Gabor Gekko. 27

I am Gabor Emil Gekko, Eldest son of Petar and Tereza Gekko. I was born in a camp hidden in the forest lands of Lord Fedru of the Savonti. I have two brothers, Bela and Nica and one sister Irina. We grew up moving from place to place growing food in hidden caches and living in caves and tunnels we built to hide in. They're hidden all over our forest so the Savonti can't find them. My father Petar was leader of our clan. He was by far the greatest hunter warrior I have ever known. He feared nothing. Not the Savonti or any clan that might try raiding us. And there were many raids on us. As clans go, we were doing pretty good. We had plenty of food hidden away. Enough to last the winter which was more then many could say. My father was a master at the sword and spear and could bring down game from fifty yards easy. As the eldest son, I was taught from birth to fight and take care of my family and my clan. I had lessons in sword, spear and the ways of the forest from the day I took my first step. We were taught what was edible in the forest and what could be used as poisons. How to identify the tracks of every animal out there and most important, how and when to hide. My brothers and I spent many nights alone in the forest with just a knife for protection. We were good I must say. My parents were great teachers. They knew our lives would depend on our skills.
Life in the forest wasn't easy. The Savonti always kept us on guard and on the move with there raids. But we were always ahead of them. Always gone before they could catch us. In all my days I can only remember losing less then ten to there damned cages and cook fires. Until three days ago. That was the day my world died.
I woke early that morning and dressed in hide pants and a cotton tunic. I slipped on my boots and my belt with my knives. My brother Bela, two years younger was just getting back from a lone hunt. He had just turned fourteen and passed his hunting test by bringing down a trula. That's a large mammal we hunt for it meat and hides. With only a spear and knife, Bela and a friend had killed it and butchered the beast and brought it home. Tonight would be a celebration of their passing to hunters. We were very proud of Bela. Mother and Irina were up at the fire fixing breakfast for the rest of the men about to head out to hunt. It was my job to stay this time. Father would lead the hunt. As I got a quick meal mother asked me to take Nica and get some water from the river. Nica complained, he wanted to go hunting with father. But he was to young. Nica was ten, he couldn't keep up with them as the ran after there prey. He pouted mad and turned his back to us.
" Nica." I said. " How about you and me go hunting later. I'll get some things and we can be out for a few hour."
" Really?" He turned and looked at me wide eyes. " Can we mother? Please can we?"
" As long as your back before dark." Mother turned from her cooking pot as Irina handed her some roots for the concoction they were preparing. " And you both get your chores done before you go. We'll be busy curing meat, we don't have time to get water and you still have to do your rounds around the camp and check the traps. There's a lot to do before we move on Gabor."
Nica looked at me sadly thinking I would never get done in time.
" You get cleaned up and take care of your dera's." I patted Nica's back. " I'll hurry and be done by mid day."
He smiled nodded and ran out of the cave to get to work. Irina laughed at him as he ran out.
" You check and make sure those dera are milked and fed." She said finishing peeling and scraping the ingredients. " And make sure they're ready to go by night fall."
" Yes Rina." I kissed mother and Iina and headed out of the cave. All around the caves there was activity. The men heading out to hunt were readying their spears and gathering their things. The men not going on the hunt were setting out to their post to keep watch for the Savonti or raids from other clans. The young were busy with lessons or chores that had to be done. Everyone knew this was to be the last night at this site. In the morning they would be moving so everything had to be packed or hidden tonight. Gabor went from campsite to campsite making sure they would be ready in the morning. He talked to each family in the clan. The site had to be just as clean as when they had arrived and they couldn't leave any trail showing which direction they went. Petar was completely meticulous about that. No scent to follow and no trail. Each family would be giving a potion called quero to sprinkle behind them as they left. Years ago an ancestor of the Gekko family had made an important discovery. A certain combination of herbs and roots made a formula that made tracker beast useless. One sniff of this potion and they couldn't even smell each other. For decades the Gekko clan had held the secret of this formula and used it successfully to escape there reptilian enemy.
After his rounds, Gabor and Bela went out and collected all the traps set about the camp. Trapped wildlife was passed out as provisions for the move and warning traps were dismantled and hidden away. Once done, Gabor was ready to take his little brother on their hunting trip. He quickly checked Nica's chores to be sure he had done them then went to get a snack for their short trip. Mother had set aside some bread and fruit for them to take along before packing the rest of their stores away. Nica was so excited about the hunting trip. He hurried Gabor along begging to get going.
" Calm down Nica." He laughed. " We're going. You have your knife?"
" Yep!" He held up the knife father had given him earlier this year. " I have a jar of quero to take with us too."
" Good your prepared." I put my bow over one shoulder and clipped our food to my belt. My knives were in my belt and I was ready to go. " Let's get going."
Nica smiled that big grin of his and we started out into the forest.
Together we had a great day running around and chasing small game. He wanted to go after something bigger, but I said no. He wasn't ready for that kind of chase. After catching five plump mugits we sat down to eat our lunch under a tree. In the distants we saw a trula herd run. Father and the others were probably near by chasing them. Nica wanted to go down after them, but I held him back. Trula were dangerous animals. When enraged they turned and charged after anyone near them. These trula were on the run. If we came near them they would defiantly charge us in a stampede, and there was no way we could out run the herd. Holding Nica back we watched them from the shade of our tree. That's when I saw them. Baebots. A whole flock of them came out of the forest and swooped down around the trula. Fear ran through my blood like ice. I knew what baebot's were and what they meant. The Savonti had found us. From the field where the trula were running I saw father and the rest of the men go running towards our camp. I grabbed Nica quickly.
" Come on Nica. We have to hurry!"
From the east Trackers came running out of the brush with there Savonti rider with their lances aimed to run down the running men. Father turned and saw them coming. He reached to his side and pulled his sword and stood his ground. On they came. A Savonti rider rode down on him aiming to lance him through his chest and knock him out. Father raised his sword and met the lance thrust with force. The sound of the clash rang out clearly as they met. Father reached up and grabbed the Savonti pulling him from his mount and stabbed him ramming the sword through him. He looked up at me watching him.
" Gabor!!" He yelled. " Get back to your mother and get them all to safety!!
" No father. Let me help you!" In started toward him pulling my bow from my back." I can fight!!"
" Get Nica out of here now!!!" He pulled his sword free and called out to his men around him. More Savonti came riding at them ready to fight.
" GO NOW!!"
" Nica hold on to my belt." I told my little brother. " We have to get back to camp."
He nodded as we took off running. With one hand I pulled arrows from my quiver sending them flying at both Savonti and tracker beast in my way. Bravely Nica held on and ran with me. From all sides the Savonti came. As we neared the campsite we saw our people running for there lives into the forest. But unorganized we didn't have a chance. One by one Nica and I saw our friends grabbed and thrown into cages. Some fought back and we saw them die. Finally Nica and I made it back to our cave. There we saw Bela and his friend Iosef fighting a group of Savonti in the entrance. I pulled a handful of arrows and let them fly at our enemy. Like lightning they struck killing three Savonti and giving Bela more of a fighting chance.
" Nica I know your scared but we have to get to Bela." He looked up at me then pulled his knife from his belt and nodded. " Stay close to me."
I pulled my sword from my belt and took off into the fight with Nica at my side. I met the first Savonti with a stab through his back. With a mighty kick I sent him flying into the feet of his companions. Nica launched himself at the fallen Savonti stabbing at them with his knife. Bela and Iosef fought like mad men protecting the entrance. There were dead Savonti piled at there feet as they fought. But more came. I grabbed Nica by his belt and threw him into the cave then went back to hacking at the Savonti. A tall Savonti turned on me to engage me. He rushed at me swinging his lance blade end up to rip into my stomach. I jumped high as the lance missed bringing my blade in for a slash. He countered with the stunner end and tried to send and energy discharge at me. It went astray into the crowd and hit one of his companions knocking him to the ground. With a quick strike Bela finished the downed Savonti off. Howling madly the Savonti rushed at me meaning to batter me into submission. When out of nowhere a small body came flying to land on his back. Nica stabbed at him again and again until he fell dead to the ground. That was the last of the Savonti facing us at the cave. I pulled Nica to his feet.
"Are you alright?" I checked Nica head to toe. Other then a few scrapes he was covered with Savonti blood and alright.
" Yea Gabor." He answered getting to his feet." I'm alright."
" What of father?" Bela asked. " Did you see him?"
" He and the hunters were fighting in the field." I told him. " He sent me back to get everyone away from here. Wheres Mother and Irina?"
" I don't know." Bella had a fearful look on his face. " They weren't here when we arrived."
Gabor looked out at the stone ridge that housed the cave system. The fighting was still going on. Savonti were still loading people into cages to be hauled away. They could hear screams coming from below them.
" Nica, get me more arrows from my niche," I ordered him. " Bela and Iosef this is far from done. We have to stop those wagons from leaving. Mother has to be in one of them."
" So are my sisters." Iosef growled. " But look how many of them there are. We are three. Shouldn't we wait for your father and the rest to get back?""
" Four." Nica said coming back carrying my extra full quiver and fathers. " I'm gonna help too."
" We can't wait." I told them. " As far as we know there already dead. We have two choices. Go hide in the forest or try and stop them. Choose now. But whatever you choose, you better hurry. We don't have much time."

Up on the ridge sitting high on his tracker, Lord Fedru watched his men load the people of the forest into cages. This was a great moment. He had been after this particular thorn in his side for years. A thorn named Gekko. He and his people had been raiding his camps and freeing his cattle for generations. And always away in hiding before he could get anywhere near them. These damn Gekko's were a devious clan. This Petar and his father before him, with no magic they had done what no other in over two hundred years could. Now he had them. Fedru smiled down on the line of captives in front of him being led away and called to one of his men.
" Bring him to me."
" Yes my lord." The guard pounded his chest in salute then went off to follow his lords orders. Fedru looked out at the cage wagons being filled around him. It looked like his men had done well. Most of the clan were here being loaded. There were full cages all over the hill with screaming crying cattle. Petar had been caught off guard out hunting for the move. He had caught them just in time before they were gone again. Fedru had lost many men today killed by these beast. But he had won the day. And now the beast was his. He would be on his table tonight.
Chained and beaten, Petar Gekko was dragged out of his cage and thrown on the ground.
" My lord wishes to see you beast." Said a Savonti guard.
" Nagut!!" Petar spit at the guard. " I wish to see your lord as well. Dead in a waste spit where all you Savonti belong!"
" We shall see who ends up in a waste pit." The guard laughed kicking Petar in his back. " Get moving beast!"
Petar climbed to his feet surrounded by Savonti armed with lances. They poked at him to get him moving out through their camp. Petar walked with his head up through his caged people. He could hear them calling out to him and the cry's of others. As he walked he could feel their lanes poking his back. He turned and kicked dirt in there faces in defiance. A lance came down hard into the back of his head knocking him to the ground.
" PETAR!!"
He looked up to see his wife and daughter staring down at him from a caged wagon.
" Tereza!" He climbed to his feet and stumbled to her cage. He reached in and took her hand " I'm sorry Reza. This is all my fault. I should have been more careful."
" No Petar." Tears ran down her cheeks. " You kept us safe. There was nothing you could have done."
" MOVE!!" A stun lance struck Petar in his back sending its charge through his body. He screamed and fell to the ground. " Get up and move now."
Petar looked up at the Savonti guards with such hate in his eyes. He climbed to his feet and braced himself to attack them.
" Attack, and they die now." A guard stuck his lance into the cage into Tereza's face. Petar could see the fear in his wife and daughters eyes.
" I love you." He said. Then he turned and walked on calmly away from them. Ahead he could see Lord Fedru waiting with that evil sneer the Savonti always wore. He had climbed down from his tracker and handed the reins to one of his men.
" Ah here comes the proud Petar Gekko." Lord Fedru said. " My most hated enemy mine at last."
" Down on your knees!" A lance struck him in his back knocking him to his knees at Lord Fedru's feet.
" So you've won at last Fedru." Petar said proudly. " You have me. But you and your people will never win here. We will one day destroy you all. This I swear."
" That may be." Fedru said as he walked up and placed his hand on Petar's shoulder. Petar screamed as agonizing pain rip through his body. Fedru laughed. " But you will never live to see that day."
Petar fell forward on his face. Lord Fedru's agony touch had sent so much pain into Petar, all his senses were overloaded and he passed out.
" Take him back to his cage." Fedru said. " Have everyone start moving out. I want to be back in my sands by nightfall."
" Yes my lord!!" Together the two guards took Petar by his arms and dragged him back and locked him in his cage. Then the signal was blown and they started moving out, back to Fedru's lair.

Night fell as Gabor led the remnants of his clan through the dark forest. They had gathered together everyone that had escaped capture and took the wounded men, women and children to a safe site. Then Gabor took the able men and set off into the forest to intercept Lord Fedru's forces. They hoped to catch them before they made it home and release as many people as they could. Gabor knew this mission had to be done carefully. This was about rescue not revenge. Freeing his mother and as many as possible and getting them away quietly would not be easy. Fedru would have sentries out on watch. They would have to find them and dispatch them quickly and sneak into camp to free the others.
It didn't take them long to find Fedru's trail. They were moving with many trackers and wagons so they left a very good trail to follow. One of the Savonti's main weaknesses was there arrogance. They felt that the cattle feared them so much that they would never come after them. And with most of the Gekko clan in cages, they were right. But fortunately, not all Gekko's had been caught. And tonight they would fight back.
No care was taken in the placement of the caged captives except to keep them away from where the Savonti slept. Fedru had set four guards out to watch the camp. Two were to walk the perimeter of the camp and another two would watch the captives. From the forest Gabor and his men watched and timed how long at took the guards to make the rounds around the camp. It seemed they would start at the northern end and go in separate directions and meet up at the southern end then continue circling. Gabor sent two teams of two men to meet them as they reached eastern and western points of they're rounds. There they would quietly subdue the guards and hide their bodies in the forest. Gabor would wait for there signal then move into the camp to free everyone. Keeping everyone down they waited listening to every sound in the forest. The forest was alive with noise. Mostly predators out for there nightly hunt.
Suddenly a call rang out. One only one of his people would recognize. The call might the guards were down. Time to move. Waving his hand, Gabor stood and crept forward keeping low so none of the Savonti would spot him. In front of him was a ring of wagons with all his caged people. He could hear them sobbing in despair at their captivity as he creeped by. He wanted to stop and open their cages, but the noise would alert the Savonti, and he couldn't afford that. So he moved on.
Leaning against a wagon covered stood the first guard. Gabor knew the cooler temperature of the night we make the reptilian man a bit less aware. He hoped he would be drowsy enough that he wouldn't hear there approach at all. Moving with all the stealth he could, Gabor pulled his knife and stepped up behind the Savonti guard and grabbed him and slid his blade across his throat. Holding his mouth to keep him silent he lowered the guard the the ground dead. One down, one more to go. Gabor waited quietly as he watched another of his men repeat his action. Luck was on there side he thought as the guard fell and he was given the signal to move on.
With a wave of his hand he motioned his men to move forward to the cages and start freeing the captives. One by one he searched the cages freeing his people and looking for his mother and sister. Suddenly the quiet of the night was broken. He heard a whisper, his name. He looked to the left and saw Iosef sisters calling from their cage. Quickly he ran to the cage and began working the locks.
" Thank the spirits." Maya Dodos whispering clutching his hand as she and her sister Delia stepped down and hugged him. " We were so scared. Where's Iosef? Is he with you?"
" Iosef is safe." He told them. " He's just beyond the bank of hedges leading people out. Have you seen my mother?"
" Yes. Delia nodded. " Last we saw she and Irina were in a cage over yonder."
" Go help Iosef get everyone away." Gabor said turning to move off after his family.
" Gabor." Delia said grabbing his arm stopping him. " They have your father. We saw him being beaten by Fedru."
" Damn!" Fear suddenly ran through his body at these words. He knew Fedru would prize him as a trophy keeping him close. Freeing him meant finding Lord Fedru's private camp. His mission just became one hundred times harder, but he had to try.
" Go!" He said pushing the woman off. " I'll find them. Keep my brothers away from here."
Gabor watched the Dodos sisters hurry off, then headed of to find his family.
All around him people were running into the woods being led by men of his party. Quietly Gabor slipped on into the darkness, ahead of him he saw another ring of cages. Fortunately they weren't being guarded and there were no Savonti as far as he could see. He moved to a tree and listened. Silence. None of his men had made it this far into the Savonti camp yet. He was the first. He peeked out for a look. The camp was very litely lit. There were only a few torches lit casting shadows all around the camp. Staying low, Gabor moved in watching carefully for any guards. He reached the first cage and looked in. It was empty, but the were clothing scattered on the floor. His stomach jumped to his throat cause he knew what that meant. Whoever had been in that cage had been taken. They were dead now. Food on the table for these damned reptiles. His fear rose for a second, then he looked closer at the clothing and didn't recognize them. This wasn't his mother and sisters cage, but it was some other member of his clan. Gabor shook it off. He didn't have time for thoughts like this. He would grieve later. Suddenly he heard something behind him. He pulled his sword and turned ready to fight.
" It's me." Bella whispered creeping to his brothers side. " You'll need my help."
" Get out of here." He said quietly. " I can do this alone."
" No you can't." Bella said sternly. " You can't open all those cages alone. Together we can."
" You can what?" Came a voice loudly from behind them. Gabor and Bella turned in surprised to find Lord Fedru and ten of his guards surrounding them. Gabor leaped up sword aimed at Fedru for the kill and was batted down to the ground.
" You think I didn't know your little herd was stalking us?" Fedru growled grabbing Gabor by his tunic and pulling him up to face him. " I am a Lord of the Savonti with powers far beyond any thing you know. You and yours are nothing but food to be served on our tables."
He threw Gabor down, Bella grabbed Gabor and pulled him up to protect his older brother.
" Your people have gotten away from me for now, but have no fear. I will find them and bring them back. But I do have you and them." Fedru smiled and evil grin at him and pointed to three his guards dragged in and threw down next to them. It was Nica and two others from their raiding party. " And you will be served up soon. Just like your father and the two females were tonight."
" Noooooooooooooooo!!!!!" Gabor screamed. Bella sobbed next to him pulling Nica's unconscious body to him.
" Cage them." Fedru ordered. " We move tonight."

" And that is my story." Gabor said Cutter Azeal and Tanis listening. " Now you know how I came to be in the cage you found me in. My mother, father and sister are dead. My brothers are in a cage captured back in Fedru's miserable manse. Now I have a question for you all. Will you help me free my people, or do I try again this time on my own? But I'll tell you this. I will fight the Savonti as long as I can raise my fist or hold a sword and someday we will end their rein over us. That I swear."
Cutter, Azeal and Tanis looked to each other for each others thoughts. Azeal had tears in his eyes and Cutter could see the anger in Tanis. He was almost shaking with fury. But there were others he had to consult before making this decision. He had the Academy and all the teachers and students to think of too. Their safety was his primary concern after all.
" We hear you and grieve your lost." Cutter said. " Give us a little time to talk this over and I will give you our answer in an hour. Will that be sufficient?"
" Yes." Gabor nodded. " Just remember. The long you take, more of my people be killed and served. So please hurry."
" We will." Cutter turned and ushered Azeal and Tanis to the door. He opened it and turned back to Gabor looking out of the window into the courtyard." In the meanwhile, clothing will be provided for you and you are free to see our school. Go meet our people."
" Thank you." Gabor smiled bowing. Together the three left the room and closed the door behind them and started back for the offices to talk it over.
" Wait." Tanis stopped. " You know what I think Cutter I'm sure. I want to help him. After what my uncle did back home, How can I not. You go talk with the others. I'll stay and show Gabor around. Azeal can call me when you've made your decision. But you know mine. I'm going to help him with or without your help."
" We understand Tanis." Cutter gripped his shoulder. " It won't be long, I promise you."