The Border Tribe

THE HEAT BECAME unbearable, pulling her from her slumber as her eyes shot open, beads of sweet trickling down her forehead, the only uncovered part of her body and she rolled her eyes at the boy about to wrap her head in a thick fur scarf.

She managed to move her stiff neck, struggling to get the layers of thick clothes off her as the villagers laughed at her worm like wriggles.

"You all should have gone ahead to light me up as a burnt offering for the festival"

She fell off the hammock in a pile on the floor right beside a heated clay brazier, her eyes flitting through the clay heaters surrounding her before stopping at the smirking Fuelhr.

She cursed, kicking off the pile of quilts smothering her, knocking down a few braziers in the process, red fire sparks floating around as she stomped towards the now laughing Fuelhr.

She was tackled to the ground by a dozen of children instead, her sweat soaked body sticking to the soil as she struggled through the giggles, giving up with a sigh as his figure cast over her.

"Alright now children, you can practice your sword fight now" he chuckles "She looks defeated"

She groaned as they roughly ran through her "we are still moons from winter, and you almost set me on fire"

"That wasn't me" he laughed, pulling her up "I just watched"

She pauses, sniffing the air as she dusted her stained hands on his clothes, turning around to the small fire burning up her hammock as the villagers rushed about, she shouted

"That could have been me!"

*

*

She rocked about in the newly fixed hammock. bigger and stronger, her legs crossed in the air as she continuously threw and caught a small fruit. She sighed rolling off the rest space and approaching the practicing teens.

She stood behind Cher, adjusting his arms and pulling back the string, signalling him to fire and repeat the movement, before bouncing past lines of children with sword shaped sticks as they played about, immediately ganging up on her with playful attacks.

She laughed, evading their hits as she maneuvered past their play circle to the youth section.

She sat back, watching the teenagers practice with swords and spears as they moved in sync, the Fuelhr calling out Sher for a challenge.

The battle was short, the Fuelhr asking for volunteers, calling her out when no one stepped up.

"Ayin" she smiled, already expecting the call and she quickly made her way to the front, picking a sword and stepping into the circle.

The villagers surrounded them, cheering as they circled each other, swords clashing in a spark.

The fight went on.

Although the border tribe were cut off from other tribes which helped them avoid wars and disputes, and although born hunters, they practiced in case of an invasion. The late great mother had foreseen an invasion over forty years ago and made sure they at least knew how to fight, even though they were lacking in number.

The Fuelhr and Fuelher on the other hand were skilled warriors, Ayin stronger in a fight than A'yang since she was the protector. And although certain of losing, the Fuelhr always lived to always challenge her to a fight.

The relationship between the Fuelhr and Fuelher was a mystery to the villagers. Instead of acting like a couple, they fought.

Fighting each other and hunting together was their way of expression. And a bigger ceremony was to follow the Hunting festival. Tying the knot.

The wedding was set for after Winter. The twenty year long betrothal was set to tie their marriage on the day they share yearly. The day the Fuelhr and Fuelher were born to the clan.

The Border tribe would crown their next leaders since the passing of the late Fuelhr.

She pushed harder, backing him to the edge of the line as he struggled with her strength, smartly side stepping to where she once stood and blocking another strike.

"Do you relent?" A'yin mocked his fatigue

"Not yet" he hit twice, avoiding the tip of her sword as he caught her hand, turning her with her back pressed against him and her sword to her neck.

She kicked his knee, tugging on his hand around her shoulder and flipping him over her to the ground.

She threw her sword aside, tackling him when he got up and straddling him to the ground with her fist pushing back his chest.

The Fuelhr put his hand above his head in defeat, taking in her figure above him, a sly smirk creeping along his lips as he quickly pressed them to her cheek, immediately taking advantage of her short distraction to flip her down, rolling over her.

"I may have lost the battle but I won the war dear" he smiles down at her, watching as her eyebrows curled up

"Oh, did you now"

"Yes" he nods just as she wraps her legs around him, rolling over him.

"You did not"

They kept up, pushing and rolling over each other, abandoning the fight circle and both covered in dirt and sand.

A'yin pressed her knee to his chest, pinning his hands with her gloved ones as she breathed to his face

"Do you surrender, Fuelhr" She pressed harder, just as a figure cast over them, a disapproving voice ending their fight.

"I decide to leave my hut and see how well my people are faring but then I am in no way shocked at the sight of you two rolling around in the sand like five year olds" the old but sharp voice cut through the fun

A'yin's eyes sparkled with joy at the older woman, words smoothly sliding off her lips "you're looking beautiful as ever, Great Mother".