Women moved around the roasting pig. Dancing, they cut away at the meat with stone knives before placing the meat onto wooden plates. Still dancing, they took the meat to their desired man or woman who sat along the wooden benches and tables. Once the chosen person accepted the gift, the dancer then removed one of the two matching feather necklaces that hung around their neck. Taking one of the necklaces, they placed it around the neck of their chosen person. A sign of love and dominance over that person. All were given these gifts, except one, who no woman dared to touch.

Charlie kept his eyes down, quiet and alone. Ourupadia kept glancing to him, not sure what kind of emotions were going through the poor boy’s head. But she didn’t dare to try and comfort him. Looking across from where he was sitting, the Chiefess and Klipesia stood side-by-side with the roasting pig. Each looked to the fattest, juiciest slice of meat. Neither moved, daring the other to try and take the slice before they did.

For a second Charlie looked up. Seeing the two women still standing, their eyes locked in rage, he looked down again, shaking his head slightly. Not wanting the boy to go hungry because of the competitiveness of two stubborn warriors, she moved from her seat. Charlie looked up from his feet as Ourupadia moved past him.

His gaze turned from Ourupadia to the two women fighting for food by the fire and over to the two Vulture Leaders. Well, at least to where they had been. Gone, vanished, they had left with the Region Lord to do God knows what. Shuffling in his seat, he found it tempting to go and find them. But if he did, then what would he do?

The Region Lord supplied food to this part of the southern realm. He also controlled all imports, so if the natives tried to rebel, they would be left to resort to cannibalism alone. Clenching a fist onto the table, Charlie started to consider something. Maybe he could try to do something? Something to help the Desert Ghosts take down the Region Lord while keeping the trade relations intact.

If he was to do something, then the natives wouldn’t suffer, right? Only he would suffer, right? His mind turned to what his family would think. They already looked down on him, so if he did something that made them look down on him more, would it really be that bad? Did he have anything to lose?

Ourupadia shuffled past the Chiefess and Klipesia. Using a knife and wooden plate she had gotten from one of the dancers, she quickly sliced off the piece of meat the two women had been arguing over. The two looked at Ourupadia with raised eyes brows, both searching for words as the woman took the meat and quickly returned to Charlie’s table.

Lifting his head, Charlie was brought out of his thoughts as a shadow blocked out the fire light. Looking up, he was greeted by the smile of Ourupadia. Placing the meat down onto the table, Ourupadia gave him a nod of good luck before running off. Charlie at first thought this to be weird, but as he saw the two warrior women approaching, he understood.

“Oh fuck,” Charlie said, pushing back his chair to try and get up and make an escape. Two wooden thuds sounded next to his head. Looking to either side of the back of the chair, he saw knives lodged into the wood only inches away from him. Turning his gaze up to the women, he saw the matching double feather necklaces that hung around their necks.

Thuds again sounded as the women slammed cups of wine onto the table. Nervously, Charlie straightened his back and pulled his chair forward. Both women locked eyes onto him as they offered their drinks to him. Slowly, Charlie raised his hands, trying to decline the drinks. Both women snapped some harsh words at him in their native tongue. Ok, so his decision to decline was declined.

Charlie watched both women carefully. If he took the drink from Klipesia rather than the Chiefess, would be joining the pig over the fire? If, on the other hand, he took the Chiefess’s drink… Klipesia looked as if she was ready to hunt him again, but this time because she wanted to make a new bag from his skin.

Studying his options, Charlie decided that since the Chiefess was more important, it was probably best to pick her as she could probably protect him. Taking her drink, he took a few sips and smiled at her. The overwhelming stench and taste of the alcohol made him gag but he continued to drink while looking at the smirk of the Chiefess. Angering her was a decision he wanted to avoid at all costs.

Slamming her wooden cup onto the table, Klipesia’s drink spilled lightly. Just to ‘rub in’ that he had chosen her, she removed one of her necklaces. Slowly and purposefully, she placed it around Charlie’s neck to mark him as her property that night. Sneering, Klipesia slapped Charlie’s drink from his hand, shoving her own drink into his clasp. Looking to the Chiefess, she saw the blank, expressionless, emotionless glare.

Charlie noticed as well but said nothing.

Not satisfied with the reaction, Klipesia removed one of her necklaces and slowly placed it around Charlie’s, an insult to the Chiefess’s show of love with one of her own. In a blink there was flash of dark red. A scream filled the air as bone cracked. Looking to where Klipesia had been sitting, he saw she was gone. Then looking to the Chiefess, he saw a mangled red painted arm in her hand.

Leaning over the table, he saw the injured Klipesia on the floor. Then he realised it. In only a few seconds the Chiefess had flipped her over her shoulder and broken her arm at the same time. Without thinking, Charlie leapt from his chair. Turning he sprinted into the village. The Chiefess’s eyes widened as she realised Charlie was gone. Dropping Klipesea, the Chiefess took off after him.

Sprinting, Charlie dodged and weaved through the houses. He could feel his heart in his throat as adrenaline coursed through him, propelling him forward. After what he had just seen the Chiefess do to Klipesia, his only instinct had been to run. Now he had no clue where he was. A scream, a few shouts followed by bellowing laugher rang out through the night sky.

This was enough to snap him out of his delirious state. Stopping dead, he listened again for the noise. For a moment there was silence, maybe it was just a trick of his fevered brain. His suspicions though were quickly realised again as more shouts echoed through the night. This time he followed the noise, his weary mind mixed with morbid curiosity getting the best of him.

For while he walked, the shouts and screams getting ever louder. Eventually the noise reached its peak as he came to an opening between two houses. Moving into the gloom he made sure the shadows of the buildings hid his body. Upon looking around the corner, his eyes fell onto the sight of two Vulture women battling in the sand.

Cackling, from his place in a chair that barely held his massive frame, the Region Lord threw copper coins at the battling women. Between the legs of the man sat two women. Nolkonoe and a battered looking Phukomeia. Noticing the two women had stopped to give sympathetic looks to the two fighting girls, he raised one of his meaty hands and backhanded Nolkonoe across the face. The two women returned to suckling and kissing his fat balls as he jerked himself to the two battling women.

Both women sat with a look of strain on their faces as they struggled not to look at the two scarred and bloodied women as they continued to battle. Unintentionally Phukomeia stopped and looked at the two women. Even though she only paused for the briefest of moments, the man slapped her again. A small red welt was now starting to form along the side of one of her cheeks, a result of the Region Lord’s swipe.

“Do your job whore!” He bellowed, as he continued to throw copper coins at the two battling women. His careless throws often hurt the women as they had coins thrown at their eyes or at exposed wounds on their bodies.

Bravely, Nolkonoe moved her mouth from pleasuring the man.

“Great one, please may I request for those two to stop their fighting and for me alone to entertain you” Nolkonoe pleaded to the man, her eyes watering as she could no longer bear to see her fellow women harmed. Grunting the man lifted his hand. Charlie felt his body physically cringe as the sound of bone hitting flesh echoed throughout the area.

Charlie went to move forward, to stop this madness and abuse of power. A hand clasped itself around his mouth, dragging him back into the shadows of the building. Glaring over his shoulder, he saw the Chiefess.

“You intervene, all get hurt,” she muttered, her voice cracking slightly as a trickle of a tear appeared in her eyes.

“Do your job I said!” the Region Lord bellowed as he slapped Nolkonoe again.

“Do you like having food? Do you like having places to hunt? Well, if you displease me, I can strip that of your people!” leaning closer, his sadistic grin shone in the moonlight.

“If I did that, how long do you think it would be before what little crops you have ran dry? And how long after that do you think it would be until your people decided that you would make a good dinner?” he yelled at her with a deep, guttural, growl.

“Sorry Mr Green Water,” she said, placing her mouth back onto his member.

“Suck or be sacrificed by your people for having failed them,” he demanded and a crying and reluctant Nolkonoe complied.

Charlie tried to cry out in protest as he fought and struggled in the arms of the Chiefess. But it was no use as she dragged him away from the scene to avoid suffering the wrath of the Region Lord.

Away from the scene neither said anything as the Chiefess hurried through the village. Furious at her lack of action, Charlie went to reprimand her and demand they return, but as she cradled him against her chest, he noticed the small glimmers of tears now rolling down her cheeks. He couldn't yell at her, the sight had hurt her far more than it had him.

Deciding to comfort her, he allowed her to hold him tightly as she manoeuvred through the village, eventually returning to her Hut. The two guards outside seemed to know what was going on as they said nothing but simply nodded in sympathy as they entered. Placing him onto the bed she collapsed next to him.

For a moment there was silence, but then the heavy panting, snorting, and cracking voice of the Chiefess filled the hut. He understood the feeling, the feeling of not being able to do anything to help Nolkonoe, the feeling of frustration that intervening would damage the tribe.

Turning, Charlie looked at her. A savage and brutal monster, that's what she was, but she had something else as well. A deep and passionate love for her people. Moving to her side, he placed her head onto his lap. Looking up to him, tears burst from eyes as she buried her face against his trousers. Placing a hand onto her head, he began to stroke her hair.

He remembered what Nolkonoe had said, about how the Chiefess was the last of her tribe. In many ways she was like him, lonely. And when one of her closest friends was in danger, being harmed and raped by some brutal monster, there was nothing she could do that wouldn't hurt more in the process to save her. A feeling of powerlessness, dread and anger that cannot be acted on or released.

Placing her head down, Charlie moved to her other side. Carefully he removed the translation book from her leather pouch. Flicking through the book, he found the words he wanted.

The Chiefess shuddered as a hand was placed onto the side of her head. Turning, she looked up to him.

“Friend,” he said roughly in her native tongue. For a moment her crying stopped as she processed what he had just said. Pointing to himself he continued.

“Friend help to beats bad man. Friend make happy,” he said in his horrible attempt to translate her language. Smiling, she wrapped her arms around him.

“Beat bad man,” she replied in her native tongue as her arms locked around him.