The Cave of Skulls
I am so sorry it has been so long since I posted but I've had loads I've had to do and I'm still getting used to it all. I've been working for loads of exams and just when I think I can take a break I've got more. There is just so much, plus working as a beaver leader (like a scout leader), Duke of Edinburgh award work, doing judo and taekwondo-do. Most of my time at home I'm either revising or sleeping. However exams all finished now! Might be able to update quicker now...
I've read it through again like suggested and edited the mistakes I could see in this chapter and the previous.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Doctor Who
~0~
Ian and Barbara were thrown from side to side. The Doctor, Susan and Harry hung on to the console. Eventually Barbara landed in the chair and Ian on the floor. The TARDIS headed into the vortex with a lot of noise, almost deafening those not used to it. Eventually it all stopped and unnoticed to the occupants of the ship on the scanner a shadow of a humanoid appears on the desolate, sandy land outside...
~0~
The land was bleak and rocky, rimmed by distant sharp notched mountains. A long broad river sluggishly ran through them in to a small plain in the centre of the mountains that was fringed by a deep, dense impenetrable forest. There was a set of caves in the foot hills of one of the tall mountains, and it was there a Tribe had made their home.
They were fortunate in many ways. Once there were wild beasts in the caves but were driven out, the caves where both warm and dry in the winters and cool in the hot summer days. A short ways away was the long winding river so they had plenty of water and berries and fruit could be found in the woods.
Many hunters could find game in the forest while the women looked for the berries with the others where look outs. Savage beasts provided both food to fill their bellies and warm skin for the winters that came and gone or is to come. If the Tribe could kill them before they fall victims to the beasts, many men in the past had been killed in an effort to prove themselves to the tribe.
There was a tall, dark haired man named Kal. He was a new comer to the small tribe that made their home amongst the caves. He was by far the best hunter amongst them. He was patient and very cunning especially with words. Kal never come home empty, that alone placed him in their good graces and they gave him their acceptance.
It happened that as he was following tracks that day at the edge of the forest that he saw a miracle. There was a wheezing groaning roar like sound in the air quite unlike any that came come from the beasts. With caution he peered from the edge of the forest where he was hiding and saw a strange blue shape appear from thin air.
Many people from the tribe would have fled in terror, but not Kal. Kal was more intelligent than the others, and with that came curiosity. Although his heart was pounding hard like it was about to burst from his chest he stayed where he was, watching and waiting. Waiting to see what the blue shape would do. This was what a leader should do, work for the tribe and not waste their time with fruitless efforts.
Kal wanted more than just acceptance from his new Tribe. He wanted power, the power of being leader. He wanted to be able to run the Tribe like he wanted it to be run and have Hur, the most beautiful maiden that he's seen and the most beautiful maiden among the tribe women. And he wanted to kill Za, son of the old chief his only serious rival in both the tribe and in love.
He stared at it hungrily as he tugged at his short brown jutting beard. Here was something new, something that so far he only had seen. His mind scheming, looking for ways to use this new thing to his own advantage. If there was magic here he would harness it for himself and make it work for no one but himself.
~0~
Back in the largest cave that housed most of the Tribe members, they were waiting for magic as that watched Za. A tall, tan man with should length brown hair with a matching beard sat crossed-legged before a pile of ashes and chard wood of a long dead fire. The others were gathered around him in a large circle. Men and boys, women and small children, all watching intently as he plunged his hands in to the ashes, gripping at the charred, blackened fragments of wood that broke under his tight grip, his face was twisted in concentration, his muscled form knotted up in strain. As if sheer determination would force the dead wood to do his will.
But they remained the same, cold and dead. No fire.
A slender dark girl sat by his left side produced a carved rattle made of bone. It was old and holy amongst the tribesmen, there was a low gasp of awe as the woman known as Hur shook it angrily at the ashes before Za took it and shook it with hot angry before tossing it to the side to be able to plunge his hands back in to the ashes. Nothing happened, Za's shoulders slumped in despair.
A little ways away from the group sitting by a few large rocks sat and old skeletal, gray-haired woman. She was known as Old mother.
According to the customs of the Tribe, she should have been cast out like all the other tribe people who became too old and left to die on her own in the wild rather by beast or another tribe. But she was kept alive and with the Tribe.
She despised Za, nothing he did was good enough for her, everything was wrong with him. Za would make a good chief if the softness wasn't there. His father would be ashamed.
"Where is the fire that Za made," she cackled.
Hur, the dark skinned girl was always quick to come to Za's defence. "Fire is in his hands, Old Mother. It will not go in to the wood."
Like all other days this was just the same Old Mother would talk down to Za and Hur would come to his defence. Za ignored the two as he scowled down at the ashes. "My father made fire."
Old Mother turned to him and muttered. "So he did and he died for it."
"My father died hunting," growled Za angrily at the woman.
"Gor was a great hunter. I never saw a beast that could destroy him. He angered God by making fire."
Za sat there and stared at her angrily. "He taught me how to make sharp stones for the spears and axes. He taught me how to make and set traps for large animals such as the big teeth cats and bears. He would have taught me how to make fire, if the beast hadn't killed him."
"So that everyone would bow to you as they did him." Old Mother sneered. But she knew he spoke the truth. The secret of fire making was a close kept secret that was well guarded, handed down from father to son, chief to chief.
Gor had kept the secret for as long as he could, an old enough son can be a rival for being chief. He kept promising to tell Za the secret for making fire, but he died before he could keep that promise. That is if he intended to keep it in the first place.
Now it was partly to do to being the Old Chief's son that allowed him to be the chief, but it was more due that he was the strongest amongst the warriors of the tribe. He still lacked one thing that was crucial to who could lead tribe, fire. The ability to make fire would keep all the other Tribe people in his favour.
Suddenly, Za jumped to his feet, and loomed ominously over the old woman who shrunk back close to the cave wall when she noticed the dark look and the flashing of his eyes when he stocked over to where she was sitting a few moments ago.
"Tell me what my father did to make fire!" shouted Za as he crouched over her shivering form.
"He crouched over the wood, and moved his hands as you do. But he always kept his back to me and the rest of the tribe. So I never saw how or when the fire was made. That's all I know."
"Ah, get out of my sight, old woman. You should have died with him."
Slowly Old Mother rose from the ground using the cave wall as a brace and hobbled away muttering. "The fire is gone now. Za will never be able to make it."
Za was back crouching over the pile of ashes and wood. "Throw on more of the ashes form the old fire," he ordered. "Perhaps the magic is still within them."
Hur grabbed a handful and threw it over the other ashes as Za went back gripping the sticks that weren't damaged too much, striking them together willing the magic to come alive and work again.
Crouching at his side Hur placed her lips close to his ear. "The old men talk against you. They say it would be better if Kal was made leader. They say you sit all day rubbing your hands together while he's out hunting and bringing us meat."
"Without meat we will go hungry,' said Za. "But without fire we will die when the harsh cold comes again. Without fire the beasts of the forest will come and raid the caves at night killing the women and children while we are asleep."
"The old men see no further than their bellies and the meat that feeds them. They will make Kal leader soon and my father, Horg, will give me to him"
Horg was one of the elders of the Tribe still young enough not to be cast out but old enough to have great influence with the others. Since he wasn't the strongest any more, he would support the strongest. It was the law of survival of the tribe.
"Kal!" spat Za. "Kal is no leader. It isn't so easy to be the leader."
Za knew from the stat that Kal wasn't fit to be the leader. He was ruthless and greedy, wanting everything from himself. Za took the biggest share and the kills and the best among the furs, as was his right, but he still cared for the others. Seeing that the hunting parties were in order and organized right and that even in the times of hardship the women and children were give food.
A leader must think of many things and of others.
"Kal is no leader," muttered Za again.
"The leader is the one who makes fire!" said Hur.
Za sent the pile of ash and sticks flying with a mighty sweep of his power arms. 'Where has it gone to? Where?'
~0~
Hovering over the unconscious form of Ian, Harry quickly did a healing spell he learnt from all his time in the hospital to reduce the Ian's concussion. Looking over his shoulder he rose before turning and walking back to Susan and the Doctor by the controls. Both of the aliens were keenly studying the console.
"Do you think they'll be alright?" Harry asked even though he knew the answers himself. Getting into trouble in his younger days did have its advantages after all.
"Oh, I'm sure they'll be fine," the Doctor replied offhandedly. Really the man's skull should be thick enough to protect what little of a mind he had. "Besides a little bump never hurt anyone."
Ian and Barbara both came to with a groan. Sitting up Ian rubbed his head to find a small bump behind his right ear; it was smaller than when Harry had first gone over him. Barbara, on immediately find herself still in the TARDIS, went to Ian to make sure he was alright.
"Ian? Ian are you alright?" she asked hesitantly.
"This is getting to be a habit," he muttered loud enough for her to hear. "I'm all right. I think. I must have hit my head when..." He broke off as the memory of the evening's extraordinary event came flooding back. "Well, at least we've stopped moving." Ian pulled himself back to his feet with great care. Looking around he saw Susan and the Doctor standing by the central console and Harry stand a small distance away.
Harry was feeling conflicted, on the one hand there was a great opportunity for an adventure however he was also worried about what could happen. He'd come a long from being a little boy who ran head first at three headed dogs.
"The base seems to be steady," said Susan in a quiet voice.
The Doctor nodded, checking another row of dials. "Layer of sand, and thin topsoil- nearby rock formations...good...good..."
Susan turned, smiling at Ian and Barbara when she noticed Harry chuckling. It wasn't her fault she got caught up in the moment; she'd only been on a few trips in the TARDIS before. "Are you feeling better? We've left 1963. I'm afraid."
"You really mean we're in a different year?" Harry asked excitedly. "Not just a hop, skip and a jump back to the beginning of the year but a different decade?"
The Doctor nodded in agreement. "Oh yes, undoubtedly. I'll tell you where we are in a moment and when!" said the Doctor as he leaned over the console that he was still facing and rapped sharply on a dial with his knuckles. "Zero!" he said indignantly. "Zero? That can't be right. This yearometer still isn't working right, Susan."
After a moment he realized that Susan hadn't been talking to him at all, following the direction that she was looking he rolled his eyes. The two teachers still seemed to be having trouble with their surroundings.
"Oh, yes, you two!" the Doctor said, really why did they have such trouble when the younger boy was just fine. Sometimes he wondered if it wouldn't be better if human children taught their adults. "What are you doing here? You can get off the floor now, our journeys finished."
Barbara stared at him in horror. "What's happened?" She demanded. "Where are we?"
Ian pulled himself up using a chair much to the Doctor's chagrin, groaning a little as he turned and faced Barbara. "Barbara, don't tell me they're got you believing all this rubbish."
"It's true, Mr Chesterton," said Susan, "We've travelled a great distance in space and in time, look at the scanner screen!"
The Doctor sniffed as Harry joined him near the central console. "That's right, look up there!" He pointed to a small square screen suspended above the console. It showed a bleak and rocky plain that surrounded the TARDIS and an edge of what looked like a deep dark forest that's trees where bare and a few distant mountains.
"Well, there you are, young man, a new world for you."
"It's just sand and a few dead trees," said Ian stupidly. "Sand, trees and a few rocks."
"Exactly. That's the immediate view outside the ship. There's more to see beyond the ship,' said Susan kindly. Harry put an arm around Susan's shoulders and brought her into his side.
"You. Are. Brilliant!" he exclaimed with a large grin. Strange sand, tree's that could be older than those in the Forbidden Forest or maybe not even known to the world he had grown up in. It was more than just some 'sand, trees and a few rocks'.
"Are you trying to tell me that's what we'll see when we go outside. Not the junk yard in Totters Lane?" Ian said.
"Oh yes," said Susan brightly. Unlike the smiles Harry had given her before this new one had added a twinkle to his eyes that she had never managed to do before. She was quite proud she had been able to produce it. "You'll be able to see for your selves soon."
"I don't believe it," said Ian flatly as he crossed his arms as he walked over to where Barbara was standing, near the coat rack off to the side of the room.
The Doctor sighed and turned to face Ian. "You really are very stubborn, aren't you, young man."
"All right, just you show me some proof, some concrete evidence." Ian looked sympathetically at Susan and Harry. "I don't want to hurt either of you, but it's time that we all were brought back to reality."
"Oh and your 'reality' was just so great wasn't it?" Harry asked sarcastically, removing his arm from Susan. He stalked towards his teacher. "Doing the same things day in and day out. No change, no adventure, nothing for you to do that would make you more than just another teacher. When you where little didn't you ever want to meet dinosaurs, fly to the moon? This is your chance, besides reality is overrated."
"I'm not a child anymore," he replied."I don't have time to believe in the delusions of an old man."
The Doctor sniffed indignantly. "He's saying I'm a charlatan! Just what could satisfy you?"
"That's easy. Just open the door, Doctor Foreman."
"Foreman?" muttered the Doctor as if he'd never heard the name. Ignoring the look that Susan had given him. "Foremen? What's he talking about now?" he asked rudely.
"They seem very sure," said Barbara as she leaned over to Ian to whisper out of the corner of her mouth while keeping her eyes on the others. "And remember the police box, the difference from the inside and outside."
"I know..."Ian looked challengingly at the Doctor as he puffed up his chest a little. "Well, are you going to open the door?"
"No."
The teacher's chest deflated as he looked from Barbara back to the Doctor in mild shock. "You see, he's bluffing."
Shaking her head Susan stepped away from the Doctor and watched. A small argument broke out between the Doctor and Ian. Barbara rolled of her eyes and gave a small shake of her head at the stupidity that was named Ian.
"Not until I'm sure it's safe to open them," said the Doctor patronizingly. He checked some more readings as he put his back to the others. "The air seems very good. Yes, it is, it's very good, quite remarkable. Unpolluted. Check the radiation counter would you, Susan."
Taking her spot back near the console, Susan check a few things and pressed a few buttons. "It's reading normal, grandfather."
"Good, good. I'll take a portable Geiger counter, just in case. So, young man, you still challenge me do you?"
"Just open the door and prove your point," said Ian wearily.
"You are really narrow-minded," said the Doctor with an air of insufferable superiority. "You must learn not to be so narrow-minded."
"Hey Doc, in the interest of the people that do believe you, would you mind telling us where we are," Harry asked, he may have been a Gryffindor be he would rather not be eaten and have to wait till he was digested to get away.
"Oh, we've certainly gone back in time my dear. A considerable amount, I think. Well we will know when we get outside. I'll take a few samples... some rocks a few plant life. Then I'll be able to really know when and where we are." said the Doctor as he looked away from him and back to the console in disapproval. "I do wish these instruments wouldn't keep letting us down thought."
"You really believe it all, don't you?" Asked Ian incredulously. "You really believe we've all gone back in time."
"Oh yes," said the Doctor
"And when we open the door, we won't be in a junk yard, in London, England, in 1963?"
"That is correct. Your tone suggests ridicule, young man."
"Well, of course, it's ridiculous! Time doesn't go round and around in a circle. You can't just step off where ever you like, in the past or in the future.'"
"Hey Mr Chesterton, since when was time a train?" Harry joked before turning serious. He shrugged his shoulders, "if the Doctor says we've gone back in time then, logically, since this is his ship, we probably have gone back in time."
"Harry, time simply does not work like that," Ian said patronisingly.
The Doctor shot Ian another look. "Oh? And what does happen to time then? Tell me!" he ending up crying out.
"It's... well, it happens," he said vaguely as he ran a hand though his brown hair. "And then it's finished!"
Harry and Susan could see a condescending amusement in the Doctor's manner as he faced Barbara. "And what about you? You're not as doubtful as your friend, are you?"
"No, no, I don't think I am."
"Good! There's hope for you yet."
Ian sighed and shook his head in disappointment at Barbara, "Oh, Barbara. You're not really taken by these childish ideas, are you?"
Barbara shrugged her shoulders. "I can't help it, Ian. They're all are so calm, so certain about themselves. I just believe them, that's all."
The Doctor stared at Ian once he turned back to face him. "If you could touch alien sand with your feet, hear the cry of strange birds, watch them wheel above you in another sky...would that satisfy you?"
Looking around to the others he threw back his shoulders and faced the Doctor's head once when the others had shrugged their shoulders at him. "Yes."
The Doctor reached out and threw a small switch as he faced them all with a small smile that made his old face look young. "Then see for yourself."
The TARDIS door slide open as the group faced it, Susan grabbed Harry's left hand while the Doctor walked in front as he watched as Ian stepped forward and stare outside in disbelief. "It's not true," he cried out. "It can't be!"
"That's what I thought about magic to begin with," Harry mumbled to himself, too low for even Susan to hear.
With a smug smile on his lips the Doctor gave a small chuckle as Barbara tried to shake Ian's frozen body to bring him back out of his state.
~0~
What Ian could see beyond the door was a bleak and sandy plain, scattered with enormous boulders. It stretched to the edge of a dense, impenetrable forest. Well almost impenetrable if it wasn't for the small dark path that made its way through the trees. To the left of the forest were a few low rocky foothills that rose to merge with distant jagged mountains. Away on the right of both the mountains and just a little beyond the forest he could make out a glint of a broad and sluggish stream that disappeared into the forest and come out at the base of the foothills.
The plain in front of the TARDIS was scorched by the by the winds which made a constant, low moaning sound as it told a promise of a chilly winter that was heading that way. All in all it was a grim, forbidding scene that Ian wished he hadn't seen for his first glimpse outside the ship.
The Doctor sniffed in triumphant as him, Susan and Harry stepped up behind Ian and Barbara as she tried to shake Ian out of his shocked state.
"I'm going out a collect and update our samples and see how far we've gone back." with that said the Doctor pushed Ian a little to the side to make enough room to get out. Finally enough room he strode out onto the plain as confidently as if he was still back at the junk yard in Totters Lane, and with a small wave over his shoulder he vanished behind the TARDIS.
Watching as her grandfather disappeared Susan stepped closer to Harry who placed his arm comfortingly around Susan's shoulder and gave her a small squeeze. "Be careful, grandfather!"
Barbara couldn't help but have a shiver of excitement swim through her body once Ian was moved over enough for her to see what had shocked him. Like and unlike Ian she was scared and amazed at what she could see.
"Let's go outside and look," she said as she stepped outside, pulling her coat closer around herself. The climate was colder than what she would expect of a desert/beach like landscape.
Harry, seeing his teachers frozen state and getting impatient with the lack of movement, dragged Susan to stand behind Ian before pushing him out of the doors. Stepping out of his embrace, Susan reached up with her closest arm and smacked him upside the head.
"Ow!" Harry exclaimed, pretending that it hurt more than it did to earn a small smile from Susan. Giving one last look at the TARDIS, he grabbed Susan's hand and pulled her playfully outside. The doors shut themselves automatically behind them with a mechanical hum.
"Well?" asked Susan, uncertain of her teachers. Ian was currently looking around in would could be described as disbelief. Barbara however was looking around in awe and fear, a bird screeching above her did little to calm her nerves.
"T-there must be some explanation," Ian said, turning to Barbara he ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Barbara couldn't answer.
"It's still a police box," the Doctor said warily. He stood not too far from the rest of the group, who themselves were only a few paces from the TARDIS. "Why hasn't it changed? Dear, dear. How very disturbing." Turning to the group once more he glanced over Susan and Harry before taking off in the other direction to gather some samples.
~0~
As the Doctor walked away from the group he would occasionally look back to make sure they hadn't travelled away from his TARDIS. He dismissed his growing feeling of worry as unbalanced due to the decidedly unsmooth journey inside the ship.
Kneeling down, he opened the bag he had collected and started to gather the equipment he would need. Looking back in the direction of the TARDIS he missed the man coming towards him...
~0~
Back with the others, Barbara walked towards the skull of some animal. It was lying in the sand, already partly covered over by sand and completely devoid of any tissue. It was relatively large in size, perhaps similar to the size of a horse's skull. Bending down carefully in her skirt, Barbara picked it up to observe it.
"What do you think it could be?" she asked them although she was looking for the answer from Ian more than the children. Coming to kneel next to her, Susan started to wipe off the sand from on top. "Ian, look at this," Barbara said. With a sigh Ian joined them around the skull.
"I don't know," Ian replied to her previous question. Taking the skull off the girls he observed it. Harry, feeling left out, came to join them, leaving his position of looking out for the Doctor. "It hasn't got any horns or antlers," Ian continued, "could be a horse." He passed the skull to Harry before standing up.
"Is the rest of it down there?" Harry asked the girls. With a quick look in the sand no more skeleton was found, Harry sighed in disappointment. "Man wouldn't it have been cool to find a whole skeleton? Imagine the pranks we could have pulled with it, Halloween would never have been the same." Giving the skull back to Susan, he walked back to the TARDIS. Looking it over he couldn't help but notice that the sign on the door said pull however the way the door was designed the only way to open was to push.
"Incredible," Ian said, "a police box in the midst of..." he sighed. "It just doesn't make sense." Turning back to Harry and the TARDIS he wondered if he might of accidently drank something bad.
"Hey Susan, how come your spaceship looks so... earthy. Are police boxes a normal thing on your planet?" Harry asked. He agreed with Ian, having a police box in the middle of... wherever they were just wouldn't be ignored, people would surely notice. Mad Eye would probably have tried to blow it up if he so much as got a glance at it.
"It should have changed," Susan replied in surprise. "Wonder why it hasn't happened this time," her speech quickened, Harry, having known her three months, knew this meant she was thinking either very fast or very deeply. She would often speak like that after Harry had done something she couldn't explain, such as how Harry would always appear when she needed him even though he should have been nowhere near her at the time.
"The ship you mean?" Barbara asked in confusion. After all before entering the TARDIS she was so sure that some things just couldn't happen but now doubt had took root in her mind.
"Yes it's been an Ionic column and a sedan chair," Susan replied happily, she was pleased that at least one of her teachers was taking this well.
"How on earth, or whichever plant you're on, do you exit a chair?" Harry exclaimed. "I mean yes I can understand a column as it can have a hidden door and a police box actually has a door but how does a chair work. It can't be you just sit in it, you'd get people falling in all the time." Harry couldn't help but joke at the end.
"Harry perhaps if you actually listened in history you'd know that a sedan chair consists of a chair or windowed cabin suitable for a single occupant, carried by at least two porters by poles," Barbara admonished, falling easily into being a teacher.
Harry flushed with embarrassment before mischievously smirking, "I can't help but not listen ma'am, I'm too detracted by your beauty." He laughed when Susan threw a conveniently close stone, luckily it missed him.
"So it disguises itself wherever it goes," Barbara said choosing to ignore Harry. Three months teaching him was enough time to know that he would keep talking like that if he knew it work to embarrass her. He did it with anyone.
"Yes that's right," Susan replied
"But it hasn't happened this time," Harry stated. Turning back to the box he place is hand against it. It looked like wood and felt like wood and would probably smell like wood but it couldn't be wood because it could change shape. Unless, Harry thought with a spark of hope, it was magic.
"I wonder why not," Susan pondered. Looking back at the skull on the floor she cheered up considerably. "Wonder if this old head will help Grandfather." She stood up with Barbara before looking around in confusion. "Where is he?"
Susan walked to Harry. Quickly looking around together they searched with their eyes for the Doctor.
~0~
Barbara walked over to Ian, "you're being very quiet." Ian sighed, not bothering to face her and show his defeat.
"I was wrong, wasn't I," he asked rhetorically. He didn't need someone to tell him, the sand under his feet told him all he needed to know. It should have been concrete not sand, scientifically it should have been concrete, he was a science teacher wasn't he? Barbara smiled to comfort him even if he couldn't see it.
"Oh, look, I don't understand it any more than you do. The inside of the ship, suddenly finding ourselves here. Even some of the things Doctor Foreman says-"she was cut off by Ian suddenly turning around to talk to her.
"That's not his name," he stated. "Who is he? Doctor who?" Both questions were rapidly asked before he turned back to look at the landscape and the children who we're both still trying to catch sight of the man in question. "Perhaps if we knew his name we might have a clue to all this," he finished softly.
"Look, Ian, the point is, it's happened," Barbara tried to conclude. They wouldn't find the answers between themselves.
"Yes it has," Ian said in frustration. "But it impossible to accept." He turned back to Barbara hoping that if she just saw how... impossible everything was she might understand him.
"I can't see him anywhere," Susan asked in worry as she returned to the two teachers. It effectively achieved what Barbara had just been trying to do, end the conversation.
"He can't be far away," Harry said as he joined the others again. "I mean old people can't get very far very quickly, no offense to them or anything."
Susan turned away from them to look back out onto the wasteland. "Had a feeling just now as if we were being watched," Susan explained. Seeing his friends discomfort, Harry placed is arm around Susan in his usual manner. There was a pained cry in the distance. Without thinking Harry took off towards it not even hearing Susan's worried cry or the others following him. He had a single purpose in mind, to help whoever was hurt.
~0~
Harry reached the area first. On the ground, scattered was the Doctor's bag and things. The samples had been carelessly dropped on the ground. The Geiger counter broken. The sand was marked with signs of two humanoids. There was no Doctor to be seen.
"Look," Ian pointed to the objects once he had reached Harry.
"Some of his things," Harry said calmly, the complete opposite of how Susan was looking.
"Grandfather, where are you?" Susan shouted in panic. Ian turned to Susan and in an attempt to calm her down, grabbed her shoulders. Panicking didn't help; Harry knew that from the war.
"Susan, don't panic," Ian said urgently. However Susan couldn't be calmed, her only family member she had apart from those at home, the only one she was able to see freely, was missing.
"I must find him," Susan shouted. "I must see!" Releasing herself from Ian, she ran in a random direction. Seeing this Harry quickly ran after her. It only took a moment to catch up and a few seconds to overtake and stop her from continuing.
"Harry let me go," Susan said desperately. She ignored Harry repeating her name. "I have to find Grandfather! I have to find Grandfather! I need-"
"Susan stop!" Harry said angrily. Immediately Susan stopped he struggles and looked up in shock. She'd never seen Harry get angry, not even at those that would make fun of her. It scared her; darkness seemed to have taken over his eyes. In a flash though it disappeared and Harry was her Harry again, all smiles and a devil may care attitude. "Come on we won't have any chance of finding the Doc if we run around like headless chickens. Besides who knows what could happen if we leave the others on their own." Without her even noticing Harry had already started to lead her back to Ian and Barbara.
"We couldn't find him anywhere," Harry said as they returned. Suddenly Susan dropped to the ground to pick up a book. Her breathing started to increase again.
"It's his notes. He'd never leave his notebook. It's too important to him. It's got the key codes of all the machines in the ship. It's got notes of everywhere we've been to. Something terrible has happened to him, I know it has. We must find him," Susan voice started to increase in volume again as finished talking. Desperation was seeping into her. Seeing this Harry wrapped both arms around her and brought her head against his chest. A few tears soaked his t-shirt.
"Susan, Susan. We'll find him, I promise you. He can't be far away," Barbara said comfortingly, stroking Susan back to try to calm her down.
"What's on the other side of those rocks?" Ian asked Harry. Harry took a moment to think back. He had mainly be focus on getting Susan but unconsciously he had still taken in his surroundings. Constant vigilance.
"There's a line of trees. There's a gap in them. There might be a path on the other side." He said helpfully. Ian started to gather up all the Doctor's things, including the broken Geiger counter.
"All right, we'll try there first. Come on." Ian said before pausing for a moment. There was something wrong... "Strange."
"What?" Barbara asked.
"This sand. It's cold. It's nearly freezing."
~0~
Children were playing in the cave. One was under a leopard skin while the others pretend to kill it. They were all too innocent to care about what the adults were doing.
Za and Hur were eating together in a corner away from the others. Many times one of the older men glanced at them both. Eventually Horg, an elderly man with short grey facial hair approached Za. Hur seeing him coming quickly gathered her things and left. She didn't want to be with her father.
"Kal says, where he comes from, he's often seen men make fire," Horg said as he kneeled next to Za.
"Kal is a liar!" Za barked in return before returning to the piece of meat in his hand. Horg carried on regardless.
"He says Orb will soon show him how it is done," he stated calmly. For him as long as there was fire that is all that matters. Fire was what will keep them alive.
"All his tribe died in the last cold. If he had not found us, he would have died too," Za dismissed, surely if Orb was going to show him how to make fire it would already have shown him.
"What else did he say?" Hur asked curiously. She had been sat just behind Za so that she could hear the conversation.
"He says Orb only shows the secret to the leader," Horg said breathlessly. Za paused in his chewing, quickly swallowing the food in his mouth to look at Horg.
"I am leader," Za stated strongly. "Orb will show me. I am the son of the great firemaker, but he does not show me how to put flames into the sticks. Kal comes. I do not kill him. I let him eat with us and sleep in our caves. I will have to spill some blood and make people bow to me." Suddenly there was a great commotion at the entrance to the cave. Again Za stopped eating. He left the cave to look. Kal stood before a large rock with an old man in odd clothing over his shoulder. Seeing everyone had gathered he laid the man over the rock.
"This is a strange creature," said Za after a moment of observation.
"Is Za, son of the firemaker, afraid of an old man?" Kal taunted Za and received a grunt in return. So he went for something that he knew would get more of a reaction, "When will Za make fire come from his hands?"
"When Orb decides it," Za answered.
"Orb is for strong men," Kal argued. "Orb has sent me this creature to make fire come from his fingers. I have seen it. Inside, he's full of fire. The smoke comes from his mouth." Kal described the Doctor smoking from his pipe. In such a primitive time no one he has seen has smoked before.
"As lies come out of yours," Za taunted back. Turning back to the Doctor he looked him over once more. "He wears strange skins." Kal crouched down to the Doctor's level and gripped the unconscious mans shoulders.
"Za is afraid," Kal said to the crowd around them. "There was a strange tree. The creature was in it," Kal told everyone, explaining where the man had come from. Turning back to Za he looked him in the eyes before saying "Za would have run away had he seen it."
"Silence!" Za shouted, enraged at Kal. He tried to grab Kal over the body of the Doctor but he pulled away too quickly. Turning away from Za, Kal looked at the people around him. He brought his hands to his chest to look at his fingers.
"When I saw fire come from his fingers I remembered Za, son of the firemaker," Kal pointed at Za over his shoulder, not even bothering to look back at the man. "And when the cold comes, you will all die if you wait for Za to make fire for you," Kal stopped his walk to stand beside Za so that everyone can compare them together. "I, Kal, am a true leader. We fought like the tiger and the bear. My strength was too much for him. He lay down to sleep. And I, Kal, carried him here to make fire for you."
"Why do you listen to Kal?" Za asked in desperation.
"Za has many good skins. He has forgotten what the cold is like," Horg replied.
"Tomorrow, I kill many bears. You all have warm skins," Za tried, seeing all his people starting to dismiss him as leader.
"I say tomorrow you will rub your hands together and hold them to the dry sticks and ask Orb to send you fire. And the bears will stay warm in their own skins," Horg argued back. Za started to bring up his club in anger.
"What I say I will do, I will do," said Za.
"Hear me," screamed Kal. "I say that the firemaker is dead! You are no firemaker Za. All you can do is break dry sticks with your hands. But I, Kal, will make them burn – and I shall be leader!"
There was a moment of tense silence. Za could see the leadership slipping from his grasp. He could not use words cunningly as Kal, clouding the minds of the tribe. But he could kill...
Grasping his axe, Za poised to spring. Suddenly Hur shouted, "The creature has opened its eyes!
"
The Doctor sat up, groaning, his hand to his head. "Susan!" he shouted. "Susan!"
~0~
Susan, Harry, Barbara and Ian where hurrying down the forest path, when Harry suddenly stopped, "Listen!"
"What is it?" asked Barbara.
"It was Grandfather's voice wasn't," Susan said excitedly. "You heard his voice didn't you."
"Yeah, it was very faint but I heard it," answered Harry. He turned to Ian to confirm. "You heard it, didn't you, Mr Chesterton?"
"I heard something... it might have been a bird or a wild animal."
"It was Grandfather," said Susan positively. "Come on we've got to find him! Harry, where did it come from?"
"This direction," Harry said before running off with Susan close behind.
"Harry, Susan, wait for us," shouted Ian. "Come on, Barbara." By now Harry had disappeared from sight with Susan close behind. They hurried after them.
~0~
As the Doctor came to his senses, his panic died down. He studied the savage skin-clad creatures crowding around him, saw the heavy, brutal features, the skin garments, the stone axes and spears. He saw Kal and rubbed his head gingerly, remembering how his attacker had sprung out on him, catching him unaware. 'Must have wanted to take me alive,' thought the Doctor. 'He could have shattered my skull like an egg-shell.'
The Doctor looked at the burly figure nearest him. He was the biggest, and strongest, so presumably he was the leader. "Where's Susan-"he began and then broke off. There was no point in making these savages aware of his companions. The Doctor grew silent, glancing shrewdly around him, trying to work out what was going on.
The bearded savage that had captured him seemed to be making some kind of speech. Even in the Stone Age, there were still politicians to deal with. The Doctor watched and waited.
"Do you want fire?" Kal shouted. "Or do you want to die in the cold?"
"Fire!" shouted the men of the Tribe. "Give us fire, Kal!"
Kal raised his hand for silence. "Soon the cold comes again, and now you have lost the secret of fire, the tiger will come again to the caves at night. Za will give you to the tiger, and the cold, while he rubs his hands and waits for Orb to remember him." He pointed at the Doctor. "This creature can make fire come out of his fingers. Kal brought him hear. He is Kal's creature!"
Za shouldered his way forward. "He is only an old man in strange skins. There is no fire in his body. The thing is not possible." He brandished his axe. "I say Kal has been with us too long. It is time he died!"
As Za advanced on Kal, Horg stepped between them. "I say there is truth in both of you. Za speaks truth that fire cannot live in men... and Kal speaks truth that we will all die without fire. If this creature can make fire, we must have it for the Tribe."
Daringly, Hur thrust herself forward. "Will my father listen to the words of a woman? It is easy to see where truth lies. If this old man can make fire come from his fingers, let him do it now, before all of the Tribe!"
There was a shout of approval from the crowd. Za glared angrily at Hur. He knew that she was trying to help him, that she knew Kal's claim was impossible. But Za knew that Kal was cunning. Impossible as it seemed, he would not have risked such a claim in front of the Tribe unless he could back it up. And if Kal's creature succeeded in making fire, Za's claim to leadership would be gone forever.
"I am the one who decides what is done here," said Za. "Not old me or women – or strangers."
Kal was quick to seize his advantage. "Perhaps Za does not wish to see fire made. Perhaps he is frightened. I, Kal, am not afraid to make fire. I will make my creature make fire for the Tribe. I will take the creature to the cave of skulls, and he will die unless he tells me the secret!"
Hurriedly the Doctor jumped up. "I can make fire for you," he shouted. "Let me go, and I'll make all the fire you want." Impressed the crowd drew back. "You don't have to be afraid of me," said the Doctor. "See for yourselves. I'm an old man. How could possibly harm you?"
"What does he say?" growled Za.
"Fire!" Horg said awestruck. "He says he can make fire for us!"
Suddenly, Kal saw his new advantage slipping away from him. "For me!" he shouted. "He will make fire for me and I will give it to you. I will be firemaker!"
Just as suddenly, Za saw how he could turn Kal's own discovery to his own advantage. "If the creature makes fire he will make it for me and for all the Tribe."
The Doctor meanwhile was searching his pockets frantically. "Where are my matches? I must find my matches!" He knew he had them earlier, because he could remember lighting his pipe with them. He realised that his pipe was gone as well. Had he left them both when he was attacked? Or had his matches dropped out of his pocket when he was thrown over the savage's shoulder. Whichever the case, the matches were gone.
Za watched bemused, as the Doctor patted his pockets. "What does he do now?"
"See, he is Kal's creature," said Kal. "He will only make fire for Kal."
The Doctor abandoned his search in despair. "Take me back to my ship, and I'll make all the fire you want," he said hopefully.
Za swung round on Kal. "This is more of your lies Kal. The old man cannot make fire."
"There was a tree," said Kal desperately. "It came from nowhere. The old man came out, there was fire in his fingers. Smoke came out of his fingers."
The men of the Tribe were muttering discontentedly. With the Doctor's failure to perform the promised miracle, opinion began to swing against Kal.
Za seized his moment. Pushing Kal aside, he jumped on the rock himself. "Kal wants to be as strong as Za, son of firemaker. Yet all he can do is lie. You heard him say we would all have fire – and yet there is no fire. Za does not tell lies. Za does not say, "Tonight we will be warm," and then leave you in the cold. He does not say, "I will scare away the tiger with fire," and then let the tiger come at you in the dark. Do you want a liar as you chief?"
There were many shouts of "No!" Men began to glare threateningly at Kal.
Kal brandished his axe above the Doctor's head. "Make fire!"
The Doctor looked up helplessly. "I cannot."
"You are trapped in your own lies Kal," Hur said mockingly, moving closer to Za.
Za gave a great roar of laughter. "Look at the great chief Kal who is afraid of nothing! Oh great Kal save us from the cold! Save us from the tiger!"
Kal saw his hopes of leadership dissolving in the laughter of the Tribe. He grabbed the Doctor by his shoulders, lifting him almost off his feet. "Make fire old man! Make come from your fingers, like I saw today!"
"I can't," shouted the Doctor. "I tell you I've lost my matches. I can't make fire – I can't!"
Za was almost helpless with laughter. "Let the old man die. Let us all watch the great Kal as he fights this mighty enemy!"
Kal drew a stone knife from beneath his skins and held it to the Doctor's throat. "Make fire. Make fire or I will kill you now!"
"We will keep the great Kal to hunt for us," bellowed Za. "It is good to have someone to laugh at."
Kal raised his knife.
"No!" screamed a voice. Susan ran into the centre of the Tribesmen. She stumbled and fell at Kal's feet. Harry appeared in a flash and picked her up, placing her safely behind him. He watched everyone from the corner of his eye. He tensed slightly when there was movement and didn't relax even after he realised it was Ian and Barbara.
A Tribesman came up behind Ian, raising his axe above his head. He was about to strike when the Doctor shouted commandingly, "Stop! If he dies there will be no fire."
The Tribesman stopped his movement, looking at Za in confusion. "Kill them!" screeched Old Mother.
Za considered, "No. We do not kill them."
"They are enemies! They must die!"
Impressively, Za said, "When Orb brings fire to the sky, let him look down on them as sacrifices. That is the time they shall die – Orb will be pleased with us and will bring us fire. Put them in the cave of skulls."
Four of the strangers struggled however the last, the youngest male allowed himself to be dragged away. His stare unnerved Za, it didn't waver or stop, despite himself Za looked away first. Kal looked thoughtfully at Za and slipped away.
Horg put his hand on Hur's shoulder to move her away, but Za stepped down from the rock and took Hur's arm. "The woman is mine."
"My daughter is for the leader of the Tribe."
"Yes," said Za. "I am leader. The woman is mine."
Horg sighed. "I do not like what has happened. I do not understand."
"Old men never like when new things happen."
"In the time of your father I was his chief warrior. He was a great leader of many men." Horg replied.
"Yes, many men," Za said bitterly. "They all died when the Orb left the skies and the great cold was on the ground. Now the Orb will give me fire again. To me, not you. Just as you will give me Hur."
Consolingly, Hur said "Za too will be a great leader of many men. If you give me to him, Za will remember and always give you meat."
Accepting the inevitable, Horg bowed his head and moved away.
Old Mother stared broodingly at Za. "There were leaders before there was fire," she muttered. "Fire angers the gods. Fire will kill all of us in the end. You should have killed the four strangers. Kill them!"
Za stared at the gathering darkness. "I have said we will wait until Orb shines again. Then they die."
~0~
Arm s and legs trussed like animals, Harry, Susan, Ian, Barbara and the Doctor lay in a smaller cave, just behind the main one. After binding their arms and legs, their captors had hastily retreated, as if scared of staying longer. The door was simply a large rock that had been rolled shut. The cave was small and dark, it smelt of what Harry long ago had learnt was death. There where skulls arranged in pyramids on the ground.
"Is everyone ok?" Harry asked. "No one is hurt are they?" Quickly undoing his bonds with a bit of magic to make them too big for his hands and legs, he carefully made his way over to Susan. Only once he was happy she was unharmed did he start to untie Susan's hands. It was taking longer than his had though because he didn't want to use his magic and for her to notice. Boy could those savages tie a good knot. Didn't help that the rope was already wet.
"I'm all right," answered Ian. "Barbara, how are you doing?"
"I'm all right," Barbara's voice was trembling. "I'm frightened, Ian."
Ian could offer little consolation. "Try and hang on. We'll get out of this somehow."
There was hysteria in Barbara's voice. "How? How are we going to get out of it?"
"We shall need to be cunning," said the Doctor thoughtfully. He seemed remarkably spry after his ordeal, already he was struggling with his bonds. After a moment he looked at the others. "I'm sorry. All this is my fault. I'm desperately sorry."
"Grandfather, no," sobbed Susan. "We'll find a way out. You mustn't blame yourself."
"Yeah Doc, don't worry. I've been in stickier situations than this. Just wait a mo and we'll all be ready to make a great escape," Harry reassured.
Smiling slightly at the encouragement the Doctor looked at the skulls before frowning. He shoved on to Ian clumsily with his feet. "Look at that young man!"
Clumsily Ian picked it up with his hands. "It's a skull." He tossed it aside before picking up another one from the pile. He examined in carefully. "They're all the same," he whispered. "They've been split open!" He dropped it horrified...
Next time: The Forest of Fear