Chapter 145

"What are you staying out of the way of?"

"The moving, that's what. I tried helping at first, but I was only a hindrance and when I finally realized it I came to the table for coffee. I will sit here and drink it all day long if I have to," Georgo said.

"Isn't most of the moving done by now?"

"All of the widows and unmated women have finished, but there are still many things that need to come from the other side of the river. I am certain they will get here faster without my help," he said.

"I hope they can come without my help either. I don't mind saying I am lazy. I will help if I'm needed, but I will sit here and drink coffee with you unless they ask me to do something."

"An excellent plan and it shows you are a good leader. If you did try to help, since you are the leader, they would ask for your approval about everything. You would slow them down even more than I would," he agreed.

"All is right with the world then. We will sit and drink coffee and act as if we were planning something important. I might call a few more of the leaders in to help us in a little while. They are probably holding things back also."

"It is an excellent idea, do you mind if I go for them now?" he asked.

"I don't mind at all, bring them back here for coffee and a meeting."

He left me then and while he was gone I tried to think of a good excuse for a meeting. I couldn't, but I wasn't worried since I felt anytime I could eliminate micro-management I was doing well. There was no need for my main helpers to make decisions about the day-to-day personal lives of all the others.

They came in a few at a time and Georgo had been forced to send a warmly dressed man to the other side of the canyon to find Racaato. I only made small talk with the others until everyone was seated and had a mug of coffee.

Daaggo wasn't present, but I let it go since he was still working around the entrances. I decided not to do anything to bring this meeting to order until one of them asked about it. Caato finally did.

"What type of meeting are we going to have John, Georgo told us you wanted to have a meeting?" he asked.

"We are going to have a do nothing meeting. We will just sit here and talk while the others are taking care of their chores."

"But they will be wanting to ask us questions about things, they have asked me dozens already today," Colonto said.

"Think about what they were asking you Colonto and see if you feel they would have come looking for you to ask if you hadn't been there," I said, making sure they all heard.

They were all quiet for a few minutes and so I continued.

"They are moving their own things and arranging their living spaces and they shouldn't need much guidance. They are only bothering you about it because you were there. If they have something they really need help with I'm sure that they can find you easily enough. We can sit here and drink coffee until it is time for lunch and then we can eat. After lunch we can have more coffee if we want to."

"I think I understand what you are saying now. We were probably causing a delay instead of helping even though we didn't realize it," Colonto said.

"I think you are right and I also think they didn't realize it either. Since you were close by they kept asking to make sure they were doing things the right way. With us all in here they will make up their own minds and if it doesn't suit them they can do it a different way later and no harm will come of it. Meanwhile we can sit here and we might think of something that could actually help us all and if we don't no harm will come of that either."

That was all the talking for a while and we did just sit there and drink coffee. Daaggo came in after a while saying he had done what he could about the entrances for now. He sat down with a mug of coffee and finally asked what the meeting was about himself. I let Raalto and the others explain, but Daaggo was quick to catch on with this concept as he was with almost everything.

Lunchtime came soon and I was happy I was already in place to participate. Geera, Dieta, Delia, and Waaya had done most of the cooking today and they made plenty. I was happy again when Deimeta entered from Danlo's quarters and came right over to sit in my lap while she ate. She had turned into a real little sweetheart and I enjoyed having her around immensely. I was anticipating the look of surprise she'd have when Mundo finished his project.

After the meal Deimeta went back to her playing and all my mates except Kota, who stayed to tend the coffee pot, disappeared back to the task they had been busying themselves with. Probably they were giving more cooking lessons. Georgo, all my leaders and I stayed at the table. We got a surprise about an hour after the meal when the man Danlo and I had rescued was led to the table by Eileiea. She showed him to a seat near me and then she and Kota fixed him a plate.

"I am John, I am the leader of this camp," I said, after he was seated.

"I am Burtalgo, from Dunto's camp, which you recently visited. He sent me here with a message for you and I'm sure you know what happened to me. Eileiea told me you and one of your men rescued me and I thank you for it," he said, and I was glad he didn't ask how I knew he was in trouble.

"We were glad we could help. What message did Dunto send?"

"Dunto sent several men out hunting the day after your visit and though they killed three bison it was not a good hunt. Two of them, Targoto and Budingo were killed when some of the bison ran over them. There are now two widows with children at our camp and Dunto sent me to see if you would like to trade for them?" he told us.

"Yes, we would like to trade for them and we will go there in a wagon to get them as soon as the snow has melted. Did Dunto tell you what he wanted in trade?" I asked.

"No, he did not but, I'm sure if you have more salt he would trade for it," Burtalgo said.

"I think I have some more salt and we will take some with us when we go."

"Good. I have done my duty then, but it was only with your help. When the snow started and I put up my tent I wondered if I was going to add to the number of widows instead of tell you about them," he said.

He seemed to be through with the message and I stayed quiet to let him eat. I was sure he must be very hungry now. Even though he hadn't eaten in a day or so he took his time. He was able to handle another serving though when Kota asked him about it.

This meant another trip out into the cold for me and it was probably going to be pretty cold during the mammoth hunt, not to mention the rest of the winter. I excused myself and headed to my office while asking my leaders to carry on with the meeting in my absence unless they had other things they needed to take care of.

I sat down and messaged the spirits, as Georgo thought of Argent and company. Argent was the one who replied and he took a few lines to tell me he had been impressed with my rescue of the stranded Neanderthal. This was a surprise since he had never mentioned exactly what he had been pleased about before. I shook it off though, because I had other things on my mind.