05-02-03 @ 12:09 pm EDT

Here are more plot ideas for future editions of the Ameni Chronicles. DO NOT READ UNLESS YOU WANT THE ENTIRE STORY SPOILED!

You were warned!

When I last left off...Djuta's group is still traveling through the desert, when they stumble across a desert-dwelling tribe which quickly surrounds and captures them. They are led back to the tribe's "headquarters" and learn their name--the Sand Wind Tribe. They are not one large tribe like any of the rest, but are in fact many small factions dwelling in different spots of the desert, without a central general to command them. They have not had a general since their last one was killed years ago. The "leader" in this area of the desert is Captain Zasa, a one-eyed Kana who takes an immediate disliking to Djuta and his company. On the other hand, a lieutenant named I'enua takes an odd interest in Djuta in particular, and acts as a sort of guide while his group is in the company of the Sand Wind Tribe. Djuta tries to warn them of the impending approach of the Blue Oasis Tribe, but Zasa refuses to listen; the Sand Wind Tribe has survived this long on their wits alone, and he does not believe they are in any danger. Night falls and the group is forced to stay with the Sand Wind Tribe for the time being. Nehara tries to convince the boy to set him free, but Ze'thet intervenes in the nick of time, carrying the protesting child off. When daylight comes, Zasa has suddenly decided to do away with the group completely. Djuta protests this decision--and many other members of the Sand Wind Tribe take his side. Zasa is shouted down, but gets into an argument with I'enua about Djuta. This results in Zasa demanding that the two of them race each other across the desert to see who will win--if Djuta wins, he will be set free. Djuta reluctantly agrees, if only to save the others with him. He gets ready to prepare his Sha, but I'enua insists on him using one of the tribe's mounts. The Kana leads Djuta to a stables where several Sha are housed, and hands Djuta the reigns to one of them. It fidgets and paws the ground in a hostile manner, but as soon as Djuta takes control of it it calms down. I'enua smiles and lets Djuta know what he's suspected all along. It turns out he recognized Djuta on first seeing him, by the odd color of his eyes and fur--another Kana he knew once had the same eyes and fur. That was the deceased general of their tribe...whose name was also Djuta. Lieutenant Djuta was his son, who was cast off into the desert as a boy to fend for himself after General Djuta was murdered by an enemy captain...who was Zasa's father. Hence the enmity between Zasa and Djuta. Zasa's father could never acquire the position of general, based on his actions and on what the tribe thought of him, and this has been a sore spot with his son ever since. I'enua shows Djuta the grave of his father as proof, and Djuta learns why he has never remembered having any parents; he simply wandered until he found a tribe to take him in, after which Tas'ukh became his master. I'enua's father was General Djuta's lieutenant and close friend; as his son, I'enua claims that he owes Lieutenant Djuta a "blood debt," and vows to serve him as best he can, despite Djuta's protestations. The next day is the day of the race, and Djuta and Zasa compete, ultimately for the tribe to see if Djuta is really the son of their former general or not--they will be able to tell by the way he races the Sha of General Djuta's stables whether this is so. The race is a close one...but Djuta ends up winning, to the great cheers of the tribe and of his own group. Zasa, humiliated, has to accept defeat...and the tribe offers Djuta the position of general. He refuses, but they still grant him the feathered headdress of their kind, as well as the purple lappets. Djuta dons these and decides to leave to seek the Great Red Tribe. Most of the Sand Wind Tribe decides to remain where they are, wandering the desert; but I'enua agrees to accompany him, because of the blood debt. The group, one Kana stronger, goes on its way.

Something else with one of the other tribes will HAVE to happen in here somewhere, but I'm not sure what. Possibly more of Khetai's interactions with Ra'rukha or whatever his name is. She is patient with him despite his rage, and his anger begins to melt a little bit. Eventually she learns that rather than being proud of his father, as he claims, he is quite ashamed that he is his son, and has thus refused to believe the stories told about Sut'khut. He is afraid of carrying on Sut'khut's legacy of cruelty, but Khetai informs him this does not have to happen. He had every chance to assault her, for example, yet refused; surely he's not as evil as he thinks he might be. Ra'rukha/whoever is reluctant to believe this news, but his hopes begin to grow.

Also somewhere in here, Khetai is surprised to learn that Meteri is still iat'ahi--a virgin. This explains his odd preference for hakh'tua (see the dictionary if you want THAT word defined!); on asking him why he has not had relations yet, Meteri responds that he has yet to find the right mate. Khetai has never heard of such behavior from a Kana, but this raises her opinion of the young general substantially.

Tefkha learns from the other lieutenants that most of them regard the criminal marking upon his face as a badge of honor, rather than as a badge of shame. This surprises him, but doesn't help relieve the tedium of his lesser job much. He feels out of sorts not working in barracks training other Kana, and resents his new job as an outrider/scout and guard of the tribe's perimeter.

While traveling through the desert (still!), a sandstorm separates Djuta's group into three--Djuta, I'enua, and Ze'thet, Nehara and Yekh'iet, and U'heta and the boy. They desperately search for each other with little success. Sensing his freedom, U'heta, in the guise of friendship, guides the boy through the desert until they are far from anyone else, and then tries to attack him. Before he can, something slices through the air and wraps itself around U'heta's neck, nearly strangling him. A large group of riders appears over the hill--the Yellow Sands Tribe has arrived to seek out their missing general. She'hekha--now armed with a weapon called a blade-whip--confronts U'heta about what he almost did; U'heta denies his intentions, but soon fesses up under the lieutenant's coercion. As a survivor of similar acts when he was a boy, She'hekha dispatches U'heta without pity, and turns to the boy, who has a scrap of Yekh'iet's clothing tied around his arm or leg after she tended to a slight wound. She'hekha demands to know where the others of his group are; when the boy is reluctant to answer, he promises to give him his sword if he will lead them to Djuta and Nehara. Seeing as She'hekha just saved his life, the boy is already beginning to look up to him; the promise of an adult weapon is all the convincing he needs. He leads the army to the last spot where he saw the rest of the group.

Yekh'iet is alone with Nehara--a rather awkward situation. She manages to hold her own well enough, until the sounds of approaching Sha frighten her to lead them into a ravine. She spots the Yellow Sands army from afar--She'hekha spots her, as well. When he takes up pursuit, she flees, yanking Nehara's Sha along with her. They nearly run into Djuta and the other two, who jump to the defense when She'hekha and Fa'rukha appear. She'hekha is enraged on meeting Djuta again, and demands the return of their general. Djuta refuses until they vow that the bloodshed between their tribes will cease. She'hekha in turn refuses these terms, and the two begin to fight. The battle is a woefully onesided one, with Djuta's group of himself and two other capable fighters, and She'hekha's army of a few hundred. I'enua manages to halt the fighting when he hears something over the ridge, and everyone pauses in suspense. Suddenly, a wave of masked warriors pours over the rise, swords swinging--the Blue Oasis Tribe has arrived. The two enemy groups end up fleeing together to avoid being slaughtered, though She'hekha and Fa'rukha and their men slow down to fight along the way. Djuta tries to join them, but I'enua forces him on. They cross a bigger ravine and make it safely to the other side, but the Yellow Sands Tribe is not so lucky. They are pinned on the opposite side, still fighting the enemy Kana. The Yellow Sands Tribe begins to win, when a sharpened throwstick flies through the air and strikes She'hekha in the shoulder, knocking him off balance--he plummets into the ravine below. The fighting abruptly stops as the parties on both sides peer down to see the Kana sprawled out far below. The Yellow Sands Tribe dispatches the remainder of the Blue Oasis Kana who have attacked them as Fa'rukha rushes down into the ravine, Djuta doing the same down the other side. As he is closer, Fa'rukha reaches the fallen lieutenant first, stooping and cradling She'hekha's head in his lap; he hisses to warn Djuta away at first, though Djuta finally approaches. Fa'rukha breaks down on seeing his comrade in such a state...but then Djuta notices She'hekha move. He isn't dead, after all...just badly wounded. The Kana carry him back up the cliff to let Yekh'iet tend to him. Fa'rukha tries to convince Djuta to hand over Nehara, but a faction of the Sand Wind Tribe arrives in time to back Djuta up. The two parties form an uneasy alliance in order to find the Great Red Tribe, and set out on their way once more.

Meanwhile, in the River Tribe, Khetai approaches Khanef with some news, and discovers that...

Heh, I LIKE ending these things like that. ^_^ There IS still more...but I have to get to bed. Tar...