"We must get away!" pleaded Latif. "The priestess and her army are on the move again. And they are heading our way..."
A burst of commentary rose from the elders on both sides, some arguing for flight, others for standing firm. Slowly, Ishak bin Ishak raised his hand in a gesture for silence. "How many do they number?" he asked, his deep voice calm and grim.
Latif shook his head. "I don't know, but they are many. You mustn't think of staying. You will be slaughtered." His eyes scanned the many faces. "Please believe me. To stay will be to die."
Ishak nodded sagely, looking toward Faruq, the acknowledged leader of the Baobab. "Your people are a brave people," he said after a fresh burst of argument had died away. "I know you would not flee if danger were not imminent. But we have unfinished business here at hand. What of the young people who have turned against us in favor of this eye? Do we let them slaughter and maim our children with impunity? Do we let them go to this priestess, proudly, with blood on their hands, and tell her how they, a small band of raggedy children, put the great Baobab and Painted Sand tribes to flight?"
He looked around the tent at the gathered faces. "I say no."
"We are a warrior tribe. We are born warriors. We live as warriors. And we die like warriors." He stood. Drawing his sword from its scabbard, he held the shining blade in front of him like a challenge. "We will resist this Eye. We will ride against the murderers of our children. If it be our fate, then our blood will paint the sand of this desert." He waited again as a murmur of reaction rose and fell amongst the other elders. "But it will be the blood of warriors."
"Yet I also agree with Faruq," he continued after a moment. "I agree that we should send our women and children south and east into the mountains. I know of a haven in the high land that can be easily defended by few. We will send them there. The rest of us will stay and attend to our unfinished business, but we must act at once, before this new army arrives. Once we have exacted our revenge against these murderers of children, then we will decide what to do about the new threat." He looked around the room. "Are you with me?"
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