Chapter 7: Mammoths and Bison

On the other side of the river I swung into the saddle of one of my horses and let Sarah drive, our wagon was the third in line. Sarah was more than happy with the smooth ride, her bond cat was sleeping on the bed behind her in the wagon. Little One liked to ride in front of me unless she wanted to sleep, if she got sleepy she would climb into her carrier.

It was a long day, the trail across the plains was clear with few trees close to it. The caravan master stopped by a few times and we talked. He said we would be stopping at what was called Caravan Keeps every night. We saw wolves a few times but they kept their distance and large herds of what I recognized as bison.

When we came within sight of tall walls I moved to the back of the wagon and unhooked the cart. I pulled it out of the way and put the handles in the loops beside my saddle. I thought to leave Little One with Sarah but she refused to leave me. I pulled the 450 express out of the wagon and turned away from the Keep.

While the wagons headed into the gate through the high walls, I headed towards a nearby herd of bison leading my horse with the cart behind him. I only glance back when I heard Jerome the dwarf stomping after me. I stopped a couple of hundred yards from the herd and waited for Jerome. I nodded towards the horse with Little One sitting up in the saddle, “Wait here.”

I moved to the side a little ways and knelt. I had been watching the herd and picked out a bull on the edge. The loud explosion caused my horse to stir but he had at least heard it before. The herd of bison stirred and began moving away. The bull I had been aiming at had dropped to its knees and then fallen over.

I put the big rifle on safe and moved to the cart. Little One was giving me a dirty look while Jerome had wide eyes. I set the rifle inside the cart and turned to lead the horse towards the downed bull. Jerome got himself together and hurried to catch up. We didn’t take long in skinning the bull and cleaning it.

We put everything in the cart and started back towards the Keep. I glanced back and saw several wolves coming out of the tall grass to feed on the offal from the bull. The inside of the Keep was strange, the walls were six feet thick. At each of the four corners there was a raised platform for a guard.

Jerome and I took meat for our own camps and the caravan master took the rest. Jerome didn’t even hesitate in rolling the large bull hide up and throwing it over his shoulder. We had gone slow while traveling so the horses had a chance to eat some of the grass. I had walked beside the wagon several times cutting grass with a long handled scythe and dropped it into the back of the wagon.

Little One wandered off with my directions to stay in the Keep. Sarah’s grey bond cat seemed happy to curl up on her lap after dinner and purr at her with pleasure. I checked each of the horses and the caravan master came by to give me my assigned shift on one of the watch towers. I slept fitfully that night and woke with relief when the camp guard came by to get me.

Watching the area outside with my night scope showed me why guards on the towers were necessary. I saw a couple of large cats as they made their way past the Keep and knew they would have been able to leap up and climb into the Keep. As the sun rose a mist followed and slowly the camp came to life.

We hadn’t been out of the Keep long when I saw a big cat coming out of the fog. It looked like a large mountain lion and it was heading for the lead horses pulling my wagon. I brought the new rifle up and fired in one smooth movement. The lion screamed as it stood up on its back legs and then fell to the ground biting at its side.

There was a few moments of panic along the caravan and gradually things calmed. I moved forward to the downed cat as it died. The caravan master and a couple of others appeared and then moved away. Jerome got there as I began to skin the lion and he immediately took the other side. It didn’t take long to finish and we rolled the skin up.

Our wagons had continued to move with the rest of the caravan. I tucked Little One back in her carrier before we started jogging to catch up. I slipped the skin into Jerome’s wagon before moving on to my own. I walked beside the wagon and Sarah grinned down at me as I handed Little One up.

She handed down the scythe and I moved off. I slung my rifle as I began cutting the tall grass. It was like the pattern I had set the day before only after the lion I was a lot more alert. It was a good thing I was paying attention because the man in front of me was doing the same thing I was.

He didn’t even see the large wolves as they came out of the grass for him. There wasn’t time for me to unsling my rifle so I dropped the scythe and drew my pistol. I put two shots into the first rushing wolf before switching to the next. The explosive sound of my pistol brought the wolves to a halt as I double tapped the second.

I shifted and shot a third and then a fourth before they turned to run. The caravan was full of shouting and the man I had saved was staring at the wolf a few feet away from him in shock. I changed the magazine and moved to start skinning the first wolf. This time Jerome and I had help skinning the wolves while the caravan waited.

When we moved on everyone was more watchful. As we approached the next Keep I took the cart and began moving off towards a herd of bison in the distance. This time Little One stayed with Sarah as Jerome and I went hunting. I shot a huge bull at the edge of the herd and then because a second bull wouldn’t move away I shot it.

That night I had first watch and saw a sight I had never dreamed of seeing. A large herd of Mammoths bedded down at the base of the Keep wall. I was asked to shoot one of the creatures for its tusks and shook my head, (people never change). Sarah stayed up until my watch was over and we sat talking until it was late.

The next day was a repeat of the one before without the wolves. I was able to shoot three antelopes before we reached the next Keep so I didn’t bother going after Bison. I didn’t have guard that night and lay against my saddle with Little One on my lap. I wasn’t sure what had awakened me until I heard the horses snort uneasily.

I reached beside me and lifted my rifle. I had placed the night scope on just in case and switched it on now. I slowing began checking around the camp and froze when I saw a huge lion crouching beside the small camp fire across the way. I took careful aim and flicked off the safety. The quiet click of the safety made the large cat’s ears flick towards me.

It looked across the camp straight at me. I squeezed and the night was shattered by the roar of my rifle and then by the scream of the lion. The Keep was alive with shouts and yells, the horses were screaming and everything was in chaos. I moved across to the dying lion as others began to gather.

It turned out that one of the men on guard had fallen asleep. The caravan master put extra men on each post so it wouldn’t happen again. Jerome watched as I skinned the lion and then helped drag the body out a gate. We came back to the caravan master who nodded and turned away. I shook my head and for the first time Jerome grinned.

It took awhile before I was able to sleep. Little One finally curled up on my chest and began to purr. It was strange how something like that can help someone fall asleep. I woke to the touch of one of the night guards moving around waking everyone. When we moved out we had to go slow because a large herd of bison were spread across the plain in front of us.

All day we moved like that and the caravan master stopped by to say we would be getting to the next Keep late. I shot an old bull and Jerome and I skinned and cleaned it while the caravan waited. We reached the next Keep after dark and moved in carefully. I was leading several men in to check it when I noticed the far man sized gate open.

I held my hand up to stop everyone and then pointed at the open gate. The pack of wolves came out of the dark and into our lantern light snarling. I didn’t hesitate and shot the first one I had seen through the chest. I hit the second in the neck and then they were running away. The problem was that they didn’t head out the far gate.

I waved the men back and used the night scope. I shot the wolves one after another until they were all dead. They helped me drag the wolves out the far gate before leading the wagons in. It was awhile before I finished skinning the wolves, even with Jerome’s help. I was on watch on the far wall when I saw the large group of men approaching.

They were quiet and had naked swords in their hands. I nudged the other man on guard with me and let him look through the scope. He turned to face the camps, “Raiders!”

I took the rifle as the men below charged at the gate. I fired rapidly taking the first three before they could reach the gate. I hit another as he was opening the gate and lanterns flared to life. I turned and headed down the stairs inside the Keep. There were three raiders just inside the gate with arrows in them, the rest were fighting with men from several camps.