Rahan. Episode Twelve. by Roger Lecureux. A Puke (TM) Comic.

Rahan.

Episode Twelve.

The little Man.

The discovery of a raft stranded on the sand of a creek stupefied Rahan less than the strange traces which started from that raft.

They are neither those of a man, nor those of a beast!
Rahan has never seen such tracks!

Knife in hand, and on the lookout, the son of Crao followed the mysterious trail.
And suddenly.
“Baghae”!

Page Two:

Replacing the first, other traces appeared, and he recognized these ones.
"Baghae", the panther pounced on its prey here!

As the roar of the wild beast rose not far away, the son of Crao dashed into the thicket.
Rahan wants to know!

He wants to know what strange game "Baghae" has killed today.
Oh!

The panther, squatting twenty paces from him, still had his prey in his mouth.
A little man!

“Baghae” wanted to let his little ones have the pleasure of shredding his prey!

The young child was indeed alive.
The beast abandoned him to face the man.

Page Three:

Fight "Baghae"!
It will be less easy for you to defeat Rahan than a little man!
Ra-ha-ha!

Rahan and the panther disappeared for a moment in the tall grass, then reappeared further on, wildly intertwined.

The child was screaming with fear, frightened by this tumult.
He could not understand that he was the stake in this fierce combat.

And the three little ones of the “Baghae”, crouching under a bush, meowing softly.
They did not know either!

A terrible claw had just torn the ivory knife from Rahan's fingers.
He dove for his weapon as the panther leapt.

Page Four:

The son of fierce ages dodged and brutally wrestled the beast to the ground.
Thus mastered, "Baghae" was at the mercy of the man.

Here is what it costs to cowardly attack the little men!
The ivory blade was about to strike a mortal blow.

When the mewing of young felines became mournful.
You beg Rahan! You are afraid that he will kill!

Rahan hesitated with his knife brandished.
The little man has a mother, which he needs!
“Baghae” is also a mother, thought Rahan.

He suddenly sat up, freeing the beast.
Go “Baghae”, go!
Rahan spares you!
Rahan does you grace!

Page Five:

The panther and her cubs disappeared into the forest.
The little man wanted to stand up.

And landed heavily on his behind.
The son of Crao chuckled.
Rahan understands why your tracks surprised him.

You still only know how to walk on “all fours”!
"Those-who-walk-upright" always start their life like this.

But where do you come from, little man?
How did you come here?
Amused and concerned, Rahan returned to the great river.

No doubt you crawled on this raft to play.
It got loose and the current carried you away!
The little man, far too young to talk, emitted only little sounds.
Sometimes plaintiff, sometimes joyful.

Page Six:

Rahan will return you to yours.
The Son of Fierce Ages believed that the child's clan could only live upstream of the great river.

That is why shortly after, he tried to go up this one.
But the current was very strong.

And this fight against the river will soon prove impossible.
Since the path of water is impossible for us, we will travel on land!

The bank was steep but this was no obstacle for the son of Crao, whose clan had once lived in the Blue Mountains.

And the little man was but a light burden on his sturdy shoulders,
Night will fall soon.
I hope you're not afraid of the night like Rahan used to be!

Page Seven:

Rahan remembered that time when he feared the darkness, and how he had conquered this anguish.

A large slab of bark reminds him of a distant childhood memory.
The “Little Men” are fragile.

But the cold of the night won't bite you!
His knife cut the bark.
His skillful fingers tied vines.
Shortly after, he had a curious cradle-hammock.

Which was swinging under a tree.
Dry and tender leaves garnished it.
And he watched the little man fall asleep quickly.

And the son of Crao dozed off in his turn, on the earth, his ivory knife close at hand.

Page Eight:

He dreamt that he was suddenly attacked by a beast, without having had time to get the child off his shoulders.

And also the dawn found him anxious.
Rahan must be able to fight with the "Little Man" on his shoulders!

Rahan's knife should have a long reach.
A very long reach, like the spears of certain hunters!

One idea, in the son of fierce ages, always leads to another.
A moment later he had cut a bamboo.

As the child picked up the knife he exclaimed.
Stop!
Do not touch! These things are not for "Little Men"!

Page Nine:

With binding at the end of the bamboo, the ivory knife becomes a solid spear.

Which allows him shortly after, to nail to the ground a snake that stood in his way.

Astride his shoulders, the "Little Man" sometimes showed his joy by tugging his long hair.
And Rahan felt happy.
Happy.

For a long time he followed the great river which meandered at the bottom of the gorge.
And suddenly his heart sank.

Ahead of him opened a wide crevasse, at the bottom of which rumbled a torrent, increasing into a mighty river.
Will Rahan have to retrace his steps?
Did he walk a whole day unnecessarily!?

Page Ten:

The wall was too steep to descend towards the river.
And no tree allowed him to throw a "bridge" across this chasm, as he had once done.

Only Rahan could have crossed the abyss, he knew he was capable of such a leap!
But there was the "Little Man"!
He is not strong enough to hold on to Rahan.

And Rahan can't hold it because he needs both hands!
Oh! Rahan knows what to do!

A moment later, ignoring the cries of the "Little Man", Rahan bound his legs and arms with a vine.

Then he threw his "spear" onto the other side of the crevasse, as much not to hinder his jump as to prevent himself from hesitating.
This knife is too valuable for Rahan.
Now even if he is scared, Rahan will have to jump!
Clack!

Page Eleven:

Seizing the vine with the moaning child, he placed it on his back, like a hunter with his quiver.
Then he took off.
Trust me, “Little man”!

He ran towards the gaping chasm with his precious burden.
Twenty steps separated him from the void.
Fifteen.
Ten.
Five.

All his muscles relaxed and he seemed to fly away.
His fingers opened to grip the ledge he knew he might reach, perhaps only just!

A cry of fright interrupted the cry of victory.
In the shock the vine holding the child had broken.

And only a prodigious reflex from Rahan allows him to catch in flight the "Little Man".

Page Twelve:

Holding the child with one hand, the son of Crao clung to the cliff with the other.
He no longer had that hand to pull himself up, he and the "Little Man"!

It was a slow and painful recovery.
His elbow finally rested on the rock.
His chest followed.

They were saved.
Rahan has never been so scared in his life!
He is proud to have brought you to this side of the abyss "Little man"!

On this side of the crevasse a gentle slope descended towards the river.
The son of fierce ages retrieved his spear with joy.

It is with the same joy that he projected it, shortly after, towards these curious wooden fruits whose flavor he had once savored.

Page Thirteen:

He broke one on a stone.

Drink "Little man' Drink!
“Those-who-run-in-the-trees, the monkeys, love this milk.

And we are not much different from them.
Rahan remembered the gestures he had seen made to the women of his horde when he himself was only a "Little man".

The child babbled and struck his head with his little hand, as he descended towards the scintillating river.

I think this time we found your clan!
Look over there.

In the distance in a loop of the great river, stood huts.
The rafts lined up on the bank announced it as a village of fishers.

Page Fourteen:

The son of Crao, who had entered under the foliage, heard calls rising in a language he did not know and he saw men appear.

Nak, Quadak. Nayka! Nawaki Naariik!
Nako Wouandak las da!
Here is the one who kidnapped Kadik!
Capture him brothers!
Capture him! He must be punished!

Rahan did not understand these words, but he saw the clan rush.
The father of the "Little man" is perhaps among them, he thought.

And Rahan cannot fight with this clan.
The son of Crao dropped his spear at his feet to prove his good intentions.

But the men approached him and brutally seized the child.
A moment later they dragged him towards the village.

Page Fifteen:

A little after.
Chakahik.
Yawaoillaki Ouadak Kazouk!
Here is what I do with your child-stealing weapon!
Crack!

Makaya nakaihi Jik! Mogo nako zaraylac warten!
Your fate is in the hands of the parents of Kadik that you have made cry so much!
They will decide how you die!

A woman tenderly hugged the "Little Man" against her.
Her companion growled.
Nak Nayka Ouadak Kazouk!
Naikala Jiako!
The child thief must be delivered to the beasts of the forest!

Rahan was indignant when he was tied up in a clearing.
But these men did not understand his explanations any more than he understood their accusations!

And the son of Crao found himself alone, meditating on the ingratitude of “Those-who-walk-upright".

Page Sixteen:

His heart suddenly stopped beating when he heard, very close, the growl of the panther.
“Baghae”!

“Baghae” and her little ones did indeed appear.
The son of fierce ages, crucified on the ground, was at the mercy of the beasts.

They approached, their eyes sparkling.
A growl came from the panther’s chest.
Rahan belongs to you, “Baghae”!
Rahan is yours!

Kill "Baghae" kill!
What are you waiting for? Kill!?
The beast was slowly circling the man.

It sniffed for a long time the bound limbs, the torso, the face.
Do not torment me for this long, “Baghae”!
Kill! Kill!

Page Seventeen:

But the panther slowly turned around and, with a slight growl, invited her young to follow her.

A moment later the beasts had disappeared into the forest.
Rahan had spared the “Baghae”.
And the “Baghae” in turn shows mercy by sparing him!

Would the beasts be more loyal, more grateful than "those-who-walked-upright"?!

Incomprehensible cries arose from the village of fishers.
One word kept coming up.
"Kadik"! ”Kadik”! “Kadik”!

A bush spread aside in front of the "Little Man".
Who wobbled on his legs.
And the child clutched Rahan's knife!
Oh!

Page Eighteen:

Stumbling, falling on his behind, and getting up, he approached.
Come, child, come!
Deliver your friend!

The child sat near Rahan, and played with the knife.
Cut those vines, little one! Cut!

The "Little Man" did not understand.
Babbling, he hit Rahan with the handle of the knife.
He saw Rahan use the knife.

He imitates Rahan!
He has returned with the knife, and plays with striking it too!

The infant had just reversed the weapon.
He observed with amusement his yellowish reflection in the ivory blade.
No! Little one! No!

Page Nineteen:

In the surrounding thicket the fishermen had spread out and were calling.
Kadik? Kadik!

Alioaka Nayda Jiako Nogo Jiako?
Wartenne Kazouka! Nahyaka!!
Perhaps the enemy has freed himself, woman?
Maybe he took away our Kadik again!
We should have killed him!!

Kan chakalac glahak! Kan! Kan!
No Glahak!
Look at that! Look!
The man and the woman, Kadik's parents, had stopped.

What they saw in the clearing made their hearts beat strangely.
Ouakas Nai Joka naka glahak maioc ka!
He behaves as with you, Glahak! As with you!

Over there, the enemy was still crucified, his knife resting on his chest.
And Kadik, his cheek stuck to that of the enemy, babbled as he had never done!

Page Twenty:

The little fingers of the child lingered on the eyes, caressed the nose, and the lips of Rahan.
Nogo kan kazoudi! Ganach dac! Kadik yaka!
This man is not an enemy Ghalak!
Kadik tells us!
Kadik proves it to us!

Under the reassuring caresses of the "Little Man", Rahan closed his eyes.
But he heard the horde approaching.

He also heard, without understanding them, the orders of the chief.
Nak kado lahisac! Noka o radai!
The River Clan was wrong!
Release this man!

Kadik's father gently pushed aside his son who was clinging to the captive's neck.
Then he seized the knife.

The two men exchanged a long look and the son of Crao understood that "Those-who-walk-standing" could also have gratitude.
Happily, he waited for the ivory blade to cut his bonds.