Ki'ti's Story, 75,000 BC

by Bonnye Matthews

“What would you expect of Mootmu-na’s son?” she laughed.

  “Mootmu-na is a pretty tough old bird,” Chamul-na said with a glance at Mootmu-na. “Guess it makes sense. Kai was brave to be the person to call the rhino.”

  “I think so.” Totamu walked to the back of the cave to check on Amey’s progress. Pechki and Flayk had brought some skins and a leather strip to hold in her mouth for pain. They had gone for more leathers and a large gourd for water to wipe the infant and Amey.

  In yet another part of the cave, Blanagah was settling down with Hahami-na. She glanced at his red and white hair and wondered again whether she’d have a baby with red hair or brown like her own. She was still miffed at having had her hair cut, but it was growing in fast, faster than a lot of the other women. She knew that Hahami-na was tired. He had been going back and forth with the meat from the rhino to get it to the cave before nightfall. She massaged his shoulders and back. Then they stretched out together and he was asleep before her head was even down on the mat.

  Neamu-na took guard duty and the cave began to settle down for the night. The fire died down so that the shadows did not dance as high on the cave walls as they did earlier. There was great contentment in the cave overall.

  In the far back of the cave, Totamu and Amey struggled to bring forth the baby. As often as Amey had delivered, she’d never had this problem. The baby was obviously stuck. This occurrence was happening with more frequency among the People. Totamu tried to grasp the head without success. Amey was exhausted. They struggled through the night. Finally, Totamu took the desperate step that she knew she must. She hit the baby’s head with an elongated rock hammered by a stone, breaking the skull and the baby was born dead. She felt utterly sickened, but she was not willing to lose Amey. The remains of the baby were wrapped and ready for quiet burial, and Amey was cleaned before either woman slept.

  When Wisdom faded the night’s darkness, Minagle went straight to Likichi. “Mother,” she whispered, “I think I am woman.” Likichi could see the evidence and she quickly gathered the skins and the ties she had put aside for this day. She told Minagle to go to wash far downstream and to return quickly. Minagle flew to the stream. She washed quickly, pausing to chat with no one, and returned. Her mother showed her how to put the absorbent plant material inside the skins and then how to attach them to herself so they wouldn’t fall off. The girl was fascinated. She’d seen others wear these things, but to consider it herself, she never had. Likichi flashed five. “That’s how many days it usually lasts. Keep yourself very clean, she urged Minagle. Instead of using the bathing area, go further downstream. You do not want to get your flow in the water People bathe in.”

  “I understand,” Minagle assured her.

  “Keep checking to find out how your flow goes. When the absorbent material is used well, throw it in the back fire where cooking is not done and repack with more. We keep a large supply in the bag over there,” Likichi pointed to the bag that held the absorbent material from plants. “From time to time, gather some of the absorbent and contribute to the bag. It is something we all do.”

  “I will do that, Mother.”

  “Do not tell anyone you’re woman until the flow ceases.”

  “Won’t some of them see this undergarment and know?” she asked

  “Of course, but that is how it’s done.”

  “Very well, Mother. I will obey.”

  Minagle had very mixed emotions about being woman. It meant, no doubt, that she and Ghanya would join. She dearly loved the young man. But she also had concerns about how well she’d do in copulating. It still frightened her when she remembered Reemast. She knew she had to get past that, but doing it and knowing it seemed to be as far apart as a mountain top and the bottom of the sea.

  She walked down the rock walk toward the north. It went for a long distance, far beyond the area most People used for living. She walked to the end where it broke off into a ledge about twenty feet above the ground. The ground below was covered with spiked rocks that were very sharp. It was not a place where people walked. She sat down to try to sort out her life now that this complication had occurred. She heard footsteps behind her.

  “My Minagle,” Ghanya said quietly.

  She turned to look at his face, “My Ghanya,” she said using the greeting they had established.

  “I noticed.” He said the two words quietly and with love. He knew all too well what she must be experiencing.

  “Mother said it must not be discussed, but everyone knows when a girl becomes woman.”

  “Yes. In our former group it was announced.”

  “Ghanya, I love you with all my heart, but you know what happened to me when Reemast was alive. I am terrified that it could cause me to be not the best woman for you.”

  “Minagle, I know what happened. There was no way to keep that quiet. You have to know that I would never force you to do anything you didn’t want to do.”

  “But I don’t want to be a child all my life. I want to be fully woman. Please, don’t treat me differently because of what happened, just help me.”

  “What bothers you, My Minagle?”

  “It’s just that when he took me down in the cave and came so close to penetrating, I looked and saw what was about to happen. It scared me out of my mind web.”

  “Let me see if I understand. What you saw frightened you?”

  “Yes. His little penis was huge!” She gulped.

  Ghanya put his arms around her. “My Minagle. Do you not know that a man’s male member swells greatly for copulation? That’s just how it is. It may hurt somewhat the first time, but it gets better. It is a source of pleasure for both men and women. Now, I think that when we copulate, you should shut your eyes at first. That might help keep the memories away.”

  “Shut my eyes?” The thought had not crossed her mind.

  “You said what you saw frightened you.”

  “That’s true.”

  “Then, I suggest you don’t look.”

  She laughed. She wondered whether it might make a difference. They hugged.

  “We will do whatever is necessary to become two people who love each other as much as the parents we have and the other adults here. I have never seen such a group of people who love each other. It was not so where I grew up.”

  “Oh, Ghanya, that is sad.” Her brown eyes looked with sympathy into his.

  “That is why we are here. Your People have a better way,” he knew what he was supposed to say, he just wondered if he could believe it. “Now if I can just help you find a better way, I will have contributed something back.” He ran his fingers through her hair. It had grown to about a hand in length. He pulled her head toward his and kissed her. She melted. They walked back a little way to the stairs that had been built into the rock wall at the far end. They followed the path down the hill and took the curve around the rock wall. From there, they could climb up and sit atop the place where they lived. From there, they could see past the hill and out to the larger valley below. The valley was where the stream turned into other streams and they all headed to the river beyond. It was also home to a very large lake. Only a few men had been to the river or the lake. They sat there holding hands and not speaking. Finally, Ghanya rose and held out his hand to Minagle. “I must help with the meat. You should get back also.”

  She gave him her hand and he pulled her up for a last hug before they headed to the steps and the rock walk. Minagle felt that everyone knew she was woman. There was no way to conceal it. Why, she wondered, did her mother make it something to hold in secret for so long? In the cave, she went to a place where she would not be seen and checked the absorbent material. There was little dampness there, so she assumed rightly that it was not time to change it. In some ways, she felt that she and Ghanya were the only two people on the earth. She could not have found a better person to share her life with, she was convinced.

  Seven days passed since her flow began. It ended on the fourth day, and it was whispered about that
Minagle was woman even though by then everyone knew. Meeka was utterly frustrated. She was the same age as Minagle and she was not woman. It did not seem fair.

  Grypchon-na would make the pronouncement that night that Ghanya and Minagle would be joined. It was an exciting time. Minagle went to the cave to sweep it clean. She had chosen a cave at some distance from the main cave. She swept the walls and the cave floor twice hoping to remove any spider that might have been in the cave, and she took the wood that Ghanya had laid outside and began to place it for a quick starting fire. He had already made a circle of stones for the hearth. She returned the broom to the main cave and gathered their sleeping mats and covers. Her chosen cave was one of the smallest. They could easily have their sleeping area out of sight from anyone who might pass by, though passing a cave with newly joined couples was forbidden. The fire right in front of the cave would keep them warm and not smoky. Later, she took a water bag and a bowl of meat to the cave. When she walked in with the meat and water, she smelled something. It was a sweet scent. She looked around and discovered that there were wild rose flowers surrounding the sleeping area. She guessed right that Ghanya had surprised her with this special gift. He didn’t think like anyone she knew. She realized how thoughtfully he was trying to help her not to be frightened on their first night together.

  The group feasted on venison and the pronouncement was made. Grypchon-na began drumming and Ghanya and Minagle participated because dancing was obligatory. Shortly afterward, the two slipped off to their cave hand in hand. When they reached the cave, Ghanya picked her up and carried her through the entrance. She giggled at the gesture. He laid her on the sleeping mats. He had started the fire just before Grypchon-na made the pronouncement.

  “My Minagle,” he said.

  “My Ghanya,” she said.

  They fell into each other’s arms. Soon, they were out of their tunics and were touching. Ghanya had learned what the men teach of how to arouse a woman, and he began slowly. Minagle responded well. There was joy in their foreplay. It was slow and she found she craved more—until they reached the point of penetration. Ghanya was gentle and did everything he could not to frighten her. But despite her receptivity, she re-experienced the past. She panicked. She rolled over and drew her knees up to her chest. She wept.

  Ghanya wondered what to think.

  “You looked, didn’t you?” he asked.

  “Yes. I’m sorry! I forgot. And then . . . .”

  He lifted her to his lap and cuddled her while Minagle fought the demons of the past. It hit her suddenly. The picture she had carried all the years was of a male member surrounded by red hair close to her pre-pubescent female parts. She’d had no hair! This night, she remembered, had been of two adults with black pubic hair. The pictures didn’t match. Finally, she implored him to start all over again.

  “I’ve had a good hard talk with myself. Please, let’s resume.”

  Ghanya hoped that this time would be different. “Promise me you’ll shut your eyes,” he asked.

  “I promise,” she said.

  They began again and when it came time for the ultimate penetration, Minagle, true to her word, kept her eyes shut. She was not immune to the heat of wanting him, it wasn’t that. It was Reemast intruding that bothered her. She had fought her demon and made it clear to herself that this was the man she loved, not the boy she feared. She had conquered something basic, something that had frightened her for years, but she had won. This time, she felt initial pain, but then she felt a filling internally from this person she adored. This was joining! Finally, she understood. This was truly different. She contained him. His love poured into every part of her being. It was powerful but not frightening anymore. It was gentle and kind, not threatening. She held onto him as if never to release him. The demons were gone. She was woman.

  As they lay there drained, Ghanya breathed a sigh of relief that he thought only he could know. Little did he guess that a cave full of adults were hoping to know what he knew at that moment. He and Minagle were truly joined. It was good. In fact, it was so good that Minagle was asking for more of the same. Ghanya could not believe it, but he joyously complied. The two spent a full seven days in their cave. In some ways they did not want to return at all, but that was not the way of the People.

  Chapter 6

  Wamumur and Grypchon-na walked along the stream on a brilliant season-of-warm-nights morning. Birds were singing and the dogs frolicked in the area where they were permitted. Children were splashing at the stream. Men and women went about the busy work of cave life.

  “I think we should take that trip,” Grypchon-na said.

  “What trip is that?” Wamumur asked curious.

  “I told you when we first moved here that I’d seen a place I wanted to show you and Emaea and Ki’ti.”

  “I do remember. It was a long time ago.”

  “True, but I still want to show you. I’d like to know what you make of it.”

  “Why not plan a trip to gather medicinals and spices and other botanicals that we might need or have use for? That would give a purpose to the trip.” Wamumur couldn’t get his mind web around a trip that had no objective other than to look at something.

  “That could be arranged. I know that Totamu wants some more of the leaves she uses for her cough.”

  The men talked about the possibility of the trip for a while and finally decided to do it. There was nothing holding them. The hunting trips had been very good and they could spare the time. They would leave the next day. By the end of the day, the traveling party was set: Likichi and Grypchon-na would go; Nanichak-na would join the party; Mootmu-na and Amey wanted to participate; Lamul volunteered; Ghanya and Minagle decided to join; and Wamumur and Ki’ti would go; but Emaea refused to leave the home group just in case there was a need for her. All agreed that was wise, but Wamumur would have enjoyed sharing the trip with her. He did know that Emaea was concerned about Totamu.

  The next morning, all was ready. The dogs were laden and the group’s food was carried on a stretcher. Three of the older dogs remained at the cave site. They would be good watchdogs, but their days of long travel were over. The men also had backpacks in addition to the stretchers. Women carried lighter backpacks. Totamu had supplied numbers of baskets for the plants. She asked them to dig up the plants root and all. Basically, Likichi knew what Totamu wanted. She also would recognize plants they’d never seen and would bring those in another, different set of baskets.

  There was great excitement among the travelers for their trip. None of them had ever had to scout out a new land until Baambas. They had lived in the same area with seasonal moves for generations and generations. They had found a new place to live, but scouting the area was new. In their old homeland, they knew the area within a twenty day trek radius of their home. In this place, they had barely scratched the surface.

  The People said farewells and the little traveling group left. Ahriku was lightly burdened and he walked right beside Ki’ti’s left foot. Grypchon-na led the way. First, they followed a path to one of the northern fields where the men hunted. They walked across the field, startling some birds and causing monkeys to chatter in the flowering tulip trees. Then they stopped at an overlook and surveyed the lowland valley below. It seemed to stretch forever. Grypchon-na had an amazing memory of the route he took when he was scouting the area for wildlife. He took the little group the same way. They descended through a growth of birch trees and alders to the lower valley and followed a stream and then branched off crossing another stream. They followed animal trails for much of the way. All watched to be sure that the little dogs made it across the stream. They walked and walked, getting very warm in the afternoon. Finally, as evening fell, they found a rock shelter to use for cover for the night.

  Amey and Likichi began preparing the night’s meal as soon as the men made a fire at the hearth. Minagle brought the women whatever they wanted for the meal and Ki’ti tried to be helpful, but it was clear that making the evening meal w
as not her skill. She wanted to be helpful so Wamumur suggested she tend to the dogs with Minagle and then take Ahriku to hunt for wood. He cautioned her to look for snakes and to watch Ahriku for signs of snakes. She was delighted to have some way to participate and, fortunately, there appeared to be no snakes. She feared snakes.

  They bedded down for the night and then rose early the next morning to continue their journey. As they walked, Likichi would occasionally stop them to dig up plants. She was very serious about looking for them and she had Ki’ti looking also. Ki’ti knew many of the plants that Totamu used. Minagle had a lesser knowledge, but she too looked. At one point, Minagle called a halt. She had found a number of the plants Totamu used to help her breathing. She also found some that were similar but different and they gathered many of both. Ki’ti found some other ones, much smaller, but they were known to ease pain and thwart infection, so she gathered a supply. The men waited patiently, sitting at the edge of the forest.

  For days, they traveled, always northeast. Then, one night, Grypchon-na said, “Tomorrow you will see the place where the giants played.”

  Likichi looked at him as if he’d become lost in his mind web.

  Wamumur asked him to repeat himself, because he was sure he didn’t understand.

  “Oh, you understood just fine. This is a place that is so different from anything I ever saw that I thought you should see it. Maybe it has a story that can add to the ones we already have.”

  Ki’ti was getting very excited. New things always intrigued her. Wamumur was concerned enough after seeing her face light up that he said, “Little Girl, remember the problems that curiosity can create for you?”

  She shrank back and thought about his words. She did remember. She quelled the exuberance and brought it under her reason.

  They ate their evening meal and settled down to sleep as soon as supplies were repacked and ready for morning. Wisdom had removed all the color from the land. Ki’ti lay on the ground looking at the heavens. The stars were so huge and plentiful that it could almost take her breath away and she was familiar with them. Ghanya was having the same reaction to the beauty of the night sky. Each knew that some people had a capacity for joy at seeing things of beauty while others were not affected. They could not understand indifference to the view that was above them.