Chapter 20: Of Heros & Da' Bears

The days were growing shorter and the nights growing colder, winter was just a few weeks away. I was sitting out on the shelf outside our cave contemplating moving the horse pen closer to the cave where it would be easier for us to watch over and protect our mares. After all penned up animals are easy prey for predators. Fortunately for us, and even more so for the mares, Dugut and Nugut had taken to watching over the horses during the night.

The location I had in mind was directly below the cave entrance, and would offer a clear view of the entire pen from any location along the cave shelf, and it would take less than thirty seconds ( ten if you had four legs) to get to the animals if the need ever arose.

"Dac, do you think we could move the horse pen a little closer? Even with the wolves looking out I'm still concerned that something might get at the horses during night." Treeya's question from behind me took me out of my own thoughts.

I stood then turned to look at her, "You know, now that you mention it, I think that's a really smart idea. I should have thought of it myself. What say we get started first thing in the morning, right after we let the horses out to graze?"

She smiled sweetly, "That would be great, thank you Dac. I'll sleep a lot better knowing they are safe, and it'll make things a lot easier for Dugut and Nugut too."

"That it will," I smiled while taking her hand in mine and leading her back into the cave, "Now, what kind of a bribe do you think it'll take to get Roya and Sheel's help?"

"Oh Dac," Treeya laughed heartedly as she poked me in the ribs with her elbow, "We won't have to bribe them with anything. Roya and Sheel will be more than happy to help us. You know that."

"Yeah, you're right," I said with and artificial air of depression, "I guess I was just hoping they'd want us to do some really nasty things to them tonight as payment. You know what I mean?"

Treeya stopped then turning to me, she said with mischief in her eyes, "Yeah. Hey, let's do some really nasty things to them anyway."

"Now you're talking." I laughed as I reached down and squeezed her rear.

"What's so funny, you two?" Roya asked looking out at us with a perplexed expression on her face.

"Oh, nothing." Treeya answered with amusement between laughter, as we resumed walking into the cave, "Nothing," then under her breath she snickered, "Just wait. You'll find out."

"Daaac?" Roya strung out my name while crinkling up her nose.

"It's nothing my love. Really," I answered but I gave Roya's rear a good squeeze on my way by.

"Hey!" She yelped good-naturedly.

Treeya of course had been right. Both Sheel and Roya were more than willing to help us move the horse pen, but that didn't discourage my and Treeya's little plan in the slightest. That night Treeya and I ganged up on our mates, not allowing either one of them to participate in any lovemaking other than as two willing recipients.

In the mist of my and Treeya's sexual onslaught, Roya remarked jokingly, "This is what was so funny earlier, wasn't it? You two planned this whole thing, didn't you?"

Neither Treeya nor I were willing to confess to anything.

Early the following morning it became obvious that the horses would have to remain where they were for at least two more nights. We would need time to dig all the holes required for the pen posts and the watering hole before fence construction could even begin.

Horse pen construction on the second and third day however, went much faster than the first time we had built it. Primarily because all the wood was pre-cut, and we now had the horses to help move materials.

Three days later the pen was complete with the exception of Treeya's two extra tall poles used for horse training, which we would take care of later on. Sheel suggested we fill a few large bowls with Martreen's secret fire liquid and place them strategically around the pen, that way we could easily observe if any predators came sniffing around.

Roya pointed out that the fire alone should keep all but the most desperately hungry away all by itself.

In spite of the pen move and fires, Dugut and Nugut still kept vigil over their herd, however now their watch would take place from the comfort of the cave shelf.

A week after moving the pen I was sitting at the table just a little more than bored. There wasn't one solitary thing that required my attention. Our cold food storage area had enough supplies to sustain man, wolf, and horse well past the coming winter, our cave was about as comfortable as we could make it, the horse pen was secure, the training poles were up, we had plenty of firewood, and two days earlier we had gone out and collected 'lots of salt' and plenty of raw materials to make Martreen's secret fire liquid. Everything was done.

So I just sat admiring the trim, tight figures of my three mates while they cooked. I couldn't help watching with quiet appreciation as they glided back and forth between the cooking pots and the flat baking hole dressed in their tight leather pants and shirts. Yes, I was still overcome by their beauty and couldn't help but too become breathless at the sight of any one of them.

All three women were busy cooking and quietly talking to one other, which was a little unusual in that typically only one, or at the most two, ever cooked any given meal. I surmised that my three charming little mates were cooking up something more than just food, but I would have to wait knowing they would tell me in their own good time and fashion.

When my mates finally placed the meal on the table, I knew I had been correct about them brewing something other than food. They had really outdone themselves including the laborious task of making flat raw wheat bread.

"So, what's the occasion?" I asked casually while eating.

Three beautiful faces looked at me innocently. "What do you mean Dac?" Roya replied naively.

"This meal," I answered just as naively, enjoying playing dumb, "you three must want something pretty bad to go to this much trouble."

"Well," Treeya responds tentatively, "now that you mentioned it, we... well we were thinking... ah... thinking that..."

"Oh, let's just ask him!" Sheel interrupted with authority in her voice. "Dac, now that we have the horses we'd like to go get Martreen right away rather than waiting until next spring."

"Okay," I said nonchalantly just before taking a bite of hot bread.

Puzzled expressions filled their faces, then after a long pause, Roya questioned, "Don't you even what to hear our arguments?"

"No, my love," I answered, "If that's what you want, then that's what we'll do."

"But, we have some good reasons for wanting to do it now, rather than waiting." Roya argued back.

"Give it up Roya," Sheel said placing one of her hands over Roya's, "He's already said yes."

I smiled, "I miss her too. Besides, you're right, with horses there is no good reason for waiting."

All three of them jumped up and hugged me. "You're just too good to us my man. Just too good," Roya said before kissing me on the lips.

After everyone had settled down and as we continued with the meal, in-between bites, the girls explained, that they already had everything planned out. Because Treeya was the best horsewoman, she, along with Dugut and Nugut would travel with me. We would take three of our mares, two for riding the third pulling a travois containing any supplies we needed and could later be ridden by Martreen for the return trip home. Roya and Sheel would stay behind and care for the remaining horses.