Chapter 39

We kept rotating the drying racks in the smoker and just before supper time we declared two racks done, so I started cutting the meat up for our supper. The new smoked meat was a huge success. I mixed up some ketchup, vinegar, some spices, and some of my dwindling supply of beer and made a passable barbeque sauce. Everyone seemed to like it, so I asked Fred if he thought we could get some of my favorite barbeque sauce from home. I said my favorite was some of my homemade stuff, but that I started with some store bought base and then added my own touches. He said that we could talk later about this as Olnafot and I still had some journeying to do tonight.

We left before the sunset so we could get to Grunto’s camp before full dark. We drove into the meadow and then winked out and turned up very close to Grunto’s summer camp. His summer camp was about 8 miles from his winter one, which was a cave with a small entrance. We announced our entrance to their camp and were greeted warmly. Everyone was around a warm fire that gave off quite a bit of light.

I had eased the ATV into the camp with my light on so they could see us. Olnafot introduced Grunto, Thorf and Heglina, and the rest of the clan. We talked a while and then Grunto and I got down to the point; did they want to come to our camp? Yes they did. Olnafot told of all the people that were there and how nice they had been to him. He also told them of this afternoon’s hunt and of the wonderful smoked meat we had for supper. He told Grunto, that even if he did not want to go to my camp, he would go anyway as he liked it so well. That convinced Grunto and Thorf. The rest of the clan had heard all the discussion and they all agreed they would like to move. I then said all they had to do was gather everything they wanted to go with them and put into their huts. They would then go into their huts before sunset and close their eyes. Once they did this, just after sunset they would be moved from this camp and to my camp. We would then move them into their new homes the next morning. But they had to do this before tomorrow night as that is when we planned to move them. Olnafot was going on to Valkorla’s camp to invite them to come live with us, unless Grunto had any objections.

Grunto said, “We have no objections. We were going to combine camps this fall so we could survive the winter together. I am sure they will want to join your camp with us. I will send Olnafot in the morning with the news.”