The summer meeting (Rocky)

When we arrive five days later, the summer meeting is already in full swing. But those that have been enjoying all that the meeting offers come running to us when we arrive.

We are enveloped into our friends and families that live in other caves, hands patting our backs, arms hugging us.

A boy picks up a girl a couple of years older than me and spins her around before kissing her. She blushes, but accepts his hand holding hers and after saying goodbye to her mother, goes off toward the tent of the young people.

Those that intend to marry.

I blush myself when I realise that I was staring at them, as they stop and kiss.

'That will be us in a few years,' Storm says as he sidles up next to me. 'Though off course, the girls will be all chasing after me, but I won't let one catch me too quickly.'

I snort. 'Yeah, sure you won't. If a girl chatted you up, I think you'd faint with embarrassment.'

'No I wouldn't.'

I shake my head. I know the truth, and I know what my friend is like. He shows off, makes himself out to be really big and brave, but inside, he's just a shaking boy. Shy.

'Ask your mother if you can come with me to the wrestling?' he asks.

'I don't think…'

He tilts his head to one side.

'I will come, but not yet. There's too much to do first.'

'But we're not even going to stay here,' he says. 'Do you not want to see the young men's tent?'

'I thought you wanted to see the wrestling.'

He grins. 'Well, I do. I want to go there, and I want to go to the Boozing tent, and the food one, and loads of other places too, but most of all, I want to claim a spot in the young man's tent. The best ones will already be gone already, but we might be able to get a couple of nice places. I think about half of the caves have arrived. If we wait too long, we might find ourselves sleeping outside.'

'But I need to…'

'You two, what are you still doing here?' a voice says, a voice that belongs to Thunder. 'You should be heading over to the young men's tent.'

'See, even the leader knows where we should be going and what we should do.'

'But I need to help here first.'

Thunder slaps me on the back and laughs. 'There are plenty of men to set up our camp. You two get over to the young men's tents before you find yourself sleeping outside in the rain.'

'But…'

Storm pushes me, away from a smiling Thunder and toward the far side of the summer meeting where the young men's tent will be.

'Come on Rocky. We've got stuff to do.'

'And Rocky…'

'I turn around to look at Thunder.

'Don't forget your pack.'