So this was to be the end of Awenasa Windkeeper. A speck of dust on an unfamiliar planet, blown away by a gang of lowlanders. She has failed her people and she has failed these children. She is injured to the point where sh is fairly certain she can't fight all of Ely's men and survive. But she also knows that she will not let the children be enslaved again. There is no other option in her mind, death it is. She silently asks for Dawnlight's forgiveness but at least she will see Makayda soon.
With silent resolve, Awenasa glares defiantly at Ely and his men. "Children are not property!", she practically spits. "And I not steal anything. We went for walk and your men allowed it. They knew we go." She glances back at the path they had just took, "If we have to, we go back into cavern. Other creatures live there, we can too."
Her demeanour wavers for a moment as Thak is unceremoniously dumped on the ground. If she left with the children, he would most likely be killed. She doesn't like her chances of grabbing him and dragging him with her. If she was healthy it would be a different story but it isn't possible in her current state.
The Shoanti scowls at Ely, "You can't steal people. What you do to children not allowed where I from."
Awenasa wonders what, if anything Netuckelist would do. She knows that she was warned about how it would look to the sheriff if she was caught but surely the children's danger couldn't be ignored anymore if others actually saw how there were treated, could they? Were these people so inhumane as to ignore the injuries and condition of the children under Ely's supposed care?
She crosses her arms, ready to accept her fate and hopes that the sheriff still contained a shred of humanity. "Yes, you should tell the sheriff on me. She can decide what worse, me taking children for walk or you removing their fingers and torturing foreigners."
Awenasa could see Ely was surprised at her spirited defiance, the laugh dying on his lips. Clearly this was a bully used to softer prey then Shoanti. Awenasa was not boasting or lying. If she thought she could make it, she would herd these children back into the hills and die defending them. It was only Thak's prone body lying there that gave her pause.
The mine owner seemed to sense this and he squinted hard at Awenasa, in the dim starlight. He coughed and shrugged, "I don't think so. I think we can settle this ourselves, don't you think? Now, these children are my obligation, my workers and under my care. I can't have some stranger take them from me, vanishing off into the desert. Who knows what nefarious end you have ins tore for them." The big man shrugged, "Although I can guess, given where we are. The gnome promised you something? Well, he left you in a lurch, my friend. No one was here, no one to pick them up. Typical gnomeish trick."
He shook his head, jowls wobbling slightly, "No, it is just you. No gnome, no sheriff and no friends. Now, are you going to see sense or are we going to get messy?" he hefted his club, "Because the odds aren't good, one against six."
"You never were good at counting, Piggrich." A high-pitched voice called out. Awenasa looked and saw a short figure sitting on a low garden wall. It was Netuckelist, the gnome dressed in a bright green suit quite out of place with the dusty garden.
Behind him three other figures loomed, the rough looking men Awenasa saw outside the gnome's gambling den. They too were armed with clubs, stepping over the garden walls, crushing the flowers.
"I see four on six." The gnome replied lightly, checking his nails, as if bored at a party. "Five, if I count myself."
Ely looks uncertain for the first time, but recovered quickly. "So, you finally stuck your neck out, gnome? It'll cost you. When this is all over, I'll press charges. Some stranger, who cares, but you? You know these children are mine, by law and right. That is, assuming we don't end things here. Now." Then, with a speed that even startled Awenasa the heavy-set man barked, "Now, taken them. Bo and Grib, take the strange. The rest, take down that gnome!"
For his part he took his club and flung it directly at Awenasa's face, the heavy iron tip catching the dim starlight. Even as it sailed right for the Shoanti the garden broke out into chaotic fighting, men wrestling and pummeling in the dark.
Awenasa isn't surprised when Ely dismisses calling the sheriff when she calls his bluff. She can't help but snort derisively when he refers to the children as his workers. Had he been lying for so long that he believed his own lies? Did he really think she would ever believe that these children were anything but slaves?
The Shoanti feels slightly hopeful when Netuckelist and his men actually show.
She actually laughs at the two of them giving their counts of who was going to fight who. "You're both wrong." She motioned around her before her gaze narrowed in disgust at Ely. "You see property. I see slaves wanting to fight for their freedom."
"Children if they touch you, you bite! Find a stick. Use speed and trip them. There more of you than them. Don't be afraid anymore."
She obviously angers Ely as his club comes flying at her head. A lowlander may have been downed by such a move but Awenasa easily deflects the thrown weapon. She gives a feral grin knowing that she has given herself permission to do what she does best. "My turn."
She leaps into the fray with a flurry of blows, channeling her anger into pure power.
Awenasa felt her exhaustion, her injuries and her doubt fall away, replaced with a righteous burning anger toward Ely. It was not that she was sheltered, shocked by such an evil figure. Every Shoanti knew the world could be a hard place, nature uncaring and Gods ignorant. It was not the cruelty that bothered her, it was how necessary it was. These children were not suffering due to an unhappy fate or a twist of fortune, they were miserable because this man wanted fossils, and the things they could buy. They were whipped, driven and forced to live underground for greed.
And Awenasa could not stand it.
Filled her anger, she fell on the stout mine owner like a storm out of the mountains. Piggrich had drawn a long knife from a holster at his waist, but no matter. Awenasa was on him before he had a chance to do anything with it. The first kick slammed into his stomach, doubling the man over with a heavy wheeze. Her fist smashed into his jaw next, and Awenasa could feel bone and teeth break, shifting painfully under her hand. The final blow, an elbow to the man merely confirmed the overwhelming attack.
The man fell to the ground, hard enough to raise dust. To Awenasa's surprise the man was not dead, or knocked out, but lay there feebly spitting out blood.
Around her the fight was a confused melee in the darkness. Nothing like a Shoanti battle, it was more like a brawl as Ely's and Piggrich's men punched, kicked and wrestled in the garden plants. Euler had vanished into the dark and Perey had stayed with the children. Who, following Awenasa's orders, had created a miniature battle line and were heaving rocks at Ely's men. Clearly they did not intend to go queitly. Awenasa was just pondering if she should finish Ely off when a thundering bang filled the air, like Euler's thunderstick but ten times as loud. Awenasa, along with everyone else, winced at the rolling echoes.
"That's enough of that." A female voice said, cutting through the stunned silence following the blast. Everyone froze.
Altava strolled into the dark garden, as if walking along a city street. Her hands were resting on her belt, where two small thundersticks rode, and her polished boots crunched loudly on the ground. Behind her the ratfolk deputy followed carrying a gun nearly as tall as she was, blue-gray smoke still drifting out of it.
"So, bit of fun in the dark, eh?" Altava said, as she walked closer, eyeing the embattled groups. She spit on the ground and eyed Awenasa, 'What did I tell you about making trouble in my town, Awenasa?" She shook her head and walked closer, until she was standing over the prone Piggrich, who was still busy trying to breathe.
"Finally found your match Ely?" She toed the prone man with her boot, clucking her tongue. She spotted Thak and barked an order, "Get that bag off his head and sit him up." She turned back to Awenasa, "So, my informant was correct. You were staging a bit of robbery this evening?" She gestured to the children in the dark, and added, 'What am I going to do with you, outsider?"
She looked around at the assembled fighters, children, thugs and one Shoanti. At the last she raised and eyebrow, making her purple eye gleam in the starlight.
Awenasa is getting tired of being accused of theft. The fact that she's exhausted and injured does not help her temperament either.
"I no steal! Unless you think people are property, I no steal!" The Shoanti looks incredulous, "Do you think children are property?"
She motions at the children, "Would they fight if they happy with Ely? Take look at them. They are hurt, mutilated, and malnourished. How can your town agree with slavery and torture of the most vulnerable?"
Awenasa shakes her head sadly, almost ready to give up completely due to her physical state and the stupidity of lowlanders. "I not tell you what to do but what you do tells me kind of person you are."
Altava took this is silence, her face hard to read in the dim darkness of the garden-cum-battlefield. On the ground though, Ely let out gasping spit and said, 'See, she admits it! She's taking my workers.." He pointed a thick finger at Awenasa, and spit again, a bit of blood landing on the Shoanti's boot.
Altava crouched down, low over the prone mine owner. "Shut up, Ely." The woman said in a low voice, "Or I'll let this woman finish you off, you idiot, it's what you deserve." She patted the big man's shoulder in mock affection, "You are in enough trouble as it is."
She stood up and wiped her hands on her pants.
"Because I finally have you, Piggrich. You and I both know I've wanted to bust you for years, but couldn't. You are too important, too rich, and, usually, too smart. But today I find you on another man's property," Altava smiled and corrected herself, "Another gnome's property, starting fights while back by an armed gang. No a good look, Ely, even for you." The big man muttered something, trying to force himself into a sitting position.
"Ah, but they are not your property, Piggrich," Altava said sweetly, indicating the silent children with her chin, "Legally, they are your 'charges', which is an entirely different type of ore. You think your claim of 'self defense' will hold up to a judge? Maybe, but there is no judge here."
Altava sighed and then aid loudly, "This is how this is going to go, folks. These children are going to go on the wagon and leave. Ely, you will give up all claim tot hem and their supposed 'value'. In exchange, Netuckelist here agrees to drop all charges for having invaded his patch, here."
"I do?" The gnome said, still sitting on the garden wall. A hard look from Altava made him repeat, "I do."
Then the sheriff rounded on Awenasa, "And so, we come back to you, outlander. And for you, it's simple. You and your friends are welcome to stay in town to heal up, buy supplies and then you will leave this town. I think you are a bit too hot for the likes of us, what do you say? I figure your have pressing business anyway?" She inclined her head, and Awenasa could see the purple eyed sheriff knew that this 'demand' was exactly what Awenasa wanted anyway.
Awenasa watches the sheriff with growing respect as she listens to her put Ely in his place and announces what was going to happen.
"Heal, then leave with supplies? I agree to terms. Town fortunate to have you as sheriff. Wise and fair."
The Shoanti nods, "Pressing business, yes. But healing more pressing for friends and me. And sleep. Is bed still available?" Awenasa wants to make sure Thak and Perey are taken care of before falling into bed to sleep. Hopefully she can talk to the old sheriff first. The sooner she finds out about Eivind, the sooner she can leave.