Lady Saydah Island Warrior

As the evening wears on, the air got chilly and everyone remained silent as they watched Old Man Tipitipin eat ravenously. He ate everything that was placed in front of him, tapioka, bula (taro), breadfruit, smoked fish, dried fish, and oysters, they even gave him epwet (I don't know how to fully describe this dish, except that it's tasty yet stinks.)

He sat in front of the village leaders lost in thought as he ate to his stomach's desire before allowing anyone to interrupt him.

"So old man, where is this thing that is going to swoop in and save us?" The chief asked impatiently.

Crunch, crunch, chew, chew, gulp, gulp. Was the only response coming from Tipitipin, his eyes were slightly unfocused as he waited for his digestive system to calm.

"Look you annoying old..." The chief's words were cut short as the old man's staff came crashing on the dry dirt before him. catching them off guard the chief and the other leaders fell off of their rock perches.

"Tsk, tsk...you never learn do you?" Old Man Tipitipin says. "Ungrateful specks, I may just let you all perish." He said as he wiped himself with his grimey hands and started to stand.

"Old man!!!" The chief yelled, all of a sudden they surrounded Tipitipin, machetes at the ready.

"Now I am only going to ask you one more time." Chief Rengaw said, sweat pouring down his chunky face. "Who is this you speak of and where is it?"

Tipitipin took a small step back, straightening himself, his dark eyes staring at Chief Rengaw with smoldering contempt. And without warning he started laughing.

"Hahaha, my dear Rengaw, I remember you when you were just a young snotty nosed little brat. You carry the arrogance and stupidity of your father. Yes....I remember your father vividly."

Tipitipin moved towards the crowd and everyone took one frightened step back as he took another step towards the now silent chief. He pointed his staff in the chief's face and continued.

"Like your father, you are nothing but a coward. Your father managed to get his entire village killed with the exception of you and your sister. Yes, I remember." He paused.

"When the rival tribe arrived on the shores of your father's village he had everyone stand against them even after I had strongly advised against it. A stubborn man that could not see beyond his own greed. Yes, I remember."

"The villagers were no match, and after he had conveniently stowed you and your sister away he took the entire village to meet their doom. He single-handedly killed everyone in the village." Tipitipin never took his eyes off of the chief.

"You see Rengaw, your father was not only a coward but he was a traitor!" He exclaimed.

"Stop this right now!" Chief Rengaw screamed, pointing towards his henchmen to attack the old man. But with one look from Tipitipin no one dared to move.

They also remembered who Old Man Tipitipin was and used to be. A lethal warrior to the high chiefs.

Without missing a beat, Tipitipin continued with his revelation. "Your father had made a deal with the rivaling tribe that he would give them his village for five blocks of gold and several silver coins."

Chief Rengaw sagged under Tipitipin's gaze, he tried to hold his hands to his ears but found he was unable to move.

"He sacrificed the entire village, the people that raised him and his family, the people that entrusted their lives in his hands. He had them all killed. He thought that since you and your sister had already escaped he had nothing to worry about except his newfound fortune." Tipitipin takes another step closer to Chief Rengaw.

"But....he had made one fatal mistake Rengaw." He paused again as his eyes traveled over the heads of the entire village as he took his last step towards the chief.

"He forgot that I was still alive." And with that a swift movement from Tipitipin, he drove his staff into the chief's torso, blood gushed forth, the chief's eyes bulged in surprise. He tried to speak but all that came out was bubbling blood.

As Tipitipin pulled his staff out of the dying chief he looked at the villagers, challenging everyone with his eyes.

The chief fell to the ground with a heavy "thud!" A woman's cry came from the crowd as they dispersed briefly to allow a young woman forward. She knelt by the body and cried quietly.

"Now," Old Man Tipitipin said. "Let's clean this up and gather all the men at the chief's hut at sun rise. I will be back before then and when I do I want everyone prepared."

"Prepared for what?!" A brave young boy asked, his mother clasping a hand over his mouth.

Tipitipin took a deep breath as he again scanned the crowd before him, a strange look of what seemed like sadness crossed over his once handsome face. The light breeze toussled his graying locks.

"Be prepared to go to war." He said as he turned away and disappeared into the darkness. (to be continued)