The Cusp, Part VII
The older brother went to the fire and ate. He and the woman sat with him for a while. Then they went for a walk. He wanted to see more of the country around the camp. The woman had brought her bow, a gathering basket, and a digging stick. She had been taught since childhood which plants were edible or medicinal, what season the berries ripened, where the nut trees grew, where the mushrooms grew, and basic hunting knowledge. She held the distillation of hundreds of generations of knowledge in her head. As they walked they each scanned the environment, eyes and ears alert, noses checking for scents of danger or opportunity, they were a part of their environment as much as a hare or a gazelle. Periodically the woman would stop and pick or dig something edible. They went into the wooded areas and she pointed out nuts and mushrooms. He helped her gather and offered to carry her basket as it filled.
“You don’t mind helping with woman’s work?”
“It is all work and I will eat as many nuts and mushrooms as anyone else.”
She pointed to a brushy draw.
“Sometimes there are partridges in there.”
“I will hold your things if you want to hunt there.”
She took her bow and began to move toward the brush. She had nocked a blunt arrow. He watched her movements through the grass. She was very good and patient. She took into account the wind and moved in way that let her see into the thicker areas. After a time she rose and came to full draw. She loosed an arrow and a cloud of feathers erupted. He could hear the bird thrashing. She carefully threaded her way into the thicket and retrieved the bird and the arrow. She held the arrow aloft and looked back at him. He smiled. She still remembered his teasing about the lost arrow. She moved into the thicket further placing each foot carefully. He watched as she bent down and picked something up off of the ground. She drew her arm back and threw hard. A second cloud of feathers showed she had hit another partridge. She trotted back carrying both birds.
“You did well.”
“The second one was just sitting there; they are not too smart this time of year.”
“You used a rock?”
“Yes. Rocks are there for the taking and I didn’t want to risk breaking an arrow.”
“You throw better than I can.”
She gave the birds their last bite and thanked the mother and the ancestors. They returned to the camp and waved to the group. She had gathered enough for a basket of soup. She plucked the partridges and put them in a watertight basket with the mushrooms, some roots, and nuts. He helped by cracking nuts on a stone with a depression pecked into it. It was one of the heavy things that would be left at the campsite. Like most of the tribes the woman’s people had sites they used as they moved with the seasons in their territory. The woman placed heated stones in the basket and it began to boil. The steam filled the area with a pleasant aroma. When everything was cooked she placed a generous portion of the soup with a lot of meat in it in another basket and took it to the elder’s shelter. When she returned he nodded.
“You did well.”
“They have helped me a lot and they know things. That is where I learned to drill beads and sew.”
“I thought every woman knew how to sew.”
“The elder woman taught me to sew patterns and pictures onto cloth and hides.”
She went into the shelter and came out carrying a piece of soft tanned deer skin with a geometric pattern sewn into it with colored thread. It was striking.
“That is beautiful work.”
“I am working on something larger; this is just a piece of it.”
The group gathered around the fire. The soup was appreciated. There was his evening wrestling with the young ones and the time of stories and songs. They retired to their robes and slept. At daylight the next morning they prepared their packs. The woman hugged her family and he grasped forearms with her father and brothers. The younger brother looked like he wanted to speak.
“You have words trying to get out.”
“I would like to go with you if you don’t mind.”
“Perhaps there is someone you would like to visit?”
He blushed and looked at his feet.
“I’m sure she would be glad to see you. I don’t mind you coming along if your father approves.”
“We can spare him for a few days,” said the woman’s father.
The younger brother ran into the shelter and began to prepare his pack. The woman hugged her parents and older brother. He grasped forearms with her father and older brother and stood facing her mother looking unsure.
“You can hug me.”
“I wasn’t sure and didn’t want to overstep.”
He hugged the woman’s mother. The younger brother emerged from the shelter looking anxious and ready to go. They put on their packs and started out as it became full light. The day was clear and cool. The rainy winter weather would start in a few weeks. Both bands would want to get to their winter camps before then. They made good time and did not speak much. They were content to be in each other’s company. Occasionally he would call out a target for the younger brother, and he would shoot at it with a blunt arrow. He was working hard and improving daily. They only stopped once to rest. At last they smelled smoke and crested the hill above his band’s camp. The woman stopped. He looked at her questioningly.
“I am nervous about meeting your people.”
“Why?”
“I’m not sure how to act around them.”
“Don’t act. Be yourself. They will love you for it.”
They were noticed by the girl cousin who shouted a greeting and met them as they came into the camp. She was carrying a toddler on her hip. He and the woman hugged her. The younger brother stood back and looked sheepish. Finally, he looked up and greeted her. She hugged him with one arm while the toddler looked on with wide eyes. The girl spoke to the younger brother.
“It is good to see you again.”
“And you. Who is the young one?”
“He belongs to the couple in that shelter,” she said indicating.
“He seems to like you.”
“We have fun together, but I must watch him. He wants to wander off and explore.”
The rest of the band had moved toward them. The woman greeted them and introduced herself using her full name that included her tribe and band. She was nervous but maintained eye contact. Three men who looked to be related stepped forward. He introduced them as his uncles. One had mischievous eyes with smile lines at the corners. He spoke to the woman.
“Don’t worry. We will get you back to your people safely. Only the mother knows how much we will have to pay in restitution for this one’s actions,” he said indicating her betrothed.
“I have come for a visit. Why would I go back so soon?”
“You mean you are here voluntarily?”
“Yes.”
“He didn’t kidnap you?”
“No.”
The uncle feigned shock.
“You mean that you came with this ugly, smelly creature on your own.”
“Yes.”
“I have heard that there is a healer that can do wonders for weak eyes, perhaps we could send a runner for her.”
“My eyes are fine.”
The entire group burst out laughing. His father spoke.
“My brother thinks he is funny. You did well by not encouraging him.”
Her betrothed spoke.
“You will never guess who called me invisible arrows for three moons.”
They introduced the younger brother. He was young and hesitant but grasped forearms with the men of the band. His mother came forward and hugged them both. Come to our fire and eat. There is plenty. They entered the shelter and removed their packs. His betrothed reached into her pack and drew out a small leather case, about the size of a hand. His mother opened it and smiled. She held the case where everyone could see its contents, a dozen bone needles of various sizes.
“They are very well made, thank you.”
“I did not want to come empty handed.”
“Did you make them?”
“Yes. I used the drill your son made for me to make the eyes.”
They ate and sat around the fire. The young ones of the band came and stood in a circle looking on. The woman spoke to them and asked them what they liked to do. They gradually warmed to her and drew closer. The girl cousin joined them at the fire still carrying the toddler who climbed into the woman’s lap. While they talked the young one pulled at the linen cord around her neck. She pulled the necklace out for him to see.
“Be careful little one, those are sharp.”
Her betrotheds’ father spoke.
“Those claws look familiar.”
“You have seen them before.”
“Where did you get the yellow beads?”
“I traded furs for the amber at the last gathering. I made it into beads for the necklaces.”
“There are two?”
His son pulled his necklace out from beneath his shirt. His father nodded.
“Sometimes things can speak better than people. Those say much.”
They rested around the fire until darkness fell. People came from other shelters and spoke with the woman. She became more calm and was well received by the group. Someone began to play a bird bone flute, and a rawhide drum beat a rhythm. The people sang the old songs, and the mischievous uncle sang a new song about the people in the band and the woman who came to visit. One of his gifts was being able to make up songs about things that happened during the day. The band looked forward to what he would sing about at night. Sometimes his songs were slightly bawdy, and everyone would laugh. His songs were good-natured and could sometimes defuse a tense situation by bringing things out into the open. He was a good listener and saw much in the way people acted toward each other. The people were too interdependent for simmering conflicts. When the fire burned down everyone returned to their shelters and slept.
He and the woman awoke at dawn and pleasured each other. They were getting familiar with each other’s bodies. After he held her close before rising. When they were up and dressed his mother spoke to the woman.
“Some of us are going gathering later; would you like to come with us?”
“Of course.”
The woman’s younger brother spoke.
“Who all will be going?”
The hunter’s mother listed names, including the girl cousin. She saw the look on his face.
“Usually, a hunter goes with us to watch for danger. Perhaps you could come?”
“I would be glad to help.”
Everyone smiled. A young man at the awkward stage between boy and man needed to feel useful. Watching over the women while they gathered would be a way for him to contribute and spend time near the girl cousin. After they had eaten, the gathering party set out. There were two other young men along. The girl cousin smiled when she saw the younger brother. She had two young ones nearing their naming day with her. They carried smaller baskets and digging sticks suited to their size. The women of the band were familiar with the area. They wanted to dig the last of the roots before it was time to move to the winter camp. They had a successful morning and came back with full baskets. The girl cousin had watched the young ones as they gathered making sure they got the right roots. They were very proud of their full baskets when they returned to camp. The uncle sang a song about what big girls they were and how their roots would be extra good eating.
The days passed quickly and it was time for the woman to return to her father’s camp. Her gray eyes, that he had seen look steady at danger, light up with mirth, and look into his soul were brimming with tears. They held each other for a long time. He promised to come visit her camp as soon as their bands settled in for the winter. The band saw her and her younger brother off. They were well received and were a good fit in the group. The girl cousin approached the younger brother with a pouch.
“What is this?”
“Hunter food for the trip. My mother taught me how to make it. I made the pouch too.”
“Thank you. I’m sure it will be good.”
They looked awkwardly at each other then hugged quickly.
He walked with his betrothed and the younger brother for a distance before they embraced again. He stood on a hilltop until they were out of sight. That night he had trouble getting to sleep. He had become used to having her near him.