Chapter 154

"But she slept most of the day yesterday."

"We reviewed her actions on video and while it is true she slept for most of the trip back she did not go to sleep for the night until very late. We surmise she was simply not sleepy after the rest during the day and we know she did not go to bed until the last of your mates did. Apparently she was excited about the upcoming celebration, as we all are," he said.

It was a relief. I didn't mind if she stayed up late, because there was no real need for her to get up until she was good and ready. I probably wouldn't have worried at all if I'd known she stayed up so late. I thanked the operator for his help and he assured me he'd been glad to do it.

After signing off I began checking out the other camps I knew about with the video feeds. They all seemed to have normal activity and most of them were engaged in what looked like last minute preparations for the winter.

In most of them at least a few men were headed out to do some hunting and I was sure they were taking a last shot at bringing in some fresh meat. If they weren't ready for winter by now no amount of last minute hunting was going to get them ready.

The four couples at Caato's old camp were all outside and were up to the same thing. The women were already working over two small megaceros, which had probably been killed yesterday, and all the men were headed out of camp, going upriver.

I recalled a thought I'd had earlier and deciding to act on it. I killed the video and went back out into my cave, looking for Georgo.

I got a surprise as I looked toward the cave's entrance. Dotallto was coming inside. He had been gone for quite a while and I went to him at once.

"Welcome back Dotallto, how was your visiting?"

"It was very good. With the buckboard I was able to travel far and I visited some camps I had not been to in several years. I will add there was much curiosity about the horses and the buckboard. They were worth much more than the irritation of answering the same questions in every camp though," he said.

"I'm sure they were. There have been many changes here since you left for traveling."

"I have seen some of them already. I now know what those who saw my horses and buckboard must have felt like. Can you imagine my surprise when I came to the horse cave and discovered a full grown mammoth and many young ones in it?" he asked.

"I'm betting it rid you of the boredom of the trail."

"You are right. Never have I come so fully alert in so short a time. I'm glad Danlo was there to explain things to me. He even let me approach Big Mother and touch her. Never, even in my dreams, did I think I would touch a living mammoth," he said.

"I'm sure many things you never dreamed of have come to pass since you came here."

"You are correct and it seems this type of thing will continue to happen as long as I stay here," he said.

"I hope so, but I hope they will all be good things. Have you seen Georgo since you returned?"

"No, I have only seen Danlo and now you. I was going to look for Georgo," he said.

"I was too, but I think I'll let you find him and have the first chance to talk to him. I will go and see Danlo and marvel at the mammoths for a while."

Dotallto left and headed for his quarters and I'm sure he intended to check for Georgo as he went. I saw Dalia and asked her if Deimeta had gotten up and eaten yet.

"Yes, she is up and has eaten and has run off to the horse cave which she now calls the mammoth cave," Dalia told me, laughing.

I asked for and got another mug of coffee and then I headed for the mammoth cave myself. I found Danlo working with Big Mother and Deimeta was playing with her new friend.

"Daddy, I have named her Darta. Do you like the name?" Deimeta asked, as soon as she saw me enter.

"I think it is a fine name. Now we can only hope Darta likes her name."

"Of course she will like it. Soon she may even know it is hers," she said.

I went to Danlo then and asked how he was getting along with Big Mother.

"We are doing well together. I am surprised she seems to be much smarter than the horses. I have been teaching her to follow when I lead her, but there is almost nothing to teach. When she sees I want her to come with me she walks right beside me and when I stop she does too. She will even stay behind as I walk off when I signal I want her to," he said.

"It is very good news. I wonder if she will let you ride on her neck some day?"

"I'm sure she will and I am anxious to try it, but not for a few days. I want to make sure she knows I mean her no harm. I believe she will be very helpful to us and she seems to want to help," he said.