by Avery Kloss
Chapter Four
Ara and I rarely foraged alone, but Kia wished to stay at camp and tend to domestic issues. The clan having made several good-sized kills lately, we now possessed an abundance of animal hide, mamma wanting to make clothing, sewing pieces of leather together with antler needles. She only recently learned this skill from a clan woman.
The men had left already to hunt, needing to venture farther for such a feat, while the women remained near the settlement, women and children scouring the forest in search of berries and nuts. Ara and I had little luck with the berries, focusing our energies on nuts, filling more than one basket.
Kneeling before a tree, I collected as many off the ground as I could, Ara picking at her teeth with a stick. A particular tree produced these branches, whereby, if one chewed the end, it fanned out. It became the perfect implement for cleaning teeth. I had already done so today, following the instructions of Mannoc, who, as clan healer, had given a lecture last night on cleanliness. This only became an issue when we resided too long in one place, dirt and bugs becoming a nuisance.
A branch snapped nearby, both of us glancing in that direction. “Someone comes,” I murmured.
Ara snatched up Kia’s stick, having brought it for safety. I jumped to my feet, hiding behind the tree, while Ara waited, watchful eyes trained on the tapestry of green before us, leaves rustling in the breeze. An insect buzzed by my ear, but I ignored it, watching the forest for danger.
“It’s passed, whatever it was,” she said, but her eyes darted back and forth.
A loud crashing sound occurred, two members of our clan leaping before us, the boys brandishing spears. “Ho!” shouted Bryce, laughing. “We scared you!”
Realizing we did not face a real threat, I shook my head in annoyance. “Shouldn’t you be hunting?”
“We were, but Luca’s not feeling well.”
I glanced at the other boy, his eyes red and watery. Grasping at his belly, he swayed. “Are you ill?”
“Yes,” he grumbled, looking miserable. “I … want to return to camp. My insides hurt. I need to see the healer.”
“What have you there?” asked Bryce, pointing at the basket.
“Nuts.”
“That’s all girls are good for, picking things off the ground, while the men accomplish great tasks. We bravely fight the beasts. We bring home meat.”
“You can live quite well off nuts,” I said. “We’ve done so for many moons, seasons, even.”
“That’s because you can’t catch anything bigger.”
“Small creatures oftentimes.”
He wasn’t taller than I, his face darkened from the elements, his eyes blazing. “Because you’re weak.”
Having observed the dynamic of a clan and the various jobs each member had, I knew women took care of the babies, staying closer to the cooking fires. It had always been so.
“I want to go back,” grumbled Luca. “This is a waste of time.” He stomped away, grasping a heavy-looking spear.
Bryce eyed me inquisitively. “Have you nothing to say, weakling?”
“Perhaps my strength lies elsewhere.” I tapped my head. “I’m strong here.”
He laughed, the sound echoing. “That’s hardly important, especially for a female. I know what you’re good for. It’s only one thing, and you’re too young for it.”
I frowned, not understanding him, although I found the conversation exasperating. Ara glowered, clearly impatient for the boy to leave. “If you’re so skilled, where is your kill?”
“They made me leave to take Luca back. I killed a great beast yesterday,” he boasted, sucking in a breath to inflate his chest.
I doubted he had single-handedly accomplished the task, knowing the men typically cornered animals and dispatched them as a group. “I can tell,” I said dryly. “You’re bloated with pride.”
He grinned, not realizing I had insulted him, thinking it praise. “I am. I’ll be leader of a clan one of these seasons.” Taking a step towards me, he grasped my hair, fingers curling about tangled strands.
I screamed, pain flaring from my scalp. “Stop it!”
“You will respect me!”
I struggled, kicking and trying to push him away. A loud thump rang out, Bryce screeching, the sound high-pitched. Ara hit him over the shoulders with the stick, his grip loosening. I fell to my knees, rocks digging into my skin. Ara stood before him with her feet apart, holding the weapon in both hands. Seeing an opportunity to get even, I attacked his leg, biting into the ankle. He hit me in the head with a closed fist, shouting to the wind, while the taste of blood filled my mouth.
No longer boastful, he appeared embarrassed, twin spots of red appearing on his cheeks. Without another word, he dashed into the forest, disappearing, although Ara’s laughter followed him, a look of satisfaction glinting in her dark eyes. Despite my hurting head, I laughed too, pleased to have bested him. Getting to my feet, I brushed dirt from my legs.
“Shall we continue to forage?”
“Indeed.” She thrust a small stick into her mouth, cleaning her teeth. “The sun’s not high enough to return yet. We’ve time to search for berries.”
Encountering a group of women and children foraging, we passed them without a word, the women not asking us to join them. I offered a smile, which they did not return, their faces quite stony. Once out of earshot, I murmured, “Why do they treat us like that?”
Ara shrugged, glancing over her shoulder. “You’re tainted, because you’re with me.”
“Why? I don’t understand.”
Emerging from the shade of trees, the river stood before us, water trapped in rocky puddles, where tiny fish swam. She knelt to wash her hands, her face reflected in the rippling waves. I did the same, splashing water on mine.
“Can you not see the difference?” Ara pointed.
I knew her coloring to be darker, her stature shorter, but I hadn’t compared our faces side-by-side, seeing her reflected in the pool before me. “I suppose.” Where my forehead appeared smooth, hers had a pronounced ridge above the eyes. I hadn’t thought twice about it before, because my mother and sister had always been like this. Turning to view myself in profile, my nose wasn’t as broad as hers. “We’re different in looks.” But that hardly mattered to me. “Shall we see about some meat?” My belly rumbled. “I’m hungry.”
She grunted in reply, her look pensive.
I took her hand, feeling the rough texture of her skin. “You’re my family, Ara. I don’t care what anyone else thinks.”
A smile creased the edges of her eyes. “You’re my family.”
I could not imagine a life without Ara or Kia, the three of us always together. “Let’s steal food. I’m hungry.”
“You have the best ideas,” she giggled.
Several cooking fires burned nearby, the sound of a baby crying mingling with birdcalls, vultures picking away at the refuse along the edges of camp. Mangy dogs loitered, sniffing and nibbling on whatever they could find, often lifting their legs to mark their territory. Most of the men hunted, the day still young. I cast a glance towards our fire, not seeing Kia.
“I’ll search over here,” said Ara, pointing towards several cooking fires. “You go there. We’ll meet in the middle.”
“Very well.” Carrying the basket, I left it with our things, hiding it beneath a pelt. I wished to protect the nuts from small predators and humans, not trusting anyone completely. I spied Kia then, my mother stepping into the woods. “Wait!” Hurrying after her, I ran along the river’s edge, the water cold beneath my feet. “Mamma!”
She disappeared into the woods, not hearing me. I burst through the foliage, hoping to find her, but I saw nothing other than trees, a branch hitting my face. Knowing her to be near, I moved on, finding a worn path, our clan having traveled this way often. She must have gone to relieve herself in private, the smell here somewhat foul, a latrine pit nearby. Avoiding it directly, I skirted around its edges, not seeing my mother. Being as quiet as poss
ible, I stepped upon soft-feeling moss, my feet grateful for the moment. I hadn’t worn fur today, brambles and rocks pricking me for hours.
A bird launched itself from a branch, nearly giving me a fright. Having distanced myself from the filthy pit, I breathed easier, wandering amongst giant trees, the branches nearly blocking the light completely. Hearing a noise, I turned in another direction, careful to avoid stepping on a rotting branch. An odd sound occurred then, like a groan. Moving aside branches, I crept closer, knowing someone to be near.
A thickly trunked tree stood in the way, its bark missing in places, having been eaten by an animal. Whoever made the noise stood no more than a few lengths ahead. In the shadow of the wood, the sound grew, a man’s tone now echoing. I peeked around the tree, careful to keep myself hidden on the other side. There I saw Kia … but she wasn’t alone. Our leader, Lascox, sat on the ground, while she straddled him.
This sort of thing happened quite often at camp, the sight not unusual. What struck me, though, was the fact that Lascox had a wife—Ola, who saw to his every need and whim. Kia’s body undulated over him, their joining hidden by the leather she wore around her waist. Not wishing to be seen, I retreated gingerly, traipsing carefully back to the path.
Chewing on my lip, I pondered what I had seen, realizing the implications. Once clear of the wood, I squatted by the water, waiting for Kia to appear. She did so a short while later, squinting in the sunlight and adjusting her skirt. Lascox emerged at a distance, having come out another way. He strode towards his fire, although he glanced our way briefly, his expression flat.
“You’ve returned from foraging, I see,” my mother said, smiling.
“I have. I was just in the woods. I saw you.”
She sat next to me, staring absently across the water. “I thought I heard something.”
“What are you doing with Lascox? Why are you mating with him?”
“It’s best not to say that too loudly.” She patted my hand. “It’s not for you to worry about. I mate with whomever I want.”
“But his wife won’t be pleased.”
“She doesn’t know.”
“What if she finds out?”
“It doesn’t matter. He’s the leader. He may do as he wishes.” She seemed oddly calm, unperturbed by my questions. “Where I come from, the women have the power.”
“What do you mean?”
“My people don’t … do this.” She gestured at the camp. “They don’t pair off like this.”
Now I was confused. “Pair off?”
“These people are strange. Their customs aren’t like mine.”
She rarely spoke of where she came from. “And what do your people do?”
“They’re freer. If they see something or someone they want, they take it. There are few rules.” A wistful look appeared. “I prefer my way. I miss my people. I know I shall never see them again, but … they’re in my heart always.”
“Aren’t we a family?”
“Yes, we are, Peta.” She squeezed my hand. “Until you grow up and hate me.”
That statement was stunning. “Hate you?”
“When you realize I’m inferior. It’ll happen soon enough.”
“Bah!” I disagreed loudly, wrapping my arms around her neck. She smelled slightly musky. “I love you. You’re my family. I’ll never turn my back on my family.”
Chapter Five
Ara bit into the strange-looking berry before I could stop her, chewing heartily. “It’s good.” A smile appeared. “It’s very sweet. We should take as many as we can.”
I had never seen these, the berries neither purple nor red, but somewhere in-between. “If you become ill, you’ll remember I warned you.” I bent to pick them, tossing the oddly shaped edibles into a basket. “We should go back. I’m tired.”
“We’ve done well today.” The smell of smoke lingered, Kia confusing the buzzing, stinging insects with it to steal their sweet nectar. My fingers looked purple from the earlier pickings. “There weren’t that many.”
Ara strode past me, her eyes alert for danger, as oftentimes animals lurked in the foliage. “Kia?”
“I’m ready.” She appeared between the trees, her feet encased in leather. “Come along, girls. We’ll eat well tonight.”
I rushed past Ara to reach her, feeling accomplished and pleased about the scavenging today. “Can I bring some sweets to Ronan and Enwan?”
She eyed me askance. “You spend too much time with those men, Peta. You should be careful.”
I found the warning confusing, knowing them to be pleasant company. They gave me dried meat whenever they saw me, which I greatly appreciated. “I don’t feel a threat.” When danger appeared, my senses usually alerted me to this fact, the hair on the back of my neck standing on end, followed by a sense of foreboding. I had experienced this before … the memory fuzzy, though.
Ara strolled by, a whistling sound coming from her mouth. “You’re too slow.”
“Ouf!” I hurried to catch up, besting her in short order, because my legs were longer. “Ha! Catch me now!”
Mother followed, carrying a sturdy stick. The walk brought us back to a small path, the river a distance away. A sensual, spicy fragrance filled the air, the grassy areas spotted with small white flowers. Ara stopped to pick a few, tossing them into the basket. I waited for mamma to approach, her look stern.
“Don’t dawdle. The sun is too high. We’ve been gone long enough.”
“These are beautiful,” said Ara, sniffing a flower. “The petals are fragile.” She played with them in her hands. “They break easily.”
I went on, suddenly desiring food, knowing the clan had hunted, and wondering what the meal might be. A good while later, we emerged from the shade of the woodland, the river swirling before us, smelling of fish. I broke free of my family, running to our cooking fire, which smoldered.
Kia arrived shortly, setting about stoking the ashes into flame, while I tossed a measure of fruit and honey in a basket, preparing to bring the treat to Ronan. “I’ll be back.”
“You’re filthy, Peta,” chided Kia. “You shouldn’t go over like that, girl. Wash yourself first.”
I frowned, hating the cold water. “I’m fine. I’ll have a bath … another time.” Before she could object, I ran to where they sat, a hearty fire licking its way around hanging meat, the smell making my mouth water. “Hello.” I smiled brightly. “This is for you.”
Ronan scratched his head. “Thank you, Peta. That’s very kind.” He sat on a pelt with his legs before him, a gash running down the length of one shin.
“What happened to you? You’re bleeding.”
“It’s a scratch. Nothing to worry about.”
“But you need the healer. You can’t go about like that. It’ll fester.”
“I’ll take that under advisement.” He eyed me. “You’re a dirty little thing.”
“I’ve been in the woods all day.” I knelt beside him, handing over the basket. “Here you are.”
He glanced at it, smiling. “I see bugs.”
“What?” I eyed the fare, glimpsing an insect or two trapped in the golden syrup of what had been their home. “It’s sticky.” I reached for one bug, but he stopped me. “What?”
“Your hands are dirty. I’ll manage, Peta. Thank you.”
Sitting back on my heels, I stared at him, noting the thickness of his beard, the color like a dried field, with burnished golds and browns. “I eat bugs often.”
He scratched his head. “We’ve enough of them around.”
His scratching made my head itch as well, my fingertips digging into my scalp. “Might I have some of your meat?”
“Whenever you want it, blue-eyes.”
I sat with my legs crossed before me, scooting closer to him. “What did you kill today?”
“A great wooly animal. We had to cut it to pieces to bring it back. It took ten men.”
“You killed this creature all by yourself?”
Digging his
hand into the fruit mixture, he brought it to his mouth. “No, of course not.” Chewing, he appeared thoughtful. “This is quite good. I’ll save some for Enwan.”
Speaking of his friend, he appeared with a burnt stick, meat hanging from it. “Here you are.” Sitting next to us, he scratched his head. “It’s rather tender, I’d say. Not bad at all.”
I had a bite, the savory taste delicious, and the meat falling apart in my mouth. “Hum … ” While we ate, I watched the other members of the clan at work, children running about and laughing. Every fire in the camp blazed, a host of delicious aromas drifting on the breeze. I felt surprisingly content then, happy on Ronan’s pelt.
“Blasted!” he grumbled, scratching his head. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say my hair’s crawling with something.”
Enwan itched as well, frowning. “Now that you mention it, I’ve been thinking the same thing.”
Something tickled my scalp, prompting me to scratch. I shrugged, murmuring, “We can’t escape bugs.”
Ronan jumped to his feet. “But this is intolerable. Come look at my head, Enwan. Tell me if you see anything unusual.” He bent to give his friend easy access, the man moving strands of hair this way and that, his expression increasingly horrified.
“God’s teeth. You’re infested, Ronan. I’m certain they’re all over me too.” He pinned me with a look. “You little maggot! It’s you, isn’t it? Ever since you’ve come around we’ve been itching.”
“Don’t blame me.” I felt another tickle, ignoring it. “I’ve had a bath … recently.”
“That hardly matters,” said Ronan. “I’ll have to cut my hair.” He glowered unhappily. “It had been a fine day, and now this.”
“What about me? Will you look at my hair?”
Enwan grabbed my arm, propelling me off the pelt. “Away with you!”
“What?”
“Don’t come back until you’ve gotten rid of the bugs in your hair, Peta.” He eyed the pelts. “They’ll be in there too. We can’t sleep on those for a good while.”
