Gear, W Michael & O'Neal, Kathleen - People 01 by Gear W Michael

Author:Gear, W Michael [Gear, W Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2012-05-30T15:32:04+00:00

"People!" A faint cry came, borne on the wind.

Singing Wolf stood up, looking to the north, shading his eyes with a blood-caked hand. Jumping Hare let the hide slide loose, craning his neck back and forth to see.

"Looks like Three Falls," Singing Wolf called. "What's he doing here?

Thought he'd gone off with Sheep Whistle to hunt up north."

"I see Mouse," Jumping Hare called. "I'd know her walk. Broke her leg that time. When Strikes Lightning's dart didn't kill that buffalo along the salt water. There's more, too. Lots of the People behind them."

Green Water made a clucking sound. "I don't think this is good. Go see."

One Who Cries picked up his darts and trotted around the rock outcrop where he'd taunted the mammoth cow. The dogs were already barking, growling as they ran to meet the hounds with Sheep Whistle's people, snarling and fighting.

Three Falls walked in the lead of the group, a huddle of women behind him bent under flat-looking packs hitched by tump lines. They paced wearily, followed by one or two more hunters to the rear. Then came others, more bundled figures topping the horizon, walking bent against the skyline. The ones in the rear didn't look well as they limped along.

No one noticed the scrapping dogs as they growled and yipped, the packs tearing into each other.

One Who Cries pulled up, sensing the wrongness. "Three Falls!" he called. "Welcome. Come, we've killed mammoth. We can feast you in real style."

A ripple of relief seemed to run through the group. Mouse--hair cut short in mourning for Strikes Lightning-lifted her head, a bit more bounce in her walk. Her young infant peeked out from her hood, a tiny face beside hers. Behind her a little girl toddled. More came, some still straggling over the hilltop to the north.

"There goes our winter's supply of meat," he whispered to himself. '

Three Falls lifted grateful hands in the gesture of relief. "We'll enjoy your feast, One Who Cries, and offer thanks to the Blessed Star People for your shelter."

"I don't see much in the way of packs. The dogs aren't loaded. Isn't that Big Mouth back there?" The short, stocky man limped miserably. "Is he hurt?"

"Dart wound." Three Falls looked away nervously, lips pinched. "We had a wonderful hunt. Caught a herd of dall sheep in a little valley. Perfect.

We'd butchered most of the carcasses, built caches so the permafrost would keep the meat. Thought we'd stay there all winter with the Others driven off and all."

A tendril of anxiety touched his stomach. "What happened?" "The Blessed Star People saved us, my friend. Just luck. One of the young men was running to tell Raven Hunter and Crow Caller that we'd made enough meat to feed many. He saw the Others first, ran back, and warned us. Let me tell you, they fight better now. Killed four of the hunters who went out to drive them off. There were so many of them, old friend. So many. So fierce. We could no more drive them off than stop Wind Woman.

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