Chapter 6: Of Salt & Bed Pepper

I awoke early the next morning finding that both my mates were still sound asleep. As deftly as possible, I slid upward out from under the sleeping fur. They had worked very arduous last night slaving over me and I did not wish to disturb them.

I quietly exited the hut and stood in the cold morning air stretching out my limbs. A faint light illuminated the eastern skies where the sun would eventually rise. Finches and meadowlarks announced the impending dawn, while small rodents rustled through the dry leaves near the hut. For one brief moment I considered cooking breakfast, but remembering how well that suggestion had gone over last night I very quickly rejected the idea.

After relieving myself, I started a fire in the outside pit then sitting down in its circle of warmth I thought about Treeya. I had a pretty good suspicion which clan had killed Trage and Jod and taken her. It was a clan that wintered about sixty miles east of our camp whose leader was called Threm.

Threm's clan and ours had had some troubles in the past. With two clans wintering and hunting only sixty miles apart it could easily result in conflict, especially during harsh winters when game was in short supply.

Their clan had always been much larger than ours consisting of about thirty males and at least twenty females even before the nine members of my clan had not returned from the bison hunt. They had established their current winter camp location three winters ago, having moved in from the west when an ice glacier in that area had pushed southward. Our clan had already been well established in the area at the time they had moved in, but that had done little to alter Threm's decision.

I reasoned now that perhaps Threm's plan had been to force us out all along. I now even speculated if Threm's clan had not somehow been responsible for the loss of our nine bison hunters. Even assuming these speculations were correct, revenge was not a action easily entertained or accomplished, surviving was just to difficult to pursue such personal endeavors.

Also, speculating that Treeya did wish to leave Threm's clan, taking her by force was not a viable option, and if I stole her away it would mean future problems with their clan, so the only reasonable solution I could come up with was to trade for her.

My old mind would have found it difficult to rationalize all these things, but my new mind found it effortless.

Considering my trading options, I had very little to offer. Generally, trade consisted of fresh or dried meats or fish, prepared furs and leathers, and most valued of all, salt.

Salt is the most effective way to preservatives meats, cure hides, and heal certain wounds. However, it is very difficult to come by, because it is only occasionally found in surface deposits in arid areas, or if by chance you came upon some animal heading for a salt deposit. All animals have instinctively forged trails to natural salt sources forever to satisfy their need for salt. However, my new mind acknowledged that salt also occurs naturally in underground deposits. And, my new mind knew how to locate these underground deposits. I even remembered seeing just such a deposit a number of times, and walking right over it, never recognizing it for what it was.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard Sheel's voice behind me, "Dac, you should have wakened us. It isn't right that you're out here all alone."

I stood, turned around, took Sheel into my arms then gave her a good morning kiss, "I wasn't alone my love. You and Roya were right here with me." I pressed my palm over my heart.

"Oh Dac, you are so wonderful," Sheel said as she took my hand from my chest and kissed it, "I will always love you."

"And I you, my little wild cat," I whispered kissing her again.

"What are you two up too?" Roya asked as she came out of the hut then pushed her way in-between us.

"I just told Dac how much I love him." Sheel responded a little curt.

"Good morning my love." I said to Roya giving her a kiss.

"Hmmm..." She moaned then turning to Sheel she said, "Well I love him too," then turning back to me she said, "I love you. I love you more than I love my own life. I love you now and forever. I LOVE YOU."

Fearing that things might get out of hand, I quickly hugged both women to me and said, "I have to be the luckiest man alive. To have two such beautiful and talented women that love me is more than any man could hope for," then I kissed them both again before adding, "Would you like me to cook breakfast?"

Both of them laughed good-naturedly at my remark then hurriedly scrambled away to fix breakfast before I got serious.

While we were seated eating pork, tad root and broth, I went over my plans concerning Treeya. When I got to the part about trading salt for her Roya stated the obvious, "But we don't have any salt Dac. The tiny bit that we did have was taken away with Treeya."

"I know," I answered, "but after today we will have salt, lots of salt."

"Lots of salt?" questioned Sheel, "Salt is very rare Dac. How will you get lots of salt?"