Forged in Honor (1995) by Leonard B Scott Read Free Book Online

the pain of the two dogs biting her tender ears the other three dogs attacked her vulnerable underbelly.
    Unable to take it anymore, Joshua yelled at Bak, "Shoot her! Don't let her die like that! Shoot her! Please!"
    The Horseman stared at Joshua for a long moment before speaking above the squealing and growling. "This is the truth of the forest. If she is strong enough she will fight and live.
    Killing her with a gun gives her no chance."
    With tears in his eyes Joshua was drawn back to the struggle. One of the dogs that had an ear lost his grip and was flung through the air into a tree. Forgetting its other attackers, the boar charged the stunned dog and tore into its flank with its tusks. The wounded dog yelped and tried to run but the boar attacked again, catching the mongrel under its belly and ripping him open all the way to the throat. Then the other dogs were on her.
    Joshua sat watching the struggle without making a sound or moving a muscle for the entire ten minutes it took for the boar to finally breathe her last. In the end she had become so weak she could not even lift her head to fight. All she could do was grunt as the dogs tore open her stomach.
    Bak leaned over and put his arm over Joshua's shoulder.
    "It is not a pretty thing to see, but she was an old sow with only a few seasons left. The tigers would have killed her easily within the year. Today the gods have given her a proud death. A part of life is death, and this old one died as I should want to die, fighting. To die feeble and used up is not a warrior's way and all the forest animals are warriors."
    Feeling as if he were going to be sick, Josh looked away from the bloody-faced dogs. "Is the yellow dog dead too?"
    Bak's brow wrinkled. "Yes, he died for his courage. Life is very strange, Joshua. We do not understand why but pig dogs live only for the hunt. They are born with the knowledge that the ears of the boar are the only vulnerable place besides the underbelly. They know that once they latch on to an ear the boar can't slash them, but they know there is a price for holding on. I have seen dogs die, smashed against rocks and trees as the boar thrashes its head about but yet the dog still holds on even in death. The yellow dog attacked alone knowing it would die, but yet it attacked. It was driven by the hunt ... by something in its being that needed to kill the boar."
    Bak sighed and patted the boy's back. "Do not mourn for the dogs or pig. Such is life for death comes to us all. Today the dogs and the pig met death and did so bravely. It was a good death and that is all any of us could ask for."
    Joshua looked into the old man's eyes. "Teacher, why do you want to die fighting?"
    Bak knitted his brow. "I am a Horseman, little Sao. It is a Horseman's death to be like the pig and make a last stand to face the enemy a final time. To join my ancestors with sword or rifle in hand gives me eternal glory and honor. My name would be spoken over every hunter's campfire in the telling of stories of brave men. I would live forever, little Sao ... forever in the hearts of the Shan."
    Joshua bowed his head in understanding. "Knowledge will give me strength, Teacher."
    Night gave way to morning, leaving a whispy white mist that floated along the dank forest floor. Joshua and Stephen rode in single file up a switch backing trail. Both boys were silent as they listened to the morning birds high above in the green canopy. Joshua suddenly checked his horse and narrowed his eyes.
    Stephen reined up and looked where Joshua was focusing his attention but didn't see anything. He whispered, "Did you see something?"
    Joshua's eyes didn't move as he slowly pulled the old British Enfield from the saddle boot and whispered back, "There are two gyi just beyond the bend behind the bamboo stand.
    We'll dismount here and wait for them.... They're moving toward us."
    Stephen looked again toward the bend in the trail. "Are you certain? I do not see them."
    "They're there," said