Chapter 29

Supper was still half an hour or so away when we reached camp. I decided to look around on the travois just to make sure my director's chair type campstool hadn't come along for the ride somehow. Damn my lazy ass for not doing it sooner. There the orange thing was. Obviously no one had a clue what it was since it had been set aside by others who'd been looking for something else. I grabbed it and went to my rock's location, unfolding the stool when I got there and parking my big ass.

This feat earned me an audience with Taachachi right away. She asked about the folding chair and I explained that it was for exactly what it was doing now - holding up my big ass.

"Can anyone have one to hold up their ass?" she asked, and she was serious.

My first answer had been a joke of course, but I could tell that she was taking it more literally than I'd intended.

"Yes. I don't even think they're hard to make though I've never made one."

"It doesn't look very complicated. I'll ask Cowta what he thinks about it."

"Well why don't you try this one out before you do. You might not even like it."

I got up and let her sit down. Of course she liked it since her previous best camping furniture was a rock. She relinquished it after a few minutes and went off in search of Cowta. I hoped her new stool wouldn't put the saddles too far behind schedule but I wasn't going to argue.

As we piled into and onto the furs and each other that night I wished for our bedroom at home and more light to work with. Even with the moonlight I barely knew who I was fucking when, and I was sure it would be even more enjoyable if I could look up and see the titty I was reaching for.

Breakfast was over and Biltee and I were back to work fairly quickly the next morning. I watched him as he got two more horses started and then let him be and started Saytha as our next travois horse training trainer. She was leading a horse already to keep it in practice.

We took it with us while I cut two poles. Back nearer the camp we rigged it up with a set of the pulling straps and a big hide tied across the poles, for looks mostly. I kept everything slow and heavy on the explaining, making sure she did all the actual work. After half an hour of having the horse pull the empty travois we even piled on some hides and other non-fragile freight to give it a better idea of what would be expected and what to expect.

Next we shanghaied Caysha and I watched while Saytha ran her through the drill with another horse. Everything went well and all it took was time, explanations, and practice. When we broke for lunch Saytha and Caysha were both well on their way to becoming instructors.

Taachachi was sitting on a surprise when I reached my customary spot for a meal. My chair was empty but her brand new one was full of her. Cowta had done an excellent job. Taachachi's new throne was very similar to my pattern, except the fittings were made of rawhide instead of the metal hinges and such mine had. Damned if hers didn't look even more comfortable since instead of canvas that Cowta had no way to acquire hers was covered with hide that still had the hair on it. It even looked better.

"Cowta did a wonderful job but it took longer than I'd thought it would. He is making one for Nagat too, but I told him to get back to the saddles after he finishes it. After all, if we are going to learn to ride the horses like you do we will all need a seat for them too," she said.

The best thing about it was she'd come up with the idea without me telling her. I'm sure it would carry more weight that way. Even better was Teecha headed our way carrying a little weight of her own. In other words she was bringing my plate and mug of coffee. There's nothing better than the waitress arriving with the meal.

After lunch I let things get started without me. Biltee practiced riding and without me close he finally decided to try getting one started on his own. He did call Saytha over to watch and learn then he sucked it up and started the slow process.

I was hiding in the woods so no one would see me watching things. I stayed just close enough to be able to tell who was who but only just. As I watched others going about their tasks I was pleasantly surprised.

Taachachi didn't stop with teaching Teecha, Teechi, and Nagat the sling. When she had them going well she took two more women and gave them the intro. They all seemed to catch on faster than I had but I wasn't a bit jealous. The more the merrier as far as I was concerned.

Cowta had some trainees too. The hobbles were all finished by now and he seemed to have most of the women who had been braiding with him as he worked out a way to make saddles and showed them how it was done as he went. I was pretty sure a couple of them were helping decide the best way.

All this was to my liking. There was no way in hell I could teach everyone. In fact, I couldn't do much more for Cowta than show him what I wanted. No matter, things were getting done. From dozens of people handling horses and teaching them that pulling a travois wasn't so bad down to Biltee teaching selected pupils how to break and train a horse it was all getting done. All we had to do now was keep at it.

And that's what we did. It took two more weeks to get all the adult horses trained to pull a travois and carry a rider. We taught them all, even Buck, to do both at the same time, just in case it came up.

Unfortunately Cowta and his helpers couldn't finish the saddles by time to go home. What with fitting and testing and such only five saddles were reasonably far enough along to use on the trip. No matter, winter was starting to let us know it was headed our way and there would be a lot of time on our hands while we waited it out in our caves.

We made sure most everything was ready on the night before the morning of. Breakfast was a perfunctory affair at first light and then saddling, hitching, and final loading took about another hour and a half. When all was ready I led us out.

Taachachi had claimed the big lead mare for her mount days ago and Biltee had done wonders with the younger stallion. Cowta had put Nagat's saddle for his roan on the express order and Nagat was nearly bursting with pride that he'd be able to ride too. Saytha, Meetee, and Caysha occupied the other three saddles while Teecha and Teechi rode with only a tied on pad of bearskin.

I'd about decided they liked to ride that way better anyway. They were hampered by the lack of proper stirrups but they weren't going to be roping anyway and they'd proved they could use their bows fine from their perch. What the hell, American Indians had done a hell of a job horseback without saddles.

Our only snag going home was getting past the streams. The travois needed strong men to handle their dragging ends for the crossings but we had some. Usually it took two men for each dragging pole to get them across even moderately dry.

The first Mama wolf walked back unattended this time. I'd had some time during the last week or so to work with her and she didn't hesitate to come when I called or whistled now. I even think the other mama would have done well, but she was still a little green to trust and I made her ride in her cage on a travois.

There was no question that the pigs had to ride. They were perfectly capable of walking and they knew damned well what we wanted and expected out of them by now. The trouble was they didn't give a shit. They'd cheerfully follow directions if it suited them but if it didn't they didn't.

The trip back took about five hours and went smoothly. The streams were a pain but not much of one. I think worrying about something going wrong was worse than the few things that actually did cause confusion. I was pretty damned glad to see our caves when we reached them.

Tomorrow we'd have to make accommodations for the horses. Tomorrow hell, it would probably take a week to get them enough pasture and woods fenced. Tonight they all were helped through our barrier though and we let them spend the night safe and sound in the warehouse area. They didn't seem to be properly grateful though. At least there weren't any fucking bears nosing around where the refuse pile had been.