Chapter 4: Entoch

Entoch woke up with a fright. He had been having a nightmare about being eaten by a large cat. In the nightmare he had just been saved by a goddess. He sat up looking around, and there she was, sitting next to him watching the sunrise. He saw that she wore the necklace he had recommended she wear. It, combined with the fur, would give her great status among the tribes. That, and her appearance was different from anyone he had ever encountered.

The second thing he noticed was he felt different. He couldn't place it but he felt stronger, more alive almost. It was as if her presence near him gave him strength. She noticed him up and smiled at him, he returned the smile. She spoke to him in her strange language. He guessed it was the language of the Gods, although she did not want him to bow to her, as she had demonstrated earlier.

"I don't know what to call you? Should I call you a great spirit or God?"

He tilted his head looking at her, she responded in her own language, he didn't know what she was saying but it sounded like music, her voice was so pleasant he didn't care what she was saying.

"My father wanted to go to the strange tribe and warn them of that my village was going to attack them, He said we had no right to do that, that was before the cat attacked"

She looked blankly at him, then she said a word he understood.

"Cat?"

She then pointed at the necklace. He smiled at her and nodded. "Yes, cat."

She pointed toward the graves: "father?"

He nodded again and frowned. "Yes, Father."

She seemed to get lost in thought so he continued. "My village Shaman said the spirits wanted us to attack the strange ones, is that true? Do you want us to attack the strange ones?"

She seemed to think for a bit before answering. "I am not spirit, I am person."

Her speech was rough and slow like she was thinking up the words, he shook his head. "That's not true, I saw you use magic. Only the Spirits can do what you did. My mother prayed for the spirits to save me and you did."

She looked at him and frowned: "Not magic. Not spirit. My name is Laura. I ... I come from somewhere far from here ... I am sorry."

She seemed to be upset by me calling her a spirit, perhaps she was a great Shaman then. "Then you must be a shaman, the greatest shaman I have ever seen."

She smiled: "I am a scientist. My name is Dr Laura Sumner. I guess it's a type of shaman though. What is your name?"

Her speech was getting better. I wondered how she was doing that. It must be more magic. "I am Enotch, son of Eloch ... but now I am son of no one..."

I started to panic. I couldn't hunt on my own. I could kill small things but not enough to feed me, I was alone.

"Well Enotch, how about this, for now you can be my son? We will stick together. You tell me about this place and I'll help you. We will help each other, OK?"

I would be the son of a Goddess? This was great, I would gain much status, and I would be protected. "You will be my Mother? Scientist Goddess?"

She laughed: "Just Laura, Enotch and yes I'll protect and help you. How old are you?"

I smiled "I am nine winters, almost a man."

She nodded solemnly

"Well mister, almost a Man, what shall we do now?"

She was asking me for advice, I was honored. Then I remembered my father's plan, and the pending attack on the strange tribe. "My village that banished us, the shaman is going to attack the strange tribe, we have to stop them. My father said many would die without cause. All because we don't speak the same tongue."

She nodded. "Well Enotch, we should do something about that. We can go warn the strange ones or we can go to your village and show them the error of their ways."

I shook my head. "No, they will make a sacrifice of me to the spirits if I return. And, we can't talk to the strange ones, we don't know how?"

She nodded. "Enotch, how do you think I talked to you? I can do the same for the strange ones given some time. Also, I won't let your village sacrifice you, trust me on that."

I nodded, certainly she was a stronger shaman then the one in charge of my village. It was a three day trek to my village, and I had no idea where the strange one's village was. "We should go to my village. You can show them you are stronger than the shaman there and they will listen. It will take us three days to get there."

She nodded. "Okay Entoch, it's your plan, lead the way."

We started to pack up our belongings. Laura carried most of them, she gave me my father's spear and knife.

"Entoch once we get back to your village I will give you better weapons."