Manak-na smiled. “Yes.”
Since there was plenty of time before the evening meal, Manak-na and Yomuk went to the creek and bathed in the frigid water. They shivered and dressed quickly, but they were invigorated and felt wonderfully clean. Each had brought a large skin to help keep them warm until they returned to the boatbuilders’ camp. It came in handy over their heads and around their shoulders. Once at camp, each crouched near the hearth to warm up.
When Wisdom returned color to the land, Manak-na awakened before the drum. He wondered what had caused him to wake up, but could find nothing unusual. He lay there wondering whether this adventure had been wise. Instead of learning many new things quickly, he found he contributed as much as he gained. He wondered if Domur was doing well. He hoped the winter wasn’t too bad. He thought about his children, Tuma and Mhank, and his grandchildren. So many uncertainties. It would not behoove him to think this way, he convinced himself. The drum sounded and he got up, his thoughts dissipating like a morning fog in strong sunlight and breeze.
Manak-na dressed and went outside. The morning was clear and there was a light wind. He remembered he was clean and he breathed deeply expecting his clean skin to breathe with him. He returned inside and food was already put out. He got his bowl and helped himself. This morning the food was outstanding. There was a tiny difference in the seasoning on the meat and there were blueberries. He would like to congratulate the cook, but it occurred to him that he’d never seen the cook.
He asked Rokuk, “Why do we never see the cook? This food is wonderful. I’d like to thank him.”
“Hope you don’t see him! A bear got him in the face. He can see and he has a nose, but his features are rearranged and he is terribly scarred. He hides from us, so don’t press it.”
“Do you ever see him?” Manak-na asked.
“Yes. I’m the only one. He is my cousin. And he does cook well.”
Manak-na looked sincerely at the man, “If there is ever a time when you can tell him, please let him know that I really appreciate his cooking. It would be hard to work here if the food were not so good. Rokuk, is he connected to the people who live up the hill?”
Rokuk smiled. “Yes, Manak-na. They are my people. We are from a people distantly related to the Mol. They live to the west of the big lake. Komus still makes contact with them. We are sea faring adventurers and have lived at the sea since time began. We all moved here from the far south. We lived on the sea coast north of here where it was very cold. We lived off seal, a food we love, and it keeps us healthy. When we split with those to the northwest, we moved here to continue with the sea. They moved further west. Komus’s people are part of our people. They live east of the other group. When the bear on that hill to the north injured Mirk, he didn’t want to have people looking at him. Our people already had an arrangement like now with the boatbuilders. The cook at that time was very old. The boatbuilders asked Mirk to learn to cook, so he could eventually take over from the old cook. It worked well. It solved two problems: we got a good cook and Mirk found a place he could work without being stared at. Mirk gets here before the drum in the morning and leaves after the drum in the evening. Sometimes he hears people talking about his food and it pleases him. I’ll tell him what you said.”
“You don’t go to your people at the end of the day. Why?” Manak-na asked.
“If you are a boatbuilder, you must live here. It’s part of the way things have been since time for boatbuilding began, and that is generations and generations and generations. I don’t mind. My wife died giving birth to our first child. I didn’t want another wife, so this life pleases me.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re here,” Manak-na said, and he meant it.
The hunters dispersed for the day of hunting, and the boatbuilders returned to the edge of the sea. A few of them looked at Manak-na and wondered what manner of man he was. He had solved a problem they had worked to solve and for which they were unable to find any solution. And he’d never built a boat.
The People had come to enjoy their temporary home. Food was abundant, caves were spacious, and they kept warm easily. Since the first white rainfall, there had been little more. Tiriku took off for the privy, and on his way back he heard a noise that he couldn’t place. He curiously followed the sound, trying to learn the source. When he reached the level of the pond, he found the sound came from the north end, so he jumped through untrodden white rain to reach it. There he found a raven with a strange looking wing. The two animals stared at each other. Tiriku had no inclination to injure the bird. The bird took heart and rested quietly to see what would happen.
Tiriku turned and bounded over roots and fallen limbs to find Ki’ti. He reached the home cave and looked all around, and then used his nose to find what his eyes could not see. Her scent went down in the cave so he followed as quickly as he could.
“What are you doing little dog?” Ki’ti asked when she spotted him.
He had been trained not to bark unless strangers were around, so he made very quiet whining sounds and trotted up to the main level of the cave. He turned to see if Ki’ti followed. She didn’t, so he kept repeating the pattern. Finally, she realized he wanted her to follow, so she did. Her curiosity was great. When she realized he wanted her to follow outside, she wasn’t very happy to go out, but she put on her boots and warm outdoor clothing and followed. Tiriku led her. Untuk-na followed Ki’ti. They took the strange route beyond the pond and heard odd sounds.
“It’s a raven,” Untuk-na said.
Sure enough, Tiriku had led them straight to a young raven with a broken wing.
“You brought me here because the raven has a broken wing?” Ki’ti asked Tiriku.
Tiriku sat by the raven as if they were friends. Ki’ti didn’t hesitate. Smiling at Tiriku, she lifted the raven into her arms and the raven remained calm. She turned and they went back to the home cave with the bird. Inside the cave the People were shocked to see Ki’ti arrive with a raven, but when they considered the dogs she’d had, they simply quieted and watched.
Elemaea saw the raven and raced over to her mother. “Is it hurt?” she asked.
“Yes,” Ki’ti replied and smiled at Elemaea. “Would you go outside and find something that the raven can use as a perch?” she asked her small daughter.
Elemaea put on boots and her warm garments for outside. Maig, the son of Tita and Keemu, joined her to help. It was a beautiful day and they went first to the bone pile. Nothing seemed right so they walked the path to the first night cave and found a branch that had fallen in the wind. It was large enough to support a raven without tipping over. They removed a few limbs that were in the way and carried their find back to the home cave.
They stopped at the entryway to hang up their winter gear and then found Ki’ti. She showed them a spot at the back of the cave where they could put the limb. They had done well, and she told them so. The youngsters glowed with the praise. Ki’ti added, “When you next go outside, you might look for some moss to put under the perch. It could get messy there.” The two looked at each other. They asked Likichi for a basket and left to find moss. They filled the basket and carried it back, putting moss under the perch where the raven was likely to need it.
Ki’ti meanwhile had been working with the raven’s wing. Finally, she asked for Likichi who was their healer. Likichi came over and felt the wing. She left and returned with leather strips that were fairly short and stiff and some other things, including honey. She had Ki’ti hold the wing in a specific way while she applied the stiff leather with honey and other pieces of softer leather to the bird. She folded the wing against the bird’s body, tied it with soft leather strips, trying diligently to construct the support so that it could not come apart. She knew the wing should remain immobile for a time. The raven seemed patient through all this attention, but he kept watch over what they did. It also kept looking at Tiriku. Tiriku could not take his eyes off the raven.
When Likichi finally felt satisfied that she’d
done her best for the raven, she handed the bird to Ki’ti, and Ki’ti put it on the perch. Likichi went to a place where she had many containers and herbs. She reached out for a small gourd. She went to the water gourds and put some water into the small gourd. She carried it to the raven.
“With all this attention, Raven,” she said, “you should heal well and don’t be a pest while you visit here.” The bird turned his head sideways and looked at her.
“I know a thing about ravens,” Likichi said sharply.
The raven made a really odd sound and sat there as if someone else had made the sound.
Likichi said, “I thought so. Behave yourself, Bird!”
The raven hopped off the perch and drank some water. Then it hopped back onto the perch and seemed satisfied. What astounded Ki’ti was that Tiriku curled up near the raven. He seemed to plan to remain there for some time.
As the evening meal was served, there was increased movement in the cave, and the raven moved around a little on its perch. After the evening meal, scraps were given to the dogs. Tiriku got his and Ki’ti watched as he brought it and held it out for the raven. She was astounded. The raven cocked its head, reached out carefully, and took the offered meat from Tiriku’s mouth. Tiriku bounded back outside and found a piece of meat much smaller for himself, but it seemed to satisfy him. Untuk-na came over to Ki’ti, who said, “Did you see that?”
“I did. I cannot believe what my eyes have seen, but I did see it.”
In another part of the cave Domur was busying herself with hand coverings she was making for Rish. She had found that keeping very busy was the best means to deal with the absence of Manak-na.
Just before they went to their sleeping place, Ki’ti and Untuk-na noticed that the raven had left the perch and was snuggled up to Tiriku. The vision of the two animals was one that Ki’ti seared into her mind web. It was to her utterly sweet. Never had she seen such a thing and she didn’t expect ever to see one again, unless it was these two. She and Untuk-na snuggled into bed but before they closed their eyes, they took another peek at the two sleeping animals. Tiriku was curled like half a nest for the raven.
When Wisdom returned color to the land, Ki’ti and Untuk-na were up and had their sleeping materials rolled up and stored against the side of the cave. Ki’ti took a piece of jerky to Tiriku and told him to give it to the raven. That way, he would get his own food. Tiriku seemed to understand clearly, because he trotted over to the raven with the jerky and held it out to the bird. The raven again cocked its head and then took the jerky from the dog.
Then, Tiriku raced out of the cave to the privy and back. The raven was concerned when Tiriku left the cave. The raven hopped off the perch and headed to the entryway hopping fast along the ground. It looked a sight with a piece of soft rabbit fur wrapped around it and tied and tied. The fur on the raven made it look ragged. Nobody in the cave laughed, but several of the People watched it, fascinated. The raven looked outside and did not see the little dog. It saw other dogs that were not as favorably impressed with ravens, and the bird backed up, unsure what these dogs would do. Finally, it spotted a fast moving little dog and realized it was the dog it knew. The raven stood in the entryway and was greeted by the little dog licking its beak and head. The dog was ready to continue licking the raven, but the raven took its beak and nudged the dog along the neck. Then, the raven returned to its perch and jerky. Tiriku got his food at the entryway, ate, and then came inside to the raven.
Winter passed very much as winters had in their prior home of the cave and bent trees. The weather seemed no colder or warmer. The place was very suitable and meat was plentiful. They had also been able to dry many vegetables and fruits for the winter so they had good food in variety. They loved the place and some were not looking forward to the time when they’d leave.
As days passed, Likichi checked the raven to see if the wing had healed. She had to wipe off the sticky honey and extend the wing. The raven looked at her with what could only be called surprise. The wing healed beautifully. Tiriku came close and began to lick the honey residue off the wing. At first Likichi tried to push him away, but the raven seemed to want the attention from the dog and held out its wing, so Likichi left them alone. She had, after all, done what she was asked to do. She wondered now whether there would be two animals living in the cave. She didn’t have to wait long for an answer. The raven hopped to the entryway. Tiriku followed. The raven went outside and hopped along the path for a moment. It tried out its wings and they worked. It swooped up into the air and came back down right next to Tiriku. Tiriku seemed to understand. It was time for the raven to go. The raven nudged Tiriku and then hopped a bit and took off to the skies, calling and calling. And then it was gone. Tiriku came into the cave, lay down near the perch and rested his head on his forepaws. He did not move his head. He seemed to know the raven was gone. For two days he remained waiting.
On the third day, Maig stopped Ki’ti and asked if she’d like him to remove the perch and clean the area of the raven’s perch. She told him she would really appreciate it. As soon as the area was cleared and cleaned, Tiriku stopped his wait and began again to follow Ki’ti wherever she went in the cave.
Occasionally when Tiriku was outside, the sound of a raven above made the little dog search the sky. Not all raven calls affected him. When he responded, Ki’ti was certain that it was the voice of his friend. They also began to notice that certain sounds of ravens meant that there was something afoot in their area, usually an animal, but sometimes it was an eagle. It was as if the ravens were telling them something about their environment. When they heard the sound, they’d check the pathways to be sure the notice wasn’t about a person.
One day as the weather warmed, they heard a raven call that announced something in their environment. Tiriku recognized the sound of his friend. Ki’ti and Untuk-na looked carefully and saw someone approaching from the west. It looked like Kipotuilak. Sure enough, the adventurer began the ascent to their cave. The raven flew over to Tiriku when the man started up the hill. The raven bounced its side right into Tiriku who licked the raven’s beak and eye. The raven rolled over and Tiriku played gently with the bird. Then, when the traveler came closer, the raven hopped three times and took off with a raucous call.
Kipotuilak said he was heading back to the boatbuilders’ camp. He just fit there so much better than with his people. Domur was devastated. She hoped that Manak-na would not be like this man. Kipotuilak asked if he could stay a night or two before heading on. The People at the cave were delighted.
That night he told about arriving home in the mountains. His wife was not really delighted to see him. She had been alone for so long that she had come close to another and preferred him. He left the bag he’d carried to her with her and the children and tried to fit in, but he just wanted to return to the boatbuilders’ camp and take another sea voyage. He said he considered remaining on the other side of the water where it was warm and fruit was available everywhere.
When he left, Domur felt relief. Maybe the boatbuilders needed him more than they needed Manak-na. She thought how wonderful that would be, but she knew that Manak-na would be an asset to any who knew him, and she let her hope evaporate.
Elemaea had found her fit. Her spear points and blades were becoming exceptionally good and she loved knowing it. There was something calming about making them. She could feel the points in the rock and was convinced it was her job to free the points gently from their stone encasement. Ekuktu-na was delighted to work with her. She seemed to have an inherent sense of how to free the point from the rock. Ki’ti was delighted. She had worried about her daughter and to know that she was happy doing something that was so needed pleased Ki’ti enormously. What still worried Ki’ti was finding her successor.
As the days became warmer, Ki’ti and Nanichak-na spoke about moving north. It seemed time to begin to gather what they would take and prepare. The white rain was gone from their area, only the wet soil still remained, and when tha
t was gone it would be time to start trekking. At the men’s council they discussed it. They would start to prepare for the move.
Manak-na and Yomuk had found a deer and had brought it to the boatbuilders’ camp. They were carrying two logs to the salting pen when they saw Pah.
“Halt a moment,” Pah called out. “We will leave in ten days. You both will go, if you still wish to travel on the boat.”
Manak-na realized Pah was asking a question. He answered, “I really wish to go.”
Yomuk who had paid good attention said, “So do I.”
“Then, when it’s time, report to the boat when the drum sounds. Do not stop to eat. Bring your things with you.”
“Will we have any other notice?”
“Yes,” Pah replied, “I will tell you again the day before.”
“Thank you,” Manak-na said.
“I thank you also,” Yomuk said.
“Wait until you are safely back here to thank me,” Pah said.
Manak-na smiled.
Yomuk copied his uncle.
After Pah left, Manak-na told Yomuk not to talk to the others about the boat trip.
“Why?” Yomuk asked, surprised.
“Because I don’t know who else is going. I don’t know if some people, who worked here longer than we have, may want to go and not be chosen. It is wise to keep your own information to yourself.”
“What if someone asks if we are going.”
“Tell whoever it is that you hope to go. That is true.”
“I see.”
“I am very excited to know how a boat like this one feels on water like this,” Manak-na said, feeling the excitement of youth.
“I, too, Uncle.”
“A few days. Just a few days.”
Time passed and when Wisdom returned color to the land, the men were up and dressed when someone came in the door. Manak-na was surprised to see Kipotuilak. All the men in the camp surrounded the traveler.
“Just couldn’t leave you,” he jested. The men were obviously glad to see him.
Manak-na's Story, 75,000 BC Page 13