Survival of the Fittest

by Jacqui Murray

  The Lead Warrior grunted. “He did help,” and tossed him a rib. The wolf ripped it out of the air and settled by Nightshade, chewing, just another part of the group gathered to eat and share stories.

  Food completed, Xhosa and Hawk started the stories by telling of crossing the log, saving the life of mother Cat, solving the riddle of attaching a stone to a spear, and finding the healing plant for Shadow. Nightshade eyed Hawk, hiding his admiration, but to Xhosa it was clear.

  Seeker and Zvi offered to demonstrate how to use the firestones the next day.

  Xhosa searched the crowd and found who she needed. “Siri, tell us about the skins.”

  Silence settled over the group, all eyes on Hawk. Few females spoke at these meals but if Xhosa hoped to meld with the Hawk People, that must change. Females would be judged on their merits, not childbearing abilities.

  Siri opened her mouth but nothing came out. Her face reddened and she began to shake.

  Hawk waved toward her. “Stand so all can hear.” His voice was firm but friendly.

  Siri stood, hands clutched in front of her, wobbling from one foot to the other. “The Hawk females showed us how to slit the carcass down the belly and up each leg to peel the skin from the flesh beneath. We scraped and pounded the hides to remove the remaining meat and tissue and rubbed dirt and salt into the underside to preserve them. It will take several nights but they say the skins will last a long time.”

  One female beamed encouragingly.

  “The Hawk females—they are helpful and patient.”

  “Remember the urine.” Zvi spoke calmly though rubbing her injured foot.

  “Urine?” Hawk asked. “Why?”

  In answer, Zvi took the pelt from Seeker’s waist, the one that hid his dangling parts, and handed it to Hawk. “Compare this scent to the one you wear. Urine keeps the hide from rotting and washes out after several days.”

  Hawk inhaled and tossed the loin-skin to his Lead Warrior who passed it to his pairmate who after a thoughtful moment, nodded.

  “Good,” was all he responded.

  Nightshade seethed. Did Xhosa not see how much Hawk wanted her? Of course he would be drawn to her energy and the towering height that made her so commanding but possessing Xhosa meant controlling the People, her father’s People. Knowing that, Nightshade didn’t understand why she responded to Hawk as she did.

  Anger closed in like a storm, seething deep inside him, burning and growing. His face hardened.

  Spirit growled.

  Chapter 45

  Xhosa found the Hawk People like hers in many ways. They respected elders. Members specialized in tasks suited to their abilities. All valued females for providing and nurturing children. Everyone ate what they wanted while scavenging and hunting, sharing what remained at the meal.

  No one owned anyone.

  The nightly gatherings by the warm fire were always friendly. The groups blended well, traded knowledge, and helped each other.

  “It is time.”

  Shadow would probably take her daily herbs without Pan-do’s reminder but he enjoyed the visits. Since everyone had become accustomed to avoiding her for fear of catching the bloody cough, he brought food, sharpened cutters, and did what she couldn’t.

  Shadow showed her teeth, lips curling, something that happened often now that the cough no longer bled. Her beauty awed Pan-do as it did several of Hawk’s warriors. They talked about visiting her when their Leader declared her cured.

  “You are kind to me—and everyone. Why do you not find a pairmate?”

  Pan-do considered the possible answers. He still missed his pairmate and wondered if Lyta would accept a new mother but the real reason, he was not yet ready to talk about to Shadow.

  “I have,” and then changed the subject. “Your child does well?”

  After a quizzical moment, she smiled. “We visit often though at a distance. I appreciate you spending time with him. Xhosa says I am soon cured.” Sadness tinged with happy flitted across her face.

  While Shadow chewed, Pan-do watched as Lyta talked with Spirit, her movements unusually calm and clear. The wolf quietly listened, head cocked as his tail wagged. Only one person remained unhappy with the new arrangements and that had nothing to do with the abundance of hunting, the lack of enemies, or the selection of mates.

  Xhosa still confused Pan-do. From Shadow, he heard the story of how she tried to save her father and then her victorious leadership challenge against Nightshade. The People respected her. All assumed Nightshade would become her pairmate, as did Pan-do until Hawk arrived. Soon, Xhosa must choose between Nightshade and Hawk, free her Lead Warrior to move on.

  Pan-do motioned, “Nightshade mates with a female from Hawk’s People.”

  Shadow snorted. “Because no one here will risk his temper. Look at Clear River. Every day, her body bears a new injury. Today, it’s her eye.”

  Pan-do attributed Nightshade’s abuse of Clear River to resentment toward Hawk. Clear River had been the favorite of Hawk until Xhosa. Hawk must be angry at the maltreatment of a female he once cherished but didn’t interfere. A female chose her mates and as Leader, he would only get involved if the female was too damaged to work. That had not happened.

  Yet.

  Pan-do thought back to the furtive conversation between Nightshade and some unknown person. Whatever they discussed wasn’t likely to happen with Hawk supporting Xhosa, but Pan-do trusted the Lead Warrior less the longer he knew him. In rare unguarded moments, when Nightshade thought he was unobserved, his antipathy for Hawk was more deadly than the best-thrown stone. He hated the male who stole Xhosa from him.

  But what bothered Pan-do most was Nightshade’s uncharacteristic patience. He was waiting for the right moment.

  Chapter 46

  “Not yet. My first responsibility is a new home for my People.”

  They crouched on an outcropping at the crest of a hill that overlooked Hawk’s encampment. The People’s caves barely showed in the distance.

  Hawk motioned, “Everyone is happy.”

  “Almost.”

  One of Hawk’s hunters beckoned him.

  This abundance did feel like home. Her People slept in Hawk’s cave, enjoying the warmth of many bodies and well-tended fires. They had learned the best places to forage, the location of waterholes, and where Cat and her cousins denned. There was much to like and few problems.

  She gazed to the horizon, subconsciously looking for dust trails or out-of-sync movement. The vastness humbled her, its silence arousing fear and peace in equal amounts. Hawk wanted her as his pairmate, to make both groups stronger, but Nightshade wanted to move on. The longer Xhosa remained silent, the further away he moved from her. He used to appear at her side before she knew she needed him and they would talk about the People’s problems. As it should be with Leaders, now that strategizing occurred with Hawk. Her Lead Warrior reacted by shutting her out, so much so Xhosa worried he would leave as Rainbow did, taking most of her warriors. Hawk would control the loyalty of the remaining warriors and the group. She would lose her father’s People which would break the promise made to him.

  Hawk treated Nightshade as Water Buffalo’s equal which antagonized his Lead Warrior and did nothing to placate Nightshade. If the choice became keeping Nightshade with the People or pairmating with Hawk, well, there was only one answer.

  Hawk trotted up, grinning. “Your Ant—with Dust—brought down a buffalo. It seems his leg is finally healed.”

  “He has become what I saw in him.”

  Hawk guffawed. “We eat well this night.”

  “Zvi tells me cold comes soon.”

  “How does she know?”

  “From Seeker.”

  They took their places in Hawk’s cave, with Pan-do to the one side, Dust and Ant to the other. The young males had never before been invited to eat with the Leaders. Their chests puffed and they nudged each other like children.

  As everyone finished eating, preparing for the story of the hunt, See
ker broke in. “Coastline tidal ponds, so much food!”

  Zvi translated, “Seeker’s homeland included extensive seacoasts and shorelines filled with plants and small animal communities—very different from here—”

  “Tsunamis!”

  Zvi motioned, “Tsunamis are uncontrolled storms that flood the land further inland than you can throw a spear. I have no idea why he has brought this up.” Zvi scratched his head, looked to Spirit for help but got none.

  Seeker added, “A raft sailed out and never reappeared.”

  Which confused everyone. Xhosa focused on what Seeker called a ‘raft’ that did something called ‘sail’.

  “What is this ‘raft’?”

  Zvi explained, “It is logs tied together with vine… Zvi has always promised to show me how to make one but the time never seemed right…”

  Xhosa motioned, “Why would anyone make one?”

  Zvi opened his mouth, closed it, and stuttered for an explanation. Seeker leaped up and danced in an energetic circle. Zvi motioned, “Yes, of course. To cross… say, Endless Pond…”

  “To escape!” Seeker threw himself in the air, leaping higher than he should be able to.

  Xhosa caught Nightshade’s eye. “We could avoid the cannibals by floating across Endless Pond?” She could hardly believe this was possible.

  “Yes! No!” Seeker and Zvi answered together and explained, finishing each other’s ideas as though they had one thought. Spirit yipped at all the right times. Lyta sang and pounded her hands together.

  Zvi motioned between Seeker and herself and Spirit. “We must leave. You should come with us.”

  Everyone fell silent until Xhosa motioned, “To search for his stars? We—”

  “No, Leader,” Zvi interrupted. “To save your lives. You—and we—are in peril.”

  Seeker added with unexpected clarity, “We can build rafts for everyone, to escape this place before we die.”

  Xhosa shivered. Lyta paled, her light complexion even more ashen. Heads spun as they tried to see who wanted to leave.

  Zvi continued, “They have too many warriors to stop. We must leave—very soon—or all die.”

  Seeker motioned, “And I can’t die without finding the stars.”

  He and Zvi spoke evenly as they might discuss curing hides with urine.

  Xhosa motioned, “That can’t be true, Zvi—”

  Lyta interrupted, “It’s not your enemy, Xhosa. It’s Hawk’s, from long ago. I am going with my future pairmate.”

  “My People go with my daughter.”

  Xhosa grabbed Zvi, “What does Seeker mean by ‘coastline tidal pools’?”

  “It’s where we can eat once the rafts land.”

  Xhosa awoke the next morning shaking. Another dream of Lucy that pointed this time to Seeker and Zvi. She scanned the clearing in front of the caves but didn’t see them.

  Shadow called out, “They’re by Endless Pond.”

  The female was with her son, healed enough to be out among the People.

  Hawk caught up as she approached Endless Pond. “I sent scouts to see if Seeker is right, that we are to be attacked. While they are gone, you and I can test these floating logs and then hunt.”

  Endless Pond bustled with activity. A vast expanse of logs packed the shoreline, many on top of each other. Some of the People were aligning a group while others tied them together with tendons and vines. No one spoke or rested. Xhosa ticked off most of Pan-do’s People and a considerable number of hers and Hawk’s.

  “I am surprised so many listen to the words of Seeker.”

  Hawk motioned, “My People have grown to trust Lyta who trusts the strange one, Seeker.”

  “Where did the logs come from?”

  He pointed down the coastline. “Around that bend. They’ve been collecting them for days—“

  Zvi approached and interrupted, “We wanted to know there were enough before suggesting our plan.”

  Xhosa chewed her lip. “These are all for one raft?”

  Zvi shook her head. “Many. Each will carry this many people,” and ticked off all fingers on both hands.

  Xhosa mentally watched her People board the rafts, followed by Pan-do’s and Hawk’s. They all fit.

  She motioned, “Zvi, why is Seeker so sure we will join him?”

  “This danger we face, soon, will roll over us like a tsunami. You have never experienced such a violent storm but I have. Our only chance is to run.”

  Zvi wrung her hands and bounced. “Seeker is more frightened than I have ever seen him, in all our journeys. I’ve learned to trust him. You should, too.”

  “How does he know we face this tsunami danger?” But Xhosa too had known when the Big Heads would attack. Some terror inside of her built day to day until it couldn’t be ignored. Zvi didn’t need to answer for Xhosa to know that also happened to Seeker.

  Zvi’s eyes softened and her body filled with a quiet confidence, somehow knowing Xhosa’s thoughts, and then she turned to Hawk. “Seeker wants me to tell you that he knows you won the last time you fought this enemy but if you fight again, you will lose.”

  Hawk gulped. “But we exterminated every one of their warriors. How did they regain their strength?”

  Zvi motioned, “You allowed the children to live—”

  Hawk’s face paled and sweat prickled his forehead.

  Zvi continued, “And they grew up hearing how you killed their fathers. Now, they burn with vengeance.”

  Xhosa fixed her eyes on Hawk. “We can’t cross Endless Pond. That’s where the Big Heads live.”

  Zvi touched her arm. “We aren’t crossing Endless Pond, Xhosa. We are sailing along the shore until we find a new home. Then, we land.”

  Hawk grunted. “My scouts were forced to stop at the mountains. There is no way over them. If we can sail—is that what you called it?—beyond those, we are safe.”

  Zvi bobbed her head. “And we can stay on the rafts a long time by carrying food and water. We can even fish from them.”

  After a shallow halting breath, Hawk motioned, “How do we guide it—this raft? Leaves float but aimlessly. We must sail beyond the mountains. How do we make that happen when leaves can’t?”

  Zvi dropped a leaf into Endless Pond and swished the water. The leaf bobbed but went nowhere.

  “As you say, Hawk, but watch how I change that,” and Zvi swept her hands through the water on both sides of the leaf. This time, it moved forward. “We make long spears wide enough to move the water on either side. The raft will then glide the direction we point it.”

  Xhosa crossed her arms and shifted from foot to foot. “You’re sure these logs float? Many of the People can’t swim.” Would they trust a few limbs lashed together?

  “These are special trees. We are lucky they grow here.”

  Xhosa shook her head. “I don’t know…”

  Zvi looked away. “My people never left the forests. Seeker is c-confident. H-his People did th-this often,” but her stuttering worried Xhosa more than ever.

  Seeker stepped to Zvi’s side, his young face radiant. “I can do this,” he motioned with such confidence Xhosa squared her own shoulders.

  Hawk motioned, “How many have you made, Seeker, before these?”

  He scratched his head. “Well, none. That was someone else’s job. But I’ve seen many built.”

  Xhosa’s insides dropped.

  “Zvi and Spirit and I go first. If we die, you can stand and fight.”

  When Zvi and Seeker left, Xhosa motioned to Hawk, “If you stay, we stay.”

  Hawk gazed into the distance, across the sandy shoreline to the edging forests and beyond to where the People’s caves lay. “If there’s any way, we will but either decision will require meat,” and they headed back to the camp to gather the hunters.

  Heat washed over everyone as they crossed a shallow valley, up a slight rise to a plateau to where they could see the fullness of the surrounding country, its naked peaks of ridges and hills, and a massive herd
gathered at a waterhole.

  Nightshade motioned to Hawk, “Some hunters will drive those that become separated from their herd toward you and Pan-do or other groups.”

  When Hawk said nothing, Nightshade motioned, “Ask what you will. Leader. I’ve been expecting this.”

  Hawk motioned, “You do not mate with Xhosa?”

  “She mates with no one. It interferes with her leadership.” After a breath, he added without looking at the Leader, “We will pairmate when the time arrives.”

  A warble halted further discussion and the Leaders separated, heading toward their positions.

  From the start, it didn’t work as planned. Someone threw a spear at the lead Wild Beast. It squealed, shook enough to dislodge the lance, and galloped toward Hawk and Pan-do. Pan-do could easily avoid him but not the slower Hawk so Pan-do stood his ground and bellowed in the voice of the she-cat. The Wild Beast skidded to avoid its primary predator as Pan-do flung a stone the size of a coconut at the terrified animal. It hit, perfectly, and the beast collapsed.

  Pan-do shouted to Hawk, “It’s only stunned,” and sped toward the downed Wild Beast, Hawk trying to keep up. The beast rose to its knees, shook its head, and roared toward Hawk. Pan-do leaped in front and stabbed it in the chest while Hawk thrust at the throat and eyes.

  With a final bellow, its chest sank and its bowels released.

  Hawk panted, muscles bulging from the effort. “There was no reason for it to head our direction.” He searched the edges of the group as the hunt raged on around them. “Who threw that branch?” His motions, choppy and stiff.

  Pan-do suspected what happened but had no proof. What he did know was that Nightshade was out of position. It could be either to avoid some unidentified danger or by accident. Or he might have moved on purpose, knowing the wounded animal would focus on the slow Hawk. In all his hunts with Nightshade, the warrior never fought any way but perfect. It chilled Pan-do to consider that Nightshade might believe others should die to achieve the end he desired.

  As Pan-do and Hawk chopped the carcass into portable pieces, Pan-do watched Nightshade, trusting him even less than he had this morning. Nightshade watched Hawk.