Durc, The Legend Lived
A Fan-Fic
Written By: Jennifer (weahhh63)
Based on the Earth's Children series
By J.M. Auel
A/n (sorry, I hate these too.)
I fixed a couple errors on here (thanks everyone), and I'm planning on adding a new chapter in the next day or two. It's been so long since I've worked on it, that I had to remember where I was going-especially since I don't have my notes anymore. P.S. I still can't believe how annoying the last book was...even after re-reading it.
"Durc, your mother loved you. She did not want to leave you, but she had no choice. Broud cursed her, she had to go. She didn't want to take you to the world of the spirits with her." Uba wanted to explain what happened to make Durc her son. He was going to have his manhood ceremony tonight, and be mated to Ura. She had asked him to accompany her while she collected herbs, as hard as things could be found in late winter, but it was an excuse to have a talk with him. "Mother, do you think Mama really went to the world of the spirits, or do you think she's just living somewhere with the Others with a mate?" Durc had been thinking about her a lot lately, and Uba was the only one, beside Ura, that was ever around if he referred to Ayla as Mama. "I don't know anything about the ways, of the spirits, but I think she is. She survived a temporary death curse, and came back. Why not a permanent one? Knowing how strong she was, I think there is a good possibility that she is." Ura had wondered before, but she still doubted that her sister was really dead. Ayla was just too strong, and too different to have succumbed to a death curse so easily. Durc looked at his adopted mother, and with an amused look, and the barest hint of a grin, he said "You may say you don't know the ways of the spirits, but I don't think anyone, except Groov, knows the ways of the spirits better than you do."
"Durc, how can you think such a thing? Women do not know the ways of the spirits. Only the Mog-ur does. It is not the Clan way for women to know the spirit world." Uba was mildly shocked, but not so much really. The men sometimes talked about things like that around her, although she usually ignored it. "Mother, you are a medicine woman, and come from the best line. No other woman I know of has more contact with the spirit world than you. Although it's not a man's knowledge to do so, I have learned some of your medical knowledge. With your healing plants, you can drive out the evil spirits. You can keep them from coming in. How is that not being in contact with the spirit world. How can you say you don't know anything of the spirits?" "Maybe you have a point, but it's not the same." Uba stated. She was pleased that he thought so much of her, but didn't want him to think she was un-Clan like. "You know I am only half Clan. Like Mama, and Ura, I can do things Clan men cannot do. Just because you are a Clan woman, and a good and respected one at that, doesn't mean you can't know other things, or things that only men know. "
"It's true, but it not the way of the Clan now. You have heard the stories. Before we were what we are, things were different; men and women acted differently, but things are the way they are." Durc knew what she said was true-he had the memories, and something else, something of the Others. "We should go back to the cave now. I have some things to prepare before the ceremony, and you still need to prepare too. With a slightly amused, but very proud look she added, 'If' the hunter is ready, we will return to the cave.' Durc laughed at that. He seldom did, even with Uba, but she understood the noise, and even liked it. He reminded her so much of her sister.
Durc stood before the Mog-ur with a determined look. Groov took a ceremonial knife out of his cloak, then swiftly bring it down, made the marks of Durc's totem, the Gray Wolf upon his chest. "Durc is now a hunter of the Clan." Durc led the hunt dance, telling and showing how he killed the Wooly Rhino. He had done it all alone with the other men watching. Broud, still leader of the clan, would not have a manhood hunt for him. The closest thing he would agree to is to have to other hunters there to watch while he hunted alone. It was very dangerous thing for him to do, but Durc was determined to become a man, and mate Ura, as soon as possible. Broud was not pleased, but he could see no way he could lose. If Durc died, he would be glad, and he could find some way to get rid of that deformed woman. If he didn't, he would have another hunter, and be able to say that he allowed it even if he didn't think Durc was ready.
"The spirit of Gray Wolf has chosen these two people and made them one. You are now responsible for your mate and any children she gives birth to." When Ura came to this clan, they were surprised to learn that both of the children had the same totem. Somehow though, it seemed to fit them. Groov often wondered about them, especially with the mating coming up. He had to alter some of the signs for the ceremony, because of them having the same totem. He was curious to see what would happen. Wolves either stayed with the pack, or the left to make a new one. He wondered what their fate was. Even the manhood hunt had given him things to wonder about.
"Spirit of Mammoth, the girl Ata is delivered into your protection." It was not a common totem for a girl, but it was more acceptable than a cave lion. It was at least respectable for a woman. They only hoped that it wouldn't make it hard for her. Grev was proud of his daughter. She was the first child born to his hearth, and he couldn't be more proud if she were a boy. Although he was a couple months older than Durc, he had been a man for a while. He was still his milk brother, and would do anything for him. Nothing that Broud said or did, or the fact that Durc was still technically a boy, kept him from practicing with him, or discussing things like men.
Durc was proud too. It was his brother's first child. Although they had discussed leaving one day, it would not be while the child was still so young. He looked at Ura sitting beside him and felt the love he did when he first saw her. She was a perfect match for him. She was already pregnant. She had told him right before his ceremony. He had asked her almost a moon before about it. He noticed that she hadn't gone into isolation when it was her time. She was almost two moons along now, she said when he asked. She would have it by the end of summer. Uba already knew, of course, but knew that Durc suspected it. She was very happy about it too.
Durc and Ura spent their isolation in their new hearth, and then everything was normal for a while. The summer began, hunting trips were planned, and life went on. Early in the season, Broud was in a bad mood one day and took it out on Durc. "You deformed brat! You should never have been allowed to live. You have brought bad luck on this clan every since you were born. I should just curse you and your mate and be done with it." Durc was tired of hearing it and finally snapped after all of the years of abuse inflicted by the man who took his mother away from him. Even Brun, who went to the world of the spirits the fall before, never forgave him for his actions. Durc looked at him straight in the eyes. It was a threatening jester, and normally he wouldn't have done such a thing to the leader, but he wasn't going to take it anymore. "You just try to curse me Broud. You only cursed my mother because you couldn't stand to see a woman beat you in anything. She was a better hunter than you, a better person. She was even a better man than you. A man doesn't get jealous over a woman's abilities. Even Brun said she should have been the son of his mate. Your own mother's mate Broud! How did you feel about that?
Broud stood there shocked for a moment, too angry to say anything. He couldn't believe Durc would ever stand up to him, especially in front of the whole clan. "Durc you are nothing but a deformed thing, just an evil spawn of a stupid Others." "He may be deformed, but he has always been a better man than you." Broud couldn't believe his eyes. The child of his hearth, sticking up for him, and saying something like that to him, the mate of his mother! "Grev, why do you stick up for him. He is just a deformed brat?" "Well this deformed brat is my brother, whether you like it or not."
"Broud you can curse me all you want. You couldn't beat my mother, nor make her die, and you can't do it to me either." "Who says I can't! Just wait until Groov comes back. You will be dead then." I challenge you Broud. I challenge you for leadership, and I think that all the members of our Clan should decide who will be the leader. You are unable to lead this clan. When Groov and the others come back from their hunt we will see who is leader." Durc decided to invoke and ancient right few remembered. In the back of the memories, there was the ability to challenge for leadership. Few remembered, in fact had no reason to, but Durc had meditated on it many nights trying to figure out a way to make the Clan a better one. He had no desire to just lead. He wanted everyone to be happy; something that had not been since Brun was leader.
"You cannot be leader. I won't allow it! Brac will be the next leader. He is next in line." Broud was fuming. Brac cut in then. "If Durc challenges you for leadership, there is nothing you can do. I believe he would be a good leader-as good as Brun was. If he becomes the next leader of this clan, I will be proud to follow him." As they argued, no one had seen the hunters return. Broud was shocked even more by that statement. He was beginning to be afraid that he would lose his leadership. "They are right Broud" Groov interjected. 'Even though he is not next in line, and with his deformity, there is nothing that can prevent him from challenging you. You will just have to go along with it."
Thinking for a moment, he remembered something Durc had said. "What do you mean 'the women are a part of the meeting'? Broud asked. "Durc said 'all the members' of our clan." "That includes the women. Believe me, they are curious too." Groov responded somewhat impatiently. Broud kept questioning every part of what he did.
That evening:
"This meeting is to determine who will be the next leader of the clan.' Groov said as he started the meeting. As Mog-ur, he was the leader of the meeting caused by the invoking of Zeg, the challenging of leadership. 'In this meeting, the women will have as much say in who is the next leader as the men. It is usually not the case for you to be in a men's meeting, 'Groov said to the women, 'but this is one of the few that you are directly a part of. Now, before I ask any of the men, I want your opinions. No man can do or say anything to you for voicing anything you feel in this meeting-even if it does not pertain to it."
They looked a little nervous and doubtful, but then Uba made up her mind. "Uba would speak." "Uba may speak" "Since the first, when Broud became leader, we have had problems. He made the Spirits angry when he had Ayla cursed. They showed it when they sent the earthquake .'What do you know of spirits woman!' Broud interjected. 'You know nothing 'Broud! If you cannot conduct yourself at this meeting like a man, you will forfeit your place as leader, and Durc will get it with no more discussion. Did you not pay attention to what I said at the beginning of the meeting? Continue Uba.
"I know more of spirits than you think I do Broud. Who do you think drives them out when they are sick? Don't you think I know how to make the spirits do bad things with the herbs I use? I don't always need the Mog-ur's help you know' Broud was stunned. Uba had never behaved like that. She was worse than Ayla had ever been towards him. He was a little scared of her then too. Most of the clan, except Durc and Groov was a little awed by her outburst. Women did not behave like that. But, they rationalized, they are supposed to be equals in this one meeting hopefully. Uba was shocked from her own outburst too, but she was tired of Broud. "It is not for a man to know, but I know how to make a woman fight off a man's totem. I know how to keep a woman from getting pregnant. No matter how many times a man tries, or however many charms Mog-ur makes. Can you do that?' he really looked scared then, but she ignored him and turned back to the rest of the group. 'Broud is not a good leader. If the rest of the clan did not do so much to prevent it, we might all be dead by now. We all remember what it was like then."