Chapter 9

Kanala woke me by stroking my face gently. Opening my eyes, I looked at her in wonderment. If you've never been caressed awake by a lover, I highly recommend it. I returned the caress and pulled her to me for a light kiss. Lifting my head a bit revealed that Soma was still sawing logs. I had woken up late in the night to rouse her long enough for some water and more ibuprofens.

Looking back at Kanala lying beside me, I apologized. "I am sorry I didn't know your customs. I would have only killed Geck if I had known how it would turn out. I don't want you angry with me for acquiring another mate, but I won't push her away. I'm proud that I saved her from an evil man." Kanala tried to interrupt, but I pushed on. "I chose you as my mate, and you and Tanala will always come first. I will not allow men to hurt women and children or bully others. It makes me very angry, but now that I know what will happen if I kill a man, I will just beat him instead. If killing is the only solution, I will talk to you about it first. I will never take a mate again without talking to you first."

Kanala pounced on me, attacking my mouth with hers, despite my morning breath. "Are you finished talking now?" she asked. I knew I had been babbling, but I didn't want to lose her. So, sue me, I love Kanala and my new family. "Doc, I am not mad. I am proud that my mate stood up to those evil men. I was so afraid when I saw you step in front of the spear. I had forgotten about your 'armor.' Men have had more than one mate before, but they are usually great hunters that can provide for more than one mate. Soma was my best friend before she mated Barth; we grew up together. We cried the day her father agreed to Barth's offer for Soma. After the mating ceremony, Barth would not let us be together. We talked when we could, but I knew she was ashamed, so she stopped talking to me. Perhaps, I will get my best friend back." Kanala stopped and gave me a teasing, sexy look. "You can give her the sacred feeling while I am kissing her." My dick went from flaccid to stone hard in the blink of Kanala's sultry eyes. I pulled her to me and ravaged her mouth this time, even rubbing her mound through her pants to tease her.

We heard a girlish giggle and saw Soma watching us. In spite of her battered face, Soma gave us a beatific, if stunted, smile. I have two of the most gorgeous women as my mates. Eat your heart out Hugh.

"Good morning, my new mates. I still can't believe how lucky I am. Kanala, I have missed you so much," Soma said and started to cry.

Kanala rolled over me and got on the other side of Soma, cuddling the woman to her. Soma grimaced when she twisted a bit, so I had her lay flat on her back again. I gave her another drink of water with some more ibuprofens and gently spread some Aquaphor on the split lip. I kissed her mouth away from the cut.

Soma closed her eyes and sighed. "That is what a mate is supposed to be like. He kissed my lips rather hit them." Opening her eyes again and looking directly into mine, she continued, "Doc, you are already a better mate then Barth ever was." What do you say to that? I was smart and just smiled, saying nothing.

I got up, and after leaning over for another kiss from Kanala, ran out of there. My hard on was now a piss hard on that was about to erupt.

I sucked it up and peed in the river. That still feels wrong. Upstream about a hundred yards, I stopped to brush my teeth ... using my canteen for water. Kanala with Tanala in tow used the "outhouse" and then came to me with their toothbrushes, using the toothpaste I had to clean their teeth.

Some men from the village had brought down the other dirtbag that Kortan had conked on the head and allowed him to use the "facilities." I didn't know what would happen to him; honestly, I didn't care. They had him trussed up with a stick behind his back with his arms looped over them and hands tied in front. They took the man back to camp and I never saw him again.

Tanala was on my shoulders as Kanala held my hand walking back to the village. Strolling through the village, it was apparent I was a celebrity of sorts. I received many smiles and waves, but it was the looks of awe and wonder that were disturbing. We needed to leave before the religious whisperings got started.

Back at the family hut, everything had been pulled from the hut and wrapped in bundles. Kortan and Tandor were in the process of pulling the hides off the hut, then rolling them up. A bigger travois had been made and Anala was tying bundles to the cross braces. Kanala and Tanala followed me to Soma's hut. We got Soma up, and Kanala helped her to the river. Using all the furs, I started bundling anything I could find. I had noticed in this hut as well as Kortan's that a bundle of thongs had been hanging somewhere for ease of use. Kanala helped me after getting Soma set up outside with Tanala. We took a short break and had granola bars for breakfast. Soma asked what is was, and I told her it was like pemmican, but without meat. She loved it, as did Tanala. Kanala told me that she had explained to Soma that we all were leaving for my ... our home today.

I hadn't seen Soma without a slight smile on her face since she woke up. She couldn't smile too big because of the lip, but you could tell she was happy. Soma seemed to be doing fine just sitting up, maybe a little stiffer backed than usual. As far as the trip home, the sleeping bags should be enough cushion for her to lie down on and be comfortable in the trailer.

I dragged the original travois over to Soma's hut, getting stopped a few times on the way by men to explain the travois and let them look it over. Big smiles were seen when I told them how much easier it was to haul back kills.

I had finally arrived back at the hut, where all my ladies were sitting outside, talking by a modest pile of bundles. Soma looked at me with her half smile. "Kanala said I wouldn't need my hut at your home. I don't want to keep it because of the bad memories. I would just as soon burn it than live in it again."

"Why don't I tell Cabal to use it for the village?"

"Even better," she said.

I tracked down Cabal and told him about the hut. He doubted anyone would choose to live in it, but said he would move it closer to the longhouse and use it for community storage. I confided in Cabal that I was a healer and told him how to get to my home in the event I was needed.

Things got serious when he asked about the 'thunder stick.' "Cabal, I am a man of your tomorrow. Just a man. I was brought here from a long way away by people of my tomorrow. The thunder stick is just a tool, like your spear. You grew up using a spear. I grew up using the thunder stick. I am not a spirit, so I would ask that you stop any rumors like that from getting started." Cabal's eyes were starting to glaze over. "I will help you — if I can — with your wounded or sick. May we come back from time to time for a visit?" The man nodded still open mouthed. So, I bid him farewell and got out of there before I made thing worse by rattling on. Right before I left, I told him to start having his people bathe more and to use boiled water for cleaning wounds and cuts.

I gathered my wives and daughter ... Damn that sounds good. I pulled the travois over to Kortan's hut after we loaded all of Soma's possessions. My in-laws were all standing around with others, saying goodbyes. I did spot some men a few huts away attempting to build travois. One man would jog over, taking a look at ours, then jog back and fiddle with it some more.

I weaved a small net out of Para chord and attached it near the bottom of the travois Soma was riding on. Her feet would slip into the net to keep her from sliding off.

Without further fanfare, we left River Rise (my name for the village) to rendezvous with the Mule. Kortan didn't have any trouble pulling their travois, even with Tanala's insignificant weight added to it. Tandor was the forward guard with his father's spear. Anala was walking with their travois and keeping an eye on Tanala. Kanala was walking beside Soma and me, carrying my walking stick.

It took us about half an hour longer than the previous trip to get back to the Mule. I let Kanala explain everything to the newbies while Kortan helped me get things ready. Everything was as we had left it. I left the canvas on the top of the trailer for some shade, but rolled up the sides to allow for a good view. I got everything unlocked and hooked together again. We pulled everything from the trailer and loaded all the bundles. The hut coverings were strapped on top of the trailer. All the women decided to ride in the trailer. Anala and Kanala would sit on the milk crates, with Soma and Tanala lying on the sleeping bags. I pulled the M1A out of the case and we got on the trail.

We stopped at lunch time and everyone got an introduction to MREs. Granted, these were civilian models and tasted a hell of a lot better than I remembered. Never thought I would have to explain what pasta was.

We made better time now that I knew where in the hell we were going and what to expect. I looked around a lot more, trying to spot anything useful we might need and make note of where it was.

We pulled up to the ramp gate about three hours after lunch, but things had definitely changed. First off was the gravel road to the fort, then the fruit trees we drove between. There were two each of apple, pear, peach, and cherry trees; full grown trees, not saplings. Halfway between the ramp gate and the garden were a couple white box bee hives. We would now have honey.

The biggest shock of all was that the palisade wall was half again as wide as it had been. There was a structure attached to the palisade wall on the other side of the road from the garden. I would check out the little building later. I hit the remote for the east gate and drove through.