The Way of the Seed_Earth Spawn of Kalpeon

by Richard Dean Hall

  The intent was to summon the living manifestation of the image on the day of the hunt. As the rituals became more elaborate, the men would dance in the chamber and attempt to repeat Ahru’s vocalizations as he danced to summon the animal spirits. If the hunts were successful, as they almost always were, a feast was prepared for the entire clan and held at the sight of Cha’s images in the cave’s largest forward chamber. At one of the first feast rituals, Ott rose and began recounting the hunt to the entire assemblage of the clan. He pointed excitedly toward the bison that had been killed that day and tried to convey that Malan had thrown the first spear. He pointed to the auroch, raised his spear, and shouted Malan’s name and the sound of exertion Malan had made as he had thrown his spear. In an excited vocalization, the sound came out as Malan—aah! Several of the men mimicked Ott’s movement and the sound.

  Days later the men sat along a game trail waiting for their prey. When a single deer appeared, Ott gave the command to throw by shouting the word malanah. From the day of that hunt, the command to throw spears became malanah. Other words resulted from the storytelling at the feasts and hunt rituals, and their meanings gave rise to a quicker understanding of past events and future. Gestures were being replaced by language among the clan.

  19

  Cha’s position in the clan was now more blurred than ever. Although she performed routine tasks at the hearth she shared with Ott, she was viewed differently than any of the other women. The power of the images she had brought to the clan had elevated her to a position of unspoken respect among all members of the clan.

  The fact that she was Ott’s only mate further enhanced her stature, and she was always the only woman permitted at the ritual held before each hunt. Her participation at the hunt rituals was the same as most of the lower-ranking males. She sat and listened as Ahru danced and called the spirits of the animals to be hunted. Then she would listen as Malan and Ott indicated where the hunt would take place, which animal would be hunted, and how the hunt would proceed. She did not participate in the ritual of passing spears and blade points over her images of the selected animals, and it was understood that she would not participate in the actual hunt, yet she sensed that at some point she would be called upon to do something. She was waiting for the time to come, but when it did, it was unexpected.

  Cha sat in her usual place next to Ott as the fire blazed in the chamber of the first images. She waited for Ahru to begin the animal-spirit dance, but this night Ahru sat quietly. Instead, Malan and Ott rose in front of the assembled men. Everyone recognized the departure from what had come to be the common sequence of events. A slight wave of anticipation rippled through the men. Cha watched intently as Malan nodded to Ott, who made eye contact with each of the men.

  In a low voice he uttered, “Malanah Prog.”

  The announcement was not unexpected, since Ott had let it be known earlier that the next incursion would be at the cave of the Prog, yet it still caused a stir. None of the men knew how many of the Prog occupied the cave. Until now, the pitched battles and ambushes had been planned and executed on common ground. Bringing the conflict to the home of the Prog was altogether different. The men would be in unfamiliar territory. They knew exactly where the cave was, and most had viewed it from the safety of a high ridge overlooking a small river that ran below the cave opening. On several occasions, Ott and others had watched as more than a hundred Prog men, women, and children gathered at the cave entrance. Their exact number was unknown, but even considering those killed in the frequent battles, it was expected that the number of men remaining at the cave would be formidable. They would be defending their home. The clan would need a solid plan of attack if they were to rid the area of the Prog for good.

  The men looked to Ott and Malan for the plan, but they still lacked confidence. Ahru sensed their unease, and as Malan and Ott laid out the plan of attack, he stared at the quietly seated Cha. The plan appeared simple as Ott explained it in detail and traced the men’s movements in the dirt. All the men would proceed at night to the ridge overlooking the river and the Prog cave. At the ridge, they would divide into two groups and proceed to the river, where one group would venture upstream and the other downstream to a point where they could cross with a minimum of noise. Each group would be flanking the cave mouth from opposite directions. They would wait until dawn, when the Prog would gather at the mouth of the cave. When most of the Prog were assembled, the group upstream led by Ott would rise and hurl their spears. When the Prog began their rush, Ott and his group would fall back, pulling the Prog away from the cave entrance. Then the second group, led by Malan, would rush the cave entrance and begin shouting. Ott suspected that at this point the Prog would fall back to regain the entrance. If they did, he would then press the attack from his feigned retreat. The Prog would be caught between the two groups, who would be carrying as many spears as possible. The two groups would continually throw their weapons and fall back, avoiding direct hand-to-hand contact until as many Prog as possible were wounded or killed. Then Ott would give the command to close on the remaining Prog from both sides and finish the battle as they had at the previous ambush.

  The plan was well crafted and the men understood what was expected of them, yet Ahru sensed their apprehension. They needed something to bolster their spirit and quiet their anxiety. Ahru rose, and all the men turned their attention to him. He stood silently and then pointed with an outstretched palm toward Cha. Cha understood the shaman and felt the men’s emotions. The time had come, and she was ready.

  Cha rose from her position next to Ott and walked to the ledge where she stored her painting tools. She took a piece of sandstone with a naturally formed concave bowl and proceeded to pour hot tallow into it. She mixed red ochre powder with the hot tallow and moved to a prominent spot on the rock face. Using a small bone with a flat edge, she dabbed at the mixture and then applied it to the rock face. The men watched intently as she formed three red dots aligned in a row. When the image was finished, she took the bowl and approached Ott. She raised his right arm, and as he held it in place, she applied the same pattern on his arm above the back of his hand. As everyone looked on, she reached around and took the spear from his other hand and applied the symbol to the shaft. When it was complete, she led him to the rock face and guided the spear to the symbol on the wall.

  Ott touched the symbol with the spearpoint as Cha murmured, “Malanah Prog,” twice. As Ott turned and faced the men, Malan walked to Cha and extended his arm and spear. All the men remembered what Cha had done at the first open encounter with the Prog, and now they all understood her power.

  The following evening the clan warriors gathered on the ridge overlooking the Prog cave. They built a fire on the backside of the ridge below the sight line of the cave, and as they waited for dawn, they were confident and ready. Each carried the red dots on their arms and spears.

  20

  Numbing cold water swirled around the feet and ankles of Ott and the others as they slid down the bank and one by one stepped into the gurgling stream. Less than a hundred yards upstream, the group of Cro-Magnon warriors led by Malan had already crossed the shallow expanse of water and made their way to a line of low shrubs and trees that angled off the expanse of the cave entrance. In a low crouch, they entered the thicket and spaced themselves a few feet from each other, facing the cave. They settled into position with spears at their sides and waited motionless for daylight and the appearance of the Prog. Moments later, Ott and his group positioned themselves at a similar tree line on the opposite side of the cave entrance. All eyes strained through the darkness at a small, flickering fire under the overhang that extended over the cave entrance.

  As the first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the gray curtain of dawn, Ott squinted as a silhouetted figure emerged in a slow, stumbling gate from the interior of the cave. Draped in a hooded robe from head to toe, the figure approached the fire. It bent forward from the waist, and a deep, barking cough rattled from the hooded fac
e. Rays of sunlight stabbed through the mist and smoke of the smoldering fire as Ott and the others watched the strange figure drop to its knees and pitch facedown on the dying embers, where it lay motionless.

  The Cro-Magnon maintained their vigil as the rising sun burned off the final wispy shrouds of early-morning fog. The cave entrance remained devoid of movement and activity. An eerie silence hung in the still morning air. No Prog appeared from the shadows, and the hooded figure remained still. The sun climbed full above the horizon, warming the backs of the crouching men, when a small fox emerged from the brush adjacent to the cave and trotted to the hooded figure’s prone body. As it circled sniffing the hooded figure, Malan rose and walked toward the cave entrance. The fox sighted him and with a short yelp darted back into the brush. All the men stood as Malan approached the body. From opposite sides of the cave entrance, the men closed in behind Malan, apprehension giving way to curiosity.

  They suspected the cave was empty, but they had no idea what they would find. Ott walked to where Malan stood over the body and poked at its back with his spear. He leveraged the spear under the torso and rolled it over. The face of the Prog corpse was old and framed with tangled, wispy strands of gray hair. The chin and mouth were covered with a frothy layer of pinkish-red blood, and the face was covered with gray pustules. With his spear, Ott spread the hide covering to reveal the same lesions covering the chest area.

  Viewing the corpse, all the men backed off and proceeded around the body, following Malan and Ott into the cave interior. The angle of the morning sun illuminated the interior, and the men spread out and advanced cautiously. Small puffs of fine ash from innumerable fires rose in their footsteps. Dry, white bones were scattered everywhere and reflected the growing light. Aside from the advancing Cro-Magnon men, the vaulted cave was still and silent. A repulsive odor hung heavy in the thick air. Malan recognized the odor and lifted his arm to cover his nose. It was the smell of death, the smell of rotting corpses.

  In a few more steps, the growing light revealed what Malan had suspected: the cave was littered with bodies. Men, women, and children lay in motionless heaps. Some had died as recently as the previous night. Others had stiffened in twisted contortions, and some had begun to bloat. The men surveyed the bodies and quickly understood what had happened. Any of the Prog that had not been touched by the death spirit had fled the cave when the others started dying. The hooded old man had been the last to die.

  Malan had seen it before. When the spots formed on the body and the coughing started, death was certain, and always no more than two days away. He knew the other Prog had fled the cave, preferring to face the open environment rather than the certain death that now dwelled in the cave. With a final glance, Malan turned and signaled the men out. Like the fox, the larger meat eaters would soon close on the odor and the bodies. Before nightfall, wolves would snarl over the bodies and the cats would drag them to their lairs. Within two days, nothing would remain in the cave except gnawed and scattered bones.

  21

  In the weeks following their planned attack, no Prog were sighted and game was more plentiful than ever. Meat was dried regularly and available to everyone. Each night cooking fires crackled, and no one went hungry. The success of each hunt was attributed to the animal spirits captured by Cha on the walls of the cave, and each night all the hunters of the clan would gather to view the paintings and recount the events of the day’s hunt. Ahru continued to lead the nightly ceremonies and pre-hunt rituals. They became more elaborate, and many of the men joined him in the dances and incantations. The telling and retelling of hunting stories gave rise to new meanings for sounds, and their language continued to grow.

  Once a month, at the height of the full moon, the biggest ceremony of all would be conducted in a special cathedral-like chamber deep in the interior of the cave. In this chamber, Cha had created many different renderings of the animals that roamed the valley, but unlike other areas, the central and largest painting in the chamber was not of the animals, but of three large, ochre orbs. And unlike any of the other rituals, the ceremony of the orbs was attended by everyone, including all women and children.

  The ceremony of the orbs differed in that it did not deal with the success of the hunt and which animals would be hunted, but rather with thanking the spirit of the orbs for all aspects of clan life. At this ceremony, Cha and Ott sat to Ahru’s left and Malan sat to his right. At all other ceremonies, Ahru sat alone. The first story told was always of the spirit of the lights, of the disappearance of Ott and Cha, and of the first encounter with the Prog. And from the ritual a sense of balance and strength grew among the clan. It was as much felt as understood that the clan of Malan was somehow chosen for something more than physical existence. This feeling was no stronger felt than at the ever-growing ceremonies conducted by Ahru and now routinely attended by everyone. Symbols, spirits, and rituals now formed a cohesive connection between every member of the clan. The roots of religion had arrived in the image of three red orbs.

  With ample food in steady supply and the threat of the Prog gone, the clan’s activities increased beyond the daily search for food. Hides were prepared with more time and attention. Body coverings took more shape and were stitched carefully with sinew and adorned with shells and intricately carved bone. Many of the men, and especially Ott, centered their attention on refining their tools and weapons.

  Along with refinements in tools, weapons, and clothing, the clan developed more and more successful hunting techniques. They learned the migration patterns of certain species to plan their hunts. They knew where and when the animals would appear and developed the best strategies for conducting the actual hunts. Some animals were tracked and stalked, while others were ambushed near grazing fields and water holes. Snares and traps were set for smaller animals. The clan’s food supply became reliable, and the size of the clan grew.

  As time passed, Ott assumed more authority and established his dominance within the clan hierarchy. He was respected and admired as a master spear crafter and toolmaker, and his ability to plan the regular hunts was rarely questioned. And though it was becoming apparent to everyone that Ott would someday assume the position of leader, he never in any way challenged the authority of the aging Malan.

  The respect was genuine. From his boyhood, Ott, like the other young men of his age, had known Malan’s authority. It was he who had led the clan from near starvation to the new cave and the game-rich valley. And it was Malan who was always there to show strength, teach, and provide order. If cooperation among all members was the essential fabric for group survival, then Malan was the instrument that wove it together.

  As the seasons drifted into each other and years passed, Malan gradually relinquished his role as leader and passed more authority to Ott, who accepted the role by his actions and the others’ willingness to follow his leadership. He planned and led the hunts and distributed food to those unable to hunt. He assigned responsibilities to everyone on a communal basis, ensuring that everyone participated in productive group interactions. Fire tending, food gathering and storage, toolmaking, hide preparation, and all other essential activities were done by individuals selected by Ott, and no one challenged his growing authority.

  22

  Ott padded along the bank of the slow-moving stream, scanning ahead for any sign of movement. Beside him walked a young boy, called Graf, who carried a small spear Ott had made for him. Aside from size, it was identical to the two spears Ott carried. Graf had hurled it hundreds of times until it felt like an extension of his arm. With each throw he had imagined this day, the day of his first hunt.

  All the men of the clan fashioned spears for themselves and made smaller versions for their young sons. Over the years a natural sequence of events had matured into an initiation ritual that prepared young boys for actual hunts. After being given a spear, every boy was expected to practice as often as possible within the immediate area of the cave. Lizards, snakes, small mammals, and birds were all tracked, sta
lked, and killed by every boy in the clan. The practice did not take on the air of play. The boys knew they were being watched by the men and realized the immediate stature that came with being permitted to join in actual hunts. When a boy became proficient enough to regularly kill small prey, he would be singled out and permitted to accompany his father on excursions for small, harmless game near the cave. If the boy was fatherless, any of the adult males could provide the lessons.

  This was the case with Graf. He was the son of Nin the medicine woman. Her mate had died after being mauled by a marauding lioness while returning from a hunt that had extended into nightfall. Ott had assumed the role of surrogate father and watched over the boy. It was a role he enjoyed, for unlike most of the men of his years, Ott had no offspring. Though he had shared a hearth with Cha for five seasons, she had yet to conceive. Teaching the boy fulfilled his natural paternal instincts, and he took care in teaching the young boy the skills of the hunter and the ways of the clan. Graf took great pride in the fact that he was being taught by not only the most proficient hunter of the clan, but also by a leader whom all expected to someday replace the aging Malan. Graf’s pride was reflected in a slight smile as he glanced up at his mentor.

  Ott scanned the banks of the stream as they walked in the early-morning sun. Suddenly, he slowed in midstride and dropped to one knee. The boy stooped beside him. Ott motioned toward a tangled growth of vines on the opposite side of the stream. On a mound in front of the thicket, a large, mottled, black-and-brown hare grazed the thick grass of the stream bank.