The Queen With The Frozen Heart - At The Mouth Of The Cave

The mouth of the cave was darker than the moonless night.

Killa and Iluku rested under the canopy of a huge tree.

Afraid to continue, afraid not to keep on.

- We must enter, Iluku finally stood up shaking from the effort, it will be morning soon and they will close the cave.

- You think they will just let you, Killa sneered, they eat humans. You know that. And we are disguised as humans, both of us, just like you wanted.

Oh, hush, scary baby, Iluku hissed, just do exactly what I tell you. Do you really think we look like a delicious morsel to them? As old as we are now?

Killa looked at himself, and old man, too old to count the years, the meat shriveled at his bones, the skin lost all its luster and hair thinning in his head.

And Iluku wasn’t better at all, she looked like a tough old woman, many years pass her prime.

- I would prefer to eat old shoes than us, Killa finally answered, but you never can tell with the jaguar men. They are totally insane.

- Just do what I tell you, Iluku sighed, and don’t do any sudden movements. Or they might bounce on you on reflex. They are partly cats after all.

- How comforting, the moon muttered, at least we don’t look like mice.

Snickering to himself he stood up, also shaking from the effort it took from him.

- I’m too old to be cavorting around in the jungle during the night, he groused, I really have better things to do than follow you around in your mad errands.

- Hush, old man, Iluku answered; do you think I don’t have better things than run around with an old man?

They both stood still when they heard a burst of racoucious laughter from the mouth of the cave.

- Are you going to let your woman talk to you like that old man, a voice taunted them, or do you not have any manhood left? I would have beaten her years ago?

Iluku stood still with her head bowed down.

Killa raised his stick and let it fall couple of times to her back.

She stood still, shaking, and took the beating.

- Maybe that’ll teach you, Killa panted.

- I don’t think that fondling taught her anything but to continue with her sassiness, the voice protested, give me the stick and I’ll teach her!

A hideous form stepped out of the shadow.

A man’s body, mangled with jaguar’s feet and head.

It’s teeth glinted in the starlight as it stared Iluku and licked its lips.

- Her old bones are so brittle that they will just break, Killa moaned, and who will cook for me then? Am I supposed to warm my bed by myself and take care of myself, all alone? She might not be much to look at, or have a mouth no woman should have. But she is all I have and I’m too old to find another woman for myself.

- Well, that is the truth if I ever have heard one, another voice answered from the shadow.

A new jaguar man walked out of the cave and stood there, looking at both Killa and Iluku.

- You are both old and miserable, he groaned, and stink death to the very bottom of our cave. What do you want here? Don’t you know what we do to your kind?

Killa looked around helplessly.

- Excuse me, Iluku whined, her eyes gazing the ground.

Both of the jaguar men raised their heads and stared at her unblinkingly, their ears pointing out.

- I know that I’m but an old woman, she shrank in her clothing, and disrespectful to boot. But I’ve been married to that old fool for more years I can count and he has started to forget too many things with his old age. I’m afraid he doesn’t even remember why we came here!

Killa grinned and made an angry face as he turned towards the guards of the cave.

- Of course I remember woman, he roared, but since you like so much to talk and I’m a bit tired after our walk. I’ll let you explain it.

The jaguar men roared in laughter and Killa relaxed a bit.

- We happened to hear, Iluku’s voice squealed and whined, just around there, you know. Well, we heard that you might be having a feast and that you might need someone who would be able to cook it. And who would just have the right ingredients for it. And well, if I’ve something done in my life, it’s cooking. And I always carry the ingredients with me. So, if you want your feast to be delicious and your chicha to be plenty. I am the one to do it for you!

- Yes, Killa boasted, that is exactly why we came here. My wife is a renowned chef and she will cook you a food that you will never forget. That I can promise you!

The two guards stared at each other and then they shrugged their shoulders.

- We will take you to the Kasike, they grabbed Iluku and Killa with them, the head of the jaguar men, our king. He will decide if you will cook the feast or be part of it!

To be continued...

This is the twenty third part of the story.

To read the first part of the story, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 1  

To read the second part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 2 

To read the third part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 3. 


To read the fourth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 4. 


To read the fifth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 5.


To read the fourteenth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 14

To read the sixth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 6

To read the seventh part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 7

 To read the eight part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 8

To read the ninth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 9

To read the tenth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 10

To read the eleventh part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 11

To read the twelth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 12

To read the thirteenth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 13

To read the fifteenth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 15

To read the sixteenth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 16

To read the seventeenth part, go to the The Queen With The Frozen Heart 17

To read the eighteenth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 18

To read the nineteenth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 19

To read the twentieth part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart 20

To read the twenty first part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart - The Night Of The Black Moon

To read the twenty second part, go to The Queen With The Frozen Heart - To The Enchanted Night