crater floor. Looking out across the expanse, James was reminded of the manicured lawns of manor houses he’d sometimes stayed in back home.
In the distance, he could see several structures, but there was no sign of people. Peroc beckoned them on and moved across the clearing toward the structures. Roughly halfway from the crater walls, the deep shade provided by the trees disappeared. James realized they all stopped growing in exactly the same place, creating a perfect circle of sunlight. A large rectangular stone platform sat in the center of the circle. About to step into the light, Peroc’s arm swung out across James’s chest.
“We do not step into the light,” Peroc said, with a most serious look on his face. James relayed the message to the others.
The group made their way around the circle of light and on to where the structures sat.
“This is our home,” said Peroc. James translated for his group. “Where is everyone?” asked Luno.
James translated Luno’s question. Peroc studied the sky for a moment before answering.
“They are hunting. I did not expect us to make such fast time. They will be surprised to see us here when they return. It won’t be long now,” said Peroc.
James translated.
“Why can’t we go in the sun?” asked Kilani.
James relayed the question.
“He calls it the circle of fire. Anyone who steps inside while the sun is overhead will burn,” said James.
“Intriguing. I wonder if it is anything like the sun at the top of Mt. Misery,” said Luno.
Peroc looked at James questioningly. James translated and found that Peroc was unfamiliar with the lone mountain on the main island.
“We do not travel there,” said Peroc. “We are forbidden to travel to the main island.”
“By who,” James asked.
“By the island,” said Peroc, pointing to the ground.
“How many are in your tribe?” asked James.
“There are thirty four of us. You are the thirty fifth,” he said with a smile.
“All of the others went hunting? Why?”
“What we hunt requires many men. We’ve yet to send a hunting party where at least one man has not returned.”
“What is it that you hunt? We have traveled far on this land and seen little in the way of life.”
“We hunt the tampere. You did not see them because they did not want to be seen. They were watching you, of that I’m sure.”
James took some time to relay everything they’d discussed to his group. When he was done, he noticed Kilani had an impatient expression on her face. He knew she desired to know one thing. James turned back to Peroc.
“When you left yesterday you vanished. How?”
Peroc reached into the small satchel, which hung from his belt, and removed a pinch of orange powder. He smiled and tossed it over his head. In a flash of orange smoke and light he was gone.
“So it’s true,” said Kilani, more excited than James had ever seen her.
“We call it travel powder,” Peroc said, startling the group when he appeared out of thin air behind them.
“Where do you find this powder?” James asked.
As Peroc opened his mouth to answer the question he was interrupted by a loud horn sounding from somewhere on the rim.
“They’re back,” said Peroc.
He took off at a run, careful not to step into the circle of light, and made his way toward where James and his group had followed him into the crater. He yelped, his hands cupping his mouth. There was a reply from somewhere between the rim and the bottom.
“They have slain a tampere. We will eat well tonight, my Chief,” Peroc said excitedly.
He began running in circles shouting with excitement. It took quite some time for James and company to see the first of Peroc’s tribe make their way out of the undergrowth. All members, including the women, were similarly dressed (or undressed). All save one stood even shorter than Peroc. The tallest led the line. She was a stern-faced warrior whose war paint was mixed with blood. They were all marked in bright yellow paint and each carried on their shoulder a part of the large creature.
The animal part, still unidentifiable, was massive. From end to end, the tribesman spaced about three feet apart and still the creature hung past the last man in line by a good four feet. The skin was smooth in texture with a marbled green and black pattern. The carcass left a trail of blood in its wake. With each step, the hunters let out a short celebratory shout. Despite the size of their burden, they moved with apparent ease.
When finally the tribesmen had all stepped onto the flatlands they stopped.
“They’ve slain a bloody croc monster,” said Luno “Biggest one I’ve ever seen.”
The hunters wore expressions of pride as they began to march toward the camp, shouting with each step. Peroc let out a joyous cry and raised his bow into the air several times as they headed toward camp.
A horn sounded from behind. Peroc stopped his dance and turned toward the sound.
“What is it?” James asked.
“Meloc’s been injured. They’re bringing him down,” he replied.
Despite the troublesome news, Peroc continued to dance to the rhythm of the hunter’s song back toward the trailhead. James relayed what Peroc had told them. Shortly, two tribeswomen appeared. Between them they held a crude stretcher made simply of sticks and leaves. On the stretcher lie an older man, Meloc. His hair was white, his skin was ashen, and his legs were torn apart and bloodied. The two women carrying the stretcher trotted off toward the camp. Peroc followed still calling out his celebratory cries despite the return of the injured man.
James exchanged concerned looks with the rest of his group and fell in behind Peroc as they headed to the camp. When they arrived, the hunting party had already begun cutting pieces of the creature and setting them on stones positioned around a roaring fire. They had set the head of the creature just outside the ring of fire. Its lifeless green and amber eyes looked on as its flesh was prepared for a feast. Everybody continued about their business as if James, Kilani, Luno, Roger, and William were not there.
The injured man was propped against the head of the creature and left to himself. He appeared to be fading in and out of consciousness as he attempted to remain seated. James called to Peroc several times, who was still dancing around celebrating, with no luck. Finally he grabbed him by the wrist.
“What will you do with him?” he asked, pointing to the injured man.
“Meloc is our eldest. It is an honor to die in the hunt for tampere. He will live to see us feast on its flesh then join our ancestors,” said Peroc.
“Will you not tend to his wounds?” asked James.
“It is against our laws,” said Peroc. “It appears you are upset by this. Please don’t be. Meloc has accepted his fate and will die with honor.”
“But there is no need for him to die at all,” said James.
“We only have the skills to prolong his death with injuries so severe,” said Peroc.
“I would like to try. I believe I can heal him,” said James.
Peroc’s expression changed immediately. He looked over at Meloc, who appeared to be teetering on the brink of unconsciousness again. Luno watched the exchange curiously. While he couldn’t understand what they were saying, it was easy enough to infer what the conversation was about. James said something that made Peroc’s casual tone and posture change immediately. Peroc turned and shouted at his reveling tribesmen. The music and festivities immediately came to a halt.
James turned away from Peroc and made his way to the dying man, who had slumped to the ground beside the teeth, which were exposed in an endless snarl. James put his hand on Meloc’s forehead. Immediately, the little man’s eyes opened. He smiled at James. James took his hand and helped him sit up.
“ Tertiri ze Manukto tupasarri ojala,” said James. A pink light rose from the palms of his hands and rolled in on itself like a wave in the ocean as it hovered above them. James moved his hands apart. The light stretched and finally broke into two pieces. James sent each piece toward Meloc’s legs where they quickly wrapped themselves like bandages covering a wound. Meloc let out a terrible cry and fell to the ground.
“Tupasarri,” said James. The pink light lifted like a mist from the grass, revealing uninjured legs. Meloc stirred on the ground. Behind him, James could hear the cheering of his tribesmen as he helped Meloc back to a sitting
