The Meeting

'Come in and sit down,' a leader says as we enter the tent. She waves in the direction of a couple of tree stumps.

I hurry toward one of them, and sit down.

'As I was saying,' the leader continues. 'We have to have a successful hunt. Therefore we need to decide what will happen.'

I frown.

I thought that was my job.

I don't say anything though.

Just sit there.

'So if the hunters are split into six groups, they can all come an the auroch from different directions.'

'Yes,' another agrees. 'And each group can be led by the six best hunters.'

'Who are?'

'Well, I think you'll all agree that Tiger should be one of them. He's strong but fast.'

The others nod their heads.

And I just watch, feeling more and more confused.

'Tiger, yes, and what about Wood and maybe even Dandilion.'

'Both would be good choices. Wood can run very fast, and Dandilion is an expert hunter, she's probably one of the best.'

'So that's three hunters, but what about three others?'

'I think Stone should be one of them,' a younger leader says. 'I know he's from my cave, and my friend, but what he lacks from his youth, he certainly makes up by his skill.'

'I agree. And I recommend Wind, because he knows all about his name sake, and how to work around it so that the animals we're hunting don't know they are in danger until it is too late.'

'And the last leader is obviously...'

I start to stand up.

'Willow.'

What?

Not me?

I thought...

I'm supposed to lead the hunt so why are they saying that these other hunters will be in charge?

The leader who told us to sit down steps forward, a blush on her face. 'I'm honoured that you think I'm a good enough hunter to lead one of the groups,' she says. 'I will make sure that I don't let you all down.'

Six groups, six leaders, and I'm not one of them, which begs the question why have they said I will lead the hunt if they aren't going to let me do that?

What is going on?

'So it's decided, the six hunters in charge are Willow, Tiger, Stone, Wood, Dandilion and Wind? If anyone objects, please raise your hand.'

I feel like raising my hand, because I do object.

But everyone is older than me. I'm not much more than a boy, and obviously they've decided to take away the honour of leading the hunt from me to give it to others.

I feel like crying.

'We should send a runner to the hunters to bring them here,' a leader suggests. 'Then they can pick their teams out of the other hunters going.'

'Yes,' Willow nods her head, and head out of the tent flap. A moment later, she's back. 'Done,' she smiles.

'Good, now as we wait for the hunters, is there any other business?'

Yes, me, I think. But...

I don't say it out loud.

'Well that just leads us with one thing. The leader of the hunt...'

I grin. She's talking about me. I'm going to be in charge after all.

Maybe, I'm going to be in charge of the six hunters, telling them my plans.

Not that I have a plan.

'Rocky, if you'll come over here,' Willow says.

I stand up and walk over to her, tripping up on a stone in the ground and nearly sprawling over on my face.

I feel my face redden.

'Come on,' Willow says.

She sounds impatient but she's smiling at me.

'Okay, Rocky's intended won the cooking competition making him the main young man of this summer meeting and therefore the leader of the hunt.'

I feel so proud standing there, with everyone looking at me.

'Now of course we all know, the leader of the hunt is just a honorary title given to the young man. It is unlikely that a thirteen summers old would have the skills to lead others, or the ability to keep himself out of trouble.'

I blink.

What!

What?

I don't understand. I'm so confused.

'But...' I just about manage to say but my words dry up as my throat constricts.

She glances at me. 'Are you all right?'

'I'm...' I shake my head. 'I thought I would be in charge of the hunt.'

She laughs and then frowns when she sees that I'm serious. 'You didn't know?'

I shake my head.

She looks at one of the other leaders. 'Why wasn't he informed?' she asks. 'Why was he led to believe...'

'I thought his father would tell him.'

I look over to where Thunder, my adopted father is sitting.

He stands up.

'And I thought that as usual, that the leader in charge of the young men would tell him.'

He looks mad.

And so does Willow.

'How could you slack in your duty?' she asks the leader in charge of us young men. 'It's a simple thing, to just inform him what would actually happen, but it seems that maybe someone else should have your job.'

The leader twists his mouth into a scowl.

And glowers at me.

He looks like he wants to hit me, but Thunder comes and stands next to me.

'It seems that we'll have to inform the leader of the hunt exactly what is going to happen,' Willow sighs.

And she shakes her head. 'I'm sorry you were allowed to believe that you would be in charge during the hunt. I know that previous young men have boasted about their exploits during the summer meeting hunt, allowing those not in the know, mainly the other first summer young men and women and our children, that they had a bigger role than they did, but they were embellishing the truth. As I'm sure you will too. And we have allowed them to do that. But in reality, the leader of the hunt is more like a mascot, an image for our people to see, you will lead the hunters out of the gathering later today, and then be kept back as much as possible during the hunt, only allowing your involvement when there is no threat. But you are the only first summer young man or woman going, so it is still something to be proud off. You will be supported in the hunt, but will still be involved at the end, and will be allowed your own kill. If it is safe. And after the hunt, you will lead the victorious men back.'

'Oh.'

'Don't be disappointed,' she says.

And to be quite honest, strangely I'm not. I'm actually relieved that I won't be in charge of the hunters, that I won't hold their lives in my hands.

'Okay,' I say. 'I understand.'