Chapter Fifteen – The Unhappy Chieftain
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Autumn wore into winter, and Koja’so became the happy male slave of the little female he’d found, who was named Yisa. She was, as Ja’kh’redd had predicted, one of those hot-headed young females who thought far too often, and let it all leak out of her mouth. Then again, so did Koja’so, so many nights for them were spent yapping in their little, humble cave in the canyon-wall (on the heated sand side, for she’d begun to grow eggs, to Koja’so’s eternal pride and delight) about whatever Yisa had thought up for the day, ranging from how a Village should be run, to what kind of food was healthy for younglings. Koja’so ate it up, glowing with delight all day.
It left Ja’kh’redd in a strange, dark gray cloud somewhere before his eyes, a haze over everything he saw or felt, to watch Koja’so be so happy with his humbleness, while Ja’kh’redd had the entire Village, and yet had nothing at all. By now, the rumor was all over the nearby Villages, and spreading onward from there, that the new Chief of Cho’ghra could not mate his females, and didn’t even try to rectify the situation week after week.
Koja finally visited him in the Chief’s hole at the top of the Great Cave, sat down in his warm volcanically-heated sand with him, chewed on bones dipped in human-purchased beer (a luxury), and demanded to know what on earth was wrong with him.
“Mating females is… is… is the best thing I can think of!” Koja’so spluttered, for once knowing what he was talking about. “You really have to try it! You have two of the prettiest females in the entire Tribe, old Tuss’tan saw to that. So what is the problem? Just go in there and…” he made a variety of strange and embarrassed expressions, “… the females know what to do. Just go… do it.”
“I’m going on a Hunting trip,” he said quietly. He stared at the ground, without any heart, while his two females sat in the back of the cave and listened discreetly, just as baffled as Koja’so was. Ja’kh’redd was a very strong, handsome, virile young Vidos they’d both approved of for years, so neither of them were sorry at all that he’d won the cave. Everyone knew they’d both love to get his attention, and make his cave a very comfortable place. The only problem was that he refused to accept their offers, no matter how gently or how firmly they were made.
“You have a great sickness inside,” Koja finally said quietly, in sorrow. Everyone knew it, and it depressed the mood of the entire Village, even old Tuss’tan who’d lost. They all liked Ja’kh’redd, for they’d liked his father, who had been a good and wise Chief in the previous generation. The only one who was happy about Ja’kh’redd’s moodiness was Uri’ako, whom nobody liked anyway.
“I know,” Ja’kh’redd said quietly. “I… I am sorry.”
The females stared. They’d never heard a male apologize in their lives. They looked at one another blankly.
“Ju-root,” one female whispered to the other. Impotence was not often found among the Vidos, especially in one so young, but it was not entirely unheard-of, and females had their own cures for things. The other smiled smugly, determined to try the potent cure at first opportunity.
“I have great affection for the Village,” he said roughly, for there was no true word in the Vidos Tongue for ‘love.’ “I want nothing more than to remain here as Chief, and perform my every obligation.”
Koja’so fell silent, sensing to his wonder that Ja’kh’redd was baring his true soul.
“Every rock, every Vidos here are my family. The females are my sisters, the males are brothers, even Uri’ako.”
Koja snorted, disbelieving that.
Ja’kh’redd paused, feeling tears coming, yet it was unpardonable for a full-grown Vidos to loose them. After a moment, he went on. “But my heart is not happy. There is something that I left far away which I feel… is…” he struggled with the truth of it, knowing that it should be impossible, “… part of me. It is like my soul is rent in half within. What kind of a Chief am I, whose very soul within him has lost all strength? I must return to the thing I left behind, if only to confront it. Perhaps when I challenge the thing, I will be able to win back my soul, and return here full of joy.”
“This is very strange, Ja’kh’redd,” Koja informed him warily.
“Even stranger is it to me, than to you, little friend,” Ja’kh’redd admitted quietly. “I am leaving Tuss’tan in charge again until I am back.”
“How long will you be gone?” Koja’so said in surprise.
He hesitated, wondering that himself. “I don’t know, until the sickness is gone… I apologize,” the word in their language was rare and not often used, “for everything that has caused discomfort here. I know what I should have been, and should have done.” He stood up, went to the back of the cave, and spoke directly to the females. “I apologize to you for disappointing you. When I come back, I am sure that I will be healed.”
“You need ju-root,” one suggested meekly. “It will make the urge strong enough.”
He tried to smile, but only one ear came forward a little. “Perhaps. When I return, I shall try it. I shall be gone for a month or… or more.”
“A real Hunt then? For ver’ka?” Koja’so asked weakly.
Ja’kh’redd didn’t answer, feeling shame and sorrow, collecting his hunting harness, his weapons, his new súweh the Village had given him as new Chief. After the Mating was over, he’d received many gifts from his people as they tried to cheer him up.
The females and Koja’so watched him collect his things, go to the entrance to his big, spacious new cave, and take off into the sky leaving it all behind. Koja’so just looked at the females, who looked, bewildered back at him. The village would run, life would continue, Tuss’tan would act as Chief, but everyone in Cho’ghra would check the skies every day to see when their new Chief would return well and boisterous, like his old self again, and take his honored position with joy.