Druidism

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Morganna's Arcanum

Druidism

It seemed only yesterday that they had setteled into thier new cave. Admitedly it was not as good as the old one, but that was the past and they could not go back. Uba sat back thinking about things that had come to pass, and the summer to come. Uba, medicine woman of the clan, and mate to Vorn, second in command had much respect from the Clan. But she was still a woman, and could not sit around day dreaming while there was work to be done. There was always work to be done. But it was easy to bear with thoughts of the Clan Gathering coming up. This summer, and she and her son would meet his future mate. And she would come to live with them. But she thought for a sudden moment something she hadn't thought of in years. Durc was not really her son. He was Ayla's. She still missed Ayla so much. And somewhere deep in her mind, she knew Ayla was not dead. And somewhere with The Others. She hoped she found a mate and was happy. Ayla was so strange, even though she was loved. She was not Clan, but Uba still thought of her as the most amazing person in the whole Clan. Even though she was ugly and strange, and not even like a real woman. Uba went back to her fire and began drying more of the meat from the first successful hunt of the spring. This winter was an easy one, for the Mammoth hunt last fall was more than successful. It was the first time since Ayla's departure that thier luck had seemed to return. She didn't know why, but she wished she understood spirits. Creb would know why, she thought. The nostalgia suddenly got the best of her and she decided to get her mind off it.
"Ebra, you need some more tea don't you"? she motioned toward the old woman. Ebra sighed but with a look of appreciation in her eyes. "Yes I might. But it doesn't seem to do much good anymore. Maybe you shouldn't waste your magic on an old woman like this one".
Uba shook her head, "Magic is not wasted on anyone of the Clan. We are honered to have you still with us. Burn too, " she added.
The men were away hunting. Burn was teaching Durc to hunt. They were very lucky for that because he was the only one that seemed to really want to train Durc. Vorn was going to, but every time he tried, Broud, the leader, would glare at him. Broud did not dare to defy or glare at his father. Broud was leader, but in the hearts of all of the Clan, Brun was still the father of them all. Brun was respected and Broud was feared.
As Uba began to boil Ebra's tea, her mind began to wonder again. She wondered what Ura, Durc's future mate would look like. Durc did not really look like the other Clan boys, but they accepted him just the same. They didn't notice the certain idocycracies that Uba did. Durc was very well reserved and acted like any normal clan child in public, but as they went on walks to collect Uba's medicine plants, she noticed many strange things that reminded her so of Ayla. He would make strange little noises, that Uba couldn't even begin to copy. He would pull back his mouth and grimace when he was happy and sometimes make funny sounds when very happy. They weren't unpleasant, just different. And he was always asking question after question. He was not content with just knowing something, he had to know EVERYTHING! He always asked questions that Uba had no idea what to tell him, so she would send him to Mogur, and he seemed just as irritated and dumbfounded as she did with these questions. Finally she told him not to ask anyone else besides her or Mogur these questions. She didn't want the Clan to think he was strange. Ayla had told her that Ura was like Durc. That they looked alike and would be perfect mates. Uba wasn't sure what that meant, but she assumed that they must be deformed in the same way, and maybe made funny sounds or something. She remembered meeting the woman that bore Ura, but was too young to understand the situation. But the more Uba thought of it, Durc didn't look deformed. He looked a little like how Ayla looked, and a little like the Clan. She didn't understand why, but she assumed it was just something a woman could not understand.
She saw the men returning and quickly began to tend to her food she was cooking for Durc and her mate and her little daughter Iza. Iza was only in her walking year, and was named after her mother, the greatest Medicine woman of the whole Clan. Uba was sure she held a piece of her mother's spirit somehow, even though she knew that was impossible. Iza was gone, but her eyes still remained in the child. Uba didn't realize it, but her eyes were like Iza's aswell.
"Mother!" Durc ran up to her excitedly. "Brun showed me how to learn the sling today! He said I should be very gifted at it. Do you think I will be as good as the man Vorn?"
Uba looked at the excited child and said quietly. "You remember your mother right?"
Durc looked down at the dirt apparently thinking really hard. "I think so. She had yellow hair and she...she...used the sling!" he said suddenly recolecting that his mother was Woman who Hunts.
Uba nodded. "Maybe Ayla left you her talent with the sling"
Durc looked like a question was stirring and Uba sighed. "Mother, why don't you hunt?"
"Durc, you know women do not hunt. Why would a woman want to hunt? Would you want to cook? Or have babies?"
Durc started to smile at the thought, then stopped himself. "That would be a sight. Seeing Vorn have a baby. Or Burn cooking a meal. I guess your right. But why did my mother, Ayla hunt AND cook?" When Durc said the name Ayla, he said it in a hush, for they were always worried Broud would hear and anger him for the next few hours. It was easier just to pretend she didn't exist. Broud, after all these years, still hadn't gotten over his jealousy of the tall blond woman. But he didn't let many know it. He was a man now, so it seemed.
"Durc, Ayla was...not a normal woman. And she wasn't Clan. I think the Others, are...different. They don't look like us, and they don't think like us." She paused. "But we are Clan. We have the memories. You have the need to hunt, just as I have the need to cook and have babies. There is nothing else we could do but that."
Durc had a worried look on his face. "Sometimes though, I think that memories just aren't enough".
A chill ran up Uba's spine and she felt a sense of forboding and worry of the unknown. But she couldn't understand the feeling or the reason.

The next week was spent preparing for the Clan Gathering. The Clan Gathering was held only every 7 years and it was the most joyous occation for the Clan. It was a time to see distant relatives, hear new stories, trade, choose new leaders if neccesary, and compete. The Clans were all very competative and liked to show off when together. They could hardly help it.
Durc was so excited he could barely contain himself. He was not a man yet, but in a couple years he would be. And until then, his future mate would be living with Brun and Ebra. Then he would be a man, and have a mate. And no-one would be able to tell him what to do anymore. Except for Broud of course. He never talked to Broud. And he was content with that. He was sure they both were. Durc knew, that for some reason Broud didn't much like Durc. But he rarely questioned it. He was loved by the rest of the clan, and that was all that mattered. Durc jumped up from his sleeping furs. "Mother. I am going to practice my running now".
"All right Durc" Uba motioned. "But don't run off too far. There are hyenas in the little cave you know!" Uba was always worried about Durc. She knew he was almost a man, and could take care of himself, but she still worried.
Durc ran off at top speed. He was going to win the running competition at the Clan Gathering. He just knew it. He was just as tall as all the full grown men in the Clan, which meant he had long legs. He knew somehow, that made a difference. He raced across a feild and ended up further than he imagined. He didn't mind defying his mother as the other children did. As long as he was back soon, she wouldn't even notice how far he had gone. She would be too busy doing woman things, he thought. Then, far off in the distance he saw some smoke. He was suddenly worried. A fire could travel and destroy thier home. He had better investigate, he thought. And if it was a fire, he had better warn the Cave. It took almost an hour to get close enough to see that it was not a big fire at all. Maybe he could put it out himself he thought. But as he approached he heard starnge sounds. Sounds he had not heard since he was little. Words, but strange words. Words that flowed into each other, and sounded like one big long word. Then he saw them. They were the Others. 3 men and 2 women. They were all sitting around a fire as if discusing something, but they all seemed to be talking at once. And the women were too! Then he noticed one of the women. With long beautiful blond hair, like his mother. Was that his mother? Were they spirits? Or did his mother conquer death again, and find the Others? He didn't know what to do. He just sat still and didn't make a sound. He didn't realize he was holding his breath until the 5 people stood up and began to move around as if packing up thier supplies. The blond woman started walking right toward him! He thought about running, but was held by her eyes. They were blue! Just like Aylas! HE HAD TO DO SOMETHING. She didn't see him, but would if she moved inches closer. Durc stood up abruptly. "Momma?"
The woman screamed a piercing high pitched noise that hurt Durc's ears. He yelled back, not knowing what to do or think about what was going on. He must have scared her. Her men will not like that. He thought about running, but his curiousity got the better of him. He said "Ayla!"
THe woman stopped looking very surprised, but did not say a word or sign anything. But then she shook her head, which seemed to Durc that it meant No. His heart sank. So many years he secretly cried about his mother,and he thought she had found him. But all the woman of the Others must look like her.
He began to sign to her "My name is Durc" and the words he used almost frightened her more. He noticed that the 3 men that were with her were approaching him. They looked angry. Durc squated on the ground,hoping they wouldn't think he was going to hurt them. Then one of the men began to yell at him some words he didn't understand and someone threw a stick at him. Durc jumped up. Maybe this wasn't a good idea, he thought. But they were near his cave! What made them think they could trhow things at him? Someone then threw a rock and Durc stared at them with his dark peircing eyes. And then got up, turned around and ran away with his fast legs. He ran and ran, and didn't look back. When he got back he realized he was more sad and hurt than angry.

"Durc, where have you been! You missed the morning meal!" Uba scolded.
"I ran father than i thought," he signed.
Uba could tell something was wrong and wanted to ask. He had looked so happy when he woke up. She decided she would ask later and handed him some dried meat to eat.
Durc, Uba and Vorn watched in amuzement as Iza walked around on her stubby bowed legs and fell every few feet for walking too fast. The Mogur, Goov, walked over to the family. "I do not mean to intrude into your hearth, but.." he paused. "Uba. I will need your assitance. Bring your medicine bag. We will be gone all day."
Uba looked up at the Mogur questionably, but didn't dare to ask. She would know soon enough, she supposed.
"Ovra, will you nurse Iza today? I may be gone for a long time"
"Of course" Ovra said.

Hours later, the Mogur and the Medicine Woman stopped to rest. Uba's curiosity remained, but she couldn't ask. Mogur must not be saying what they are doing for good reason. But then he spoke.
"We are almost there. I must tell you, the Clan may not like this. But the spirits have told me we must help this man we will find. They lead us to him. This man of the Others."
Uba's eyes widened. A man of the others? And they were going well out of thier way to help him? It didn't make any since. But if the spirits say so, it must be what they need to do.
It turned out they they were not resting, but Mogur was only meditating and then he jumped up and walked about 50 feet and under a few branches, he found an unconscious wounded man.
"Uba, begin your magic. We will carry him back to the cave. We MUST save him." He emphasized the MUSt and sent a chill up Uba's spine. She seemed to understand the importance of it, although she didn't know what was so important about this man.

Uba examined the man. He was near starvation, and dyhydrated. She could tell that right away. He had suffered from hypothermia and had 4 gashes in his right thigh. Uba looked up at Goov. "Mogur" she said confused not sure what to make of it. "A cave lion. Ayla....."
"Yes, I know woman. I can't explain it. I only know we must help him. The Cave Lion himself has sent us here today."
Uba began her work. She put iris root on his leg, to kill the obvious infection. But he didn't seem too far gone. She thought that she could wake him and get him to drink some water. She shook him gently until his eyes began to flutter and then he awoke with a start. He had red hair, she suddenly realized. No-one she had ever seen had red hair. Red was sacred to the clan. Perhaps he was a spirit. Uba was very frightened, but not was frightened as he became when he realized who he was in the midst of.

'Flatheads', he thought. 'But these are not normal flatheads. These ones have clothes. And a waterbag! And herbs! Where they helping him? Where they going to eat him?' He looked at thier faces and realized they had no malice toward him and calmed down. 'Since when do flatheads heal? And why in the world would they help him?' Flatheads usually strayed away from his kind, and his kind usually strayed away from thiers aswell. Flatheads usually couldn't be trusted. They were unpredicable. They didn't communicate, and they weren't hunting material. So they weren't looked upon as useful in anyway. They were just strange looking people that acted like animals. But these creatures didn't seem like animals. And close up, they really didn't look it either. But they sure looked strange. With flat heads slooping out, and large brow ridges. With dark piercing eyes. With large jaws, and no traces of what he would call a chin at all!
The Mogur and the Medicine woman were examining the differences themselves. They were always very curious what the Other Men would look like. They always knew what the women would look like, but not the men. Uba thought that the men of the Others didn't look much at all like Ayla, but you could tell they were of the same people. He had a large round forehead, and light green eyes. His eyebrows were not very defined, but the brows were as red as his hair. His chin was very large with a butt in the middle that Uba thought looked very silly. His nose was large, but not as large as the clans, and more round.
The man sat up suddenly, then winced from the pain and moaned. 'How strange,' thought Uba. He shows his pain. No man of the clan would ever do that! It wasn't proper, and didn't show that they were a man. But then, she remembered that Ayla didn't act like a normal woman. The Others must not act like normal men should. The man looked distressed about not just the pain, but something else.
'How long have I been gone?' he thought. 'I wonder if my camp has noticed I am late coming back?'
He had gone out to hunt by himself, and got lost. He was only 15, but looked older than he was. His mother thought it was alright, but maybe she should have made him stay home. And none of this would have happened. I have no idea how to get back. Who knows how far I have gone.' He felt very foolish. HOw could he be so stupid?

Mogur attempted to make the first move.
He taped his chest "Mogur" he said.
The man looked startled. "Is that your name? YOu can talk!?"
The Mogur look upset. Did he understand? He taped his chest again. "Mogur. My name is Goov. I am Mogur" Then he pointed to Uba. "Uba'. He paused. "Medicine Woman, Uba".
The man looked still confused. But then said "Uba?"
Mogur nodded.
"MoGuurr?" the man stumbled over the harsh word.
Mogur nodded and pointed to the man.
The man smiled. "OH! I see. You want my name." He tapped his chest. "Jarek, of the Sharamudoi"
The Mogur looked overwealmed. Then Jarek almost laughed and said "Jarek"
Even that in itself was overwealming. Mogur tried to say it. "Hareb" He shook his head. "Harek"
Close enough, Jarek thought. What more could you expect from animals, he thought.
As the day progressed, Jarek fell asleep from the painkilling medicine that Uba gave him and the strong Mogur picked the young man up and carried him back to the cave. Mogur thought about what he would tell Broud. Then resented the thought. He was the Mogur. He should not have to explain what the spirits have directed him to do. But he would have to anyway. Uba was silent the whole way home and it was dark when they got there.

It was dawn and Mo-gur was rising from his furs as Broud summoned him over.
"Mo-gur. Why is a man of the Others here?"
The Mo-gur paused. He really did not want to have to argue with Broud so early in the morning. Broud didn't respect the holy man as much as Brun would have. The Clan often compared Broud with Brun. The Fear and Respect were two completely different things.
"Broud the spirits brought me to him. If I denied them, they would be angry. It is obvious that the spirits of the Clan favor the Others". Mo-gur said this with such authority that Broud almost gave it right away.
As Broud tried to collect his thoughts, he could not think of anything to argue about. That angered him. He couldn't say why, but a man of the Others SHOULD NOT be here.
Then he said "We are leaving for the Clan Gathering very soon! We can not bring him with!"
"I know that just as well as you do Broud. He will heal soon. That is all the spirits have asked me for. Then he will leave. This is not the delema we had when we found the child Ayla."
Broud's eyes began to glow with hatred at the sound of the name. But he gave up a long time ago expecting that name not to be mentioned. Why wouldn't those speak of teh deseased? He knew that, whether he liked it or not, there had been those who cared for her. But it still made him angry. But he hated showing it. That just meant that Brun was right. He couldn't let Brun down. He would be a strong leader, and a woman would not get the best of him. Especially a dead woman.
Broud was not a very bad leader after Ayla left. Although Brun hated admiting it, he thought perhaps it was better for the whole Clan that Broud cursed Ayla with death. Ayla brought out the worst in Broud. And since her death, he has acted more like a man, and more like a leader. But every once in a while, his anger got the best of him. Brun only worried that someday, he would be gone and Broud would have someone to take his anger out on. And that person would be Durc. Durc was a constant reminder to Broud that Ayla had beat him. Ayla was a spirit now, but she had won.
And everyone knew that. That had shamed him more than anything he could possibly think of.
Broud decided he would take control of the situation of the man of the Others. He asked Uba many times a day, if the man was well yet. But Uba replied, "No, he has not even woken up from his sleep. He needs rest so the spirits can heal him and fight off the evil spirits that cause the infection"
Broud didn't want an overview on the whole situation. He just wanted to know when the man would go away. "What are you doing you lazy woman? You are just sitting there when all the other women are working! Vorn you should take notice to your mate's insolence!" And with that Broud stormed away to order some of the other women around. Broud seemed to be his old self again. What made him so angry? Uba thought jumping up start working. But now Vorn was angry too. Uba made him loose face in front of Broud. If he couldn't control his mate, Broud would think he shouldn't be Second in Command anymore. He backhanded Uba and she slammed to the floor. But as Vorn hit her, he felt sorry. He knew that Uba wasn't being lazy. She was actually working on her healing magic. He fell back, and almost looked ashamed of himself. He was just as bad as Broud, he thought. And he walked out of the mouth of the cave, still looking very upset. Uba noticed his posture, and knew he was very angry, and thought that it was because of her insolence. She would do everything right today. She would even cook his favorite meal, she thought. She and Vorn got along, and he was kind to her for the most part. She didn't want him to be angry. She got right to work, and hardly even thought to feed her infant.

The man Jarek woke up and looked around. He almost laughed. He must be dreaming. He felt absolutely insane. He was dizzy, and felt like he was still dreaming. Maybe he was. He could barely keep his eyes open. He fell back asleep just as Uba turned to look at him.

In the morning, the Clan was almost ready to leave. But Mog-ur thought up excuses for the clan to stay one more day. He wanted to make sure the man lived. It seemed importnant that he lived. He didn't know why. Broud decided, giving into the Mo-gurs request for rest and meditation, that he should take a hunting team out. They had nothing else to do, and maybe they should leave more fresh meat with the elderly that were being left behind. His mother was growing weak, and he wanted to see her when they returned. She wasn't looking so well as of late. He established his hunting party and they all went out. Durc was left behind,. He was not a hunter yet, just in training. He hadn't even made his first small kill yet. But he was determined to become skilled with the sling. He knew now that with his memories, that his mother was a an expert at the sling. Better than Vorn, his mother's mate. Better than old Zoug had been. Better than the best at the last Clan Gathering. That encouraged him.
Ovra, Broud's mate walked up to Uba. "Can I see the man of the Others? I just want to look". Uba nodded and Ovra looked then was satisfied quickly. "He doesn't look like Ayla does he?"
"No, not really. But they have the same forehead and light colored eyes" Uba commented.
Ovra nodded. "Look. Your son is wrestling in the mud with the other boys." She paused. "He looks up to Brac doesn't he. It's too bad Broud doesn't like him. Maybe someday Durc will be second in command. Look how dirty they are!"
Uba's eyes brightened. Durc was a man now, and off hunting with the others. He was more kindhearted than Broud. And didn't have a temper like him at all. She was glad Ayla had saved him. So many things reminded her of Ayla lately. She wondered why. Maybe Ayla's spirit was near by. No, that is ridiculous.
Later that afternoon, as the women were relaxing in the sun, with nothing to do, the man woke up.
"Hello?"
The women all stood up startled. Ebra woke up from her rest, and one of the old men stood up and walked toward the man studying him with his dark eyes. Jarek stood up and the old man was stunned at the boys heigth. He thought Ayla was tall. This man was far taller than her!
Uba ran in, and started boiling tea for him, and making him some food.
The man was bewildered. He looked around the cave in amazement. This cave had almost everything a cave of his would. They really...really lived like people! They had baskets, and furs, and, and FIRE! Flatheads knew how to make fire! Who had shown them! Did the Mother provide for them too? She must! Only the very favored of the Mother was shown such sacred gifts as these! He then wondered if they spoke more than names, or shared Pleasures! What else are they capable of, he wondered.

He was going to have to find some food. He was more hungry than he ever had rememberd. Then he noticed the woman next to him cooking food. He smiled at her, and walked out of the cave and looked around. All the women ran off frightened of the tall strange looking man. What were the men thinking? Leaving them all with him alone?
Ovra was not very afraid though. She stood her ground and tried not to look at him. But he noticed her. He was very curious about her. She and the healing woman were the only two who didnt' seem very afriad. He walked up to her, and she dropped to the ground at his feet.
"Why do you do that woman? You think me a spirit?" he laughed and she was startled at the sound he made. He got down on the ground and poked her on the shoulder. She took that as permission to speak. She looked at him, trying to not look into his eyes. But she could not help it. They were so compelling. Green! They were like Aylas, but a slightly different color. They were always very appealing, perhaps her best quality. His aswell, for he was not a very attractive male. He was just as ugly as she was, but at the same time, not ugly. He just looked alien to her. She tapped her chest and said softly looking in the dirt, "Ovra"
He pointed to himself and said "Jarek"
OVra didn't even think she could begin to pronounce that, so she didn't even try. The man went back into the cave and ate and ate until he almost threw it all up. But it felt so good to know he was alive.
Durc came back from his play, and stared at the man eatting in his hearth. He wasn't sure if he liked a man of the Others there. The Others he had met recently had been rude and aggressive. What if this man hurt Uba? But he thought better of it. This man just needed help. And maybe somehow, he would learn to communicate with him, and find out about his mother's people. Durc went to practice running again, and saw all the men returning from hunting. They were carrying what appeared to be a large animal. Then he realized it wasn't an animal at all. It was Brun! Brun was hurt! Was he dead? Durc ran as fast as he could back to the Cave. "Mother! Mother! Brun was hurt. HURRY, you can't let him die!"

Later that evenig, Broud stormed into Vorn's hearth. "Will he live?"
"Yes, he will be fine. He lost a lot of blood. He just needs time to recover. He can even go to the Clan Gathering. But we will have to wait another day perhaps." Broud nodded. "And, what of the man"? he pointed at the red head sitting by the fire.
"The man will be healed soon. He will be able to walk away before we leave."
"Good." Broud signaled and walked out.
Brun was gorged by a Bison. But not fatally. He is just getting old, it starteled his heart more than anything, Uba thought.

Mog-Ur woke at the break of dawn and ran into Vorn's hearth. Uba and Vorn sat up in disbelief. Twice now, had someone broke the boundries of the hearth. What was going on? What spirits were driving the clan into this madness? It was strange enough to have a man of the Others here. And then Brun is wounded. It seemed as if that Evil Spirits had brought this man.
"Uba, is the man alive?" Mo-Gur exclaimed.
"Yes! He is fine!"
The Mo_gur sighed and walked out. He thought to himself, "Sure evil spirits sent me this dream." He had dreamt that the man had died and it brought death to the whole cave. He went outside to get some fresh air. Most of the cave was still asleep, but Ovra woke up and walked out of the cave to get a drink of water. The man Jarek had the same idea in his head. They foudn themselves facing each other. The man smiled and the woman thought that meant he was angry. She sat down on the ground in front of him, begging for his forgiveness. He didn't know what to do, but he had seen something last night, in another heart, that he thought might work. He almost changed his mind, because it was frowned upon by his people. But, his people were not here. And they would never know, he thought. He made a guesture that he had seen and the woman looked up and imediately turned around and asumed the position. He indulged himself, but was very gentle. He didn't want to frighten her. It felt better than he thought it would, with something considered an animal. And he finished quickly. As he was pulling out, he felt a blow. He was on the ground, in the mud. 'What was that'? he thought trying to stand up, but he couldn't. The fist that had hit him, was hitting him again, and again. His leg went out, and he collapsed in the mud. It took only a few blows, before a red haze covered his eyes, and he blacked out and died.

Broud stood over the man of the Others, rage filled his eyes. He looked at the frightened Ovra, sitting at his feet.
He then realized that he had killed the man. Then Broud had realized what he had done. He had defied the spirits again! All because of his anger! He half expected Brun to start yelling at him, but he knew that would not happen. Brun stopped yelling at him, even when he did something terrible. And he shouldn't. Broud was leader not him. And a man was hurting his mate.
But as he walked away, back to the Cave, he knew that was only an excuse. And he didn't even know if the man was hurting her. He just knew he was relieving himself. Why had he been so angry about that? Oh well, what's done is done. He would be left for the hyenas. Tomorrow they would go to the Clan Gathering, and it would be all behind him. But when he saw the Mo-Gur, he couldn't even look into his eyes.

Mo-Gur and Uba ran out to the man when they heard the news. They both examined him and he was dead. Mo-Gur felt a rage like he never felt before. But he was Mo-Gur and would handel this properly. The spirits had warned him, but it seemed there was nothing that could have been done. But what now? He could not scold Broud. He was leader. He wouldn't even listen anyway. Just like the last time he angered the spirits. And he blamed it on Ayla. For a breif moment, Mo-Gur wished that Broud would die.

Ika helped Uba carry the body toward the cave where he would be prepared to be burried.
"No!" Bround yelled. He brought the evil spirits here! I will not have it burried in my cave!" Uba asked Mo-Gur where they should put him, and the Mo-Gur didn't know. So they left him by the river. It would be left for scavengers. Mo-Gur thought that things could not get any worse. Brun was feeling better than day already and they prepared to leave. That prooved to Broud that the man was the cause of the accident and was happy that he killed him. He had finally done something right, he thought. For the good of the cave, even if it was out of anger. They would leave the next day. They had put off leaving for too long.

The next morning the whole Clan was ready to go, except for the few exceptions. Uba left instructions how to make the teas and the remedies for arthritus and the other things that would aile the old clan memebers.
Broud and Brun worried about Ebra, but they could not bring her with. She would slow them down, and could die just from the journey. Brun gave her a tight squeez and told her to keep well and walk with Ursus. She replied that she felt she would Walk with him soon. Somehow he knew that she meant walk in the spirit world, and he became very sad at that thought. He even considered staying, but thought better of it. He wanted to go to one last Gathering before he died. And he needed to take care of a few things that he knew Broud would overlook. He had become so accustomed to looking out for the Clan, that he or anyone else hardly noticed that it wasn't really his place.

They set out and it took longer than it had 7 years ago. But they were furthur away now. And it was a different location, of course. They lived in a place where the Clan had never been before. But they couldn't help that. They couldn't pass up the cave they found. Or they all would have died. Days later, they finally arrived at the Clan Gathering. Uba, in front of all the women, Ika, Aga, Aba, Oga, Oda and Igra. All the women carried thier children, or let them run beside them. They each had atleast one child, and all the belongings for the Gathering burdening them. The men, a head of them, all walked with pride into the Gathering. Last Gathering, they were first. And they were deterimed to be first this time aswell. Of course, they did not have Creb any longer. He was thee Mo-Gur, the most revered of all the holy men. And they didn't have Iza, the best medicine woman, or Ayla. But they still had the best hunters, they were sure of it. And they still had the best 'line' of medicine women. And they had plenty of strong men to win the wrestling, the running for sure, and maybe even the Bear Tournament!

"Broud!" called the leader of the Hosting Clan. "You are here! I was thinking the the 1rst Clan would not make it!"
"Of course we made it!" Broud said greeting the leader, Zorg. "We couldn't let someone else take our place," he said arrogantly.
"Don't be so sure of yourself now." he jested. "We will work you harder this year!"

Durc was suddenly aware that he was being stared at by the dozens of people standing in groups everywhere. He looked right back at them. He was too proud a child to be intimdated by thier looks. He knew he looked strange, but he knew why. And he would show them all, when he won all the races!
"Mother? When do I get to meet Ura?"
Uba's eyes twinkeled. " I don't know Durc. Be patient."

The Clan was led to the resereved area and they setteled down and took thier loads off. The women with young children sat down and began to feed them and the kids laid down on the ground until they became restless and began to run around with the rest of the children all over. Durc was tagging behind some of the other boys, and they ran into a group of boys from another clan. The boys gave him mean looks and turned thier back on him. One of them stayed and pointed and called him deformed. Durc couldn't believe how rude they were, but then realized that they were a lot younger. He was going to throw something at them, but thought better of it. Burn would be angry if i shamed his clan on the first day! And it is only a child. I am almost a man. And when I make my first kill, i will have a mate. A mate that looks like me! He flushed with excitment over that little fact. And began to walk around examining all the young women. It wasn't long before he found her. He watched her from a distance before approaching her. Then suddenly he was afraid that maybe they had changed thier minds. Maybe her leader gave her to someone else. Then who would want him?
He watched her for many minutes. She was almost as tall as him! ANd a girl! She looked very strange compared to the rest of the girls. And it wasn't just her heigth. She had light brown hair, lighter than most, with eyes like the man of the Others! And her head was shaped like his! Suddenly, he didn't feel so ugly. He felt, normal, for the first time in his life.
He walked up to her and when she saw him her mouth fell open and she sat on the ground, waiting for him to tap her shoulder. He did so right away.
"Durc", he said staring into her eyes.
"Ura", she said shyly. "Are you Aghya's son"?
He paused, almost disturbed at this question. "Yes."
"This girl is sorry then. This girl was promised to you. But, you will not want me", she said softly.
"Why wouldn't I want you??" he said looking terrified. What could possibly be wrong with her? She looked perfect! Was she insolent? Was she baren? Was she mated to someone else? NO matter what it was, he thought he would still want her. If only she wasn't mated to someone else.
She looked down at the ground. "Well, I am very ugly. No mate wants that. And, no mate wants a girl with a males totem. My totem is the...the linx. It is too strong for me. It won't even let me become a woman my Mo-Gur thinks. And I won't be able to have children because my totem. I am sorry." At that point she forgot to speak formally to him.
"No Ura. It is alright. I expected my mate to have a strong totem. My own mother had the totem of the Cave Lion. And she became a woman and had a child. My totem if the Grey Wolf. If it becomes strong enough to, (he blushed) to give you a child, then I will know we are blessed. But I am lucky, so I am sure we will some day. And you will come and live at Broud's clan with the former leader and his mate until I become a man." He suddenly felt embarrased. He was not a man yet, but he should be. He was as tall as one. But he wasn't growing a beard yet. And he hadn't made a first kill yet. Brun had been sick the year he had planned to seriously train him. And Vorn did not, and he never knew why.
By the end of the night Ura, her parents, Uba, Vorn, Iza and Durc were all sitting together for a meal at the camp of Broud's clan. Durc never remembered when he had been so happy. And then a question arose. Oga posed it.
"Where is...Aghhya?"
"She was cursed with Death" Durc spoke out.
"Quite Durc", Uba scolded, embarrasing him. "Ayla had to leave. She, was different. Not true Clan. She could not be a Clan woman. So Broud, our leader cursed her with death.
Oga's mate was curious about this. "Why was she cursed?"
Vorn looked away, not wanting to answer, but acted like he expected Uba to answer for him.
"She, spoke out against Broud. Broud was...putting our former Mo-Gur in the back of the cave and as medicine woman she spoke out for him. Broud did not like Ayla. Not at all. I don't know why. But he cursed her with death. Then we had an earthquake and many died." She looked down thinking of Creb. She missed him almost as much as Ayla and Iza. She noticed that Oga and her mate looked shocked at the behavior of the leader. He sounded very cruel. Vorn loved Broud, like an older brother, but he could not argue what Broud had done to the Clan.

The next day while all the adults were busy with the rituals and competitions and such, Ura and Durc went for a walk. It turned into a run. [Chuckle]

"This girl did not think that she was worthy of ever having a mate. And I did not think that someone would look like me", she said. She was not so modest as other girls, Durc thought. He liked that. He didn't know why though. He smiled.
She cringed. Perhaps he didn't like women who were not modest. But then she saw his eyes were filled with happiness. She realized that he was making a happy face. The happy face that she sometimes did when she was alone or with just her mother. She smiled back and he looked just as surprised. Recognizing the surprise, she began to laugh, and so did he. They stared into each others smiling eyes and couldn't believe they had found such a perfect mate. Durc wanted to mate her right now. Instead he laughed and started to run, but slowly to get her to chase him, as he did when he was younger to girls. Sometimes they would chase them and push them down. But he didnt want to push her. To his surprised, she chased him, then passed him with ease. They raced down the valley and he ran as fast as he could, and she was just as fast! How can a girl be almost as good as him? This deformity was very strange. It make them both make funny happy faces, make funny sounds and run fast. Maybe it wasn't a deformity after all. They were like his mother. His true mother.

After running for a long time, they both colapsed on the grass and laughed until thier sides hurt. He pulled her on to him and did something that he didn't even expect himself to do. He kissed her on the forehead. Niether of them even knew what a kiss was, but it seemed natural to both of them. Then Ura looked down at herself feeling a wetness between her legs. But then she saw that it was blood! Her Totem was fighting! She was so filled with mixed emotions of joy and fear, and anger and happiness. She would become a woman! Maybe it took meeting Durc for her Totem to accept it. And fear because she needed to get away from Durc so her Totem wouldn't draw him in. And anger because after waiting so long for a Clan Gathering, the whole time she would have to spend it alone. The Womans Curse meant she could not talk to any many especially, and she had to go be alone and only see her mother the next few days. And it would be very scary.
Durc saw the blood and looked at her one last time and smiled and ran off. She walked back to the Camp, careful not to look at any man. She told her mother the good news and her mother was so happy she almost literally ran around the camp getting food and preperations ready for the newly made woman. She flaunted the fact all day that her daughter, the deformed one, the odd one, the one that no-one wanted...was a woman now. And she would have a mate that would take good care of her. And he would love her. And she would have children too, she thought defiently. And many girls, she thought and almost wanted to hit herself for thinking such a thing. She gave Ura her food and supplies and sent her on her way. She was becoming a woman.

The next few days was not as bad as Ura thought they would be. Her mother came and spent as much time with her as possible. She realized that this was welcomed for she would not see her mother till the next Clan Gathering. She didn't know how long away that way, but it seemed like ages. She rambeled on and on about Durc and how alike they were. Her mother was very happy for her. Her daughter was strange, but found someone just like her. She would lose her daughter soon, but she did not regret it. It was more than she had ever hoped for her.
The time that Ura was alone, she began smiling more frequently, to herself. And she also began making sounds with her voice, that to her, sounded like nothing she had ever heard, but it was beautiful. It had grace and made her want to dance. She didn't know what to call it. But it made her happy. It sounded like a bird with a voice! She wondered if Durc would like it. She felt like she could be herself with him. But she knew that in public, she would have to act like the Clan, and so would he. But it would all be worth it. Just to be with him.

Meanwhile, the Mo-Gurs were deciding on what kind of special ritual to have. Without the knowledge of the root, they weren't sure what to do. They would have to have a simple ritual unless Goov, Creb's accolite could serach somewhere in his memories what to do. Uba already explained that she had the knowledge how to do it, but Mo-Gur said that Creb had never trained him in that aspect. He felt that somehow, Creb had tried to let that memoery die out. He was right. They would never have that ritual again. So they would all have to search thier memories for somerhing else to do. They found many things to do, and were content with that. The Mo-Gurs would lead each other through the memories. There would be no leading. No-one was powerful enough for that anyway, Goov realized. He needed to meditate all day before hand to prepare. He was expected to be as good as Creb. But he knew he wasn't.

The Mo-Gurs all were painted with the sacred symbols of the spirits and took the same datura that the women would take. But it would effect them much differently. Not as much as the root would have, but the effect was simular atleast.
Goov stood up and called the spirits, in the ancient language that was taught to him. The spirits felt very powerful today, he thought. Then something familar came from them. He couldn't quite figure out what it was just yet.
He spoke with the spirits and asked them to assist the Mo-Gurs and help them look far into the ancient memories. All the Mo-Gurs would have to work now, and guide another. It would be difficult. The datura was begining to effect them. But then something went wrong. A red haze flooded thier minds and they all envisioned a young man, a man of the Others. It was Jarek. He was dead. The haze filled the sky and they saw another vision of more of the Others, running into a cave and thowing spears into 3 old women and one old man. Blood poured out from the cave, and from every crack in the ground, the blood seeped and flooded the valley that Broud's Clan lived in. Goov screamed. But it did not break the concentration of the group. It only added to the intensity of it all. The vision moved on to Ovra. She had a child that was deformed, just like Durc. It must be the spirit of Durc's, he thought. Then thought better of it in his trance. No, it is the spirit of the Other. That man. He was not there very long, but his totem must have been very strong and defeated it very quickly. And then he saw Creb. He looked very sad, his face drooping around his features. He was bleeding. And many of the Others were surrounding him, all pointing spears at him. Then Creb turned in to a Cave Bear and the Others killed it. The Bear sunk into the ground and there were only Others left.
With that, all the Mo-Gurs broke from thier trance and all looked at each other with a great longing sadness. The Clan was destined to die. They knew it and they couldn't think of any reason to continue the ritual.

Durc had won all of the races that week. He helped put Broud's clan in first once again. And the Festival of the Cave Bear was very exciting, unfortunetly, one of Broud's died, Borg. Now Broud would have to worry about where to put his mate. Someone would have to provide for her and her sons. He would worry about that when they got home he had decided. Vorn and Broud and a man from another Clan all finished off the Bear, and the Cave Bear took all thier names to the skies. The Spirits will not forget us, Broud thought. But perhaps he was wrong.

The whole Clan was aware of the Mo-Gurs change of aditude, posture and energy about everything. They didn't even call the spirits with entusiasm. They seemed like they didn't want to be Mo-Gur's anymore. This worried the whole clan. But the Mo-Gurs refused to tell the Clan thier fate. But the Mo-Gurs all had a certain understanding and new respect for the children who were deformed, or what the Clan thought was deformed. They all knew, deep in their hearts, that they were the only thing of the Clan that would exist after them. Goov realized why Creb had been so sad after the last Gathering. Creb had seen this. He didn't know how he himself could handle having to grieve for the fate of the entire Clan, all alone. He had hardly begun to train his new acolite. He thought he should work on it more in the next year, he woulnd't want to be Mo-Gur knowing this for very long. He wasn't even as strong as Creb. And Creb wanted to die after he knew. But then he realized that he didn't even care if he trained an Acolite. It wouldn't keep the Clan alive. It would just give them false hope, a false sence of security. He felt a pang in his heart, and he felt dead already.

The Gathering was over before they knew it. And Broud's clan was 1rst again. Broud was full of pride. 'See, I am just as good as Broud. I am leader and we are still first in the Clan." But something kept him from being too proud about it. He knew that, in everyone's heart, he was not even leader. He knew that it was Brun that set up all the new arangements. Broud wanted to object, but he realized he didn't have much time for all that anyway. It was his clan, but he supposed it was alright to let the former leader still help with things since he is still alive and well.
It was the last day and Broud was talking to some of the leaders and they then asked if the Medicine Woman of the last Gathering had left to the spirit world.
"No, I made her go there. She was cursed. She was not a good medicine woman and she was not Clan. She was an insolent horrible woman."
The leaders looked shocked but did not ask anymore questions. But he kept on about it.
"That woman...." he said in a sneer "That woman tried to control all the men of the Clan when she was with us. She used a weapon even! And they cursed her with death..."he sneered again. "But only for one moon. She came back. And do you know what they let her do? Do you know what that Mo-Gur and Brun did? They let her hunt! They let her manipulate them into doing the will of a woman!
" I thought she was an evil spirit, and I was probably right! Then she had that deformed freak! And instead of disposing of it, like a good woman should, she ran and hid from Brun...completely disobeyed him and hid from him so he would be forced to keep him on the naming day! And still, they didn't curse her. They gave her the woman's curse! And they let her keep the baby, just because she came back and begged for it's life! Brun let her shame him, and then honored her, like she was, like she was more than the leader. And then I became leader, and I finally showed her that she could not control me! And she disobeyed me the first chance she got. So I cursed her, like we should have the first time she was insolent."

The whole group was silent. It wasn't long before Broud just realized what he had done. He had just shamed his whole clan. He had shamed his Mother's mate, the man he had loved and feared and respected his whole life. He had shamed the revered Holy man that was gone to them. He had shamed himself, letting them know how he let a woman upset him so. He turned around and ran into a woman, and yelled at her and back handed her. "Clumsy Woman!" He was so angry with himself. He didn't even realize what he had just done. But why did he have to get so mad about Ayla? That was done adn over with. She shouldn't be able to affect him! She was dead! He walked off in pure rage, at himself and at Ayla.

The leaders called a meeting, and excluded Broud. But Broud didn't notice. Then they called Brun over.
"Brun. Is it true you alowed a woman to hunt when you were leader?"
Brun was motionless. He knew right away that Broud had let it slip. There was a reason they didn't want the Clan to know about that. They wouldn't understand. He didn't even understand it. He just knew that the memories were so ancient, no-one would understand, but few, and Mo-Gur. Thee Mo-Gur! BUt he was gone. And he couldn't help him explain. But he had to do the best he could.
"The Spririts, and her totem wished it. We thought it was more important to keep her lucky totem happy. And nothing bad came of it. The Spirits wanted her to hunt. If you look hard enough in your memories, you will know that women used to hunt"
The Leaders looked even more shocked. "That is not Clan way", one said simply.
"Well, Ayla was not exactly Clan. She was of Others. And we tried to make her Clan, but she did not have memories".
"But you said that she was Clan!" argued one.
Brun sighed. "I don't know what to say. Thee MO-Gur told me this. And he found the ceremony for it. Will you question HIM even after he is gone?"
That shut the leaders up about that. But the fact still remained. Brun was not the leader they thought he was. He let a woman run the whole Clan. He let a woman choose for him. For the leader! Who knows what other problems Broud had. They were not Clan. And it was hard to welcome them back after this. But they were next in line to host the Gathering. It didn't seem right. They had to stop that. It was an offense to all the memories. It was an offense to all the spirits that kept the Clan alive! It was unheard of. And they couldn't very well stand for it.
When Broud's Clan left, the Leaders in majority let Broud know they they did not think that his Cave was Clan enough to host the next Gathering. Maybe they could the one after that, but not next time. They were too unstable. And they didn't want to expose thier souls and thier children to a Gathering that could bring bad luck to the Clan as a Whole!
Broud held in his anger. He knew it was his fault. And when they left, no-one said "Walk with Ursus" They all felt like a death curse was upon them. Mo-Gur thought they may be right.

Broud's Clan wasn't entirely sure what was wrong, but they all felt the impending death hoover over them. No-one could explain that. But a few had some theories. But one thing was for certain, they had been denied the hosting of the next Gathering. That meant something terrible had happened. And Broud would be to proud to tell anyone about it. Brun knew, but didn't want to bring it up. He didn't want to ever think of it again.
Durc and Ura seemed to be the only ones non-exposed and unaware to the lingering depression of the Clan they were traveling with. Uba wanted to be happy for them, but something else was terribly wrong. And she could not point it out, or ask Mo-Gur to fix it. Durc and Ura walked with a bounce the whole way home. That made Broud even more angry, but he was determined to keep his face, and not ever lash out or get upset over something silly like that again. Who cares if they are happy. It is probably becaues, like thier deformity, they are stupid and don't understand why we are upset. They are not important, he told himself.

Days past, and it seemed to take twice as long to get home. Perhaps it was because the Clan didn't have much enthusiasm to get home and tell thier loved ones what had happened. Only Brun was excited to get home. He decided not to worry too much about the perdicament Broud had gotten them into. It wasn't his problem. It was Broud's. And now he would grow old and die, and he would not have to face the other leaders again. He just wanted to get home and crawl into Ebra's furs and sleep until the Spirits called. But that would never happen.

The Clan walked up to the fireless cave. All suddenly afraid that evil spirits would jump out and talk them all into the Spirit World. But what they found was worse. Much worse. What they found was thier beloveds corps were lying in there rotting around the spears that were left upright, piercing thier whithered old bodies. It had been weeks. And no-one had been there to bury them. The whole Clan was in an uproar. Brun stood in the mouth of the Cave and screamed with rage and pain. No-one had ever seen this reserved man, they had all repsected for as long as they could remember, show any kind of emotion. But they didn't notice much, for they were just as outraged, afraid and comfused about the situation as he was. They also found a 5th corps, killed by one of thier spears. It was one of the Others, a man. And it was not Jarek. It was a different man. Uba ran toward the river to look for remains of the Mans corps, but nothing was there. Either hyenas had dragged his whole body off, or someone else did. She suspected she knew what happened.
Mo-Gur didn't think, he knew. The Others had come and found thier dead one, laying on the shores of thier river. And only found the feeble old Clan members to take thier revenge upon. He wasn't sure if he should tell the Clan what he knew. But he knew they deserverd to know the truth. But first, they would have to take care of the bodies, which wouldn't be very pleasant. That is why bodies were taken care of right away, Goov realized. He didn't know that, the memories just said "Bury the Dead rigt away".

With a heavy heart, the Clan worked together to bury thier loved ones. Luckily, there were no very pregnant women left behind. That would have been a worser tradegey. Broud was not taking it well, but was not showing emotion at all. He wouldn't even mourn. He just stared into space until a man would speak his name. And a woman would not be able to get his attention, for he woulnd't even notice or care. He blamed it all on himself. And Brun did the same. Goov took all his strength and emotion he had left, to preform the death rites of his old friends. This would be his last ceremony that he would preform with his soul, he thought to himself. He still felt dead.

Ura now had a problem. Ebra was going to keep her at her and Brun's hearth until they would be mated. But she couldnt' live there with just Brun, it woulnd't be apropriate. She needed a woman to guide her until her mating. Broud decided to take Uka to his fire, as a second woman. She had 2 sons and needed some place to go after the death of Borg. Broud would rather have taken Uka, than Ura. He didn't like the strange looking girl that looked like Durc. He supposed that Ura's children would be just as deformed. He could not fathom why a leader would allow a deformed child. That made the clan seem weak. He put Ura under the care of Era, and her mate Dorv, who was accolite to Goov. Era was young, and had no children yet so they had room at thier hearth.
But Ura and Durc would have thier own hearth, as soon as Durc became a man, if he ever did.
Ura was happy living with Ira and Dorv. Dorv scared her, but she got used to him and he was always busy with Mo-Gur. She kept herself busy doing nice things for Durc, and spending time with the other women. Ira was not much older then her, so they got along quite well. But Ira still did not understand certain things about Ura. She couldn't understand why, at the age of 7, she would stll have the need to ask so many questions. And why, did she ask questions about the men? About mens concerns even. That was the strangest thing, she thought. But she didn't let it bother her. Ura was very nice and hard working. And company at the hearth was always welcome, especially another girl her age.

The next few weeks were spent hunting and gathering and drying meat and friuts and vegitables, and tanning hides, and making new winter furs, and new clothes. It was a busy season, but not boring. And the Clan had no problems now that they were busy getting ready for the cold season. They had plently of time to be bored later.
It wasn't long before Uba realized that Oga was pregnant. Oga was very happy. Maybe she would have a girl this time, but she didn't mention what she wished for. She was afraid that it would turn out deformed like Ura, if she wished for it. But she couldn't help it! It seemed natural to want a girl. Girls were useful too, she thought. They have babies, adn take care of the men.

Soon it began to become very cold and the whole clan went inside and didn't come out for a long time. It was the coldest winter any of them could remember. But it was dry. There wasn't as much snow as there usually was. That meant that the Mammoth said in the south, and at the first signs as spring, Broud planned a trip to the sea. So then, they went to the Sea to get fish. It was an enjoyable trip, after being confined for so long inside. Durc was becoming quite talented with the sling, and had killed many small animals. But nothing with a spear yet. He was waiting for a perfect opertunity. He wanted his first kill to be impressive adn impress Ura and Brun. He knew that as soon as he became a man, he would have his woman. And then, everything would be okay. Brun took him out often and trained him. But he always looked so sad. The sadness that hung in his graying aging eyes, was more than some could bear. Some began to avoid him, for he made everyone around him feel his pain. It wasn't just Ebras death. It was his fault the Clan was in ruin. It was his fault. He didn't raise Broud right. He shouldn't have let Broud follow him. Anyone could have done a better job. Even a woman would have done better, he knew that now. And he wished he could take it back, but he knew there was nothing in the memories to do that.

This was it, thought Durc, as he prepared for the big hunt. This was going to be his first kill. And then he would become and man. And Ura would know that she had not made a mistake coming to Broud's clan. He worried that she thought he might be less of a man because his clan had been so shamed. He would have to proove to her and himself what a good hunter he would be. And what a good clan he belonged to.
At that moment Oga began to scream with pain. She was in labor, and it would be a hard one. He hoped she didn't die. Uba ran toward her and held up a glass of tea, willow bark, to her lips. Uba was more worried than the rest. She had seen someone in this much pain before. And that was almost deadly. She remembered how Iza had helped Ayla, and she had barely lived. She hoped she could hold on to Oga's life.
Durc and the rest ran off into the forest, ready to hunt.

The 4 men and Durk crept through the thick woods carefuly tracking the fresh trail of of a small herd of wild boar. Durc was very nervous, but did not show it much. Whey they aprroached the resting boars, they seemed not to notice the arrival of the men. They would have to be very careful not to be noticed or a boar could become angry and attack.
Durc thought it would be much easier to just kill the boar he had in mind with his sling, but he had left it behind. He had to show his skill with the spear. He saw Broud grunt under his breath at the boar and told the men in the silent language it was too dangerous, too many boar. He urged them away and when he saw Durc not complying, he almost had a look of satisfaction in his eyes.
Durc stayed behind. Broud wasn't going to ruin this for him. The men silently ran off and Durc had an idea. He climbed up a near by tree, being as silent as possible and took a large stone from his pocket. He threw it behind where the boars were resting and they all squeeled and jumped up and ran around in circles until Durc threw another one in the same place. The Boars squeeled angrily and ran below him, all scurring past and looking around frantically. As the last one trialed in the back, Durc jumped down almost on top of the wolly stout animal, and thrust his spear into it's side. The animal screamed in pain as Durc took the spear out and threw it into it again. The boar struggled, but not for long before it died. The men who had heard the comotion, came back to make sure Durc was alright. He was, and proudly standing over his first kill. They cut the boar open, and Durc took the heart and ate a large bite, with pride in his eyes. Broud tried to hide the scowling anguish in his eyes. He didn't like it that the boy had shown his up. The boy had killed something that he was afraid of. They all silently dragged the boar back to the cave.
That night was Durc's manhood ceremony. Ura and Uba worked together very proudly, making the roast for the clan. Ura was so excited she didn't even know how to contain herself. So she spent it eyeing durc with a twinkle in her eyes, and cooking. Uba was teaching her special spices to make the pig taste even more delicious, and Uba was making many vegitable dishes. It would be a feast to remember. They also had some early season berries, that were not quite as ripe as Uba had hoped, but they would be a nice treat to put in the tea for the evening. Unfortunetly, Oga would not celebrate with the rest. She was in too much pain. She had been in labor for over a day now, and Uba had tried to quicken the labor, but the body was not responding to her special magic.
At the end of the night, just before the meal, Oga finally began to push. The actual delivering of the baby was not as bad or as long as the labor. And Uba took the small baby in her hands and looked very mournful. Broud would never let her keep the baby. It looked exactly like Durc did when he was born. A weak neck, strangely shaped head. The baby opened his eyes for the first time. They were a strange color, green. Like Ayla's, but not. They were......like the man of the Others that had stayed with them last summer. And the baby had short soft brown hair, with a red tint. But she looked so much like Durc, it was unreal. Maybe Durc was the one who overcame Oga's totem. Broud would not like that. But what difference did it make. There was no way Broud would let her keep it. Oga was nearly unconsious, but was reaching out for her baby. Uba, with a heavy heart gave the baby to Oga and said "I don't think you should get attached. Broud will not let you keep it. It looks like Durc did when he was born. Only he has a bigger and more round forehead. Kind of like..." she trailed off.
Oga looked down at her baby. It did look a lot like Durc. Maybe Durc had overcome her totem. But that didnt' make since. Durc was not a man yet. But what did she know, she was a woman.

After the meal, Uba took the baby and held it up to Broud and Mo-Gur. Oga was too weak to do it herself. Broud scowled at the baby. He was ashamed that his mate would produce such a deformed child. Mo-Gur looked at it closely. Then recalled the vision he had at the ceremony at the Clan Gathering.

Later he said "Broud, I know that you think the baby is deformed. But it is not. And the spirits came to me at the Clan Gathering and told me how important that child was. He is important to the survival of the Clan."
Broud looked up at Mo-Gur. "What do you mean? The survival? We are surviving? The Clan has not died!"
Mo-Gur shut his eyes and thought for a moment. "Broud, we have not died yet. But our time will come. We have lived many many years. Further than even mine, or even Creb's memories could take him. A time comes for all creatures to leave this rich earth. And we will all be no more than spirits. But those children, those children that look like Oga's new baby, and Durc and Ura. Those people are the only hope for the Clan to keep the ways alive. Or the spirit of the Clan will also become nothing more than Spirits."He setteled his statement with that. He wasn't sure how Broud would respond.
Broud looked very confused and angry. But he knew better than too argue too much with Mo-Gur. Mo-Gur understood the spirit world so much better than him. And he obviously felt that way very strongly. But the Clan can't die. How would the Clan die? It didn't make any since.
"Fine. Let the child live." he almost went into a rage thinking about what he had just agreed to. He had just agreed to let a deformed thing into his hearth. He wished someone else would be able to take care of it. But no other woman had enough milk at this point. He ran off into the woods and hit the trunk of a tree until his fist began to bleed. 'Why did the others always defend all those deformed abominations? They weren't even very smart. They had the memories, but were slow compared to the rest'.
He sat on the ground and asked his totem why he was so weak. Asked why he couldn't even keep deformity out of his cave. Now the others of the Clan wouldn't let them return for sure.
For days, Broud kept trying to think of a way to get our of his agreement. But he coulnd't go back on his word. He had already agreed! And Mo-Gur seemed very determined. And he didn't want to anger Brun anymore. Brun seemed so distant since last summer. He felt like Brun had finally disowned him like he had always threatened before he handed the leadership to him.
He knew it was his fault that the Clan had taken away thier right to host the next Gathering. But, he couldn't help thinking, he wouldn't have such a bad temper if they hadn't done all those things. It was thier fault Broud was upset all the time. He had saved the Clan. He had thrown that insolent girl out, the one everyone seemed to love so much. Maybe she was a spirit in the first place. Maybe she had died well before they had found her. Sure, she seemed to bring luck but maybe the spirits were just tricking us. Making us think that she was lucky, only so she could shame the whole clan. The spirits must have been really angry. They must have known Brun would be such a bad leader. Broud looked down at the ground. He was very torn between the love, fear and respect he had for Brun, and the fact that he knew that Brun was the weak leader. He couldn't even control a woman. Broud had changed that all. No woman would ever think to go against the clan way again. They feared him, as they should. His only problem was his anger, and...who wouldn't be angry with all that? He had seen what Ayla did to the Clan. And they were blinded. She must have been a spirit. Everyone seemed to love her, except for him. Everyone let her do what she wanted. She even had a male totem.
Broud thought about this much more. That would explain a lot of things. She had the ability to return after she was cursed with death. It must be because she was already dead. And she was so tall and had a male totem because she was a spirit. He hoped that she had finally left to the spirit world. If she came back..he shuttered at the thought. Broud, knew, like all the other men of the Clan, that women were actually the powerful ones in the world of spirits. That is why it was important to keep them below them in the land of the living, to keep it balanced, to keep them from understanding how powerful they could become if they just knew how.
Broud stood up tall that day. That must be it, he thought. Ayla was a spirit all along! And now she is gone, now the Clan is safe. But so many bad things have happened. Then an image appeared in his mind. Durc. Durc was Ayla's son. He was a child of a spirit, if his thoery was correct, which by now he assumed to be absolute in his arrogance. Durc was loved by most of the Clan too, and seemed odd in some ways. Even though he listened and had the memories there was always something about him that bothered him. He must be a spirit aswell. And bringing all the evil to the clan. Broud wished he could think of a way to rid Durc. Then everything would go back to normal. But as Broud thought this, a dark cloud filled his mind. And so much loss because of this. My mother, our status, the Clan way, even the Mo-Gur seemed to have died last summer, even though he was very much alive. The Clan was at lost, deep in their hearts. And Brould knew this as well as anyone. And he was sure it was Durc's doing.

Only days after Durc's hunting cermony, and a nice feast, came another reason to celebrate. Durc and Ura's mating, and the naming of Oga's child.
Uba sat quietly preparing the feast with the other women. She had not said a word all day. She was losing her son. Just a week ago, he had become a man. And now he is becoming a mate, and will have his own hearth. She was very happy for him. Durc and Ura had a special bond that she couldn't desribe or even comprehend. They acted like a clan woman and man should, but they seemed to go out of thier way to do nice things for each other, and take long walks together, and had a twinkle in thier eyes at the sight of each other.
They would be the perfect mates. But she was still losing her son. Atleast she had a daughter too. she would never lose her daughter, unless she was mated away from the Cave but she didn't think that would happen. This cave tried very hard to keep this Medicine Woman's line. It was something that no other Cave could outrank, not even by chance.

'Durc, does this man take this woman Ura as his mate', Mo-Gur asked Durc.
Durc tapped Ura on the shoulder and they walked away. Ura looked down at the ground hiding her bright smile, as did Durc.
'Oga', Mo-gur called.
Oga stood up, carrying her week old baby boy in her arms and held him up to Goov.
'This child is named...Nouz', Mo-Gur grunted the name loudly so everyone would hear. Oga bowed her head and tried to avoid Broud's scowl. She passed the baby around to everyone, and they repeated the name many times. When the baby got to Broud, he hardly looked at him and mumbeled his name.

Ura and Durc went to thier new hearth and set all of thier things down. They sat and looked at each other, not sure what to do or say. Then they began to eat. Not saying a word, just glancing up at each other frequently.
"Ura? Do you miss your mother?" Durc surprised Ura with a question.
Ura looked sad. "Yes, but I am happy here. And she never understood me. Like you do..." she trailed off.
Durc was happy with that answer, but noticed someone staring directly into thier hearth. It was Broud. How could he be so discourtious, Durc thought. And as soon as Durc looked back at him, Broud's eyes gleamed with hatred and looked away.

A few days later, Durc and Ura were going on a walk. She was looking for berries and spicies that Uba had told her about, and Durc went with with the excuse that it wasn't safe. Besides, they had seen smoke in the distance. It could be more of the Others and Durc had grown to fear and hate them. He didn't want to, but most of them must be very bad for what they did to Ebra and the others. Ebra was like a grandmother to him, and it had made Brun very sad. Brun didn't show it, but he knew there was a lack of will to live after that happened.
Durc stood staring at the rushing river and Ura stopped and looked back at him, dropping her eyes when he noticed.
"Ura. When we are alone, you don't have to do that. I will always want you to look at me or talk to me when you want. It takes to long if you look down or have to ask for permision to talk. You are a great woman for all that."
Ura blushed furiously. She didn't know whether to feel flattered or tell him that wasn't the Clan way. So she guestured, "The spirits will be jealous if you think to highly of my Durc"
Durc laughed outloud. "I'm sure they are already jealous. You are so beautiful and so smart. And besides, it is not clan way for you to argue with me like you just did. But you still did. And that is what is so wonderful about you. I know we must act like the Clan when we are around them. But here, we can act like anything we want. Well, almost anything. I still expect you to be a good woman of course".
Ura held her breath. She didn't know what to think of this. She had always wanted someone to listen to her, or treat her like an equal. But now that Durc was telling her to act like an equal, and to speak her mind she felt it was wrong somehow. But she didn't want to argue. He was a man, he must know better than her. Maybe all women and men acted different when they were together. Maybe it was sacred.
He walked up to her and put his arms around her.
"I had a dream once that I held you like this."
Then he kissed her on the mouth. Not sure what to do, she let him. "And in the dream, we did many things. I will show you. And when I put my mouth on yours, do the same to me."
She almost felt better about this because now he was directing her, commanding her. And her body began to feel light and tingley. It must be natural she thought. But why hadn't her mother told her about all of this?
Durc began to kiss her hard and squeeze her body gently, and than harder. He then let go and made the Signal. She turned around and got down ready for him. He lowered himself ontop of her and began to caress her skin softly all over. She shook in his arms. He pulled his body around hers and entered her, although it was difficult at first, it became easier as they went on. At first she was almost wimpering in pain, but it stopped. Durc finished after a few minutes and turned her around and kissed her face. She wasn't sure what to think. It had hurt, but at the same time it felt nice. He gently lowered her on the ground on her back and layed on top of her resting. They held each other in thier arms and almost fell asleep in the comfort of each other's presence and the warm sun beating on each other's skin.

The summer went by very fast for Durc and Ura. They were so happy, nothing, not even Broud could stop it. Broud was constantly watching Durc's every move. If he could just catch him in the act of doing something, he could Curse him with death and no-one could blame him. Then he could tell them what he thought about him and Ayla.
But the only thing he could see was that Durc and his mate seemed to go off alone a lot. He didn't think that was very natural, but he couldn't disapline them because they always got thier work done and even helped the rest a lot. Ura was always the first to get all her things done, and she made extra preperations for the winter, more than her share. And she was always helping Uba with her medicine. Secretly, Uba was begining to teach Uba a few things about the magick. Not much, just some good teas to use during pregnancey, and for head aches, and for other minor things. Ura learned quickly, and Uba wished Iza was old enough to begin to learn. Durc was always out hunting, and giving away his extra hides and providing more than nessecary to the Mo-Gur and the others that were getting too old to hunt for thier hearths much. Durc seemed to be a nartual provider, and loved to help out the Clan. And Ura was sure to do the extra things because she knew that she, with her deformity, must proove that she is of use and not a burden.
Broud thought that they were both aware of his plan to get rid of Durc and probably Ura with him. They must know, and be working extra hard so the Clan would turn against him if he sent them away. It was a posing problem. He would have to try harder, or pay attention more.

The leaves were begining to fall, and turning into bright yellow and dark purple. It was very beautiful in the area they lived. Every autumn seemed more amazing than the last. It was time to search threw the forest, for late seasoned berries, certain herbs, other eatible plants, vegitables, apples. Uba was busy tending to many people who were sick with a bad cough and fever. Uba could not leave them unatended, so she sent Ura out for all these things. Ura picked her basket up and went on her way. She hoped she would remember the important herbs Uba sent her to find. She was a little afraid of being out alone in the woods. Many preditors could attack, and she had only been out once alone before. Durc had always been with her. She wished he was with her, but decided it was better without him. She would get more done. She giggled to herself and thought of the many times this summer she and Durc had spent hours away from the Cave, supposedly working, and just spent the time relaxing or playing. She felt a little guilty about it, but it was the only time she felt herself. The only time she felt alive, and happy.

She waded across the river and began to pick some apples out of a tree. Then she heard a strange noise coming from ahead of her. She was too afraid to move. It sounded like it came from a person, but then again it didn't. She crouched down on the ground behind a bush and waited, listeing to the noise get closer and closer. It was people running, many of them. She peaked around the corner and saw 6 men of the Others running toward the river. She began to bury herself in the bush so they wouldn't see her. But it was too late. One had noticed and yelled something to the other men. Most of them drank from the river and then they all faced her. Before she could even think of the fear that was driven through her whole body, she began to run. She knew she could run fast, perhaps she could outrun them. And she almost did. But they eventually gained on her and drove her into the ground, head first. She rolled over and looked up at them with her light eyes, her face covered with mud. The men began to laugh, and even more at the confusion on her face.
Why would they laugh at her pain?, she thought. Why are they hurting her in the first place. The tallest man made a lot of loud sounds and kicked her in the side. And the other men began to join in, punching and kicking her. She didn't know what to do, she wanted to fight back, but that wasn't right. She was taught to accept a beating. These men must be punishing her, she thought in her pain. But she couldn't think of anything she did. And did they have a right to punish her? They weren't even Clan. They were the Others. Just when they stopped hitting her, they grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her over and held her in the position, and every time she felt her legs give in, and wobble, she would be hit again. They all took turns with her, relieving thier needs. But it was so painful for her, she was sure it must hurt them too. She didn't understand why they would relieve thier needs with her, and in such a rough manner. When they were done, they kicked dirt in her face and she was crying. For the first time since she was a little girl, tears strung down her face and she ws sobbing uncontrolably. She singed to them, "Please don't hurt me anymore. I don't know what I did"
The men stared at her tears.
"Do flatheads really cry" asked one of the younger looking men.
"I didn't think so. I didn't think they had enough feelings to cry. Or else they wouldn't have killed my brother".
"This one must be one with mixed spirits. She doesn't look completely like a flathead."
"Oh! Gross! I touched that??? An abomination of the MOTHER!"
"Oh no, do you think it will fall off now"? said another.
"Of course not. But we had better go home and purify ourselves. Who knows where this thing has been."
The eldest man walked toward Ura again, still weeping. "I know you don't understand but I want you to know that all you filthy animals won't be troubling us anymore. Maybe you will all leave now, but I doubt it. Maybe you will know this is a warning. But I hope all your kind die, you dirty murderers, especially the abomiations. And some day, I hope to make it so"
Ura was much to ashamed to get up and walk home. She couldn't face the Clan, she couldn't face Durc. And she didn't think she could walk very far anyway. Her head throbed and she couldn't see very straight. She thought, for a moment, that if she just lied there the spirits would come and take her and she wouldn't have to feel the pain anymore.
After several hours she finally stopped crying and tried to get up. She walked a few steps and then fell down again, stumbeling into a creek that was flowing into the river. She heard rustleing of leaves and tried to decifer if it was walking or just leaves blowing. When the noise got closer, she knew it was a person and closed her eyes tightly. If it was the Other's again, she prayed to her totem that they didn't see her. But then she heard her name being called. She looked up at the sky and wondered if it was a spirit calling, or a loved one. She noticd that the horizon had turned orange and it must be sunset. She hadn't realized how long she had been lying out there. Someone must be looking for me. She heard her name being called agian. "Ura!!???" The voice was unquestionably Durc's.
She tried to call out to him, but nothing more than a whisper left her lips. Then she raised her arms up, and high as she could manage, hoping that Durc would see her.
"Ura!" Durc almost screamed at the sight of her.
"Ura oh my Ura, my woman, what has happened to you? How bad are you hurt? what did this to you?" He fell down beside her, in the water, embracing her as gently as possible. And she sobbed more, in his arms. THen finally said, "the Others Durc. They came, and hurt me, very badly. I, don't know why. But I can't walk."
Durc slowly picked up his mate and carried her back to the Cave for his mother to cure.

Broud was just as outraged as the rest of the Clan was at this. The Others had made an attack on his Clan. And now they had to escort thier women for thier dailey chores. He couldn't let something this terrible to happen again. Secretly, he thought somehow Ura had encouraged the Others somehow to hurt her. But all the same, it was outrageous. Not only had the Other's put fear into the Clan, they were going to get behind in the last few weeks of storage for the winter. They were already behind with so many sick.

It took several weeks for Ura to recover her attack. Uba felt the pain of her patient. She saw the look in her eyes every time she opened them. She told Ura to be strong and not show her pain, as a good woman ought to, but she knew that even this pain would have been almost unbearable for a man.

Durc sat near Ura most of her recovery, only leaving to hunt with the group. He was worried that if he left her side, something bad would happen to her. He strained his mind to think of how he could have prevented this. He supposed he should have gone with her, but he was very busy at the time, otherwise he would have. And now, he almost lost his mate. His most cherished person in the world. And the Others had done this to her. Why? Who were these people? His mother was not that cruel. And niether was the man that stayed with them, even though Broud seemed to think so. Maybe, the death of that man had something to do with Ura's attack. They must be angry. And want revenge. He understood why, but they didn't have to hurt his Ura. She didn't do anything. She wasn't even with them when that happened. Durc asked Mo-Gur if that was plausable, and Mo-Gur agreed but told him not to mention it to anyone. Broud would be even more angry if he knew everyone thought it was his fault.
'This must not happen again!' Durc thought. If only women could have weapons. Then they might be able to defend themselves. His mother hunted, and was the best. He bet that she would never have been attacked by a group of the Others. She would have had her sling. If she could kill a linx, or a wolf, or a snow lepord, or a wolverine, she could kill a man. A rock to the head would kill them easily. Then something occured to him, like lightening. If his mother could hunt, then why couldn't Ura? he could teach her! And she could protect herself when she was alone and she wouldn't have to be afraid to leave the cave when she is better! But if she was caught, they would curse her. Broud would just love to do that.
But, they won't catch her. Ura was much to smart to be caught. He wondered how his mother was caught and decided to ask Uba later. He knew that Ayla had a cave lion totem, and that was part of the reason they let her hunt. Perhaps Ura could hunt with her strong totem. Why weren't women allowed to hunt, he wondered. Obviously, it wasn't because they couldn't. Ayla had been the best anyone had ever known in the clan. But Uba had told him that woman do not 'want to hunt', just like he wouldn't want to cook. He didn't want to cook, but he wouldn't mind it so much if he had to. His memories told him he couldn't cook, but his logic told him that he couldn't survive if no women were around. He wondered why the Clan made themselves so dependant on each other. He stood up and told uba to give him some tea, and walked off lost in his thoughts of Ura, his mother, and women who hunted.

It was the very beginings of spring and the air was filled with the smell of growth, flowers, and rain. The Mo-Gur sat in his sacred space and asked the spirits to help him learn the totem of the newest addition to the Clan. But he couldn't concentrate on the infant. He could only think of the baby Oga had given birth to monthes ago.
Goov knew that the Clan would never accept Oga's deformed child as a MoGur, but he had this nagging feeling in the back of his head that told him that he must train this child to know the spirit world. He knew something had to be done. And he wished many times that anyone, anyone was leader but Broud. But nothing could be done about it. Unless they all chose to leave Broud, but that just was not in thier nature. But Goov knew there were many years before the child would be old enough to be trained, and didn't worry too much about it. He looked up from his meditative state and watched Ura and Durc wonder off into the forest. She had taken a long time to recover. The Others had hurt her very badly, and she was very brave to go out of the territory again. But it was good she brought Durc with her. Durc was a strong man, and would protect her.

"Ura, I am going to teach you to protect yourself today", Durc guestured at his mate.
Ura looked up from the berries she was picking. "How?"
"I am going to teach you how to use the sling. And how to use this hunting knife. You don't have to use it to hunt if you don't want to. Just to protect yourself if those horrible men come back to hurt you"
Ura looked stunned. This didn't seem right at all. But as he handed her the knife, she felt a certain feeling she could not describe. It was freedom, difiance, liberation, but she had never experienced it until now. Durc began showing her all her knew about the sling and about hunting. She never argued with it, and secretly, she felt powerful with this knowledge, even though she felt it would lead to her very ending.

Oga was nursing her year old Nouv when Durc and Ura returned. Ura looked upset about something, but at the same time she looked happy. Oga could not figure out what was going on with those two. They acted so strange, but no one could say exactly what was strange about them. They acted very Clan-like, but then they acted like...she hated thinking it, but like animals or strange spirits. Perhaps Broud was right. Perhaps they were spirits, just like Ayla. But she didn't think there was anything wrong with them. Spirits maybe, but still Clan. She didn't like thinking about it, especially since her baby was obviously influenced by Durc's totem. He looked so much like him they could have been brothers. And her baby was making strange sounds with his mouth, like Durc did when he was a baby. She would try and shush him, but that never worked. She hoped he had the memories.

Uba and Ura were taking an afternoon walk to pick some midsummer herbs. Ura kept her weapons carefuly tucked in her wrap. Durc warned her what had happened to his mother when she was caught using a weapon. And Broud would not be so kind as the old Brun was. Ura was very happy to get out. Everyone was busy with summer activities and Uba was always too busy treating her patients to talk to her. They had become quite close. Uba thought of her as the daughter that Ayla never had.
"I am so happy to be out doing things. Why is life so slow Uba", Ura asked suddenly.
Uba paused. "What do you mean? We have plenty of things to do. How could it be slow"?
Ura sighed. "I don't know. I get tired of doing the same things every day. Don't you"?
Uba shook her head.
"Maybe medicine women have more to do, so it is more interesting. I wish we could have exciting things to do like the men."
Uba didn't reply. She gave up arguing with Ura.
Ura continued. "I want to see where that path takes me. I want to see where the great waters lead. I want to see where the sun goes."
"I don't see why. It would be dangerous to travel alone, out into the unknown" Uba said.
"Oh Durc would protect me. And I think I would be fine", Ura said, almost wanted to tell Uba that she knew how to hunt now. She wasn't very good, but she was getting better.
Uba could tell she was keeping something from her, but she wasn't sure she wanted to know. She changes the subject as a tactful Clan women would. "Look, Iris. I need the root of that. All the young men have so many scraps and cuts! And they don't even let me know the problem until it is infected!"
Ura laughed to herself. "Men are strange. If they would just come to you in the first place, they wouldn't have any problems. But they have to act like they don't feel anything. What is the point of communicating?"
Uba didn't really know how to answer that except, "If men show they are weak, than they wouldn't be able to impress us I suppose".
"I think they want to impress each other more. They don't care what women think."
"Thats true. They don't seem to anyway. But I know everything that Durc does is to impress you. But he's rather die than admit it. He cares for you more than I have ever seen a man care."
Ura smiled again, but Uba was too busy with her digging stick to notice.
"You just need to have a baby." Uba finally said. Then you will be too busy to worry about what you don't know.
Ura felt a little saddness. She had become pregnant last fall, but she had miscarried after 4 monthes. It was just as well, for it was very deformed.

Broud was walking around the mouth of the cave thinking of a plan to hunt. Vorn had asked him many times to consult in Durc for strategies on how to capture the passing herd of antelop, but he refused to admit that Durc was intellegent. He he still convinced the Durc was a spirit. He called Vorn and a few other men over for a meeting when he heard loud yelling in the distance. They all turned to see many figures coming out of the trees, all with spears. They were men of the Others, and they looked very angry. Broud shouted to everyone to get thier spears and for the women to run, but not many listened. A few hudeled around Brun. The few that had spears in hand stood thier ground in front of the cave, ready to kill anything that threatened thier territory.
A few of the Others began throwing spears, and 2 pierced the of the Clan and they dropped to the ground. Only 1 remained with a spear and quickly thrust it into a very tall blonde man and he dropped to his death. Vorn began to run into the cave to protect the children. When one red headed man jumped into the cave, knocking everything on the floor, Vorn jumped at him and hit him in the head. It didn't hurt him badly, but just mad him more angry. But before he had another chance to attack, Vorn had tackeled him to the ground and broke his arm. The man laid there in agony.
There were so many men, all running around breaking things, and stealing things, screaming so loud it hurt the Clans ears. Goov was sitting on a rock overlooking the whole thing. He asked Ursus to protect the Clan. But Ursus seemed to have forgotten them. Several men were already dead, and many woman were fleeing from the scene. That made matters worse however. Some of the Others followed them and began to force them very brutally. Many didn't really know what was going on, but Broud was in a blind rage, hitting everything in his path, and almost hit his own friends. Uba and Ura were returnig at this point, but stayed hidden in the bushes during the horrifying scene. But they weren't hidden well enough. One man saw them and staggard over to them. He seemed almost obvlivoius to what was going on, and he almost fell on top of them. He grabbed Ura and began to try and force her, but she wasn't about to let that happen again. She pulled out her knife and stabbed him in the abdomen. He crumbeled up and fell to the ground. He looked at her, and saw her eyes. "Now I'm going to die. Just like the others." He paused. "They said you were murderous. Maybe they were right. Maybe not. But you won't be around long enough to kill many more of my people. Animals are our food, I am not yours" his speach was weak and as he took his last breath another man ran up.
"CRANDAL! NO! Don't die on me! Don't let these filthy animals get to us again! You can't die!", he sat down next to his friend, and looked up in agony. They he saw the flathead woman sitting on the ground with a sharp weapon. She dropped it, not knowing what to be more ashamed of. Standing up to a man who was trying to relieve his needs, or using a weapon. She ran away and the man just watched her run. Uba stayed not knowing how to move. She didn't even notice when one of the men began relieving his needs with her. She felt dead. Ura was just like Ayla. She even used a weapon. She wondered were Durc and Vorn were. The man hit her on the head with a rock and she fell down. When the man was gone she crawled into a bawl and slept.

Many were dead. Even one of the children had sufferend almost fatal injuries. When Uba was awakened by Goov, she could hardly see a thing, but had to help the child and the other wounded. Broud and Brun and Goov were the only ones not wounded.
"Broud, you brought this to the Clan. It was your doing. You must do what is right now and move the Clan. They Others are angry, and will come back." Brun told Broud while Goov nooded.
"I will not leave this place. We have been thrown out of our home so many times. There will be no caves left by the time I pass my leadership. And besides, if we leave now, we might not find a cave until winter. And how would we store food?" Broud looked pertrified, but tried to hide it.
"They have stolen all of our food and supplies anyway. We must go. Or they will come back. They are very angry. I could see the rage in thier eyes. Evil spirits of maddness drove them here. But there was a reason for it all." Goov finished his statement with a deep look at Broud.
"I am leader. We will find a new cave in the spring. Until then, we will stay here", Broud said.
Brun couldn't argue much with it. Broud was right. If they left now, who knows how long it would take to find a cave. And if they were all homeless for too long, thier totems would forget about them and they would all surely die.

It was weeks later when Goov was sitting in his holy space, meditating. He saw a slight vision of many babies, babies that all looked like Durc. Or maybe they looked like the Others. He wasn't sure. At the vision, he saw the earth shake, and a large crack divide the whole Clan. He wasn't sure what it meant, but he knew it wasn't good.

Ura and Durc were running down a meadow in early autumn. Durc was far faster than Ura was now, and he was glad of it. He couldn't bear to think that his own mate could beat him at what made him the best runner in the clan. They sat down to rest and watched the horizon.
"Durc?" Ura asked
"Yes", he smiled at her.
"Don't you ever wonder what is far away? What is on the other side of the great water? Or how far the stars are"?
Durc paused. "Sometimes. But I wonder more about where my mother is".
"Isn't she dead"? Ura asked a little surprised. "She is in the land of the spirits."
"No, I don't think she is. I saw her walk away when I was little. She talked to me before she left. She didn't act like a spirit. She just seemed very sad. I don't think Mo-Gur really cursed her. I think he just let her go. I hope she is with her own people now. She would be happy there, I think".
Ura sat and thought for a moment. "But the others are so cruel."
"Yes they are. But maybe not all of them. Those men who come to hurt us, they are only one group. And they are angry at Broud I think, for killing that man."
Ura's face turned red. "How can you say that? How can you defend those horrible cruel creatures? Do you have any idea how much they hurt me?" she began crying and Durc felt immediately ashamed, but angry at the same time for Ura to yell at him so. But he embraced her until she was done crying.
"I hate it here Durc. You make me happy, and so does Uba. But I hate it here. Broud is just going to cast us out someday anyway. He just can't think of a good reason yet. But I know they know I killed that man. But they don't ask. Just one more thing, and Broud will curse me. I know it. He wants an excuse. And I can't bear staying here, knowing those horrible men will come back. Can't we just leave? Can't we go and find our own cave? And you could be leader? And Uba could come with and be medicine woman? And I can help you hunt. And maybe more will come with us. No-one likes Broud. They all think he is a very bad leader, but don't know what to do about it... And maybe I will have a baby."she began sobbing again.
Durc looked shocked at her suggestion, but it didn't sound too bad. He would love to leave. He actually just wished that Broud would die, so they could all leave and find a new cave. And Vorn would be leader until Brac was old enough. But Broud will never die. He realized that years ago after he wished it the first time.

Uba and Ura were taking an afternoon walk to pick some midsummer herbs. Ura kept her weapons carefuly tucked in her wrap. Durc warned her what had happened to his mother when she was caught using a weapon. And Broud would not be so kind as the old Brun was. Ura was very happy to get out. Everyone was busy with summer activities and Uba was always too busy treating her patients to talk to her. They had become quite close. Uba thought of her as the daughter that Ayla never had.
"I am so happy to be out doing things. Why is life so slow Uba", Ura asked suddenly.
Uba paused. "What do you mean? We have plenty of things to do. How could it be slow"?
Ura sighed. "I don't know. I get tired of doing the same things every day. Don't you"?
Uba shook her head.
"Maybe medicine women have more to do, so it is more interesting. I wish we could have exciting things to do like the men."
Uba didn't reply. She gave up arguing with Ura.
Ura continued. "I want to see where that path takes me. I want to see where the great waters lead. I want to see where the sun goes."
"I don't see why. It would be dangerous to travel alone, out into the unknown" Uba said.
"Oh Durc would protect me. And I think I would be fine", Ura said, almost wanted to tell Uba that she knew how to hunt now. She wasn't very good, but she was getting better.
Uba could tell she was keeping something from her, but she wasn't sure she wanted to know. She changes the subject as a tactful Clan women would. "Look, Iris. I need the root of that. All the young men have so many scraps and cuts! And they don't even let me know the problem until it is infected!"
Ura laughed to herself. "Men are strange. If they would just come to you in the first place, they wouldn't have any problems. But they have to act like they don't feel anything. What is the point of communicating?"
Uba didn't really know how to answer that except, "If men show they are weak, than they wouldn't be able to impress us I suppose".
"I think they want to impress each other more. They don't care what women think."
"Thats true. They don't seem to anyway. But I know everything that Durc does is to impress you. But he's rather die than admit it. He cares for you more than I have ever seen a man care."
Ura smiled again, but Uba was too busy with her digging stick to notice.
"You just need to have a baby." Uba finally said. Then you will be too busy to worry about what you don't know.
Ura felt a little saddness. She had become pregnant last fall, but she had miscarried after 4 monthes. It was just as well, for it was very deformed.

Broud was walking around the mouth of the cave thinking of a plan to hunt. Vorn had asked him many times to consult in Durc for strategies on how to capture the passing herd of antelop, but he refused to admit that Durc was intellegent. He he still convinced the Durc was a spirit. He called Vorn and a few other men over for a meeting when he heard loud yelling in the distance. They all turned to see many figures coming out of the trees, all with spears. They were men of the Others, and they looked very angry. Broud shouted to everyone to get thier spears and for the women to run, but not many listened. A few hudeled around Brun. The few that had spears in hand stood thier ground in front of the cave, ready to kill anything that threatened thier territory.
A few of the Others began throwing spears, and 2 pierced the of the Clan and they dropped to the ground. Only 1 remained with a spear and quickly thrust it into a very tall blonde man and he dropped to his death. Vorn began to run into the cave to protect the children. When one red headed man jumped into the cave, knocking everything on the floor, Vorn jumped at him and hit him in the head. It didn't hurt him badly, but just mad him more angry. But before he had another chance to attack, Vorn had tackeled him to the ground and broke his arm. The man laid there in agony.
There were so many men, all running around breaking things, and stealing things, screaming so loud it hurt the Clans ears. Goov was sitting on a rock overlooking the whole thing. He asked Ursus to protect the Clan. But Ursus seemed to have forgotten them. Several men were already dead, and many woman were fleeing from the scene. That made matters worse however. Some of the Others followed them and began to force them very brutally. Many didn't really know what was going on, but Broud was in a blind rage, hitting everything in his path, and almost hit his own friends. Uba and Ura were returnig at this point, but stayed hidden in the bushes during the horrifying scene. But they weren't hidden well enough. One man saw them and staggard over to them. He seemed almost obvlivoius to what was going on, and he almost fell on top of them. He grabbed Ura and began to try and force her, but she wasn't about to let that happen again. She pulled out her knife and stabbed him in the abdomen. He crumbeled up and fell to the ground. He looked at her, and saw her eyes. "Now I'm going to die. Just like the others." He paused. "They said you were murderous. Maybe they were right. Maybe not. But you won't be around long enough to kill many more of my people. Animals are our food, I am not yours" his speach was weak and as he took his last breath another man ran up.
"CRANDAL! NO! Don't die on me! Don't let these filthy animals get to us again! You can't die!", he sat down next to his friend, and looked up in agony. They he saw the flathead woman sitting on the ground with a sharp weapon. She dropped it, not knowing what to be more ashamed of. Standing up to a man who was trying to relieve his needs, or using a weapon. She ran away and the man just watched her run. Uba stayed not knowing how to move. She didn't even notice when one of the men began relieving his needs with her. She felt dead. Ura was just like Ayla. She even used a weapon. She wondered were Durc and Vorn were. The man hit her on the head with a rock and she fell down. When the man was gone she crawled into a bawl and slept.

Many were dead. Even one of the children had sufferend almost fatal injuries. When Uba was awakened by Goov, she could hardly see a thing, but had to help the child and the other wounded. Broud and Brun and Goov were the only ones not wounded.
"Broud, you brought this to the Clan. It was your doing. You must do what is right now and move the Clan. They Others are angry, and will come back." Brun told Broud while Goov nooded.
"I will not leave this place. We have been thrown out of our home so many times. There will be no caves left by the time I pass my leadership. And besides, if we leave now, we might not find a cave until winter. And how would we store food?" Broud looked pertrified, but tried to hide it.
"They have stolen all of our food and supplies anyway. We must go. Or they will come back. They are very angry. I could see the rage in thier eyes. Evil spirits of maddness drove them here. But there was a reason for it all." Goov finished his statement with a deep look at Broud.
"I am leader. We will find a new cave in the spring. Until then, we will stay here", Broud said.
Brun couldn't argue much with it. Broud was right. If they left now, who knows how long it would take to find a cave. And if they were all homeless for too long, thier totems would forget about them and they would all surely die.

It was weeks later when Goov was sitting in his holy space, meditating. He saw a slight vision of many babies, babies that all looked like Durc. Or maybe they looked like the Others. He wasn't sure. At the vision, he saw the earth shake, and a large crack divide the whole Clan. He wasn't sure what it meant, but he knew it wasn't good.

Ura and Durc were running down a meadow in early autumn. Durc was far faster than Ura was now, and he was glad of it. He couldn't bear to think that his own mate could beat him at what made him the best runner in the clan. They sat down to rest and watched the horizon.
"Durc?" Ura asked
"Yes", he smiled at her.
"Don't you ever wonder what is far away? What is on the other side of the great water? Or how far the stars are"?
Durc paused. "Sometimes. But I wonder more about where my mother is".
"Isn't she dead"? Ura asked a little surprised. "She is in the land of the spirits."
"No, I don't think she is. I saw her walk away when I was little. She talked to me before she left. She didn't act like a spirit. She just seemed very sad. I don't think Mo-Gur really cursed her. I think he just let her go. I hope she is with her own people now. She would be happy there, I think".
Ura sat and thought for a moment. "But the others are so cruel."
"Yes they are. But maybe not all of them. Those men who come to hurt us, they are only one group. And they are angry at Broud I think, for killing that man."
Ura's face turned red. "How can you say that? How can you defend those horrible cruel creatures? Do you have any idea how much they hurt me?" she began crying and Durc felt immediately ashamed, but angry at the same time for Ura to yell at him so. But he embraced her until she was done crying.
"I hate it here Durc. You make me happy, and so does Uba. But I hate it here. Broud is just going to cast us out someday anyway. He just can't think of a good reason yet. But I know they know I killed that man. But they don't ask. Just one more thing, and Broud will curse me. I know it. He wants an excuse. And I can't bear staying here, knowing those horrible men will come back. Can't we just leave? Can't we go and find our own cave? And you could be leader? And Uba could come with and be medicine woman? And I can help you hunt. And maybe more will come with us. No-one likes Broud. They all think he is a very bad leader, but don't know what to do about it... And maybe I will have a baby."she began sobbing again.
Durc looked shocked at her suggestion, but it didn't sound too bad. He would love to leave. He actually just wished that Broud would die, so they could all leave and find a new cave. And Vorn would be leader until Brac was old enough. But Broud will never die. He realized that years ago after he wished it the first time.