Chapter 4
Phelan Joins The Raiders

The Brothers traveled the desert, and were about 50 pasangs from Tor, when over the dunes rode a large band of Kavar. The brothers wheeled their kaiila to face them, but drew no weapons, not knowing if their intentions were hostile or not.

The leader approached SENSEI and said ”Do you carry anything of value?” SENSEI said “no." "No slaves, no Gold?” asked the Kavar leader. Again SENSEI answered no. The Kavar leader laughed. He then signaled one of his men to dismount. The man drew a scimitar. SENSEI immediately drew his scimitar. Phelan shouted “NO BROTHER!” Phelan rode to the front of the group and dismounted, drawing his own scimitar.

The raider and Phelan eyed each other evenly. Then with the battle cry of Klima on his lips, Phelan attacked. The raider sliced upward with his scimitar, which was parried quickly by Phelan. Then swiftly Phelan swept his scimitar low and swept the raider from his feet, then with the blade poised at the raiders throat, he prepared for the final blow.

The leader of the raiders shouted ”ENOUGH!” Then with a smile, he dismounted and looked to Phelan you have bested my first scimitar. Phelan, lifted his scimitar, and stood back.

The raider rose to his feet and looked to Phelan. Then he swept back the arm of his burnoose, and exposed his wrist to Phelan. Phelan licked the salt from the raiders wrist and exposed his wrist to the raider. The raider licked the salt from Phelans wrist. The leader looked at the brothers. He said, “They have shared salt. Let us not battle further.”

The sun was hanging low in the sky. The Kavar and the brothers camped together for the night. The leader of the Kavar, seeing the advantages that the newcomers could bring to his force, invited them to have bread and salt, and drink with him. There he proposed an allegiance to which SENSEI scoffed at. Phelan, on the other hand, was intrigued.

As morning broke and they prepared to leave, Phelan approached SENSEI and announced he would stay with the Kavar. SENSEI saw there was no talking his brother from his decision, and resigned himself to leave without his brother. The ten brothers mounted their kailla, and after wishing their brother well, turned and headed onward to the city of Tor.