Chapter 11

We were up, fed, and on our way early the next morning. Catla gave the directions and after crossing the river we broke out into a trot. The wolves had been full of themselves early on, but the trot got them down to business. They could keep up, but it didn't leave them time to play.

Catla hadn't been expecting to trot either, but she held up well enough. The main difference it made was putting us near her camp just after noon. We both looked it over with the binoculars before we came close enough for them to spot us with the unaided eye.

"They are about to have a mating ceremony, and I think Shayta is being given to the man I ran away from," Catla said.

"We are here in time then. Let's go and crash the party?"

"What is crash the party?" she asked.

"Come to it without being invited."

"Yes then, let us crash the party."

Crash it we did with only a little delay for Catla to point out the main culprits. Everything came to a halt as soon as they saw us. I'd already pulled my M1 out of its saddle scabbard and while still about fifty yards away I stopped Red and put the crosshairs on Growlett's nose. Red already knew to stand very still when I was about to shoot.

The noise was shocking to all of them and the sudden explosion out the rear of Growlett's head was even more impressive. Catla's former husband went to pieces next and Nanita's dear old dad caught the next one. Nearly everyone was scared shitless, but Sabato, the youngest favorite bucked up his nerve and headed our way, threatening with his spear. I let him have two in the pump area and he stopped his foolishness, and everything else then.

Finally a man approached us with his hands, palms raised, and outward. I told Catla to ask him to come close to talk and he did. She would have to translate.

She explained things in his language and then he asked her something.

"He thinks you are a spirit and wants to know how they have offended you."

"Tell him I am not a spirit, but only a man. Explain how Growlett offended me and also why I killed the others."

After she gave him the scoop he hit his knees and began babbling. I'll swear he looked like he was praying.

"What is he saying now?" I asked.

"He didn't believe me and he is begging for you to speak to him directly."

I pulled a Glock and put a round between his knees, mostly to shut him up.

"Tell him if he will not hear the truth after I have commanded you to speak it I will kill him now too."

He paid much closer attention to Catla this time. Who wouldn't have? The way he'd pissed himself made me believe we had his attention completely.

I had Catla tell them I was not overly angry with the others of Growlett's favorites and that they should not kill them, merely strip them of any authority and beat them mildly.

Next she told him to help Shayta and Nanita pack up the goods that now belonged to me and bring them all over, except the huts and any food, which I was giving to the camp as a whole.

Finally I had her tell him they should decide on a new leader right away so I could talk to him before we left and also we would be spending he night in Growlett's hut tonight only.

When Catla told him to get on with it we dismounted and led the horses and wolves to Growlett's hut. Catla had the wolves sit near the hut's door and then she fetched Nanita and Shayta to come over for a talk.

We'd already gone over what she would tell them and she started while I sat on a sort of stool outside the former asshole's hut.

I could tell right away Catla was giving me a bigger buildup than we'd agreed on, but after getting a look at the two I didn't really mind. Soon enough Nanita and Shayta both said something to me and I opened my arms to them as they came over. I eased one down on each knee and kissed them in turn. They didn't understand kissing any more than Catla had at first, but they both did an exceptional job for their first try.

Catla called Mama and the pups over for an introduction next and the two newbies were understandably frightened at first, but they finally got up their nerve to pet some heads and scratch around on some ears with Catla's explaining.

The others in camp had kept at the moving chore while I was getting acquainted with my new friends.

Suddenly, in a stroke of luck I was suspicious of, a damned saber tooth strolled into camp. The screams alerted us, but in plenty of time the girls were out of my lap and my M1 was against my shoulder. The cat dropped like a rock with one shot and it was an even bigger sign to the others than my earlier antics had been.

My new women were about to wet themselves over my prowess, but Catla turned toward them for another little talk.

She said it in English first, I guess so I'd know what was going on, and then she translated.

"It is nothing for Jack. Look around his neck. Look at the necklace and bracelets he made for me," she said, and then rattled her cave lion jewelry for them.

"He is a man like no other. When we get back to our cave you will not believe how rich he is."

"Come, we must skin his kill. The wolves will have its insides for supper."

Nanita and Shayta headed toward the cat, but Catla had to stay. The one who'd come out to talk to us was heading my way again.

Apparently he was the new leader. He did a lot of babbling and Catla translated. Routata had a zillion questions concerning what I expected from the camp. I told Catla to make the decisions most of the time, but naturally I kept up a conversation with her even if it didn't mean anything. I reserved the final comments for myself though.

"This camp has acted shamefully. I will be keeping watch on you from now on. You knew better than to let a fool like Growlett do the things he did and you can see what it has cost.

"Do not kill the favorites who still live, but you shall punish them and then make sure they work every day. Do not let their mates or families go hungry either.

"Do you have enough food in this camp now?"

He claimed they did and I took his word for it.

"I will be back in two moons to check on your leadership."

He thanked me and then bowed and scraped his way back to the others. I might come back and I might not. I wanted to see how the four of us got along together first.

Even before dark I knew we'd have a hell of a haul back to the cave. Apparently it paid well to be one of Growlett's favorites. I'd have to build some travois before we left, but it wasn't my main worry. We had the river to cross, and even though it was shallow everything on a travois would be soaked.

Catla and I discussed it, and she suggested we bundle everything into small bundles we could load onto a horse's back to carry over. I knew it would take a lot of trips, but I was resigned to the extra work until I remembered the Zodiac Rose had insisted on. I'd held her down to only one, but it was small with the air removed.

The memory led me to more talking with Catla. We finally decided the bundles could be larger than we first imagined, but we would still be better bundling things up instead of just piling everything onto the travois.

Catla was about to get started on a meal when some of the camp's women came by with food for us. Catla said it had been prepared for after the mating ceremony and the camp had decided we should have it. I had Catla decide how much she thought we could eat and tell the women we wanted to share the rest with the whole camp.