by Dakota Chase
I’d never killed anything in my life. Up to recently, in fact, I would never have thought I could. It wasn’t in me. I wasn’t violent. I didn’t hunt or fish. I even only ordered tails in restaurants because I couldn’t stand breaking down a whole lobster. Couldn’t eat anything that looked back at me.
Then I’d been sent back to medieval Germany with Ash. I was accused of witchcraft and tossed ass-end up in a dungeon. I was beaten and was facing torture and death at the stake before Ash saved me. I saw other people tortured and what was left of human beings after they’d been burned at the stake. The smell of smoke from the campfire brought back the memory of the heavy, greasy smell of burned bodies and made me shiver.
An experience like that changes a guy. I felt darker inside, jaded, as if I was a kid when I went to Germany and an adult when I came back. It made me doubt if that innocent me, the one who couldn’t break down a lobster, still existed. Could I kill? Something told me I could if I needed to, and it both scared and excited me.
I picked up the hand ax, then lay down and stretched out as close to the fire as I could and still tolerate the heat. My body was exhausted, but my eyes still wouldn’t close.
Ash whispered to me. “You sleeping?”
“Not yet. I’m not tired. Go ahead and sleep. I’ll keep first watch and feed the fire.”
“Okay. Hey, Grant?”
“Yeah?”
He was quiet for a long minute. “I don’t think this is going to be an easy one.”
I snorted. “We haven’t had an easy one yet. Go to sleep.”
Chewing on my lower lip, I wondered just how tough this trip to the past was going to be. I got the feeling neither one of us was going to be the same by the time we were done.
The hours passed slowly. I had no watch, no way to tell time, but it felt like I’d been staring into the fire forever. Every time the logs began to disintegrate into charcoal, I added a few more, watching the ever-hungry flames leap up to devour them. I could almost see how Rabbit and his primitive people would think the fire was a spirit. It did look as if it was a living, breathing thing, a creature of heat that consumed everything it touched.
I was just about to wake Ash for his turn at watch when I heard it—the crackle of a snapping branch. It was the sound of someone or something stepping on a twig, an ordinarily small sound made loud by the silence of night in the forest. My hand clutched the stone ax, and I called to Ash. “Ash, wake up! There’s something out there.”
He grunted and to his credit, came awake almost immediately. I guess he hadn’t fallen into a deep sleep. “What? What’s wrong?”
“There’s something out there. I heard it.”
Ash sat up. I could see the knife in his hand. “Where?”
“I’m not sure, but I think it came from over there, by that bush.”
“There are bushes everywhere, Grant.”
“Your eleven o’clock.” Referencing the face of a clock was the easiest way to explain where you were talking about. I knew Ash would understand.
We both stared hard into the dark beyond the fire, watching for any movement although we couldn’t see anything past the farthest reach of the light. Without any streetlights, night was freaking dark.
A creature stepped into the outermost reach of the light but froze, not coming closer to the flames. It was a cat, but one the size of a German shepherd. It had tufted ears and grayish-white fur spotted with brown. It snarled, showing us its sharp incisors.
Ash jumped. “Holy shit! Is that one of those things you were talking about? The Smiling Dons?”
“Smilodon? No, I don’t think so. The teeth aren’t nearly big enough. But it’s definitely a big cat. A cougar or a lynx, maybe.” I stood up, brandishing my hand ax. “Go on! Get out of here!”
“Use a burning stick. The beasts know the fire spirit and fear it.”
I glanced down at Rabbit, then nodded. I trusted his judgment. After all, the kid had known what he was talking about so far. There was no reason to think he’d be wrong about this. I picked up one of the large sticks from our pile and stuck one end into the fire until it caught, then stepped forward, brandishing it at the cat. “Go! Get!”
It snarled at me again and swiped a heavy paw at the burning branch. I pushed it toward the cat, almost stabbing it in the face. The cat hissed, baring its fangs. It might not have been a Smilodon, but those teeth looked freaking huge to me. I poked the burning branch at it, then swept it in an arc, slowly inching forward.
That did the trick. The cat yowled one last time, then seemed to come to the conclusion we weren’t such easy prey after all. Leaving was the safer course of action rather than remaining where it was and letting me continue to singe its whiskers. It turned and darted into the forest, melting into the darkness.
“You are one badass when you want to be, you know that? You faced down that wild cat with an overgrown matchstick!” Ash grinned at me. The firelight made his eyes sparkle.
My heart was beating a mile a minute. I’d been terrified, although I’d rather have cut off my right arm than admit it to Ash. Still, adrenaline was pumping through my veins, and the sight of him, smiling, with his hair tousled and his eyes sparkling, made me want to kiss him.
Then I noticed Rabbit watching us. I didn’t know what Rabbit’s people would think of two guys kissing, and I couldn’t chance risking our new alliance until I was sure. History taught many cultures weren’t tolerant of homosexuality. I didn’t want to end up with a stone ax in my skull because I wanted to steal a kiss in the firelight.
It was sad, and it sucked, but it was better to be safe than sorry, at least for now. I promised myself that the moment I got Ash alone, I’d make up for it by kissing him breathless.
“What are you thinking about? You’ve got a goofy look on your face.”
I blinked, then shook my head. “Nothing. I’ll tell you later. You might as well get some more sleep. I’m wide-awake.”
“Are you kidding? After that, I probably won’t sleep for a month. How do we know what the hell else is roaming around in the forest? I half expect a T. rex to come crashing through the bushes.”
“I told you before, dinosaurs were already extinct for millions of years before people came along. There are no T. rexes here.”
“Gee, just saber-toothed cats, huh?”
I snickered. “Yeah, and lions. Did I mention them? They were about twice as big as any lions we have back home. Oh, and dire wolves. They were only a little bigger than the wolves in our time.”
Ash scowled at me. “Only a little, huh? You’re trying to scare me, right?”
I grinned. “Yeah, but I’m also telling the truth. If we’re when I think we are, there should be lots of things out here that can kill us. Venomous snakes, poisonous spiders, giant bears. Well, they were called short-faced bears, but even on all fours, they were taller than a grown man. On their hind legs they were about twelve feet tall….”
“Now you’re just making stuff up.”
“Nope. All true. I saw it on a PBS special.”
“Again, you watch too much TV. You need to go outside more, get some fresh air once in a while.”
I gestured around us. “You mean like now? I’ll pass.”
Ash smirked. “Shut up.”
“Look, I can’t be sure, but judging from our clothing, and Rabbit’s weapons, his fire-making kit, and the fact his people live in a cave, I’d say we’ve gone back about ten thousand years or so.”
Ash gaped at me. “Ten thousand? Say you’re not serious right now. Please.”
“Serious as a heart attack, bro.”
“Sometimes I hate you.”
“Yeah, sometimes I hate me too.”
I sighed and sat down, then poked the burning stick into the fire. I tried to get comfortable, but it was hard to do on the cold ground, even with the fire’s heat. I knew I’d never sleep any more. Who knew if the cat—or, as Ash said, something even worse—might decide we’d make a good midnight snack?
Chapter Five
WE BROKE camp at first light, dousing the fire with dirt and gathering up what little we carried with us. Then Grant took the lead this time, taking the front of the stretcher while I brought up the rear.
Rabbit was a small guy, but my arms and back were aching from toting the stretcher after a couple of hours. “Hey, how about a short break? My spine is killing me.”
Grant nodded. We waited until we found a suitable spot to put Rabbit’s stretcher down before I practically collapsed on the floor of the forest. My back hurt, my arms hurt, my stomach was growling, and my mouth felt like I’d been chewing cotton. It all combined to make me slightly cranky. “Do these trees ever freaking end?”
“You’re asking me?” Grant snorted. “Do I look like Google Maps?”
“You speak so strangely.” Rabbit looked from one of us to the other. “What is a Google Map? Is it a beast?”
“Grant? Would you care to explain technology to our friend, Rabbit, here?” It was mean, but I enjoyed putting Grant on the hot seat.
He answered my sarcasm through a fake smile and turned it right back around on me. “No, thank you. Why don’t you do the honors?”
Dammit. “Um, it’s something we have back where we come from, and it’s hard to explain. It doesn’t matter anyway. How far do you think it is to your people from here?”
“I’m not sure. We’re moving much slower than I did when I first came this way.” Rabbit paused and propped himself up on one elbow. He shaded his eyes, looking toward the sun.
It sounded to me like Rabbit was criticizing our speed, and it irritated me. Of course I was tired and footsore and probably would’ve been irritated by almost anything. So I arched an eyebrow but kept silent. It was true. We were moving slower, but with good reason—we were lugging his heavy ass through the freaking forest! Okay, so he didn’t weigh all that much, but still, he would move slow too, if he was in our shoes. Or whatever these moccasin-like things were that passed as footwear.
“Even so, I don’t think it should be much longer.” Rabbit lay back down on the stretcher. “Soon after we reach the Sea of Grass we will see the cave of the Bison Clan, perhaps when the sun touches the top of the sky.”
Grant nodded, then looked at me. “Noon.”
“Thanks, Sherlock. I figured that out myself.”
“God, you’re just spoiling for a fight, aren’t you?”
I frowned at him, then relented. “Sorry. I’m just tired, hungry, and ready to suck the sweat out of this leather shirt I’m wearing for moisture.”
Grant laughed, and the sound was kind of nice. I always did like his laugh. It was easy and contagious. “Ew, but I get you. I’m really thirsty too.”
“We will cross a small stream soon,” Rabbit offered. “We can drink there, and my people will have food for us at the cave.”
“Food. Good. I’m starving.” I stood up and stretched. My spine crackled like a bowl of rice cereal. “Ready?”
Grant nodded but seemed to drag himself to his feet. I realized he was as tired and sore as I was, although he didn’t complain. I guess he figured there was no point in it. I couldn’t help but agree. Complaining wasn’t going to get us to the cave any quicker or make carrying Rabbit any easier.
“Guess it’s my turn.” He bent down to pick up the harness and slipped it over his head and arms. He leaned into it, letting it pull across his chest, and started walking once more.
WE CAME across the stream Rabbit mentioned not long after. It was less than a foot wide in places, just a thin brook snaking between the trees, but the water was cold, clear, and sweeter than I remembered water tasting back home. Grant swore it was because there were no pollutants. I think I was just that thirsty. Maybe it was both.
We left the forest behind not long after crossing the stream. The going wasn’t any easier once we cleared the forest. The edge of the wood butted up to wide, open fields filled with shoulder-high, rippling grasses. In the distance we could see hills stretching to the base of an enormous mountain range. The mountains glinted white and blue under the sun as if they were made of ice. I realized they looked like photos I’d seen of glaciers in Alaska. Were there ever glaciers in Virginia? I knew someone who’d probably know, although I was hesitant to give Grant another chance to show off his knowledge. Still, I wanted to know.
“Hey, Grant. Are those glaciers?”
“Yeah, I think so. If we landed in Virginia during an ice age, then it could be.”
What do you know? I was right. For a change.
I soon realized there was no sense of orderly rows to the grass, like crops on a farm. These fields hadn’t been planted—they were growing wild, and the high grass made it difficult to see rocks and other stumbling blocks. I understood at once why Rabbit called it the “Sea of Grass.” When the wind blew, the grass rippled like ocean waves, and it seemed to go on forever.
The fields made me even more nervous than the forest had. I could barely see over the tops of the bobbing seed heads, and not far between them. Who knew what might be hiding out there, stalking us?
Rodents were everywhere. I could hear small animals—mice and rats, probably—scattering in every which direction as we approached, warned off by our footsteps. A rabbit hopped up nearby and nearly scared the crap out of me. I almost dropped my end of the stretcher but managed to hold on to it. It was close, though. I only hoped Grant hadn’t seen me.
“Is it all rabbits that freak you out, or just the fuzzy, cute kind?”
Yeah, so much for Grant not noticing what had startled me. “Shut up and keep walking. I’d like to get there before dark.”
“Oh, we will. Watchers have probably already spotted us and reported to Gray Wolf. He will have sent warriors to meet us.” Rabbit smiled at us. “It will be good to be home again.”
I agreed, but it would be a while before I could say the same. There was no going home for Grant and me until we had Merlin’s hunting talisman in our hands.
“I, for one, could sure use a hot meal. My stomach is rumbling so loudly I’m surprised you two can’t hear it.” Grant didn’t turn around, but I heard him chuckling.
“What makes you think I can’t hear it?”
He snorted. “I’m not surprised. I can hear yours too. Sounds like an animal back there.”
Rabbit suddenly let loose a fart that actually rattled the stretcher. He snickered, then laughed out loud. “Oh no! My beast is loose!”
I laughed, then grinned at him. Even if thousands of years separated us, I guess most guys still found certain things funny. Plus, his timing was impeccable. “Nice one, Rabbit.”
We only walked a couple of minutes more before a voice called out to us. “Hai!”
Rabbit called back. “Hai! It is me, Rabbit, son of Gray Wolf!”
We stopped walking and waited. A few moments later, the tall grass in front of us swayed and three men pushed through. They looked like older versions of Rabbit and were dressed much the same in furs and leathers. I noticed each wore a leather thong on which hung an oval of yellowish-white ivory.
Hunting talismans!
I squinted, trying to make out the images. None of them had an elephant depicted on them, at least not that I could see. One looked like a horse. Another seemed to be a bear, and I thought the last was some sort of tusked pig. A boar, maybe. Still, it was encouraging. Maybe one of the hunters who remained at the cave had an elephant on his.
“Who are these men, Rabbit? How were you injured?”
Rabbit’s cheeks darkened to red. He didn’t look pleased to confess how he’d gotten hurt, and I wondered why. “I came to set snares, but I heard an animal approaching, so I climbed a tree. I fell and hurt my leg. These are Grant and Ash, the two brave men who rescued me. They fought off a lynx, bandaged my leg, made this carrier, brought me out of the forest, and carried me across the grass
land.” He was slightly out of breath when he finished.
“Your father will have words for you, Rabbit. He has warned you before of the dangers in going to set snares alone. A boy so close to manhood does not ignore the advice of his elders.”
Well, that explained it. Rabbit was going to get a lecture from his dad when he got home. Grant and I exchange a knowing look. We both knew what he was feeling.
The man who’d spoken addressed Grant and me. “I am Bear Paw, the Bison Clan hunt leader. You have helped one of ours, the son of our leader. We are grateful. Come, we will return to the cave. The women will prepare a feast worthy of the new friends of the Bison Clan.” He motioned for us to follow.
The other two men who’d accompanied Bear Paw didn’t say anything but offered smiles. They walked on either side of us like an honor guard. Both held short spears and carried bows slung over their shoulders, along with a quiver of arrows.
I felt some of the tension I’d been carrying ease out of my back and shoulders now that we had armed men with us. Surely they could handle anything that might spring at us from the grass, right? They looked as though they could. All three of the Bison Clan hunters were burly men, their arms and legs corded with sinewy muscle, and they walked with a confident step.
We must’ve been close to the end of the grassland because it didn’t take more than ten minutes or so to leave the grassy stretch and reach the closest of the rolling hills we’d seen earlier. Good grief, my legs were killing me already, and now we had to climb hills? I wasn’t going to be able to walk tomorrow. I sorely wanted a nice, hot shower, but I doubted the Bison Clan had indoor plumbing in their cave.
The Bison Clan’s cave was located high in the hills, about another hour’s walk from where we’d met up with Bear Paw and his hunters. The cave was a triangular, dark opening in the otherwise rocky hillside. Outside, men and women worked at various tasks. Some were tending food cooking on open fires, and others were scraping skins stretched over long wooden frames. Still others were husking vegetables into woven grass baskets. Between them, younger children laughed and played.
