They were still not yet ready to sleep, with this feeling of anticipation and excitement; this contract; this promise... so Monique continued with her questions as she hugged her knees up close to her, as a child would.
"Is it permitted for you to tell us anything more about the Thorians?
They were interested, of course. All women were.
It was only natural that they would be curious, never having dared ask about them before.
"Provided it goes no farther than this fire, how would anyone know what we discuss here?"
They had many secrets between them now. What did it matter if they shared others?
They listened as he relaxed with them around the warmth and comfort of their fire.
"There are several distinct tribes of Thorians who live in different regions. They trade and travel easily and freely between regions. They are all warriors, trained in battle.
"Despite what you may have heard, they do not fight with each other to do injury, but they do meet and hold contests, fight in ways that others could easily assume indicates war."
He seemed to know a lot about what went on in that society, but he did come from Saltash where there were many Thorians, so he had said.
The Thorians were there because of the river which ran between the mountains and the inland sea, linking both of those places where Thorians lived.
"You said that a Thorian, killed a Mountain bear for this hide and those claws?"
He shook his head.
"I should not have stated it that way. He usually kills that bear for another reason and then collects the hide and claws after, to prove what he did, and he distributes the meat, even down to Saltash, where it is traded for metals, or arms.
"Sometimes he has no choice about taking on a bear, as when a bear attacks him. A Thorian warrior may kill several bears in his lifetime.
"There are many bears.
"You have eaten some of that meat yourself, in that stew we had tonight. It is stronger-tasting and is darker than most other meats. I bring some of that meat with me each time I come."
They had not known that, but they had enjoyed whatever meat he brought.
"It is said that those who eat that meat, form a special linkage with the community of bears (as well as with Thorians, but he could not tell them that latter point) and it is believed that if there were no bears, there would be no Thorians."
Monique continued with her questions.
"So, he kills the bear for the meat?"
They still did not understand.
He corrected her again.
"No. He kills it to stop it killing him. However, if it is his first bear kill, then it serves as a rite-of-passage to manhood, no matter his age."
He saw the surprise written across their faces. They had seen the size of that hide.
Who, in his right mind, and so young, would choose to go up against a Mountain Bear just to show he was a man? Those Thorians must be very brave, or recklessly stupid.
He continued.
"When a Thorian, gets to the age of eighteen and has been trained in all of the nuances of war—in which a few of them die getting there (something else they didn't know)—there is nothing gentle about that training—he goes out into the mountains to find his bear; or for his bear to find him."
YOU ARE READING
THE THORIAN SAGAS: 1. THE TRADER. (Completed).
FantasyFenn, was one of the four, walled cities of Women. They survived because of a treaty with the Thorians; a race of warrior men. Each month they were required to send out ten young women into the dangerous wasteland, to meet what fate?
