Chapter 148

We were up early the next morning and after breakfast many people set about the packing while Danlo, Jonoco, Nadlo, Sahto, Talvo, and I headed for the horse cave. We hitched all the wagons, stowed their tops underneath and brought them up to park them near the entrances, returning the teams to the horse cave. With the wagons nearby everyone started packing their things into them.

I was glad Bigglieo helped with the packing even though he wasn't going on the trip, and I made sure Danlo and Jonoco stayed near him so they could benefit from his experience. Bigglieo was a master at cramming everything in sight into a wagon.

Daaggo spent the day with some of his best helpers by scrounging together four large huts we could erect when we got to a good campsite. Even though he had used a considerable fraction of the disassembled huts for the cave entrance closures he still had plenty to work with and he assured me once he had the traveling huts up we would all have a place to sleep indoors.

We worked at the arranging and packing all day with only a short meal around noon. We finished before sunset and my mates made sure we all had a good meal on our last night before the hunt.

I made sure to pay plenty of attention to Xailieta again that night and just as we snuggled down to sleep she told me she would need the time apart from me for resting. All of the others told her they would try to make sure I didn't come back without being thoroughly exercised.

"Don't over do it. That thing is like a muscle, the more you work it the bigger and stronger it seems to get," she said.

The next morning we were up, dressed, and at the table well before sunrise. Even Deimeta was out to have her early morning coffee with me. Jaada brought my mug and Deimeta's half sized one over and got us started, but in honor of Deimeta's early rising Jaada had forgone the naked service this morning.

"I'm excited about the mammoth hunt, Daddy," Deimeta told me, after her first sip of coffee.

"I am too. I hope we get plenty of mammoths and there is going to be a surprise after the hunt."

"What kind of surprise?" she asked.

"You know I can't tell you since it would spoil it. I will tell you I think you will be very happy about it though."

"I guess I'll have to wait then and it makes the trip more exciting," she said.

"It will give you something to wonder about during the long ride, which probably won't be very exciting."

"It won't be so bad. I like riding in the wagons and maybe soon you can teach me to ride on one of the horses," she said.

"Maybe you can even try it on this trip. Bonehead and all the other horses which are trained for riding will be going along. Bonehead has turned out to be very gentle and a good horse for new riders - she doesn't do foolish things and tries her best to do what the rider wants her to."

"You mean I might be able to try riding while we are on the hunt?" she asked, showing me her biggest smile.

"No promises, but it will be a long ride and we are not in a big hurry. If you don't get to try riding during the trip we will make time for a lesson while we are there waiting to find the mammoths."

Our breakfast came then and Deimeta stayed in her own seat this morning. I supposed she wanted to seem more grown up today since our hunt was about to start.

Ameliea sat near us this morning and she was excited about the trip too. She had been spending a lot of time practicing with her rifle and I knew she wanted to do some hunting herself.

Dieta and Delia had been practicing too and I thought that they probably intended a little contest between themselves to see if one of them could bag something to eat along the way. They were discussing it among themselves between bites.

After the meal the final packing was on. Most of our gear had been put in place yesterday, but there were still a few final parcels to be loaded. Danlo and the other wranglers had a job too, since there were a lot of teams to be hitched and those of us who would be riding had our mounts to saddle.

I took Deimeta with me while I saddled Red and when I'd finished with him I tied him to the back of the last wagon and took my lariat to catch Jack, the last wild stallion we had captured.

Jack had gotten the short end of the stick as far as training had gone. Argent had sent the new horses before we'd had time to give Jack anything, but the bare rudiments of work. Today was a good day to remedy it.

I put a bridle on over his halter and then saddled him with his McClellan. I was going to start the day on Red since I intended to give Deimeta a short ride with me at first. Jack would get a chance to do his thing after we were up on the plateau.

The rest of the loading and then the boarding took about another half hour. When we were ready to leave I took Red from where he was tied, mounted him, and called Deimeta to me.

Eileiea came over with her and helped her up to sit in front of me in the saddle. When she had a good grip on the saddle horn I urged Red into a brisk walk and as we passed the head of the line I could hear the drivers slapping reins on big equine asses as they fell in behind my lead.

Galto was driving the lead wagon, my original one, and when we came to the ramp I moved to the side and signaled for the others to head up. Finally Danlo, driving the drag wagon, and the other mounted ones headed up the ramp and I fell in behind.

When we were all up the ramp and out on the plateau I gave Deimeta a thrill by kicking Red into a gentle slow lope so we could regain our leadership position. She squealed as Red launched us with his powerful hindquarters and she hung onto the horn with renewed intensity, giggling and laughing all the way.

I had taken a little time last night with one of Argent's technicians for some modifications to my Blackberry. They had provided software to let it function as a type of GPS unit. Of course there were no real GPS satellites up there to use, but Argent's ship provided a similar function.