied on the necks of Corinne, Lois Inez and Priscilla.

"Hopa," said a Kaiila, looking at the red-haired girl. "Waste," said another.

"Hopa," said the mounted Kaiila warrior, approvingly. "Hopa, Wihopawin!"

"Howe," said another.

One of the Yellow Knives standing about put his hand or the hair of the kneelinggirl.

Then the lance blade of bluish, chipped flint was at the Yellow Knife's neck. Hestood up, quickly, angrily, brushing the lance away, his hand at the handle ofhis knife, in the beaded sheath at his hip. The lance point, brushed away, returned to threaten him, as easily as a branch, shifted by the wind, might returnto its original position. The Kaiila warrior's legs tensed. At a kick backwardthe kaiila would boll forward, driving the lance into the Yellow Knife. YellowKnives and Kaiila, hereditary enemies, tensed.

Corinne, Lois, Inez and Priscilla were pulled by their neck tethers to theirfeet.

One of the Yellow Knives near the fellow threatened with the lance saidsomething to him. The Yellow Knife at whose chest the lance point was poisedthen stepped angrily backward. He glanced to the four girls now pulled to theirfeet. Their tethers were being handed to another Yellow Knife, one mounted. Theleader of the Yellow-Knife party said something to the fellow. The fellow thenturned away, angrily, and mounted his own kaiila. The Yellow Knives had theirshare of the loot. Too, because of the recent battle, this area would be, for atime, truce ground.

Urt, or Cuwignaka, Woman's Dress, as he seemed to wish to be called, had beensitting in the grass, breathing deeply and rubbing his wrists and ankles. Igathered that it must be very difficult and painful for him to move his body. Henow struggled to his feet and went to the lance, fixed butt down in turf. Heheld momentarily to the lance, his head down keeping his balance. He thenunwound the dress from the lance shaft and pulled it on, over his head. He thenripped away the lower portion of the dress, until it hung somewhat above hisknees. Too, he ripped it at the left side, to allow himself more freedom ofmovement. He then uprooted the lance and then, unsteady for a moment, shaken bythese exertions supporting himself with it" Sleen, tarsks, all of them," said Grunt, in Gorean, looking after theretreating Yellow Knives.

"What were the yellow lances on the flanks of the kaiila of the Sleen?" I asked.

"The Sun Lances," said Grunt, "a warrior society of the Sleen."

"The painted prints on the flanks of the kaiila of the Yellow Knives?" I asked.

"The sign of the Urt Soldiers," said Grunt, "a society of the Yellow Knives."

I nodded. It was common for the members of a given society to take the warpathtogether.

"Two societies are represented among the Kaiila here," said Grunt. "Most belongto the All Comrades, and one belongs to the Yellow-Kaiila Riders. The fellow inthe background, with his war shield in its case, is a member of theYellow-Kaiila Riders. That may be told by the stylized yellow kaiila print,outlined in red, on the flanks of his beast, over the red horizontal bars."

I nodded. The red horizontal bar, or bars, as the case is, is commonlyassociated with the Kaiila, the Cutthroat tribe. There were many coup marks, Inoted, on the snout and forequarters of the fellow's kaiila.

"That is a prestigious society," said Grunt. "Only tried and proven warriors,with many coups, and many expeditions of war and kaiila stealing, are admittedto it."

"The sign for the All Comrades," I said, "is the heart and lance."

"Yes," said Grunt. "They are sometimes known, too, from the sign, as theFighting Hearts. The society name, however, more strictly, translates as the AllComrades. "I see," I said. The weapon ingredient in the insignia left little doubt in mymind as to the sort of enterprise in which such fellows were most likely to becomrades.

"Cheerfulness is indicated by the height of the heart, alongside the lance," said Grant.

"I see," I said. A heart placed on a horizontal base line, of course, suggesteda heart on the ground, or sadness. Grunt had taught me much in the last fewdays. I could even, now, pick up a little of what was said in Kaiila.

"Let them alone," said Grunt to me, quickly, putting his hand on my arm. Two ofthe Kaiila were beginning to rummage through our trade goods.

"Very well," I said.

"The Yellow-Kaiila Rider," said Grant, "is Kahintokapa, One-Who-Walks-Before, ofthe Casmu, or Sand, Band."

"He is the leader?" I asked.

"It is not likely," he said, "not of a group of All Comrades like this. I thinkhe is more in the nature of an observer, probably sent along to advise and tutorthe younger men."

I nodded.

"He is not in the forefront, as you note," said Grunt "The leader is the young man, he regarding the red-haired girl?" I asked.

"That, I gather, is the case," said Grunt. "I do not know him. He is of the IsbuBand, the Little Stones"

"You knew the other fellow," I said.

"Yes," said Grunt, "when last I was in the land of the Kaiila, I met him ingeneral council, with Black Clouds, Mahpiyasapa, civil chief of the Isbu."

"You do not anticipate great difficulty with the Kaiila, then, ' I asked.

"I do not think so," said Grunt. "It is for Black Clouds, Mahpiyasapa, that Ihave brought the red-haired girl into the Barrens. For such a woman,sufficiently pleasing to him, he has promised me five hides of the yellowkailiauk."

"I had wondered what disposition you had in mind for her," I said.

"That is it," he said.

"She is to be sold to a chieftain," I said.

"Yes," he said.

Did you make that clear to our young friend?" I asked.

"Yes," said Grunt.

"Why, then, is she at the paws of his kaiila?" I asked.

"No!" cried Grunt. He then hurried toward the young mounted savage, and theother Kaiila gathered about. Two of them, seeing his angered approach, seizedhim. Grunt struggled futilely in their grasp. The girl, frightened, on herbelly, continued her work, with her lips, her teeth and tongue, biting, andlicking and sucking, at the paws and nails of the kaiila.

Words, heated and proud, were exchanged between the two men. Grunt's resolve toconciliate and pacify the savages seemed, in the heat of the moment, to havebeen abandoned. Then he was thrown backward. Two of the Kaiila drew theirknives. I tensed. Grunt, however, had the good sense not to charge them.

Suddenly, even in his anger, he realized he might be killed.

The young warrior then spoke to the girl at the paws of his kaiila. "Quick," said Pimples, "stand up. Stand straight. Put your hands at your sides. Pressyour hands to your thighs. Put your head up. Whatever happens, do not resist."

Quickly the red-haired girl obeyed.

The young savage threw a beaded collar to one of the warriors near the girl.

He approached the girl.

Grunt, at this point, in an excited medley of Dust Leg, Kaiila and Gorean,distraught and angry, entered again into remonstrance with the young warrior.

"Kaiila," I said, to Grunt. "Kaiila!"

Grunt then shook his head, gathering his thoughts, and addressed himself,clearly and calmly, in Kaiila, to the youth.

But the young man, clearly, the lance grasped in his hand, high on the loftykaiila, in his breechclout and paint, was not moved.

The more mature warrior, then, he who was of the Yellow-Kaiila Riders, moved hisbeast forward. He, too, spoke to the young man. The young man shook his head,angrily. The Yellow-Kaiila Rider then said something to Grunt, and then pulledback his beast, retiring again to the background. I saw that he was not pleased,but he gave little sign of it. It was not seemly, I gathered, for one such as heto enter into dispute with a younger warrior, one of another society and who hadfewer coups than himself. Too, it was the young man, and not he, who wasBlotanhunka, war-party leader, of this group of All Comrades.

The young man then said something to his fellow near the red-haired girl. Thenhe gestured to the helpless female, standing naked and straight before him, herhead up, her hands pressed tightly to her thighs.

Grunt and I watched as the young man's collar was tied on her throat. She wascollared.

Grunt's fists were clenched, futilely.

The red-haired girl looked at her new master in awe. He was tall, and strong,and savagely handsome. Her entire body seemed transfused with "fear, and emotionand excitement. It was such a brute who owned her. Too, she realized thattension had been involved in her claimancy. In spite of countervailingconsiderations, perhaps serious ones, he had decided that it would be he, and noother, who would own her. She knew then that she, a mere slave, was the objectof strong desire.

"I do not like it," said Grunt. "It will mean trouble."

"Perhaps," I said.

The young man regarded his new slave, pleasurably, approvingly. She blushedhotly under his inspection, but did no flinch nor turn her eyes from his. Thenhis eyes grew stem and she shrank back. She saw then that she could be only hislave, and that she would be uncompromisingly mastered. But even this, I saw,pleased her.

"You have one slim chance for life," said Pimples. "That is to serve him, in allthings, and to be pleasing to him, fully, and in all ways."

"I will," she whispered. "I will."

Then the eyes of the young master and the new slave again met. This time, againunable to meet his gaze, she lowered her head. She was very beautiful, her headbowed before her master.

She trembled.

I saw that she was as excited by, and enamored of, her master, as he of her.

"Do not simply stand there, you little fool," said Pimples. "Kneel down beforehim, and put your head to the grass."

Quickly the red-haired girl obeyed.

I looked at her, kneeling before her master. Doubtless she would be worked hardand used much. She would not be in any doubt as to her slavery, either in hiscamp or in his lodge.

The young man said something.

"Get up," said Pimples. "Go to him. You may kiss his foot and ankle."

The red-haired girl got up and went to the young warrior. He looked verysplendid in his paint and feathers, with the lance, astride the kaiila. Shepressed her lips to his moccasin and then to his ankle, kissing him softly. Thenshe looked up at him, and backed away, his, stripped save for the beaded collarknotted at her throat.

"You have been highly honored," said Pimples to the red-haired girl. "Althoughyou are only a white slave, already you have been permitted to put your lips tohis body."

The young man then lowered his lance, until the long point of the narrow,tapering, bluish flint was but inches from her bared breasts. He gestured at herwith the lance. "Winyela," he said.

"You have been named," said Pimples. "Put down your head. Put your fingers toyour breasts. Say, "Ho, Itancanka, Winyela'.

The red-haired girl did this. She then lifted her head again, to her master.

"Winyela," he said.

"Winyela," she repeated.

He then turned his attention elsewhere, to the trade goods, mostly Grunt's,through which two of his warriors had been rummaging. Hatchets, mirrors, knivesand cloths, and such, were now much scattered about, on the grass. He urged hiskaiila to the place. Such concern might seem out of place in a loftyBlotanhunka. Too, the girl must understand that she is nothing.

"I have been named," said the red-haired girl.

"Yes, Winyela," said Pimples. I smiled to myself. At last the red-haired girlhad a name.

"It is a beautiful name," said the red-haired girl.

"It means "Female Animal'," said Pimples.

"Oh," said the red-haired girl, taken aback.

"It is quite a good name, considering that you are a slave," said Pimples.

"Female slaves are often given names such as Wasna, Grease, or Cespu, Scab orWart, until they prove themselves sufficiently pleasing to have earned a better.

I myself was called Wasnapohdi, which means "Pimples."

"You are still called "Pimples'," said the red-haired girl.

"Apparently I have not yet earned a better," smiled Pimples.

"Winyela," said the red-haired girl. "It is a beautiful sound."

"Do not forget its meaning," said Pimples. "She-animal. Female animal."

"No," said the red-haired girl.

"And see that you prove to be a perfect she-animal to him, obedient, shamelessand devoted, in all things."

"A slave," said the girl.

"Yes," said Pimples.

"Do you think he would let me be less," she asked, smiling, timidly, "such aman?"

"No," said Pimples. "I, too, was once slave among the Kaiila. I know such men.

They will accept nothing less than abject, perfect service from a woman."

"Even if he would permit me less," said the red-haired girl, "I would not want,even of my own free will, to give him less."

I envied the young warrior his lovely, red-haired slave, Winyela. What man,truly, honestly, red or white, would not? But perhaps one must have had a slave,or least once in ones life, to understand this.

"Look at the happy, shameless slave," I said. "She may have been born for thatcollar."

"Perhaps," said Grunt.

"It may be just as well that your remonstrances proved ineffective."

"She was meant for Mahpiyasapa, Black Clouds," said Grant. "That lad andMahpiyasapa are both of the Isbu Band. There is sure to be trouble. Too, I amnot getting paid for her."

"That is true," I granted him. "What did the Yellow-Kailla Rider say to you," Iasked, "after he had spoken to the youth, before he had returned to his place?"

That the youth was within his rights," said Grunt, "that he could claim her,under the circumstances, by right of slave capture."

"Which he did?" I asked.

"Of course," said Grunt. "Would you not have done the same?"

"Perhaps," I smiled.

"At any rate, it is done now," said Grunt. "She is in his collar."

That was true. The collar had now been tied on her neck. She was now,completely, the young man's property.

I looked at her. I saw that she was prepared to serve him well.

I noted, suddenly, looking about, that one of the two warriors who had beenbusying himself in the trade goods was now reaching for a certain bundle on myown kailla. It was that in which, rolled, was the story bide and, also, thetranslator I had brought from Port Kar, that acquired from Kog and Sardak, theKurii, in the abandoned tam complex, in the delta.

"Do not," said Grunt to me.

But I was the side of the kaiila and firmly, I took the hand of the warrior fromthe bundle, and put it to the side. He looked at me, startled.

Our hands darted to our knife sheaths.

The lance of the young warrior interposed itself between us. We stepped apart.

I pointed to the goods on my pack kaiila. "Mine!" I said, in Gorean. Too, Ijerked my thumb toward my body. This, in sign, signifies "I," "Me," or "Mine," depending on the context.

"Howo, Akiboka," said the young man to the fellow squared off against me, bewhose hand I had taken from the packing on the kaiila. "Howo, Keglezela," saidhe then to the other fellow. He then slowly brought his kaiila about and walkedit slowly, to where the red youth, Cuwignaka, Woman's Dress, whom I had freedfrom the stakes, clung, supporting himself, to the Kaiila lance. He had donnedthe white dress of his own accord. He had shortened it earlier, and torn it atthe side, to permit himself more freedom of movement in it. The lad seemed weak,clinging to the lance. He had not, however, in the presence of the othersavages, deigned to eat or drink. They must be aware, I supposed, of thisgesture on his part. They would doubtless respect that. He, in spite of hisgarb, was showing them that he, in this at least, could be Kaiila. The twofellows, Akiboka and Keglezela, followed the young warrior. I adjusted thepacking ropes on the kaiila, securing the goods firmly in place. It interestedme that the young warrior had interposed his will as he had. In this, for somereason, he had protected me. I did not know him, however. I had never seen himbefore. It made no sense to me that he had acted as he had. I was puzzled. Whyhad be done this?

The young warrior had now ridden his kaiila about until he faced Woman's Dress.

I noted that his men, too, took up positions either at his sides, in lines, orrather behind him. They were drawn up, a few feet from Woman's Dress, fannedout, almost as if readying themselves for the charge. Woman's Dress looked up atthem, still holding to the lance, that he not fall. He showed not the least fearbefore him. I went to stand near Woman's Dress. Grunt, too, was near to us.

Winyela and Pimples stood to one side.

The young warrior, very clearly, began to speak. This language, to thoseunfamiliar with it, seems fraught with unfamiliar husky and guttural sounds init, rasping and sibilant. It is very fluent and expressive. Sometimes it seemsalmost as though it were exploding into sound, particularly when the speakerspeaks rapidly or is excited.

"Who has freed you?" translated Grunt. "I am free. It does not matter."

The young warrior spoke rapidly to Woman's Dress who, boldly, and in an almostfiery fashion, responded to him. It seemed to me incongruous that Woman's Dress,weakened, in the remains of the dress of a white female, should carry on sostoutly and resolutely with the young warrior. Both, of course, were Kaiila. Iwondered if both knew one another, from somewhere before. Woman's Dress, I saw,was a man.

"What is going on?" I asked Grunt.

"The young fellow wants to know who freed him, and Woman's Dress is protectingyou."

"I freed him," I said to the young warrior, stepping forward. "Translate that,"

I told Grunt.

"I do not think that would be in your best interest," said Grunt.

"Translate it," I said.

Reluctantly, Grunt complied.

The young warrior regarded me.

"He is not surprised, of course," said Grunt. "It is what he would havesuspected."

I nodded. I would surely have been the prime suspect in this matter. I wasobviously not one familiar with the Barrens. I could speak only a smattering ofDust Leg and Kaiila. Presumably, then, it would have been I who, in foolishness,or not knowing any better, would have had the temerity to cut the thongs.

"Canka, ' said the young warrior, striking himself on the chest with his fist.

"Akicita hemaca. Isbu hemaca. Kaiila hemaca!"

"I am Canka, Fire-Steel," said Grunt. "I am a warrior. I am of the LittleStones. I am of the Kaiila. "

"Tal" said I, "I am Tarl Cabot."

"Wopeton," said Grunt, pointing to me. "Hou, Hou, Kola." Then he turned to me.

"Your name would be meaningless to them," he said. "I have called you "Wopeton,or "Trader' or "Merchant'. That may serve as a name for you, you want another. Ihave also conveyed your greeting" I understand," I said.

In the following I will give the gist of the conversation that then ensued.

Understand that Grunt, or Woman's Dress, upon occasion, acted as interpreter.

Understand, too, that more than this was said. Certain points only are hereconveyed. There were additional exchanges, which took place between Canka andCuwignaka, between Fire-Steel and Woman's Dress.

"It is as I thought," sad Canka to me, "it was you who freed this callowprisoner."

"He has survived, and he is strong," I said. "He, like yourself, is Kaiila.

Respect him."

"He was the slave of white men."

"Now he is free," I said.

"He would not carry arms," said Canka. "He would not take the warpath."

"I had no quarrel with the Fleer," said Cuwignaka.

"We put him in the dress of a woman and called him Cuwignaka," said Canka.

"I had no quarrel with the Fleer," said Cuwignaka.

"You shamed the Isbu," said Canka.

"I had no quarrel with the Fleer," said Cuwignaka.

"When again we went against the Fleer we gave him the opportunity to join us,the right to wear the breechclout and be a man. Again he refused. We then boundhim in his women's dress and sold him to the Dust Legs."

"I had no quarrel with the Fleer," said Cuwignaka.

"The Kaiila have a quarrel with the Fleer, and you are Kaiila' said Canka.

"The Fleer have not injured me," said Cuwignaka.

"Your grandfather was killed by Fleer," said Canka.

"And we, too, killed Fleer," said Cuwignaka.

"How is it that you have dared to return to the Barrens?" asked Canka.

"He was brought," I said. "The white soldiers brought him. He could not help it.

"They brought me," said Cuwignaka, "but I would have returned anyway."

"Why?" demanded Canka.

"Because I am Kaiila," said Cuwignaka, "no less than you! ' "Do you think you are a man?" asked Canka.

"I am a man," said Cuwignaka.

"You do not wear the breechclout," said Canka.

"It is not permitted to me," said Cuwignaka.

"Because you are a woman," said Canka.

"I am not a woman, " said Cuwignaka.

"If you return to camp," said Canka, "you will live as woman. You will wear thedress of a woman and do the work of a woman. You will scrape hides and cook. Youwill gather kailiauk chips for the fires. You will tend lodges. You will pleasewarriors."

"I will not please warriors," said Cuwignaka.

"I think that I will give you as a female slave to Akihoka," said Canka.

"I will not please warriors," said Cuwignaka.

"That is the first duty of a woman," said Canka, "to obey men, and be pleasingto them."

"I am not a woman," said Cuwignaka.

"You do not wear the breechclout," said Canka. "And these others, too, do not," he said, surveying Grunt and myself.

"A yard or two of cloth," I said, "does not determine manhood in my country."

"In his country, and in mine," said Grunt, "one might wear the breechclout andnot be a man, and one might be a man and not wear it."

"That is apparently not the way of the Barrens," I said. "Here, in your country,it seems all that matters is whether a certain garment is worn. If that is thecase, in your country, manhood is cheap, costing no more than the price of astrip of cloth."

"That is not true! ' said Canka.

"Be careful," said Grunt to me. "Be careful, my friend."

"The breechclout does not make manhood," said Canka. "It is only a sign ofmanhood. That is why we do not permit those to wear it who are not men."

"Cuwignaka is a man," I said, "and you do not permit him to wear it."

"It is fortunate for you that you are not a warrior," said Canka.

"Akicita hemaca!" I said angrily, in his own language, striking myself on thechest. "I am a warrior!"

"Be careful," said Grunt. "Do not put yourself within the coup system."

Canka sat back on the kailla. "I do not know if you are a warrior or not," hesaid. "But it is perhaps true. You did free Cuwignaka. You are thus, at least, abrave man.You have the respect of Canka'

I was puzzled. I had not expected this attitude on his part.

"Was it you," I asked the young warrior, "Who staked him out?"

"It was Kaiila," said Canka, carefully.

"It was Hci, with his fellows of the Sleen Soldiers, of the Isbu, the son ofMahpiyasapa, civil chieftain of the Isbu, who did it," said Cuwignaka.

"It was not Canka, then, and the All Comrades, who did it?" I said.

"No," said Cuwignaka. "But it was Canka, and Hci, with the Ali Comrades andSleen Soldiers, who first put me in the dress of a woman and later bound me inthat dress and took me to the country of the Dust Legs, there selling me as aslave. That was on the decision of the council of the Isbu, presided over byMahpiyasapa."

"Canka," I said to Cuwignaka, in Gorean, "does not seem to be displeased thatyou have been freed."

"No," said Cuwignaka.

"You wear the dress of a woman," said Canka to Cuwignaka, suddenly, angrily. Hesaid this, personally, emotionally. It was as though he, somehow, found thispersonally shameful.

"I am Cuwignaka," said Cuwignaka, defiantly.

"You hold to a lance of the Kaiila," said Canka. "Surrender it"

"It was you yourself who, when you found me staked out, placed it unbrokenbeside me. It was you yourself who took the woman's dress which Hci had thrownbeside me and wrapped it about the shaft of the lance."

Canka did not respond to this. Such an action, of course, had served to mark,and conspicuously, the place where the lad had been fastened down. The locationhad been marked, almost as though with a flag. Grunt and I had seen it almostimmediately upon coming to this portion of the field. And even had there beennone to see it, at least none of our common world, that marker, the unbrokenlance, the cloth wrapped about it, might have seemed to have served some purposeto he who had placed it there, perhaps standing for some measure of recollectionand respect. This it might have mutely symbolized, if only to the grass of theBarren, the winds and clouds, and perhaps to those of the Medicine World, shouldthey exist, who might have looked down upon it, and pondered it.

"Surrender the lance," said Canka.

"No," said Cuwignaka. "You put it beside me, and it is unbroken."

"Surrender it," said Canka.

"I will not," said Cuwignaka. "If you want it, you must take it from me."

"I will not do that," said Canka. Then he said, "You were freed. Someone mustpay." He was looking at me.

"He is my friend," said Cuwignaka.

"I am Blotanhunka," said Canka. "Someone must pay."

"I will pay," said Cuwignaka.

"What is owed here," said Canka, "it is not yours to pay."

"I will pay," said Cuwignaka.

"It is not you who must pay," said Canka. "It is another who must pay."

"I am a warrior," I said to Canka. "I demand the right of combat."

"I do not wish to kill you," said Canka.

This startled me. It seemed to me that Canka had shown me unusual solicitude. Hehad protected me with Akihoka Keglezela, in the matter of the trade goods. Now,it seemed, he had no wish to enter into combat with me. He was not afraid of me,of that I was sure. I had little doubt but what he thought he could kill me, ifsuch a combat were joined. As a red savage I had little doubt but what heregarded himself as the superior or equal of any white man in single combat.

White men, on the whole, did not even count as being within the coup system.

Similarly, he had explicitly professed his respect for me. Thus it did not seemthat his disinclination to fight with me was motivated by any supposed indignityor shame in doing so. He was not refusing to fight with me as the larl mightrefuse to fight with the urt.

"I do not understand," said Grunt to me, in Gorean.

"Nor do I," I said.

"He does not seem to bear you any hostility," said Grunt.

"No," I said.

"Someone must pay," said Canka.

"Then we must fight," I said, stepping back.

"I cannot fight you, for a reason which you cannot understand," said Canka, "butthese others, my friends, the All Comrades, do not have this reason." Several ofhis fellows, at these words, grasped their lances more tightly. Their kaiilamoved under them, sensing their excitement.

"Set a champion against me," I said. "I will fight him, and, if successful, eachof the others, in turn."

"I am Blotanhunka," said he. "I will not risk my men in that fashion."

"It is then all or none," I said.

"Yes," said he.

I stepped back, further. "I am ready," I said.

"Do not fight," said Grunt. "These are Isbu Kaiila, All Comrades. There areseventeen of them. They, each of them, are skilled warriors. All have countedcoup. You would be, doomed."

"You would fight, would you not?" asked Canka.

"Yes," I said.

"Tatankasa," said Canka.

"Red Bull'," translated Grunt "It would make my heart heavy to have you killed," said Canka. The kailiauk bullis "Tatanka. The suffix "sa' designates the color red, as in "Mazasa', "RedMetal', "Copper. The expression "Kailiauk' is used by most of the tribes for thekailiauk, which is not an animal native to Earth. The expression "Pte' designates the kailiauk female, or kailiauk cow. It is also used, colloquially,interestingly, for tire kailiauk in general. This is perhaps because the «Pte» is regarded, in a sense, as the mother of the tribes. It is she, in the finalanalysis, which makes possible their hunting, nomadic life. Like any similarpeoples, the red savages have generally a great reverence and affection for theanimals in their environment. This is particularly true of the animals on whichthey depend for their food. The useless or meaningless slaughter of such wouldbe unthinkable" I am ready to fight," I said.

"Do not be a fool," said Grunt.

"I am ready," I said to Canka.

"There is an alternative," said Grunt. "Can't you see? He is waiting."

"What?" I asked.

"The collar," said Grunt.

"Never," I said.

"Please, Tatankasa," said Canka.

"Please," said Cuwignaka.

"Please," said Grunt.

Numbly I unbuckled my sword belt. I wrapped the belt out the sheaths, the swordsheath and the knife sheath, and handed the objects to Grunt. I was disarmed.

Words were spoken. One of the savages, he at the left of Canka, Akihoka, leapedto the ground. Canka threw him a collar. It was tied on my neck.

I regarded Canka. I was his slave.

The hands of Akihoka fastened themselves in the collar of my tunic. I was to bestripped naked before them.

"No," said Canka.

Another warrior approached me, with thongs and a rawhide rope. Another jerked myhands behind me. I was to be bound, and put on a tether, like the mere animal Inow was, only a slave.

"No," said Canka.

The warriors then withdrew from me, puzzled, and remounted their lofty beasts.

Canka then turned his kaiila about. He looked over his shoulder at me. "Followus," he said.

"Very well," I said.

"Howo, Winyela," said Canka to Winyela. He pointed to a place in the grass nearthe left flank of his kaiila.

"Quick," said Pimples to Winyela. "Run to the place he has indicated. It is theplace for you to follow his kaiila, the lace of a slave."

Swiftly Winyela ran to her place beside the kaiila. There she stood with herhead down, submissively.

"Good," said Pimples.

"Winyela," said Canka.

She lifted her eyes to his.

"Winyela," said Canka, again. In this context he was not saying her name so muchas reminding her of what she was.

"Say, "Ho, Itancanka, " said Pimples.

"Ho, Itancanka," said Winyela.

"Good," said Pimples.

Canka, then, in good humor, set his heels to the flanks of his kaiila and,slowly, the beast walking, took his way from the place. The girl, stripped andbarefoot in the grass, her throat tied in his beaded collar, hurried alongbeside him, taking care to remain exactly in her place.

"I am ruined," said Grunt.

"You are ruined?" I asked. "I am a disarmed slave."

"There is something strange about that," said Grunt. "You have not beenstripped, or tied. I do not understand it."

"Winyela, too," I said, using her new name, "has not been tied." We looked afterthe retreating warriors. Winyela was hurrying along at the left flank of Canka'skaiila, a girl's running place by the beast of her master.

"Have no fear," said Grunt. "In the collar of Canka the red-haired beauty willlearn her slavery well."

"You still have most of your trade goods," I said.

"And I am among them, Master," said Pimples. "Surely I am worth something."

"Lie on your belly," said Grunt.

"Yes, Master," she said, immediately complying. She had spoken withoutpermission.

"The red-haired girl," said Grunt, looking after the warriors, "was forMahpiyasapa, civil chief of the Isbu. Last year when I was in the country of theKaiila, he put in an order for such a woman. Such a woman was on his want list,so to speak."

"Doubtless when Canka returns to the main camp he will surrender her toMahpiyasapa," I said.

"Do you think so?" asked Grunt.

"No," I said.

"I am thirsty," said Cuwignaka, sitting down in the grass. "And I am faint withhunger."

These were the first signs of weakness which he had showed. How shamed andfoolish I suddenly felt. How little consideration, how little attention, we hadgiven him.

I hurried to the pack kaiila and fetched from it the water bag. Grunt, from hisown stores, brought forth some dried, pressed biscuits, baked in Kailiauk fromSa-Tarna flour. We watched him eat and drink. We did not feel that his stomachwould be ready yet for the meat of kailiauk. We had some from the Dust Legs. Itwas in sheets, cut almost as thin as paper, dried in the prairie sun, layered ina flat, leather envelope, a parfleche, originally scaled with a seam of hardenedfat. By confessing his need for drink and food before us Cuwignaka had, in hisway, honored us. This was the sort of thing that a Kaiila warrior would belikely to do only among those whom he considered his friends and comrades.

"Meat," said Cuwignaka.

Grunt and I exchanged glances but, in the end, we fetched Cuwignaka some of thestrips of dried kailiauk meat.

He sat, cross-legged, in the grass, and ate some. "It is enough," he said. Hethrust back the remainder to Grunt, who inserted it in the opened parfleche.

"I am now ready to go to the camp," said Cuwignaka.

"You are in no condition to travel," I said.

"I am ready," he said.

"You will ride," I said.

"I can walk," he said, rising unsteadily to his feet. He picked up the lance,using it as a staff to maintain his balance.

I began to remove my things from my kaiila, with the exception of the bridle,the saddle and saddle blanket.

"What are you doing?" asked Grunt.

"I am preparing the mount for Cuwignaka," I said.

"Do not be foolish," said Grunt. "This is your opportunity to escape. Ridewestward, like the wind. Flee."

"I do not understand," I said.

"Do you not see, my friend?" asked Cuwignaka. "They have given you this chanceto escape."

"They could doubtless follow me, tracking me, with strings of kaiila, until myown beast played out," I said.

"Doubtless," said Cuwignaka, "but I do not think they will do so."

"They are letting you go," said Grunt.

Go now," said Cuwignaka, "for, later, in the main camp, others may not be solenient."

"Go," said Grunt. "You would then have a fine lead on others, in the main camp,days from here, who might wish to follow you. Make good your escape now. It isdoubtless their intention."

"But why should they permit me this?" I asked.

"I do not know," said Grunt.

"I was told to follow," I said, "and I said that I would do so.»

"It was necessary that such a command be given," said Grunt. "None expects youto follow."

"I said that I would," I said.

"They will not expect a white man to keep his word," said Grunt.

"Your word is respected in the Barren, is it not?" I asked.

"I think so," said Grunt.

"Then so, too, will be mine," I said.

"Run," said Grunt. "Do not be a fool"

"What are you going to do?" I asked.

"I am going to the main camp of the Kaiila," he said. "I come to this country totrade."

"You have business in this place?" I asked.

"Yes," said Grunt "I too, have business in this place," I said.

"You are mad," said Grunt.

"Perhaps," I said. But I had not come to the Barrens to back now.

"Get up," said Grunt, kicking Pimples lightly in the side the side of his foot.

"We have work to do."

"Yes, Master," she said, rising, and smoothing down the skirt of the tiny slavetunic with the palms of her hands. She was the only one of the girls whoseclothing had not been by the red savages. The red-haired girl, Lois, Corinne,Inez, Priscilla, the others, had all been stripped. Canka had permitted her tokeep the garment, such as it was, to draw a distinction between her, who couldspeak Kaiila, and the other who could not.

To be sure, there is a controversy as to whether or not it is humiliating for awoman to be put before masters in garment or merely stark naked, save, perhaps,for a collar. Surely slave tunics leave little to the imagination. Among thegirls, of course, there is little disagreement in practice, though some intheory. The girls, only, treasure even the tiniest rag which can afford themsome shielding, however pathetic, from the imperious gaze of masters. Too, fromthe point of view of the masters, the little that might be left to theimagination, small as it is, by such a garment, is often found to be intriguingand stimulating. It encourages them to her stripping. Too, giving a girl a bitof clothing, tends to give one more control over her. For example, will she betold to remove the garment, or will it be taken from her, and if so, publicly orprivately? It must be understood, of course, that a slave, having no rights,does not have the right even to clothing. That a girl is wearing even a rag isusually a sign that she has pleased her master, and quite significantly, too.

Often the garment of a slave girl does not come easily to her. In private, ofcourse, even rags are often dispensed with. The slave is the property of themaster, and, in the privacy of his quarters, she is done with, totally, as hepleases.

"Take care of the things which were mine," I said, "If you would."

"I shall," said Grunt. Slaves, of course, own nothing. It is they who are owned.

"I think it is time to follow Canka," I said to Cuwignaka.

"Ride from here. Escape," said Grunt "Mount up," I said to Cuwignaka. He stood, unsteadily, clinging to the lance, asthough to a staff.

"I will walk," said Cuwignaka.

"You are weak," I said.

"I am Kaiila," said Cuwignaka. "I will walk."

He took two or three faltering steps, supporting himself with the lance. Butthen, suddenly, his legs buckled. For a moment he held himself up with thelance, but then, heavily, fell to the side. Painfully, with the lance, hand overhand; he pulled himself again to his feet. He took another two or threefaltering steps, supporting himself with the lance, after Canka and the others,but then, again, fell heavily in the grass. I moved to go to him, but Grunt'shand on my arm stopped me. "No," he said. "Do not demean him. He is Kaiila."

Pimples, too, I noted, had not moved to aid him. I nodded.

Cuwignaka struggled to a seated position in the grass. He sat there,cross-legged, angrily, the lance beside him.

"I have decided to rest," he said. "I will sit here for a time. Then I will getup, and go."

"Very well," I said.

"He may not be able to walk for days," said Grunt.

"In a day or two," I said.

"Perhaps," said Grunt.

"He is Kaiila," I said.

"That is true," said Grunt, smiling. Then he turned to Pimples. "Busy yourself,Girl," he said. "Pack our stores. A trail awaits."

"Yes, Master," she said.

I lent my assistance to Grunt and Pimples, and, in a few Ehn, we had secured thegoods about either on the travois attached to Grunt's pack kaiila or on my ownpack beast. Pimples put the discarded coffle chains, and the manacles, which hadbound the Hobarts, on the hides of the travois, fastening them about one of thetie ropes.

"I wish you well," I said to Grunt.

"I wish you well," said he to me.

I watched Grunt and Pimples, with the three kaiila, his mount, the kaiiladrawing the travois and my own pack beast, wending their way away, through thetall grass. They turned and waved, and I waved back. Then, after a time, theywere in the distance, following the trail of Canka and his party. I could seethe smoke of evening fires in the distance. That was presumably the Kaiila camp.

Canka had not tethered Winyela. He had let her run free at the flank of hiskaiila. That seemed an unusual courtesy to be extended to a new girl. I smiledto myself. I suspected the young warrior might already care for the red-hairedslave. I did not think he would be eager to surrender her to Mahpiyasapa, hischieftain.

"What are you thinking of?" asked Cuwignaka.

"Various things," I said.

"If you are not going to flee," said Cuwignaka; "perhaps you should followCanka, now."

"I will wait for you," I told him.

"I may sit here for a little while," he said.

I smiled. "I will wait," I said.

"The lot of a slave among the Kaiila, as among our peoples generally," saidCuwignaka, "is not an easy one."

"I do not suppose so," I said.

"At least you are not a female," said Cuwignaka. "The Kaiila, as others of ourpeoples, do not treat their white beauties with gentleness."

I nodded. I supposed not.

Total pleasingness, at all times and in all ways, and instant, and completeobedience, to the least whim of the master, is standardly required of Goreanfemale slaves, incidentally, not merely of those who wear the collars of redsavages. I had little doubt but what there were many in the cities who couldinstruct even the red savages in matters pertaining to the utilization,management and control of female slaves. If anything, I suspected that the lotof the female slave in the Barrens might be a bit easier than that of herimbonded sister in the smooth corridors and ornate palaces of the high cities.

Each street and each square in such a city is likely to have its tether postsand whipping rings.

"Canka did not even tether Winyela," I said.

"Let her displease him even in the least thing," said Cuwignaka, "and she willquickly discover that she is a slave and that he is her master."

"Doubtless," I said. I thought that this might be good for the former MissMillicent Aubrey-Welles, the former debutante from Pennsylvania. Such girlsthrive best when kept under a strict discipline.

"I was not stripped and tethered," I said.

"No," said Cuwignaka.

"I do not understand that," I said.

"It is not so hard to understand," said Cuwignaka.

"Why were such things not done to me?" I asked. "Why was I not attacked? Why wasI permitted an opportunity to attempt escape? Why have I been treated with suchlenience?"

"Can you not guess?" asked Cuwignaka.

"No," I said.

"Canka," said Cuwignaka, "is my brother."

"What are you doing?" asked Cuwignaka. I had fetched my kaiila. "What are youdoing?" he asked. I lifted him gently to the saddle.

"I can walk," he said.

"No, you cannot" I said.

"In a few moments, I shall be able to do so," he said.

"Ride," I said. I then handed him the lance from the grass. It was metal-bladed,with a long trade point, some nine inches in length. It was riveted in the haftat two places and reinforced with rawhide bindings. The nature of these bindingsand the three lateral red marks near the head of the shaft marked it as Kaiila.

The binding was traditional; the marks were an explicit convention, signifyingthe Kaiila, the Cutthroat tribe. Other marks upon it, which might have signifiedan owner, had been scratched away, probably with the edge of a knife. Nofeathers were attached to the lance. Never as yet, it seemed, had it touched anenemy.

Cuwignaka swayed in the saddle. I steadied him.

I looked out over the prairie. Somewhere, out there, somewhere, was Zarendargar.

I had come to seek him. Others, too, had come to seek him. Kog and Sardak, withsome companions, and at least one other Kur, as well, whom I had seen earlier,threatening the Waniyanpi, had survived the recent action. I did not doubt butwhat they would press ahead in their grisly mission. The Kur is tenacious. TheseKurii I did not think would be in great danger from the red savages. Several ofthem had departed from the scene of battle unharmed. Such beasts were unfamiliarto the red savages. Suspecting that they might be denizens of the Medicine Worldred savages might be likely to give them, wherever possible, wide berth.

They would have no such reservations, of course, pertaining to a lone white manwandering about in the Barrens. Such might be, I supposed, even hunted down forsport. Alfred, the mercenary captain from Port Olni, I supposed, must now bemaking his way back to civilization, with his men. I expected that they would besuccessful in this endeavor. Few tribes, most of which are usually dispersed inscattered bands, would be likely to wish to, or be able to, bring a forceagainst them, some three or four hundred mounted men. Doubtless, too, thesoldiers, now, would keep careful watches. The lessons of their foolisharrogance had been harshly learned; those who have survived such mistakes seldomtrouble themselves to repeat them. I did not expect to see Alfred, or his men,again.

I glanced back, down into the shallow valley. I could see Pumpkin, and hisWaniyanpi, down there, still clearing the field. Behind one of the partiallyburnt, abandoned wagons would be she who had once been the proud Lady Mira, anagent of Kurii, of the resort city of Venna. She naught but a stripped,luscious, yoked slave, tethered by the ankle to a wagon axle. She had been foundwith the soldiers. She had, in spite of this, after having been stripped, todetermine if there might be any interest in owning her, been given a slim chanceto save her life, prostrating herself and performing intimate acts at the feetof a master's kaiila. She had apparently licked and sucked well at the toes andnails of the beast, making clear to all, saving perhaps herself, her aptness,for slavery and the suitability of its collar for her fair throat. Then, afterhaving performed these foul and degrading acts, so fitting for a slave, and,doubtless having been passionately aroused by them, she had not been, as she haddoubtless expected to be, ravished at length by imperious masters, but bound andgiven over to Waniyanpi. What a rich joke was this played on the aroused andtormented woman. How cruel could be the tortures of the red savages! She hadbeen found with soldiers. Stripped, and forced to reveal herself as a slave, andaroused, she had then been given to Waniyanpi. She would be taken to one oftheir compound. They would respect her. She would be called "Turnip'.

"I think I am ready now," said Cuwignaka.

"Can you travel now?" I asked.

"Yes," he said.

I glanced once more, then, over the prairie. It open. The horizons were broad.

I then, leading the kaiila, on which Cuwignaka rode, slumped forward, with thelance, set my feet in the tracks of those who had preceded me, Canka and hisparty, and Grunt and Pimples, toward the smoke of the evening fires, toward thecamp of the Isbu Kaiila.

In a few moments Cuwignaka straightened his back. I was pleased to see that henow held his head up. He was strong. He was Kaiila.

"A trail awaits," said Cuwignaka.

"Yes," I said.