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Back to Wesoomi's Archives The Legend of Wesoomi: Twenty Six: Counting Losses and Scheming: August 26, 2002: The Bandar warriors were not up to the task of the long march with their captives and plunder. Some fell along the way and died. Others wandered off with their plunder. It was a woeful group which slowly wandered back to the Bandar village. Most of the plunder and all of the captives had been lost on the long march. Some were slain. Many escape and return to their homes. Little Warrior had thought to destroy Crazy Wolf by tempting him into the raid, but that had failed. Though Crazy Wolf lost many of his warriors, he maintained his power with the Bandar. They still feared him. When they regrouped in the Bandar village, they were only ninety-seven men. Little Warrior feigned dismay and anger with the old warriors of the past. "My small group of young warriors was not enough and those fat old men were almost useless. They shamed me and they shamed you Crazy Wolf." "You speak truth," admitted Crazy Wolf, sadly. "Too long I allowed them to grow fat and slow. When once they lived for the raid, they now live for the fermented berry. They are indeed unworthy to be called Bandar. They are fat old women." "I grieve with you, Crazy Wolf. The proud Bandar are shamed." "Aye, and more evil will come of it." "I fear so too, Crazy Wolf. There will be tales and songs of our shame." "Indeed, I must needs ponder this." "Aye. If the tales so tell, our enemies may think us easy prey." "In truth, we be easy prey," lamented Crazy Wolf. "Our twenty young warriors, be not easy, but they be few," added Little Warrior. "We must needs become stronger, Little Warrior." "What would you do, Chief?" "I have pondered this as I watched our large bellied warriors fail us," mussed Crazy Wolf. "Do you find answer?" "I have noticed in the wild country to the north, there be other men, men not of the Nation of the People." "Aye. These I have seen also, on the hunt. Sometimes we track prey into the wild country." "What know you of these Wild Men Little Warrior?" "But little, Chief. Most evade us as we hunt." "None spoke to you?" "Some, but few. Some know words of our tongue, those nearest the border. Others speak a strange tongue I know not." "Some speak our tongue," mussed Crazy Wolf. "Aye, Chief, a few words." "Mayhap I can speak with these few. Mayhap they would be drawn to talk of easy plunder." "There be danger in that, Chief. Mayhap they would note how easy we be." "There be danger in all deeds of courage, Little Warrior." "You speak true, as always, Chief. What think you? What would you do?" "I think to bring these Wild Men here to make them Bandar Warriors," replied Crazy Wolf. "I think to lure them with tales of easy plunder. I think to make the Bandar strong again. I think to be Chief of all the Nation of People. I would destroy the power of Wesoomi and rule the people." "It be a glorious plan, worthy of a great chief, Crazy Wolf. As always, I be with you." "Then, let us begin. Come first light, I will travel with you and your young warriors to this Wild Country." "I would urge caution, Chief. We be worn from our ordeal. Let us rest one day to gather strength ere we begin." "I be eager to begin, yet, mayhap you speak wisdom." "Aye, Chief. We must needs be patient. It will take time to find and train these Wild Men." "Indeed. Time we may have little of." "I must needs believe we have some. The tales of our dishonor will take time to travel. Even as it does, our enemies will hesitate. None are true warriors." "None save Wesoomi," growled Crazy Wolf. "Aye, Chief, but he be one. Even he must needs time to train other warriors." "And, he knows not our plan." Aye, so we have some time," agreed Little Warrior. "Let us use it with wisdom. Let us use it to train new Bandar warriors." "Aye, Chief. With pleasure will I and our young warriors train the Wild Men to be Bandar Warriors." "Bandar Warriors worthy of the name," growled Crazy Wolf. "Many of them will be like our twenty, Chief. That I pledge to you." "It is well, Little Warrior." "One day hence," grinned Little warrior. "One day hence," agreed Crazy Wolf. And so it came to pass that Little Warrior gained one precious day to arrange his plan. To begin, he gathered his warriors and told them of Crazy Wolf's plan. Then he told them of his plan. "Of the Wild Men, we can mark them in two groups. The swift and strong of arm be one group. There will be a few who will make good warriors. These we will train to be with us. The slower and dull of mind will be the other group. These will be more. These we can mark as Crazy Wolf's warriors to serve him in his precious raids. We will train them with less care. Many of these will fail in the trial of battle. A time will come when we will be the stronger. Then we will carry out our plan. We will be the Bandar of old and I will slay Crazy Wolf. What say you?" "I be with you," grinned Hawk. "Long have I awaited the day of our satisfaction. Now it draws near." "I too be with you," agreed Cat Foot. In short time the twenty had pledged themselves anew. "It is good," smiled Little Warrior. "Now we can wait, but I must first speak with Wesoomi. It is this madness to defeat Wesoomi which will undo Crazy Wolf. It destroys his wit and makes him careless. It is ours to see that he does not succeed. To defeat Wesoomi would make him legend and give him great power. It would enhance him for a time, but it would bring the wrath of the Great Spirit upon the Bandar. This we need not." "What would you do?" queried Hawk. "I have sent word to Wesoomi. I will go to meet him come first light. Then, I will tell him of the plan of Crazy Wolf. I will not tell him of our plan. I will urge him to prepare his people for Crazy Wolf. I be sure that Crazy Wolf will make his raid wherever he believes Wesoomi to be. "Mark you, this be not for plunder, this be to destroy Wesoomi. Therein lies our vantage. I must needs believe that Wesoomi will not allow the Husbandmen to fall victim again. He will prepare them." "I so believe," agreed Hawk. "We also will prepare the great Bandar warriors," grinned Little Warrior. "We will make them think of easy plunder." "But it will not be so easy," grinned hawk. "Indeed," laughed Little Warrior. "Now, let us prepare for the training of Wild Men." Little Warrior slept well that night. Then, come first light he slipped out of the village and went to the hidden place which he had shared with Wesoomi. There he waited and hoped. Back to Wesoomi's Archives
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