Chapter 34

I called for supper to be in the new dining/meeting room that night. I think the women liked it better that way now anyhow. Less individual cooking meant less work for them. It was a surprise for the new women though, since they were accustomed to cooking their meals separately every night. I was sure they'd adjust.

After the meal was over I stood at the podium and told everyone what was approaching. The new women especially were disturbed, even though I'd already told them it was coming. The men were incensed, and then when they heard there were only sixteen armed men coming they begin to get a very good feeling about the attack.

"They will feel very silly when they find out they can't get in," Biltee said, and laughed, causing the others to laugh after they thought about it.

"They will feel worse than silly. George has told me he will capture and disarm all of the men when they arrive. We will do the killing of the men though, but they will not be able to move. The women and children will be moved inside our cave first, and we will deal with the raiders after that."

No matter the reassurances from George that he was going to make sure things went fine during the attack, my mates treated me as if I might be killed two days hence. They seemed to get all the dick from me possible from now till then. If not for my enhancements via the greenies I would have been fucked to death.

The next morning I had a mug of coffee in my hand before I made it to the bathroom to piss, and I had four women to make sure I was spotless before dressing. I also had some questions about the new arrangements in our cave, but I had prepared them for it as best I could already.

After a big breakfast I went to see Cowta and explain what the spirit had offered. "He has a new healing chamber now and he will fix your leg as soon as you decide you want it done."

"Is now too soon?"

"No, but you should at least tell Shanay first."

"How long will it take?"

"It will take all day to do the healing and you will have to stay in one of the healing beds for four days after that. After you leave the healing bed it will take probably another week or so to get used to walking normally again," I said.

"I should wait until after the attack then. It is possible I will see a man I know and do not like," he said.

"Very well. You can do it anytime you wish."

Later in the morning I asked George to fix a place in the horse cave for archery practice and also asked him to provide a bow and arrows for everyone that wanted them. Taachachi and most of my mates that had time spread the word. I was a little surprised that the new women were the first to say they wanted to learn. There were so many wanting to join that we had to split it up into shifts from the first. By noon a third of the people were learning about the bows and soon they were letting their arrows fly. George told me that everyone wanted a bow and wanted to learn to use it.

It was encouraging to me. We had sufficient protection in the cave, and I was sure George could provide plenty more, or at least a warning, even when we were away. Still, it would be best if everyone could help us keep safe and strong. After all, we would need to capture more horses soon.

On the day before the night attack was to happen, George let me know the attackers were in place. It was a little odd that they'd set up on the spot of the first camp I'd come into contact with. There was practically nothing useable there now, but it was still apparent it had been a camp once. The men slept most of the day and then got up around ten PM to dress, eat, and head for our caves. They'd sent men to scout things out earlier and were amazed we didn't have at least a few guarding the entrance. They'd learn why later.

They made it even easier on us by telling the women and children to stay behind until they sent for them. They left two guards to watch over them but it wasn't a problem. Biltee and the first boy that had tried the barrier, Chato, slipped past the oncoming raid and joined the women and children just as the two guards were dealt with by George.

Suddenly the guards found they had no control of their voluntary muscles. Chato and Biltee had been expecting it and when they laughed as the guards fell down, the women noticed them.

The women that came with the attackers were frightened, but all of them had been captured, some of them just earlier and from other camps. After Chato told his tale they were all hopeful, but skeptical. Biltee invited them to get some revenge on the stricken guards, but they were afraid of repercussions if the attackers succeeded.

"I don't blame you for being cautious, but you have nothing to worry about. Chato and I will amuse ourselves with these men while the attackers are dealt with."

Chato, with George's help, passed the time by cutting portions off the guards' bodies while he was waiting. Of course they couldn't move, or even scream, while he was going about things, and George helpfully kept them from bleeding to death during his attentions.

The attackers got the same sort of treatment from George when they arrived. They fell too, and could only lie there as I came out to greet them. Cowta took his shotgun and a flashlight, inspecting every one of them to make sure he didn't have a special gift for any of them. He seemed a little let down when he didn't see anyone he knew.

With everything in hand, Jondah ran back to the other camp to fetch Biltee, Chato, and the captured women. Before long they were in the new dining hall having a warm meal and getting a talk from Taachachi. Meanwhile, back at the attack site, the executions were about to begin. George broke in with a little information.

"Frank, I don't think you want to harm the youngest attacker. He is only fourteen, and he came along on this attack hoping to get a chance to kill the man who killed his father on the raid before this one. He has worked hard to gain their trust so he would have a chance to do so."

"You are correct. Does he have any family at their main camp?"

"Yes, he has his mother, a younger brother, and two sisters. The man he wants to kill has two other mates also and they both have two daughters. He is very worried about what will happen to them afterwards since he assumes he will be killed if he is able to prevail," George said.

"Have I got a deal for him? Please release the hold on him at my touch."

I walked over to the boy; George said his name was Janga. When I bent over and took his hand George released the hold and I pulled him up.

"Janga, I know why you are here and I will help you with your wish. You will not be able to return to the camp, but we will bring your mother and the man's other mates and their families here. I want to remind you that the women and children will be yours before you do this though. You will have to make sure their needs are taken care of, but you need not worry since everyone in my clan helps take care of everyone else. If any here eat, we all eat. If anyone is hungry we are all hungry. Do you still want to do this?"

"Yes, Please let me. He killed my father while he slept."

"Very well then, go and kill him. He cannot move."

I expected him to give the butcher a bit of torture first, but he didn't. He just walked over and cut his throat. In fact he seemed to hate what he was doing, but he was determined. He used a flint knife and cut the turd a new smile, from ear to ear, then turned his back and asked me when we could leave to fetch his mother and the others.

"We don't have to leave. A spirit lives with us in the mountain and helps us often. George has brought them all into our cave and all the possessions too. They are waiting for you now in the big dining hall. You can go join them soon."

Chato and Biltee were back now, dragging the guards behind them, or what was left of the guards. I was surprised to see that they were both dead already. Biltee noticed and gave me an ironic look.

"Chato, did you kill either one of them?" I asked, hoping for the best.

"I killed both of them," he said, and was obviously proud of the fact. It was time for a private talk with George again.

"Did the two of them have any mates or family?"

"Yes, one had a single mate with no children. The other had two mates and they both have a daughter."

"Chato, even though I think you are a little young for it, you now have three mates and two daughters. You'd better take Janga back to the dining hall so you can all get acquainted. Do not worry; you will have plenty of help taking care of your mates and family. Maybe you had better find Taachachi and tell her what has happened before you meet them," I said, and George told me that she was already in the know and was waiting for Chato and Janga.

We had the rest of the men to deal with now, and things were already in place. The mates of the soon to die were already spoken for. Rights to them had been oddmaned out around noon. One of the men had lost his preordained new mate by Janga's action, but he wasn't upset about it. George had already let him know he would have the first choice next time, and with two more raiding parties expected later it probably wouldn't be a problem.

George was keeping tabs and he directed the men to their proper targets. Soon they were all bleeding out. As soon as a man's throat was cut, George fetched his mates, their families, and possessions while my clan member walked toward their arrival point to get acquainted. Most of the men already had one or more mates and they were in place too.