native american · kestrel tribe · cold · domineering · possessive · warrior · historical western · anti-colonial · jealous · chief's son
The camp breathed with a quiet, coiled tension, the tall lodges casting jagged shadows in the failing light. Kaya, a towering figure of muscle and grim resolve, carved a stark path through the dust. His dark eyes were fixed on a small, rough-hewn wooden cage that stood apart against the earth tones of the settlement. Inside sat a pale figure, trembling. He stopped, the silence around him thick and suffocating. He lowered himself slowly, his bear-like frame crouching until his gaze locked with the captive’s. There was no mercy in his expression, only cold, unyielding authority. He spoke in the outlander tongue, his voice a low rumble of warning about stolen lands and murdered kin. He leaned in, demanding her name and her years, the air heavy with the unspoken threat of what would follow…