Chapter 29

We had about an hour before enough food was ready for our first mass meal. We didn't rush eating it and I took this chance to introduce the thirty or so grown Neanderthal men to the way things would be going from here on out. As in, if we were eating outside they'd be coming to a serving line to get a plate full.

There was a little grumbling, but only one man who had to get the message by hand. When he ignored my instructions and tried to bully his woman into fetching his plate I asked Sahnay to explain what was about to happen.

Tell Growwta I'm not going to kill that jackass for ignoring my instructions this time. I'm only going to beat the shit out of him unless he picks up a weapon. If he does he'll be a dead man when he reaches for it. Ask Growwta to explain things to him," I told her as I walked toward the offender.

Of course he wasn't impressed and was still sitting on his ass when I reached him. I guess they hadn't paid much attention to my manly footwear. I'm sure the boot he got to his face would have him, and all of them paying more attention from now on.

Yes, it pissed him off and he was on his feet in a split second. He was just in time to catch a right fist in his solar plexus. It knocked the breath out of him and the openhanded slap to his right ear had him back on the ground screaming in pain right away.

I turned my back to him to walk away, but I kept my eyes on others that were watching him and my hand on the Glock's butt. He must have made a move for a weapon because I heard another blow land on someone before I could finish turning back toward him with my Glock in my hand.

At least one of the others had been paying attention when Growwta gave the explanation, because one of them had knocked him back on his ass before he could get himself killed. He was looking at me with hate in his eyes, but he was also giving my Glock careful scrutiny. I had Sahnay ask Growwta to come and eat with me and after we'd had our plates filled we sat down to eat and talk.

Of course Sahnay had to translate, but I made sure she brought her plate with her when she did.

Growwta tried to apologize right off the bat, but I didn't let Sahnay finish the translation.

"You can't be responsible for every man that wants to act like a fool and besides, I expected at least one of them to try me early. We have rules here, not many but we do have some. The women have more important things to do than bring food to men who are too lazy to get their own. Everyone here works, unless they think they can live without eating.

"If I'm going to be their leader that's just what I'll be and I don't intend to beg them to do what I say, especially since I don't say much. If they don't want to live that way they know the way out of these valleys. Just remind them they aren't taking their women with them unless the women tell me they want to go and make me believe it.

"You might as well tell them I don't allow men to beat women either. I won't be wasting time fighting the ones who think they have to, I'll kill them out of hand," I said, and then watched Growwta's face as Sahnay translated.

She translated back after he finished.

"You are more than I hoped for. I'm not ashamed to say I never wanted to be the leader and that I haven't been a very good one. My guess is you'll have to kill at least three of them who think it is fun to hit their women. I won't miss them at all and I don't think their women will either."

"I'm not going to demand it, but I think you should be the first to learn how to deal with the horses and how to ride them. They are our most valuable possessions and they help us in more ways than you probably realize. Will you feel dishonored if Reela teaches you?"

After Sahnay translated his answer of no, he wouldn't mind learning from a woman we parted and his lessons started while I went to help skin out and do the little bit of processing the lions were going to get.

Cinqua and Christy wanted to help and in fact even the smallest girls wanted to be involved. We watched them carefully and let them do what they could. Mostly they ended up holding and then rinsing blood off the teeth and claws after they were removed.

I did my best to seem as if I was paying attention to what I was doing, but I spent most of my time glancing toward the new men. A thought came to me and I asked Mecha to see if she could tend to the bruises and scrapes that must be adorning the one I'd had trouble with. I wasn't picking on him this time, since I did want to make sure he wasn't actually hurt. I even cut off two thick pieces of lion meat for her to hold against his bruised eye and cheek.

Sometimes when I think of something I have no idea the kind of difference it will make. Congra, the one I'd tangled with, was amazed I'd send my woman over to take care of his hurts. He understood she was a healing woman, but it seemed it made the attention from her even more of a status symbol for him. Being doctored with fresh meat from a lion seemed to please him even more and I later learned he'd actually asked Mecha if she would explain to his woman what she was doing. Apparently he told Mecha he often let his attitude get him in trouble.

At any rate, most of the Neanderthals were getting acclimated faster than I'd hoped. They were amazed again when Chris and Mary came out and started showing their women to the space they'd cleared out inside our cave for their belongings. They seemed surprised we'd make room inside for them and there'd be no need to erect huts. I guess they didn't have any trouble understanding after they got a look at the size of the cave's interior.

Catching on to riding a horse seemed to go faster for Growwta than I'd expected. Thankfully all of ours were well mannered by now. I had plans for Growwta and at least a couple of the other new arrivals to ride to Jockat's place with me in a couple of days. I figured it would grease the skids for talking Jockat's people into joining us.