Chapter 8: Avoiding Vengeance and a Horsey of Another Color

Early twilight, the trio slipped out, crossing the path after climbing the Steams, unnerving his compatriots. embankment and easily slipped into the woods. The marginally wider path was no hurdle. Tiss and the others left earlier. Once safely ensconced, the others froze, unable to tell where they were going. Grinning, Ty lit his flashlight, previously switching to a red filter, which doesn’t travel nearly as far as unfiltered light.

Silently approaching, Ty led them directly—with a few short diversions—to where the others were. Shocked, observing this new perspective of him, they shrugged, no longer surprised by much he came up with. The others were either lurking near the edge of the woods or waiting in their smaller clearing where they intended to establish camp.

Gathering the others and leading them back to their own mini-clearing, he encouraged them to set up spaces to sleep, established a watch schedule, then slipped further in the woods, the girls following, and showed them how to erect his four-person tent, after leaving Anna and Tanya his two-person one. They erected theirs nearby, trusting him not to allow them to get lost.

Awaking before dawn the next morning, Ty and the others headed out, evaluating the slope of the path heading east from Tri-ford. It wasn’t nearly as steep as he hoped, though it still put them at an advantage if anyone attacked, assuming they stuck to the path.

He pointed to the path, continuing down it, indicating the slight depressions, beside it. “What are those for?” Tiss whispered.

“Those are where we’ll plant traps,”Ty spoke sotto voc, projecting so they could all hear, “just off the path, so when we press them back, it’ll incapacitate them.”

“What sort of traps?”

“Pits, covered by a thin layer of limbs and vegetation, covered by dry leaves and grass, so when weight is suddenly applied, it’ll give way. Potentially breaking their leg. If not, it’ll take time to escape. Otherwise, we plant stakes at the bottom to ensure they die. A horrible, painful death, unnerving his compatriots.”

“And who’ll dig these pits and with what?” Tiss pressed.

“I will,” he answered. “I now have a small, collapsible metal shovel which can easily dig several in a single morning. We’ll need to warn everyone to stick to the trail.” He shrugged. “I’d mark them, but it wouldn’t take the invaders long to notice the markings. Still, I doubt after their first encounter, the Tri-ford officials will be foolish enough to try again.”

“Since they’ll likely gain nothing, losing much, hopefully they won’t attack a second time,” Tiss reflected. “Though I seriously doubt it. Those hungry and desperate for power, rarely consider the risks.”

“That’s because, most ‘chiefs’ don’t lead raids on their own,” Anna reflected, “especially if they’re only after one man. They send others to do it for them and simply don’t care whether they live or not.”

“Actually,” Ty noted, “in most ancient human cultures, the chieftains typically led their men into wars, hoping to gain additional lands, raping and pillaging as they went. They’d then return conquering heroes, lauded by their people. This one however, seems extremely short sighted, knowing how well armed we are.”

“Wouldn’t it be easier,” Tanya queried, “when they attack here, for you to slip into Tri-ford, find and kill their chief and be done with it?”

“And what?” he posed. “Take over and manage Tri-ford ourselves? We’ve already determined most living there aren’t adaptable enough to train. We need those who can adapt and eventually take charge themselves, rather than merely acting as cannon-fodder in future attacks. We’re hoping to build a better, more successful village, which will then attract those we seek rather than adopting those requiring constant care.

“I’m not focusing on the next few years, I’m hoping to change this ancient culture, creating a better future where everyone looks after everyone, working in harmony rather than merely having upper, lower and a separate servant class, who they deem worthy of nothing.”

“A worthy aim, though difficult to accomplish in a single lifetime without the self-same conquering armies, storming across the countryside. I suspect we’re too kind and well-meaning to achieve what you’re aiming for.”

“No, I don’t intend repeating humanity’s many mistakes. Rather, I’m seeking to set this world on an entirely new path, where it too will be able to defend itself from other worlds while also allowing their people to grow, thrive and achieve what they’re best suited for.”

“Alas,” Tanya reflected, “dreamers rarely survive long, as once they’re murdered, their followers lose faith and quickly disband.”

Staring at her, Tanya flinched. “Do you really think any of us would be so easily demoralized? For most historic cultures, clearly, since they rarely had much actual power. Yet each of us could further my mission on their own, with or without us. That’s my dream, not merely taking advantage of people for my own gain, but creating a culture where everyone has the power to change things for the better.”

“Trust me, I’m a believer,” she reflected, “though as the most recent returnee, I’m a bit skeptical.”

“What we need is to locate a source of copper or iron ore. Though it’s just opening pandora’s box, as it won’t take long before someone figures how to do it themselves, then it’ll become a stone-age arms race. No, that’s one discovery best left for later—much, much later. What we need to setting the ground for a more successful future, not just triggering a more destructive one earlier.

“An axe for felling trees would be incredibly useful, yet it’s not worth risking what will likely result. Instead, we need to change the future, before repeating humanity’s previous mistakes. The future will inevitably arrive whatever we do. We need to sway it as much as possible before then.

“For now, we have a distinct, powerful advantage. Anymore, would be overkill, inviting retaliation. We’re a collection of organized fighters. What we have to avoid is either creating or triggering the development of armies of any kind, steering this world away from that direction, towards a mutually cooperative one.

“I’m convinced it’s why we were each sent back here, to prevent the advent of later armies and their resultant domination of great swaths of humanity. We need to delay or prevent that influence, as much or as long as possible.”

“So we’ll need to figure out how we’ll proceed,” Anna said, finally rejoining the discussion, “without ultimately triggering a militaristic reprisal. “If we do, we’ll need to sweep in and take out the individual leaders. Undermine the escalation rather than further escalating it.

“This is a good start, yet we can’t move them towards a crisis. Not yet. We need to focus on individuals, empowering others, without triggering a response.”

“Alas, how we do that, without triggering the other, is the key to our success without provoking our ultimate failure. And that will take much more thought and consideration.” Tanya threw her hands up. “Fine, then create a hidden village and a decoy alternative, spiked with your hidden traps. Draw those we want, while discouraging any unnecessary reprisals. That’ll require more care and more encouragement, without taking more time. A slower, gentler creeping tide, preventing and undermining a potential growing wave.”

“Make—” Tiss offered.

“Don’t even suggest it,” all three responded, slowing her roll.

They worked, creating various shelters hidden in the woods. So if one was attacked, the others would hear and lend assistance. Though Ty’s animals, kept just outside his spot, growled menacingly whenever anyone or anything neared, warning another nearby.

This occurred where anyone traveling to or from Tri-ford wouldn’t actually see nor hear anything, though keeping active watches. At the moment, no one knew they were here, other than Ty’s casually mentioning it while there. Yet there was clearly no one sniffing around and didn’t know what happened, since shortly after Ty’s crew left the village a few at a time. They also kept watch for Tims, though he might be harder to notice.

Ty also demonstrated digging a latrine for the returnees. They were reluctant to dig it as deep as suggested, but he remined them that any overflow would likely end up polluting the fresh water. That convinced them, and they’d then teach the others, so each time, someone else got the task. Ty would teach the men later, but given their respective ages, there was no rush to do so.

Just before dawn the next morn, he was out digging his pits, Kitty and Lor hovered nearby, protecting him from god-knows what at that time of day. After digging each, he gathered the stray branches they’d collected, laid them over each hole, and then scattered more leaves over it, hiding each. They were hardly neat, and even if someone tumbled in, they could catch or brace themselves. After all, they hadn’t made their traps fatal by adding the suggested stakes at the bottom. He wanted to scare and distract, not torture or maim anyone. At least, not yet unless things decidedly escalated.

They looked good when done. They added another couple the following day, yet there were enough people who rose early to start work, they weren’t exposed for long. Plus, aside from the other defenses, they had the stream down the incline a short distance away, just off the path as it curved past, once again paralleling the western path from Tri-ford.

There were plentiful places to ambush or surprise someone, or dispose of their bodies if necessary. They were well prepared. Afterwards, they focused on getting everyone established, especially their newest members. They built Di a hut in the woods with her family scattered nearby. The girls took them down to the ravine each day—where no one else ventured—to teach them how to defend themselves and their new, still nonexistent village. They were making steady progress.

There had other issues too. While Anna had long befriended the girls, Tanya was trying to make up for lost time, the girls viewing her as undermining them to claim Ty for her own. Thus tensions were remained high, which meant each girls wanted him to perform each night or would kiss him whenever Tanya glanced their way.

And rather than staking her claim, establishing herself as the alpha-bitch, she wouldn’t, deferring to the girls instead. For now, Ty had been letting them work things out on their own, yet felt he needed to intervene before it got much worse.

Their main public hut was built and ready. Though it was closer to a wigwam, a long, more stable and sturdy structure, braced against any expected winds by the border of the nearby woods. Yet, rather than housing villagers, it instead housed a variety of shops, one selling Di’s wares, one selling food and one an early versions of their still not quite perfected soap.

Prepared to open, there was plenty of interest and curiosity by the early risers, as people kept stopping by. Few armed though, so it was difficult telling one from another. Word had been spreading about them, however they seemed more curious no one appeared openly armed. Tims still hadn’t arrived, though it was again time for their weekly trek back to look for new arrivals.

Ty doubted they’d find anyone there, as the arrivals seem to serve as rewards, and aside from building the world’s first shopping center, where others hawked their wares, they hadn’t accomplished much, other than preparing an as yet unsprung trap.

Given his doubts, Ty was tempted to remain behind. Despite their help, neither Anna nor Tanya demonstrated any capacity for launching an attack. Though quite adept at spearwork, neither had made their own kills, furthering his suspicions.

Still, everyone knew what to do, and he preferred allowing others to assume command and prove themselves, rather than continually hovering, never giving their confidence room to develop. So, once again, they were off, after a decent early morning meal. There was clearly no use heading back if there was nothing there, though if someone had, they may either be slaughtered or might wander off, never locating their earlier tribe, what little remained of it.

So Ty, Anna and Tanya headed off, each suitably armed. And this time, they attracted a lot of attention, not only because he was there with two older, armed women, but because Ty was a well-known figure, even if few had actually met him yet. He was sure word of his departure would likely spread rapidly. Still, the girls were now better at organizing and managing the others, while his remaining would only prevent their defining themselves, an unneeded complication.

The question remained, was the Tri-ford’s chief more or less likely to launch an attack during his absence. Either way, it was out of his hands for now at least. Vengeance could easily wait a day or two.

Not needing to stop to hunt this early, they made good time, so much, they agreed to remain on the earlier wider well-established path, hoping to meet more people in transit.

Unsurprisingly, there weren’t many on the path, as few ventured far from their villages. They waved to a couple, yet no one seemed inclined to converse. So as the path narrowed again, they were ready to head back to the easier to navigate stream, when they spotted a lone figure approaching, so they continued on, waving to them. Seeing them, he began walking faster.

“Yo, Ty!” he called, apparently recognizing them as the only ones carrying spears, though they were taller than anyone else of this time, plus their different skin tone was readily apparent. It was Tims, so they were eager to reconnect. Reaching them, he handed Ty what appeared to be a wooden club, but which felt much heavier and harder, almost like stone.

“This is what the one tribe bartered, and I thought you’d want it, rather than anyone else.

Ty held it up, examining it as the dual suns reflected off the chiseled surface. “An axe! A flint axe!” he hefted it, gauging how easily he could swing it. “We can use as many of these as he has, as we can put this and as many as they can produce, to use immediately.” He then proceeded to study the sharp, though uneven, edge.

“Excellent, not only can we topple trees, we should also be able to cut them into wooden boards to build actual wooden homes. And we have much to build, as once we do, others will want us to build the same for them.” He then handed it to Anna to examine.

“This will actually fell a tree?” Anna asked, skeptically. “A hardwood tree?”

“It’ll require frequent sharpening to keep the edge sharp, but it’s how our ancestors built their early homes.”

“Good, cause he sent two,” Tims gleefully exclaimed, “and the other tribe offered this,” he handed him a small, yet light, exceptionally sharp knife.

“Damn, Copper!” Studying it, both women now peering over his shoulder, he discovered it was hardly pure, due to their using too low a heat to properly melt it. “It’s hardly the finest qualify, if they send someone with the raw ore, we can show them how to refine a purer sample, creating better products. They require a much higher temperature than simple fires can produce. However I know how to do so, or at least have a vague idea how, we’ll need to experiment to be sure.”