The First Tribe by Candace Smith Read Free Book Online

of the hunched male creatures slipped his hands through the straps on the cart’s guiding poles. The girls were thrown towards the back when he tilted the cart and pulled it behind a file of workers.
    The kilara horn sounded, and a few moments later the bantas came thundering into the glade. The beast riders saddled them, and the procession began to march south. On Dasheen’s order they stayed in the shadows. The trek through short brush and low rocks was more difficult, but he wanted to keep the captives out of the sun. They would use the tarps later, when they crossed the desert.
    One of the female creatures… not the one who seemed to dislike Sabra… brought them water throughout the day. At the noon stop, the girls were allowed out of the cages to relieve themselves. They sat on the grass and ate the fruit that was brought to them. They were silent, each left to their frightened thoughts as realization of the permanency of their position began to set in. They climbed back into the cages and the procession moved on.
    In the evening, the workers began assembling their campsite. The Vastara traveled between a spring and winter home, but they were still more permanent settlements. Sabra was fascinated by the continual rebuilding and dismantling of the Kirabi’s nighttime lodging.
    Just before sunset, Dasheen walked over to the cage. He unclipped the door and ordered her out. Sabra stared at him, but her legs would not move. When he reached for her, she screamed. With her hands freed, she slapped and batted at his arms.
    “Stop that,” he demanded. When the girl did not relent in her struggles, he twisted her ankle and flipped her over.
    Sabra kicked and tried to crawl her way back to her friends who were crouched in terror across from her. She heard a loud crack and felt a pressure on her bottom. A moment later, a hot stinging burn assaulted her cheeks and she shrieked. Dasheen spanked her again, and his eyes narrowed on how easily his captive marked. The clear pink outline of his fingers was now on her bottom. “Stop that, Sabra. Come.”
    Sabra sagged onto the floor for a moment. She was afraid he would strike her again, and she backed slowly towards the door. Dasheen could see her shoulders shaking with her silent sobs while she stared at the ground. He tugged at her arm. “Come.”
    Sabra was pulled into his tent. She looked around, studying the small skin enclosure. Dasheen led her to a small chest and he released her arm. She stood, staring around the hut while he dug through the contents. There were sleeping furs to one side, and a small fire pit had been assembled in the middle, surrounded by rocks. Sabra had never seen a fire under a canopy before. She considered the stinging tears and stifling heat, and her eyes traveled towards the roof. There was an opening for the smoke.
    Her attention was diverted when Dasheen began tossing leather straps onto the sleeping furs. He stood again, and her eyes widened and dropped to the ground when he began removing his leather vest. Dasheen sat on the closed lid of the chest. “Remove my boots.”
    Sabra knelt, and her trembling fingers searched the laces. It was confusing. Her tribe only wore footgear in the snow, and they simply pulled the pouch shaped sacks onto their feet. She tugged at the little X’s, but they would not come free. Sabra fought to remove the boot, pulling at the heel and toe. Her eyes were filling with tears at the thought of being punished for not following his simple request.
    Dasheen sensed her frustration and rising panic. “Pull the loose ends of the string at the top.”
    Her shaking fingers found the ends of the leather and she tugged. The little loops pulled free, and she worked her fingers under the laces, loosening them down the front of his shin. At last, she could work the boot off his foot.
    Dasheen studied her, smiling at her concentration. He watched her tight expression slowly soften as she succeeded with the task. So little was