The Forest and the Farm

by Vance Huxley

  Though he wouldn’t mention the traps, since over the years Billi had found a chink in the Law. He’d started by trapping the river banks in the Farm, and gradually extended past the edge of the fields. The river banks seemed to be neither Forest nor Farm, so if he emptied them every day the Wild seemed to accept trapping. Unless something felt hungry of course. “Da said to ask you, since you spend more time along the river banks than most.” Hektor sighed. “I’ll need to get a surplus built up somehow, because with luck, well.” He glanced at Perry and Timath.

  “With luck he’ll run off with Sis before winter’s done, and I can have a room to myself.” Perry ducked as Bliss threated to throw her shoe at him.

  “You can put any surplus in my cold room, Hektor. If you need more than you’ve stored, help yourself, then you can put it back next year.” Billi hadn’t thought of that. Hektor had only just started Hunting, and what he brought at the moment went to his family or to Viktor.

  “Next year we’ll have our own share of the fish as well, once we’re in our Billi-hut.” Bliss smiled. “A full share.” The Village shared the fish out by the number of those actually fishing, one share for each man or youth, but this year Hektor’s share would go to his Da since he still lived at home.

  “In your what?” Billi wasn’t sure he heard right.

  “Our Billi-hut. That’s what all the youths and maids are calling it and there’s a lot who are very interested in the idea. If it works, there’ll be a few more built in the spring.” Perry shrugged. “There’s also one or two who are bonded and living with their Ma and Da and fancy a bit of space. There’ll be no trouble getting help to build since their sibs will be keen to get more room as well.”

  After a Billi-hut discussion, including gossip about a few that ought to get one as soon as possible, Timath and Perry set off to deliver the rest of the fish. Bliss wanted to make sure about her hut-minding. “Are you sure about a trip, Billi. You’re not too tired after the fishing?”

  “Thank ye Bliss but I’ll head off tomorrow if I may. I’ll relax better out there, in the green and in my valley.” Billi sighed happily. “The place is so peaceful.”

  “My valley, Billi? Are you claiming it?” Hektor glanced at Bliss. “Er, Bliss talked about you going there so often, and now, the way you talk?”

  “I’d love to but it’s a bit far. The neighbours might not be happy if I moved in permanently.” Billi meant the Great Hunter. “It would be a bad place to have an accident.”

  “Well if you ever decide to try, and there’s room for two huts? A bit of extra landshare never hurt anyone, nor did a neighbour if there’s strife.” Hektor got to his feet. “We’ll be off now. I’ll walk you home, Bliss.”

  Billi watched then down the path, holding hands and with heads together. They’d be bonded at Harvestfest, only weeks away, and then by rights there would be a moon for either to change their mind. Billi thought the new hut would be occupied long before then, so he’d best make the most of the pies and bread right now.

  * * *

  Billi took under three days to get to the valley, without stopping to search for stones or even food because he’d brought one of Bliss’s pies. As the valley came in view Rabbit had that extra added happy zing to his song and dashed forward. Usually the Hound jumped about in the small shallow pools either scaring the fish or collecting a few for himself but this time Billi heard barking and a small flock of ospreys and eagles rose into the air, mixed with crows, ravens and a few buzzards.

  “What have you been up to?” Billi stopped on top of the rise because he could see. A bear lumbered up the slope to one side, and a last few birds finally abandoned branches near the water. “Why are they all here now?” Then Billi saw the dead fish floating in the pool or laid on the banks, and the way the water churned slowly. He moved for a better look, to an angle that let him see beneath the surface.

  “We’ve had a fish run, Rabbit.” The familiar fat silver and gold shapes were moving slowly, many apparently dying or already dead. Billi realised that the pool scooped out at the base of the dam by the water spilling over it must be deep enough to allow the fish to jump, which meant this must be where these fish spawned. That was old lore, handed down from the earliest days, that the fish came up the river to breed and die. Then in the spring the tiny young fled downstream but they were never caught, in the hope they would return as big fat adults. Legend and lore claimed that if the young fish were taken, the fish run would never return.

  “We’d better get some wood, and smoke a few.” Billi looked up and birds were perched on the branches of all the dead trees. “I think we’ve got competition.” Though none of the others were interested in the healthy fish Billi caught. The birds and the occasional bear didn’t care if their catches were dead or dying and those were easier to catch. Billi noted that the small pool by the trees had a scattering of scales and bits of fin and tail nearby, so the Great Hunter had been to take his share.

  Oddly, despite having just finished the fish run at the Village, Billi found this fishing relaxing. Maybe because nobody rushed about and he didn’t need to hurry since these fish weren’t going anywhere. The resident fish, a smaller version of the new arrivals, seemed happy to help with clearing corpses but wouldn’t get them all and now Billi felt relieved he took his fresh water from the outlet, and not either pool. The rear, larger pool held its own share of fish, though that pool wasn’t as crowded. The fish must have wriggled up the wide, shallow flow across the gravel. On the other side Billi could actually see the roe scattered among the gravel until the water deepened and the bottom fell out of view.

  Twice in the next few days Billi opened the hut door to find a bear snuffling about nearby, but both times the bear moved off. They were wary of Man and Hound, or maybe of something different because these bears didn’t understand the range of a bow. The neighbourhood animals set into this feast under some sort of truce, with smaller cats and the little furred hunters joining in among bears, a few larger cats and the large aerial predators. Trapping a few of the little furred hunters would be easy, but Billi knew the colder weather would thicken their pelts and improve the prices.

  * * *

  Billi felt trapped when he returned with a pack full of fish, by Viktor. “But I never come to the dances. I’ll look stupid with only one leg. I can hardly hop round the garden.” Billi felt both embarrassed and panic-stricken. He’d never been to a Harvestfest because by the time he was old enough, he’d only got one leg.

  “If you don’t come, Bliss and Hektor are going to round up a gang of their friends and kidnap you. I’m sure Dapple will persuade Rabbit that it’s a good idea.” Viktor grinned. “You’ve got to be there since you’re giving them a well-wishing gift, or I hope you are after what you said. Otherwise they’ll be eating everything off skewers or Hektor’s spear.”

  Billi glanced over at his Hound. “What will Rabbit do if I go there?”

  “The same as all the other Hounds. He’ll hang about at the door and scrounge scraps, or whole pies if anyone leaves them too close. We all know a Hunter won’t leave his Hound behind.” Viktor slapped Billi on the shoulder. “Come on man, you’ll enjoy it. You can sit on a chair with the others who aren’t too spry, and poke fun at the rest.”

  “But they’re old men.” Billi looked down. “Though I suppose they’re still better on their feet than me.”

  “Older, not yet elders, though they’ll be there as well. Look on the bright side, the men sit near the ale and cider table. The older women sit the other side of the dancers.” Viktor sniggered. “That’s to give them a break, they reckon, but I think it’s so they can tell lies about each other. You’ll have to judge for yourself though they’ll bend your ear about where you’ve been wandering.”

  Billi gave up, because Viktor meant well, and maybe he should take a look at how the rest of the Village lived. A little bit of him didn’t fancy sitting here all alone again while everyone had fun, though now he had another problem. “What would I bri
ng? I don’t really have anything suitable, no ale or such, and I’ve no oven to roast a big joint.” Billi remembered his Ma baking because everyone took something to the Harvestfest.

  “Bring one of those big pies that Bliss made. She reckons she made a couple that were the right sort of size, for if you came this year. Bliss also said your pies have a lot more meat in than some, and will be welcome.” Viktor stopped a moment. “Ah, no offence but would ye like Perry to nip over and give you a lift with it? ‘Twill save the pastry being bashed if you’re bringing the pots and pans.”

  “I’d be obliged.” Since if Billi tried to bring a big pie up the steps he’d either drop it or squash it. Billi realised he’d just said he would go. “What do I wear?”

  “Have you never been to a Harvestfest Billi?” Viktor’s face fell. “Sorry, I never realised. Just wear something clean. There’ll be some with fancy embroidery on their coat or dress, but most will wear their best plain.” He grinned. “Just in case they dribble pie or spill ale while dancing.”

  “I’ll do both if I try to dance. All right Viktor, and thank ye.”

  “Not me, Bliss and Hektor won’t let you say no, not at their bonding. I’ll send Perry down in time to get you there for the grand entrance.” Viktor stood up. “Now I’d better get back to see if the layabouts have eaten me out of house and home or wrecked the place yet.” Once Viktor went out of sight Billi went through his clothes in a panic, trying to find something he hadn’t sewn a rough patch on at some time. He ended up heading into the Village himself with a roll of leather, to see if he could get some new trews made.

  The tanned hide from the Great-Boar came in handy after all. The Seamstress thought it would be a shame not to have a jacket to go with the trews, with all that matching leather. A bemused Billi ended up agreeing, then sat or stood as directed while she measured and took notes. Sythyl promised the clothes would be ready for the Harvestfest, and happily traded her work for salted meat and the rest of the boar skin. Billi went home and set into trying to make his better boot look fit for company.

  * * *

  Perry came through the door to collect Billi and the pie and stopped, and a big grin spread over his face. “Very fancy, Billi. Who are you chasing?”

  “Nobody, idiot. Does it look all right? It’s not too fancy is it?” Billi had been surprised by the jacket and trews. They were a lot better fitting than his usual clothes and Sythyl had kept the stitching plain coloured but put in a double line of it, weaving through each other.

  “No Billi. You look like a Hunter who can bring a pie big enough to feed the Village. That’s according to Bliss.” Perry gestured. “Shall I get it?”

  “If you will, please. I’m not sure which one because she made two really big ones. I did wonder why.” Billi had decided he’d have to bring them up a slice at a time when he’d seen them.

  “Bliss made two in case you started one of them. If you haven’t you’ve to save the other for the next dance.” Perry laughed at Billi’s face. “She does this all the time, her and Ellibeth. Organises us and lets us know after.”

  “That’ll be a shock to Hektor.”

  “Hektor still thinks he chased Bliss instead of the other way round. He’ll realise eventually.” Perry sniggered. “But I don’t reckon he’ll care.” The youth went off to get the pie and Billi put on his big coat because he could feel snow, or frost at least, in the air tonight. By the time Perry came back Billi stood outside ready. Rabbit’s song definitely felt excited, and he ran around them in circles as they went down the track to the Village hall.

  The hall usually served as a big storage barn where folk put things they wanted to trade with the Tinkerers or Traders, but the sacks and bales and boxes and bags had all been put into other barns and sheds for the night. The youths had done the carrying and the maids the sweeping and dusting, and both had hung some evergreens around the walls to liven the place up. Now tables were set up at the far end, with chairs for the musicians and those needing to rest.

  “We’ve not done too bad tonight for music. Werne is a proper fiddler, and Guthra has his horseshoes. He can bang out a good stomping tune on them. The cowbells are here, so one of the lasses will be playing them as well.” Perry definitely sounded excited. A lot of the preliminary teasing prior to any real chasing happened at the dances, since maids and youths were allowed to dance together and often met young folk from the other end of the Farm. “You’ll have to come with me Billi, since the pie is yours.”

  Perry led the way to a table already bearing pies and a variety of pastries, cheeses, fruits and skewered meats. “That’s a beauty Billi. You seem to have skinned it as well.” Mandy smiled as she made her joke about Billi’s usual way of paying for anything, with big bits of meat and sometimes with the hide or fur still on them.

  “Bliss has been practicing her cooking on me. Where do I put this?” Billi swung off his small pack and it clanked as it hit the floor.

  “If that’s a well-wishing put it by that table, or unpack it and place the gift on the table. Ye can hang that coat on a peg along the wall there.” At least Mandy had realised Billi felt lost, and let him know where to go. “If you want to sit it’ll be here, in front of the food and drink. If you sit on the chairs over there, among the older lasses, you’ll cause a proper scandal.”

  Billi took off his coat and headed for the chairs then hesitated a moment, unsure of where to sit. “Over here Billi.” That came from Devved, an older Farmer, and he waved to a chair. “Get an ale and sit thee down. Otherwise, with a jacket like that, the maids will think you’re here to dance.” Billi collected a beaker of ale and sat, hoping the bit of a blush didn’t show in the lamplight. “Now ye can tell me what that’s made of. It looks like pigskin but since it matches the trews, it must have been some pig.”

  “It was, a Great-Pig.” Viktor, heading for the ale, laughed. “I’m pleased you found a use for it, Billi.”

  “That’s from the Great-Boar? Well since you’re sat here with nothing better to do, you can tell us the truth of the tale.” Billi soon found out that the men seated here really did like to gossip and seemed pleased to get a new victim. Billi’s three sibs came over with their bonded to say hello and compliment his new clothes, and seemed pleased to see him at the dance. That came as a bit of a shock, two of them lived across the Farm and sometimes Billi didn’t see them from one summer to the next. None of them seemed to be upset about him showing off his stump and peg. Billi always harboured a suspicion he embarrassed them, with him being crippled. Hektor came in with his family, bearing big cooked joints since as a Hunter he should provide meat at his bonding. Traditionally that proved he could support a lass.

  Everyone quietened when Bliss came in with her Da and Timath and Billi saw Ellibeth for the first time. She looked younger than he expected, since Billi knew the lass had a littlun of eight summers. He briefly wondered if she’d be lass or maid now her bonded man had gone to the rock. Bliss looked over at where Hektor waited with his family, wearing a very clean set of hunting leathers with a bit of fringing.

  Bliss smiled at Hektor and took off her coat to show a string of claws and teeth around her neck, a traditional Hunter’s bonding gift. What brought the gasps from the maids were the smaller tusks and the big one in the middle, all from the Great-Boar. That brought a rush as the maids and some lasses swept in to take a closer look and ooh and ahh at the Great-Boar tusk. Not everyone had actually seen the real thing, and only men saw the carved replacements in the alehouse.

  The crowd parted, leaving a clear lane to Hektor, and Bliss held out her arms. Not strictly right, and that brought a ripple of laughter, but Hektor didn’t care. He strode over and picked her up then carried her back to his own family, waiting with big smiles. That showed everyone whose family Bliss belonged in now.

  Her beating on his shoulder and calling to her Da and Bros for rescue was traditional as well though none could have done so anyway because they were too busy laughing. In fact, Bliss had a lot of tr
ouble calling out through her own laughter. When he put her down, Hektor received his first, fairly restrained, public bussing. As their lips parted the whole room cheered and stamped. The bonding was official!

  Or almost, as Bliss went off to bring a bit of pie she’d made to show she’d be feeding Hektor in future, and Hektor ate it and assured everyone it tasted delicious. Then the elders got their moment, warning both of them that this was serious, that there were responsibilities involved. Both were told they had a moon to change their minds before moving in together. Near Billi the men were betting on how many days ‘twould be before they were both in the Billi-hut.

  “Watch out Billi. You’ll be next if ye dress like that.” Devved laughed, as did the rest, but without malice.

  “I reckon I’d have trouble carrying her off.” Billi grinned. “Unless she got in my pack?”

  “Pick a good strong one, Billi, then she can carry you.” Billi laughed with them, because humour helped that little stab at the reminder that he never would have a lass. None would want a one-legged man, especially as she’d have to care for him when that leg gave out. As usual Rabbit’s song strengthened and soothed him and at least here was a better place to get over the pang than sat alone in his hut.

  Judging by his song, Rabbit thoroughly enjoyed being at a dance. He stood in among the other Hounds at the door, and both Hunters and others were throwing scraps that way. The Hounds didn’t squabble over them, as a pack of dogs might, and there’d be no dominance issues despite Rabbit only having three legs. All Hounds seemed to be supremely self-confident without proving anything to each other. Some thought that might be because there were no Hound bitches, others thought each Hound had their Hunter and needed nothing more.

  Billi didn’t have time to mope if he’d wanted to. “Come on Billi. Da says you’re to come with us.”

  “I’m not family, Perry.” Bliss’s and Hektor’s families were coming together, to show the couple had united them.