Chapter 11
Silent Battles
~~~~~~~~~~
Ayla rode Whinney heading east where she'd seen the blood-red sun that morning. She half-noted the changes in the vegetation as she passed by. She hadn't traveled this far east before and she was slightly curious. After hours of riding, they finally came in sight of an immense scorched path that the fire had created.
The presence of scavenging creatures had become more noticeable as she and Whinney had traveled. Ayla gasped as she saw the reason for it for at the crest of the next hill she viewed the panorama of devastation.
Multitudes of animals covered the scorched dead earth. Weaving, running and growling over their prey, they added to the air of feral ness. The stench was overpowering and Ayla quickly sought out a piece of hide to cover her nostrils. Whinney shied from the scene with no heart to go further into the destruction. The woman also hesitated but then urged Whinney forward.
"How the mother must grieve at this destruction," Sela said in a hoarse whisper, "Ayla is lucky to have both of us watching, look at all those scavengers." Sela was overwhelmed with the total destruction of land. Malia mentally agreed sending a silent prayer to Donii.
As Ayla surveyed the area, she mentally began to plan. I'll need to find a whole animal, without a damaged hide. It can't be too scorched or I'll never be able to store it, but I don't want rot either, she thought to herself.
Wolves, lions, birds, hyenas, every scavenger was out in force to clean up the waste the fire had left behind. A few came close to her and Whinney, eyeing them. But the flying stones convinced them to find easier meals.
"There, Whinney, that one looks good." Ayla began to head toward a doe that had recently found by the scavengers. Her sling was out and cleared the path for her, "ugly stinking hyenas," she muttered. Sliding off of Whinney's back she went to work.
Malia was beginning to get nervous, eyeing the predators carousing through the area. They were all hungry for an easy meal. "Hurry, my daughter," she pleaded.
After loading the first carcass, Ayla put her arm around Whinney's neck to calm her. "This has been a hard day for you, but we're almost done." She went in search of one more.
Her clothes and body were covered with soot and made her feel itchy. She had taken off her footwear when she saw how black they became from walking across the ground. In frustration, she searched, but had to travel farther to find a second animal. As the day grew later, she debated whether to take a less desirable creature or just go home.
"Look Whinney, we've found it!" Sensing her excitement, the horse perked and hurried her pace.
Ayla had no trouble scaring away the scavengers, especially when there were so many easier feasts. Only one pair of eyes followed them, salivating at the thought of fresh meat.
"Mother, look! What kind of creature is that?" Sela said nervously. She pointed to a large cat-like animal with elongated teeth.
"Ayla!" Malia screamed, "look out!"
The tiger yowled as it circled Whinney. It was the last straw for the horse. Whinney reared, and Ayla watched helplessly as one of the deer tumbled off the travois.
Quickly, Ayla whistled and ran toward her friend. Her sling was out and swinging, hitting as hard as she could. The creature was large, and she had no hope of killing it with such a small weapon. Why didn't I bring my spear, she berated herself, if something happens to Whinney, I'll never forgive myself.
Hearing the familiar sound of the whistle, Whinney sidestepped over to the woman who had always kept her from harm. The tiger was slightly bemused by the flinging stones and thought twice about his prey. Another stone landed hard on his nose. He snorted and shook his head.
Malia ran toward the tiger, glared into its eyes and screeched, "Eeeyahhh! Be gone cat, this horse is not for you!"
Sela joined in yelling, and both women waved and yelled at the creature. It was too much for the dirk-toothed tiger. With another yowl, he charged straight for Ayla who swiftly jumped out of the way. She rolled over and looked around quickly. With a sigh of relief she saw that the tiger was trotting away in search of easier prey.
"This woman is grateful for being protected from the strange creatures," she prayed to her totem. "Come Whinney, let's go home."
~~~~~
Thonolan became restless as the night grew later. If something happened to Ayla, if she were killed, would Malia and Sela go with her? That would leave Jondalar alone, with a colt for company. Thonolan shook his head. Don't be silly, he said to himself, you're more concerned about you being alone than Jondalar. He watched as his brother moved around restlessly, a worried frown on his face.
Aren't we a pair? Thonolan thought humorlessly. Alone, far away from any people and our well being hinging on the return of the women.
Thonolan hurried to the mouth of the cave when he heard the wind pick up. A broad smile spread across his face as he saw the women returning.
"Malia! Sela! Am I ever glad to see you two!" he raced out to meet them, taking in their weary appearances. Moments later, Jondalar heard Whinney on the path and rushed to meet Ayla.
"What took so long, you both look awful!" Thonolan demanded.
Malia gave him a withering look, then sat down near the mouth of the cave. "I didn't think that we would be able to turn back that dirk-toothed tiger," she finally got out.
"Dirk toothed..." Thonolan said shocked. He'd heard of the fearsome creatures, and had been glad he'd never met one. "What happened?"
As Malia and Sela told him the story, his consternation grew. He hadn't imagined the hunt would be that dangerous. When they finished re-telling, they fell silent, each deep in their own thoughts.
"Much meat. Tiger...not need Whinney. Sling make go." Sela watched as her sister tried to form words to express the incident, to bring home to Jondalar just what she had been through.
"If only she could remember," Sela said with a pointed look at her mother.
(VOH 409-410).
Silent Battles
~~~~~~~~~~
Ayla rode Whinney heading east where she'd seen the blood-red sun that morning. She half-noted the changes in the vegetation as she passed by. She hadn't traveled this far east before and she was slightly curious. After hours of riding, they finally came in sight of an immense scorched path that the fire had created.
The presence of scavenging creatures had become more noticeable as she and Whinney had traveled. Ayla gasped as she saw the reason for it for at the crest of the next hill she viewed the panorama of devastation.
Multitudes of animals covered the scorched dead earth. Weaving, running and growling over their prey, they added to the air of feral ness. The stench was overpowering and Ayla quickly sought out a piece of hide to cover her nostrils. Whinney shied from the scene with no heart to go further into the destruction. The woman also hesitated but then urged Whinney forward.
"How the mother must grieve at this destruction," Sela said in a hoarse whisper, "Ayla is lucky to have both of us watching, look at all those scavengers." Sela was overwhelmed with the total destruction of land. Malia mentally agreed sending a silent prayer to Donii.
As Ayla surveyed the area, she mentally began to plan. I'll need to find a whole animal, without a damaged hide. It can't be too scorched or I'll never be able to store it, but I don't want rot either, she thought to herself.
Wolves, lions, birds, hyenas, every scavenger was out in force to clean up the waste the fire had left behind. A few came close to her and Whinney, eyeing them. But the flying stones convinced them to find easier meals.
"There, Whinney, that one looks good." Ayla began to head toward a doe that had recently found by the scavengers. Her sling was out and cleared the path for her, "ugly stinking hyenas," she muttered. Sliding off of Whinney's back she went to work.
Malia was beginning to get nervous, eyeing the predators carousing through the area. They were all hungry for an easy meal. "Hurry, my daughter," she pleaded.
After loading the first carcass, Ayla put her arm around Whinney's neck to calm her. "This has been a hard day for you, but we're almost done." She went in search of one more.
Her clothes and body were covered with soot and made her feel itchy. She had taken off her footwear when she saw how black they became from walking across the ground. In frustration, she searched, but had to travel farther to find a second animal. As the day grew later, she debated whether to take a less desirable creature or just go home.
"Look Whinney, we've found it!" Sensing her excitement, the horse perked and hurried her pace.
Ayla had no trouble scaring away the scavengers, especially when there were so many easier feasts. Only one pair of eyes followed them, salivating at the thought of fresh meat.
"Mother, look! What kind of creature is that?" Sela said nervously. She pointed to a large cat-like animal with elongated teeth.
"Ayla!" Malia screamed, "look out!"
The tiger yowled as it circled Whinney. It was the last straw for the horse. Whinney reared, and Ayla watched helplessly as one of the deer tumbled off the travois.
Quickly, Ayla whistled and ran toward her friend. Her sling was out and swinging, hitting as hard as she could. The creature was large, and she had no hope of killing it with such a small weapon. Why didn't I bring my spear, she berated herself, if something happens to Whinney, I'll never forgive myself.
Hearing the familiar sound of the whistle, Whinney sidestepped over to the woman who had always kept her from harm. The tiger was slightly bemused by the flinging stones and thought twice about his prey. Another stone landed hard on his nose. He snorted and shook his head.
Malia ran toward the tiger, glared into its eyes and screeched, "Eeeyahhh! Be gone cat, this horse is not for you!"
Sela joined in yelling, and both women waved and yelled at the creature. It was too much for the dirk-toothed tiger. With another yowl, he charged straight for Ayla who swiftly jumped out of the way. She rolled over and looked around quickly. With a sigh of relief she saw that the tiger was trotting away in search of easier prey.
"This woman is grateful for being protected from the strange creatures," she prayed to her totem. "Come Whinney, let's go home."
~~~~~
Thonolan became restless as the night grew later. If something happened to Ayla, if she were killed, would Malia and Sela go with her? That would leave Jondalar alone, with a colt for company. Thonolan shook his head. Don't be silly, he said to himself, you're more concerned about you being alone than Jondalar. He watched as his brother moved around restlessly, a worried frown on his face.
Aren't we a pair? Thonolan thought humorlessly. Alone, far away from any people and our well being hinging on the return of the women.
Thonolan hurried to the mouth of the cave when he heard the wind pick up. A broad smile spread across his face as he saw the women returning.
"Malia! Sela! Am I ever glad to see you two!" he raced out to meet them, taking in their weary appearances. Moments later, Jondalar heard Whinney on the path and rushed to meet Ayla.
"What took so long, you both look awful!" Thonolan demanded.
Malia gave him a withering look, then sat down near the mouth of the cave. "I didn't think that we would be able to turn back that dirk-toothed tiger," she finally got out.
"Dirk toothed..." Thonolan said shocked. He'd heard of the fearsome creatures, and had been glad he'd never met one. "What happened?"
As Malia and Sela told him the story, his consternation grew. He hadn't imagined the hunt would be that dangerous. When they finished re-telling, they fell silent, each deep in their own thoughts.
"Much meat. Tiger...not need Whinney. Sling make go." Sela watched as her sister tried to form words to express the incident, to bring home to Jondalar just what she had been through.
"If only she could remember," Sela said with a pointed look at her mother.
(VOH 409-410).