Chapter 10: Parting, and Meeting

“Be careful, there is someone nearby.” Dann’s thought came to those who could hear it, even as he signaled the same message to those who could not. “Aard, look closely at the tree line to your left, at the single dead tree. Do you see anything strange about the bird perched there?” His protégé did as Dann instructed, and abruptly froze in concentration.

“It is a decoy! It’s not real!” exclaimed Aard. “And now I see the hunter who waits near it, but I have never seen anyone like this before!” He flattened himself closer to the ground, and, hidden in the taller grasses and gorse, he made his way back to the group, where they lay in concealment, alerted to the ever present danger around them.

They had come far in the few months since the attack on their Group home, and they had made many discoveries. They had rescued a small group of survivors – humans from another Group, who had escaped from the drogs, and who had joined with them. They made a temporary camp several days’ journey from the edge of the swamp, while those unfortunates had regained their strength, and Aard and Dann had each made several exploratory trips, fanning out from there. Aard had been trailing a small herd of wild goats, and had found a large, hidden cave, on a sheltered hillside, to which they had moved their camp.

Toll and his new wife, Doe, had decided to make a new start here. They had explored the cave, which overlooked a small lake, and found it well-protected from the winter winds. Large enough to house a good number of families, it would be a safe, dry, sheltered place to establish a new Group home place.

They had seen no sign of any other humans, nor of drogs, for many days now, and because of that they were sure they could settle there unmolested. They had seen small herds of wild cattle on the plain, and had even been able to hunt and kill a wild pig, providing meat for the whole group. There were fish in the lake, as well as turtles and crabs, and the area appeared fertile, ready for the seed they had brought. In the breaks along the river there were trees for firewood, and bramble patches promised berries. It would be a good home place.

But now it was time for parting, and they held one last council meeting, as Seth and his family prepared to move on. Seth had been their leader, now he passed that responsibility over to Toll, and wished him well, and reminded those staying with Toll of their responsibility to their group, and to their new leader.

As his last act as leader, Seth had also invoked the sacred blessing of Joining over Toll and Doe, as they began their togetherness. Leana wept at this, as all women have done since time beyond reckoning, and presented Doe with a beautifully tanned and softened rabbit skin for her firstborn. Doe reached into the pack she had borne since leaving the original Group home, and retrieved half the seed she had saved for their journey. “You will need this wherever you stop,” she said, “take it and remember us as you go.”

Toll spoke then, pronouncing the travel blessing, and said, “And if you ever return this way, you will find a welcome here among friends.

He embraced Seth and Leana, then turned to look at the three younger members of the departing group. “We have learned much together!” He grasped the hands of the two younger men, and addressed them both. He hesitated, then stopped, and reached out also to embrace Tia, a thing unheard of. He spoke again, at first looking directly at Dann and Aard. Then, unmistakably including Tia, he recited the customary blessing, “Journey well, hunters. Fulfil your journey with honor, and return safely to take up your rightful place as men,” and he looked back at Tia, “and woman.”

He turned to an astounded Seth and Leana, embracing them once more. Aard produced the object he had returned for on leaving the home – a bone flute -- and played a melody that reminded them all of what they had left behind, as well as what they faced in the days to come.

Then Seth turned them toward the distant mountains that called to them.

They traveled for a period of a whole moon cycle, making good time, stopping early each evening to shelter in a hidden ravine, or a cave, or a clump of trees. As they traveled, they foraged, making side trips to promising patches of berries and tubers.

As he had promised himself, Dann concentrated on learning how to speak without words, and see without being there. He and Aard both made good progress, and learned new things daily, even as they hunted and learned much about the area they traveled through. Sometimes that learning was abrupt. One day he was able to spear a fish as they crossed a stream, and they were extremely fortunate to avoid a monstrous saurian that basked in the sun on its bank. The thing had lain hidden in the open, its coloration blending so well with the riverbank that it was almost impossible to see until it moved. Tia just happened to be glancing in the right direction, and her thought of, “Danger!” appeared, fully formed in his mind instantly, and fully understood.

“I never saw you move so fast, Dann,” she giggled, after the initial fright. “You looked as if all the nightmares in the world were after you!”

“But at least I saved the fish!” Then, serious again, “If it had not been for your warning I might not have seen that thing coming. Thank you, my sister.”

Tia smiled again, playfully, “But I am not your real sister, remember?”

Dann had turned away then, in a confusion of feelings, and quickly changed the subject. Tia looked to her mother for reassurance, but was met with a shrug and a smile, and Leana whispered privately, “Be patient, Tia, he carries much responsibility as it is, but I think he feels that he must further prove himself.”

Leana and Seth also continued to learn much about the “gifts” that she and Tia had suddenly acquired. But Seth, alert to the implications in the overuse of this “mindspeak,” insisted that they limit its use for now, that they use normal speech in most situations. He said, “We need to be sure we can control this, so that we don’t expose it to others, who might not understand, and might consider it a danger to themselves. Use it to learn, and experiment carefully with it, but do not use it unnecessarily.” All agreed, and did as he directed.