Chapter 6

The talk around the hunter's fire mostly concerned whether the cold winds and heavy snows would ever give way to good hunting weather again. It was generally agreed that they were in an unusually long and severe winter season. Those with long memories would remember that this had been the same topic towards the end of winter for every winter since hunters had first gathered at the hunter's fire. Winter hunts were difficult and more dangerous. Fording a stream could be deadly if you were to somehow slip and fall beneath the water's surface.

Stick and Two Bears were trying to get comfortable at their camp fire as they debated heading back to the village with their freshly killed and dressed deer. They had finished eating the liver and tongue, and both wanted to sleep that night inside their lodges. The debate concerned whether they could safely ford a stream at night while carrying their kill. The skies were so overcast at night that there was little light to guide their steps across the rocks. Both of them were concerned that Stick's bad foot might cause a problem. Two Bears had found a stick that had a rounded "Y" at the top and was trying to convince Stick to use it under his arm to help support and balance his weak side while they crossed. Sticks similar to that were often used to help older people who had difficulty with standing or walking, and Two Bears was trying to convince Stick that there was no shame in using one to make their crossing safer. It was cold enough, Stick argued, that the meat would keep if they just waited for morning.

"I wasn't thinking just of the meat Stick. I was thinking about how much better we would sleep if we were out of the bitter wind and under a large pile of warm sleeping furs. I was thinking also that Willow and Goose will be worried if we aren't back before morning comes." While neither man would get into any discussion of what went on in their lodges under their sleeping furs, both were thinking about their women and how nice it would feel to be with them. As Stick thought about Still Shadow waiting back in his lodge for his return, he stood up and placed the walking stick under his shoulder and tried a few tentative steps with it. It felt awkward to him, but it did seem to help with his balance. He also found that he could take some of the hop out of his gait by planting the stick instead of his bad foot and taking the weight under his arm rather than on the heel of that foot. He decided to give it a try, believing that they could stop at the side of the stream if the crossing seemed too dangerous to attempt. By the time they reached the stream, the area beneath Stick's arm was sore and abraded from the roughness of the wood and the friction as he swung back and forth while he walked.

"Two, I don't think we should try to make the crossing. My arm hurts and I can't see well enough to risk a crossing." Two was disappointed in his friend's decision, but he thought that he was probably correct. They set up camp and built another fire and tried to wrap themselves against the wind that seemed to cut right through their furs. It was too cold for sleeping, so they spent the night feeding the fire and moving around to try to retain their body's warmth. They seldom spoke during the night, not needing to keep reminding each other about how miserable they each felt. At first light they made a crossing without mishap, and then happily walked back to the village, and to the women who would cook their food and make the misery of their long hunt seem all worthwhile.

A woman who was lucky enough to have a man that would brave the winter's bitter cold to put fresh meat on the food mat, knew to show her appreciation when he had returned. While Stick and Two were in their separate lodges, snuggled beneath a huge pile of sleeping furs, Shadow and Willow sat at their cook fires and roasted large sections of the meat that they'd first coated with a blend of spices and flavorings that they had painstakingly gathered and stored for just such an occasion. After each woman had picked out an ample portion for themselves, they cut another portion for their parent's food mats and for Stick's mother's mat as well. They then took the remaining meat and brought it to the tribal food mat for anyone who might have a need. In times of want, tribal people didn't try to hoard or conserve. It wouldn't be seemly to be smoking meat for later consumption while others in the tribe were going hungry. The food that they shared now might enable another hunter to have the strength to go out and find game for his own mat and for the food mats of others.

Stick and Two ate well, soon after they wakened from their long day's rest. It seemed like a feast to them as they sat by the cook fire and were hand fed cut slices of succulent meat and grain cakes dipped into the meat sauces left over from the roast. They smiled out from their greasy faces, licking their fingers while waiting to see what their woman would next place in their hands. The women ate as well, entertaining their men with the faces they made as they enjoyed what their men had provided. In a world where the quality of life depended on the hunter's ability, and on the women's resourceful gathering and preparation, survival wasn't something that was assumed and taken for granted. In the winter there was always some hunger, and the chance to sit by your cook fire and eat your fill was a time for a family to feel good and to be thankful. Showing your appreciation was a good motivator for future winter hunts and for the painstaking gathering and storing when the weather allowed. The people were resourceful, and always mindful of their interdependence with each other member of their tribe.

When their food had been eaten and the bowls and cooking cloths cleaned, the two couples went back inside their lodges and made ready for the night's rest. The two women were both aware that their men had spent most of the day sleeping, and they knew they would have to tire them out if they had any hope of getting a decent night of sleep for themselves.

Shadow had taken to the passionate aspect of married life almost from the very first coupling that she and Stick had. As a young girl she had taken a great interest in what took place beneath her parent's sleeping furs at night. She had often touched herself while watching them, or after, while waiting for her own sleep to come. Through time and experience, she had learned all of the places where her touch produced the strongest sensations. Stick had found her an enormously satisfying partner, and she had found him willing to learn how and where she liked being touched, and, perhaps because of this willingness, Stick was always somewhat in awe of her constant readiness to couple with him. More often than not, it was Still Shadow that was first to initiate the touches that always led to their loving. That she wasn't already with child was surprising to him, especially since she assured herself of so many opportunities to get pregnant. He said nothing to discourage her enthusiasm though, since he had often heard other hunter's complain about their women's lack of interest.

In spite of his having spent the whole day sleeping, it was Stick who was snoring softly an hour after they'd gotten under their sleeping furs. Shadow lay awake, content and filled with the satisfaction of a very good coupling with her man. She kept as much of her bare skin pressed against his back and buttocks as she could. She did it not just for the warmth, but because she liked being close to him. Ever since the joining ceremony she had felt so happy and complete. She was anxious to produce a child so that Stick could complete the dream that he had confided to her. Stick wanted to show everyone that he could produce children whose bodies would grow straight and true. He had dreamed that he would father children like that, and was impatient for fatherhood. Still Shadow's goal was to give Stick whatever he wanted. Her feelings for him were strong and he filled her with happiness.

Bent Willow also succeeded in putting Two Bears to sleep. It took her much longer, but she didn't mind in the least. They lay together much like Stick and Goose, except it was Two who now pressed his front to her back. She softly ran her finger tip against the smoothness of his arm that was draped across her middle. As she lay beneath her warm furs and felt the comforting heat of her man, Willow was thinking that soon she would begin showing the signs of her impending motherhood. Already her breasts were starting to swell, and she could feel that they were becoming more sensitive to the touch. She had missed three cycles of her moon flow and couldn't wait much longer for Two Bears to start to notice her changes. She had tried to help him earlier when she placed his hand on her breast, but he was too intent on other things to notice their growth, or to ask her questions about it. She wondered whether he would even know of her condition before he heard the first cries of their baby. She too was happy, about her life, and with her man.

In the morning, the quiet of the village was shattered by the shouted news that the Chief had died in his sleep. Running Wolf had been the chief for many seasons, and during all of that time, the tribe had known peace and plenty. His father, Spotted Owl, had been chief before him and the tribe had known good times under him as well. Little Elk was still in the village, but everyone knew that he wouldn't be Chief after Yellow Fawn had run off with Painted Wolf. The topic of the day, around every fire, was about who would be the next Chief of the tribe. The idea of even having a vacancy was scary to most of the tribe. No tribe could run without someone that acted as arbiter when disputes and misunderstandings arose. The problem in the front of everyone's mind was that there were no clear candidates to be Chief.

All of the married men gathered at the hunter's fire and talked about the problems they faced in deciding on a new chief. There was to be an election and only married hunter's and their women would be eligible to vote. The Chief needed to be married, had to be a hunter, and had to be nominated by at least three people. No one could be pressed into serving. The new Chief had to be willing to serve. Nominations could be made at any time right up to the day of the election. To be elected Chief, a hunter had to have more than a majority of eligible votes for his candidacy. From the early talking that was going on, no consensus candidate had emerged. Eagle Claw and several of the older, and most respected hunters, had withdrawn their names from consideration when they were first brought up and proposed. Tradition mandated that the new Chief be one who was young enough to serve many seasons as the Chief. The tribe believed that a man grew into the job over time. By the end of the first day there were fewer than twenty possible candidates remaining. Of the ones that remained, two or three wanted the job and the remainder hadn't even been proposed by anyone, and thus had no reason for withdrawing their candidacy. Of the men who wanted the job, no one else had shown as much enthusiasm for their candidacy as they, themselves, had.