Free Bunduki (Bunduki Series Book One) by J.T. Edson

her!
    Leaning sideways at an angle of almost
forty-five degrees on the saddle of his well-trained zebra, Tomlu
was studying his potential victim. He watched her presenting her
weapon at him, but did not feel unduly alarmed. An experienced
warrior, he had come into contact with archers on several occasions
and was satisfied that he knew their limitations.
    The girl, Tomlu noticed, was
showing signs of having run both fast and far since killing
Charole’s eagle. What was more, as she began to draw the bow, he
observed with satisfaction that she was taking the easiest target
and aiming at the centre of his broad chest. That reduced the
danger to him and he was grateful that she was not making his mount
her target. No arrow, even when discharged by a man, had contrived
to pierce his breastplate of one and a half inch thick, sun-dried
and specially hardened rhinoceros hide. xxvii So he believed, with some
justification in the light of past events, that he had nothing to
fear from a woman.
    While she was drawing back the arrow
towards its anchor point, Dawn was all too conscious of the way in
which it was moving in concert with the rising and falling of her
bosom. Try as she might, she could not keep the weapon
steady.
    Dawn realized that, in a very
short time, the man would be in striking distance. Nor did she draw any
erroneous conclusions from the way he was holding the lance. Its
butt would prove as effective as the point if it should make
contact. Even more so, if—as she suspected—it was his intention to
take her alive.
    Forcing herself to remain calm and
striving desperately to control her breathing, the girl finally
yielded to the inevitable. There was, she realized, no hope of the
man turning away. For all that, she still hesitated. If she should
miss with the arrow, she was all too aware that she would not have
sufficient time to extract a replacement, even from the more
readily accessible bow-quiver, nock, draw, take aim and loose it at
her assailant.

Chapter Five – If
You Follow, Tar-Am Kill!
    ‘ Look behind you!’ the brown-skinned girl screamed, pointing a
finger in the hope that it would help to explain what she meant if
the “jungle god” did not understand the Telonga
language.
    Awe, reverence—and something
more earthy—had come to the girl’s pretty and expressive face as,
having watched her rescuer deal with Bul-Mok and turn in her direction, she had started
to rise. However, seeing the second of the ‘Hairy Men’ commencing
an attack on the blond giant—who did not appear to appreciate the
danger his incautious behavior had created—she was determined to
alert him to it. Once he had extricated himself from the
predicament, which she felt sure he could do, he would be suitably
grateful for the warning.
    The girl’s words had not been
necessary, even though—in some mysterious way—Bunduki had been able
to understand them. He had known there was nothing more to fear
from Bul-Mok after having received the surrender, but he intended to
establish a similar sense of inferiority upon the rest of the
bulls. If there was to be a further challenge, he had known it
would come from the second largest male.
    Glancing at Bal-Tak after having given his victory
roar, the blond giant had guessed that he was building up his
courage but was not quite ready to make his move. That was why
Bunduki had turned his back on the three young bulls. He was hoping
that his disdainful attitude would goad Bal-Tak into trying to take advantage of the
opportunity and attack. So he had been alert for the first hint
that he had succeeded.
    Having heard the Mangani s growl and the sound
of his approaching feet, Bunduki was already starting to turn as
the words were leaving the girl’s lips.
    ‘ Bal-Tak kill!’ the young Mangani bellowed, despite his surprise at seeing
his intended victim swinging to face him.
    Roaring out the threat, despite
an inclination to retreat from his obviously prepared foe, Bal-Tak continued to