Tansy had Aidan teach her how to cure a hide and she was good at it. She found all she needed was to ask the others, and they were more than happy to pitch in to help her, especially when the garment was intended for them. They would all be in need of warm winter clothing soon enough. But she realized Ethan was right, they needed to share all of their knowledge. If something happened to Tansy, she needed to know the others could prepare what food they needed as well as identify the plants useful to their survival.
“I can’t cook,” Clint stated.
“Neither can Shanie or Emmy,” Cord said with a hearty laugh.
Emmy threw a piece of meat at him; Shanie just stuck out her tongue. “A woman’s tongue has better uses,” Cord said lewdly. This time, Tansy threw meat at him.
“Alright, alright,” Cord laughed, he tossed the meat to Lucky who caught it eagerly in mid- flight.
The dog had grown very large. All assumed he was part English mastiff and perhaps part Irish wolfhound. His back was higher than Michaela’s head and he had yet to grow into his great paws and long legs. He had filled out to a healthy impressive size due to the fawning and overindulgence of everyone in the mine.
“Well, how about tomorrow we’ll have a community cookout?” Tansy suggested.
“That sounds like a great idea,” Ethan said.
“May I help?” Rose asked quietly.
Rose seldom contributed to their conversations and her question was well received by all.
“I for one would love your help,” Tansy told her. Rose hid a quick smile and accepted the wooden cup of milk Tansy offered.
Michaela yawned and climbed up into Clint’s arms. She begged him for a story; he did his best and used signs and exaggerated movements to include Max in the telling. Soon all the children were held enthralled about a bunny and a bug, the only animal signs Clint knew well.
It was Shanie and Emmy’s night to clean up, and they gathered then washed off plates in a large old white plastic sink near the mine entrance, situated beside one of the wood stoves to make certain the pipe didn’t freeze in winter. It had been rescued from a basement where laundry water had once drained to a sump pump.
Ethan and Aidan had attached a small hose from the pump to the drain under the sink leading outside to a small culvert they dug leading away from the mine. The piping was covered over with straw. Once water was heated, it was poured into the basin; a wooden plug had been fashioned as a stopper. The dishes were washed and dried using clean rags made from an old bed sheet, then placed inside an old four-drawer silver filing cabinet for safe keeping from mice that occasionally roamed within. Lucky proved to be handy in the mice area; he had developed a taste for mice while he and Cord had tracked the others together, and his ability to sniff them out was uncanny.
Tansy ladled out tea with small amounts of brandy. This was her favorite time of day. When they could relax and tell stories while sitting together like a family around the fire. Cord and Aidan secured their makeshift doors to the mine for the night and made sure the goat had water, having used an old plastic toy box with no lid for a trough. Aidan planned to gather large amounts of long grass and hay in the morning and wondered out loud how they could harvest some to collect for the goat. They would need enough for the winter months if they planned on keeping her.
“I guess it’ll just have to be good old-fashioned back-breaking work,” Ethan said.
“Maybe I can make a sickle,” Aidan muttered.
“Maybe we could all make a sickle. Then we could use them on the wheat, rye and barley in the fall as well,” Cord suggested.
“That’s a fine idea,” Tansy said.
“So what will you be doing tomorrow?” Ethan asked Tansy.
“I’m going to try my hand at cream or something.”
“Butter?” Rose asked wistfully.
“Yes, butter,” Tansy said, giving the girl a quick hug.
“Butter and your flatbread,” Clint said with hopeful eyes. “I can hardly wait.” He then tucked Mike into her bed and kissed her on the cheek.
Tansy ran a cool hand over Max’s forehead and signed good night to him; he signed it back then rolled over and was asleep in moments. Ricky protested he was older and should be able to stay up longer. This was met indulgently by his father, but when Ricky found they were only talking about food preparations and harvesting, he soon succumbed to his own weariness. Even though he was only a child, Ricky was still expected to collect wood and do tasks around the mine as were the other children including Michaela. They needed to learn that even at such a young age their help was required and necessary to aid in their survival. Ethan placed Ricky into his bed. The adults soon followed. It had been a long tiring day, but a good one.
* * * *
Tansy was up early the next morning before any of the others. She took a pot down to the goat and milked her. She didn’t know how long it took for cream to rise to the top, or if goats produced cream, but she was going to find out. Worrying about the heat spoiling the milk, Tansy placed the liquid in a large mason jar emptied of its contents long ago. She walked to the stream and finding a small niche placed the jar in the somewhat tepid water, surrounding it with sticks and other vegetation to keep it immobile and covered from the sun.
The water looked too enticing to resist, and Tansy shed her clothing and was splashing and dunking down up to her neck in the cool clear water. Tansy found a few roots by the stream bank that soaped mildly when rubbed together. They didn’t get her as clean as her own soap, but they left her smelling fresh.
Early morning was hot and the water was a welcome treat before the rigorous days activities would engulf her. The few moments she had were precious. Tansy loved the children and adults in her new family but privacy and real alone time were rare. She took complete advantage of the situation. As the hour waned and the sun rose higher, she realized reluctantly it was time to return and begin breakfast.
Turning to exit the stream, Tansy stopped dead in her tracks, the tune she had been humming in the back of her throat died abruptly on fearful lips. The cool clear water lapped at her naked thighs. Staring at her, head lowered and unmoving or blinking, stood a young, large, almost mane-less male lion.
Chapter 19
Tansy’s heart pounded in terror, she had no weapons; her clothes, what there was of them, lay on the stream bank. There was no hope in swimming away; the stream wasn’t wide enough. The lion would be too fast. And though he was young, at this moment he was by far the largest lion she’d ever seen.
The lion entered the stream, his paws rippling the clear water. The sand beneath his feet stirred small clouds of dust as his claws unsheathed; a low growl emanated from deep within his throat. Tansy whimpered and backed away. She knew it would be just a matter of seconds before the lion pounced, his claws and fangs no doubt going for her jugular. She screamed and reached under the water for a rock; she flung it hard. It connected with the lion’s nose. He roared in anger, the sound more terrifying than a tornado, and sidestepped, continuing his advance with hesitant determination.
Although ineffective, Tansy scooped up rock after rock, pelting the advancing menace. Her teeth chattered, her body shook with mounting terror at the hopelessness of her situation; she was going to die. Panic set in at her anguish of never being able to tell her girls she loved them one last time.
Tansy backed up until she stumbled and fell. The lion pounced. Tansy screamed repeatedly; she heard the splashing of the lion as it charged toward her, his powerful body sloshing waves against her with his approach. The water choked her as it flowed down her throat. She flailed her arms while struggling to breathe and connected with solid muscle.
She struck out, but her arms were pinned to her sides and she was lifted up off her feet. She took in ragged gasps for air as her pitiful struggling ceased in exhausted defeat, succumbing to the more powerful foe. It took her a few horrifying moments before she realized she wasn’t being eaten alive, but held firmly to a rock solid chest. A soft voic
e was penetrating her terrified mind with soothing words as long legs took longer strides out of the water and up onto the grassy bank.
“Easy honey. You’re fine. I killed it.”
“It was going to eat me,” she whimpered. Her arms reached up and locked around Cord’s neck. She clung, terrified he was a dream and she was at this minute actually being eaten alive.
“It won’t be eating anything anymore.”
Tansy continued to sob into his neck, pulling him closer, grateful for his presence. Her wet cool chest pressed against his warm almost unclad large body, seeking his protection. Reality returned slowly and Tansy remembered she left her clothes back at the stream. She began to pull from him. Seeing the tips of her dusty rose colored nipples, she once more flattened herself against him, her knees pressed together.
“Cord, I’m naked.”
He chuckled. “I was wondering how long it would take you to realize that. I figured it out right away.”
They approached the mine and Cord entered carrying her clutched against his chest, his one large hand pressed against her bare behind.
“What the hell?” Ethan gasped, he had just woken up.
Cord carried a dripping Tansy over to her bed and kneeling down placed her on top of it. He turned to see Clint stand up and glare at him. “Now hold on. Before you slug me again I can explain...”
“He saved me from a lion,” Tansy interjected, she grabbed a sheet and wrapped it around herself.
“A lion?” Emmy gasped. She raced to her mother and sat beside her, holding her while Shanie and Rose hovered close by.
“It must have followed me to the stream.”
“Was it a young male, hardly any mane?” Aidan asked. Cord nodded in the affirmative.
“It must be the same one that snatched the kid, a rogue lion,” Ethan stated.
“Are you hurt?” Clint asked Tansy.
“No. I was just so scared. I was certain it was going to rip me apart. If Cord hadn’t killed it, I’d be dead. He saved my life.”
“We should go back and get it. I wouldn’t mind the hide, we could use it,” Cord said.
“What was you doin’ out there anyhow?” Clint asked Tansy.
Tansy explained quickly about the milk and wanting to make butter, and deciding to linger to bathe. Cord then told them he woke up and discovered Tansy was missing. After a quick inspection of the mine, he headed outside knowing from past experience she liked to bathe alone in the mornings. He said a bit embarrassedly he was planning on teasing Tansy when he saw her naked in the stream but saw he wasn’t her only stalker.
When Cord had seen the lion, he crept closer and waited to throw his spear; he counted on the lion being distracted by Tansy’s helpless state while he moved in as closely as he could, knowing his first shot would be the only one he got. Cord was furiously angry when he spotted the lion stalking Tansy; a protective instinct soared, surprising him. He wasn’t sure what the feeling was about and dismissed it with annoyance. He needed his concentration for the kill. His aim was true, and the power behind his vicious thrust sent the spear deeply between the lion’s ribs catching a vital organ, felling the beast only inches from where Tansy floundered.
Another feeling of immense relief washed over him as he clutched Tansy to his chest; he dismissed that feeling as well thinking it was just because he wouldn’t want to witness her demise. He did admit to himself he liked the way she pitifully clung to him, pulling him as closely as she could, knowing she was more than happy to see him, not many women had been recently. Cord also liked the feeling of being a hero aiding in their survival. The deep feeling of immense self-importance he’d grown up with was accompanied by intense worthiness. The foreign feeling washed over him, startling him.
Aidan told Cord it was a good thing the men had grown accustomed to taking their weapons with them whenever they left the mine. It was time the women started doing the same thing, although they were usually with one of the men, Tansy being the exception.
“It wouldn’t have helped. I was in the water,” Tansy told Aidan. Her head was bowed and Mike climbed onto her lap.
“That’s it, no more leavin’ this mine alone,” Clint exploded furiously.
“But,” Tansy began, protesting.
“No buts. You coulda been killed. Cord coulda been killed by goin’ and lookin’ for you. What if it had been Shanie or Rose or, God forbid, Mike? If she had toddled off lookin’ for her mama, she woulda watched you get eat and coulda been next.”
“Easy,” Ethan told him, becoming concerned as Tansy’s pale face went a sickly white.
“No, he’s right,” Tansy admitted on a soft whisper, ashamed. She wanted to prove she was strong and independent but almost got killed. And Clint said he was the stupid one.
“Some lessons are harder to learn than others, but this was a good one for all of us; we need each other to survive,” Aidan said.
“You’re right,” Tansy agreed. “No more wandering out alone, ever.”
“Well hell, does this mean I can’t watch you get naked anymore when you wash, or does it mean I’m not only allowed to but supposed to?” Cord exclaimed grinning.
“You better be careful or I’ll find Max a stick, a big one,” Tansy threatened.
Everyone laughed and the tension eased. The men left to retrieve the lion and Tansy dressed in a short outfit. It was like the one all the other women and girls wore around inside and outside. A piece of soft leather strip, or one of the numerous belts Aidan had collected, was tied around her waist and used as a belt. A longer, thicker piece of hide was pulled up between her legs, the ends hanging out in front and back falling to mid-thigh.
The men wore cut-off jeans or short buckskin pants. They usually never bothered with a shirt, finding the heat oppressive; they were almost constantly mobile doing an activity to aid in their survival. The women wore a piece of leather around their breasts or fashioned halter tops. It was more for convenience than modesty. It made hunting, running and working in general easier. All wore short leather moccasins, as their boots had long since become destroyed.
* * * *
Tansy thanked Cord as he deposited her clothes from the stream bank onto her bed. As the men stripped the lion of his hide, Tansy and the girls prepared a light breakfast of the fish caught the night before, kept fresh in a cooler full of water and placed in their cold tunnel. Along with the last of the sliced puffball. The mushroom had been large, about the size of a soccer ball, oval, chalk white and worm free.
After washing, the men reentered the mine. They dragged the carcass of the lion a great deal away from the mine after removing its teeth and claws. Aidan recovered its sinew, the liver, heart, bladder, intestines and stomach. They took many of the bones, the rib bones in particular. When sharpened and attached to a handle, a stick or foreleg, Aidan decided they might make a decent sickle. The brain was kept to work into the hide. Not much was wasted except the meat. All had partaken of carnivore meat at one point and none enjoyed it.
After breakfast each person went about daily chores. The cut pieces of the rib bones were put aside; they could make needles with a few of the pieces by sharpening them. By heating the tip of a coat hanger or barbed wire, they could burn an eye into the end. They would then be able to use the lion’s scraggly mane and tail end as thread, as well as the sinew.
Tansy sought out Cord later on in the day and asked him if he would walk her down to the stream. She wanted to collect the goat’s milk and skim off the cream. Cord informed her he was more than happy to protect her, clothed or not. Not wanting to take the chance of disturbing the milk, Tansy brought a small ladle she could dip into the jar and carefully skimmed up what she hoped to be cream, which she transferred to another container, being careful not to jostle the contents. Cord made a point of looking lethal while scanning the surrounding area and skies. When she finished, Tansy retrieved both containers and stood facing Cord.
“I wanted to thank you for saving my life.” Tansy looked up int
o his large expressive brown eyes. They twinkled down at her and she knew he was feeling pleased.
“You were happy to see me.”
“Yes, I was.” She refrained from mentioning she would have been happy to see an axe murderer as long as he killed the lion.
“So will this...” Cord began suggestively, arching an eyebrow with a knowing leer, winking.
“Oh, for heaven sake Cord, no it will not get you laid!”
She sidestepped around him and strode for the mine.
“You should tie that one jar to your behind and the butter will get churned right quick,” he yelled to her. Tansy paused abruptly then continued on more quickly; she could still hear Cord’s laughter as she entered the mine.
“Here,” Tansy said handing the jar containing milk to Shanie and asked her to split it between the kids.
Tansy sat on her bed and began to shake the jar of white liquid vigorously. She shook it until her anger evaporated and her arms ached. She handed it off to Clint who shook it. It was then handed to Ethan. Once more Tansy took up the task with renewed vigor. She added a small amount of salt from a packet to the jar and the shaking began anew, the jar being handed around. Finally, with excitement, the cream coagulated and after draining the small amount of remaining whey, they had butter.
“Well this will be a welcome treat at dinner,” Tansy said. She held up the small amount for the rest to see.
“That’s what you risked your life for?” Clint snapped.
“No it wasn’t; in fact, this butter could’ve saved our lives,” Tansy said.
“How so?” Ethan asked.
“If I hadn’t gone out, that lion might have come into the mine instead of to the stream. Everyone would’ve been asleep. It might have killed someone. What if it’d gotten by the pit traps and not been scared of the banging cans? Because of the partitions, we no longer keep hourly watch. The doors are safe, yes, but the strength of a determined lion could push the small one open if we accidently forgot to secure it. None of us sleep with our weapons.”
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