Savage Eden

by Kevin Ashman

  She was facing away from him, silhouetted in the dazzling daylight of an archway, gazing at the panorama before her. Kraiach stopped and stared at the back of the one responsible for so much death and misery, not quite sure what to do next. Somehow, this thing held the answer to getting out of here and back to his friends.

  ‘You are here,’ she said without turning.

  ‘You move fast,’ answered Kraiach.

  ‘As do you!’ There was a few seconds of silence between them. ‘The cold comes quickly, Kraiach’ the voice continued, ‘quicker than we all thought. Draw close.’

  Kraiach stepped forward slowly stopping beside the strange woman, her body clad in a flowing black cape and deep fur lined hood.

  ‘Look,’ she said and pointed a crooked ancient clawed finger outwards across the scene before her.

  Kraiach followed her gaze and for a second, thought he was looking into a thick mist a few miles away. Gradually, he realized that before him as far across the horizon as was visible, was a precipice of sheer ice soaring high into the sky as far as he could see. The top lay hidden in the wisps of cloud that swirled at the limit of his sight, and though he didn’t know, it laid up to three miles thick in places. The previous ice cliff they had climbed so long ago seemed like nothing but a minor step when compared to the glacier before him.

  ‘It gets closer every day,’ she said, ‘soon it will crush this place as if it is nothing more than an insect.’

  ‘What is this to do with me?’ he asked.

  The figure turned to face him, its head lowered and hidden by the deep hood.

  ‘It is time to pay a debt, Kraiach,’ she said. ‘My kind have led a terrible and bloody existence. We have fed on the flesh and fear of a lesser people. A people who, like us will soon all die in the freeze of the never-ending winter. Our spirits are doomed to walk the dark places and nothing I do will repair this, but there is one thing you can do that will make the last of our days the best they can be.’

  ‘Why would I do this?’ he asked

  ‘First,’ she said, ‘you must know what I am.’

  She lifted her head and slowly drew back the hood, letting it fall before Kraiach’s astonished gaze. His jaw fell open and he took a step back in horror, clutching at the wall for balance as he stared at the abomination in front of him.

  The old woman had a second, much smaller head sprouting from her neck and as he stared in disbelief, the second head tilted back, and a thick red tongue lolled out of the old toothless mouth to lay wet on her chin. Saliva ran down the shared neck of the co-joined twins, whilst the white unseeing eyes of the smaller head stared futilely up at the cavern roof.

  But it was not just the horror of nature’s mistake that took away Kraiach’s breath, though that was bad enough. No, the features of the healthy face dismayed him even more. Despite the age lines and the thick white hair that fell in a tangled mess around her face, her features were familiar. The flat nose, heavy bony eye ridges, and the receding chin line, everything about her screamed at him in recognition. She was Mwrllwch.

  ----

  ‘What sorcery is this?’ gasped Kraiach. ‘This cannot be.’

  ‘It is true,’ she replied sadly, ‘we share the same ancestors, you and I.’

  Kraiach stared in shocked silence.

  ‘What tribe are you?’ he whispered.

  ‘Is it important?’ she asked.

  ‘It is the most important question left’ he said, his anger and disgust being held just below the surface, his eyes still enthralled by the distorted movements of the twins second head.

  ‘You know who we are,’ she said.

  ‘No!’

  ‘It is the name that you are afraid to speak Kraiach. The end of your hopes.’

  Kraiach knew the answer, not willing to believe what was now obvious to him.

  ‘You are from the tribe of the long night,’ he said quietly.

  She stared back, her silence confirming his statement.

  ‘If this is so, he said, ‘we have surely come to the end of our people’s time.’

  ‘The last tribe of Mwrllwch left;’ she confirmed, ‘a great tribe reduced to fooling mere humans into thinking we are Gods and feeding on their flesh.’

  ‘What about the others, the ones who left; how many were there?’

  ‘Many families took the long walk. Their intention was to walk far to the south where the great waters are warm and as blue as the sky and there is no more cold to take our children.’

  ‘And this place exists?’

  ‘We cannot know for sure, but it is said it will take a generation to reach and there many dangers to face.’

  ‘Why should I allow you to live?’ he asked suddenly.

  ‘I don’t expect to live, Kraiach,’ she said, ‘I am tired and would not wait until the ice seeks us out in this hellish place. My sister is ill, I feel her every pain and know she is dying. All our lives we have shared the burden of nature’s curse. Now, as her light fails, she will take me as well. We share our thoughts and when she dies, I will know both this life and the next at the same time, and that scares me more than anything’

  ‘Why do you fear this knowledge?’ asked Kraiach. ‘Surely, many have sought to know these things and you alone will see both worlds.’

  ‘What if the better place does not exist? What if it is a place of demons?’ She paused ‘What if there is no afterlife, Kraiach? What if there is nothing? It will go against everything that we have ever known. I will not face that knowledge.’

  ‘Then throw yourself to the flames’ said Kraiach.

  ‘No, I will not take that risk. We have suffered throughout this lifetime and if there is a better place, then I seek peace and normality in the next. I wish to run alongside my sister in green fields, to hunt the Horse or swim in the forest rivers. We have suffered enough. I will not deny us the better place by taking our own lives.’

  ‘So what is it you want of me?’

  ‘Two things,’ she said. ‘One is that you take our lives before the next full moon fills the sky.’

  ‘I will take great pleasure in this task,’ said Kraiach grimly, ‘you may be the last of the tribe of the long night, but they should have killed you at birth. Nature does not allow abominations such as you.’

  ‘This may be so, but what has happened has happened. There is the second task I wish of you.’

  ‘And what is this?’

  ‘You will take our body to lie with our people in the cave of the ancestors.’

  ‘Why would I do this?’ he asked angrily. ‘You have deviated from the path of the Mwrllwch. It is too late to rejoin now at the point of death.’

  ‘Because, Kraiach,’ she said, ‘I have what you seek.’

  She turned her head to look outwards again and he followed her gaze downwards to the valley below. She raised her hand, and Kraiach became aware of a commotion in the forest lying at the foot of the slope. The noise of shouting and beating of undergrowth drifted up to meet him, and he saw glimpses of Baal warriors driving something through the forest toward a clearing. Suddenly, with a crash that brought down two small trees, a huge beast broke through into the clearing, its hairy trunk raised and bellowing in fear as it fled from the hunters. It turned to meet its antagonists as it became cornered against a rock escarpment, but the warriors kept their distance, happy with the stalemate that had developed.

  ‘Huan!’ gasped Kraiach.

  ‘Perhaps not Huan himself,’ corrected the old woman, ‘but certainly a Mammoth.’

  ‘From where did she come?’

  ‘As a Baal God, I am brought many strange gifts,’ she laughed.

  ‘You keep her here against her will?’ he asked

  ‘Perhaps,’ she said, ‘but there is another reason she stays in the valley.’

  The old woman pointed across the valley to a ledge on a small cliff opposite. Again, she made a signal and this time another group of four struggling Baal dragged something out of a cave and onto the ledge. Once again
, Kraiach was astonished and angry.

  Tethered between tightly bound ropes was a baby mammoth, no more than a few months old. Below, the mother heard the cries and ran trumpeting to the base of the small cliff.

  ‘You have her calf,’ Kraiach said simply.

  ‘I persuaded the Baal not to kill it,’ she said, ‘don’t forget I too heard the stories of Gotha and Huan at my mother’s hearth.’

  ‘What do you intend to do with them?’ he whispered in awe.

  ‘It is up to you, Kraiach,’ she said. ‘If you agree to give us the release we seek, then the Mammoth is yours to do with as you will.’

  ‘And if I don’t agree?’ he asked.

  ‘Then the Baal will feast on Mammoth steak before the day is out.’

  ‘What is to stop me breaking the promise after you are dead?’ he asked.

  ‘You will not, you are not human.’

  ‘Perhaps not. However, I have been with them for a long time and their ways may have influenced me.’

  ‘You are Mwrllwch. You will be true,’ she said.

  He turned back to look at the female Mammoth who had calmed down, but stretched her trunk upwards to try to reach her calf. As he watched the magnificent beast cry for her calf, his pain was unbearable.

  ‘I will do as you say,’ he said.

  She nodded.

  ‘Go to the valley’s end,’ she said, ‘I will arrange to bring the calf to you.’ She indicated a small path running down the side of the mountain and turned to walk back inside.

  ‘Kraiach,’ she said without turning, ‘you may need this. She held out an old deer leg flute, similar to the one he had left in the bone cavern in the valley of the Long-tooth, many months ago.

  ‘I sleep in a chamber behind the sacrifice stone as soon as the sun sets every night. When you do it, make it quick. I don’t deserve mercy, but my sister,’ she turned her head slightly to look at the smaller sleeping head sprouting from her shoulder, ‘She has had no choice in any of this.’

  Kraiach took the flute and grunted his acknowledgement, before starting down the dirt track to the valley below, as the co-joined twins walked into the darkness.

  ----

  The path levelled out and Kraiach ran as fast as he could to the end of the valley. As he approached, he saw the baby Mammoth had been tied to a tree trunk by its leg, and the mother was alongside it, trying to persuade her calf to follow her down off the mountain and toward the distant glacier, nudging it gently with its trunk and forehead. Despite its efforts, the baby could not break the braided vine rope and both animals grew more stressed as the struggle continued.

  The enthralled Neanderthal sat on a rock at a safe distance and watched in the great beasts in awe. For many years, he had been told about these great creatures and had spent most of his life seeking them out.

  With its huge hump on its neck, soaring high above the bulbous bony forehead, the adult was larger than he imagined. Huge intelligent brown eyes lay either side of the base of its huge head and enormous ivory tusks, essential for ploughing through the frost and ice of the tundra floor, swept majestically down either side of its prehensile trunk. Its long and muscular forelegs were larger than the ones at the rear, testament to the use they had of scraping away at the permafrost in its never-ending quest for food. The thick course hair lay deep across every inch of the giant body, keeping the animal protected from the harshest of conditions.

  Though he wanted to stay and watch these magnificent creatures all day, their distress caused Kraiach pain and he raised the flute nervously to his lips. Once again, the haunting deep sounds floated out of this ancient instrument, and after a few minutes, the animals grew calmer, seemingly soothed by the deep mellow tones of the bone flute.

  For an age, Kraiach played the ancient notes that had been played since the long ago on this sacred instrument. Eventually, as the last notes died, both mother and calf stood calmly side by side at the bottom of the volcanic slope. Kraiach got off the rock and slowly approached the two behemoths in the new silence that lay in the valley.

  He drew close, aware that with one swing of its trunk, the Mammoth could take off his head, or just as easily spear him with her majestic tusks. But despite the mother’s nervous snorting, she showed no sign of attack as he approached her calf.

  ‘Great beast,’ he whispered as he approached, ‘take my sorrow back to Huan. We have paid a great price for the crime of Gotha.’ He neared the calf who stared at him wide eyed in nervousness. His calm soothing voice continued. ‘Oh, great Huan, hear my words. Our grandfathers have wandered in the cold since the time before. Those of us that are left, die without knowing if we will reach the better place.’ He crouched down slowly and reached out to untie the animals bonds, talking all the time.

  The adult Mammoth took a step forward, blowing dust clouds from the floor with her trunk, and Kraiach averted his eyes to avoid antagonizing the beast. Slowly he unravelled the knot and, as it fell to the floor, he stood up, taking a step backwards from the released calf.

  ‘I beseech you, great Huan,’ he said finally, ‘release us from our burden!’

  With a small trumpeting sound, the calf ran to its mother.

  The Female Mammoth covered the calf with a great show of affection, smothering it with loving caresses of her enormous trunk. For minutes, they stayed in the same place, both animals staring at the puny two-legged animal, which was both the cause and release of their pain. Slowly, taking giant considered steps the Mammoth came closer, breathing heavily through its trunk, followed closely by the calf. The giant creature stopped just short of Kraiach and watched tensely as the calf drew within arm’s length of the Neanderthal.

  Kraiach slowly raised his arm, hardly daring to breathe, as the calf raised its trunk and the flexible tip intertwined with the fingers of the Neanderthal.

  ----

  Seconds later, the moment ended, as both animals turned to make their way out of the valley. Kraiach watched them go with mixed emotions until they slowly disappeared into the mountain mist. He stared at the blank grey wall that hid their departure; suddenly jumping as the adult reappeared facing him. Their eyes made contact for several seconds before she raised her trunk and trumpeted a deafening roar that resounded off the nearby rock walls and disappeared once more into the mist. Kraiach knew that he would never see a Mammoth again and turned to re-climb the path that led to the lair of the Slorth-baal.

  ----

  Chapter 31

  Seren, Morlak, and Brola spent each day lying silently in the thicket, often hearing the sounds of searching Baal closely passing. At nightfall, they would crawl silently out of the hiding place and while one always stayed on watch, the others would scavenge whatever they could to eat from the forest. Fungi, berries and roots were supplemented by the occasional squirrel, bat or drowsy bird that was unlucky enough to come within range of Morlak’s or Brola’s Swaden, but overall, they were very hungry and grew weaker as their hunger intensified.

  One evening, they spied a deer drinking at the water’s edge and they all lay still on their bellies, careful not to scare it away.

  ‘It is too far away for my spear,’ said Brola.

  ‘Use the Swaden,' whispered Seren.

  ‘The Swaden will not bring down a deer.’

  ‘No, I mean use the Swaden with the Gwenwen,’ she said the excitement evident in her voice. ‘We need to know if it works and this is our first chance.’ She took the pouch from around her neck and carefully unfolded the skin wrap. Morlak rolled the point of a dart carefully in the paste watched closely by the intrigued Brola.

  ‘Careful,’ said Seren quietly, ‘don’t get any on the Swaden, you don’t want to get any in your mouth.’

  Morlak aimed carefully and with a quick blow, the dart sped toward the startled deer sinking deep into its flank. The deer leapt high into the air before bolting into the nearby bushes away from the perceived danger.

  Seren and the Neanderthal stood up to trail the deer, but they had gone no mo
re than a hundred paces into the bush before they came upon its prone carcass, still twitching in its death throes as the poison instantly affected its nervous system. They stared in awe at the effects.

  ‘I have never seen anything die as quick,’ said Brola. ‘Even after I have brought them down with my spear the beasts usually die under my knife.’

  Morlak grabbed the dead deer by the leg and hoisted it over his shoulder.

  ‘We will eat well this night,’ he said and led the way back to the hide.

  Half hour later, they sat in a tight circle in the thicket with their backs up against the surrounding undergrowth, watching as Morlak carefully stripped the muscle from the deer’s bones with his knife. He handed a piece of the thick thigh muscle to Brola.

  ‘Wait,’ blurted Seren, ‘how do we know we will not suffer the same fate as the deer?’

  Brola stopped and they stared at each other. Taking a small piece Seren applied the same principles her clan used when testing any new food for any poisonous properties. First, she examined it carefully for any out of the ordinary sign, closely followed by smelling the cube of meat for any unusual odours. Finally, she rubbed the meat on the inside of her bottom lip and under her tongue before sitting back to wait. Brola looked at her inquisitively, the unspoken question evident in his eyes.

  ‘If the meat is fouled,’ she said, ‘it will bring a reaction to my flesh, but should not kill me.’

  ‘How long?’ asked Morlak.

  ‘A couple of hours,’ she answered and chuckled at the evident frustration on his face. ‘We have starved for weeks; a few more hours won’t hurt.’ Over the next hour, Seren dozed off as they waited for any reaction. She was shaken awake by the rough hands of Morlak.

  ‘Are you dead?’ he asked staring into her eyes.

  ‘No, I am not,’ she said haughtily, and ran her tongue over her gum feeling for any swelling or other indication of reaction to the meat, ‘but I think we should wait a bit more time.’

  ‘Enough waiting,’ he said, ‘at least I will not be hungry if I die. He picked up the dry meat and ripped into it with his teeth. Brola and Seren waited with bated breath as he devoured the now raw steak, expecting him to keel over at any minute.