not to me, but to actual men. Their skins gone, their ornaments removed, put to their knees, shackled, on a rope, how suddenly female they were. And now they were frightened. No longer did they seem proud Panther Women, but rather, now, only women, the captures of large and powerful men.
I must return to the camp.
It would not do, to be missed, at least not for too long.
I had been caught, first by the Panther Women, and then by the attackers, as simply one slave amongst others, as might be one kaiila amongst others, and then, I suppose, in a sense, by the sleen master and his fellow. Certainly the sleen had found me, and held me in place, doubtless expecting the hunters to be at hand, but they had not been. Happily, they had managed to arrive in time, moments before, it seemed, the sleen would feed.
I turned about, and, again, looked across the river. It was broad at this point, shimmering in the morning light. But, too, I was sure it was deep, for I knew it had been well sounded, and frequently, by the men in small boats. These had now been recalled, as the departure of the great ship was imminent, but would doubtless precede her in the voyage downstream. The channel of a river can be treacherous, in its turns and depths. Debris can accumulate. Bars can be formed overnight. I knew charts had been prepared. Following a false channel one can run aground.
A bird skimmed its surface, fishing. The forest looked small, on the other side.
I recalled the serving of yesterday’s evening.
I had ignored him. Let him be stung by that, ignored by a slave! But he had not interjected his will, summoning me to him. I should have had to obey. The lash is not pleasant. But he had not summoned me to him!
Why had he not done so?
Could it be that he, truly, did not want me, that I was nothing to him, only another slave?
Had he truly pursued me only for pleasure, only for the hunt, as one might pursue any animal, a verr, a tabuk?
I did not think so.
Not at all.
I think he wanted me.
He would not have me. If he scorned me, I would scorn him, by flight, by departing. Next time there would be no sleen.
I would have my revenge. Let him hunger for a slave who was indifferent to him, one he might desire but who did not desire him, one who would be forever beyond his grasp, one whom he would never have, one who loathed him, who despised him, who found him repulsive, who hated him, who scorned him, whose most dreaded fate would be to fall into his hands.
Yes, Master, I thought, want me, dream of me, long to own me, long to have your name on my collar, your bracelets on my wrists, long to fling me as a rightless chattel to your slave ring, but it will not be!
I hate you, I hate you!
I must get back, I thought.
There was a stirring in the camp above, and so I turned about, and, carrying my now-rinsed gruel bowl, climbed up the slope to the camp.
Chapter Forty-Three
“Something is going on,” I said to Axel.
“Yes,” said Axel.
“Let us inquire,” I said.
“Apparently it has to do with the Panther Girls,” he said.
“I think so,” I said.
The Panther Girls had been knelt near the center of the camp. Men were gathered about. We saw Genserich. Even the camp slaves, Tula, Mila, and the other, were present, kneeling to the side.
“Is it true,” I asked, “that you can set a sleen on any quarry?”
“Most sleen,” he said, “with the ‘Kill Command’.”
“Tiomines?” I said.
“Yes,” he said.
“Bring Tiomines,” I suggested.
“Why?” he said.
“He is our only weapon,” I said.
“It is not ours to interfere,” he said.
“Bring him,” I said.
Axel slapped his right thigh, sharply. “With us, fellow,” he said. The sleen immediately sprang up, and, a moment later, rubbed his muzzle against the side of Axel’s leg.
“What are you going to do with us?” begged Darla.
She and the three other prisoners, Tuza, Emerald, and Hiza had been knelt, as noted, near the center of the camp. As before they were stripped, shackled, and on their neck rope. Too, now, though it was well into the morning, their hands were still tied behind their backs.
They were frightened. They had not been fed.
Perhaps, I thought, uneasily, their captors did not wish to waste food.
Genserich stood before them, regarding them, his arms folded across