Kii watched her for a moment and then whispered, “From my father’s people.”
Taikiuu wondered at the ramifications of this but again her mind raced to draw a conclusion. She looked at Kii’s slightly underdeveloped shape and thought quickly about Kii’s age and the fact that she had reached well past fifteen summers without coming into her woman’s time. Kii rarely spoke of her birth father’s people and Taikiuu did not wish to harm the girl with what she was about to reveal. She forced herself to tread carefully.
“Did only the women use this leaf or did the men use it as well?” Taikiuu asked softly this time allowing her daughter to think clearly without fear of repercussion. Taikiuu conveyed her interest by her stance and her tone.
Kii relaxed in the warmth of her mother’s gaze and spoke freely, “Well I remember the women drinking this brew every morning, at the time I thought that it smelled terrible, but now I like the aroma. I drink it every day.”
Taikiuu believed the words Kii spoke; indeed the girl had been very young when she was captured as a slave. Perhaps the tea had been one of the only things that she could remember of her first band. Taikiuu was unsure how to tell her daughter the truth that was hidden from her.
“Where do you get these leaves daughter, we have not been around this type of plant in many moons.” Taikiuu tried to keep her tone of voice neutral. Kii’s cheeks dimpled into a smile and she laughed softly, “It was the one thing that I kept on me at all times and in the village we had a large supply that only I used. I would be happy to share it with you mother, once you get past the smell the taste is wonderful.”
“When was the last time that you enjoyed this tea?” Taikiuu asked calmly as she thought of Kii’s flushed appearance and the last few days when she worried that Kii might be sick.
“I haven’t had any tea since we left the valley. I didn’t want to waste water.” Kii spoke plainly, she had nothing to hide, but her concern grew as she noticed the frown on her mother’s face.
Taikiuu hugged Kii close to her and smiled to herself, her heart once again set at ease. Softly she said, “Daughter you are not to blame yourself, for you have learned much under my hand about roots and leaves and their properties. Remember though how I told you each time I introduced a new herb or poultice that some things can cause harm and others can heal? Well this is one of those times.” Kii gasped again as her expression turned from one of happiness to alarm. Before her thoughts could race away Taikiuu brought Kii’s face into the palms of her hands and smiled, “Have no fear, for this leaf is known only to experienced healers and kept secret from the minds of men. It does not have a name in our language but you should know that it stops a woman’s normal moon cycle from occurring as well as preventing pregnancy. You could not know that you were slowing the flow of your own maturation into womanhood by taking this leaf.”
Kii trembled inside at the thought of what she had done. Because of this leaf she had not been made a woman as was her right. She had never known why her father’s women took the tea so early in the morning, other than that they always wanted to be available to him when he chose to call for them. Still, she knew that stopping the natural order of things was forbidden by the People and she had committed a great wrong.
It was as if her mother could read each thought as it entered her mind because Taikiuu grasped her arms gently and gave her a gentle shake, breaking her focus.
“Kii, you are not in the wrong, for you took the tea unknowingly and I am sure that no damage has been done. We are a new band, made up of a new people and the rules that we lived by in the past are no more. In truth these new rules are what make me your mother in heart. You are not at fault and you will honor your father and mother by remembering this.” Taikiuu did not have to turn around to feel the presence of Jon’lan behind her. Taikiuu did not lower her voice as there would be no secrets in their joining.
“I believe that if you stop taking this tea you will soon find yourself made woman by the next full moon.” Taikiuu hugged her again and smiled.
Jon’lan finally spoke, clearing his throat, “I have only just gained a daughter that I had hoped would remain a child for a little longer, do you tell me now that she will soon be a woman and I will have to find a suitable mate for her? I wonder what Anaay will think of this?” He spoke with barely suppressed mirth.
Kii’s eyes widened at his implications as her heart beat steadily at the name of Anaay. Unable to contain herself she let out a childish shriek jumping up and down in her mother’s arms. After much laughter, Jon’lan and Taikiuu stood together with Kii in the circle of their embrace. It was a day of new beginnings.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Jon’lan walked far ahead of the band leaving Roark to take up the rear with Anaay and Giad sticking close to the women and children. Finally he could see the mammoth after days of hearing their calls and the distant rumble of their feet as they moved. He knew that the Matriarch had become aware of his presence by scenting the wind before she saw him with her own eyes. The first part of his walk had been easy enough but now as he followed the path of the mammoth he saw that it became steep in certain areas and treacherous. He set his jaw in determination and waited patiently while the band caught up to him. The sun was still high in the sky and he had not allowed them to break for their meal. Taikiuu was passing out strips of dried meat as she approached him almost as if she could read his thoughts before he spoke.
“We will press on further before taking our rest. You will tie on to each person behind and in front of you.” Jon’lan paused for a moment looking into each pair of trusting eyes, “The way is dangerous and has not been crossed by man since time beyond remembering. But if we are careful and watch out for one another we will make it through safely.” He kept his focus on the younger children for the longest time.
Mar-ee, his daughter smiled her dimpled grin and then clapped her hands in excitement. For her this was an adventure and nothing more. Jon’lan wished it were so for them all. But he knew that these next few days could be catastrophic for the band.
Jon’lan started the process by tying each person to the next. He structured the group so that each woman was tied to a stronger partner and each child to an adult. He would lead the way with Taikiuu and Mar-ee behind him. Before they set off he checked each tie again and when he reached his wife, she gently took his hand and pressed it to her heart. The look in her soft brown eyes gave him the needed strength to press on, despite what lay ahead.
The weather up to this point had been kind to them, although even as he thought the words, a chill crept down his spine. The mountainous region that they were crossing could change in an instant, going from sun to snow and blinding storms. There was no way to know what the next hand of time would bring. Jon’lan was determined to face the day with hope. He could not imagine losing even one member of the band to this deadly terrain.
He set off with a determined stride, as he walked he caught the look of concern on Anaay’s face when he stared at the clouds forming at the top of the mountain. He did not need to hear the young man’s words to know that he too feared the worst about the weather.
Jon’lan checked his pack once more, making sure that he had easy access to his fur parka and fire making supplies. He could only hope that they would find shelter in the mountains before dark. There was no guarantee and he had to rely strictly on his survival instincts. A good hunter learned early when to walk, where to step, when to bide his time. Surviving in a land uncharted was the same. He must bide his time and follow his instincts. He only hoped he could trust himself enough to do so.
Taikiuu looked at the strong back of her husband and knew that the emotional weight on his shoulders was something that only he could carry. Still she willed strength to him and wisdom and most of all peace. Perhaps what lay ahead was dangerous and unknown, but she had only to think of what lay behind them to know that they were doing what was best. Mar-ee clutched her hand with trust and tugged gently on the rope that had been strapped
to her small form.
Taikiuu looked down at the daughter that she had welcomed to her hearth and saw all the hope for the future mirrored in her round face. Her daughter’s trust in her parents made Taikiuu even more determined to do anything in her power to see them through this journey. They walked on without cease and without a word or comment.
Kii’s humming had often been heard on the journey and though many of her songs did not yet have words they promised happy things to those that would listen. Yet today she kept silent as if even the melody in her heart were not enough to assure their safety. Star Feather rubbed her young son’s back and kissed his downy head before covering him again under her parka. She had offered without word to be tied on with Yaa, her daughter, but Roark had forbidden it knowing that if she slipped it would take all of her strength to avoid crushing the baby. Yaa was now tied on to Roark while Giad was tied to Anaay. The path had become more of an uphill tread and already Roark could feel the burning in his calves. The younger children did not seem to be winded or bothered by the travel. Roark was silently glad that each person was able to eat their fill and maintain their strength during their journey.
In many villages children were not honored as they were in this band. Jon’lan saw to it that each person had their own portion and the result was strength and good health. Roark squeezed Yaa’s hand to draw her attention back to the task at hand, less she slip and fall. He noticed early on that Yaa’s mind tended to wander when she did not have a task that required her sharp wit. It was as if she was listening to a conversation that no one else could hear except her. Roark had even found himself becoming distracted by the hollow sounds of the mammoth that they followed. It seemed as if the great beasts were able to talk and communicate with each other.
He knew that Yaa believed the mammoth had their own language and even now her face was pinched in determination as if she could figure out their tongue by listening closely enough. The mountains made the challenge of listening to the mammoth easier, but also more confusing as sound echoed from one place to another.
They could easily become disoriented and Roark was thankful for the sun that was directly overhead helping them to keep their direction. All day Kii traveled closely behind her mother and little sister although she felt an ache in her belly from the morning until now. She gritted her teeth slightly as a sharp pain lanced her side and she moved her hand to cover the spot, letting go of the rope that tied her to her mother.
Taikiuu glanced back at Kii when she felt the vibration of the rope and saw that her daughter clutched her side. Her mouth set in a grim line as she looked ahead and saw that their progress would become even more of a challenge due to fallen rock and debris which would require them to walk in a scattered pattern and in some places it would be necessary to climb. She couldn’t imagine how the mammoth had made the climb with such ease but everywhere she looked she saw sign of the large animals.
She did not waste any chance to use the land whenever possible and even now she uncurled a wild boar skin and as she approached a huge pile of dung she knelt quickly and scooped up as much as she could in one fluid motion. The sun had done its job in drying the dung so that now, there was no odor or moisture left. She used the boar skin as a barrier and wrapped it tightly before tying it with twine. Finally when she was sure it was secure she stowed it in her own carrying pack.
Mar-ee watched her mother with curious eyes and she wondered what mystery would be unveiled when her mother decided to use the mammoth dung. She did not question or ask, she only watched in quiet observance and returned the gentle smile that appeared upon her mother’s lips as she made eye contact with her. Once again Taikiuu took her small daughter’s hand and helped her on their journey. They were entering an area that was sealed on both sides by huge cavern walls that rose at an angle, blocking out the light overhead.
Jon’lan slowed the group to allow them some respite from the weather which had started to turn on them slowly as he had feared. The wind whipped around them creating small funnels in the dirt at their feet. He watched the group carefully for signs of fatigue or strain and so far they were doing as well as could be expected. Kii lagged behind slightly but he wondered if that was more out of her desire to walk closer to Anaay than a sign of tiring from their journey. Roark had grown weary of the many times his daughter Yaa had stopped to scoop up handfuls of mammoth fluff and fur, even now her pack bulged with it and he had to hold himself back from scolding her. She was just a child after all and couldn’t recognize the danger they faced walking into the unknown.
Jon’lan led the group to a covered area with a slight overhang and motioned that they should rest. Anaay took only a moment to drink from the water skins and eat some of the dried meat that his hearth mother carried with her before signing to Roark and Jon’lan that he would scout ahead and return shortly. It went without saying that Giad would stay behind. This was not a place for a young boy to go exploring.
Roark watched as Anaay deftly untied Giad from his tether and took off at a fast lope into the cavern ahead. Kii drank thirstily and then stopped herself with a guilty flush, there was no telling when they would come across fresh water again and it must be preserved. Already it was a place of honor her mother had given her by allowing her to drink first. She felt shame that she had not considered the needs of her band first before drinking so readily. All of her emotions were plain to see on her face as Taikiuu watched her.
They were all thirsty, they were all tired, but the band must come first. Kii gave her water skin to her father and urged him to drink his fill. Jon’lan took only enough to assuage his thirst before handing the water skin back to Kii who then gave it to her mother. It was true that there was a scattering of snow that covered the area, but it would take many hands of time for the snow to melt and the water to heat against their bodies.
Taikiuu cautioned them against drinking cold water on their journey. If any snow was collected it must be warmed against their bodies first before drinking. Making a fire to heat the water would be time consuming and fool hardy. No one questioned Taikiuu’s wisdom in this matter, but Jon’lan was grateful for her softly spoken admonition. Mar-ee was eager to drink her fill and did not complain when her mother stopped her before she was satisfied. She had never eaten and drank so well before in her four summers and to her there was no slight, only surplus.
Mar-ee wished to sit near Yaa and it was as if the older girl read her thoughts because she slackened her own rope and scooted nearer to the child and the two girls bent their heads close as though sharing secrets. Yaa took out her awl and using pieces of her own hair as the thread she smoothed the mammoth hair that she had found into long flat pieces, then she fashioned a small covering that would fit Mar-ee perfectly, she sewed deftly as the little girl watched with interest.
Mar-ee could not know that what Yaa made with her hands was for her but she watched in wonderment as the older girl wove the pieces together until they took form. Yaa held up the garment and draped it over Mar-ee who giggled without sound. She signed to Mar-ee that this would keep her warm always and that she should keep it and the little girl threw herself at Yaa and hugged the covering to her.
Yaa asked Mar-ee to try the garment on after the child ceased jumping up and down with happiness. Yaa made a few adjustments so that the sleeves she had created would also fall down to cover the child’s hands if needed. Already the temperature had fallen severely and here where they rested there was little sun. The adults smiled in wonderment at Yaa’s skill with her awl and everyone was happy together for awhile as Mar-ee showed her mammoth covering to each person. Yaa had sewn an empty water skin into the hood and back to insulate the covering for the child. She bowed her head humbly when each of Mar-ee’s parents thanked her generously.
Roark marveled to himself that he had such a gifted daughter and he was thankful that he had not stopped her from picking up the shed mammoth fur during their travels. Anaay returned and looked at the youngest girl of their band wearing a c
oat of mammoth fur and he blessed them with a rare smile. Taikiuu watched as Kii kept rubbing at her stomach and finally signed to the girl to ask her if her stomach troubled her.
Kii started to shake her head no and then her eyes widened in surprise as she stood and let out a quiet gasp. She signed that she needed to relieve herself and although Taikiuu nodded she followed her discreetly. Her daughter stood in a sheltered area but Taikiuu could see clearly that there was blood on her leg covering, bright red and new.
Kii’s hand trembled as she looked at the blood and at first she did not understand how she could have been so very careless as to cut herself and then she realized the absence of any cut. She looked around and saw her mother watching her with a smile on her face that could light the sun and it dawned on her that she had come into her time as a woman, finally after fifteen seasons she had become a woman.
She cleaned her hand with sand and a bit of water as her mother whispered in words that were not of her language, but the language of the ancients. The joy that suffused Taikiuu’s face was enough for Kii to understand that she was issuing a blessing on her daughter who this day had become a woman. It was tradition that they should have a becoming a woman ceremony and that Kii should be kept separate from the group until her woman’s flow ended.
Only then as Taikiuu thought about all the restrictions on a woman during her moon flow did her heart constrict. But surely Jon’lan would show understanding on the issue.
There must be some way to keep Kii with the group and tied securely to them while she went through her woman’s flow. Yet Taikiuu felt her inner self tremble; so far she had never doubted her husband or tasted fear at his hand.
Taikiuu realized that she did not know her husband well enough to determine his thoughts on the matter. She would need to speak to him immediately and she hoped even now that he would agree with her.
Keeper of the People (Book One) Page 38