by Jack L Knapp
We also needed spears for everyone. The new ones would have longer and thicker shafts, better for use against the huge animals we could expect to face. I could salvage blades from the short swords, enough for a steel-bladed spear each. Eventually, when the steel blades broke or were lost, I would need stone points, and they would have to be better than what I'd made so far.
I explained this to the women.
“We can’t travel until Lee recovers. I know you’re better able to defend yourselves now, but even so, Lee or I will have to help. One of us would need to stay close, maybe do some trapping, while the other hunted.
“I expect we’ll be using a travois to haul heavier items. We’ll carry everything else in backpacks. We won’t be moving very fast and we won't go very far in a day.
“We can pick up the travois’ trails during the last hour before we stop so that we don’t leave drag marks. We’ll also change course while we’re carrying the travois, so if anyone’s following, they can’t find us by going ahead in a straight line. We can probably evade an ordinary enemy, but a skilled tracker will still be able to find us, which means we’ll have to take turns on watch, even though it will leave us tired.”
#
I left it at that. They could think about the things I'd said and we could talk later.
We had meat for the time being, but the half-carcass we’d made into bear jerky wouldn’t last long. I would have to resume hunting, and this time I would have to travel farther from the cabin. Animals already avoided this area.
Lilia, Sandra and Millie would have to share the task of caring for Lee.
The women would also have to range further afield. Simply put, we had gathered all that were growing nearby. The plants would come back, given time, but only if we stopped harvesting them, and before that could happen I hoped to be gone.
It would be safer for both of us if Lilia accompanied me, she looking for edible plants and herbs while I concentrated on hunting.
The traps would catch small animals, so that could be a backup in cases the hunting was poor; but we also needed fats, and large hides for leather. I would have to kill deer or elk for those things.
Larger animals would be even better, but I had no idea how I would kill something as large as a bison or ground sloth, and certainly not a mammoth!
And I wouldn’t be the only one hunting the huge grazers. Big game attracts big predators. Out on the grassy plains, I wouldn't have a handy tree for refuge either, which made hunting them extremely dangerous.
But there was probably no choice; I would have to do the best I could. The heavier bow I planned to make would help, and maybe I could choose my hunting grounds with safety in mind.
Maybe. And maybe the bison, what people downtime often called buffalo, would graze in bowshot of the tree-line. I could only hope.
What kind of bow? The Welsh longbow was excellent for warfare, but less suited for hunting in thick cover. English archers had used them in the forests, judging by the legend of Robin Hood; by comparison, the horse nomads of the Asian steppe had used short, stout bows and American natives had short but lighter bows. Another consideration; the longbows were so powerful that a bowman needed regular practice just to draw the bow, and they were unsuited to fast snap-shooting.
Something shorter than the longbow, then, but more powerful than the American Indian bows. My old, weakened, bow would suffice in the meantime.
#
I discussed my thoughts with the women, but Lilia wasn’t yet ready to hand over caring for Lee. She insisted on instructing Millie and Sandra before doing that and would help around the cabin until she was satisfied that the others were competent.
Felling trees for spear blanks would need to be done before I could hunt. The blanks could dry while I was away and they'd be ready when I had time to work on them.
As soon as I'd eaten, I took my spear and bow along and went looking for a tree or two that I could split for spear-shaft blanks.
There was a bit of residual muscle soreness, some of it from my wound, some from the fight with the bear. I soon worked through it and felt physically good. Mentally, I was still very concerned for Lee.
I soon crossed the stream near where I’d killed the camel. There was now little sign that anything had happened there; the scraps of skin and flesh had been eaten and the scuffs left from the fight had been eradicated by a short-lived but heavy rain. Sic transit camel.
I would likely leave no more sign than the camel when I passed. Pleistocene-age humans, those who lived in the Americas at the end of the last ice age, rarely lived to be thirty years old. My downtime knowledge might help, but it might also not be enough. Those ancient humans had also acquired knowledge, and theirs had been the specialized knowledge of how to survive in a world like this one.
Darwin’s World was primitive, violent, and untamed. I decided I liked it just as it was. It might kill me, probably would, but I would enjoy life until it happened.
I found and cut two suitable trees and carried the trimmed trunks back to the cabin.
#
I went hunting the next morning, circling the cabin while staying between a mile and a half and two and a half miles away. I soon found where larger, cloven-hoofed animals had left tracks and droppings; some of the pellets were the size of my thumb joint, and some were considerably larger. I found other droppings I thought might be coyote or wolf. There was also a larger pile, older, hopefully left by the bear we’d killed.
If not, there were trees I could climb. That bear, likely a short-faced bear, had been built for running, not climbing. The crippling injury to the foreleg would barely have slowed a more-robust grizzly.
If I was wrong about the scat, I had the bow and my heavy spear. Even so, I had no desire to find myself close to a healthy bear; for that matter, I didn’t want to be near a big bear with any weapon short of a cannon. I had the same healthy desire to avoid the great cats and dire wolves, or for that matter even the smaller gray wolves. I was strongly in favor of live-and-let-live, especially where the great bears were concerned.
Caution wasn't at all the same as cowardice.
Like the others, I had proven my courage. We had facing the bear, a scimitar-toothed cat, and armed men, all at close quarters. We lived, our enemies did not. Proof enough.
#
Hunting is best begun immediately before first light, when the herbivores are still feeding. But there were other things that hunted during this time, things that might hunt me. No, not the preferred time for a lone human to be hunting!
I hunted after first light the following morning but found nothing.
I would try for success again in the afternoon, when most predators were bedded down. The grazers might be stirring by then, looking for water and a fast meal.
Despite the tracks and droppings, I had nothing to take home for dinner. Even so, the morning wasn’t a waste. I found a tree that had been used as a roost by some sort of large bird.
It might have been the favored overnight home of a flock of turkeys; the ground under the tree was covered with droppings and cast-off feathers, showing this was a place the birds used frequently. I collected the best of the feathers and stashed them in my pack before moving on.
I finally arrived back at the cabin, tired, unsuccessful, but at least still safe. After a short rest, I would work on chipping points. The rough points I would pressure-flake to sharpness.
#
I broke as many points as I produced. Perhaps the early flint-smiths had done the same. More likely, I still had much to learn. I had begun with implanted knowledge, but skill would be needed to make the knowledge truly useful.
Lee had not awakened. The women had cleaned him when necessary, but he remained in a deep sleep or coma. I couldn’t tell the difference, and probably it didn’t matter.
Lilia decided to remain in the cabin for another day. The women had fashioned a number of clay pots during the time I was out. Someone had even taken the time to decorate the pots, alth
ough the etched attempts were not very elaborate. The clay would need to dry for at least another day before the pots could be fired to convert them into pottery.
Tonight, they would bake several loaves of bread from flour they’d made. We didn’t want to build a fire during daylight because someone might spot the smoke.
I felt much better physically, no longer sore even if I was tired from the day’s travels and an evening’s work after that. I considered approaching either Sandra or Millie later, but decided it wasn’t a good idea with Lee and his mother in the cabin with us.
Well, I had been celibate for months before I encountered Millie and Sandra. I would just have to forego a physical relationship for now, even though I had certainly earned it!
I had my own bed at least. Someone had stitched rabbit furs together into a pad that covered the camel-skin, and the two provided a cushion for the wooden floor. I needed no cover to keep warm, for now. More skins and furs would eventually be needed when winter arrived, whether we spent it here, on the trail, or in a new, defensible home. It was just something else we would need to plan for. For now, the bed was comfortable.
I had no trouble falling asleep.
Rising before daybreak, I spent a few minutes watching out the window. I saw no movement even though my eyes were well adjusted to the darkness, but I heard normal insect and bird sounds and that was even more reassuring. I went out, spear in hand, and took care of my morning business before passing by the spring to wash up.
Someone had begun the process of enclosing the spring while I was away. It would eventually be a lightweight fence that wouldn’t stop a bear, nor be tall enough to keep out the cats or wolves; instead, the fence would be more discouragement than barrier but better than nothing.
I thought we might improve the fence by slanting the points slightly outward, making it even more of a deterrent. The slender wooden uprights had already been cut with sharp points at the top.
There was an implanted memory of something called a ‘coyote fence’, made by lacing thin trunks together. Continue looping the rope around the trunks, tie every tenth loop into a knot, then continue the figure-8 pattern; implant the bottoms into a shallow trench to anchor the bases, then finally stand the fencing up at something a little less than a right angle. It would also be necessary to support the outward-leaning fence with vertical supports, but it could be done.
Such a fence would work better than a split-rail fence and be quicker to construct too. A wall of sharp points at eye level would cause an animal to back away.
I went back into the cabin. Someone had heard me go out and the women were up and preparing food.
Best of all, Lee was awake.
He was still groggy and unable to move about without help, but he was awake. In a short time we had him up and occupying one of the three chairs in the cabin.
So Lee would live, but wouldn’t be able to help me if we left now. It would take at least a month, probably longer, before he was fit. That made the decision easy; we would remain in the cabin during the winter and head northwest in the spring.
Lee was young and healthy except for his injuries. Despite his serious wounds, he should recover, given time. I had been worried about the loss of blood, but that would have killed him already if it was going to. The broken bones would knit, and the cuts on his arm were already scabbed over.
Lee would need to regain his strength before he could even go outside the cabin. The broken arm would cause him to lose endurance as well as strength while it healed. I estimated at least a month before he could go outside. Even then, he would need someone with him.
“Glad you’re awake, Lee. How’s the arm? “
“Painful. My mother has added more bruises to what the bear gave me.”
Lee would need meat in order to make a full recovery. Dangerous or not, I would leave before daylight tomorrow so that I might have the best chance possible of bagging a deer or an elk.
Lilia decided she’d go with me, leaving Sandra and Millie to watch over Lee.
He probably didn't mind.
Chapter 18
We breakfasted before daybreak and slipped out the door, Millie dropping the bar into place behind us. I knew which way to go, based on the direction the cabin faced, and we set off at a slow, cautious pace. We were the equivalent of rabbits in this wilderness, and there were but five of us that could be considered ‘friendly’. When you’re a rabbit, speed kills.
We still made good time despite the slow pace and frequent pauses to listen. Walk a few paces, pause; listen, and once we were satisfied there was no danger around, resume walking.
There was no need to speak. Lilia was close behind me and whenever I paused, she maintained position by lightly touching my arm. We had traveled at least a mile by the time the sky lightened enough for us to make out objects.
A small clearing lay just ahead, and a few hundred yards away from the clearing was the roost tree I’d found. I hoped there would be deer still browsing in the clearing.
Dawn is prime time for hunting deer. They feed in early morning, then head for a water source. By mid to late morning, they’re bedded down.
Bedding areas offer protection; they’re often in thick brush that will slow a predator’s approach or force him to make noise, or atop a hill where the deer can see anything that moves. And there are always escape routes, regardless of where the deer beds down.
Lilia had her bow and my light socketed spear was slung across her back. I carried my new heavy spear and the weakened bow I’d kept strung too long while recovering from my wound. I also had my axe and knife, indispensable tools for butchering. The axe would also be the tool of choice for fashioning a travois to haul our kill home afterward.
We eased slowly ahead, making no noise, but nothing moved in the clearing.
I had marked the location of a tree during my previous visit, ten yards back from the clearing. It had strong, sloping branches, easy to climb without making excessive noise.
I intended to wait in the tree; deer had been here, as evidenced by dung piles in the clearing, and there was no reason they shouldn’t return. Lilia was a complication; she could take this tree, I would find another one. It would be a more difficult ascent, but I was accustomed to climbing.
She went up the tree as easily as I could have. She arranged her quiver so that that a second arrow would be immediately available and made herself comfortable.
I used more strength and less flexibility while climbing my second-choice tree, but soon I was settled in, watching. My bow was ready, my quiver was conveniently placed. I laid the spear across a branch; I might need it eventually, but for now it was awkward and hampered my use of the bow.
Waiting, only my eyes moving, I scanned around the clearing. A glance at Lilia showed me that she was also perfectly still, clearly no novice at hunting. She glanced back at me, and then resumed watching.
The time passed slowly. The clearing remained deserted. A few insects buzzed, but none reached up to where we waited.
#
I had been sitting unmoving in the tree for two hours or so. It might have been a little more, but probably wasn’t much less. I was stiff and I suspected Lilia was too. Was this site a bust? Then I spotted a slight flick on the far side of the clearing.
A dark object, a tiny movement that covered only inches; I couldn’t tell what it was at first but it was moving and there was no detectable breeze. Finally I realized I was watching a tail.
The tail belonged to a long, tawny shape crouched in the brush at the clearing’s edge. The animal was perfectly still except for the excited twitching of that tail. If the critter wasn’t a lion, it would do until a real one came along.
This one was female, and she hadn’t discovered us. Sheer good luck, that tiny twitch; had we climbed down, the lion would surely have seen us.
And attacked.
I glanced at Lilia. I hadn’t seen her move, but she was watching me. I eased my hand out and wagged it from left to right. To
make sure she got the message, I slowly shook my head, no. We didn’t want anything to do with a lioness.
She was big and heavy-bodied. She also might not be hunting alone. Lions hunt in prides, don’t they? At least, they do in the world where the Futurist had found me.
We would have to roost in our respective trees until the lioness departed. Still, that exited twitch was a sign; she’d seen something, even if I hadn’t. I glanced at Lilia to make sure she had gotten my message. To reinforce it, I silently mouthed “Lion”, exaggerating my movements.
Her eyes opened a bit and she mouthed back, “Lion?” I nodded.
I turned my attention back to the lioness. I had a moment’s fright, thinking I had lost her, but she was still there even though the tail had stopped moving.
The lioness sank lower as she crept from cover, belly barely touching the ground, great muscles bulging.
But she wasn’t heading our way. She was clearly intent on something else, stalking instead of moving to a better position.
What had attracted her attention? Finally, I saw it.
The animal was huge, even larger than an elk. It had pale dappled spots on its side, a dark line along the back from neck to tail, a blocky body that was buff-colored but fading to cream along the belly. It had antlers like nothing I’d ever seen; they were huge, long spikes extending from a palmate structure similar to what a moose might have. Larger even than a downtime moose, this beast represented a species I'd never heard of.
The stag had spotted the lioness when she left cover. The head sank until the nose almost touched the ground, that formidable rack of spikes facing the lioness. The stag slowly stepped back.
The lioness roared and charged. She crossed the clearing in three huge bounds before reaching her full stride. Three more yards and a final bound would land her on the back of the stag.
That turned out to be a mistake.
The stag wasn’t intimidated. Was it instinct, or had it faced lions before?
Lions normally sneaked in close before trying to spring onto an animal’s back. Anchored by claws, the lion could then bite through the spine or hook the nose with a powerful clawed forepaw and break the grazer’s neck. If the prey attempted to run, the lion could race alongside and sink its teeth into the throat, suffocating the animal. Almost always, there would be several lions working together. Whether from breaking their prey's neck or suffocating it, a pride of lions usually killed.