Page 34 of Valka
“She is strong. She will survive,” Toska said.
“We have overseen the removal of Raska’s males and their families. Katva is still questioning all remaining on your behalf to make sure all those loyal to Raska are banished.”
“Katva alone?” Valka asked.
“No, Oscal is with him, and several others, too.”
Valka nodded.
“There is relief among our people that you are Chieftain. They look forward to fairness,” Elkva said.
Valka shrugged unconcernedly.
“I think Katva wants to be your second, supporting all your decisions and making sure all adhere to your laws,” Elkva said.
“Valka no care.”
“If you want a safe life for Delia, you must care,” Elkva said.
Valka sat quietly for a few minutes before he decided to speak again. “Katva great warrior. Make law. Toska, Oscal, great warrior. Help Katva. Elkva honorable. Elkva help all.”
Elkva’s chest puffed out a bit at the praise Valka gave him.
“What will you do, Valka. It is your village,” Toska said.
“Valka village gone. Valka only here now.”
“Maybe a long time ago, but now this is your village, so much so that you are Chieftain,” Toska said.
“Valka friend?” Valka asked, looking at Toska. Even Toska recognized the loneliness in Valka’s question.
“Yes,” Toska said. “All of us. It’s why we came to you.”
“Pffht. Valka strong,” Valka said, showing that he knew the reason they came to him was that they were standing with the most likely to win the battle between himself and Raska.
Toska smiled. “Yes, because you are strong, but also because we respect you. We are your friends.”
Valka was looking down at Delia, still resting in his arms. “Valka chief,” he finally said. “Valka friends help.”
Toska and Elkva both agreed enthusiastically. “We’ll keep your laws, and carry out your decisions,” Elkva promised.
“All four of us will,” Toska said.
Chapter 12
Katva had visited every hut and cave in the village indiscriminately. While the most powerful of their people and the young tended to claim the caves in the cliff sides as their homes, the elders didn’t mind at all. They tended to choose the huts near the village’s center due to the ease of getting into and out of them, the caves were difficult to access. Even after a day filled with activity and strife, forcing Raska and those loyal to him out of the village, Katva still stood tall and proud, carrying out a mission he felt was important not only to Valka, but for himself as well. He’d long been relegated to living life according to Raska’s demands and he was tired of it. He needed more, needed to be more, and supporting a male like Valka gave him that opportunity. The dried blood of those he’d killed still stained his skin from the battle he’d fought beside Valka to install Valka as Chieftain of the village, and the wound he’d received still oozed as he moved to each home, be it a cave or a hut nearer the village’s center, to question those living there. He knew well the views of each of the tribe, and questioned them only to determine if he felt they could be trusted or not. If the news that Valka was their new Chieftain was met with skepticism or strife, he banished them. If they were unconcerned, or seemed accepting at the very least, he advised them to speak to himself, Toska, Oscal, or Elkva with any concerns or requests while Valka was preoccupied with the recovery of his female. For the most part, those he’d spoken to were already aware of the new Chieftain, most of the males having seen it firsthand, and were markedly relaxed as opposed to their normal stature under Raska’s rule.
As he neared the end of his rounds, he approached Raska’s cave. He stood outside the cave, knowing there should be no one inside. There was no one in Raska’s family, except Skala, and both were now dead. Katva took a deep breath and angled his head toward the cave entrance to project his voice directly inside. “Come out now!” he bellowed.
Inside the cave, Bettina sat near the interior wall closest to the entrance. She didn’t want to be seen if anyone happened to glance inside as they passed by. And since Raska hadn’t returned, she had no way of knowing if he’d ever come back or not. Not that it particularly mattered. She’d figured out during the night spent with Raska that he was not the best choice for her. He was angry, and he was a bully. Not that she’d had any choice in the matter.
She sighed and leaned against the wall, just wishing for this entire nightmare to be over.
“I said to come out now! If you do not, you will die!” Katva threatened on hearing breathing and movement from inside the cave.
Bettina’s eyes widened, no matter how bad things seemed, she certainly didn’t want to die. She wholeheartedly believed exactly what Delia had taught her — as long as you were alive, there was a chance for change, a chance for better things, a chance for survival. “It’s just me,” she said, her voice shaking slightly.
She heard footsteps, and a shadow fell across the entrance of the cave. She looked up to see a large, very frightening looking male splattered with dried blood, looking down at her. “It’s just me,” she repeated. “Do you know if Valka’s woman is alive?”