Manak-na's Story, 75,000 BC Read online

  Ermi-na turned to Manak-na and smiled. “They are Tongip-na and Lolmeg!”

  “You are certain?”

  “Yes,” Ermi-na said emphatically with a palm strike.

  Manak-na got his spear and used it as a walking stick to meet the travelers.

  Tongip-na and Lolmeg, spears at the ready, were greatly relieved to find that the stranger approaching was Manak-na.

  Tongip’s first words to Manak-na were, “I’ll never doubt Ki’ti again!”

  “What happened?” Manak-na asked.

  “We reached a pass where the path would obviously have gone through the mountains over there,” he pointed to the west. “There had been a huge rock slide and the pass was impenetrable. We had to retrace our way to follow you. Even though we knew your general direction, finding your trail was very difficult. It gave us an appreciation of how well you can conceal a trail and for Ki’ti’s knowledge without experience. How does Ki’ti know these things?”

  “Wisdom tells her.”

  Tongip-na looked at Manak-na with his head slightly tilted. “You mean all that Wisdom talk is real?”

  It was Manak-na’s turn to be surprised. “Of course, it’s real!”

  “Well, I’m a believer now!” Tongip-na stated flatly.

  “Me, too,” Lolmeg added.

  “Did you see any evidence of the Minguat?” Manak-na asked.

  Lolmeg replied. “No. We watched carefully during our trek and at night. There was nothing to indicate we were followed. Rain clouds are gathering to the west. We may get rain tonight, and if we do, any evidence we may have overlooked will definitely be removed.”

  Still dragging the branches to conceal their trail, they went to the cave where preparation for the evening meal was well underway—this time with fire.

  The People slept that night with a sense of relief. It did rain heavily early in the evening and then dried out. The next seven days were spent trekking. They slowed at Ki’ti’s bidding when they reached what appeared to be another path that went east-west, while theirs went north-south.

  Ki’ti studied the path and then looked to the west. She scanned the hillside carefully.

  “See there, on the hillside behind that grouping of evergreen trees there is a cave where we will spend the season of cold days. There will be enough game animals to keep us fed and prepared for the next trek. There is water in the cave at three levels, so bathing and using water for cooking and drinking is convenient. The water comes from afar high in the mountains where there is much white rain. It flows here and through the cave. There are plenty of downed trees for firewood. There are other caves nearby.”

  Tongip-na was in hearing distance. He wondered, but tended to believe her this time, though he knew she’d never been to this place. He could see no cave because of the trees.

  The group changed direction and headed straight toward the little grouping of pines on the hillside across from them. Sure enough, there was a large cave there with an overhang at the entrance where the dogs would stay. There was an excellent, if small, smoke hole above the main part of the cave. It appeared to all that this would be a great place to spend the season of cold days. They were just into the season of colorful leaves, and that gave them time to gather and smoke game animals for keeping. They could find what vegetation they ate and store it. The place seemed ideal.

  That evening the People ate and thanked Wisdom for guiding them to the place by showing Ki’ti the way. They asked Wisdom to remain with them for protection. They had not seen anything since they left the camp that appeared to have been made by humans except the path that the giant Mol made long, long, long ago. Maybe with the help of something called dragons? They bedded down ready for a new time in their lives while they stayed in the cave at the crossing of the paths.

  Chapter 2

  The first full day in the cave by the crossed paths brought excitement. The new home cave was well protected from view below by the pines. The People, however, were able to see through them a great distance to know if strangers approached from the lowlands. The best viewpoint was from the new home cave entrance. It could not have been better planned. There was good flat land just outside the cave, and off to the north side there was a large pond that had water to a depth equal to the distance from waist level to the pond bottom when measured on a man of the original People. The pond would do well to preserve some of the meat. To the north, downhill from the pond, and sheltered by bushes, the People established their privy and one for the dogs.

  The primary requirement of the People was to hunt game for their immediate needs and to dry an ample supply of it for the future season of cold days. They would also need dried meat to sustain them on long hunts and for dependable food on the resumption of the trek to the big lake. Secondarily, they would process skins and all parts of the animals. Some People needed boots and clothing for the season of cold days. Others needed bedding, hand and head covering, and many other things, such as food and water containers. The new home cave promised more than they could have desired to meet their needs for shelter. There was game to the north of them and in a valley to the southwest. They had found at least one other cave in the area.

  Hunters gathered near the entrance of the new home cave as soon as Wisdom returned color to the land. They would need to use only their spears for hunting, because the special dropoff over which they had run animals in their former land was no longer available. The group of People was large enough that the men’s council had to choose those who would be assigned to hunt. They used broomstraws for the three basic age groups: those who drew the longest straws were chosen to hunt; those who drew the shortest ones remained behind. Among the older hunters selected for the first hunt were Hahami-na, Mootmu-na, Ermol-na, and Arkan-na. Those of fewer years included Kai-na, Guy-na, and Sum-na. Younger hunters were Patah, Mhank, Meeluf, Ekoy, and Humko-na. The untried, who would be tested, were Yomuk and Shukmu. There was much excitement as the hunters feasted on the morning meal. They had seen many deer, so they expected to kill many. They had seen little else for larger meat supply. Hunting gear had been set up by the entryway and the hunters had divided up so that some would go to the north and some to the southwest.

  Ki’ti stood and Untuk-na said in a voice that carried through the entire cave, “Ki’ti will speak.”

  A great hush fell in the cave. Everyone strained to see Ki’ti.

  “Today is the first hunt. We ask Wisdom to supply healthy animals to give their lives willingly that we may survive. First, I ask of Wisdom that all our hunters return as well as they are right now, without injury or loss of life. Second, I ask of all those who remain here that they prepare for the game that will be brought here this day, so that each animal is used to the fullest and there will be no waste. It honors the animal when we use all it provides. We, too, need all that each animal supplies so generously.”

  As the hunters rose to file out, Ki’ti met each one at the entryway and put her hands on the shoulders of each with the words, “Go with Wisdom.” She looked directly into the eyes of each hunter when she said it. It was never a perfunctory comment. She meant it from the bottom of her belly for each one of them. The hunters left in groups: those going north left first, followed by those who would go to the valley in the southwest. Among the hunters there was great excitement mixed with an understandable amount of fear of both the unknown and the known. They tried to conceal it, but the People were not filled with guile and their efforts were transparent. The poignant scent of hunters leaving for a hunt filled the cave. Dogs jostled each other in an attempt to get comfortable under the overhang of the cave near the entrance. They knew a hunt was about to begin. They also were aware that they could not go with the hunters.

  Elemaea watched her mother carefully. She knew her mother was important and had recently become fascinated with what she did. She was rarely told why things were done as they were—she was expected to reason out what she saw. Her parents had explained often to her that reasoning would grow her
mind web in the proper way. It was the way of the People. Ki’ti had spoken sharply to her before leaving for the cave of the giants. She had barely talked to her since her return and during the trek to this new cave where the paths crossed. She had done everything she was supposed to do to please her mother. She asked Minagle why her mother hadn’t noticed her improvement. Minagle told her that People shouldn’t expect approval for doing what was rightly expected. That was what they were supposed to do. Praise came from doing something well beyond what was right and expected. Doing things such as letting behavior run wild was an offense against the People and Wisdom. It would bring disfavor and prevent approval. Elemaea was silenced. She would spend much of the day thinking on these things. Her parents had told her these things, but now she heard it from her aunt. She wondered whether all the People disapproved her and just weren’t saying anything about it. Elemaea felt wretched for the first time in her life.

  Manak-na had been eager to go on the hunt but had not been chosen at the men’s council. He and Nanichak-na decided to make a trial exploration of the area for additional caves for the processing of meat. They had spotted a cave not too far away. If there was one, there might also be others. They left just after the hunters.

  “You have become a real leader, Manak-na,” Nanichak-na said as they climbed the incline to the cave they’d seen nearby. “It must feel empty to you that you did not attend the first hunt.”

  “It does, Uncle. I really wanted to go.” The older man shared Manak-na’s disappointment.

  Nanichak-na studied him for a moment. “Manak-na, you have been given great gifts. You still have important things to do in your life. What happens is designed by Wisdom. You still need to learn patience. Patience may save your life sometime. Remember the restlessness I felt when this trek began? My pride told me I should lead. We have to keep in our mind webs that others need to learn to lead. We must stand back for the good of the People.”

  Manak-na lowered his head. He knew Nanichak-na was telling him something vital about gifts and patience, but he was unsure of what the man spoke. He understood that others needed to learn to lead. He put in the forefront of his mind web to think on gifts and patience as time permitted this day. He loved the old man. Nanichak-na was as special to him as Emaea and Wamumur had been to Ki’ti. He learned from the old hunter words from Wisdom. He had to understand and make them part of himself.

  They reached the cave and looked around. It was a good cave with a flat floor, but it had no water. Nanichak-na had spotted one lower down the slope and they slid sideways on their feet down the dirt and gravel slope to reach it.

  Manak-na was there first and called to Nanichak-na that he could hear water in this cave. As they entered they were well pleased with the level floor and the running water. There was more room in this cave, they both agreed, than any meat preparation cave they’d ever seen. It was accessible from the flat lowland by a rocky slope. Three more pines grew in the lowland by the entrance to the slope. They chose this cave for their working the meat and skins.

  Manak-na stood at the entrance to the cave to study the rocky slope. He turned to Nanichak-na and said, “This reminds me of the cave area we left. Remember how some plants grew near the cave almost too conveniently, so we thought they were purposely set to grow there?”

  “Yes, I remember,” Nanichak-na replied while stroking his beard. He thought a moment and continued, “You’re thinking that someone purposely set the evergreens to mark or conceal our new home cave and the slope to the meat preparation cave?”

  “I do think that. I don’t remember seeing any other evergreens on this hill. Can you recall whether there are any?”

  “I cannot pull up any others from my mind web, so I’d trust my answer only if I went back down to the lowland and looked up. It didn’t seem particularly remarkable to me when we first noticed the evergreens. If I saw any other ones after making a check from down there again, I think I’d want to know whether they marked anything—and, if so—what? That can wait for another day.” He smiled a slow smile. He had to put first things first.

  Having completed their task, the men returned to the home cave to gather some materials that would be needed in the preparation of meat.

  At age nine and fully enthusiastic about the new home cave and the hunt, Truto, Tongip-na and Aryna’s fifth child, came running to meet them.

  When the adults recognized Truto, he said breathlessly, “Already two are returning with a deer!” He pointed to the north where two men could be seen with an animal suspended from its legs on a pole between them.

  Nanichak-na smiled at the youngster. “Then, we could use your help to take things to the meat cave. Will you find some other young people to help? We need poles taken over there.” Nanichak-na pointed to the specific cave.

  Truto nodded and sprinted off to find others to help.

  Without a word, labor was divided among the People. In this case, Manak-na walked briskly towards the men with the fresh kill. He knew they could save some distance by going directly to the meat preparation cave up the rock slope. He’d show them the way. Nanichak-na went to the home cave to gather supplies to transport to the meat preparation cave.

  When he saw Sum-na, Nanichak-na said, “We are going to need new poles quickly. Already meat arrives and we will need to prepare much of it for drying. We have few poles.”

  Sum-na nodded toward the old man, noted the cave that Nanichak-na pointed out, and quickly gathered others to look for young trees that were big enough to provide the proper poles. They’d have to cut them, limb them, and remove the bark as fast as possible. Then, they’d have to transport them to the meat preparation cave. All of the available men except for Lai-na and Grypchon-na, who were left to guard, went with Sum-na to gather suitable poles. The young men also joined the effort, if they were not already involved with helping Nanichak-na carry supplies to the cave.

  The women were delighted when they realized they’d have a feast for the evening meal. They’d be starting roasts soon and the young girls were looking for plants to fill baskets they carried. It would be a great way to begin life in the cave during this season of colorful leaves and for the season of cold days which would follow.

  Soon another pair of hunters was spotted carrying another animal on a pole each shouldered—this time it was a boar. Likichi gathered a number of butchering tools and tools for skin preparation and sent them to the meat preparation cave.

  Minagle began busily straightening the cave. With so many gone, sweeping and refolding sleeping skins and washing out eating bowls, was so much easier. She knew that the women and she would be involved in the skin preparation and drying meat or home cave work. They’d alternate. Nobody ever indicated who would go to the meat preparation cave and who would remain to keep the home cave on a certain day. People simply did what was needed with no seeming direction. If there appeared to be enough People to maintain the home cave, everyone else left for the meat preparation cave. Usually Likichi remained at the home cave since she had the task of cave administration as had Totamu before her. She also took care of injuries and sickness with herbs she and Ki’ti knew.

  Out in the valley to the southwest Arkan-na, Guy-na, Meeluf, Ekoy, and Yomuk had spotted a great aurochs. It was on sloping grassland upwind of a forested area nearby, and the men hoped to secure it through surprise when they burst from the forest with spears at the ready. Heavy thrusting would be required. They crept silently, still downwind of the magnificent animal. At a signal from Arkan-na, the hunters burst from the forest with great yells. The aurochs was confused and didn’t know whether to charge or run. It gave the hunters just time enough to thrust their spears into the places where the animal was most vulnerable. It turned and fell with its head almost directed downhill.

  Yomuk was shocked at the first kill they made. His spear still dangled from the chest of the great beast. He had never been on a real hunt and, when he saw the eyes of the aurochs change from life to death, it hit his belly like a t
ough punch. Seeing Yomuk’s reaction, Arkan-na walked over to the boy, which caused Yomuk to look at him not the aurochs. Other men began to pull the beast to align it head downward, tail up on the hill. When its body was too heavy they found stones and used a stout tree trunk from the forest to place over the stone for leverage to move the body. They would not use their spears for leverage for fear of cracking or breaking one.

  “This is your first kill?” Arkan-na asked quietly.

  “Yes,” Yomuk responded. He wondered whether he would keep his morning meal in his belly.

  “This fine aurochs gave its life that we could live, Yomuk. It did so willingly. Did you see it run or show fear? It has happened this way since the beginning of life. It is Wisdom’s plan. The animals we secure give themselves to us. Wisdom gave us the animals to eat. They keep us healthy and filled with energy. Do not be sad for the aurochs. The aurochs has honor for giving its life for us. That is the way of things.”

  “Thank you, Arkan-na. That will help me sort out in my mind web what I have just seen. Does it get any easier to see as you mature?”

  Arkan-na thought. “Death comes to all, Yomuk. It is never easy to see whether it be People or animals. Just remember death is just a door to another life. We go to Wisdom and a new life when we die. What I can tell you is that after a while you will come to accept that the life of the People depends on the kill. The animals know that, and they cooperate. It is understood since the beginning of time. So, yes, it gets easier when you fully grasp what is happening. Use your mind web and your belly to understand that this is part of the huge life-to-death-to-life cycle that Wisdom made for us. Always remember that when you kill for food, you also kill for everything the animal offers, such as its hide, the hooves, the bones, and so on. You would dishonor the animal and anger Wisdom if you fail to use all it provided. Come now, you must be blooded.”

  Yomuk looked at Arkan-na confused.