#mhapare protectors

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at long last, the first chapter of Mhapare Protectors: A Lightning Bolt in Clear Skies has been completed!

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     A faint breeze runs over my skin, bending the long grass of the clearing ever so slightly as it passes. Leaves shift in its current, and I hear the faint rustle of their small movements. A little brown bird hops onto a twig and pecks at the ground. I do not look at it; I am still watching the den.

     Nearly an hour has passed since the creature was supposed to come out. The sun has been peering into the den with me for more than that. It had definitely gone in- the marks outside told me as much -but after that, anything could have happened. Perhaps it wasn’t as healthy as its tracks suggested, and it had died inside. Maybe there was another exit to the den, and it had left by there. Could it have already left by the way I’m watching, without leaving any sign of having done so? 

     As I prepare myself to get up and return empty-handed, I see a long nose poke out of the den. It sniffs the air, and moves a little further out. Go on, just a little more. A little more and this will all be worth it.

     As if compelled by my thoughts, the rest of the head slowly leaves the safety of its home. Its dark eyes take in the surroundings, and then it’s lying on the ground, a deep red splotch growing on the fur on its neck and the bare dirt below. 

     Carefully, I bring myself upright. I ignore my complaining body as I walk over to the fallen creature, checking it over. Very large, lots of muscle. Quite a bit of fat, too. This one clearly fed well, and often. Its potential prey would certainly thank me, if they could comprehend such things. We will get a lot out of this one. 

     I call out for Tsnya Gvunktsyo, and wait for her to come crashing through the forest. I do not have to wait long. She slings the creature over her shoulders with one solid motion and secures it to her vest, bending down for me to climb onto her back. 

     “Maha’s in a good mood,” she says in her merry, rolling voice as we plod back to camp. “She went down to the river earlier with Bibi and Bava Mard’ha. Caught some fish. No big ones, but she’s proud of them anyway. Pretend to be impressed.”

     “I know. I’ll try.” Maha Pikolyan isn’t very good at fishing, but no-one tells her that if they don’t want last portions at dinner. 

     We spend some short minutes chatting as we walk, Gvu’s rocking gait providing us with a steady, relaxed rhythm. Soon we come to the edge of the forest, where the wild trees abruptly stop and give way to hedges and tilled soil. Our camp is by the rough road across the fields. I can just see its shape from where we are.

     Maha Pikolyan is indeed in a good mood when we arrive. She’s showing her small fish to Bava Yaikspli and Bava Erd’hunr. I’m almost convinced by their performance of awe at her meagre catch. They notice our arrival before her, and wave dramatically. Maha Pikolyan turns to see us. 

     “Ah, Pesyu Gvunktsyo!” she calls out with a broad smile, “what have you caught for us today?” 

     “Dyardmha Ohkon shot a… well, a this. It’s a big one, anyway. Plenty to go around.” Gvu calls back, bending down for me to get off before we enter the camp. She hands me my sticks so I can follow her, and runs to show her the creature. 

     “So this is what he’s spent his morning doing.” Pikolyan’s tone grows more sour. “I suppose it’s worth all that time… but did he really have to drag you out there too?”

     “Maha, not again. Ohkon needs me to carry his prey back. He’s not strong enough to drag it back himself.” She gestures vaguely at my body to illustrate her point.

     “Then he should just fetch you when he needs you instead of having you waste your time waiting for him for hours just to kill one animal. We need you helping out back here, not standing around in some forest.”

     “I need to be close enough to hear him when he calls for me. He can’t walk all the way back to camp to fetch me, his legs-“

     “I’ve heard enough about his legs!” Pikolyan snaps. “So what if they’re not as good as the rest of ours? He just needs to make more of an effort. He’s just using them as an excuse. I bet he can walk from here all the way to the capital on his own if he weren’t so lazy and selfish.”

     “How can you say that about someone who just spent hours getting you this?” Gvu thrusts the creature towards her. “Can anyone else do this?”

     “I don’t want to bring such a pleasant day down with this nonsense. This conversation is over, Pesyu. Move along.”

     “But Maha-“

     “Move. Along. I need to cook these fish I caught, and I’d rather not argue about your pet while I’m doing that.”

     Bava Yaikspli puts a strong hand on Gvu’s shoulder. “Listen to your Maha, Pesyu. Here, let me take a look at that.” Gvu lays the creature down for him to examine. He traces a few outlines on its body with his knife, and nods. “This will do very nicely, Pesyu. Good work.” He pauses, and turns to me. “Uh, you too, Vhaya. You… have an exceptional talent.”

     We leave him to do his work and continue into the camp, passing Bava Mard’ha listening patiently to a rambling story that Bibi is enthusiastically babbling at him as we approach our tent. Suddenly, a yell erupts from by the road. Gvu rushes back to see what the commotion is, with me stumbling behind. A column of soldiers and knights are marching up the road, led by a tall, slightly unnatural-looking woman with long grey hair and strangely colourful armour- the boots are gleaming white, dull black stone, and dark wood, but the rest is a shining pattern of blues at the shins turning to dazzling orange and red as it reaches the high collar and elbow-length sleeves. Below the elbow her skin is bare, but patterned with bright tattoos. Her large, sparking eyes fall on me.

     As I try to shield myself with my cloak, the woman barks an order to the column, and the sound of marching stops. I can feel the stares the soldiers give me, seeing my scarred arms and twisted legs, my shaking form supported by my sticks. Gvu lays a hand on my arm. I look up; the woman is standing before me, flanked by two uncertain knights. She bends down to level her face with mine. 

     “Do you speak Rumhapa?” she asks slowly in a rumbling, crackly voice. I nod. When my physical weakness became apparent to Pikolyan, she tried to get me into learning instead. Rumhapa was one of the few things that I was able to grasp.

     Another question, faster and in Rumhapa this time. “Will you show me your scars?” Reluctantly, I begin rolling up my trousers to show her the more dramatic ones on my legs. If she wishes to entertain herself with my deformities, I had as well make myself useful and provide her with the most shocking. “Not those“, she says. “Show me your arms.” Surprised but relieved, I replace my trouser legs and push back my sleeves. She probes the mess of cuts and burns marking them, every so often looking at the intricate patterns on her own arms. After a few uncomfortable minutes of this investigation, she stands up straight- her full height towering over everyone -and nods towards one of the knights. They come forwards and put a hand on my shoulder. Gvu shoots a dark look at them, but doesn’t interfere. The knight pauses for a moment.

     “Who leads this camp?” they say at last, with a sharp, quiet voice that snaps the growing silence like a twig. We point at Pikolyan. The knight marches towards her and begins to discuss some matter with her in hushed voices. They come to a conclusion; the knight gives a small bow and walks back to me. 

     “You will come with us to the capital. In return, we will provide your camp with a security detail to escort them to the nearest refugee sanctuary.” They hold out a hand, as if expecting me to come with them. I stare at it, stunned.

     “Do you understand?” Of course I don’t. None of this makes any sense. My confusion is clearly visible to them, since then they kneel down to try again. “The Flame Protector”- they gesture to the tall woman -“has decided that she will be taking you with her to the capital. Your leader has consented to this on the condition that we provide her with a security detail to escort them to the nearest refugee sanctuary. Feel free to say any goodbyes necessary. We will be departing soon.”

     “I’m leaving the camp?”

     “Correct.”

     “Can anyone come with me?”

     “Your leader specifically forbade you from bringing anyone else. This was also part of our deal.” 

     Gvu steps forward. “If you’re taking Ohkon away from me you better have a damn good reason for it.”

     “I don’t have to justify myself to you, pokyi. The deal’s been made. He’s coming with us, so stand down or you won’t be standing up ever again.” The knight seizes my arm painfully and drags me to the Flame Protector. She looks down at me, lamplike grey eyes sparking with glints of orange.

     “It’s a long way to the capital. If you prefer, you may join the other wounded in the medical carriage. There will be enough space for you.” 

     “I’m not going.”

     “Oh? Why is that?”

     “I want to stay with my Tsnya. If she’s not coming, then neither am I.”

     “Tsnya?”

     “Gvunktsyo” I point at her. “She’s my friend. I want her to come with me.”

     “I’m afraid that’s not going to happen. Your leader made it very clear that she would not permit us to take anyone useful from her for any price.”

     “So what? Why do you care what she says? She can’t stop you!” Why won’t they let us stay with each other?

     The Protector sighs heavily and bends down. Suddenly I am held in the air by my collar, brought up to her stern face. She narrows her too-large eyes. 

     “Look, pokyi. I don’t know how you do things where you come from, but in Damhapa we don’t just take whatever we want because the person we’re taking from can’t stop us. A deal is a deal. Your leader gave you to us, and I don’t think she’ll be wanting you back. This is too important for us to let you have a say in it. You’re coming to the capital. Your friend is not. Now, I’m running out of patience for you, so if you don’t want to be injured even more you will go to the medical carriage and shut up. Do you understand?”

     I don’t quite, but I nod anyway. Her grip loosens slightly, and she gently lowers me to the ground with a satisfied smile. Stumbling as I find my footing, I am directed by a different knight to the medical carriage. A space is found for me between two wounded soldiers. Before I can call out to Gvu, the procession pulls away, and my yells are buried in the sounds of movement. 

—

feedback will be greatly appreciated! please feel free to give any and all criticism and questions you have, no matter how small

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when getting the idea: hey maybe I could target this one at younger audiences

when planning: and of course being assaulted by a crowd of furious citizens does NOT help her work through the ongoing trauma caused by her new parental figure pressuring her into committing actual war crimes, and her idea of self-worth plummets to the point where she tries to goad her former-best-friend-turned-enemy into killing her in battle because she believes that will be better for everyone and-