Chapter 152

"I'll take you over for a short visit if Danlo thinks it's all right. We must be quiet and calm around them though and we should be very nice to Danlo. Remember he has been up all night watching over them and he might be tired."

"I will be nice to him Daddy, it is good of him to watch over them and I'm sure he is very tired. Danlo is always very nice to me when I go to play with Malooto and all his mates always make me feel very special. Maybe we should take him some breakfast and coffee," she said.

"If he thinks it will be all right, you and I will watch the mammoths for him while he comes to get his own coffee and breakfast."

We finished eating and refilled our coffee mugs and I decided to take a mug to Danlo after all, just in case he wanted some right now. We headed his way and when we got to him I was surprised. The female was right beside Danlo and all of the young ones were gathered around where he was lying near one of the fires. When the female noticed we were approaching she touched Danlo on the shoulder with her trunk and almost seemed to be shaking him awake.

He sat up as we approached and when he saw we were bringing him some coffee he smiled at us.

"You two are just the ones I wanted to see," he said.

"We are? Why?" Deimeta asked.

"Because you have an extra coffee mug and I'll bet it is for me," he told her, smiling.

"You are right Danlo, it is for you. I can see Daddy was wrong about one thing though. He said you were probably very tired and he didn't think you could have slept any last night. Then we come to bring you some coffee and the mother mammoth had to wake you up," Deimeta said, giving Danlo a teasing smile that nearly melted my heart, and I could see it had the same effect on him.

"Oh my, I have been caught and there is no excuse," Danlo said, smiling right back at her.

Deimeta giggled then and went to give Danlo the mug of coffee - she even gave him a kiss on the cheek and thanked him for watching over the mammoths all night.

"It is what I intended to do, but now I'm not sure who was watching over whom. At first I would go out to circle around our space every few minutes. The big one tried to come with me and when the chain stopped her she got nervous when I left and started struggling. I was afraid she would hurt herself so I came back and took off the chain.

"I started again to make a circle and she kept by me the whole time. Toward the end of the circuit I wasn't sure she wasn't watching over me," he said.

"Later I was sitting and trying not to go to sleep and I noticed not only the adult, but also all of the young ones raised their trunks every so often and sniffed the air. It was as if they were trying to catch the sent of anything which might be approaching.

"Finally I did fall asleep and I don't know how long I slept, but just as she did when you and Deimeta came up, the adult woke me by nudging my shoulder with her trunk and when I was awake she kept pushing at me until I stood up.

"I picked up my rifle and she seemed to realize I was ready so she led me outside the circle of fires and toward a spot to the northwest of our area. I hadn't noticed her doing it and I don't know where she got the big rock she was carrying with her trunk, but when she got us where she was going she looked out toward something and then raised her trunk and flung the rock toward the spot. A wolf yelped and then three or four of them jumped up and ran off into the night. The mammoths are a lot smarter than I would have ever thought. I can hardly believe how smart they seem," Danlo said, finishing his tale.

"That is amazing Danlo. I would have never guessed they could do anything like that. Of course they have been getting along up until now without us to watch over them at night. I am really more surprised she woke you and took you with her to run them off."

"I was surprised, but I didn't let it keep me from taking advantage of the situation. After she scared the wolves off she and I made a circle of our area and then I went back over and lay down to sleep again.

"I'll bet I got more rest than anyone last night and I'll also bet I was watched over more carefully than anyone else. Look at all those long noses which were sniffing all night for enemies," he said, and waved toward his charges.

I could see at once Danlo was right. The night had been practically windless and with all those snouts sniffing and with their large ears listening I could tell it would be hard for anything to sneak up on this bunch.

I was glad Danlo had gotten some rest during the night, because he was probably the only one who could get the mammoths to move with us without a lot of trouble. He and I were talking about it and I wasn't paying that much attention to Deimeta. I noticed she was not by me after a few minutes and looked around in a near panic.

I needn't have worried. I spied her over among the youngsters. She was stroking and petting her mammoth and it was sniffing and nudging her. The other little ones were standing in a circle around them and seemed to be wondering where their playmate was. I could hardly believe how easy this was turning out to be.