TDofF A Sister's Heart Ch. 12

"Akecheta, I put up with a lot from you," Honovi growled as he tried to rein in his temper, "Especially your prejudice and bigotry, but if you say another word I will kill you where you stand."

Honovi left no doubt in Akecheta's mind, from the tone of his voice to the bristling stance of his body that he was very serious. Akecheta had made a grave error in insulting his wife and property!

"Both of you calm down," Chief Mingan called from the lead, "Before battle is not the time to be bickering. Very soon your lives will be in each others hands, and you do not want anyone to think you did less than your best to save your brother because of enmity between you, should one of you fall!"

"Yes Sire," Akecheta answered.

"Yes Chief," Honovi answered a second behind Akecheta.

"Honovi, come and walk with me for a bit," Chief Mingan requested, then added, "Akecheta fall behind a bit, this is a personal conversation."

"Yes Sire," Akecheta answered with a mischievous grin and slowed his march giving Honovi and the Chief 20 feet to speak alone.

"Honovi, how are you faring these days my boy," Chief Mingan asked politely.

"Fine Sire, it has been busy," Honovi answered.

"So I've heard," Chief Mingan mused, "Sacajawea's daughters coming to live with you, was that your doing or your wife's?"

"Chief Mingan, I am the Stallion of my Herd," Honovi answered firmly but respectfully, "Whether it be by my wife's encouragement or not, the responsibility is mine."

The Chief nodded his head with a small smile at Honovi's words before he responded, "Well said, as any real Stallion and husband should feel. Very admirable, however, Harpies are the whores of the Hybrid Humans along with the Mermaids, and all of the Snake Women. I mean no disrespect, you know the nature of our world as well as I do."

"Sire, with all due respect," Honovi responded as diplomatically as he could, "I do know the nature of our world. And, I know that every Centaur male of our tribe mourned the passing of Sacajawea. They are no more whores than we are, and if you insist they are, it is only because we made them so. Most of those Harpies at my home are children, none of them have experienced a mating with a male. They are virgins worthy of the same honor we accord our fillies."

"So besides Hialeah and Caneadea all the rest of the Harpies are pure," The Chief mused.

"Well they were," Honovi admitted, "I mated with 3 of the young Harpies yesterday."

"Mmmhmm," The Chief nodded as if it was to be expected, "Then you have taken them as wives, that is... if you plan to honor them. If you don't, then you humiliate them and make them the whores you argued so eloquently that they weren't."

"I will make Bridal feathers for all of them," Honovi answered firmly.

The Chief nodded and smiled, "Good, then to the point of my asking you to walk with me."

Honovi looked over at his Chieftain unsure what to think if all of their previous talk was not the point of him being there.

"The Shaman has reminded me that you came to us some 10 years ago, starving and without a Tribe or Herd," The Chieftain said as he looked straight ahead, "With the recent and abundant acquisition of wives and property, she feels it is time we tied you to our Tribe by a more... permanent and unbreakable lasso. Osyka has made her feelings known to her mother, that she wishes you for her husband. Her mother, the Shaman has made her petition."

"Yes Sire," Honovi answered, unsure of what to think or feel. The Chiefs words were ambiguous at best, still Honovi felt he had best speak up, "I love her Sire. Of all the Centaur women in the tribe, she is the one that suits me."

"Mmmhmm, so I have seen," Mingan replied, "I do agree that we need to tie you to us with a stout lasso. That's why when we return we will throw a grand marriage feast, and I will bring bound by your lasso and adorned with a Bridal Wreath, my daughter Ituha."

"Ituha," Honovi answered in surprise.

Ituha was was 9 years old when Honovi joined the High Plains Tribe at 18. In the last 10 years he had watched her grow up tall, and more muscular than all the males in the tribe. She joined the Hunters and out performed every male except for her father the Chieftain, Akecheta and Honovi. Her skill with the halberd, javelin, lance and bow were very impressive. Her strength was unmatched, only her uncouth nature out matched her skill as a warrior. She drank more, fought more, cursed more, spit, burped and farted louder, longer, and more often than any male. It was as if she were trying to make up for the fact that she was born female!

"Sire," Honovi began his objection as diplomatic as he could, "I am honored at the thought and the offer, but..."

"But what," The Chief asked his voice soft but layered in indignation at the rejection, "Is she not beautiful as well? Is she not female enough for you? Or, is she too Centaur for your tastes?"

Honovi stopped, he was not going to win this argument. A thought occurred to him and he said, "Sire, your generosity towards me out shines the moon in the night sky and is more numerous than the stars of heaven. I am honored by your gift, and happily accept Ituha as my wife."

The Chieftain smiled and nodded his head as he answered, "Good, I knew you would appreciate Ituha just as I do..."

"Sire, I must ask," Honovi asked, "What is to become of Osyka? I know her heart, and where or who it is set upon."

"That filly, she is always getting ahead of herself," Chief Mingan answered, "She is still a year away from adulthood, and already she wants to be given away as a wife! Since she was born, and I saw her beauty and coloring, I have had plans to marry her to one of the Tribes around us in alliance. That is her fate."

Honovi nodded his head, as he asked his final question, "Sire, is there any deed of valor or merit by which I may buy, earn or win Osyka's hand in marriage?"

The Chieftain looked at Honovi for a long time before he asked, "Don't you think you will have your hands full providing for the property you already have?"

Then shaking his head he continued, "I have not given thought to such a request, but I will. If you should do a grand deed that merits a Chieftains Wife, then and only then, will I give you Osyka."

"Yes Sire," Honovi answered with a bow of his head.

"Go and lasso your betrothed," Chief Mingan commanded ending the conversation, "And, stay by her side. Do not let any harm befall her!"

Honovi nodded, spun and trotted down the line of marching Centaurs. Every male and female of the High Plains Centaur knew how to shoot a bow or use a halberd. Today every Centaur from the age of 15 to 70 was marching to battle, female and male alike. Only the children, mothers caring for children, the disabled and the elderly were exempted from the fight. There were even several pregnant wives marching to battle, and still their number only amounted to 150 warriors.

They were separated into three different groups; the lancers, the halberdiers, and the archers. Every woman in the campaign was an archer except for 2, Ituha and Adoette. Adoette like her sister was built larger and more muscular than any man in the Tribe. Unlike her younger sister she was extremely prim and proper. She felt she needed to prove her femininity because of her body, except on the battlefield and in the smithy. Adoette was one of the most skilled and brave lancers in generations, and one of the most gifted blacksmiths. Honestly, Honovi would have preferred Adoette as a wife over Ituha but she was already married with 3 children and was currently pregnant with her fourth.

Adoette's steel grey eyes regarded Honovi as she marched passed. He gave a small nod in honor which she returned. Her entire continence was grim, and had been since she found out her husband, Inteus was dead. When the battle horn was sounded, she refused to be exempted on account of being a mother or being given the assignment of being an archer. Instead she was with the lancers, bedecked in a unique steel plate armor of her own design. She shined like a silver statue in the red light of their sun.

Twenty-five lancers marched by in single file before the halberdiers came up. As the lancers had marched by Honovi reached behind near his saddlebags and untied the lashing that held his lasso. Pulling 5 feet out he cut his gryphon leather rope. Tying a new honda knot, he trotted up to Ituha and cast his lasso over her head and began marching beside her. Hoots and hollering sounded out as the halberdiers recognized the betrothal of Honovi and Ituha.

Ituha was by far and wide not unattractive, Honovi reckoned as he took her measure under these new circumstances. The coloring of Ituha's coat was a blue roan with black legs and tail. The skin of her human torso was a matching blue roan with black freckles. Her eyes were as black and shiny as onyx, and her head was shaved on the sides leaving long black hair on the top and back of her head falling down her back like a mane.

"Grrr," Ituha growled but left the rope where it was, "What the hell Honovi?!"

"Your father has given you to me as wife," Honovi answered quietly.

"You're kidding me," Ituha whispered, "I thought you and Osyka were moonstruck for each other?"

"Yes, well, I am as surprised as you are," Honovi answered.

"Well," Ituha retorted sounding hurt and starting to remove the lasso, "If you do not want me, then reject the offer!"

"Stop," Honovi hissed and pulled the lasso back down, "You were not offered, Ituha! You were gifted to me! We are husband and wife now. You know as well as I do that it is the greatest of insults to reject a Chieftains gift."

"No doubt he did this on purpose," Ituha growled unhappily.

"No doubt," Honovi agreed.

"Fuck!" Ituha cursed under her breath.

"Where did you hear that word," Honovi asked as soon as she said it.

"Oh... Um... Your other wife said it when we went bathing in the river," Ituha answered, "The children over heard her and now they are all saying it."

Honovi shook his head but kept silent.

They reached the west side of Wanapum Dam as Ituha asked, "Is this marriage to be political, or will you... can you love me like any of your other wives?"

"Honestly," Honovi answered after some thought, "I don't know. We have rarely spoken much less associated with each other publicly. I have never before today thought of you as anything other than a fellow tribes woman."

"It's my body, isn't it," Ituha asked demurely, her insecurities peaking out for the first time Honovi had ever seen, "I'm 2 handspans taller than all the males. My rump is twice as wide as Osyka's rump, and she's got a wide one... her and Adoette. And, my breasts right! Or I should say my complete and utter lack of breasts!"

It was true, Honovi had to admit, most Centaur women in the High Plains Tribe had breasts no smaller than 10 pound watermelons. Ituha however, had small sleek perky breasts much like Cheyenne's.

"No," Honovi answered with a shake of his head, "It has nothing to do with your body."

"Then what was it about me that made you choose Osyka instead," Ituha asked pointedly.

"Personality," Honovi answered directly, "She's feminine and you... are not."

"Well," Ituha responded, taken aback and obviously insulted, "So you like your women weak and submissive. Controllable and unable, or unwilling, to fight back. You are right! I am not your type!"

"That is not it," Honovi argued in an undertone, "I like and admire strong females. Adoette is such a one, strong... as strong as you... and yet she balances her strength with her femininity. She refuses to be embarrassed of her strength or her gender."

"So you think I am embarrassed of my strength," Ituha asked indignantly.

"No I think you're embarrassed that you are female," Honovi answered.

Ituha was obviously upset but all she could think to say was, "That's not true!"

Anything else Honovi or Ituha had to say ended when the marching line came to a stop and Chief Mingan motioned Akecheta to lead the lancers over the Dam. Everyone knew the plan. Honovi nodded to the Chief as they came upon him. The Chief smiled at first him then his daughter as they passed by.

The War Council finally met, spurred into action by the near annihilation of Sacajawea's Clan. Of the Tribes called only the Jagged Ridge Tribe and the Broken Arrow Tribe responded. The Jagged Ridge were from the town of Quincy area while the Broken Arrow came from Royal City area. There were 43 Tribes scattered across the land between them but only those 2 responded by sending 100 warriors each. All the others had made excuses saying that this wasn't the first time entire Harpy Clans had been wiped out by gryphons.

Using drawings from Amanda, the plan devised was that the Jagged Ridge would charge into battle with the gryphons from the north, then the Broken Arrow would attack from the south, and the High Plains would close in from the east.

Akecheta and Adoette lead the lancers quietly across the Dam as the red sun over head was nearing its zenith. Reaching the northside of the L-shaped Dam, Akecheta and Adoette became the point of a V-shaped lancer cavalry line and sped up their pace to a slow trot. Honovi and Ituha lead 1 of 2 halberd cavalry groups following the speartip that was the lancers. Honaw and Gaagii lead the second halberd cavalry. The Chieftain and his Shaman lead and guarded the archers in the rear.

____(!)____

Cheyenne went into labor early, just as the sun was reaching it zenith.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeee," Cheyenne wailed as Sharron helped lift her feet up into Amanda's bed stirrups.

"Don't push yet," Amanda called from below Cheyenne's vagina, "Let your body relax... let it do the work... these babies want out and your body knows the way... just let it open the doors."

"Aaaaaaaaaeeeeeeeeeee," Cheyenne cried as her body and belly seized and muscles rippled as the first 3 inch diameter by 6 inch long soft clear placenta egg crested her swollen, red, blood engorged labia.

Amanda cooed as she held out her hands to catch the egg. She had time to only briefly look at the egg and the baby within before passing it to Sharron and preparing for the next egg.

"Hmmm," Sharron mused as she looked over the soft egg more thoroughly, turning it over in her hands as she inspected the tiny female baby inside, "This is nothing like Succubus eggs."

"I expect not," Amanda said as she caught a second egg, "Do you know that for human women no matter how many children we give birth to, we give birth twice for every child."

"Really," Sharron responded as she took the second egg from Amanda.

"There is the birth of the child, and then the afterbirth of the placenta," Amanda said in her clinical doctor voice, "I think this method is much more efficient."

"Will you 2 shut up," Cheyenne growled grumpily.

Amanda looked up at Cheyenne and smiled but kept silent as the pregnant woman concentrated on her work.

____(!)____

The 3 Tribes found the Gryphons milling about the industrial yard just as Amanda had reported they would. What they hadn't expected to find were fences. The fences as well as the various strange pipes, beams and other material scattered around the perimeter of the yard created a natural fortification rendering the cavalry useless.

The High Plain and Broken Arrow changed tactics. Positioning their lancers and halberdier cavalry 200 yards south of the gryphons, they then sent their archers in first. Galloping to 100 feet of the fence line 5 trumpeters sounded horns of battle as 200 archers released a volley of arrows!

Arrows streaked high across the sky, arched over the fence and disappeared to the sounds of screams and shrieks! Quickly, the 125 archers, 75 of which were inexperienced women, knocked second arrows with shaking hands and drew fletching to cheek just as 300 gryphons launched into the air, leaping the fence!

(thump) Sounded across the line of archers as bow strings slapped the air as they released a second volley of arrows as one!

Gryphons shrieked and screamed as 20 gryphons in the front line fell dead and 80 stumbled from nonfatal shots. Turning as one on their hind legs, 16 archers were knocked off balance and fell to the ground in their haste to retreat as the other 109 galloped as hard and fast as their legs would carry them. They never once looked back to see the gryphons pounce on the 16 sisters, mothers, aunts, or grandmothers as they struggled to get their legs back underneath them!

"Charge! Charge! CHARGE," Adoette screamed as they watched the horrific scene!

Adoette screamed as she watched Mi-Na, her 37 year old eldest sister pregnant with her seventh child, was gutted instantly and crumpled to the ground screaming and flailing as 5 gryphons gathered around and tore into her legs and belly.

Angwusnasomtaqa was a 55 year old mother of 13 and grandmother to 97. She had outlived 3 husband's and 2 sons, and still manage to shoot a last arrow before she was surrounded by 6 gryphons and ripped torso from horse body as blood spurted in gouts. Her torso went flying across the field to be caught and torn asunder by fighting gryphons.

Chochmingwo was a mother of 10 and pregnant with her eleventh. Gaho was a mother of 16 and grandmother to 72. Genesee was a young bride pregnant with her first child. Kanti was a young girl of 16 who loved to sing. Nadie and Nampeyo were 17 and 15, and Adoette and Ituha's youngest sisters that were allowed to come on this campaign. Mahalla was 16 and newly married. Neenah was 25 and the most beautiful Centaur in all of the High Plains Tribe. Niabi was 34 and the ugliest. Nina was 23 and Ituha's greatest rival. Kaya was 16 and the blacksmiths only daughter. Onahsu was 40 and mother of 5. Shannondoah was 33 and the best silversmith. None had time to get to their hooves before some of them had throats torn out as they crumpled to the ground trying to breathe through gurgling blood, while some of the others had their heads ripped from shoulders while they were screaming pitifully for aid!

As one 50 lancers and 100 halberdier cavalry charged. At 100 yards they past the fleeing archers, at 150 yards the Centaur cavalry watched in horror as Inola, Shaman of the High Plains Centaur and wife of Chief Mingan, the only archer that managed to get to her hooves and run was caught by a pack of 5 gryphons. The first one leaping into the air and catching her by her hindquarters, wrapping massive forelegs with long curved claws around her legs. A second gryphon came from the side as the first slowed the Inola's gallup. The third gryphon collided with her driving her forelegs right into the group! All 4 went rolling, Inola screaming, the gryphons raking claws across her rump and flanks gutting her as still more gryphon claws cut her back to ribbons and tore at her human belly and breasts leaving gaping bloody wounds. She managed to struggle back up on shaking legs as her intestines fell to the ground underneath her. She walked 3 strides before collapsing as a gryphon began eating her intestines while another leapt on her back it's beak grabbing her head and neck and twisting with a grisly crunch, pop and an unforgettable tearing sound as it bore the terrified Inola to the ground. She didn't move anymore as the gryphon lifted its head and opened wide to swallow her head, her face still frozen in mid-scream.

The gryphons lived only seconds longer than Inola as arrows from Honovi and from Akecheta and a dozen archers punched through ribs to pierce their hearts felling 2 nearly in unison. Honovi tossed his bow aside as soon after he shot and grabbed his halberd.

Adoette lowered her lance and charged in as she screamed in outrage. Like an scalpel carving through flesh, the lancers rolled over everything in their path. When Adoette and her cavalry exited the rear of the gryphon mass she grimaced and tossed her broken lance to the ground. Taking up a spear and shield, she and her lancers saw the Jagged Ridge Lancers making their first charge at the rear of the gryphon army. Adoette signaled her squad and galloped ahead leading the High Plains lancers to join the Jagged Ridge, the Broken Arrow lancers swung around from the east and joined as well and in unison 75 lancers charged into the chaos of gryphons as squads of halberdiers fought along the edges corralling the them as best they could! The halberdiers, hearing the thunderous charge of their lancer brothers would retreat out of the way just as the lancers galloped through the hole in the corral.