Chapter 7: Eastern side of continental Myanmar. Appx. 1100 BC

व्याघ्घातकः (Tiger Slayer, Morning, Beyoncé, Bella) patted the dark brown earth into place. He stoically moved the gathered rocks until they formed a cairn over his youngest child’s grave. The Jarawa people were long-lived, often reaching four or even five hundred years of age. However, one to one hundred and fifty years was more common.

His wife, सन्ध्याकाशम् (Evening Sky), had lived for another one hundred and seventy years after their marriage. Tiger had laid her to rest almost thirty years ago. Evening had proudly born Tiger seven children—five warriors and two gatherers. They’d lost two warriors to early childhood accidents and illnesses. Another two children, one warrior and one gatherer, were lost to predators. Tiger’s remaining two warriors had died in battles with the slavers, leaving only his daughter, सायंकालस्य प्रतिज्ञा (Evening’s Promise).

Tiger placed the last stone and turned to his mother, दिनं प्रभात इति (Day Dawning). “We must flee lest we cause the clan’s total destruction,” he flatly stated. “All reason for staying here has gone.”

Day, who had gleefully joined with the widowed women and joyfully served the sexual needs of the unmated warriors for nearly thirty years before मृदुः शशः (Fluffy Bunny), the clan chief’s wife, had died of the pox, nodded. Mountain had passed away not long after Evening, leaving Day heartbroken. She ignored the many warriors who wanted her to join with them as their mate and took her place amongst the widows again. She’d lost two husbands and couldn’t face the prospect of losing another.

Tiger’s three remaining children had mated and produced offspring of their own before their deaths. Unfortunately, all of Tiger’s grandchildren were female. Women who’d taken husbands from other clans during the annual gatherings designed to ensure the clans didn’t suffer from inbreeding. All had chosen to join their new mate’s clans and leave the valley of the Negrito. Tiger hoped that meant that some of his great-grandchildren would survive into the future.

Despite wanting children with Mountain, Day had remained barren. Possibly, it was for the best because the offspring of Mountain and Day would expect to vie with his children with Fluffy for the chieftaincy when he died or became too old to continue. Mountain’s and Fluffy’s eldest warrior, काक आह्वान (Crow Call), had successfully challenged the other hunter/fighters for his father’s place and was the current chief.

Tiger’s sole surviving child, the gatherer सायंकालस्य प्रतिज्ञा (Evening’s Promise), had suffered a mortal wound in the clan’s latest clash with the Gaelic Slavers. Tiger had gone into a berserker rage when Promise had fallen. His rage fuelled the clan’s remaining warriors, and none of the slavers survived the battle despite outnumbering and outweighing the men they fought.

Tiger’s precognition abilities had meant the Negrito Clan’s village, nestled within a fertile valley, hadn’t been discovered by the slavers. The clan had always left the valley in time to meet the slavers far from their home. But every clash brought the slavers in greater numbers and closer to home, and everyone knew only luck kept the valley hidden.

Tiger and his mother asked the chief for an audience, which was immediately granted. “It becomes increasingly apparent with every clash that the slavers hunt Day and me,” Tiger said. “It’s better for the clan’s safety that my mother and I leave. Perhaps then, the slavers will pursue us and leave the clan in peace.”

“Do you believe that is true?” Crow asked.

“No,” Tiger admitted. “Our clan has successfully denied the slavers for nearly two hundred years. They will not stop until they have enslaved us all.”

“What do you suggest?” Crow queried.

“You take the clan south to Land’s Edge and build boats capable of joining the Jangil people on the islands south of the mainland.”

“There’s no hope of staying?”

“I do not believe so,” Tiger replied.

Crow sighed, realising he would need to lead his clan from their ancestral home. “If it must be so, then it will be so,” he vowed. “We will begin preparations for an extended journey tomorrow.”

“I will lead a squadron of warriors guarding the eastern escarpment tonight.”

“Why?” Crow asked, knowing of Tiger’s obscured visions of the future.

“Bad feeling,” Tiger admitted. “I felt wary of that area when I first came to the valley.”

“Do you know what will happen?”

“An attack,” Tiger stated confidently. “But origin unknown. It might be tigers or wolves, but I suspect today’s attack was a skirmish designed to keep our warriors from discovering a group infiltrating the valley from the east.”

“Is a squadron enough?”

“I believe that it’s a scouting party,” Tiger replied. “Twelve warriors should be sufficient to ensure the clan’s safety.”

“Take the men you require,” Crow dismissed. “I know better than going against your instincts. Leave me. I need to summon the elders and prepare to get the clan moving south.”

“You do your father proud,” Tiger stated before turning and leaving.

The moon had settled beyond the horizon when Tiger’s cadre heard the unmistakable sounds of boots sliding over stones. The sounds emanated from above a nearly twelve-foot rock face not far from where they hid. Here was precisely where Morning’s (Tiger’s) instincts had screamed at her almost two hundred years before.

The warriors watched as five slavers dropped effortlessly onto the ground below the cliff. Tiger motioned his fighters back, and they waited silently for the slavers to pass them before viciously falling upon them from behind. Spears stabbed, clubs swung, and knives slashed. Less than two minutes later, the world held five less white slavers.

Satisfied with their night’s work, Tiger’s fighters rejoined their families and slept peacefully until the morning.

Sunrise that morning saw Tiger and Day heading north and east as the remainder of the tribe prepared to move south. Tiger and Day headed toward winter and an unknown future. The Negrito tribe hoped the Jangil would accept them. The two tribes were trading partners years before the Jangil had disappeared from the continent. They also hoped the Jangil remembered.

Tiger and Day slid unobtrusively through the coastal rainforests of north-eastern Myanmar. After a brief conversation at the end of their first day’s walk, Morning had decided to remain in her assumed masculine guise. The same reasons held true from their first extended trip. Two single women travelling alone together would attract human and humanoid males like jasmine attracted bees. However, she significantly altered their facial and physical characteristics. Morning now resembled her first Negrito clan mentor, मृगशिकारी (Deer Hunter). Day could have seamlessly replaced दुः शशः (Fluffy Bunny).

Hunting had been good during their travels, but the days were swiftly turning cold and shortening. Winter would be upon them soon, and they’d die if they couldn’t find somewhere to hole up for the winter. They would need at least a month to prepare and stock a cave with enough food to survive the oncoming winter.

On the border between modern-day Myanmar and Bangladesh, close to a city now called Cox’s Bazar, they found what they searched for. Unfortunately, a large adult male sun bear called the cave home. Unwilling to challenge the bear, Morning and Day used green leaves and tree boughs over a fire to smoke it out. The bear appeared unattached to the cave because it quickly decided to vacate the area. A day’s cleaning and exploration ensured the cave would suit an extended stay. A river was nearby, and game, tubers, edible plants, and fruit were plentiful.

Morning and Day took turns between hunting and gathering winter supplies, including wood to burn, building defences around the cave, and smoking the meat for winter consumption. It would soon be cold enough outside to freeze the meat, which could then be stored in an ice/rock cave for easier access and freshness. However, the outside meat lockers could easily be lost to scavengers and other meat-eating animals, so preserving and keeping the meat inside the cave was imperative to their survival.

The early part of every night was spent curing hides and weaving mats to seal off the cave’s entrance. These pelts and mats would also make their beds and provide insulation from the cold ground. More time was needed to prepare a dark part of their cave to store the various fruits, tubers, and vegetables they’d gathered.

The season’s first severe snowstorm occurred about thirty days after they’d moved into the cave. By then, Morning and Day were ready. As long as a hurricane didn’t strike the cave’s entrance directly, the women were safe for winter’s duration.

Winter passed peacefully without much trouble or fanfare. They had only two encounters that caused any consternation. Winter had only recently set in when the sun bear returned, looking to retake the cave. Burning brands shoved in its face and smacked against its retreating rear convinced the bear that this cave wasn’t congenial to its continued existence. The bear didn’t bother them again.

Also, an injured Bengal tiger who hadn’t been able to follow the migrating herds attacked the cave. Again, the palisade Morning and Day had built withstood the assault. However, the women chose to feed the tiger what they could. It quickly learned to leave the women alone. In return, they fed it and kept it alive. The tiger’s presence ensured other predators gave the cave a wide berth.

The Jangil clan pair began their trek further east as soon as the snow cleared enough to make travel possible. Three months later, they were on the banks of the Meghna River. Although it was towards the end of spring, the river still teemed, its waters in flood and too dangerous to try and swim across. Morning and Day stayed in the area because they’d seen signs of human occupation for several weeks but hadn’t found the village they knew had to be close.