John and Argent by cmsix

Chapter 75

Deimeta kept Darta at it; driving her up and down the valley to our cave and back, over and over until just before lunch. Finally I had to tell her that we needed to put Darta up and go eat. It only took a few minutes to park the sleigh, unhitch Darta and put her away.

We walked back to our cave and I was glad to be back and more than ready for the coffee that Geera brought me when I sat at the table.

"It will only be a few minutes until lunch is ready. Are you and Deimeta hungry?" Geera asked.

"You know that I'm hungry and I think that Deimeta is too. She has been working with Darta almost all morning. Has she told you that she has her own sleigh and that she has trained Darta to pull her in it?"

"No, she has kept it all a secret from us. How did you get her to pull you Deimeta?" she asked.

"Darta doesn't mind at all, in fact I think she likes it. She gets to go outside while all the others have to stay in." Deimeta said.

"But don't her feet get cold in the snow?" Geera asked her.

"I hadn't thought about that and I'm not sure how to find out. I can't ask her," Deimeta said.

"I think if her feet get cold she will let you know somehow. Just pay attention to how she is walking and you should be able to tell if something is bothering her."

"Ok Daddy, I will pay more attention to her feet. I like riding in the sleigh but I don't want to do it if it makes Darta's feet hurt." she said.

In a few minutes Geera brought me a plate and as usual I had Deimeta in my lap and we shared the food. Geera brought us another smaller helping when we finished the first one but Deimeta had already eaten all she wanted and so I made the sacrifice and polished it off on my own.

After lunch Deimeta went off to see if she could find Failiela, hoping that she could get her to go to the horse cave so that they could fool with their pets. I went into my office and Geera followed me.

"The others have done most of the watching this morning but they have already given me some news," she said.

"Have they seen something interesting?"

"I think so but we're not sure what it means. Not long after breakfast, Shatalto came to Kartogo's quarters and they talked for a while. At one point they both seemed to be scolding Miekadakta and then Shatalto turned on Kartogo and began arguing with him. Ameliea said that they tried to keep it quiet and that she couldn't hear what they were saying but that she could tell that they were all angry," Geera said.

"Do you know if they threatened Miekadakta?"

"Ameliea said that she couldn't tell about that but they both did seem very angry with her," Geera said.

"I'm wondering now if Miekadakta could be in danger. Tell everyone to keep that on their minds too. If one of these men starts to beat Miekadakta just go ahead and kill them. We don't need all of them for questioning and beating a woman is reason enough to die in my camp. If it comes up you can try to stop them by yelling and if they stop bring Miekadakta to our cave. If they don't or won't stop, shoot them and we will worry about the details later."

"I hate to say it but we are ahead of you on this. We were already planning to kill any of them that gave us any excuse. If I catch one of them beating any woman, I might yell at them to get them to stop but it won't be very loud and I won't give them any extra time to save themselves," Geera said, sounding a little like Dieta or Ameliea to me.

"I don't guess there is any chance that Dieta or Ameliea will even whisper for them to stop."

"Not a one, Roweea said that she had to stop Ameliea from killing Kartogo and Shatalto this morning when the scolding started. You also know very well that Dieta wants only a chance to question all of them in her cute little way," Geera said.

"I guessed as much. Tell Dieta that I have a very new method of questioning that I'm sure she is going to love and make sure that she knows that she must save one or two of them to try it out on. Remind them all that we have already found one more by waiting and watching. We want to find them all and we probably can if we will be patient. Once we start killing some of them it will be hard to find out anything else."

"I will remind them, though I am wanting to shoot one or two of the hyenas myself," she said.

She left then and I stayed in my office. From what she'd told me it seemed that Shatalto might be the leader of the whole thing. I knew a little about him and this made more sense. He was a lot smarter than any of the other three and it showed since he had been happy to let Kartogo be the one to actually try killing me. He didn't seem smart enough to keep out of it long enough though. Maybe they were trying to get another attempt going. I wasn't sure that I would give them that much time.

They probably realized that they wouldn't have a chance to catch me naked and fucking again soon. If they tried a spear attack during the day, it could be dangerous to anyone who might be near me at the time. If they had tried this morning, while Deimeta and I were playing with Darta, it was possible that Deimeta could have been hurt or killed. I almost decided to get up and finish them off right away.

I was going to wait a while longer but my curiosity made me get up and head for the residence cave. I knew in my head that I couldn't do any good in there and that I would probably drive them all to more secretive vigilance. It didn't matter, I had to go and have a look for myself.

When I left my cave and headed through the passage to the residence cave I saw something that nearly stopped my heart. Deimeta and Failiela must have just left Racaato's quarters. They were standing outside the entrance and talking to Shatalto. He had one of Deimeta's hands in his as if he were about to lead her off somewhere. She was complaining and asking him to let her go.

I glanced at Failiela and knew at once that he would not be going anywhere with Deimeta. Since she first got her Glock and the lessons from Racaato, her father, Failiela had never left her quarters without it. I suppose that it made her feel grown up or something. I saw that she had her hand on it and was drawing it even now. Shatalto wasn't paying any attention to her and I was certain that Failiela was going to shoot his sorry ass within seconds.

I didn't want her to have to and even though I wouldn't mind if he were killed, I would rather have a chance to question him first. I also didn't think that it would be such a good thing for Failiela to have to face what the Glock would do to a man, even if he did richly deserve it. I pulled my own Glock and yelled.

"Shatalto, stop at once or I will kill you."

He stopped and turned to look at me but didn't release Deimeta.

"Why should you kill me?" he asked.

"Why are you dragging my daughter off against her will?"

"I just wanted to show her something in my quarters," he said but even he must have known that it sounded ridiculous.

"I don't want you showing her anything in your quarters and she obviously doesn't want to see it. Let her go now or die," I told him and pointed the Glock right at him.

He released her and she ran to me, wrapping her arms around my hips, which were as high as she could reach. I kept my eyes on Shatalto and my Glock trained on him too. His face showed that he was frightened now; it was the fright of a guilty one that had been found out.

"Failiela, do you know where Racaato and Raalto are?"

"Yes, they are in the practice cave," she told me as she too kept her Glock on Shatalto.

"Please go and get one or both of them, tell them I need them here. Keep your Glock out and if you see Kartogo, Jato or Shabago on your way shoot them without any questions. Just shoot them if you see them but make sure that you keep going to Racaato and Raalto."

"I will John," she said and turned toward the direction I'd come from.

I'd seen the surprise on Shatalto's face when I'd told Failiela to shoot his partners in crime on sight. For a second or two he looked sick and then his expression changed to one of hope and relief as he looked past me over my shoulder. In my peripheral vision I saw Failiela raise her Glock and take a definite aim. In that split second I knew that someone was about to launch something at me from behind.

I was reaching for Deimeta to pull her around in front of me to help shield her with my body when I felt something strike the back of my left thigh and of course I hadn't had time to move Deimeta. The pain was sharp but not terrible, what I heard was terrible though.

"Daddy!" Deimeta shrieked and I felt her grip around me go slack just as Failiela fired twice and then the roar of the muzzle blast drowned out other sounds.

A look of triumph crossed Shatalto's face for a second and then vanished when he realized that my aim hadn't wavered and I hadn't fallen. Panic washed his victory grin away. He turned around to run and just before I shot I lowered my aim, as his partner had, and my shot went through his right knee from behind and passed out through the front. Even the thunder of my Glock couldn't smother his scream as he pitched forward onto his face.

"Failiela is that one down?"

"Yes, I'm watching to make sure that he doesn't move again," she said in a very calm voice.

"Good, if he does move don't shoot him again unless it looks as if he can get up. I don't think we need to send for help now, surely they will come running to see who has been shooting and screaming. Just watch for the two I told you about and for others who may be armed and look threatening. When you see someone coming that you can trust, yell for them to bring Eileiea. I'm afraid that Deimeta is hurt."

I told Failiela all this as I was stooping to see to Deimeta. The spearcasters small spear had passed through the outer side of my left leg and on to strike Deimeta in the chest. I could see where it had torn her clothes and it must have bounced off her mail because she wasn't bleeding. I had no doubt that the force of the blow had hurt her badly though. She had crumpled at my feet.

I wanted to move her to check her more thoroughly but was afraid to. She was still breathing and I found that she still had a pulse; it was rapid and seemed strong enough. My main worry was her ribs. The spear had struck her right side in the front of her chest just below breast level. If it had been hard enough it could have broken a rib or two and might have even caused one to puncture a lung. I was so worried I didn't even have time to berate myself for my stupidity.

"Daddy, daddy, get Eileiea quickly; Deimeta has been wounded," Failiela screamed suddenly, and I knew that Racaato must have appeared.

I actually heard his feet sliding on the cave's floor as he came to a stop and then I heard them pounding away as he left at top speed. Then Failiela was shouting again.

"Come and help us Raalto, Deimeta has been wounded and I think John has also, he is bleeding," Failiela yelled.

I could hear Raalto's sounds then as he came on. He must have stopped by the body of Failiela's victim because I heard the sound of him rolling it over.

"It is Jarto and he will never trouble us again," he said as he came past me to examine the whimpering mess that was Shatalto.

"This one is still alive, may I kill him?" he asked.

"Please don't, I think that he initiated this morning's excitement and that he is the reason my daughter is lying here unconscious. If we can keep him alive I plan on spending days making him wish he could die to escape the pain I will be putting him through. If Deimeta is hurt seriously I will make it months," I said.

Talking stopped then because Deimeta stirred and then opened her eyes. She looked up at me and then smiled for a second before the pain reasserted itself.

"Daddy, oh Daddy I'm so glad that you're alive. I was afraid that the spear had killed you," she said.

"It barely touched me but I wish that it had stuck into me more deeply. It went through my leg and struck you, I'm very worried about you. Please stay as still as you can until Eileiea can come to see about you."

"Ok Daddy. I will be still. My chest hurts, am I bleeding?" she asked.

"No, your shiny shirt didn't let it pierce your skin. It did hit you hard though and that is why it hurts now. I'm sure that Eileiea can make it feel better."

"It doesn't hurt really bad Daddy. I might cry a little though, why did they do that?" she asked.

"I don't know why they did it Deimeta but I can promise that none of them will ever do anything like this again."

"Ok Daddy. When is Eileiea coming?" she asked.

Eileiea saved me the trouble of answering because she arrived just then. She took over and I was glad to let her. When she saw that Deimeta was not bleeding she looked around to see where all the blood had come from since I was bleeding and dripping a fair amount around. Finally she traced it back to my leg.

"You are hurt too John," she said.

"I know but it is not serious even though it is bleeding. I'm worried about Deimeta, the spear passed through my leg and she took the brunt of its force against her chest. I'm afraid that it might have broken one of her ribs."

She bent back to Deimeta then and began feeling over her chest and around toward her back. She was being very gentle and was taking her time checking closely.

"I don't think her ribs are broken but I want to get her clothes off and check her more carefully. Raalto and Racaato, please help me move her to a bed in these quarters. We must be careful not to jostle her too much," she told them.

They moved to help her and then I saw Jalayla come running with the skin bag that held her healing things. I knew that she was already good at tending to wounds and that Eileiea had been teaching her more about other types of healing. She would be able to stop Shatalto's bleeding I hoped.

"Jalayla, please see if you can stop the bleeding for Shatalto. I have a lot of questions I am going to ask him before we kill him and I am hoping you can make sure that he doesn't die before I want him too."

"But you are bleeding too John," she said, alarmed.

"It is nearly nothing. Shatalto is bleeding more and he needs attention soon. I will be fine, I'll get Failiela to get me something to use to put pressure on my wound until you or Eileiea can tend to it."

She did as I asked and turned to Shatalto. When she began cutting off the leg of his trousers, so that she could see his wound, he started moaning and wiggling.

"Be still Shatalto, do not make me cut you or myself," she told him.

He wouldn't; he kept wiggling and moaning. Jalayla asked Raalto to help her keep him still then. Raalto walked back to them and kicked Shatalto viciously in the head, telling him to be still or he would keep kicking him until he was still. That was the end of Shatalto's moaning and moving.

While Jalayla was working on him most of my mates came up. Questions flowed freely until Jalayla asked them if they couldn't see about my leg wound. When they looked down and saw that I was bleeding they nearly knocked me over while trying to get me into Racaato's quarters and lay me on the bed.

When they had me lying down beside Deimeta, Dalia was about to start cutting my trousers off but I made her help me remove them. Replacements for these clothes might not be so easy to come by now and I didn't want to lose them. She tugged while I squirmed and finally they were off. She and Shelalliea muscled their way in among all my other mates so that they could see what the wound looked like.

It was only in the flesh and nothing that was very important had been damaged. In fact it wasn't very deep. That caused its own problem. Since the wound was to the outside of my upper thigh, it tore a long gash across the skin instead of puncturing. It was a minor wound but it was big and it gaped open grotesquely, bleeding from many spots.

Dalia got some clean towels from Erieta, who had just come in, and they wrapped the wound tightly until Eileiea could look at it. She was still working with Deimeta, who lay quietly on the other side of the big bed. She took time out to tell the others exactly what she wanted them to do to me while she continued to examine Deimeta and question her about pain.

As Dalia finished wrapping my leg Barago came in, telling me that since they had heard what happened they had been searching all the caves for Shabago and Kartogo but that both of them were gone.

"Did they force their mates to go with them?"

"No but they have left the camp. Kartogo's tracks lead downriver and Shabago's lead upriver. Shall we form two groups and go after them?" Barago asked.

"Not today. They cannot get very far away and I want to go when we look for them. We will start tomorrow."