Chapter 28

While we were struggling with the smallest rhino I could see Goondoe's people were all assholes and elbows while they worked. Even the boys and girls were helping everywhere they could. Mass mating ceremony or not the meat had to be taken care of. They didn't necessarily have to do everything today, but they did need to gut, skin, and at least partially cut up the unexpected bounty.

Of course we had the same jobs to deal with. Actually, it wasn't as much of a task as a bison or aurochs would have been. Once we had the hide removed and put onto a rack we were practically finished with it. Even I knew we wouldn't be trying to tan the rhino's hide. It was destined to become rawhide and we didn't even intend to scrape it.

Scrape it hell, we weren't even going to keep it. Goondoe and his people could no doubt find uses for the thick hide, but we didn't need it. My guess was it might make good soles for long wearing moccasins, but otherwise I didn't have a clue.

After the first mad rush it was mostly men and boys left to work on the kills we'd given them. Almost all the women went back to the preparations for tonight's celebration and a little later Kalie's mother came over to say Goondoe had sent her to make sure we understood we were to be guests of honor at the big party. Hell, if they were cooking up plenty I didn't mind if I did.

As soon as she'd extended the invitation Kalie's mother drew Kalie aside for a short visit. I noticed Kalie was blushing fiery red when it was over, but I didn't think too much about it except to notice Kalie had a short talk with Keeta and Catla as soon as her mother left and it made the two of them grin like mean little kids.

Once we'd done all we were going to with our kills my mates pulled me into our hut. Daro and Rayta had been fetching water for about the last hour and once inside the hut I saw why. Just because we hadn't brought our bathtub along didn't mean we wouldn't clean up a little for the party.

The girls ganged up on me and gave me a good washing with damp cloths and some of the soap they'd brought with us. Soap wasn't all they'd brought though. Shaving soap and the straight razors had come along too.

Most of the girls used the rechargeable shavers Rose had sent and they'd learned to love, but they all bathed Kalie and lathered her up for a ritual shaving by me. Apparently they'd hoped all along we'd pick up another member somewhere.

It was a delightful way to pass idle time, but when she was mostly slick as a whistle and her bush was even tidier I got another surprise. Before we dressed again we all sat down and they told me how the cow at the cabbage at a wedding ceremony.

"Most of the men will drink so much of the Happy Dragu they will fall down and sleep where they do. Their mates will not drink much and Goondoe won't either. He will take many of the other women into his hut and do it to them good and proper," Catla said, grinning again.

"You will do the same. He sent Kalala to make sure Kalie told you it was your right too since you are a camp leader and a good friend to him," Keeta said.

"What? I'm supposed to take a shot at any woman I want after their mates have passed out drunk? You can't be serious."

"Yes, it is our custom. If the women's mates objected they would not drink so much. You may not take any women though, only the women whose mates have fallen and are sleeping.

"Also, you should not take any of the newly mated women even if their new mates have fallen and gone to sleep and you should not take any of Goondoe's mates if he does, but he won't," Keeta said.

"In the first place how will I know the difference?"

"You won't have to. We will bring the women to you here. You will stand around and pretend to drink Happy Dragu for a while, and then come into the hut. If there is a woman you don't know in it when you enter fuck her all you want to. We will bring more later," Nanita said.

"I'm not sure I like this. I don't want anyone leading you to someone's hut if I drink too much."

"It would never happen. You are a leader and all men understand your mates are not to be pestered. If a woman doesn't want to do it she would be asleep like the men," Shayta said.

"I don't understand this," I said, and was almost whining.

"Often women can go for a long time without a baby and then get one started shortly after a celebration. Some say it pleases the spirits," Kalie said, making her first comment.

"I don't know about the spirits, but I can see how it would please the leaders."

"That is part of it. Men who never drink too much during celebrations are often not well liked by their leader. My father was like that, and you can see where it got him," Kalie said, but she didn't seem to be upset over it.

"Another thing I don't understand is why you all seem to be so accommodating about this. You look as if you're happy about it."

"We are happy because we know you so well. We will be legends in this camp by morning. Even though the women will be stretched tonight they will be happy about it for weeks after. You will show them something they didn't know was possible. Be sure to do your bests," Catla said.

Suddenly the answer came to me. My women were standing me at stud for fun and profit, or status at least. They expected me to ring other women's chimes all night long. Who was I to complain? If women came to my hut looking for dick tonight I'd make sure they found some. I had to count on my mates to keep me from poking the wrong hole, but what the hell, I trusted them.

The ceremony didn't really get started until twilight, but most everyone had been out wandering around for half an hour or so. I was mostly looking the women over and wondering which ones I'd see in my hut soon. It didn't matter to me since there weren't any barkers at all.

Right at sunset and the new mates gathered in a sort of semicircle before Goondoe. He said a few words over them and then one of his mates handed the first female in line a large carved cup of something. She took a tiny swallow and passed it to her mate who took a healthy slug and passed it down the line.

After the ritual drink the ceremony was over and the party was on. The large cup was put away somewhere, but dozens of smaller ones appeared. Kalie brought me one and when I took a sip I knew it wouldn't be long before bodies started hitting the ground, especially with the way I saw some of the other men belting the nearly wineish brew down.

Since I knew it would still take at least an hour of so I shared my cup with my mates and even let Daro and Rayta try a sip. When it was nearly empty and all of them had tried a taste Catla refilled it with water and told me to pretend I was pouring it down. What the hell, water couldn't hurt me.

Whatever the Happy Dragu was it had one hell of a kick. I didn't feel it but there were six men sleeping it off within two hours. I'd seen enough so I headed into the hut thinking I'd shuck my duds and get ready for company.