Chapter 5: Homestead

As Fall approached, so too did cooler temperatures and more frequent rainfall. Marcus spent a great deal of time surveying the meadow on his side of the river. It was broken up by terrace-like steps that lowered it gradually to the water’s edge. The steps ran parallel to the shore and presented four separate fields. With Springtime swelling, he expected the river to rise and flood the first terrace, so he planned only farming the top three levels. He began clearing the immediate area of rocks, trees, and logs. He inspected the freshwater tributary and began to plan its incorporation into his irrigation plans. It emerged from the hillside and splashed over the first terrace in a miniature fall that dropped only 7 feet. By clearing away the earth behind the fall and covering the ground beneath it with flat pavers, he was able to fashion a natural bathing area.

The hot spring dropped from the step only fifteen feet away and he dug away at the earth and rocks beneath it until he had created a modest pool lined with tightly stacked rocks and boulders. He was able to sit in the center and have the hot water rise to his chest. He found it relaxing and very soothing to his tired muscles. Most of the sulfur was leached away by its long journey, which also allowed it to cool down to a tolerable temperature.

Anticipating the colder winter weather, he used several bolts of cloth and many of his wool blankets to line the interior of the pavilion. Every week he inspected his tie-downs and tightened them accordingly as they became loose after a rain spell. Provisioning himself for the colder months became his sole focus, and he created a small smokehouse using one of the empty crates. He positioned it upon a slope and dug a fire pit below it with a long furrow to channel the smoke into the container. He hunted and fished and kept his smoker fully stocked for weeks. He packed his preserved meats away carefully into smaller crates and bins that he secured inside another crate he kept inside his supply tent. As he collected the deer hides, he tried to recall how to go about tanning them. He barely understood the rudimentary basics, so he sought out the help of the tribal women. They were incredibly happy to help him and seemed to quarrel amongst each other for the right to do so. Keely and Polany were afforded greater respect as daughters of the chief, and they claimed that privilege every chance they could.

During his visits he bartered often with them, trading extra tools, cloth bolts, and dried goods for things he needed. They especially liked the ropes and cords he had in abundance, and he was happy to provide them. He also taught them how to fashion stronger bowstrings and better arrows and spears. He taught the children how to fashion their slings and showed them how to use them. Before long every child and many of the women carried a sling wrapped around their wrist and had a handful of round stones tucked away as well. He was quickly learning their language and the many gestures that accompanied it. They too were able to understand a handful of his words and terms making it easier to communicate.

During one visit Marcus noticed a stranger in the village. It was a woman. She stood taller than the rest of the females and appeared frail, thin, and excessively filthy. She was garbed in poorly cured animal hides and carried a thick staff with her everywhere she went. Whatever she had to trade, she offered for food items, and he watched her devour several pieces of venison ravenously. When she first saw him, she stared at him apprehensively and scurried away. He approached one of the warriors and pointed to the strange woman trying to blend into a crowd of other females. “Tabo,” he gestured, “who is that woman?”

The other man sniffed disdainfully and spat. “They call her Kuwali,” he said, “they say she is a witch who lives deep in the hills.” He waved off to the East, towards the ocean. “I say she is just a crazy woman who trades herbs and medicines for food,” he pinched his nose with a grimace, “and she stinks.” They shared a laugh and Marcus returned to his home with a load of goods.

Using the native method for scraping and tanning his deerskins, he was able to get acceptable results. They used the brains and animal fat to cure and treat the hides. He incorporated wood ashes and urine to soak the skin in, remove hair, and soften the hide. He stretched them over racks and smoked them by tenting them over his smokehouse. The initial smell was vile but with repeated rinsing, he achieved better results. He eventually learned to tan only one side, leaving the fur in place for better insulation. To make the skins soft, he was appalled to learn that the women chewed on them for hours.

He was distracted one day by the cries of several children as they ran up to his camp excitedly. He was idly sewing together several rabbit pelts when he looked up to see anguish and terror in their expressions. He beckoned them to come sit and catch their breaths, but they tried to draw him up and pull him back towards the village.

“Come!” they begged, “Come! Hurry!”

Their rapid speech and cries confused him, but he understood enough to know something terrible occurred in the village. Or to the village. He stood and retrieved his harness, longbow, and quiver before allowing them to herd him back down the path to the river. Pepper had grown a great deal since he had found her. With good food and health, she now stood up to his waist and weighed well over 150 pounds. She calmly loped beside him as they jogged along the path through the forest. As he ran, he was able to understand a few more words and terms but he was no clearer on the emergency. Someone was injured he gathered. And something terrible caused it. A forest monster.

He sensed sorrow and apprehension when he entered the village and was greeted by several of the men. They led him to a hut near the elders. Lakota greeted him sadly and beckoned to him to enter. He found several tight-faced women gathered around a pallet. Upon it lay a young boy who cried weakly, suffering from several horrific injuries. He was bleeding through many layers of bandages that covered his torso and left leg. His right arm was mutilated with the skin and muscle shredded from the shoulder down. His eyes were tightly closed as he whimpered in agony.

Marcus knelt beside him and placed a hand gently on his forehead. His skin was pale and cold. Touching his chest, he barely felt the rapid heartbeat and shallow breaths. He reluctantly stood back and bowed his head in sorrow. He looked at the elder and gave a slight shake of his head confirming what they all knew. He grabbed a thick blanket and covered the boy gently. Retreating outside, he turned to the gathered warriors and asked what had happened.

What he understood was that the boy and several others had wandered into the forest to hunt for quail and rabbits. They unfortunately chanced upon a giant cat that attacked them. They fought it with sticks and slings and managed to chase it away from the stricken boy. They carried him back to the village and claimed that the creature followed them. Several of the adults added that they indeed, heard the terrifying cry of the angry predator just moments after the boys arrived. No one had ventured from the village since.

Marcus asked for the boys to be brought to him and he stepped back into the hut long enough to remove a scrap of the injured boy’s clothing. He presented it to the adolescent wolf, and she snuffled it several times before sitting back on her haunches patiently. Two boys were brought up to him and he gestured towards the forest, asking from which direction they had traveled. Okami rephrased the question, and they eagerly began describing their trek. When asked if either of them would guide them they both agreed, so long as Marcus promised to go with the hunting party.

Marcus chose three other warriors he knew, and they set out. The scar-faced warrior Pochin strutted forward and made to follow but was stopped by the Northman’s sweeping hand. When he demanded to know why—Marcus simply gazed back at him evenly and said he did not like him. A soft chuckle could be heard from one or two of the other men as they led the way into the woods. Pochin turned dark with rage and stomped away.

Pepper led the way with her keen nose sniffing the slight path before them. It took no time at all for her to find the first track. The paw print was bigger than Okami’s hand as he held it beside the impression. He looked fearfully about and muttered the term for, giant cat, under his breath. Marcus had them spread out and took the time to string his bow, holding it and an iron-tipped arrow in his left hand. He drew his pistol with his right and pulled back the hammer. He motioned for silence and pointed to his eyes, then up in the trees. He kept the two boys close behind him and followed Pepper deeper into the forest. Occasionally he spotted blood spatter on the trail, indicating the path the boys had fled down with their injured companion.

They inched their way further along the trail. The stillness of the woods weighed down on them. Not even the birds made a sound. The air seemed heavier as they went, and the only noise came from the frequent sniffs of the hyper-alert wolf. Even the light seemed to fade as it gave way to dark shadow. All of his senses were strained to the breaking point as Marcus continued warily forward.