Death in the Time of Ice (19 page)

It was not a good thing that Zhoo must see her own son this way, but she, and she alone, could help him.

Bahg hurried to his own wipiti to find his unconscious mate and injured son. His grief billowed from the wipiti.

Jeek came running with his arms full of the materials Zhoo would need, her dried grasses, bear fat, and honeycomb. His eyes were streaming with tears for his birth brother. He plowed his way through the gathering, the Hamapa parting for him when they realized he was on his way.

The New One stood to the rear of the crowd around the door of the Healer’s wipiti. He looked over and caught Enga staring at his eyes. They looked colorless in the darkness. He made no movement toward her. He appeared to have recovered from her blow. Her arms were still sore from his vicious grip. Then her attention was drawn back to Teek.

Low moans of pain came from the Healer’s wipiti. They vied with the hungry cries of Fee’s baby, coming from her wipiti a few doors away. The Healer had elected not to move Fee after the attack, which meant she had to be checked on often. Enga knew Bahg was cradling the infant, but the baby was hungry.

The ones standing and squatting nearest the opening of the Healer’s wipiti conveyed to the others what they were seeing. Zhoo, after pouring clear water over the tracks the bear claws had made down Teek’s back, had taken the long grasses from Jeek and was trimming some of them on her indoor tree stump. She stopped occasionally to put down her flint knife and run a hand through her short-cropped hair. Her hands were steady in spite of the storm Enga saw raging inside her. The Hamapa sent her admiration and encouragement.

She is Zhoo of Still Waters
, thought-spoke Enga Dancing Flower.
She is the most skilled Healer we have ever had. She will save her son.
Her entreaties to the Spirit of Healing joined those of the whole tribe. She lifted her face up to transmit her prayer.

Zhoo left most of the grasses uncut, gathered them up, and bent over her son. She laid the rustling grasses in Teek’s long wounds, smearing a thin layer of bear fat over them. Bear fat, like food, was running low. Through Tog, Enga saw Jeek hand the gourd that held honeycombs to his birth mother, then watched her top the grass and fat mixture with the squeezed honey. The Hamapa had not yet had to use the bear fat and honeycomb for food. But one day soon they might.

There was a commotion behind Enga. The New One was making his way through the watchers and, since he couldn’t tell them he was coming, had to touch their shoulders with his thin, pale hand to move them aside. She turned and saw the expressions of those he was trying to move. They did not welcome his intrusion. But Enga saw what he carried.

He has soft skins to bind the wounds,
Enga thought-spoke.
Let him through. Let the Skin Worker through.

Enga had some private thoughts, too.
Maybe he really meant me no harm. There is no way to tell him that the cave is holy. Many caves are not. And there is no way to tell him I intend to become the mate of Tog Flint Shaper. I must ask the tribe how we can talk with him. Maybe they will have some ideas. And I will ponder this also.

Chapter 14

Jeek’s mother, Zhoo of Still Waters, told him to go to the nightly gathering. Teek Pathfinder, his brother, was finally asleep, though his face sometimes twisted in pain through his slumber.

I must stay here with my poor wounded son, as well as look in on Fee Long Thrower, who still sleeps, and her baby later.
She gave Jeek a soft pat on the head.

You will not need my help?

There is no reason for you to be here while he is not awake. Go and see what is discussed at the council. See if there are any more ideas about how to feed the tribe. I am so weary I would rather not listen to the tribe tonight.

Jeek joined the gathering at the Paved Place. He pulled his moose skin cloak tight and scooted close to the fire. Mother Sky breathed down hard on them, whipping up the flames and sending them dancing in wild swings and swoops. He was worried about his birth mother. She was so tired. And worried, even though she didn’t show that to most.

Lakala Rippling Water began with a Song of Asking to the Spirit of Healing. She tilted her face upwards, her blond hair bound in a knot at the nape of her neck. Sannum Straight Hair beat the log drum to her rhythms and Hama occasionally shook her gourd. She did not have the sense of timing her birth sister, the Aja Hama, had possessed.

The Storyteller took a deep breath, then started a Saga. He aimed his thought, and his one good eye, in the direction Sister Sun came from when she awoke, the direction the traders had gone without success. Then he turned toward the place where Sister Sun had just bedded down. The firelight shimmered across his shiny dome as his head swiveled.

This is where we must go next. It is the land of the Little People. The Mikino.

Jeek perceived a shiver coursing through the tribe.

Mikino
, thought-whispered a few of the Hamapa.

Jeek pulled a strand of hair out of its binding and chewed it rapidly.

Yes
, continued Panan One Eye, glaring at those who uttered the word. The firelight caught the whiteness of his blind eye and it gleamed.
Yes, they are a vicious people. But we have tried others. Now we must try them.

He sent them a vision of the Mikino, since the youngest had never seen them. They were short beings with small heads. They wore untreated animal skins for warmth. Their village consisted of crude shacks, built of sticks and grasses. But, a short distance from them, were the caves. The Storyteller let them hear a mighty roar, then took them to the caves. These were barricaded with thick logs and were far sturdier than their dwellings. They had to be, for they held jaguars. The ferocious cats were larger than the tigers Jeek had seen in the forests around his village.

It was hard to tell, through the chinks in the logs, how many were in the enclosure, but there were at least four or five. A gap in the ceiling of the cave let in a little light. Their yellow eyes glowed in the glow of Brother Moon, for the Storyteller had taken them there at dark time, and the Mikino had no fire. They ate their food uncooked. And they sometimes fed their enemies to the cats.

In the distant past
, thought-spoke the Storyteller,
the Hamapa traded with the Mikino. Some of them will remember us. There’s a chance we can get food for the dark time from them, perhaps one of their cats. They need good knives and we have them. The Mikino do not make knives since they hunt with large stones and wooden clubs. They have always been eager to trade for our knives.

Jeek shuddered along with his tribe brothers and sisters. This seemed a very risky undertaking. And the Hamapa were growing weaker by the day.

Hama took over. She stood up, using her height to make herself more important.
It is settled then. We will send a trading party to the Mikino. But if they will not trade, we will get revenge for the death of our leader.

Ongu Small One, the mate of Sannum Straight Hair, broke in.
How far away are they? Do our traders have the strength to reach them? They have just returned. How could they fight them if they need to?

This made Jeek sit straight up. What was happening? Hama had just decided, but there had been no discussion, no tribe consensus. Then, Hama had not made a Pronouncement aloud. And finally, Ongu had just openly challenged Hama’s decision. Jeek had never seen such things happen. A ripple of surprise went through the startled minds of the tribe.

No!
burst from Panan like thunder.
We will not fight the Mikino! If we make the trip, we will trade.

I agree,
added Cabat the Thick.
But I do not think we can accomplish a trading mission now. The males are worn out.

Jeek stared at the Elders. Hama did not answer them. She ground her teeth, then continued as if she had made no decision.
There is one matter we must attend to now
, she commanded. She turned her frosty eyes to Doon and bade him rise.

Doon looked around from where he sat and radiated confusion. Jeek caught his thoughts.
What did I do? What’s the matter? I didn’t do anything.

It is about the beaver that we hunted
, continued Hama.
The beaver that killed Kung. We must learn a bit more about it. Come, Doon. Show us exactly where you saw the beaver that attacked Fee Long Thrower. Maybe it is the same animal.

Doon cast his thoughts about. They were not coherent, but confused bits of worry and apprehension. Jeek did not blame him for being perplexed at this moment. So much unusual was happening this night. Then, after a short hesitation, Doon stood up and shut down his tangled thinking.

Yes, I will show you at first sun. There are tracks, but we cannot see them clearly now. They go into the woods.

Hama made one more surprise announcement. She thought-spoke that Doon would have his Passage Ceremony the next night at the council.

The last startling declaration was again from Panan.
The murder of Aja Hama will be discussed at the next council also.
He looked at Cabat for support. He gave it with a grudging nod. Then Hama whirled and strode to her wipiti without formally ending the meeting.

Jeek followed Doon as the Hamapa left, hoping to hear some of his poorly guarded thinking. He was rewarded. Jeek could not decipher the strains of thought, but did receive the emotions of triumph and gloating. Doon started toward the wipiti of the single males, where he lived, but veered off into the woods before entering it.

Jeek stopped following. There was no way he would go into the woods at the time of full darkness. What in the name of Dakadaga was Doon doing?

* * *

At first sun, Jeek, curious as to what Doon had been doing in the dark, made his way to the edge of the village after he had eaten his meager morning meal. He saw Sannum Straight Hair and Panan One Eye returning from the stream where the tribe set their fish traps. Sannum carried three small fish, the kind that would be bony.

Vala Golden Hair came out of the woods from the main path, carrying an armful of tender young ferns. She smiled at Jeek.

The traders saw these
, she thought-spoke,
and told me where to get them. At least it is something to eat, other than jerky and gruel.

He turned his head away before making a face. He did not like fern shoots. But he would probably have to eat them. After Vala reached the Paved Place, Jeek continued his quest.

Before Jeek could find the place where Doon had entered the woods, however, Hama summoned the tribe to the Paved Place.

It made Jeek feel good inside that all the males were back with the tribe. The tribal family felt complete. He squatted with the others to receive Hama’s thoughts.

She stood and raised her arms for attention. Then she pointed at Doon and he rose to stand beside her, facing the group. Doon looked around with a flicker of fright in his dull eyes, then squared his shoulders and thought-spoke.

A very large beaver attacked Fee Long Thrower and her baby. He made tracks into the woods. I will show you these tracks.

Doon turned and marched toward the woods. Jeek looked around at his fellow Hamapa and they all looked as puzzled as he did.

A few thoughts floated around:
Why did we not see these tracks? How did we not notice a beaver here, in our village?
Jeek could tell others were giving mental nods, agreeing with the asking of these questions. But they all rose and trailed after Doon, who now walked side by side with Hama. He was undersized for his age of fifteen summers and looked especially short next to her.

The two stopped at the edge of the Paved Place and Doon pointed down. Jeek struggled to edge forward through the knot of onlookers and see the tracks. They did look like beaver tracks. He could make out claws and even a suggestion of webbing. That seemed to settle it for the tribe. Bahg Swiftfeet and Tog Flint Shaper walked into the woods, following the trail of the tracks, but returned after a short time.

Jeek saw Tog give Enga Dancing Flower a private look. He longed to know what they were discussing. For himself, he wanted to see where the tracks ended. He wasn’t sure Hama would approve of him doubting the word of Doon, since she was eager to accept it. So he would wait until later, then see how far the tracks went and where they led.

He was interrupted when Hama gathered them again after a very short time.

This is a happy occasion
, she informed them.
It is time for the Passage Ceremony for Doon. He has seen fifteen summers and can now be called an adult.

A ripple went through the Hamapa. Doon was born just about the same time as Kung. Kung, who should be having his Passage Ceremony also. This would make it a happy and sad time.

She had more to announce.
A name has been given to me for him by Dakadaga and I will bestow it at our council when first dark appears. There may be an unexpected event or two also.
Her smile let them know it would be another happy event. Maybe two happy occasions would blunt the loss of Kung.

Chapter 15

Neanderthals, an archaic human species that dominated Europe until the arrival of modern humans some 45,000 years ago, possessed a critical gene known to underlie speech, according to DNA evidence retrieved from two individuals excavated from El Sidron, a cave in northern Spain.

—
The New York Times
, Neanderthals Had Important Speech Gene, DNA Evidence Shows, by Nicholas Wade, October 19, 2007