by Laura Jack
“Gehaa! I smell human flesh – hunka hunka!” He chanted, winding up the others. The quarry, and their wolf, fled.
“Ten counts of my fingers then we come after you!” Callom warned them then reverted to being a troll.
The quarry ran along the path for a while then Rufus pulled Brinan back. Solman, who lagged behind them stopped too, rubbing his arm from the constant pulling of the young wolf.
“Let’s make a symbol here then go off into the woods for a bit and rejoin the path further up. It will throw them off our trail.” Suggested Rufus. Brinan glanced behind them. He could hear Callom banging out the counting words with his club. He quickly scratched the symbol into the dirt then broke through the bracken and up into the trees. They jumped over stumps, trying not to trip over fallen branches and tangled forests of ferns. Rufus scratch the symbol on the bark of a tree using the knife he had traded from Brinan, this was more important than a horse hunt!
The three boys ran through the woods and back onto the trail further up well ahead of the approaching pack of hungry trolls. Brinan’s heart beat loudly in his chest, the imagined fear of being caught and eaten by savages spurred him on. Rufus and Solman ran along the track. They stopped again and Solman gave Brinan the wolf’s lead.
“Here, you take him for a bit, he’s pulling my arm off.” Brinan was delighted, but not for long. As young as he was, Ram was already immensely strong, almost pulling Brinan off his feet. They heard the bloodthirsty cries of trolls and the snapping of branches. They were spotted through the trees. The boys ran on, making a symbol before crossing a small stream. Farther along they crossed back again but did not make a symbol - that would buy them some time. They headed uphill - the climb was steep. Rufus knew that some of the smaller trolls would hold the others back and give them a chance to escape. Their ‘den’ was a rocky outcrop directly above the Cave of the Horse Clan. If they reached their den first they would win.
They almost got to it when, seemingly out of nowhere, they were surrounded by trolls. One group had made their way straight to the den to ambush their pray. Startled, the wolf growled at one of the trolls who fell backwards. Brinan, followed by his companions broke through the opening and made a run for the rocks. Frightened by the wolf, the trolls hung back, now reluctant to grab their quarry.
‘Den!’ cried Brinan, standing on the highest rock with Ram beside him. Out of breathe he looked down on the approaching trolls and felt powerful with the wolf by his side. Rufus, filled with envy jumped up beside him, almost knocking Brinan off the rock. Filled with anger, Brinan shoved him back. “Hey, don’t push me!”
“It’s not just your den,” snapped Rufus. “You’re not the leader.”
“Well neither are you!” Brinan snarled back. The two boys glared at each other, fired up with adrenalin from the chase. Rufus pushed Brinan again and Brinan threw the first punch. Rufus was shocked for a moment, blood trickled out of his nose, he wiped it then, turning puce with anger, punched back landing one on Brinan’s eye. The others watched on, some a little discomforted, others hoping it would escalate’.
“No fair! They should have been on our side!” Complained one of the trolls who had just arrived, out of breath, at the den. He pointing to Solman and the wolf. “That wolf attacked me.”
His loud protest distracted everyone from the tension between Rufus and Brinan.
“You shouldn’t have startled him like that, Kronan.” Solman said.
“Yeah, that was cheating anyway. You were supposed to follow the symbols not wait at the den.” Added Brinan. A part of him felt relieved that Kronan had interrupted the tensions. Rufus had always been a good friend, he really didn’t want to fall out with him and regretted his outburst. He felt a pang of disappointment when Solman took Ram’s lead from him. Impulsively, Brinan jumped down from the den and stalked off followed by Callom and Serena. He could feel the bruising coming up around his eye where Rufus had hit him.
“Hey,” Rufus shouted loud enough for them to hear. “I’m going to the sacred cave, who’s coming - or are you too scared?” It came across as bravado, but Jana, who understood her brother, could see that his feelings were hurt more than his face.
In the end some children went with Rufus to the cave and the others went with Brinan – showing who they were loyal to. Brinan was glad that Solman and Kronan came with him. Serena was torn, she wanted to go with Rufus and see the cave, but felt loyal to her brother. She forced herself to follow her brother.
It was late afternoon before they returned to their respective camps; driven by pangs of hunger to that other world to which they reluctantly belonged. They all agreed to meet by the river again tomorrow to go swimming.
“What did you get in trade for your necklace?” Brinan asked Serena later that evening as they settled into their furs for the night. From the bundle of hay that was used to stuff her pillow, Serena pulled out a folded leather hide. Inside were broad strips of pale birch bark just crying out to be drawn on. “I’m going to use this for my Shaman training.” She explained.
Brinan wasn’t impressed; he felt it was a poor trade. Serena caught his distain and smiled. She took out another leather bundle and un-wrapped it with great reverence. Inside the leather were several lumps of ochre – in shades of red, brown and yellow. Charcoal was there too, for black and she already had some chalk to use for white. Now Brinan was impressed.
4 Leadership
“Mother, Arguus. Solman of the Aurochs Clan has a tame wolf.” Brinan announced the following morning. He only had one eye, the other swollen closed from Rufus’s punch.
“A live one?” Arguus asked. He had heard about tame wolves before.
“Yes.” Brinan replied. “He was rescued as a puppy and raised by the Aurochs Clan. He is almost full grown, but he is very friendly . . .”
“And he helped us hunt.” Callum added helpfully.
“. . . Could we have one?” Brinan asked.
“I don’t think so. You can’t even control yourself, never mind a wolf.” Deema replied, she had hear about the fight and was angry with Brinan. Besides, the thought of a live wolf around children and babies disturbed her.
“Oh Mother you’re not even considering it. Uncle?” Brinan pleaded ignoring the dig.
“Brinan, if your mother says no then no it is. An extra hunter would be useful though,”
Deema shot Arguus a look and Arguus crumpled like a scolded child. “No it is then, sorry Brinan.”
“Today’s meeting will solve the issue of our shortage of hunters.” Deema said with finality. “If it goes well we will have two new hunters and a new woman joining the Clan.”
Brinan was crushed; he had set his heart on having a wolf of his own, his short time with the wolf had opened his eyes to so many advantages.
“Mother is anxious about the visitors coming today and making a good impression, you just picked a bad time to ask her.” Serena whispered. Brinan watched his mother preparing food with his aunt Shera.
“When is there ever a good time - she is always busy, or angry, or both!”
Serena nudged him. “Offer to help then!”
“Mother, can we do anything to help?” He asked casually.
“Just keep the young ones out of our way.” Deema replied. A group of small children ran through the hearth chasing some imagined prey and Brinan got up to stop them. Too late, they didn’t see Deema or the hot cooking pot she was lifting. One boy ran straight into the head woman just as another boy ducked in front of her and was splashed by the hot stew that spilt out from the pot. He cried out in pain and shock.
“Oh Brinan!” I said to keep them out of the way exploded Deema. “Matina. Quick run and get your mother. The rest of you children – out!”
Brinan scowled at his mother. It was not his fault. Deema felt a pang of guilt but was too busy to rectify it. She put a comforting arm around the boy who had been burnt. Matina returned with her mother, Lodina, she was the Clan’s Healer.
“Ruban, come with
me to the spring. It is best if we put your arm into the water to cool it. Matina, fetch my medicine bag. Deema, do you have some spare cured skins, soft ones?”
“Yes of course.” Said Deema, in a medical emergency, even the leaders deferred to the authority of the medicine woman. Matina followed her mother and Ruban to the stream.
“Here’s your bag mother.” She handed Lodina a bag made from the whole hide of a beaver with the tail removed but the head intact and flattened over the neck as a cover. She’d also brought her mother’s medicine bowl.
“Good girl.” Her mother said, taking the bowl. Matina smiled, pleased with herself for thinking of something without having to be asked. Brinan came out with some soft chamois skins. Lodina took the skins from him, soaked one in the stream, and placed it over Ruban’s scalded arm. His crying subsided to a whimper then hiccupping sobs. Lodina gave him some arnica to help with the shock and rubbed a soothing salve on his arm before covering it with another cold compress, all the time explaining to Brinan and Matina what she was doing and why. Matina, for all her young age, was fascinated.
Brinan didn’t pay much attention, his mind was still on the wolf, and he blamed Ruban for his mother losing her temper. Getting a wolf from her seemed even more out of reach.
“Thank you Matina, you have been a good help.” Matina glowed.
“Shall I clean your medicine bowl out now for you?”
“Yes do . . .”
“Good spirits will only live where there is cleanliness and order - bad spirits live where there is dirt and disarray.” Matina chanted. She had memorized the rules of cleanliness and order that were necessary to Lodina’s practise.
“I think one day, you will be a great healer – like your mother.” Said Deema, who had come out to check on Ruban had been watching the exchange between them.
Matina dismissed the compliment with a wave of her hand in imitation of her mother. Deema suppressed a chuckle. Now that the crisis was over, Deema calmed down.
“Brinan, I wanted to apologize …oh,” she began, but Brinan had gone.
Arguus scanned the group of children playing outside the camp. He recognised the ones he had been looking for among the rabble.
“Brinan, Callom – here.” The boys trotted over, Arguus was with a group of hunters, most of whom were the headmen of their respective Clans. “We are going to need your help today.”
Dagme approached them with Rufus in tow. Neither Brinan nor Rufus were happy about being put together for a chore and pointedly ignored each other.
“The signs are good for a horse hunt. There is a bachelor heard of males in a good position to lure over the cliff. We need you boys to help lay a salt trail to get them close enough to drive. Brinan, you know where we keep the salt.”
How much better it was to be around Arguus than his impatient mother, thought Brinan. His Uncle was patient and respected them. Perhaps, Brinan mused, he could persuade Arguus to let him have a wolf.
“Take the others and fetch it, we’ll lay a trail this morning and you boys can keep a check on the herd.” They did not need asking twice; helping with a hunt was the next best thing to hunting and they were learning valuable skills needed for preparations.
Brinan took charge of the boys in laying the salt trails. Serena and some of the older girls helped too. Rufus kept trying to take over, repeating Brinan’s suggestions as if they were his own ideas. Serena could see the anger rising in her brother.
“Brinan, where should we take this sack of rock to?” She asked pointedly ignoring Rufus. Brinan shot her a grateful look. When the job was finished the boys parted ways without any reconciliation.
That night Brinan and Serena talked late, huddled under their bed furs.
“You want to be leader this summer don’t you?” Serena said. It was more of a statement than a question.
“Why shouldn’t I be?” Brinan was defensive.
“No reason, but Rufus is making it hard for you.”
“We’ll see. I’m going to challenge Rufus to a race tomorrow. I can’t run faster than Rufus but if I can get him to run far enough I know I can out-distance him.”
“I’ll win if I can make the leadership contest a running race.” Back in the cave of the Horse Clan, Rufus was having the same conversation with his sister, Jana. “I’m definitely a faster runner than Brinan.”
“Perhaps,” Jana replied snuggling deeper into her bed furs. “But Brinan has a lot more stamina - he’s Wolf Clan - so you’d better keep on running.”
On the morning of the horse hunt, Brinan, Serena and Callom watched the hunters, over sixty men and women, leave for the hunt.
“I wish we could go,” sighed Callom. Brinan nodded solemnly.
Suddenly, Callom leapt up and cried out, “last one down to the river is a hyena!”
He raced down the slope, Serena and Brinan raced after him changing their mood from despair to excitement. When they reach the sandy river bank, they doffed their outer garments and dived into the water where some of the children they had played with yesterday were already bathing to cool down in the summer heat. There were a few new faces among them. Brinan told them of his idea to build a damn to make the river pool deeper for swimming.
“Change of plan.” Rufus announced drowning out Brinan. “We’re going to the meadow.”
“It’s too hot, we just want to swim.” A few of the children rebelled.
“We’re building a dam.” Brinan insisted. Several youngsters nodded in agreement. Brinan noticed that Rufus’s nose was decidely squint, at least my black eye will fade, he thought inwardly.
Rufus shrugged, nonchalant. “Okay, but I just thought we could have a race.”
“For the leadership?” Brinan replied, trying to sound equally nonchalant.
“Yeah, you know, straighten it out once and for all.”
“I suppose.” Replied Brinan, unlike your nose, that voice in his head sang out which made him smile.
Swimming was quickly abandoned for the prospect of a challenge.
Underneath their bravado, both boys were hurt. Unable to express their feelings or repair the rift in their friendship. Rufus had also been taken aside and given a severe talking too by Dagme. It wasn’t good for morale for two future leaders to fall out. Fighting just led to vengeance which led to war and their lives were tough enough without wars. A race was better, more civilized, and it would keep Arguus and Dagme off their backs.
As they walked to the meadow, Brinan was already pumped with adrenalin.
“Anyone else want to race with us?” He asked the crowd. Although they stood little chance, Brinan knew it was generous to invite the younger boys to try. Rufus scowled, wishing he had thought of the gesture first.
Solman stepped forward. “I would, I like running.”
“Me too,” Kronan pushed his way through the youngsters. A ripple of laughter from the other children made him redden but he stood his ground. His bulky and short stature, they assumed, would slow him down. With the tenacity of his Wolverine Clan totem, Kronan was determined to give the others a good run for the leadership.
“I’ll be referee then.” Callom offered.
Adrenalin coarsed through the bodies of the four runners as they lined up. Sensing that something was brewing, more children gathered to watch the race. Some of the adults who had not left for the hunt joined them, including Deema and Rufus’s mother, Parisse. The boys argued over the distance of the race.
“Round that oak tree and back,” said Rufus, favouring the shorter distance.
“No, that’s way too short. Up to the cliffs and back, it will make it more fun for people to watch if it’s longer.”
“Forget that, I’m not running that far.” Solman objected. “I agree with Rufus.”
“Me too,” added Kronan. Brinan felt like telling them not to bother racing but bit his tongue. He realized too late that it was the outcome of the race that mattered - not fair mindedness.
“On your marks,” Callom shouted. The fo
ur contestants lined up, one leg behind the other as they crouched to spring. Callom waited, letting the tension rise. “Get set. Go!”
Brinan burst forward ahead of the others. After a slow start, Rufus caught up with him and overtook him even before they had reached the oak tree. Kronan surprised everyone by passing both both boys and was first round it. Solman wasn’t far behind.
“Come on Brinan!” Deema, Callom and Serena shouted.
“Go Rufus, go!” Cried Jana and Parisse.
“Leg it, Solman!” Shouted a girl in the crowd, she was his cousin and was holding desperately onto Ram’s lead to keep him out of the way. As Brinan ran round the tree after Rufus, he slipped on one of the roots but quickly regained his balance and raced after the boys in front. He passed Kronan who, although fast on his feet, was struggling for breathe. Rufus widened the gap and Brinan’s resolve slumped but hearing Kronan at his heels he pushed himself to run faster. In the last twenty feet of the race, he started to gain ground on Rufus, but it was too late. Rufus reached the finish line and raised his hands in victory, enjoying the cheers of the crowd.
“You run like a horse!” Jana said, in awe of her brother’s athletic ability.
“Well done Rufus. It is a pity Dagme was not here to see that.” His mother patted his back. Rufus doubled over to regain his breath. In a few more seconds, Brinan was over the line. Brinan stood beside Rufus and put his hand on his shoulder in silent acknowledgement of his victory. It was frustrating, he was barely out of breath and could have run twice that distance.
There was a roar as Kronan came in third and received a nod of acknowledgement from the other two. Solman crossed the line, cheered on by everyone as he collapsed in a heap, and was pounced on by Ram, who had broken free from his cousin. The younger children wanted to race and as they did so, Deema and Serena consoled Brinan.