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Authors: Kaye George
Tags: Mystery
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These were extra of the ones she wove into her hair for ceremonial dances. The male Hooden leader accepted this gift with a wide smile, showing his large, white teeth.
Then the Hamapa departed. Enga was sad to leave such a comfortable place. She thought they were probably going to face more hardship.
Chapter 11
“[The Wisconsinian] glaciation radically altered the geography of North America north of the Ohio River . At the height of the Wisconsin Episode glaciation, the ice sheet covered most of Canada , the Upper Midwest , and New England , as well as parts of Idaho , Montana , and Washington .”
—from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin_glaciation#Stages_of_the_Wisconsin_episode
“The Mississippi River…was formed in the most recent Ice Age… This last Ice Age ended approximately 10,000 years ago, which makes the Mississippi about 10,000 years old as we know it.”
—from http://www.4rivers.com/mississippi/info.html
They had not gone far before Jeek and Gunda, who were traveling in the rear, thought-shouted for them to halt.
Enga Dancing Flower looked around to see one of the Hooden females running after them. It was the Hooden female who had befriended Panan One Eye. When he saw her, Panan ran out to greet her. He took both her hands and they stood like that for a moment. Then, holding hands, he led her to the tribe. The step of Panan looked like that of a much younger man. His limp was gone. He had not had a mate, had not even mated with any female, since the old Hama, Aja Hama, had died. Vala Golden Hair might have wanted to, but Enga was almost certain they had not coupled.
Hapa frowned greatly when he saw them. He sent a thinly veiled message to Panan. We may not have enough food for us. If this one travels with us, how can we know that we will have food for her?
We are saved because of her people , Panan countered. I am old and do not require much meat. I can share my portion with her.
Hapa sent some private thoughts to Hama, who returned them, both of them frowning. It turned out that Hama was disagreeing with her mate. She sent a public thought-speak message, The Hooden female stays with the Hamapa. She looks strong and we can always use another strong female.
Enga had doubts about that. She kept the thought to herself that the Hooden females did not hunt. She was not sure this female would be useful. But Hama had made up her mind. The Hooden female journeyed with them.
The land they traveled through held many small streams, some rolling hills, and the spruce and hardwood forests Enga had seen from the hilltop. The next few days were pleasant. They had plenty of meat and could drink their fill of water whenever they got thirsty. Sister Sun was shedding more and more heat on them, but they could cool off in the shady groves. Even Sooka, the fussy infant of Vala, seemed more content, although Vala herself shot looks of poison at Panan as he traveled with the Hooden female.
One day, more of the beasts that had been in the caves were spotted. They moved slowly and always moved away from the people. Fee Long Thrower or Ung Strong Arm, or others, could easily have speared them, but they were all growing weary of the taste of that meat. If only they could find a large herd of mammoth, or even some deer, bear, or bison. Liquid formed in the mouth of Enga when she thought about the taste of mammoth meat, cooked over a searing fire so that it was crispy on the outside, soft and moist and flavorful on the inside. With plenty of water and with the gentleness of Brother Earth, they might be able to settle near this place—if they could find a supply of meat.
Hama sent the young males to the tops of the hills sometimes, to see what they could detect in the distance. What they could see was always more of the same terrain, and never a herd of mammoth or anything else.
They speared rabbits on occasion and even brought down birds and squirrels. These were small, though, and did not feed many.
Eventually,
Then the Hamapa departed. Enga was sad to leave such a comfortable place. She thought they were probably going to face more hardship.
Chapter 11
“[The Wisconsinian] glaciation radically altered the geography of North America north of the Ohio River . At the height of the Wisconsin Episode glaciation, the ice sheet covered most of Canada , the Upper Midwest , and New England , as well as parts of Idaho , Montana , and Washington .”
—from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin_glaciation#Stages_of_the_Wisconsin_episode
“The Mississippi River…was formed in the most recent Ice Age… This last Ice Age ended approximately 10,000 years ago, which makes the Mississippi about 10,000 years old as we know it.”
—from http://www.4rivers.com/mississippi/info.html
They had not gone far before Jeek and Gunda, who were traveling in the rear, thought-shouted for them to halt.
Enga Dancing Flower looked around to see one of the Hooden females running after them. It was the Hooden female who had befriended Panan One Eye. When he saw her, Panan ran out to greet her. He took both her hands and they stood like that for a moment. Then, holding hands, he led her to the tribe. The step of Panan looked like that of a much younger man. His limp was gone. He had not had a mate, had not even mated with any female, since the old Hama, Aja Hama, had died. Vala Golden Hair might have wanted to, but Enga was almost certain they had not coupled.
Hapa frowned greatly when he saw them. He sent a thinly veiled message to Panan. We may not have enough food for us. If this one travels with us, how can we know that we will have food for her?
We are saved because of her people , Panan countered. I am old and do not require much meat. I can share my portion with her.
Hapa sent some private thoughts to Hama, who returned them, both of them frowning. It turned out that Hama was disagreeing with her mate. She sent a public thought-speak message, The Hooden female stays with the Hamapa. She looks strong and we can always use another strong female.
Enga had doubts about that. She kept the thought to herself that the Hooden females did not hunt. She was not sure this female would be useful. But Hama had made up her mind. The Hooden female journeyed with them.
The land they traveled through held many small streams, some rolling hills, and the spruce and hardwood forests Enga had seen from the hilltop. The next few days were pleasant. They had plenty of meat and could drink their fill of water whenever they got thirsty. Sister Sun was shedding more and more heat on them, but they could cool off in the shady groves. Even Sooka, the fussy infant of Vala, seemed more content, although Vala herself shot looks of poison at Panan as he traveled with the Hooden female.
One day, more of the beasts that had been in the caves were spotted. They moved slowly and always moved away from the people. Fee Long Thrower or Ung Strong Arm, or others, could easily have speared them, but they were all growing weary of the taste of that meat. If only they could find a large herd of mammoth, or even some deer, bear, or bison. Liquid formed in the mouth of Enga when she thought about the taste of mammoth meat, cooked over a searing fire so that it was crispy on the outside, soft and moist and flavorful on the inside. With plenty of water and with the gentleness of Brother Earth, they might be able to settle near this place—if they could find a supply of meat.
Hama sent the young males to the tops of the hills sometimes, to see what they could detect in the distance. What they could see was always more of the same terrain, and never a herd of mammoth or anything else.
They speared rabbits on occasion and even brought down birds and squirrels. These were small, though, and did not feed many.
Eventually,
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