Mammoth!

by Dakota Chase

  “And the spirit of the sea turned the waves to ice! He taught the People to make boats from wood and hides, and to hunt the creatures who lived in the water. They sailed during the day and at night, would climb onto the ice floes, pulling their boats up after them. At first, they built fires to keep warm, but then they ran out of wood and were too far out to sea to go back for more. The sea spirit taught them to burn oil from the fat of the sea animals for warmth and to cook food when on the ice. And so they lived for many moons, until they came to this land.”

  Bear Paw spoke up for the first time. “This began a good time for the People again. For a long time, they lived on the beaches. They learned how to get salt from the water, and how to use it to preserve fish and meat. They made necklaces from seashells and clothing from the skins of the sea animals they hunted. The People grew fat and content again.”

  Musk Ox made a rude noise. “Too content. They grew lazy and angered the sea spirit. The spirit began to withhold the treasures of the sea, just as the land spirit had the herds long before.”

  Gray Wolf nodded. “It was the time of the Great Ice. The wall of ice in the north began to move south, closer to where the People lived. The weather grew colder, and huge sections of ice crowded the water. Then came the first disagreement among the People. Some wanted to beg the sea spirit to let them cross the water again, but others wanted to wait on the beach, confident the animals would return. Still others wanted to go south to run away from the great ice wall.”

  Musk Ox took up the thread. “In the end, the People were divided. Some began to travel again, building boats, following the seals. Others went south, following the sun spirit. The rest stayed here. It was a time of great sadness for the People. Families were torn apart, many young men and women leaving mothers, fathers, and children behind.”

  “Life was hard for the hunters,” Bear Paw said, staring out into the dark. “Some died, but enough lived so the stories were not forgotten.”

  Musk Ox nodded and continued. “But the People were no more. We took new names. Our tribe, who found a home here near the beach, called ourselves the Bison Clan.”

  Gray Wolf looked hard at us. “The ones who left us to go south called themselves the Deer Clan. It was not a pleasant parting. They tried to force many of the hunters to go with them, even those who didn’t want to leave. Some of us fought to make them stay. In the end, their men tried to take food and furs, supplies that didn’t belong to them. Fights broke out and blood was spilled. The split carved a wound in our hearts that has festered all this time.”

  “Wow. I’m sorry your people have had so much trouble, Gray Wolf.” Grant said but looked at me, and I nodded in agreement. “But we didn’t know any of this before.”

  And of course, that was the exact moment I opened my mouth and inserted my foot. “And it was so long ago. Maybe the Deer Clan would be willing to live peacefully with the Bison Clan now.”

  Snow Owl jumped to his feet. I guess he’d had enough of being quiet. “Never! They are poison to us.” He turned to Gray Wolf. “Do you see now? They have no loyalty to the Bison Clan. They would bring the Deer Clan into our home!”

  “I will not tell you again, Snow Owl. Sit and be still or leave!” Gray Wolf glared at him, then turned to me. “No, Ash. The Deer Clan and Bison Clan cannot live together. Not anymore. By coming here hoping to take our lands and cave, they’ve proven they still can’t be trusted.”

  “We understand, Gray Wolf. We just didn’t know all this before. Now we understand not to trust the Deer Clan.” Grant, always being the diplomat. I smirked at him. From the way he was learning how to tell people what they wanted to hear, he might want to think about a career in politics.

  Gray Wolf nodded. “I believe you.”

  Another question popped into my head and out of my mouth. “Did you see any of the Deer Clan while you were hunting the sloth?”

  Bear Paw shook his head. “No. We saw their tracks, but nothing else.”

  “It is just as well,” Gray Wolf said. “Finding them would’ve meant fighting, and time taken away from hunting. We might’ve missed the sloth. We had a lucky hunt, and the Bison Clan now have meat enough to risk going on a long hunt for mammoth.” He stood up. “Should you see another of the Deer Clan, you will tell us immediately. Do not give us reason to doubt you again, or you will be turned out from the tribe.”

  “Absolutely,” I said, nodding vigorously. “You can trust us.” I smiled for the first time since coming back from our meeting with Silver Water, despite the black looks Snow Owl was still flinging at us like evil little darts. I’d been so sure Gray Wolf was going to punish or banish us for letting her slip through our fingers that I felt enormous relief now that it looked like we’d been forgiven.

  “Go back to the fires and help the others. It will take much work to skin the sloth and cut the meat up to dry.” Gray Wolf waved his hand at us, and it was obvious we were being dismissed.

  Grant and I happily obeyed, and we moved fast, practically running back to the cave. As we left, I heard Gray Wolf talking in low, heated tones and caught the name “Snow Owl” several times. I couldn’t make out exactly what was being said, but I knew Gray Wolf wasn’t happy Snow Owl invited himself to the meeting or that he kept interrupting Gray Wolf’s questioning of us. I was fairly sure Snow Owl was getting chewed out, and for a minute I worried Snow Owl would try to take the damage to his ego out of our hides.

  Then Red Fox saw us and called us over. She handed us a couple of knives and showed us how to help slice the mountains of fresh meat into the small, triangular pieces needed for it to dry. We got to work, and I eventually forgot all about Snow Owl.

  Chapter Fifteen

  ALL THOUGHT of the Deer Clan vanished over the next month. At first Gray Wolf and the hunters went out every day looking for them, but as time passed, it seemed safe to assume the Deer Clan had either moved on or returned to their southern home. There was no sign of them in the forests of the Bison Clan, and quite frankly, we were too busy to worry about them.

  In fact after a week or so, the hunters stopped looking for the Deer Clan completely and began to focus on making plans for the upcoming mammoth hunt. The hunt consumed the entire tribe, including Ash and me. Everyone was involved in preparations, even those who would not be making the trip. Food needed to be dried and packed, new spears and knives made, ropes and baskets woven from the tough grasses growing in the meadow. Some of the Bison Clan—us included—needed heavier winter wear. Our clothing was not sufficient for the bitter cold at the foot of the glacier.

  Bear Paw told us the hunting trip would take an entire turn of the moon, including travel time. The hunters would hike all the way up to the great wall of ice to our north, which was much farther than it appeared. Once there, they would need to find mammoth and hunt them. If the Bison Clan were successful, the mammoth would have to be skinned, butchered, and the meat, pelt, tusk, and a few choice bones carried all the way back to the cave. An entire month was a long time to lose, and if the hunt failed, they risked not having enough meat put away to see them all through the coming winter. That was why the hunt for the sloth had been so important—it was all that stood between the Bison Clan and starvation if the mammoth hunt failed.

  While most of the Bison Clan worked at preparations for the hunt, Ash, me, and the other young hunters continued to train. Musk Ox worked us hard, from sunup to sundown, with breaks only for meals. Ash and I suffered sore muscles and stiffness in the beginning, but as we kept at it, our bodies adjusted and grew stronger. I had to admit, the new muscularity looked damn good on Ash. He was getting ripped. I was too, and I didn’t miss him looking at me when he thought I wasn’t paying attention.

  We hadn’t touched each other since our hot kiss just before we met Silver Water, but I thought about it all the time, especially at night. When we fell into bed, exhausted from practicing all day, throwing spears, jumping and running, the memory would come back to me. I would remember how Ash tasted, how he fe
lt under my fingers, pressed up against me. It was torture because I wanted to kiss him again, touch him, but surrounded by the Bison Clan, it was impossible. We didn’t get the opportunity to be alone anymore. We were just too damn busy.

  One day Ash and I were at the throwing line—as usual—casting our spears at the stuffed targets. We hit them more often than not now, which seemed to please Musk Ox. He grunted at us and even smiled at us now and then.

  I’d just cast my spear and was about to jog to the target to retrieve it, when I heard a voice call out, “Not a bad cast! Not as good as me, but not bad.”

  I turned and smiled when I saw Rabbit walking up to us. He was grinning from ear to ear and carrying his spear and atlatl. Ash laughed and slung an arm around Rabbit’s narrow shoulders. “Hey, look who’s here!”

  “How’s your leg feeling?” I walked up to them, leaving my spear stuck in the target. It could wait a minute.

  “Good. Summer Wind took the birchbark off this morning. It’s thinner than my other leg, and a little weaker, but it will get better. There is no more pain. I will walk to the great wall of ice on my own two legs and kill a mammoth to earn my talisman! I will return a man of the Bison Clan.”

  His pleasure and excitement were so apparent, I couldn’t help but feel it. “I’m glad, Rabbit. I was hoping your leg would heal fast so you could come with us.”

  Rabbit’s anger at us for letting Silver Water go free had faded after Gray Wolf forgave us. I was really glad—I liked Rabbit and didn’t want him to stay angry with us. He was basically a good kid, and I felt more affection for him than the other Bison Clan since we’d known him the longest. I also felt kind of proud of Ash and me, because if it hadn’t been for us and our rudimentary first aid, Rabbit wouldn’t be standing there ready to practice for his manhood hunt. He’d probably be dead, killed by a predator or exposure after he broke his leg.

  I knew Rabbit still hated the Deer Clan with every fiber of his being, but I held out hope that he’d eventually learn not to hate blindly, to give people a chance. After all, he’d given us a chance, trusted us, and now we were friends. Not that he’d had much choice in the matter when we’d met.

  He’d also had a growth spurt since breaking his leg. I guess I didn’t notice since he’d spent all his time either sitting or lying down, but he’d sprouted at least a couple of inches. He was nearly as tall as Ash now. As skinny as a shadow, but what muscles he had looked wiry and tough. When he cast his spear, it sailed straight, true, and fast across the meadow and into the target.

  The addition of Rabbit made the day pass quickly. We developed a friendly competition between the three of us, each trying hard to outcast the others. Before we knew it, it was growing dark, and we retreated to the fires at the mouth of the cave. Lately the air was growing a lot colder once the sun went down, and I, for one, was glad for the warmth. In fact, it seemed to get colder every day. Winter was definitely on its way.

  That night, as we huddled near the main fire outside the cave waiting for the call that supper was ready, Red Fox approached us with a pile of heavy furs in her arms. “These are for you. You will need them on the mammoth hunt. It will be bitterly cold at the foot of the great ice wall.”

  We each took a pile of gray fur from her and unfolded it. She’d made each of us a warm winter coat from pieces of the sloth’s hide. They’d been fashioned to slip over our heads like oversized, hairy T-shirts. Worn over our wolf and bison furs, they’d weigh us down some, but keep us toasty warm. “Thank you so much!” I smiled at her. “How can we repay you?”

  “You owe me nothing. You have already given Rabbit his life. It is more than enough. Gray Wolf gave me the pelts and asked me to make them. I was more than happy to do it.” She returned my smile, but then Fire Arrow and Fire Stone came looking for her attention.

  “We’re hungry, Mama!”

  “You’re always hungry!” She laughed and then went off, herding them in front of her. We watched them walk inside the cave.

  I refolded my new coat as neatly as I could and threaded my fingers through the rough gray fur. “Rabbit, did you know Red Fox was making these?”

  He nodded. “Of course. Gray Wolf claimed the skin of the sloth as his due. Red Fox makes the best furs, very soft. Gray Wolf had her make yours, and one for me too. My winter fur from last year is too small for me now.”

  “Well, they’re terrific.”

  “You should think about trading for some mitts and hoods. You’ll need them too.”

  “Have you been to the ice wall? How cold does it get there?” Ash asked, but I was thinking the same thing.

  Rabbit shook his head. “No, I’ve never been there. The only reason for the Bison Clan to go so far north is to hunt mammoth. But the hunters all say it’s freezing cold and dry, as if the ice sucks all the moisture out of the air. It’s so cold and dry it doesn’t even snow much.”

  “Does it snow a lot here at the cave?” I hadn’t thought about it before, but now I wondered if the Bison Clan were cave-bound for much of the winter because of deep snows. It wouldn’t really matter to Ash and me—if we found the talisman we needed, Merlin’s magic would bring us home no matter what the weather—but it would be nice to know what to expect.

  “Oh yes. Sometimes we get storms that last a whole moon. We can’t even go outside to pass waste. We have to go in a basket at the back of the cave.”

  Lovely. Things were bad enough now, when I had to go outside and find a nice, secluded tree to squat behind to do my business. Now, if what Rabbit was saying was true, I had to look forward to going to the bathroom in a basket inside the cave, where privacy was a forgone conclusion. Poop buckets were not my idea of indoor plumbing. All I could hope for was that we found the talisman quickly and went home to where we had porcelain fixtures and toilet paper.

  Ash and I brought our new coats inside the cave, to our hearth. We didn’t need them yet—it wasn’t cold enough at the cave to warrant us wearing them. We’d save them for the mammoth hunt.

  While we were there, he picked up a small bundle wrapped in a scrap of leather. “I almost forgot about these.”

  “Oh, the seashells we got the day we heard the Deer Clan! I almost forgot about them too.”

  He unwrapped the bundle, exposing the conch shell, a double handful of smaller shells, and the oddly beautiful piece of lightning glass we’d brought back with us. I picked up the conch shell and the lightning glass. “I think we should trade these for more spears and a pair of custom atlatls. The smaller shells can go for a pair of knives and those mitts and hoods.”

  I nodded. “Sounds good to me. Who did Musk Ox say was the carver?”

  “Badger. Come on. Let’s go talk to him.”

  Badger was a man slightly older than Bear Paw, and the tribe’s best carver. We found him at a hearth outside the cave. It wasn’t a family hearth—children stayed clear of it. The area was reserved for craftsmen only. Badger sat surrounded by thin strips of shaved wood, studiously whittling a piece of wood. I suspected from the shape it might turn out to be an atlatl for one of the young hunters.

  A woman sat across the fire pit from him, patiently knapping stone. Not walking barefoot around the tribe’s knapper was a lesson learned early by most children—the stone shards she flaked off were as sharp as razors and would cut bare feet to ribbons.

  We approached Badger first, hunkering down on his side of the fire. “We need a pair of atlatls and a few spears.” Grant cradled the conch shell in his hands. “Are you willing to trade with us?”

  Badger grunted and set aside the piece he was working on. He took the conch shell from Grant. “This is a fine shell. Not many are found unchipped.” He put it to his lips and blew air through it, then grinned at the low-pitched, hollow sound he produced. Finally, he held it to his ear. “I hear the spirits of the sea whispering.”

  We smiled at him, unsure of what the proper procedure was. He seemed impressed by the shell. Should we dicker with him? We asked for two atlatls and a few s
pears. Was it enough, or should we offer the lightning glass too? Should we try to get more bang for our buck, so to speak?

  “For this I will make you two atlatls, and three spears each.” Badger put the shell to one side, as if the deal were sealed. “I must measure your arms for the atlatls and spears.” He picked up a length of rope woven from some sort of fibrous plant and stood up. Motioning to Grant, held one end of the rope at Grant’s shoulder, then pulled it taut down the length of the arm to the fingertips. With a sharp flint knife, he cut the remaining length of rope off. Then he repeated the process with me.

  “I will have them in two or three sun rises. Come see me then.” Badger nodded to us, then sat down and went back to work, the deal evidently finished.

  We showed a few smaller shells to Cat Claw, the knapper, and asked for two knives. She agreed and pulled out a ready-made selection for us to choose from. They all looked the same to me, but I picked one up and held it by its bone handle, weighing it as if trying to decide. “This one is good.”

  Grant did the same, and we left the fire with two brand-new flint knives stuck in our belts. I felt sort of proud of us for managing our first bartering session but couldn’t help wonder if we’d gotten the best of the deal. There hadn’t been any haggling as I’d anticipated. In movies you always see people yelling at each, trying to get a better price or more product.

  “We need to go see Red Fox. Maybe she’ll trade us hoods and mittens for the lightning glass.” Grant motioned toward the fulgurite I carried still wrapped in protective leather. We didn’t see her outside, so Grant led the way inside the cave.

  She was just cleaning Fire Arrow and Fire Stone’s faces. The twins were giggling and squirming away from her, making a game out of getting clean. When she looked up at our approach, they took advantage of the distraction and made a break for it, running out of the cave. Red Fox groaned, then smiled at us. “Getting those two clean is an impossible task. I fear the day will come when I will no longer recognize them because their faces will be hidden under too much dirt.”