LITMIR.BIZ

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glanced at his brother, seeing again the lack of understanding that meant he at least could never have ruled the Wolves. Khasar had none of the inner fire of Kachiun, the instant grasp of plans and strategies. Yet Temujin remembered the night when they had killed the herdsmen. Khasar had fought at his side. He had something of his father in him after all, though he could never grasp the subtleties Yesugei had loved. If their father had lived, Khasar would have been taken to the Olkhun’ut himself the following year. His life had also been thrown from its course by Eeluk’s treachery.

      Temujin nodded reluctantly. ‘If I had a new deel, I could ride to them and see what has become of her,’ he said. ‘At least I would know for certain.’

      ‘We’ll all need women,’ Khasar agreed, cheerfully. ‘I have been feeling the urge myself and I don’t want to die without having one under me.’

      ‘The goats would miss your love, though,’ Kachiun said.

      Khasar tried to cuff him, but his brother swayed away from the blow.

      ‘Perhaps I could take you to the Olkhun’ut myself,’ Temujin said to Khasar, looking him up and down. ‘Am I not the khan of this family now? You are a fine-looking lad, after all.’

      It was true, though he meant it as a joke. Khasar had grown into lean strength and was dark and wiry under a mop of uncut hair that reached right down to his shoulders. They did not trouble to braid their hair any more, and when they could be bothered to take a knife to it, it was just to hack off enough to clear their vision for hunting.

      ‘Ten of the ewes are carrying,’ Temujin said. ‘If we kept the lambs, we could sell a few goats and two of the older rams. It would get us a new stitched deel, and maybe some better reins. Old Horghuz was fussing with a set while I talked to him. I think he wanted me to make an offer.’

      Khasar tried to hide his interest, but the cold face of the warrior had been lost between them for too long. They had no need to guard themselves the way Yesugei had taught and they were out of practice. As poor as they were, the decision was Temujin’s alone and the other brothers had long accepted his right to lead them. It raised his spirits to be khan even of some ragged ponies and a couple of gers.

      ‘I will see the old man and bargain with him,’ Temujin said. ‘We will ride together, but I cannot leave you there, Khasar. We need your bow arm too much. If there is a girl come into her blood, I will talk to them for you.’

      Khasar’s face fell and Kachiun clapped him on the arm in sympathy.

      ‘What can we offer, though? They will know we have nothing.’

      Temujin felt his excitement ebb and spat on the ground.

      ‘We could raid the Tartars,’ Kachiun said, suddenly. ‘If we ride into their lands, we could take whatever we find.’

      ‘And have them hunt us,’ Khasar responded irritably. He did not see the light that had come into Temujin’s eyes.

      ‘Our father’s death has never been settled,’ he said. Kachiun sensed his mood and clenched a fist as Temujin went on. ‘We are strong enough and we can strike before they know we are even there. Why not? The Olkhun’ut would welcome us if we come with cattle and horses and no one will care if they bear Tartar brands.’

      He took his two brothers by their shoulders and gripped them.

      ‘The three of us could take back just a little of what they owe us. For everything we have lost because of them.’ Khasar and Kachiun were beginning to believe, he could see, but it was Kachiun who frowned suddenly.

      ‘We cannot leave our mother unprotected with the young ones,’ he said.

      Temujin thought quickly. ‘We will take her to old Horghuz and his family. He has a wife and young boys. She will be as safe there as anywhere. I’ll promise him a fifth of whatever we bring back with us and he’ll do it, I know he will.’

      As he spoke, he saw Kachiun glance towards the horizon. Temujin stiffened when he saw what had attracted his brother’s eye.

      ‘Riders!’ Kachiun yelled to their mother.

      They all turned as she appeared at the door of the closest ger.

      ‘How many?’ she said. She walked out to them and strained to see the strangers in the distance, but her eyes were not as good as her sons’.

      ‘Three alone,’ Kachiun said with certainty. ‘Do we run?’

      ‘You have prepared for this, Temujin,’ Hoelun said softly. ‘The choice is yours.’

      Temujin felt them all look to him, though he did not break his gaze away from the dark specks on the plain. He was still lifted by the words he had spoken with his brothers and he wanted to spit into the wind and challenge the newcomers. The family of Yesugei would not be cowed, not after they had come so far. He took a deep breath and let his thoughts settle. The men could be an advance party for many more, or three raiders come to burn, rape and kill. He clenched his fists, but then made the decision.

      ‘Get into the woods, all of you,’ he said, furiously. ‘Take the bows and anything you can carry. If they come to steal from us, we’ll gut them, I swear it.’

      His family moved quickly, Hoelun disappearing inside the ger and emerging with Temulun on her hip and Temuge trotting at her side. Her youngest son had lost his puppy fat in the hard years, but he still looked fearfully behind him as they made for the woods, stumbling along beside his mother.

      Temujin joined Khasar and Kachiun as they retrieved their shafts and bows, yanking bags onto their shoulders and running to the tree line. They could hear the riders shout behind them as they saw them run, but they would be safe. Temujin swallowed bitterness in his throat as he passed into the trees and paused, panting, looking back. Whoever they were, he hated them for making him run, when he had sworn no one would do it again.

      CHAPTER FIFTEEN

      The three warriors rode cautiously into the tiny camp, noting the wisp of smoke that still came from one of the gers. They could hear the bleating of goats and sheep, but otherwise the morning was strangely still and they could all feel the pressure of unseen eyes.

      The small gers and the rickety corral lay by a stream at the bottom of a wooded hill. Tolui had seen the running figures disappear into the trees and he was careful to dismount so that his pony’s bulk hid him from an ambush or a stray shot. Under their deels, Basan and Unegen wore leather armour like his own, a layer that would protect their chests and give them an edge even against a direct attack.

      Tolui kept his hands low behind his horse’s neck as he signalled to the others. One of them had to check the gers before they moved on, or risk being shot at from behind. It was Basan who nodded, leading his mare into the shadow of the ger and using her to block the sight of him ducking inside. Tolui and Unegen waited while he searched, their eyes scanning the tree line. Both men could see heavy banks of thorn bush tied with twine amongst the trunks, forcing any pursuit to come on foot. The ground had been prepared by someone who had expected a raid and they had chosen well. To reach the trees, the bondsmen would have to cross thirty paces of open ground, and if the sons of Yesugei were waiting with bows, it would be a hard, bloody business.

      Tolui frowned to himself as he considered their situation. He no longer doubted the running figures were the sons they had left behind. The few wanderer families who scavenged on the plains would not have prepared for a battle as these had. He strung his bow by feel, never taking his eyes off the dark undergrowth that could be hiding an army. He knew he could ride away to return with enough men to hunt them down, but Eeluk would not have seen the rolls of thorns and he would think Tolui had lost his nerve. He would not have his khan believe that of him and he began to prepare himself for a fight. His breathing changed from long, slow inhalations to the sipping breath that raised his heartbeat and charged him with strength, while Basan

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