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Back to Wesoomi's Archives The Legend of Wesoomi: Twenty Five: The Raid: August 19, 2002: On the eve of the third day, Crazy Wolf stood poised with his warriors in the forest above the village of the Husbandmen. Most of his men were weary and slow of foot. On the long journey, he had lost twenty seven warriors. Two died of strange chest pains. With large eyes, blue skin, and hands clutching their breasts, they fell and threshed for a moment and lay still. Crazy Wolf left them where they lay. Four others simply fell in exhaustion on the trail. In a fit of anger, Crazy Wolf slew them. After that, some others slipped into the forest and fled. Still, Crazy Wolf continued. As they gathered for the attack, Cat Foot, unnoticed by crazy Wolf, slipped out of the forest and joined Hawk. "What of Wesoomi?" whispered Hawk. "He be not in the village." "Where then?" "I know not. I asked after him. They say only that he be in the forest," replied Cat Foot. "Let us hope he be safe then." "Aye." At the head of his warriors, Crazy Wolf spoke to them in fierce whispers. "It be time to decide if you be Bandar warriors or old women," he hissed. "Many summers ago, you took this village and began our rise to power. I led you and I stood proud with you. Now, it be time to show that we still be ones to heed. We still be Bandar. Again I will lead you. Follow me into this village. Slay any who resist. Take the maidens for your later pleasure. We will take their harvest and make their young men carry it to our village as we did before. Too long, we have been lax in taking our due. Now we act. Come!" Crazy Wolf turned and strode swiftly toward the village with Little Warrior at his side. Both carried spears and flint knifes. The Bandar warriors plodded along behind. They had little taste for this thing. They had little taste for anything save food and the fermented juice of berries. Yet, they feared Crazy Wolf. As they came to the village, some of the Husbandmen saw them and fear filled their eyes. They turned to flee. Crazy Wolf rushed ahead and unseen by him, Little Warrior dropped back. The Bandar warriors plodded past him. Crazy Wolf raised his spear and slew one of the Husbandmen from behind. With that example some of the Bandar Warriors began to wield their weapons. In the rear, Hawk and his men had occasion to slay a few of the slower Bandar Warriors. Hawk moved his men ahead cautiously and remained out of the slaughter. In the village, Little Warrior saw one maiden and rushed forward to take hold of her. She was dumb with fear as he dragged her toward the brush. He held her firmly by the arms and looked fiercely into her eyes. "You must find Wesoomi," he whispered. She stared at him with terror filled eyes. There was no understanding in them. Little Warrior slapped her and she sobbed. He slapped her again. "Look at me," he hissed. "I will do you no harm." The maiden continued to stare at him with terror and no understanding. Little Warrior slapped her again. "I have no time," he hissed. "You must hear me." He slapped her again and again. Finally she sobbed, "No more. Please, just slay me." Little Warrior wrapped his arms about her and held her head to his breast. She trembled, but did not resist. "I will not slay you," he said softly. "I must needs have you hear me. You must help your people and Wesoomi." The girl's trembling lessened. "You must find Wesoomi," he continued softly. "You must go into the forest and find him. Say to him, Little Warrior will be at the hidden place, four days hence. So tell him." The girl's breathing slowed and her trembling ceased. "Now, what will you tell Wesoomi?" he demanded. She did not answer. Little Warrior continued to hold her gently and speak to her. "I have little time," he said. "My absence will be marked. You must hear me." "I will try," she whispered. Little Warrior stroked her hair and held her gently. "You must tell Wesoomi this one thing," he insisted. "Tell him that Little Warrior will be at the hidden place four days hence." She nodded her head slowly. "What will you tell Wesoomi?" he demanded. "I will tell him, Little Warrior will be at the hidden place four days hence," she stammered. Little Warrior released the girls and pushed her toward the forest. "Go now," he whispered. "May the Great Spirit go with you." He turned and strode back into the village. The girl stood in dumb confusion for a moment. Then she turned and ran into the forest. She did not see a ghostly grey wolf who also ran ahead of her. Little Warrior found Crazy Wolf in the center of the village. There were slain Husbandmen around him. Some of the elders were being held by Bandar Warriors. The younger men and women were being burdened with the looted Husbandmen's stores. Crazy Wolf demands of the elder, "Where be your great warrior, Wesoomi? He has fled into the forest and hid from me when he learned I had come. He is not the brave and powerful warrior he pretended to be. Tell the great Wesoomi when he returns that he has a meeting with me. I will find him. He cannot hide from me." Crazy Wolf turned and directed his warriors. "Bring these captives and the stores. We will take them to our village." He strode toward the forest with Little Warrior beside him. Hawk and his men followed closely. Then the Bandar warriors prodded the captives into motion. They left the elders of the village standing in shock and confusion. "I did not mark you in the slaying of these Husbandmen, Little Warrior. Where went you?" "I saw a man flee into the forest. I believed it was Wesoomi and I pursued him to slay him." "He escaped you?" "Nay. I slew him but it was not Wesoomi." "So, he escapes us this time." "It must needs be, Chief." "I will find him. He cannot seize my power. I will slay him." As they journeyed away from the village, the Bandar warriors began to slow in their step. Some were slow and others were slower. They stopped for rest wherever they would. By the end of the following day the traveling Bandar and their captives were spread through the forest. The last were a half day behind the first. This is how Wesoomi found them on the second day. The girl had not found Wesoomi in the forest. Wesoomi found her. He was led to her by a ghostly grey wolf who came to him in the night. The girl told him of the raid and of Little Warrior's message. Wesoomi returned to the village. He learned of the young ones being captive and went to follow the Bandar. He overtook a group of the slower ones on that second day. There were twelve Bandar, three Husbandmen maidens and four Husbandmen young men. Wesoomi, appeared suddenly before them. They stopped in surprise. "Take your burdens and return to your village," said Wesoomi to the Husbandmen. One of the Bandar raised a spear and Wesoomi fixed him with an icy stare. The man froze in place with the spear raised over his shoulder. He could not move. His eyes showed his confusion and fear. Others of the Bandar began to move toward Wesoomi and he looked at them and they could not move. The Husbandmen were not moving either. Wesoomi smiled at them and said, "You must go now. These men cannot harm you. I will hold them." He walked amongst them and with his hands turned them toward home. "Go now," he whispered. "It is safe." The young Husbandmen finally understood and began to move in awe toward their home. Wesoomi watched them go back on the trail. Then he turned back to the Bandar. His attention had been turned away too long. His powers were new to him and he had allowed his mind grip to slip. As he turned, one of the Bandar was hurtling a spear toward him. Wesoomi managed to deflect it, but it caused a gash in his arm. With sudden rage, Wesoomi drove his thoughts into the body of the Bandar warrior. He stirred the man's insides and a spurt of blood erupted from his mouth. He fell to the ground. His eyes were open , but the saw not. Wesoomi had slain him. Wesoomi looked in awe at what he had done. His thoughts were that the Great Spirit had not given him this power for this. It was a wrong thing. It would be many summers before Wesoomi would learn from his mother that he had slain his own blood father. Wesoomi looked at the other Bandar and released them. They backed away from him in fear. "Go, now," he said. "Return to your homes. Come not this way again. Stay with your women and cubs. Raise no spears against your neighbors. Seek peace." Wesoomi turned and strode toward his village with no backward glance. The Bandar turned in confusion and started home. They muttered to themselves as they traveled. Back to Wesoomi's Archives
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