Mira looked down at the little bundle of orange fur in her nest. Calypso was a rich orange, and Mira felt like she would be an able runner when she grew up. She reminded Mira of her home, the savannah. Mira turned towards the sound of Lupo coming back from his hunt.
‘Lupo, have you seen Ifi at all today?’ She asked. Ifi wasn’t the leader anymore, and he was getting quite senile, but she still thought he might want to see the second mixed tribe child that wasn’t born out of necessity. Lupo shook his head.
‘I haven’t. Come to think of it, I haven’t seen Neoki or Randi either. Maybe those three are finally getting along. He hasn’t really treated them like his children since Neoki became leader.’ Lupo went over and bumped noses with Calypso, to which she gave a delighted squeak. Mira frowned. Ifi was ancient, but also unapologetic, she doubted he would want to right past wrongs now. He wasn’t the type to do that. He hated the fact that Neoki, who was physically weak, was now the leader. Mira doubted if the rest of the tribe actually cared, but Ifi seemed to find it important. Calypso gave another squeak, and Mira shook her head. Now wasn’t the time to think of such things. She smiled at her family.
‘Well if you do see him, call him over anyway.’ Mira smiled. Lupo nodded and smiled back at her.
~
Cane was shaking like a leaf. Every few seconds he considered dropping the flower he had in his mouth, and running, but somehow he managed to stay. Take deep breaths. He breathed in, and walked over to where Cheri was beside the stream. She was running her paw absentmindedly in the water.
‘Hello.’ Cane said. It’s not like he had anything better to say, but even that came out shaky. Well at least the flower muffled his voice slightly. Cheri yelped and jumped back, almost falling into the stream.
‘Don’t scare me like that! I almost fell in and drowned!’ She joked. She looked down at the flower in his mouth and a sly grin slid onto her face. ‘Who’s that for?’ She teased.
‘You.’ Cane felt like he was about to melt. ‘Can we be mates?’
Cheri’s eyes widened, but she grinned.
‘Sure.’ Cheri opened her mouth to say more, but a call from the tree stump interrupted her. It was Neoki, she was calling for a tribe meeting. Cane and Cheri swapped confused glances, but ran to the stump together.
~
(A little earlier)
‘Wait here.’ Neoki said to Randi with all the confidence she didn’t feel. They were outside where Ifi usually slept. Neoki didn’t particularly like the father she never talked to, but he was clever enough, and maybe he could make sense of the situation. She walked in, and found he was sleeping. At the sound of her pawsteps, he stirred but kept his eyes closed.
‘Did you finish the job Deat? Took you long enough’ Ifi muttered. Neoki froze. What job? If Ifi found out she wasn’t Deat, she might never find out. Besides, she was all too suspicious of everyone after Deat had just tried to kill her. She quietly cleared her throat and did her best to make her voice sound deep and raspy.
‘Yeah. All done’ She didn’t say much. Less chance of being discovered. Right now, she was thanking all the spirits above, and all the Gods she didn’t really believe existed that Ifi was slightly hard of hearing. If he could hear well, she would have been found out immediately.
‘Hmm. Good. Now Randi will be leader. Never really liked him, but I liked that weak brat even less. You can go now, I won’t try and kill you again.’ Ifi said. That last part must have been a joke. Surely. Neoki knew in her heart that it wasn’t. Suddenly all the pieces of the puzzle slid together.
‘Father?’ She felt herself say weakly. Ifi’s eyes snapped open, but all he saw was Neoki’s eyes narrowing, and her running off. He got up to go after her, but Randi stopped him, snarling. Neoki jumped up onto the tree stump, and called for a tribe meeting.
Someone wanted her dead.
And it wasn’t Deat.
~
(Now)
Most of the tribe was pretty close, so they all gathered within the minute. Randi was back beside her, and Ifi was nearby as well. His eyes were full of malice. Neoki called for silence, taking a deep breath.
‘Someone has made an attempt on my life.’ Immediately everyone burst into confused and worried murmurs. Suspicious eyes looked to Randi, as he was still covered in blood. ‘But it wasn’t Randi.’ She felt herself blurt out. Unprofessional, she knew, but she wasn’t going to let anyone think Randi had tried to hurt her. Neoki explained everything. How Deat attacked her. How Randi protected her. The scars they found on Deat, made by a creature. The things Ifi said. And finally, what she thought this all meant. ‘I think Ifi hurt Deat so bad, he could have died. He threatened Deat to do a task for him, or else he would leave him there.If Deat agreed to the deal, Ifi would tell him where the healing plant was. Deat had to agree, as he was new and didn’t know where the healing plant was. The deal was that Deat would kill me, for Ifi.’
The crowd went silent. It made sense. Heads slowly turned towards Ifi. Ifi knew he was done for. He couldn’t win, but maybe he could take someone down with him. Make Neoki pay.
‘Tell me, what is the penalty for murder?’ Ifi said, his voice dripping with fake sweetness.
‘Death.’ Neoki answered without hesitation. It was a crude law, but just, as it discouraged anyone from trying to do such a horrible thing. The tribe law had not been changed since Talian’s time, it was that old.
‘Then me and Randi shall have to die.’ Ifi said in mock sorrow.
‘Randi?! He’s innocent!’ Neoki’s face twisted into a scowl at Ifi’s words. It looked wrong on her too-young face.
‘Did you forget he killed Deat?’ Ifi hissed, his voice full of venom.
‘That was different! He-’ Neoki started saying, but Randi interrupted her.
‘Yeah! That was different! I was only protecting my sister!’ Randi snarled. There was rage in his eyes.
‘You could have protected her by restraining him. But you didn’t. You killed him. You -as well as I- are guilty!’ Ifi spat. Neoki’s head was spinning. That was different! She was trying to collect her thoughts when someone behind her interrupted the argument. It was Kendyll.
‘They both are guilty of murder and attempted murder. Circumstances don’t matter. The tribe law is clear.’ Kendyll said. Neoki cursed him. He always stuck so rigidly to the rules. She was sure that if it was his family, he wouldn’t act like this.
‘Randi is still young! Death is too harsh!’ She said desperately.
‘Actions have consequences.’ Kendyll said in monotone. The tribe seemed to be split. Some murmured their agreement, while others loudly disagreed. Neoki couldn’t let the tribe split, but she couldn’t let her brother die either. Everything was too loud, the arguing, the disagreeing. A thought came to Neoki’s head. It was not what she would wish for, ever, but it was better than death.
‘Randi is too young for death.’ She repeated. Her voice was trembling. ‘So instead of death…he should permanently leave the tribe.’ The rest of the tribe agreed. Death was too harsh. But all Neoki could see was the betrayal gleaming in her brother’s eyes.
‘I should be exiled too. My crime is as serious as his.’ Ifi leapt at his chance. Neoki glared at him.
‘Fine!’ She snapped. ‘Just go!’ Ifi took his chance, and ran. Ifi was old, it would be a miracle if he survived two days outside of camp. She tried to turn to Randi. Tried to explain to him that this was all she could do. But Randi looked as if he made up his mind.
‘I protected you! And now you're exiling me?! Well I'll make you pay! I'll make you all pay!’ Randi screamed, as he turned away, tears in his eyes. Neoki could only watch as Randi disappeared into the unknown. The crowd dispersed behind her. Someone patted her shoulder. She didn’t realise Fess was calling her name until the third time she said it. But Neoki didn’t turn to Fess. She kept staring, and she felt as cold and empty as the wilderness on this deadly isle.