Besides, I have hunted alone countless times and never before have I needed Turyan luck to manage.”
“Take it this time in honor of the fire fest. I have no need for it here in the ceremony field.”
Vierra was about to resist, but surprising herself, she bent to her husband’s will.
“So be it. At least I will return faster with the Turyan luck in my footsteps.”
They embraced for a long time, and the matter was settled. When they argued, they could not stay angry at each other for long, but naturally came to an agreement quickly.
Vaaja had become a good Kainu man, Vierra thought with a smile. Her sisters in the tribe had at first suspected that he would be nothing more than a burden and a nuisance, and at first he had indeed been unable to do anything useful. He couldn’t hunt, he couldn’t fish, and of traps he knew even less. It was decided that he couldn’t be let into the woods alone, either, after Vierra had rescued him from the woods a few times. But Vaaja was tenacious and ductile, a patient learner to no end, and so he soon started to be successful in his undertakings. Being a tall man, he never came to be very stealthy, so he was a rather clumsy hunter. He was very good with boats, though; as a trader, he had traveled and spent a lot of time offshore. Fishing became one of his favorite chores. It was he who had caught most of the trout that sunny morning.
Whereas Vierra and Vaaja did not have discord between them, disputes with the boy were an entirely other matter. Vaalo did not really mind hunting, as long as he could come, too. When he heard that was not going to happen, his nature rose against them immediately. After that, he had said nothing to his parents.
Vierra let her green eyes rest in the beautiful setting one more time before departing. Vaaja, who was piling the last pieces of wood on the pyre, smiled. The wind blew his light hair as he waved goodbye. Vaalo was sitting in the center of the glade, arms crossed, inexorable offense on his face. He looked at his smiling mother from under his brow and refused to wave. Vierra walked to him and ruffled her stubborn son’s hair. It took more than this to console him, though, and with a sigh, Vierra finally started toward the edge of the forest. She looked at the sulking, round-faced rascal until the trees on the edge of the glade obstructed the view. For a moment, Vierra felt a strong urge to go back and forget about the whole hunt. Why wouldn’t she just stay there with Vaaja and Vaalo, to burn the fire and eat trout? She got rid of the thought, however, and continued further into the forest.
Stone
The floor of the forest was cool and calm. The hot sunlight sifted down from in between the leaves and twigs and did not burn with its full strength. Hunter’s instincts took over the lone woman, and she, for a moment, forgot the glade and her family that was waiting there. She heard, saw, and smelled, she mingled with the forest’s shadows, became one of its mysterious travelers. It had been like this for her people since the time of her ancestors, a long time ago. There was just the forest, the hunter, and the prey.
Vierra did not have a clear thought where to go since the midsummer was not the most favorable time for hunting. The big game was spread out, and smaller animals did not leave tracks as they did in the wintertime snow. The summer was a time of fishing, not hunting, for the Kainu, and often they came back from the ritual hunt empty-handed. Vierra let her instincts guide her on where to go.
Jaybird, a hunter’s friend, flew onto a branch next to Vierra and looked at her with its dark eyes. Its beak turned busily from one side to another as it watched the woman’s actions curiously. Seeing a jaybird always brought memories from a particular summer past. The day had been very similar, warm and bright. Vierra could still hear her mother Asla’s voice in her mind as she taught her the hunters’ ways.
Asla had been a skilled
“Take it this time in honor of the fire fest. I have no need for it here in the ceremony field.”
Vierra was about to resist, but surprising herself, she bent to her husband’s will.
“So be it. At least I will return faster with the Turyan luck in my footsteps.”
They embraced for a long time, and the matter was settled. When they argued, they could not stay angry at each other for long, but naturally came to an agreement quickly.
Vaaja had become a good Kainu man, Vierra thought with a smile. Her sisters in the tribe had at first suspected that he would be nothing more than a burden and a nuisance, and at first he had indeed been unable to do anything useful. He couldn’t hunt, he couldn’t fish, and of traps he knew even less. It was decided that he couldn’t be let into the woods alone, either, after Vierra had rescued him from the woods a few times. But Vaaja was tenacious and ductile, a patient learner to no end, and so he soon started to be successful in his undertakings. Being a tall man, he never came to be very stealthy, so he was a rather clumsy hunter. He was very good with boats, though; as a trader, he had traveled and spent a lot of time offshore. Fishing became one of his favorite chores. It was he who had caught most of the trout that sunny morning.
Whereas Vierra and Vaaja did not have discord between them, disputes with the boy were an entirely other matter. Vaalo did not really mind hunting, as long as he could come, too. When he heard that was not going to happen, his nature rose against them immediately. After that, he had said nothing to his parents.
Vierra let her green eyes rest in the beautiful setting one more time before departing. Vaaja, who was piling the last pieces of wood on the pyre, smiled. The wind blew his light hair as he waved goodbye. Vaalo was sitting in the center of the glade, arms crossed, inexorable offense on his face. He looked at his smiling mother from under his brow and refused to wave. Vierra walked to him and ruffled her stubborn son’s hair. It took more than this to console him, though, and with a sigh, Vierra finally started toward the edge of the forest. She looked at the sulking, round-faced rascal until the trees on the edge of the glade obstructed the view. For a moment, Vierra felt a strong urge to go back and forget about the whole hunt. Why wouldn’t she just stay there with Vaaja and Vaalo, to burn the fire and eat trout? She got rid of the thought, however, and continued further into the forest.
Stone
The floor of the forest was cool and calm. The hot sunlight sifted down from in between the leaves and twigs and did not burn with its full strength. Hunter’s instincts took over the lone woman, and she, for a moment, forgot the glade and her family that was waiting there. She heard, saw, and smelled, she mingled with the forest’s shadows, became one of its mysterious travelers. It had been like this for her people since the time of her ancestors, a long time ago. There was just the forest, the hunter, and the prey.
Vierra did not have a clear thought where to go since the midsummer was not the most favorable time for hunting. The big game was spread out, and smaller animals did not leave tracks as they did in the wintertime snow. The summer was a time of fishing, not hunting, for the Kainu, and often they came back from the ritual hunt empty-handed. Vierra let her instincts guide her on where to go.
Jaybird, a hunter’s friend, flew onto a branch next to Vierra and looked at her with its dark eyes. Its beak turned busily from one side to another as it watched the woman’s actions curiously. Seeing a jaybird always brought memories from a particular summer past. The day had been very similar, warm and bright. Vierra could still hear her mother Asla’s voice in her mind as she taught her the hunters’ ways.
Asla had been a skilled
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