Free Zadayi Red by Caleb Fox Page B

giving a snort of disgust.
    Galayi people told stories of these small creatures who lived in creeks and rivers, commonly called The Little People. They were said to be beautiful, shaped just like Galayis but only knee-high. Though often mischievous, they had magical powers and would help Galayis who got lost or into other trouble. Their special power was protecting Galayis who performed the purifying ceremony Going to Water. Sometimes these little people appeared in desperate battles and saved the Galayi from defeat. The Little People were tricky, though, and you had to be careful in your dealings with them. If you tasted their food, for instance, you would never be able to eat human food again.
    As a boy Inaj used to look for the Little People near rivers, and he had spent an entire teenage summer hunting for springs where they might live, because the places water emerged from the earth were sacred. He still hoped to find one. But he had no patience with a man who appealed to them for help. His creed was that a warrior depended on his arms, legs, and heart, and those alone.
    Before the men could get started on their tales of the Little People, he told them curtly, “Sleep while the sun is still up.”
    Then he disappeared into the forest. Shortly after dark he came back with the hind leg of a deer in each hand. “I got thesewithout Little People helping,” he said. As his warriors ate, he could see their energy coming back and their spirits rising.
    When the meat was gone, Inaj stood up, looked at the river, and said, “Let’s go.”
    “Now?” said Zanda.
    Inaj glared at him. He didn’t like having his decisions questioned, even by implication.
    “They have a day’s head start on us,” he said, “and they’re getting near the village. We’ll make it up by walking through the night. And you won’t get so cold.”
    Zanda took a step back.
    Now Inaj grinned at his men recklessly, and his eyes glittered like ice. “Let’s run this murderer down.”
     

     
    Just go , said Su-Li.
    Sunoya wasn’t sure. “It’s a full day away,” she said. “They might catch us.”
    Get moving , returned Su-Li.
    She pursed her mouth. The Immortals had chosen her for the task of saving the child of prophecy, delivering him to his father. Why? What if she couldn’t do it? She flexed the fingers of her right hand, the one that bore the curse no one knew about, except herself.
    You know the one thing Inaj says that’s true? Su-Li went on.
    “No.” Her voice sounded petty and resentful, even to her.
    When your life is at stake, don’t dither.
    He flashed that red-yellow eye at her. Go!
    “Okay, you listen to me,” she said. “Fly to the village. Go to the hut of the Red Chief.” That hut’s door would be outlined in red, for victory. “Make your rasp at Ninyu. He’ll know who you are—everybody knows. Tell him to bring help.”
    She turned her back and got down to business, lashing their robes and remaining scraps of meat onto Dak. Without lookingat Su-Li, she planted one foot in front of the other and tramped the downstream trail.
    Su-Li lifted off. He would do his job.
    “I’m worn out,” Sunoya crabbed out loud.
    From the height of the mountain Su-Li told her, You are a medicine woman on a sacred mission.
    She padded faster.
     

     
    Inaj’s power was more than strength and endurance. It was the ability to inspire other men to them.
    He and his four warriors ran all night, slept for a little while in the first warmth of the morning sun, and ran again. Stride, easy stride, long-legged stride, stride forever. Inaj believed he had strength enough to turn a seven-day trek into three days. The Soco village was a two-day walk down the river from the ford. He thought he and his men could catch any woman, even after a day’s head start. He pictured the village. If she got there first, she would poison everyone against him.
    Every couple of hours he called a pause to drink out of the river. At these times he said very