The window of opportunity opened and as one, the team attacked, spears jabbing the beast from all sides, as small wounds erupted in the huge cat’s fur. Growling and hissing, the cat retreated, saliva dripping from his wicked jaws, bounding away into the safety of the trees. Amazed and thankful, Jonas breathed a deep sigh of relief. Perhaps the cat, like many predators, was a coward when faced with what he viewed as an unknown, and greater, force. Whatever the reason, it was too close by far. Abe, the healer, rushed to Jeremy’s side, staunching the flow of blood and ministering to the young man. The wounds looked bad and the kid had lost a lot of blood. Not a good start for the new beginning.
Jonas addressed the tense group. “It’s a hard lesson, but one that won’t be forgotten. Never, and I reiterate, never let down your guard. We can’t afford to lose even one member of this team. Watch your backs and watch each other’s.” That being said, Jonas knelt down beside the healer. “How’s it look?”
Abe frowned, his concentration focused on the matter at hand. “It could be better, but it looks worse than it is. He’s lost a lot of blood, but it doesn’t appear like any major arteries were affected. The biggest problem right now is the probability of infection. I’ll know more when I’ve had a better chance to examine him.”
“Get him up and back to the perimeter. You and you,” Jonas waved to the men, “carry him.” The bigger of the two easily hoisted the injured man up, hauling him across his back, undaunted by the added weight, and strode back to the camp. Those who had remained at the camp watched their approach with trepidation. Allie raced forward, medical supplies and bandages clasped tightly in her hands.
“I have some medical training along with midwifery,” she explained. “I was going to be a paramedic at one time.”
Jonas nodded, relieved to place the burden of Jeremy’s survival in the hands of others. He wasn’t good at watching his people in pain.
The stark reality of their new existence was evident on each member’s countenance. What had previously seemed like an exciting adventure now became a test of endurance and ability to face the unknown and survive. Subdued, the earlier upbeat attitude flew in the face of the events of a few moments ago.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
The first rays of daylight had barely kissed the treetops as Nathan and Riley made ready to leave the shelter. Packs and equipment were loaded on the small horse which now waited patiently at the exit to the back entrance. Burdened as well, Riley carried the remainder of the supplies, hopeful that Nathan, if less encumbered, would better withstand the rigors of the trek to the lower caves. Although protesting his complete recovery and stoutly reiterating his capability to cope during the long march, he was still too weak by far. His own load consisted of the larger portion of the weaponry—bows and arrows, small throwing spears, and numerous knives of varying lengths which hung from his belt.
Clutching the sinister war club in her hands, several knives secured in her boot straps for easy access, Riley was grimly conscious of the perils facing her newfound family in the days to come. Like a draught of impending doom, a sharp breeze blew into the tunnel as the rock wall rolled back, whistling loudly in the silence of the cave. Nathan exited first, cautiously scanning the countryside, careful to note anything out of the ordinary. Satisfied, he nodded for Riley to follow. Stepping from the tunnel, stomach in knots and hands clammy with sweat, Riley strode into the prehistoric landscape, fighting desperately to retain control over her timorous emotions. The goddess of dawn peaked through clouds made red from the sun’s first rays, suffusing the panorama with striking color. Trees bowed to the wind’s demands, gracefully waving their long limbs in greeting. It would have been a beautiful morning but for the fear choking her.
Nathan rolled the rock wall back into place. “No reason to make it easy for them,” he grinned. “Not like they’re houseguests or anything.”
Riley’s lips trembled in response, reaching for the lighthearted display Nathan was acting on. She did not doubt for a moment that it was for her benefit.
“I don’t suppose we can plan on being home by nightfall?” she murmured.
Shaking his head, Nathan destroyed her one small glimmer of hope. “Not a chance, babe, but if we’re lucky, we can reach the first cave by sundown.”
“And if we’re not lucky?” Visions of a night in the open terrorized her already traumatized mind.
“Then we’ll make camp and toast marshmallows and make S’mores.” Nathan started down the path to the animal pen with Demon running ahead, nose to the ground, checking for any interesting passersby. Riley fell in behind. Nothing changes, she thought dryly.
“I’m holding you to that one—and don’t call me ‘babe’!” She would kill for a bite of chocolate. It was such a warm and fuzzy memory.
A small chuckle escaped Nathan. “Why not? You are a babe!”
“You’re only saying that because I’m the only available woman!” Disgustingly pleased by that small compliment, Riley’s mood lifted. Heck, it was almost as good as a piece of chocolate—almost.
The trip to the animal pen was accomplished without incident, and the three sheep were soon tied to the lead rope and attached to the horse. Nathan left the entrance unblocked, allowing the remaining sheep their freedom. Riley couldn’t suppress a small tear from sliding down her cheek. They were so defenseless by themselves! They didn’t know what it meant to live in the wilds. It was with heavy heart that she stepped away, refusing to dwell on the outcome any longer. Too soon, she realized her error. Confused and alarmed, the sheep trailed after, bleating and jockeying for position, determinedly grouping around the ram. The whole darn flock followed!
“Nathan!” Riley called. “They’re all coming with us!”
Swiveling in response to the commotion, a look of consternation stamped on his features, Nathan’s eyes widened in surprise. “I wasn’t thinking! Should have realized before! They’re used to flocking, and we have part of the flock, so if these go, they all go! Only way to stop them would be to put them down!”
“Well, I certainly hope you aren’t going to do that?” Riley cried aghast.
Briefly hesitating, as though giving the gruesome option some consideration, he replied. “Actually, no! This might be a Godsend. If any of the newcomers are tracking us, they might just surmise we’re part of a wild flock and ignore us. In any event, the sheep’s tracks will cover any you and I might leave.”
“Oh, great! So now besides being a pack animal, I get to be sheepherder as well!”
Laughing, Nathan moved ahead while she trudged along, tripping over sheep as they jostled and bounced against her.
“Why do they all try to group around the ram?”
Nathan’s voice floated back. “I think it has something to do with the stronger moving to the middle of the flock for protection, something like that.”
“Well, that’s hardly fair! Seems like the little ones should be in the middle with that big guy fighting for them!” She almost felt like giving the big ram a swift kick in his fat behind.
“Better keep the conversation down as much as possible from now on,” Nathan quietly warned. “Sound carries way too far out here.”
Instantly contrite, Riley’s lips snapped shut. “What about the sheep?” she whispered.
“They’re just making sheep sounds. Animals make sounds in the wild. It’s a natural occurrence. They’ll calm down once they get into the swing of things.”
Demon kept up a dogged pace, alternating between running ahead and swinging around to nip a few lagging sheep on the butt, urging them faster. Must’ve been a sheep dog in a former life, Riley thought. He was doing a pretty good job, too, keeping the strays moving. Nathan stopped periodically, taking short rest stops, for which Riley was exceedingly grateful.
The load grew substantially heavier as the day progressed, the straps rubbing uncomfortably against her shoulder blades. The terrain was rough and hard to navigate, and along with the awkward load and addition of the wayward sheep,
she fell more than once, bruising her knees repeatedly. By noon, hungry, tired and thirsty, she was ready for a long rest, dropping the load to the ground with a resounding thump as Nathan called a halt. The horse bent down, cropping lush grasses growing in profusion while the sheep scattered to graze. The nearest large rock became the dreamed-of resting place. Easing carefully down, her legs aching from the stress of carrying the extra weight, Riley sighed in relief.
Concern etching his ruggedly handsome face, Nathan squatted down, watching her every move. Small lines of strain chiseled her soft features, but otherwise she appeared healthy. Tearing off a hunk of jerked meat and offering it to her, Nathan pointedly inquired. “Are you going to be able to keep going?”
“Do I have a choice?” Riley groaned, laying back on the rock and hungrily wolfing the meat down. “Maybe I’ve died and gone to heaven or, more appropriately, maybe I’ve died and gone to hell and the sheep are demons in disguise.” Demon’s ears perked up at his name. “Sorry, boy; didn’t mean to malign you.”
“Far as I can tell,” Nathan replied, “you’re still right here with me.”
“Dang it! I was afraid of that!” Riley thankfully took the water skin he offered, thirstily gulping the tepid contents.
“Save some for later,” he advised. “It’s still quite a trek to the first watering hole.”
Their resting place was high on the slope of a craggy, barren hillside. In the valley far below, a river raged rampant through the untouched beauty of the primeval landscape. In the distance, several large animals could be seen moving slowly in a ragged line.
“Mastodons,” Riley breathed, awed by the sight. “They’re really Mastodons.”
“To be correct, they’re Woolly Mammoths. I think Mastodons only roamed the Americas.”
“Oh, so now you’re an anthropologist or whatever, as well as everything else!” Feeling bitchy and tired, it was easy to grouch at him.
“I believe the term would be ‘paleontologist’. I never studied human development except when it pertained to the female of the species.”
Riley groaned half-heartedly. “You are so not funny.”
Assured that she was okay, Nathan stood up. “I’m going to backtrack for just a bit and see if we have any company.”
“Shouldn’t you be resting too?”
Grimacing, Nathan stripped off all but the barest essentials. “I should, but I can’t. We need to know if anyone’s behind us and, if they are, how far.”
“Can’t I do it?” Not that she really wanted to, but better her than him.
Chuckling, Nathan shook his head. “I’m only going back a short distance—where I can get a good view and watch for awhile. I won’t be gone long. Stay here and rest—you need it. I can barely carry myself and a few things more. I can’t carry you, too!” Motioning the dog to stay, he started back.
Riley watched his progress along the pathway they’d just descended. Slowly and carefully, he moved back up the incline, pausing every few minutes to rest. Losing sight of him as he crested the ridge, and nervous at being alone in the open, Riley heaved herself up, moving to squat beside the watchful canine, and resting against him for comfort. Barely acknowledging her presence, Demon’s eyes glistened as he focused towards the direction Nathan had taken, his ears twitching, nose sporadically testing the air for scent. The horse and the sheep continued to graze, content to meander aimlessly around the small grassy basin.
Riley reached for the water skin again, sipping slowly, warily eyeing the open hillside. Nothing stirred, but her nerve endings were tingling. Something didn’t feel right. The minutes dragged by slowly, and it seemed like forever before she finally spotted Nathan making his way back down. Though moving at a respectable clip, he was taking time to brush the ground with a tree limb. His face betrayed his agitation as he drew nearer.
“Get up!” he urgently whispered. “We need to get into cover fast! They’re tracking us and I don’t want to be caught out in the open. I think we’re about an hour, maybe two ahead of them, but I can’t be sure.”
Her heart pounding, Riley raced around, gathering up packs and strapping them on. Adrenalin raced through her system, the aches and discomfort of the morning’s trek forgotten in an instant. Nathan haphazardly brushed away their footprints and then started out, pulling on the horse’s lead rope, the sheep milling behind and bleating in confusion. “Leave the sheep behind!” he mouthed. “They’re only going to cause us to lose time.”
Riley tried shooing them away, but they only looked at her helplessly, bewildered by her actions. “Unless we leave the ram, none of them will stay.”
“Forget about them! If they follow—fine! If not, we can’t worry about it. Drag the limb and erase what you can!” The sheep seemed content to follow their lead, keeping up with the faster pace, unwilling it seemed to be left behind. Footholds were challenging, the steepness of the hillside increasing dramatically as they journeyed down. Below them, practically at a vertical drop, the river violently churned. Waves bounced and roiled over huge rocks and mist dampened the air. Fancifully, Riley imagined the waves reaching up and pulling them in to the deep, uncompromising waters. Fear of heights had always been Riley’s personal phobia and this was no exception. Vertigo hit with blinding force. Stumbling slightly and grabbing wildly for fistfuls of the tall grass, she hung on with desperate intensity, unwilling to let go, her eyes squeezed tightly shut.
“Grab the horse’s tail,” Nathan yelled over the noise of the river. “If you slip, he’ll keep you from falling.”
Refusing to release her tenuous hold, sweat dripping down her brow, Riley frantically clutched the slippery fronds, praying they would support her weight.
“Let go, Riley!” Nathan bellowed. “You have to let go! I can’t get back up there to help you!”
Though fraught with fear, she forced her eyes open, one at a time. Gingerly loosening her fanatical hold on the grasses, she managed to grab a handful of tail, seriously nervous about the horse’s predisposition to kick, but even more nervous about falling into the raging precipice below. Impervious to the dangers of their convoluted route, the horse pulled her along, his steadiness a soothing balm. The chasm loomed starkly beside them, rocks continually dislodging and dropping along their makeshift pathway and crashing down into the abyss. Focusing on the horse’s broad butt with forced concentration, she shuffled slowly forward; even a slight misstep right now would be hazardous in the extreme.
Nathan kept them moving, one eye focused on the hillside above. The tree line drew closer, the footing easier as they neared the safety of the denser vegetation. Breathlessly, Riley sprinted the remaining few feet into the trees, thankful to be away from the river’s edge. The sheep stayed the course, bumping and knocking her about in their haste to follow. Deeper into the darkness of the forest they burrowed until Nathan was satisfied they were safe from prying eyes. Tethering the horse under cover of a huge spreading conifer and motioning Riley to wait nearby, Nathan raced back to the edge of the tree line, searching for signs of the newcomers’ advance, Demon at his side.
The huge pines shadowed the earth below, the murky gloom sinister and menacing. Other than birds flitting through the trees, nothing moved, but Riley could feel the presence of watchers in the woods. The sheep huddled together, barely moving and for once silent, as though they too sensed the dangers lurking nearby. Slipping off the packs, Riley took a fresh grip on the war club, readying herself to fight should the need arise. What she wouldn’t do for a machine gun right now! Limbs moved and Nathan and the dog dropped down beside her.
“They’re above us on the ridge,” he breathed, “and they don’t seem to be in a big hurry to climb down the way we came. That might buy us some time.”
Without warning, Riley leaned forward, pressing her lips firmly to his. Startled, he briefly hesitated, then, cupping her face in his large rough hands, Nathan joined in enthusiastically, his lips and tongue plundering the silken warmth of her fiery mouth. When, after several minut
es the kiss ended, Nathan drew back quizzically. “I liked it, but what was that for?”
Deep in her eyes, sadness glimmered. “Because I might not get a chance later.”
“We’ll get through this,” he soothed, “you just have to believe.”
As though unhearing, she continued, “And I love you so much it hurts. I don’t want to lose you!”
“You won’t lose me. I’m not going anywhere.” His eyes twinkled. “Besides, you’re the only good looking female for miles. I haven’t forgotten that.”
A tentative grin warmed her strained features. “I’m the only female for miles, good looking or not.”
Pressing a soft kiss to her trembling lips, Nathan offered what little comfort he could. “You’re beautiful, and I love you so much it hurts, too! That has to count for something! Surely that great entity in the sky that protects all us idiots has a good reason for bringing you and me together. I can’t believe it’s just to die so soon.”
“Not dying is a good thing,” she agreed.
“Believe it! I do! And I’m not about to give up yet. The game has barely started.” He planted a smacking kiss on her willing lips.
“I’d feel a lot better if our side had a few more players,” she reasoned. “I doubt the sheep will make a good showing in a standup fight. Best they can do is to be annoying.” Her lame attempt at humor did not go unnoticed.
Flashing a quick smile, Nathan continued. “We should make it to the first cave tonight if we keep up the pace. Who knows? They might just get tired of chasing us and go back. At this point, they don’t really know who or what they’re tracking so we have the element of surprise here.”
“What element is that? That there’s only two of us?” Riley didn’t believe for a minute that they had any chance of surviving if the newcomers attacked.
“I have a few surprises up my sleeve,” Nathan replied smugly. “I didn’t come here totally unprepared.”
“I did find some interesting artifacts among your things, and I’m pretty sure they aren’t historically correct for this time period.”
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