Chapter Seven
Male’s End
Jafina stole through the darkness of the forest as if she was a tigress on the prowl. Confidently she made her way through the dark as if she could see as well as a tigress and truly she did possess a better set of eyes than many.
Still she relied on an uncanny sense of direction and other intangibles to guide her through the dark and not just eyesight. Finally she stopped in a moonlit patch of the forest.
The forest was silent around her, devoid of the resurgent night sounds of late. Sensing the majesty of the beast that she had purposely come through this section of the forest to find, she inclined her head forward respectfully and waited silently not saying a word.
A long moment passed and then a shadow fell across her as something truly of a massive size stepped within the glow of the moon. No words were said as Jafina glanced up to take in the massive beast before her whose antlers stretched out to the side of his head as wide as she was tall and then some on each side.
One great hoof lifted and tapped down on a rock and she took that as her lead to speak and softly she did so, “It is said that you are among the last of your kind left alive. You live here within the forest and venture no more out onto the grasses of your former realm. Your mates have all long since been slain and their young ones perished with them. Truly, you are alone or so it would seem. I am not the last of my kind, but truly my people are few and I know to some degree the loss that you must live with daily. You are not alone in your suffering. Even as you are not alone I wonder if I could ask of you assistance in the struggle we have against a common foe?”
Like water rumbling from an underground brook the great deer spoke, “You wish to ride me in place of the horse that did not come to aid you in your quest to win back the forest lands.”
“No.” Jafina said shaking her head slowly before then saying, “I need you because of you. You in no way are a replacement, but rather you are a rarity that I greatly respect and humbly ask assistance of.”
The deer swung his massive head away, but continued to tower over her as she stood before him. “Your words are flattering young one, but my days are long and though vengeance is desirable I know that it is a fleeting emotion that serves no good in the end.”
“Does dying in this forest apart from your home of old serve any good purpose, noble one?”
The massive head swung back to her abruptly and bravely Jafina said in continuation, “I speak for myself when I say that I would sooner die with a sword in my hand with my enemies before me then die in the isolation of a place that is not my home!”
“Youth speaks rashly. It is ever the way of the young to insist on action in place of reserve. There is a time for everything young one.”
Jafina nodded respectfully in deference once more to the great beast who was the last of his kind and turned to go.
He spoke, “A time to live and a time to die. A time to mourn and a time to fight.”
Jafina turned back wonderingly and the great deer stepped forward into the light more fully, “Run and fetch a second sword young one. The query you seek patrols the forest edge beyond me before dawn’s first hour. It would be well to be ready to greet them would it not?”
In relief Jafina bubbled out, “Yes Sir! Thank you!”
“Why do you thank me? As I see it I have but allowed you to hasten my end as it were.”
Jafina stepped forward and reaching her hand out she let it softly slide along the muzzle of the great deer, “One of your great age has seen much I know, but these times that have come upon us are like none before. I serve under the leadership of the man in whom the Spirit of the Creator burns as brightly as a forest set ablaze. You, if you are to face the enemy with me tomorrow, must have a change in heart to believe that with Eloah guiding us and His Son aiding us even as the Most High’s Spirit goes out before us that truly we can accomplish anything. I have seen it done and I have faith to see it occur again and my great wish in this moment is for you to see it too.”
The massive head nodded and Jafina left the moonlit glen quickly. The great deer stared after her for a moment and then commented dryly into the dark stillness, “And suddenly the young are wiser than the old. It must truly be the end for what sound reasoning is to be found in doing as I have when with belief the impossible is rightly doable? For such a day as this I suppose. Even so let it be!” With a resounding stamp of his front hooves the great deer threw back his antlered rack of greater pride than any other beast in the forest and issued forth a bellowed outcry of war and rageful pride that coalesced together as a statement of a beast ready to fight and no longer content to dwell within the shadows and watch the years drift by.
*******
The centaurs galloped hard along the forest periphery. They passed by this way most mornings in search of prey or any incursion into their territory.
Rounding a bend in the forest they drew to an abrupt halt as they collectively through up chunks of sod with their hooves as they caught sight of the great antlered beast approaching them solidly through the tall grass. Perhaps most unexpected of all was the imagery of the woman who sat astride the massive deer’s great bulk that only tended to make her look smaller than she actually was.
The light of the rising sun glistened off the blades of two drawn swords which she wielded in either hand with an ire that said she knew how to use them. The centaurs shared a glance and then as one turned to gaze once more with lasciviousness upon the woman sitting astride of the great deer.
The leader over the other five in the group spoke, “The morning holds both a feast and a bout of entertainment for us it appears lads.”
The others grunted in ascent as their beast like male appendages half distended in anticipation. For all of them the prospect of a woman such as this was a rarity not often afforded to them and so it would be an encounter to cherish. They would feast upon her along with the deer when they were done with them both and that only excited them more as the meat of both was rare to find these days.
As one the six centaurs reached back with their manlike arms and drew forth their broad swords from the scabbards affixed to their horse like flanks. They had no wish to cut the woman up until they’d made sport of her, but the great deer had to be dealt with swiftly as they all had a healthy appreciation for its powerful antlers. Antlers that would soon decorate the loft of one of their savanna stables.
The desire to be at the woman drove them forward in an unorganized stampede even as the majestic sized deer picked up its own speed. The centaurs knew the drill. Charge the deer head on and then at the last moment shear off to both sides of it and slice its legs as it charged past being too ponderously huge to nimbly dodge after them.
With its leg tendons severed it would collapse to the ground helpless to avoid their next move. There was no beast of the savanna able to outwit or maneuver them save for one combination. Man mounted on horseback. It was every centaur’s worst nightmare as two where better than one and regular horses had better stamina than they had for long-distance travel.
The front two centaurs raced side-by-side with swords lifted high. The distance was closing rapidly and in anticipation they gripped the swords they held aloft tightly. They all blinked in tandem though as the woman dressed as a warrior suddenly arose even as the deer’s great rack of antlers lowered to skiff just above the ground.
Unbelievably then the woman jumped forward to land upon the head of the deer. Her sense of balance was perfect and both lead centaurs gasped as the deer’s head suddenly catapulted upward with all the momentum the massive weight of boned antlered mass could afford.
The woman was catapulted upward and through the air directly at them. She spun forward in a somersault as sunlight gleamed off both swords held outward in a series of mad flashes that made it appear as if the swords were alive.
Vainly both lead centaurs tried to recover from their surprise and bring their swords to deflect the twin blades of their foe, but it was too late. The blades arched inward and then both flashed outward and forward in two harmonious swings of sun kissed steel.
The centaur’s heads both went rolling as their lifeless abominate apparitions of horse form with that of man crumbled forward onto the savanna floor even as there polluted blood sprayed across the ground. The next two centaurs swung their blades, but met only the resistance of air as Jafina slipped past them and came out of her somersault freefall to land upon them.
Her booted heels slammed down hard onto the backs of the two close riding centaurs and with a decisive backward stab she sent both blades goring clean through each one of the two centaurs that she was positioned in a straddle pose between. With a jerk her blades came free and she jumped off to the one side as with blood frothing at their lips the two centaurs joined their counterparts into tumbling lifeless to the savanna floor.
The great deer streaked past at great speed as it cut off to the one side suddenly. With a dexterity of seemingly great ease both swords were holstered and in the next moment Jafina’s hands gripped a hold of an antler.
The deer peeled away to the left sharply with Jafina hanging on as the last two centaurs drew up in a shower of dust and torn up pieces of grass. They stared dumbfounded at what had just occurred before them, but they were seasoned warriors and with swords lifted high they began to give chase, but they needn’t have bothered.
The great deer was swinging back around in as tight of an arc as it could and both centaurs pulled up unsure only to then gaze in stupefaction as Jafina let go of the antlers and swung out away from the deer as she flew out into midair in a movement that seemed sheer suicide. She flew out horizontally only to come up short with a jerk as a length of rope fastened about her waist and a piece of antler on the other end became taunt.
The swinging arc of the deer’s sudden sharp turn sent Jafina swinging through the air at the centaurs where they were drawn up in indecision. The midsection of the rope that Jafina was affixed to caught them both about the torso and fairly yanked them off their hooved feet as the rope made a circling restraint about their waists. Jafina spiraled around the pair of centaurs a second time and without ado she cut herself free and landed as gracefully as a cat upon the savanna.
Both centaurs fell down to the tune of bellowed pain and outrage at what had just taken place. Jafina calmly approached the pair of tasseled up centaurs unsure of their surrounds as they found themselves bound up within the restraining coils of rope clasped tightly about their manlike necks and torsos.
Lifting her swords by the blade ends Jafina savagely clubbed both centaurs unconscious with the pommel ends of both swords. Then just as equally savage she sliced off what made them both male. The two unconscious centaurs lay twitching upon the ground unmindful of what had just been irrevocably done to them.
The great deer walked forward and gazed down at the pair. Jafina still stood with swords drawn breathing heavy.
She glanced to the deer, but he said nothing. Jafina stuck her swords fast into the ground and wiped the sweat on her brow away with a forearm. Groaning with anxiety she said, “I shouldn’t have done that.”
She gazed once more upon the severed genitalia that lay upon the bloody grass even as the wounds she’d caused continued to bleed freely. It was doubtful that either would survive such an injury.
Slowly the deer shook his head no and glancing to him Jafina said as if to contradict his silent statement, “But what if they bleed out? Who will carry the message that we need sent?”
Voice rumbling rustilly from unuse the deer spoke, “Whether they bleed out or not a message has been clearly sent my dear. They certainly deserved worse than you’ve done and whether they live to hobble off or more of their kind come to find what happened to them the end result will be the same. War.”
Pausing a moment he seemed to reflect before saying, “I do hope you’re ready for it.”
Jafina shrugged her shoulders and said, “When have we ever been? I am but a child somehow aged and advanced in talent to what you see now. I know not how it is that it came to be, but I do know that my Creator can do anything, which includes fighting this war for us.”
The antlers shook affirmatively, “Well said.” He rumbled out with before beginning to turn away. Calling out he said, “Come. I will escort you back to your camp.”
Jafina quirked an eyebrow at the massive beast seeming to think she had need of an escort, but without a word spoken she reclaimed her swords and headed out on foot alongside of the beast.
“Do you have a name?” Jafina asked after several long moments of amicable silence.
“I’ve had a few, but I’m not sure how to interpret them for you properly. Call me Brown.”
“Brown!” She laughed out loud as she looked at him askance.
“It pretty much describes me does it not?” He rumbled out with.
“Only on the outside, but Brown it is my friend.”
“Good and I shall call you Male’s End.”
Jafina blinked and then as full realization hit her she blushed beat red with embarrassment. A rumbling like low thunder shook through her beastly companion and with chagrin Jafina groused, “Some friend you are.” As she took in the very real fact that the animal was laughing at her.
Brown continued rumbling with inward pleasure until with a heavy sigh he muttered, “I haven’t laughed like this in years. I feel younger.”
Jafina smiled and good-naturedly laid a hand to his high shoulder as they walked along, “Who knows maybe there’s a flock of does out there held up in a corner of the forest just waiting for a big stud like you to come along.”
“Doubtful my dear, but a pleasant thought nonetheless. I’m ready to go on and so if I die in this battle to come it makes no difference. It’s just that I hate to be the last one of my kind. I know it may not seem right, but I’d rather die tomorrow than live another year by myself.”
Jafina said nothing for a moment and then contemplatively she said, “I bet she’ll be lighter in color. More of a sandy brown, with the most beautiful big brown eyes you ever saw. Yep, I’m sure of it.”
Brown glanced to her and she nodded big with emphasis and he looked forward again. In the early morning light the camp along the forest edge became visible and Brown stopped, “I think I shall enjoy spending the rest of the day out on the savanna for once and dream of a pair of big brown eyes.”
Laughing softly Jafina started forward through the grass toward the encampment.
“And what of you young one? When do you content yourself to have a mate?”
Jafina glanced wistfully ahead toward the campsite among the trees. The tip of an antler brushed ever so slightly against her hair and wiping at the silent tears upon her cheeks Jafina glanced to her companion.
In a rumbling voice that had a very deep level of caring to it uncommon to be found in what some would just regulate to that as of a dumb beast, Brown said, “It will come to be even as you desire young one.”
“Oh and how do you know?” She asked ducking her head away embarrassed by her tears.
“Oh, I just do. You could say I’ve come to be attentive to the small things and I…… I just know.”
Jafina nodded her head, “Well, that’s good to know. Pleasant day to you Brown. Sweet dreams of brown eyed beauties.”
Jafina had started forward when his reply reached her, “And what color of eye will you be dreaming of I wonder?”
Half turning back Jafina said with a sad laugh, “There brown too.” She headed on and was out of hearing range of the great deer as he announced to the early light of dawn, “The future will be here before you know it young one. I have not waited for so long to see change occur only to see more of the heartbreaks of the past occur with it.”
Glancing out into the savanna to where the horse devils would come from he said authoritatively, “No! Let there be war and with it change!”
He glared menacing out at the savanna and waited silently for the tide of war that would surely come with swift violence upon those encamped in the trees. Just being in the savanna for a few hours of uninterrupted delight had brought home to him all that he’d been missing of his old home for so many years now.
Let the battle come he was ready for it. Throwing back his head he cried out with an ear rending bugle of challenge packed full of all the aggression caused by the remembrance of tragedies of bygone days. The bugled cry rippled out over the grassland disrupting the good morning chirp of birds and insects.
In a far-off corner of the forest bordering the savanna a herd of seven beasts lifted their heads and perked their years upward attentively. They listened intensely in the stillness that followed and then there again came the resounding echo of a bugling call. Of one volition the small herd walked forward through the gloom of the forest and out into the savanna they had been forced to avoid for years.
Unerringly they headed across the savanna towards the source of the sound the such that they had not heard in a very long time. They too were at an end of caring for the survival of one more day as opposed to death tomorrow if only it meant to be with some of their own kind once more.
The trees had been whispering a lot of late. What it all meant they did not know. All they did know though was that the strength of the bugling cry in the early morning light was a summoning to action and so they walked on through the day in a steadfast distance eating trot as they embraced whatever the future of tomorrow might bring.
Elsewhere in the morning unfolding upon the land the bugled cry roused the trussed up pair of centaurs. In horrified stupefaction the pair stumbled painfully up onto all four hooves as they cried out pitifully at the self-awareness of what had been done to them.
Their whole world of purpose and being was suddenly at an end and with dread they realized that they would be the laughing stock of all their brethren. Quickly then their minds turned to hate. Hate directed at the cause of their shame that had come to them in the form of a human woman.
Hate above all else drove them to painfully stumble across the sunlit savanna for the stables of their kind located in the heart of this far-flung section of the savanna. They would see that woman die the most excruciating of deaths. They surely would and with that hate driven purpose burning bright they forced themselves into a gallop so that vengeance would be all the sooner in the making.
*******
Jafina made her way past the sentries and quiet campfires they had all but gone out. Her human brethren and beastly allies alike still lay mostly asleep as if sensing the need to acquire extra rest for the fight to come.
Her feet took her to the lone fire in the trees. He often rose early in the morning to pray, but as she reached the fire she saw that this was not the case today.
He, like everyone else except for those on sentry duty, was fast asleep. It was still cold here in the trees as the light of the sun had not warmed the air yet and hugging her arms about herself she stared down at the man who was her leader by day and who captivated all her dreams of the future by night.
More than anything in the world she wanted nothing more than to lay down beside him and feel his big solid presence of warmthness of body and spirit against her, but it wasn’t to be for right now. Tomorrow there would be a battle that would effect a change in everything. If they won they would still be more battles and until those battles were won this man’s focus had to be elsewhere and with that knowledge pressed firmly to heart she lay down coldly, alone upon the ground just beyond his still booted feet.
Not able to help herself she reached a hand out and ever so lightly laid it on the heel of his boot. Any touch even this impersonal of a one was a relief to her and tiredly she closed her eyes.
In startlemeant though she opened them as a warm hand closed about her wrist. Before she could rise she was pulled along the ground and with a pent-up breath found herself in the next moment exactly where she had wanted to be a few moments before. In his arms.
Not daring a breath she said nothing as he situated her on her side with her back pressed up against him. Air seeped in past her lips and a few unsteady breaths later as the warmth and touch of him against her flooded her with heat she whispered, “We shouldn’t. We……”
“Shut up.” He said softly against her hair, even as he flipped his blanket over the two of them.
Laying still staring wide-eyed into the fire as her cheek rested comfortably on the arm of the man she loved more than life itself, she debated about what to do. His words against her hair gave her the excuse she needed then to stay exactly as she was, “What kind of a leader would I be if I let my best warrior catch sick from being too cold.”
It was a lame excuse and they both knew it, but they remained as they were. More comfort than she’d ever known before radiated throughout Jafina and in a form of paradise bordering on sublime her eyes drifted closed.
“Have you given me a war?” Came the soft query from behind her.
Smiling sleepily Jafina said, “Yes, my Lord.”
“Stop calling me that.” He groused out, but Jafina was already lost to dreams and fantasies of all life could be like if they only won the ability to live to see the future.
*******
I stared at the flames of the dying fire beyond Jafina’s head. I was a fool perhaps, but a contented one.
There was simply no way not to show that I cared and that I wasn’t made out of lead. I was human and I was deriving as much comfort from having her near as she was from me.
I was also driving myself nuts, but in this moment I was content to be driven crazy. One or both of us might die tomorrow and I didn’t want to be alone any more than she did in the face of the struggle to come and all that it could mean.
“Eloah forgive us if our weakness for each other is a flaw in our ability to lead an army to victory.” I whispered softly.
I closed my eyes as only the peace I derived from the sound of her breath for air was my answer in the early morning dew that lay upon the forest. The desire to win the war we faced for survival only became that much more real to me as the presence of the woman I adored pressed in snugly against me.
As I relished the feel of her the reality of yet something else worth fighting for came all too real to me. She was something that I hoped more than anything had been created just for me.
Time would tell, but until then there was the here and now, and now would have to be enough, as tomorrow wasn’t promised to any of us. Leaning forward I lightly kissed her hair before whispering, “Sweet dreams my love.” Her hair smelled like spices had been sifted into it and I found deep contentment in the few moments that we had managed to share together knowing that before long the affairs of the day would once more draw us apart.