The Lost Tribe: Maliha the Wanderer (Book 1)

The Ishanu

                   

Maliha struggled to swallow back her fear, her throat dry as the eyes of tribe members turned to face her.

Some faces were inquisitive, but the majority looked at her differently than how they previously had and it irked her. She had this brand on her arm and yet she was not one of them. She had laboured alongside the women and men and gathering crop to harvest and yet she was still not one of them.

She had helped Nahi give birth to her two children, one of them being a girl and still no one accepted her as one. What more did she need to do to prove to them that she was tribe, and did she even want to prove it?

Ujarak had said they were loving and caring people, but her first few encounters with the tribe had been everything but loving. They were viscous and harsh, some would even say babrbaric. Did she truly want to be a part of a tribe like that?

She also couldn't deny the way they had ostracised and neglected poor Enzo. This tribe had so many faults that made her question their integrity. perhaps it was her time to move on but her heart quivered in disagreement.

She couldn't leave not yet, maybe not ever because she belonged here. Even with all their many faults, Maliha had a feeling that this was where she belonged and she would not let anyone tell her otherwise.

As a new wave of confidence washed over her, she jutted out her chin and pulled away from Xiuri, meeting the gleeful smile of Yaniza with her own stubborn set jaw. She would not waiver under this woman's taunting words or eyes. She would stand strong.

Her view glided over Yaniza's shoulder to Ujarak who looked as if Yaniza's words had not affected him in the slightest bit. In fact, there was a lightness to his eyes that hinted he knew something more. Was Yaniza acting exactly as they council had predicted she would? That couldn't be right, could it?

Once catching Maliha's eyes, Ujarak gave her a quick wink before subtly nodding his head towards the podium. Maliha slowly followed his instruction and turned her head back to the council members who stood there with smug faces. Makula's grin was the biggest as she motioned for Yaniza to move aside.

At Makula's smiling face, Yaniza's smugness waived and began to slip. Her scarred face creasing further as her confusion mounted higher and higher as the rest of the council members met her with the same icy and condescending smile.

Makula climbed onto the podium with the help of one of the men who stood guard. Her old withered hand taking liberties with the mans bare chest before she refocused her attention back onto the present situation.

"It would seem, that according to Yaniza, we have ourselves quite the conundrum."

She postulated out loud, her scratchy voice demanding the attention of everyone.

"We cannot fault Yaniza, for she does not have the ear of the Savuriya nor does she have the ear of our Dressir." Sighed Makula, her head shaking as she insulted the woman.

Tanzim's face reddened at the insult against her mother.

The crowd rippled back in horror as she yanked her arm out of the man who stood guard over her and marched toward the stage. Tanzim made it no more than two steps before she was snatched back up into the strong arms but she was still belligerent.

"It doesn't matter!! Maliha is an imposter and my mother is council." She screeched.

Her hands waving as she spat in Maliha's direction. Her frosty tone was full of hatred

"Enough." Thundered Ujarak, sending a filthy glare towards Tanzim.

He spat a command at the two males who were supposed to be restraining Tanzim, their heads nodding as they forced her to her knees with her hands clenched behind her back. She was forcefully subdued as a piece of material bound her lips shut.