K'aijeen was well on her way to the Elder's tent by then. She said she was going, and go she did! Head held high, strides long and confident, she didn't look at anyone else around her or pause for a moment as she pushed her way into the tent and announced, "K'aijeen's here! Where's grandma! Her daughter's being a pain again!"
K'airos entered right after her sister, leaving her spear outside. Her tail and ears were lowered. Contrary to her sister, she felt the need to look ashamed and disappointed at herself. She kept her gaze low.
Three sets of eyes looked up at K'aijeen's vocal entrance, but only one spoke, in a masculine tone with a clarity that cut through the shadows of the tent, "You should refer to your mother with greater respect."
K'aijeen frowned at the man, saying, "What? She is my grandmother's daughter, isn't she? I know where I come from! That's good!"
K'airos' ears perked up a little bit while she leant towards her sister. "I think he means the -she's being a pain- part." she whispered.
"But do you know where you're going?" came a second voice, and a bowed woman with white hair that may have once been sandy blonde pushed to her feet before shuffling a few steps towards K'aijeen.
K'aijeen waved her sister off and tossed a smile at the risen woman, "Yes! I know exactly where I'm going! I'm going to be the best shaman the tribe's ever had!"
K'airos limited herself to letting both hands hang in front of her, fingers wrapped against each other.
"An admirable goal," K'deiki stated. Behind her, a tattooed face frowned and spoke past the young girl to K'airos lurking just behind, "You bear a mark of guilt, young daughter. I suggest you speak to your reason for being here openly."
"Hey!" K'aijeen hoped over in front of the woman, "Don't pick on K'airos!"
"Aijeen!" K'airos exclaimed. She gave the elders an apologetic glance before turning to her sister. "She's not picking on me. You...ah...you should tell the elders what you did before K'ile does."
K'jhanhi, the first who had spoken, stood as well. He had been an unusually large man in his prime, and even at his now elderly age, he still bore that size, and so when he stood, the tent seemed to shrink. "That would be wise. The flame bearer was sent to look for a thief."
"I didn't steal anything!" K'aijeen said, "I took some meat but I was going to replace it! I had a plan and dad messed it up, so now we're missing meat and I don't have my Sand Drake spine! You should tell people not to mess with my plans!"
A beat after K'jhanhi's words, the entrance to the tent pushed back long enough for another to enter. Rather than the flaming red hair of K'ile, however, there was the dull brown and worried eyes of a harried mother. She moved immediately to K'aijeen's side and looked imploringly to the elders, "She did not mean harm, you must understand," and then to K'aijeen, "Please, just apologize!"
K'airos frowned at her sister. "You have to tell m- I mean - us...them about your plans first." she said, not paying any attention to her mother,
Arms crossed, K'aijeen looked to K'deiki and muttered in annoyance, "Control your daughter!"
K'piru gave her own daughter a half-horrified look as K'jhanhi moved closer, stepping past the other elders, "You have much to atone for, child." His tone was on the harsh side of firm and he cut off K'piru's protests with a hand in her direction, "And you should not tolerate this behavior."
"What are you talking about?" She watched the massive man move towards her mother. "I didn't do anything wrong! My plan was perfect! It was going to work, and we'd have more meat! It can still work! I can still replace the meat! K'airos will help!"
At the mention of her name, she raised a finger. "I will! No, wait...I don't think rebuilding your trap is socially viable right now."
Ears pressed back against her skull, K'piru looked away briefly at her father's chiding before returning her attention to her own daughter. "That doesn't matter, Aijeen. You could have hurt people and... and you stole! If you'd only ask for things instead of taking them..."
"This is not a new path for you, young one," K'deiki spoke up, her voice quieter but no less authoritative than the former nunh's. "My memory may not be what it used to, but I have not forgotten speaking to you in the past of such things. You should not have forgotten either."
"I did forget," K'aijeen responded as though answering a challenge. "I was doing the right thing. My plan was going to work. You're wise, right? You should know that I'm learning and getting better! I'm going to be better than any other shaman soon!"
"What are you learning, dear?" K'deiki asked patiently. "What do you see as the duties of a shaman? I've spoken with your mother and know you don't attend to her lessons."
K'airos opted to keep quiet, fiddling her fingers against her hair, combing the same lock over and over mercilessly.
"I baited the animals!" K'aijeen exclaimed. "First I baited vultures, and then a Sand Drake! And my trap would've killed it with no danger at all! I used some of mom's powder to make spears that throw themselves!"
"I can testify that the trap was well put!" said K'airos, still combing her hair.
K'deiki lifted a hand to quiet K'airos, focusing her attention on the younger Thalen girl. "What did you bait the vultures with, child?"
Smiling, K'aijeen answered, "Oh! They eat old meat! I take the fresh stuff and leave it out in the sun and they swoop right in thinking it's a carcass! I can show you how to do it! It's really easy!"
The elder nodded, "And where did you collect the fresh meat?"
"I took it from the tribe's supplies. I was going to put it back!" She pointed at K'deiki's face, "Grandma, you're missing the point! Can you imagine if we could add Sand Drake to our diet on a regular basis?"
"That's not the point, Aijeen," K'piru interrupted, expression practically begging. "You stole! You can't just put food back - not when it's been used! And you've no way of knowing your trap would work! You stole food from us, Aijeen."
Spinning on her mother, she bit, "I knew it would work! Dad messed it up! Be mad at him! The world's bigger than your stupid books! You can do more with your powders than pray and cure infections! I made it explode! I'm already a better shaman than you are, so stop trying to hold me back!"
"You aren't a better shaman yet." K'airos interjected, her voice calm but both her hands still combing her hair. "If you were, you would have had a plan for people stumbling into your trap. But you didn't, and that's what ruined it. Not dad."
K'aijeen sulked, "Dad's better at being stupid than I am at being smart."
"Don't speak of your father like that!" K'piru demanded, expression taught with anxiety. "Explosions aren't... they aren't part of what I do. A shaman doesn't kill things, Aijeen."
"You could have put a sign, or stayed close enough..." K'airos muttered, avoiding eye contact with anyone but the wall of the tent.
Pointing at her mother, "I'm not talking to you," K'aijeen let her glare sit on the woman for a few more seconds before spinning to her grandmother, "I'm making the tribe better. More sources of meat! Why should the shaman just pray and cure sick people when we can do better! I'm doing better!"
K'piru leaned back slightly, giving her daughter a mournful look. "Aijeen, that's not--"Â
Her words were cut off, however, by the large, wrinkled hand of K'jhanhi as he moved forward and gently but firmly urged her aside. "Arguing with your mother is not helping your point, child. K'piru speaks the truth as to the role of our shaman, but more importantly, you've committed theft against the tribe. And this is not the first time."
K'deiki looked between both of them before nodding to herself. "It is as I said. You are young still, but old enough to know better the rules of our tribe. You should know also that we cannot let this pass unpunished."
"Punished? Are you insane!?" K'aijeen turned her gaze to K'jhanhi at first, the man being the most imposing figure present, but then began to look at everyone else in turn. "I took what I needed to make things better! I was told to help and I helped! I can still help! Give me more meat, I'll bait more traps! I'll triple the meat I took!"
K'airos stepped forward, her hair now perfectly combed, judging by the fact she stopped combing it. "You must realize she only took the meat without permission because she -knew- you wouldn't let her try this if she told you about it."
"She cannot know if she doesn't ask," K'deiki corrected with a level stare in K'airos's direction.
K'airos crossed her arms and pretended to be firm. Her tail was still lowered and trying to sneak between her legs. "Well... would you have agreed?"
The elder shook her head and persisted, "That is not the question we are asking today. Young K'aijeen has admitted to her crime and is not remorseful. Her mother," she turned sad eyes to K'piru then, who looked as though she wished to melt, "has been incapable of teaching her responsibility in this matter. It is a shame."
K'piru bowed her head and, rather than say anything in protest this time, just clutched at her daughter's shoulders.
"I didn't take because-... Augh!" K'aijeen pulled on her ears. "It's not a crime if I put it back! If I double it! I was helping the tribe! If you're so wise you should see that!"
K'airos threw her hands up in annoyance. "Right. Why don't you punish my sister and blame my mother while you toss your blame to the back of the tent and pretend you are pristine as water?"
"We can't let even one act like this pass without words," came a voice from the back, the tattooed K'takka, "Not when our survival is as fragile as it is. That is a lesson you are taught the moment you see Azeyma's light. You should all know it well."
"Tribe law would sentence you to hours under the sun, on display at the center of camp, for all to see and understand your actions and how they hurt the tribe," K'jhanhi rumbled, his yellow eyes shrouded in heavy wrinkles but no less firm.
"You're insane! You're all-!" She snapped her gaze around to the Elders again. "Is that wisdom? Does that teach me wisdom? I won't let you do that to me!"
K'airos looked around between the elders, petrified. "She's but a child!"
K'piru, as well, paled and would pull K'aijeen to her defensively. K'jhanhi maintained his stare for several seconds before K'deiki reached up to settle a hand on his arm. "She is. And it is for that reason alone that we will ease the punishment for her."
Letting herself get pulled to her mother for a moment, K'aijeen shook herself and pulled away from K'piru after K'deiki had spoken.
Moving up alongside the former nunh, K'deiki looked to K'aijeen, K'airos, and K'piru in turn. "For two weeks, you will instruct your daughter in the teachings of our shamans. K'aijeen must attend each one, daily, without fail, and she will demonstrate to us then the true role of what she so aspires to be." A pause. "And should she steal again, we will not take into consideration her age."
At the declaration, K'piru slumped with relief, bowing her head and uttering repeatedly, "Thank you. She will learn. Thank you."
Her ears pressed flat against her head, K'aijeen stewed silently. She didn’t speak. Her little fists clenched and released in quick rhythm.
"She should have already learned," K'takka's voice came again from the back, blue eyes striking within the white tattoos despite the age of her face. "You should have already taught her. This is her final chance."
"I will make sure she won't get into any more trouble." K'airos said, relieved, placing a hand on her sister's shoulder. K'aijeen didn’t react to K'airos' touch.
"Ensure that you do," K'jhanhi nodded and let his stare linger on K'aijeen for a moment longer before stepping back.
Heedless of her daughter's stewing, K'piru moved to wrap her arms around K'aijeen, pressing her face against the top of her head. "Please, do this for me, Aijeen."
K'aijeen flinched away from her mother, but only somewhat. She wore her frustration on every inch of her body, and she cast a fierce glare at the ground in front of her. "Are we done?"
White hair bobbed slowly as K'deiki gestured towards the front of the tent, "Yes. You may go. Do remember our lesson this time."
K'airos clasped her hands together in front of her, smiling weakly to the elders. "Thank you." she said and then bowed her head.
K'aijeen attempted to jerk away from her mother and head for the exit. For once, K'piru allowed her daughter to pull away without protest, pulling her hands to herself and watching her small back with a sad, worried look. K'aijeen pushed through the exit of the tent, and was confronted immediately by K'ile standing outside. The Tia didn't say anything to her, but she spared him a glare before moving on.
K'airos followed K'aijeen. Upon stumbling with K'ile outside, she said cheerfully: "Punishment was given!" She only stopped to watch K'ile's reaction for about a second before running to catch up with her sister.
K'piru hung back for a moment, but when the elders did not seem as though they were going to say more, she bowed her head and followed her daughters out the door. She stopped upon seeing K'ile and gave him a helpless look.
Watching K'airos follow after K'aijeen, he waited until K'piru came out of the tent. the woman's distress was obvious, and he responded by unwrapping his crossed arms and setting one each on K'piru's shoulders. "The Elders are wise, right? I'm sure they know what they're talking about. Two weeks of lessons? She'll learn to respect what you know, no problem!" He wished he was as good at being cheerful as his brother was.
Her ears drooping to either side of her head, K'piru just looked worriedly in the direction her daughters had gone. "I don't know if she'll... She doesn't listen to me. I've tried so hard to teach her..." She turned her eyes back to K'ile, "I don't want her to get hurt. They won't sentence her as an adult next time... really?"
At K'piru's sad tone, K'ile had to work hard not cringe. He didn't know what to do with scared women. "Uhm," he thought frantically, what would Thalen say? Taking a deep breath to psych himself up, K'ile patted K'piru's shoulder and said with his best smile, "There won't be a next time! She's a smart kid. She won't mess up again. It's just a phase or something, right?"
Apparently K'ile's pep talk was not very convincing, as K'piru just dropped her head to her hands for several seconds before managing through her fingers, "I should go and speak with my daughters."
"Uhm," K’ile lifted his hand, "Alright. That's good. I'll go let Thalen know what happened, alright?"
K'piru just nodded, not looking up or moving immediately to follow K'airos and K'aijeen, instead taking time to try and collect herself.
K'ile walked off to find his brother and tell him one of his women was upset.
***
Once she'd gotten some distance from the tent, K'aijeen stopped suddenly and looked at K'airos, saying quickly and quietly so nobody could hear except her sister. "I need more meat for a trap. Tonight."
K'airos crossed her arms. "What? No!" she tried to keep her tone down, with mild efficacy. "After what just happened? You are smart enough to understand mom's lessons in two weeks. Just do that!"
K'aijeen scoffed. "I'm already smarter than mom. And wiser than the Elders, apparently! Listen, I'll do the lessons with mom. But you and me have to try the trap tonight. Prove I was right! Then two weeks of lessons. I promise."
K'airos turned her head towards where K'ile and K'piru where. She kept her eyes there while she spoke to her sister. "Why didn't you tell me about this trap?" she asked.
K'aijeen answered easily, "You were busy hunting. I was going to get more meat. It was going to be a surprise." Her tone was very matter-of-fact, as if she expected her explanation to be self-evident.
"You should have waited!" K'airos protested, throwing her fists downwards and her tail becoming a straight line behind her. "Then maybe I could have kept watch on the trap while you were busy not watching the trap!"
"I'm sorry!" K'aijeen bit out. "I was trying to do something nice. But you're right. I need your help. For example, I need you to get meat while I go set up the trap."
"I'll tell you what we'll do." she started, running one hand over her face. "You will study and -nothing else-. If they catch you, they will tie you up and let you boil under the sun."
"Even if we brought eight times the food you lost they'd still tie you up! So we won't do that until your punishment is lifted. Alright?"
"They'd only tie me up if I stole food! There's nothing wrong with baiting a trap if I just happen to have food! The tribe needs meat, and it's up to me to fix what I did, right? So do you want to help me or not?"
K'airos stomped one foot against the sand. "Fine! I'll get you some meat. How much do you need?"
Smiling, K'aijeen ran up to K'airos and wrapped her in a sudden hug. "Thank you! Ah, you saw how much I was using earlier. I need that much. And it needs to be fresh. Stuff the huntresses killed today."
K'airos arms hung to her sides for a moment before answering the sudden hug with their own embrace. "I...I can't get that much by myself..." She frowned and pulled slightly away. "Are you telling me to go -steal- what others hunted?"
"That's exactly what got you in this problem!"
Still holding onto K'airos, she said, "It's different if it's something you helped kill. You have a right to that meat. And you and I will replace it. Nobody will know. You've got faith in my traps, right?"
"Can't we do it after the festivities are done?"
Releasing K'airos, she stepped back and says, "No. It has to be tonight. I need my spine." She blinked. "And the tribe needs this meat before the festival. That's important! I can't be the best shaman ever if I go around ruining festivals!"
K'airos placed a hand on each of her sister's shoulder's. "Right. But I have one condition: once the trap is ready, you will come back. So if things go awry or dad stumbles into it -again. they won't blame you for the lost meat. Alright?"
Considering this for a moment, K'aijeen at length nods and renews her smile, "Okay! I can do that!"
K'airos closed her eyes and smiled. "Good! This will be fantastic! Or at least something to tell our grandchildren when we are old."
Blinking at some thought for a moment, K'aijeen perked up belatedly, "Right! I think. Anyway. We'll go back to where the first trap was. I'll rebuild it. You meet me there with the bait once everyone's asleep."
K'airos nodded and gestured with one hand towards the elders' tent. "I forgot my spear back there. I'll meet you at the -place- at the -time-!" she said, exaggerating some words for effect.
A bit perplexed by K'airos strange way of speaking, K'aijeen uttered a confused, "Okay?" while maintaining her static cheer.
K'airos left to retrieve her spear, which she really did forget at the elders' tent.
After hanging out for an inordinate amount of time outside the elders' tent, K'piru had finally felt as though she could face her children and so began to walk in the direction they had left, in hopes of either catching up to them or finding them back at their tent. K'piru looked up worriedly as K'airos approached in the opposite direction, without her other daughter. "Airos? Is everything alright? Aijeen will... has she told you anything? That she'll listen?"
"Sure!" K'airos answered, not stopping her movement. "She promised she will study. And then I remember I forgot my spear at the elders'." She walked past K'piru, turned around to keep facing her and walked sideways towards the tent. "You should... give her some alone time to think. So that she can have a cooler head when you talk to her!"
Blinking at her daughter, head turning to follow her movements, K'piru's ears drooped further, her tail hanging low behind her. "Don't... be long," she replied after a moment. "Come back to the tent after... Airi will be returning soon. I'd like us all to spend some time together."
K'airos smiled and waved. "It won't be long!" she exclaimed before turning completely away and leaving her mother behind. That spear was not going to pick itself up!
Turning away from the tent and K'airos, rather than follow after her other daughter, K'piru chose instead to wander in another direction, in search of one person she could rely on for support.
Once K'airos left, K'aijeen stood still. He smile faded into a frown and her ears and tail drooped. She loitered as the sun set, and thought about the knowledge and wisdom of the people around her. She didn't enjoy her thoughts. When nobody else came after her, K'aijeen turned and walked home. In her mother's tent were the various shamanic supplies from which K'aijeen had crafted that explosive mix of powder. She would need more.
K'airos entered right after her sister, leaving her spear outside. Her tail and ears were lowered. Contrary to her sister, she felt the need to look ashamed and disappointed at herself. She kept her gaze low.
Three sets of eyes looked up at K'aijeen's vocal entrance, but only one spoke, in a masculine tone with a clarity that cut through the shadows of the tent, "You should refer to your mother with greater respect."
K'aijeen frowned at the man, saying, "What? She is my grandmother's daughter, isn't she? I know where I come from! That's good!"
K'airos' ears perked up a little bit while she leant towards her sister. "I think he means the -she's being a pain- part." she whispered.
"But do you know where you're going?" came a second voice, and a bowed woman with white hair that may have once been sandy blonde pushed to her feet before shuffling a few steps towards K'aijeen.
K'aijeen waved her sister off and tossed a smile at the risen woman, "Yes! I know exactly where I'm going! I'm going to be the best shaman the tribe's ever had!"
K'airos limited herself to letting both hands hang in front of her, fingers wrapped against each other.
"An admirable goal," K'deiki stated. Behind her, a tattooed face frowned and spoke past the young girl to K'airos lurking just behind, "You bear a mark of guilt, young daughter. I suggest you speak to your reason for being here openly."
"Hey!" K'aijeen hoped over in front of the woman, "Don't pick on K'airos!"
"Aijeen!" K'airos exclaimed. She gave the elders an apologetic glance before turning to her sister. "She's not picking on me. You...ah...you should tell the elders what you did before K'ile does."
K'jhanhi, the first who had spoken, stood as well. He had been an unusually large man in his prime, and even at his now elderly age, he still bore that size, and so when he stood, the tent seemed to shrink. "That would be wise. The flame bearer was sent to look for a thief."
"I didn't steal anything!" K'aijeen said, "I took some meat but I was going to replace it! I had a plan and dad messed it up, so now we're missing meat and I don't have my Sand Drake spine! You should tell people not to mess with my plans!"
A beat after K'jhanhi's words, the entrance to the tent pushed back long enough for another to enter. Rather than the flaming red hair of K'ile, however, there was the dull brown and worried eyes of a harried mother. She moved immediately to K'aijeen's side and looked imploringly to the elders, "She did not mean harm, you must understand," and then to K'aijeen, "Please, just apologize!"
K'airos frowned at her sister. "You have to tell m- I mean - us...them about your plans first." she said, not paying any attention to her mother,
Arms crossed, K'aijeen looked to K'deiki and muttered in annoyance, "Control your daughter!"
K'piru gave her own daughter a half-horrified look as K'jhanhi moved closer, stepping past the other elders, "You have much to atone for, child." His tone was on the harsh side of firm and he cut off K'piru's protests with a hand in her direction, "And you should not tolerate this behavior."
"What are you talking about?" She watched the massive man move towards her mother. "I didn't do anything wrong! My plan was perfect! It was going to work, and we'd have more meat! It can still work! I can still replace the meat! K'airos will help!"
At the mention of her name, she raised a finger. "I will! No, wait...I don't think rebuilding your trap is socially viable right now."
Ears pressed back against her skull, K'piru looked away briefly at her father's chiding before returning her attention to her own daughter. "That doesn't matter, Aijeen. You could have hurt people and... and you stole! If you'd only ask for things instead of taking them..."
"This is not a new path for you, young one," K'deiki spoke up, her voice quieter but no less authoritative than the former nunh's. "My memory may not be what it used to, but I have not forgotten speaking to you in the past of such things. You should not have forgotten either."
"I did forget," K'aijeen responded as though answering a challenge. "I was doing the right thing. My plan was going to work. You're wise, right? You should know that I'm learning and getting better! I'm going to be better than any other shaman soon!"
"What are you learning, dear?" K'deiki asked patiently. "What do you see as the duties of a shaman? I've spoken with your mother and know you don't attend to her lessons."
K'airos opted to keep quiet, fiddling her fingers against her hair, combing the same lock over and over mercilessly.
"I baited the animals!" K'aijeen exclaimed. "First I baited vultures, and then a Sand Drake! And my trap would've killed it with no danger at all! I used some of mom's powder to make spears that throw themselves!"
"I can testify that the trap was well put!" said K'airos, still combing her hair.
K'deiki lifted a hand to quiet K'airos, focusing her attention on the younger Thalen girl. "What did you bait the vultures with, child?"
Smiling, K'aijeen answered, "Oh! They eat old meat! I take the fresh stuff and leave it out in the sun and they swoop right in thinking it's a carcass! I can show you how to do it! It's really easy!"
The elder nodded, "And where did you collect the fresh meat?"
"I took it from the tribe's supplies. I was going to put it back!" She pointed at K'deiki's face, "Grandma, you're missing the point! Can you imagine if we could add Sand Drake to our diet on a regular basis?"
"That's not the point, Aijeen," K'piru interrupted, expression practically begging. "You stole! You can't just put food back - not when it's been used! And you've no way of knowing your trap would work! You stole food from us, Aijeen."
Spinning on her mother, she bit, "I knew it would work! Dad messed it up! Be mad at him! The world's bigger than your stupid books! You can do more with your powders than pray and cure infections! I made it explode! I'm already a better shaman than you are, so stop trying to hold me back!"
"You aren't a better shaman yet." K'airos interjected, her voice calm but both her hands still combing her hair. "If you were, you would have had a plan for people stumbling into your trap. But you didn't, and that's what ruined it. Not dad."
K'aijeen sulked, "Dad's better at being stupid than I am at being smart."
"Don't speak of your father like that!" K'piru demanded, expression taught with anxiety. "Explosions aren't... they aren't part of what I do. A shaman doesn't kill things, Aijeen."
"You could have put a sign, or stayed close enough..." K'airos muttered, avoiding eye contact with anyone but the wall of the tent.
Pointing at her mother, "I'm not talking to you," K'aijeen let her glare sit on the woman for a few more seconds before spinning to her grandmother, "I'm making the tribe better. More sources of meat! Why should the shaman just pray and cure sick people when we can do better! I'm doing better!"
K'piru leaned back slightly, giving her daughter a mournful look. "Aijeen, that's not--"Â
Her words were cut off, however, by the large, wrinkled hand of K'jhanhi as he moved forward and gently but firmly urged her aside. "Arguing with your mother is not helping your point, child. K'piru speaks the truth as to the role of our shaman, but more importantly, you've committed theft against the tribe. And this is not the first time."
K'deiki looked between both of them before nodding to herself. "It is as I said. You are young still, but old enough to know better the rules of our tribe. You should know also that we cannot let this pass unpunished."
"Punished? Are you insane!?" K'aijeen turned her gaze to K'jhanhi at first, the man being the most imposing figure present, but then began to look at everyone else in turn. "I took what I needed to make things better! I was told to help and I helped! I can still help! Give me more meat, I'll bait more traps! I'll triple the meat I took!"
K'airos stepped forward, her hair now perfectly combed, judging by the fact she stopped combing it. "You must realize she only took the meat without permission because she -knew- you wouldn't let her try this if she told you about it."
"She cannot know if she doesn't ask," K'deiki corrected with a level stare in K'airos's direction.
K'airos crossed her arms and pretended to be firm. Her tail was still lowered and trying to sneak between her legs. "Well... would you have agreed?"
The elder shook her head and persisted, "That is not the question we are asking today. Young K'aijeen has admitted to her crime and is not remorseful. Her mother," she turned sad eyes to K'piru then, who looked as though she wished to melt, "has been incapable of teaching her responsibility in this matter. It is a shame."
K'piru bowed her head and, rather than say anything in protest this time, just clutched at her daughter's shoulders.
"I didn't take because-... Augh!" K'aijeen pulled on her ears. "It's not a crime if I put it back! If I double it! I was helping the tribe! If you're so wise you should see that!"
K'airos threw her hands up in annoyance. "Right. Why don't you punish my sister and blame my mother while you toss your blame to the back of the tent and pretend you are pristine as water?"
"We can't let even one act like this pass without words," came a voice from the back, the tattooed K'takka, "Not when our survival is as fragile as it is. That is a lesson you are taught the moment you see Azeyma's light. You should all know it well."
"Tribe law would sentence you to hours under the sun, on display at the center of camp, for all to see and understand your actions and how they hurt the tribe," K'jhanhi rumbled, his yellow eyes shrouded in heavy wrinkles but no less firm.
"You're insane! You're all-!" She snapped her gaze around to the Elders again. "Is that wisdom? Does that teach me wisdom? I won't let you do that to me!"
K'airos looked around between the elders, petrified. "She's but a child!"
K'piru, as well, paled and would pull K'aijeen to her defensively. K'jhanhi maintained his stare for several seconds before K'deiki reached up to settle a hand on his arm. "She is. And it is for that reason alone that we will ease the punishment for her."
Letting herself get pulled to her mother for a moment, K'aijeen shook herself and pulled away from K'piru after K'deiki had spoken.
Moving up alongside the former nunh, K'deiki looked to K'aijeen, K'airos, and K'piru in turn. "For two weeks, you will instruct your daughter in the teachings of our shamans. K'aijeen must attend each one, daily, without fail, and she will demonstrate to us then the true role of what she so aspires to be." A pause. "And should she steal again, we will not take into consideration her age."
At the declaration, K'piru slumped with relief, bowing her head and uttering repeatedly, "Thank you. She will learn. Thank you."
Her ears pressed flat against her head, K'aijeen stewed silently. She didn’t speak. Her little fists clenched and released in quick rhythm.
"She should have already learned," K'takka's voice came again from the back, blue eyes striking within the white tattoos despite the age of her face. "You should have already taught her. This is her final chance."
"I will make sure she won't get into any more trouble." K'airos said, relieved, placing a hand on her sister's shoulder. K'aijeen didn’t react to K'airos' touch.
"Ensure that you do," K'jhanhi nodded and let his stare linger on K'aijeen for a moment longer before stepping back.
Heedless of her daughter's stewing, K'piru moved to wrap her arms around K'aijeen, pressing her face against the top of her head. "Please, do this for me, Aijeen."
K'aijeen flinched away from her mother, but only somewhat. She wore her frustration on every inch of her body, and she cast a fierce glare at the ground in front of her. "Are we done?"
White hair bobbed slowly as K'deiki gestured towards the front of the tent, "Yes. You may go. Do remember our lesson this time."
K'airos clasped her hands together in front of her, smiling weakly to the elders. "Thank you." she said and then bowed her head.
K'aijeen attempted to jerk away from her mother and head for the exit. For once, K'piru allowed her daughter to pull away without protest, pulling her hands to herself and watching her small back with a sad, worried look. K'aijeen pushed through the exit of the tent, and was confronted immediately by K'ile standing outside. The Tia didn't say anything to her, but she spared him a glare before moving on.
K'airos followed K'aijeen. Upon stumbling with K'ile outside, she said cheerfully: "Punishment was given!" She only stopped to watch K'ile's reaction for about a second before running to catch up with her sister.
K'piru hung back for a moment, but when the elders did not seem as though they were going to say more, she bowed her head and followed her daughters out the door. She stopped upon seeing K'ile and gave him a helpless look.
Watching K'airos follow after K'aijeen, he waited until K'piru came out of the tent. the woman's distress was obvious, and he responded by unwrapping his crossed arms and setting one each on K'piru's shoulders. "The Elders are wise, right? I'm sure they know what they're talking about. Two weeks of lessons? She'll learn to respect what you know, no problem!" He wished he was as good at being cheerful as his brother was.
Her ears drooping to either side of her head, K'piru just looked worriedly in the direction her daughters had gone. "I don't know if she'll... She doesn't listen to me. I've tried so hard to teach her..." She turned her eyes back to K'ile, "I don't want her to get hurt. They won't sentence her as an adult next time... really?"
At K'piru's sad tone, K'ile had to work hard not cringe. He didn't know what to do with scared women. "Uhm," he thought frantically, what would Thalen say? Taking a deep breath to psych himself up, K'ile patted K'piru's shoulder and said with his best smile, "There won't be a next time! She's a smart kid. She won't mess up again. It's just a phase or something, right?"
Apparently K'ile's pep talk was not very convincing, as K'piru just dropped her head to her hands for several seconds before managing through her fingers, "I should go and speak with my daughters."
"Uhm," K’ile lifted his hand, "Alright. That's good. I'll go let Thalen know what happened, alright?"
K'piru just nodded, not looking up or moving immediately to follow K'airos and K'aijeen, instead taking time to try and collect herself.
K'ile walked off to find his brother and tell him one of his women was upset.
***
Once she'd gotten some distance from the tent, K'aijeen stopped suddenly and looked at K'airos, saying quickly and quietly so nobody could hear except her sister. "I need more meat for a trap. Tonight."
K'airos crossed her arms. "What? No!" she tried to keep her tone down, with mild efficacy. "After what just happened? You are smart enough to understand mom's lessons in two weeks. Just do that!"
K'aijeen scoffed. "I'm already smarter than mom. And wiser than the Elders, apparently! Listen, I'll do the lessons with mom. But you and me have to try the trap tonight. Prove I was right! Then two weeks of lessons. I promise."
K'airos turned her head towards where K'ile and K'piru where. She kept her eyes there while she spoke to her sister. "Why didn't you tell me about this trap?" she asked.
K'aijeen answered easily, "You were busy hunting. I was going to get more meat. It was going to be a surprise." Her tone was very matter-of-fact, as if she expected her explanation to be self-evident.
"You should have waited!" K'airos protested, throwing her fists downwards and her tail becoming a straight line behind her. "Then maybe I could have kept watch on the trap while you were busy not watching the trap!"
"I'm sorry!" K'aijeen bit out. "I was trying to do something nice. But you're right. I need your help. For example, I need you to get meat while I go set up the trap."
"I'll tell you what we'll do." she started, running one hand over her face. "You will study and -nothing else-. If they catch you, they will tie you up and let you boil under the sun."
"Even if we brought eight times the food you lost they'd still tie you up! So we won't do that until your punishment is lifted. Alright?"
"They'd only tie me up if I stole food! There's nothing wrong with baiting a trap if I just happen to have food! The tribe needs meat, and it's up to me to fix what I did, right? So do you want to help me or not?"
K'airos stomped one foot against the sand. "Fine! I'll get you some meat. How much do you need?"
Smiling, K'aijeen ran up to K'airos and wrapped her in a sudden hug. "Thank you! Ah, you saw how much I was using earlier. I need that much. And it needs to be fresh. Stuff the huntresses killed today."
K'airos arms hung to her sides for a moment before answering the sudden hug with their own embrace. "I...I can't get that much by myself..." She frowned and pulled slightly away. "Are you telling me to go -steal- what others hunted?"
"That's exactly what got you in this problem!"
Still holding onto K'airos, she said, "It's different if it's something you helped kill. You have a right to that meat. And you and I will replace it. Nobody will know. You've got faith in my traps, right?"
"Can't we do it after the festivities are done?"
Releasing K'airos, she stepped back and says, "No. It has to be tonight. I need my spine." She blinked. "And the tribe needs this meat before the festival. That's important! I can't be the best shaman ever if I go around ruining festivals!"
K'airos placed a hand on each of her sister's shoulder's. "Right. But I have one condition: once the trap is ready, you will come back. So if things go awry or dad stumbles into it -again. they won't blame you for the lost meat. Alright?"
Considering this for a moment, K'aijeen at length nods and renews her smile, "Okay! I can do that!"
K'airos closed her eyes and smiled. "Good! This will be fantastic! Or at least something to tell our grandchildren when we are old."
Blinking at some thought for a moment, K'aijeen perked up belatedly, "Right! I think. Anyway. We'll go back to where the first trap was. I'll rebuild it. You meet me there with the bait once everyone's asleep."
K'airos nodded and gestured with one hand towards the elders' tent. "I forgot my spear back there. I'll meet you at the -place- at the -time-!" she said, exaggerating some words for effect.
A bit perplexed by K'airos strange way of speaking, K'aijeen uttered a confused, "Okay?" while maintaining her static cheer.
K'airos left to retrieve her spear, which she really did forget at the elders' tent.
After hanging out for an inordinate amount of time outside the elders' tent, K'piru had finally felt as though she could face her children and so began to walk in the direction they had left, in hopes of either catching up to them or finding them back at their tent. K'piru looked up worriedly as K'airos approached in the opposite direction, without her other daughter. "Airos? Is everything alright? Aijeen will... has she told you anything? That she'll listen?"
"Sure!" K'airos answered, not stopping her movement. "She promised she will study. And then I remember I forgot my spear at the elders'." She walked past K'piru, turned around to keep facing her and walked sideways towards the tent. "You should... give her some alone time to think. So that she can have a cooler head when you talk to her!"
Blinking at her daughter, head turning to follow her movements, K'piru's ears drooped further, her tail hanging low behind her. "Don't... be long," she replied after a moment. "Come back to the tent after... Airi will be returning soon. I'd like us all to spend some time together."
K'airos smiled and waved. "It won't be long!" she exclaimed before turning completely away and leaving her mother behind. That spear was not going to pick itself up!
Turning away from the tent and K'airos, rather than follow after her other daughter, K'piru chose instead to wander in another direction, in search of one person she could rely on for support.
Once K'airos left, K'aijeen stood still. He smile faded into a frown and her ears and tail drooped. She loitered as the sun set, and thought about the knowledge and wisdom of the people around her. She didn't enjoy her thoughts. When nobody else came after her, K'aijeen turned and walked home. In her mother's tent were the various shamanic supplies from which K'aijeen had crafted that explosive mix of powder. She would need more.
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"Song dogs barking at the break of dawn, lightning pushes the edges of a thunderstorm; and these streets, quiet as a sleeping army, send their battered dreams to heaven."
Hipparion Tribe (Sagolii)Â - Â Antimony Jhanhi's Wiki
