by Vance Huxley
Billi finished his pie while talking about the reed cutting. Ellibeth seemed interested, because that world was all new to her. Rubyn sat quietly with a hand on Rabbit, and Spots laying the other side, entranced. Though that stopped once he headed home and Rubyn chattered continually. The littlun marched along with the goose slung over his shoulder for all the world as if he’d caught it himself, right up to when they went through the front gate to Viktor’s house. Then he legged it into the house shouting “Ganda, Ganda, look at what the Hunter give Ma!” at the top of his voice.
Ellibeth shrugged apologetically. “He’s a bit excited.”
“Not a problem to me. Save the feathers from that and you can trade them. Someone will want to fill a pillow.” Billi raised a hand as Viktor showed briefly at the door, coming to see what the fuss was about.
“I’m sure someone will want them. Same time tomorrow, Billi?”
“Yes please. Goodnight, Ellibeth and thank ye.” On the way back Billi reflected how much nicer his dusted, swept and warm hut had been. He would be ruined again after five days of this and would need a ten-day trip to the lake to toughen again.
* * *
On the fourth day Viktor met Billi at the door when he delivered Ellibeth and Rubyn, looking embarrassed. “It seems a bit ungrateful, Billi, but would you mind if I sell some of the fowl as they are?” Viktor gestured at the brace of ducks Rubyn carried. “Since you’ve no doubt given the layabouts a brace each, that’s six. I can save them, but they’ll fetch a better price now, fresh. If ye don’t mind?”
“They’re yours to do as you wish. Make sure you get a good price mind you, those are prime birds and fresh today.” Billi laughed. “Don’t go undercutting the other Hunters or they’ll be cursing me.”
“Don’t worry Billi, there aren’t enough waterfowl coming into the Village to bring the price down, especially ducks. Hunters tend to go for big meaty prey.” Fellip looked at the ducks. “Much obliged, Billi.”
“Make the most of it, Viktor, since we’ll be done tomorrow. Timath and Perry will tell you anyway when they get back from carting reed from the river to the Thatcher’s.”
“Oh yes. We’ll get a blow by blow of the whole day. They’re both practicing with a bow because they reckon with luck the Wild will remember them and send a Hound.” He nodded at Rabbit. “Young Rubyn wants one as well, but so does every lad and youth.”
“Same time tomorrow Billi?”
“Yes please. Goodnight Ellibeth.”
“Good night Billi, goodnight Rabbit.” Ellibeth seemed much more relaxed around the Hound after watching him with Rubyn four evenings.
On the way home Billi turned it over in his mind. He had assumed that Viktor would sell or trade what he didn’t want, as Billi did. The Tanner and the Hunter really did live in different worlds and Billi occasionally understood why Edan had been bitter about not getting a Hound. Edan’s Bro had a Hound as did his Da so he’d seen all the advantages but couldn’t have them. Billi understood, but it didn’t excuse what the youth still said and what he’d done. After all some houses had no Hound at all and did well enough with hard work.
Edan’s reaction over Hektor getting the spear and then the rudeness that led to him getting a slap and no meat came down to arrogance, or just nastiness, and started before the Hound failed to turn up. Actually it still wasn’t too late for a Hound, but the whole Village seemed to have assumed that wouldn’t happen for one reason or another. Even Edan felt that way though it wasn’t his fault of course. At least after the bonding the troublemakers had settled down to occasional lies and insults, though never to Billi’s face.
Tonight, Billi had a visitor when he arrived home. Fellip waited by his gate. “Do you have time for a talk, Billi?”
“Yes, all evening, Fellip. Come on in.” Fellip settled into a chair and Billi supplied a beaker of ale.
The Thatcher brought out his scroll of reed paper. Billi had been really interested when he first saw the paper because he’d seen very little about and this looked thin and quite smooth compared to most. “I’ve been thinking about the reed, long term. We’ve done a lot of clearing and digging, which will pay a big dividend next year unless someone else moves in and cuts the reed early. After all it is out in the Forest, not part of a landclaim.”
“True enough.” Billi laughed because the distance to the reed bed put it well outside the Farm.
Fellip hesitated and took a deep breath before continuing. “I was wondering about making the reed bed a landclaim, then nobody would try to take advantage of our work.” Fellip chuckled. “I can’t do it of course. Only a Hunter can, so the claim would be yours.”
“But I can’t work it.” Billi gestured to his stump and peg. “That’s why I have no landclaim here, bar this little plot and hut.” Billi frowned in thought. “I couldn’t guard it from the Wild.”
The Thatcher leant in, intent. “But the Wild aren’t interested. The wildfowl will use the reeds to feed and nest, and now and again something big will smash a hole down to the water, but otherwise it will be ignored. After all,” Fellip shrugged, “it’s there now.”
“But can it be claimed? Other Hunters will have seen those reeds and taken wildfowl there.” Billi started thinking it through properly now. Was this so very different to what he’d started doing out in the valley? Was this a way to test his half-formed ideas about the valley?
“But Hunters have taken prey in every bit of Farm, before it was claimed from the Forest. This time we have to claim it before there’s a fire instead of after. After that, if you don’t mind, Hunters can still take fowl?” Fellip smiled. “I could work out a deal then for me to keep the reed bed productive and take the reed, and you to claim it, guard the workers, and get a share of the profits?”
Billi sipped ale and thought about it. The five days guarding would be a tidy bit of regular work all on their own, and a share of reed would be a bonus. They talked it over and there seemed to be a steady bit of business here, year after year. “I reckon yes.” Rabbit seemed excited, despite a little caution, but no real dissention showed in his song. Billi smiled “After all, if it doesn’t work, the reeds can be left for the Wild and the Forest to reclaim.”
“So would you prefer me to buy out your share of the reed, or pay you as the reed is used or traded?” Fellip shrugged. “You will get guard pay anyway for all the visits unless you let another Hunter stand guard. That will come out of the profit, as will the pay for the youths.” Fellip chuckled. “Or you’ll be paid for whatever that bow of yours brings in to pay them.”
“I’ll need to think on that, Fellip. This is all a bit sudden. I’ll also want to check with the elders and see if I can claim the reed bed. I know the tales speak of plots claimed away from the Village, but they are all warnings.” Billi sighed. “Which worries me.”
“Ah, but those tales talk of a plot surrounded by Forest, a plot the Wild want as well. The tales talk of crops and stock lost, not of what grows there naturally.” Fellip unrolled a second scroll. “Take this to the elders. ‘Tis a drawing of the reed bed, with the dimensions paced out and a description.” Fellip smiled. “Get more patches like this and you’ll have a good landclaim, and the maids will pay attention.”
Billi laughed, because Fellip’s voice showed no malice. “They already pay attention, Fellip. Stumpy Billi, remember.”
“You never know. Three or four plots like this, and one may look past that leg.” Fellip rose and put out his arm to clasp. “We have an agreement, Hunter?”
Billi clasped arms. “We have an agreement, Thatcher.”
“Then I’ll leave you to think. It’ll take me a few days after we get the last reed home to work out what we’ve got and how good it is. Then we can sit down to sort out a value, and maybe decide on the rest of the proposition.” Fellip put on his coat. “I’d better rest up. We’ll try to finish tomorrow.”
“I’ll think on it, and while you calculate I’ll talk to the elders. If they say yes, I’ll give them this
.” Billi indicated the drawing. “If the landclaim is sorted out, we can beat out the details. Meanwhile I’d better rest as well.”
* * *
Though it took a long time before Billi could rest. He talked the whole proposition through with Rabbit and One-shut, or at least he talked about it out loud and they pretended to listen. As usual Billi found that helped him to settle his ideas down. Talking out loud got his notions lined up to be beaten into shape. Billi listened to Rabbit’s song as he did, in case it changed, but Rabbit seemed very happy with whatever the Hound thought Billi intended.
There must be a limit to what Fellip proposed. Billi had a vision of himself and Rabbit clumping around the forest from one patch to another, trying to keep each one weeded and tended and cropped. He smiled, imagining a line of youths carrying hoes and scythes and following along like ducklings. Rabbit seemed to get that idea when Billi explained it, because a real note of humour showed in the song. Though another thought kept nudging in, about a valley big enough so he needn’t wander from place to place.
* * *
The following day Billi found Gordi laughing when he arrived at the river. “You’ve started something, Billi. Perry says his Sis has a pillow half stuffed with goose feathers and is keeping an eye open for any more in the Village. She says they’re softer than duck feathers.”
“You should have said, Perry. I would have given her another.” Billi had given Ellibeth a goose on two days, and a brace of ducks on the others.
“Hide and horns, Billi, don’t tell her I said anything. She’ll skin me. Ellibeth is scarier than Bliss, and she told me keep quiet. She’s well pleased with the ducks.” Perry did actually look worried.
“Well it would be no bother. I only take what comes first, and there’s a lot of wildfowl round there.” Billi decided to look for a goose deliberately today, because he really did appreciate the clean hut and warm food. That would also finish off her pillow without having to trade for feathers. Billi remembered telling Ellibeth to trade the feathers, and her saying someone would definitely want them. Once again Billi had assumed someone already had an item that any Hunter would own, a feather pillow.
As usual Billi went ahead to see what he could catch unawares. This time when they arrived the rest gathered round to have a good look at his catch. Not the ducks, because they’d seen a good few of those. “What is that?” Gordi looked baffled and so did the other two youths. Billi thought Fellip might know though he kept quiet.
“That’s a gobbler. A big prime male. They came for the heap of weed you’ve been stacking up.” Billi gestured at another bird, one with mottled brown plumage. “This other one is a female and that’s why it’s a lot smaller.”
“A lot smaller but still a big bird, though nothing like as colourful. That male will take some eating.” Though the way Gordi eyed it up he fancied trying some at least.
“You’ve maybe had some before but didn’t realise. Once the feathers are off and ‘tis dressed gobbler looks very much like a swan.” Billi looked at the one he’d killed. “Though this one would be a big swan.”
“If I’m right, there’s more dark meat on one of these than on a swan. I think ‘twas Eddmune had some luck at the right time and brought one to the Winterfest a few years back.” Now Fellip looked puzzled. “Why don’t we see more gobblers with them being that size? Hunters bring in deer that might not weigh as much as that.”
“It’s a big fowl even for a family so they are often cut up and frozen down if the weather is cold enough. That’s not often, they’re harder to find then because the males don’t make such a noise. The best time to hunt gobblers is when they strut in the Forest glades, attracting the hens. The ones caught then are eaten straight away because that’s in the warmer weather.” Billi looked at his prize. “Though this can be frozen.”
“That’s sorted out what you bring to the Winterfest, Billi. Mandy will love that in the middle of her display. Unless you eat it or trade it first?”
“Winterfest?” Billi had only just survived his first Harvestfest. Though a lick of happiness in Rabbit’s song caught him by surprise. Rabbit must have enjoyed Harvestfest, or maybe all the treats.
“You’d better be there.” Fellip waved an arm over the expanse of stubble and the remaining reeds. “I’m not explaining this to everyone without help.”
Billi looked at the gobbler, which he’d decided to give to Ellibeth to fill her pillow and for Viktor to feed his layabouts. Now Fellip had marked the bird down for Winterfest, so he still needed a goose. Billi looked round. That wouldn’t be easy because there weren’t any. They’d flown off while he’d been busy shooting these. “While you work I’m going to move back a bit to the last bend, to see what turns up to collect the floating weed. I’ll still be near enough to guard, and Rabbit will hang back nearer to you and warn me if there’s need.”
“You’re the Hunter Billi, so if you think ‘tis safe go to it. Now come on you three, enough of admiring Billi’s catch, we’ve got reed to bundle.” The youths moved off with good-natured grumbles about mean, brutal employers.
Billi moved back to where he could see the next stretch of river and settled down with his bow. Clumps of weed were soon drifting down the river as the youths and Fellip disturbed them during their cutting. Billi hoped for geese but eventually three swans swam around the further bend, following the bounty upstream. Billi sat very still and debated. A swan seemed a bit big for a day’s wage, but then those feathers would definitely fill up that pillow.
Eventually the swans moved closer and one came in range for a safe shot, one that wouldn’t leave the bird wounded but able to fly. He definitely couldn’t risk that since Billi couldn’t follow until the prey eventually landed, not with four people here to guard. He waited a little longer, but the other two stayed back. Billi raised his bow and drew, very slowly and carefully, and locked his arms. For long moments Billi waited until the nearest one turned to give him a shot that would pin the wing, and then he loosed.
Rabbit had moved slowly closer as Billi took aim, poised, and started running as soon as the arrow left the bow. The Hound hurtled past Billi and into the river, heading straight for the struggling bird. Meanwhile Billi kept one eye on the Hound in case the other swans moved in, and tried to watch the reed cutters as well. As soon as the other two swans took off he stumped back up the bank to the reeds.
Fellip stood up and looked past Billi. “What’s the commotion?” The reed cutters could still hear plenty of splashing and growling though the hissing back round the bend had stopped.
Rabbit could take a dying swan with a pinned wing even in water so Billi didn’t worry. “I’ve found something to fill the rest of Ellibeth’s pillow.”
“It’ll take a big goose.” Perry tried to look but Fellip nudged him and pointed to the reed, while Billi just grinned and wouldn’t say any more. The noises died out and a little while later Rabbit came around the bend of the river towing the swan in the water, much easier than dragging the dead weight. Billi went to help the Hound get the prize out of the water, and Fellip came as well.
“That’ll be some pillow, Billi.”
“Aye. They’re always a bit bigger out of the water and this one’s nigh on a match for the gobbler. It was the nearest, or I’d have taken one of the smaller pair.” Billi smiled. “Not that Viktor will mind when it’s in the oven making gravy.” He looked at the pile of fowl. “I’d best get this lot cleaned. I’ll take the tithe well into the trees.”
“Oh yes.” Fellip looked over the reed bed and chuckled. “Away from your new bit of Farm.”
* * *
Fellip called a halt mid-afternoon. Billi looked over the stretch of stubble, definitely all stubble now. “Now that’s a sight.” A huge heap of weed, seedlings and old, rotten reed back inside the edge of the trees showed why nothing grew any higher. “We’ve even given the tithe to the Wild.”
“True enough, odd as that seems.” Fellip looked at the heap, which Billi had asked the youths t
o help him move, with new eyes. “You seem very careful about that Billi. I can’t think of anyone else who’d give a tithe of weeds.”
“The Wild is good to me, and giving a little back costs nothing.” Billi pointed, sweeping his hand across the weed bed. “I find this unbelievable, that this really will all grow back, as tall and thick as it was when we arrived.” The wide expanse looked ravaged, stripped until Billi could see the water running slowly between the stubble. Water that ran a little faster in places because of the digging Fellip had asked for.
“I promise this will be back just as thick and strong next year, probably thicker and stronger after the mass of weed and rotten reed we pulled away.” Fellip rubbed his hands in what had now become a familiar gesture. “Early finish today, so we’ll have this lot landed and in my back yard before dusk.” He went to chivvy the youths into tying the last bundles onto the ungainly rafts tethered to the boats.
A definitely festive air descended on the party as they drifted home, with the youths splashing each other and making jokes about each other, the gobbler, and Gordi chasing one of the maids. That continued as the youths laughed at Billi loading up with his day’s catch. He probably did look comical with a swan and a big gobbler on his back, even with their wings strapped tight. Gordi looked really pleased with the female gobbler instead of a brace of ducks. He still maintained his family had never tried the birds before, and reckoned his Ma would love the feathers.
Spots heard Billi opening his garden gate and as Billi lowered the swan and gobbler, Ellibeth came to the door. Rubyn peeked past her and his eyes opened wide. “What are they, Billi?” The littlun looked closer. “That looks like goose but a lot, lot bigger and all white but I don’t reckon that’s a goose of any size.” He pointed at the gobbler.
“That’s a gobbler and wouldn’t swim too well and the other one is a swan. They came a ’calling so I brought them home. The gobbler is for the Winterfest.” Billi chuckled. “Fellip says I’ve got to go to back up his stories.”
