Chapter 29

Breezus had provided a surprise, big time, but there was nothing we could do but get over it. It didn't bother me so much and I knew nobody would complain, but it was a little unsettling for some of them.

Jonalton had been waylaid by the spirit, and it didn't take long for Janita to find him. She was bitten just as hard as he'd been, and things progressed as they normally did.

I learned that it wasn't so much out of the ordinary for a man who hadn't joined the Calak already to be mated with one of its women. I remembered that no one had remarked on it when it happened to me, but I hadn't thought it through yet. Turns out I didn't have to, because Caloe came over and clued me in.

"Carl, Shaton is not well enough to fight yet, so someone from the Calak must do it for him," she said.

"Fight who?" I asked, letting her know I was not as smart as Lanita claimed.

"The loner must fight his way into our Calak, or he and Janita can not stay after they are mated," Caloe said, speaking slowly and distinctly, as if to a child.

"I'm guessing that means I'm elected," I said.

"Who else. You bested Shaton after all," she said.

"Very well. How hard should I fight him?" I asked.

"Breezus has made his wishes clear. Still, I don't think it means you should let the loner become leader of our Calak," she said.

"Do not worry about that. He will not win. I guess I will just let him try as long as he wants to, and do my best not to hurt him. I can't afford to have him limp to his mating," I said, and it made her laugh.

Finally things settled down enough for breakfast to take place. I even tried to restrain myself to keep from being stuffed during the fight.

Things were pretty civilized after that. The whole Calak turned out to watch, of course, and my mates fretted over me for a while, but eventually Jonalton and I were facing each other in a clear spot not far from camp. I waited for him to attack, since he was the one that had to fight.

His act was remarkably like Shaton's and Denac's had been. He came charging at me, and I sidestepped and tripped him. He tried the arms held wide charge and got more of the same. Hell, I wasn't even getting winded, so I let him keep it up as long as he would, and finally, when he was nearly too out of breath to keep going, I grabbed an arm when he came at me again and threw him over my hip, ending up sitting astride his belly and holding his arms to the ground above his head.

"It was a good fight Jonalton, but you lose. I'm sure you did enough to join us though, so catch your breath and get back to your new mate to be," I said, and then grinned at him.

I didn't think much more about it, and went to find Denac so we could get back to the cashda. We'd pretty much put them on hold during the great smokehouse erection. He surprised me as soon as I found him.

"You really are a much better fighter than any of us, Carl. I should have known more than anyone, but I guess the bump on my head kept me from realizing it," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"It was easy to see while Jonalton was doing his best to earn his way into the Calak. He never had a chance of even knocking you off your feet once, did he?" he asked.

"No. I didn't want to be knocked off my feet."

"I saw that, and so did everyone else. All of the loners paid very close attention, and I'm sure they know now they'll need to do more than just fight to get in," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"No man that watched the fight can have any doubts. You can't be beaten in that type of combat, probably not in any kind if it's one against one," he said.

"I hope I can't be. As I said, I'm a very experienced fighter."

"I know now that you meant it. I'm anxious to see how the others will do today?" he said.

"What?"

"Now that they know there is no chance of winning while trying to fight their way in, watch them. They will work twice as hard as they have been," he said.

"I thought they'd all been doing a good job as it was," I said.

"They have been, but watch today, they will work even harder. Not only do they know it will take more than fighting to get in, they also know that they will be allowed a chance to enter," he said.

"If you say so. In fact I hope they are all allowed in sooner or later. I think we've rid ourselves of the bad ones already. No doubt the others are guilty of some bad things, but I think they are over that foolishness now," I said.

"You are probably right, and none of them are slackers. Good leadership was probably all they needed to start with," he said.

Buster, Candace, Gertrude, and Matilda had all done a little log skidding while we'd worked on the smokehouse. Red was the only one that had taken those days completely off. He'd done nothing but graze and provide more horseshit. He showed me that he was feeling a little frisky when I saddled him, but didn't give me any trouble otherwise.

Lanita came over just before Denac and I mounted up.

"Daddy, I think today is the day I should start learning to ride Jeffry," she said.

"Very well my princess. Denac and I will go over to the ranch and fetch your charger. We'll be back with him shortly and I'll start with your lessons," I said.

"Maybe you'd better take me with you. He will follow me better than he will follow you," she said, and it made perfect sense.

We were over, and back with Jeffry in what seemed no time. Jortah had the others going on gentling and training cashda again, and it did seem like they were working even harder at it than they had been.

Of course, when we got back with Jeffry, and it became obvious that Lanita was about to get riding lessons, we drew a crowd. Right up front were three anxious mothers to keep a close eye on things, not to mention the equivalent of two anxious grandmothers.

The halter and leading were first on the agenda, but it was hardly needed. Jeffry would follow Lanita without the halter and lead rope, and he was perfectly willing to go when she clicked her tongue and stop when she said whoa. I had her lead him around a while anyway, just for appearances.

Lanita had to have help with saddling, because she wasn't strong enough to lift her saddle yet. Still I made sure she knew exactly what to do and how to do it. After Jeffry was dressed properly for riding I had her lead him around some more so he could get used to the saddle.

Half an hour later, when I lifted her aboard, it was a non-event. Jeffry took off walking when she clicked her tongue and it only took him a couple of tries to learn what she wanted when she pulled on the reins. I wasn't even sure whether she was training Jeffry or he was training her. They were getting along well, no matter which way it was going though, and Nosey was right with them most of the way.

By the time lunch rolled around Lanita was on her way to being an accomplished horsewoman. She'd wanted to ride over to the ranch and we had. Since Jeffry was so much shorter, I thought she'd probably get wet during the crossing, but she surprised Denac and I by standing in the saddle as he waded to the other bank. The saddle skirts got a little wet, but she stopped on the other side and pulled up grass to dry the stirrup, fenders, and the other wet parts.

She surprised me again when we got over in the pasture.

"You two might as well pick out horses for my mommies and aunt Jekaycey while you're here. They will all want to learn to ride after lunch," she said.

"Your wish is my command my princess," I said.

"You'll do fine as long as you remember that attitude, Daddy," she said, and then laughed with Denac.

The guys had about half the quarter horse mares trained to lead now, and most of them would even carry a rider, though they didn't know much about it yet. I picked what I thought were the four best, including the lead mare, and Jortah came with us while we all led one back across the river, even Lanita.

At first I was skeptical about her leading a cashda across the river while standing in the saddle, but she managed it with no trouble. We even had time to teach all the new mares about hobbles before lunch.

Denac, Lanita, and I could do no wrong at lunchtime and it was obvious that the women involved made sure we had plenty to eat. I could tell they were all excited about what they figured was coming and I was happy about it. I knew that once they were riding, everyone else would want to do it too. I just didn't realize how strongly the urge would take hold.

After we'd eaten, the lessons began, but the four students weren't the only ones with us. Shaton was almost completely well by now and he was also in attendance. Of course Matatu had figured out that the next time we tried to find his vision camp we'd be riding so he was there, along with Caloe, Shata, Jagbac, Matita, Caltort, and several others. I was glad in a way, since if they were paying attention it wouldn't take as long for them.

Jekaycey and Nita did acceptably well and I really couldn't find anything to complain about, but Katia and Shaeta were outstanding. It was almost as if they knew what their mount was up to before it did. I was very pleased with the afternoon's lessons, and I even had a tentative schedule for my next five pupils. Shaton, Matatu, Caloe, Shata, and Caltort were dying to get their chance.

The only thing that slowed the riding lessons during the next six days was the lack of saddles. All those we had were pressed into constant service. Moved from horse to horse as we went. The hostlers across the river were turning out riding stock at a good pace, and after the first day of training, there were several more women, and a few men working on making more saddles, and they were doing a damned good job.

The first saddle they finished was for Shaton, and it was well made, if not as cosmetically perfect as the ones that had come from afar. It was perfectly serviceable though, and since it had been modeled after Denac's it was just right for Candace and Shaton to come to an understanding.