CHAPTER 12: CRUSTED SNOW

The first snow declared the beginning of winter for all Clans and all tribes of Others. A blanket of white came overnight and was a full moon cycle earlier than expected. Enough snow had fallen to make snowballs and children played in the cold sunlight. A serious snowstorm came two snowfalls later and placed a knee-deep blanket of white on the land. The morning and afternoon sun played with the snow during the day and warmed the surface snow a bit.

The following morning provided a frozen crust that allowed children and lighter weight adults to walk on top of the snow. This slick surface provided a pleasant outdoor playtime for the children as sliding downhill on a sleeping fur was fun. Bundled up by their mothers, children ventured out to play on the crusted snow and would ignore the cold until teeth chattered, fingers were blue, and feet could no longer be felt. Mothers enjoyed the frozen snow simply because the young ones were out from under their feet for a few hands of time. This allowed for a relaxing tea and conversation with others. Falls caused by the icy surface were another aspect of the crusted snow. Young children would often cry a bit after a fall while the older children considered the falls a slightly unpleasant part of the fun.

The men also enjoyed the morning's frozen crust but didn't like the intermittent surprise when a step forward would break through the crusted snow and cause a foot to slide underneath the frozen cap. The enjoyable part for the men was the short excursions from the cave to gain a kill or two while animals were foraging for food. It meant fresh meat and the sport of the hunt. The icy crust also provided ease in dragging game back to the central hearth. The day's sun had wet the already crusted snow again and the overnight air turned the wet snow into solid ice.

The morning's sun found Durcan out for an early morning hunt and the double-crusted surface seemed well able to support his weight. This was good because he could just walk on top of the hardened surface instead of trudging through the snow below it. Seeing an antlered deer roaming in the woods, Durcan muttered in a soft whisper, "Hello Mister buck. I would like to invite you to a meal tonight. How about you just stand there for a moment as I use my spearthrower and... YES! YES!... I thank you for waiting."

Durcan approached the downed deer and all was well until his left foot slipped on the frozen surface. Being thrown off balance, he fell forward and fell hard. A broken tree limb was poking up through the surface of the snow right next to a large rock. The harm the rock did was no match to what the broken limb did. The rock left him unconscious; the limb left him bleeding. Durcan hadn't bothered to seek a hunting partner for this impromptu 'edge of the forest' hunt, and not having a partner on a hunt, any hunt, is asking for trouble.

Ava had walked back from the waste pit after a morning's visit and she glanced in the distance and could see that someone was down. Now looking intently, she could also see red-stained snow. "Mother, mother, come quickly, someone is hurt in the snow!"

Ayla shouted back, "I'm coming," and grabbed her rabbit fur coat and medicine bag. Slowed by the icy surface, it took a half finger of time to reach the injured person. Nearing what appeared to be a man lying on his side in the snow and facing away Ava remarked, "Mother It looks like a man, and from here it looks like he took a bad fall." Not wasting any time, the two concerned women reached the man and turned the inert body. "It's Durcan!" Both women had exclaimed in unison.

Ayla did a quick examination of Durcan's cold body. "Ava, go quickly and send four men to me and have them bring two sleeping furs and a pole carrier. After telling the men what is needed, go to Uba's hearth and tell her what has happened and then add wood to the coals of her nighttime heating fire. I need you to make an oversized heating fire and start boiling five bladders of water." Ayla would have said and done the same things no matter who the injured person was.

'Durcan has a puncture wound in his left side just under his armpit and this is where all the blood is from. He may also have a broken rib or two,' Ayla thought to herself as she packed Durcan's wound with woven bandage cloth.

Now she opened her winter wrap and laid on top of Durcan to share the warmth of her own body. "Durcan, mother has you and I have men coming with warm furs. Stay with me Durcan, don't listen to the call of the Spirit World, I need you to stay with me and we will get you all warm again.." Her words were said in a voice just above a whisper.

Once Durcan was inside Uba's purposely overheated cave, Ayla put the four men to work massaging his arms, legs, hands, and feet. "Ava, you don't need to stay, I have enough helpers now." In her fear for Durcan, Ayla's mind was in disarray.

"Mother, I will not leave except for cause. I found Durcan, he is my man, and I will be here for him from now on." Ava said this with rock-solid resolve in her voice and Ayla realized she had dismissed Ava in passing. She could also tell that Ava had strength and conviction in her voice and was firm in her resolve to stay.

"Ava, in my distress I wasn't thinking clearly, you should be here because your presence will be good medicine for Durcan." Word of Durcan's injury spread rapidly. Durc ran to Uba's hearth after hearing the news and found Ava, Jondalar, and Uba standing inside as Ayla worked to close Durcan's wound; Durc stood silent among his family.

Ayla was concerned about Durcan's blood loss as his soft tissue did not spring back with a gentle pinch. This was normal only when a large blood loss has occurred or in old age. Jondalar was one of the four men who went to bring Durcan to Uba's hearth and spoke to his mate. "Ayla, I am concerned about Durcan's blood loss. I have seen it in others, and I have fears."

"Jondalar, you are right, Durcan did lose a large amount of blood and I too have fear he will soon walk the Spirit World," Ayla had spoken softly.

"Just after Durcan finds Ava and his blood brother, this has to happen to him." Jondalar had lamented this statement aloud and was choking on the words.

"Mother, 'blood brother,' what is the meaning? I have never heard to term."

"Ava, I am the mother of both Durc and Durcan, each of them are of my flesh and blood. Through me they are called blood brothers. There is another kind of blood brother, but it is just symbolic as opposed to actual."

Ava muttered softly, "I wish Durc could share his blood with Durcan." Then, with wide eyed excitement she turned and looked directly at Ayla, "Mother, why can't Durc or you or father share blood with Durcan to help him live? Is it possible?"

"I suppose it is possible Ava, but I don't know of it ever being done."

Ava was distraught but spoke firmly, "Am I wrong in saying Durcan will die without more blood in him?"

"Only The Great Earth Mother knows for sure, but his blood loss is great and although I have done everything I know of and sewn his wound closed, I do have fear he will not live through the night." Ayla was speaking calmly as a Medicine Woman. As a mother, she was privately crying her eyes out. 'Durcan will die soon,' she thought to herself.

"Then try mother, let's at least TRY... I love Durcan and I know he loves me. We MUST get someone's blood into him. We must try mother; we must at least TRY!" Ava was fully distraught and now crumbled into tears as Jondalar held her close.

Ayla was Durcan's mother and Jondalar was his father; whose blood should be used was now the topic of discussion. After hearing the initial conversation, Durc stepped forward, "I have survived two snake bites. Have any of you done the same?"

"What do snake bites have to do with needing blood?" Jondalar asked.

"It means I have strong blood. I am truly Durcan's blood brother and I have more blood inside me than you and mother put together." This wasn't exactly correct, but the simple challenge ended the conversation. If anyone's blood was to go into Durcan, it would be Durc's. He too had heard his mother's statement about blood brothers and it stirred his thoughts.

"I know a weed that is stiff and hollow and it grows in many places. I have some at my hearth that I've been using for kindling and they are different sizes.

"If I get the smallest shoot I can find, being stiff, I think it would work to channel Durc's blood into Durcan. It is the only stiff hollow stick I know of and it grows in many places. I have some at my hearth that I've been using for kindling and they are different sizes. If I get the smallest shoot I can find, being stiff, I think it would work to channel Durc's blood into Durcan."

Ayla was upset and hadn't thought about the weed. "Marka, your idea may save Durcan's life." Ayla was being direct in her statement.

The mechanics of how to channel Durc's blood into his brother was then quickly discussed and decided. With Marka's help, Ayla carefully removed the bladder and pee stem from the deer Durcan had killed. The impact of the moment shook Ayla greatly and the thought, 'I must not harm either Durc or Durcan,' ran through her mind repeatedly. 'Help me Ursus, help me Great Earth Mother, help me save my son's life.'

"How much blood do we need?" Ava asked.

"Probably three bladders of blood will do," Ayla answered. Seeing blood was not unusual for a Medicine Woman and she knew Durcan's body needed a large amount. "As we discussed, I need to put the bladder and the stiff shoot in boiling water for a slow few moments then I will insert Marka's stiff shoot into the deer's bladder where the buck's pee would be normally be channeled."

Marka handed Ayla the small hollow shoot she had found, and Ayla continued talking as she dipped the bladder and shoot into the boiling water. "I will slide the hollow shoot into the pee stem where pee leaves the deer's bladder... and now that the shoot is sticking out of the bladder's stem a child's little finger in length, I will use the flame from a burning stick to shrink the bladder stem to the exterior of the shoot. This should cause the pee stem to hold the hollow shoot tightly."

"Wait," Ava said. "When we were talking about things we could do, you said we would need to cut Durcan's skin open and then cut a blood line and insert the hollow stick into it. Why not cut the end of the hollow stick at an angle, sort of like a knife blade, then just nick the skin right above a large and visible bloodline in his leg and then push the stiff hollow shoot through his flesh and let the sharpened end of the shoot pierce and enter the bloodline?

"He wouldn't lose any more blood and when the shoot is removed wouldn't his body naturally heal the bloodline puncture if we just wrap a bandage firmly around the place the shoot has pierced?"

"Ava, you have a sharp mind! Your idea may save Durcan's life because I had not figured out how I was going to close the bloodline to stop it from bleeding where it was cut. Normally I would just sew the flesh together. Dark bruising spreads widely when this is done but I don't want to stress Durcan's body any more than necessary. Your way, his flesh will naturally heal the vein as you suggest." Listening to Barrie's constant talk about healing was where Ava's idea came from.

"Mother, take all of my blood if you need to."

"Durc, I won't sacrifice you to save Durcan's life. We all go through this life with the same risks and you are just as important to me as Durcan is. I will not knowingly end the life of one son to save the life of another son. Now my love, lie down and let's see if we can save your brother's life." Three of the men who had brought Durcan to Uba's hearth had now left and now only two men remained with Durcan; Jondalar and Durc were the two. Jondalar, because he was Durcan's father and Durc because it was his blood that would be flowing into Durcan.

Working as a team, Marka, Uba, and Ayla took on the task. Marka filled the deer bladder with blood from a pulsing vein in Durc's left arm, Uba held the slippery bladder while it filled with Durc's blood, then turned so Ayla could insert the stiff stick into one of Durcan's larger leg veins. Ayla squeezed the blood-filled bladder in spurts to force Durc's blood into a vein in Durcan's left leg.

The process worked wonders on Durcan as his flesh slowly went from blueish to pink as the warm blood entered his body. The air in the cave was kept extra warm and the massaging of Durcan's hands, arms, feet, and legs had helped in saving his life. A concerned group of Clan women and men gathered outside Uba's hearth every morning for three consecutive moons and either Ayla or Uba spoke to them each day; today was special.

"Durcan is recovering well now. He does have some frostbite and a slight fever and it will take some time for a full recovery."

"We thank you for that Mog-ur," a man signed. A young girl questioned, "What is frostbite?"

"Frostbite usually results in the loss of fingers and toes and often causes the blood to go foul. A distinct odor is created, and the blood can carry illness throughout the body. Frostbite also affects the skin and in time new skin will naturally replace it. It is something like a sunburn but caused by the winter's cold. Durcan should be ready to leave Uba's hospital in another three moons."

"Uba, what does 'hospital' mean?" someone else in the concerned group signed.

"It is a new word Ayla and I created. I was being 'hospitable' in caring for Durcan at my hearth and we felt a name for a place for helping people get well was needed. I had suggested we alter the word 'hospitable' and 'hospital' is what we came up with."

"I like the word and I think it is very appropriate," a woman signed.

Durcan recovered nicely and Durc was not injured by his gift of blood. Durc took the event in stride and knew he had the perfect opportunity to tease his brother from now to forever. "Durcan, when are you going to give back the blood you took from me?...Durcan, I am chilled and would like you to give back some of my warm blood please...There is a good-looking Clan woman over there Durcan. Do you somehow feel drawn to her?" This was just the start of the teasing Durcan would need to endure.

Jondalar would occasionally tease from a different angle, "Durcan, there's a sweet looking doe over there, do you feel any desire for her?... Durcan I want to ask, do you have any urge to graze on grass or green leaves?"

Word of how Durcan's life was saved had gotten around and Durcan thought it odd that various people tended to make strange comments. Why people's comments always mentioned things related to pee or deer was beyond him. "Ava, why are people always saying things that seem to be related to deer and pee?"

Ava knew why, but feigned she had no idea by replying "How am I supposed to know why people are speaking in such a way?" She replied to Durcan's question with a question of her own. Doing this made it such that she answered his question without ending the tease. Durcan remained puzzled and it would be half a moon cycle before Ava would break down and tell him the reason for it.

Ava was with Durcan constantly from the time she found him in the snow and through the entire time it took for him to recover. That alone was a kind of medicinal for Durcan. She had also cleaned his bottom multiple times during his unconscious recovery. Doing this was a learning experience and she would be sure to use the embarrassing events to her favor sometime in the future.

To aid Durcan in his recovery, Ava took him on walks and pointed out various things she had to do while she was in Kregg's Clan. Durcan's vision of everyday Clan life was different from what he was now experiencing.

"Ava, mother has told me of her Clan life, but the reality didn't sink in until you actually showed me the things you and she had to do. The Clan women wait for a tap on the shoulder before speaking to a man unless mated to him and must always make sure food, firewood, and water are present at her man's hearth.

"A command of silence would be obeyed immediately as would a command to quiet the children or clean up the hearth." Durcan had voiced his realizations of what he knew of Clan life.

"All things considered; I think the rule that a woman must immediately obey a command of silence is a good thing!" Durcan expected a snappy comeback to his tease. Ava didn't protest the mild tease and maintained her composure.

She replied, "Durcan, I am well aware of the demands made of women in the Clan. Myself, I think the rule saying the female's mate is obligated to change the baby's soiled gauze wrappings for the first six months of the child's life is a good thing." Ava had turned her head away when saying this. If Durcan could have seen her face he would have realized the rule was fabricated.

Her statement was a tease in return for being teased. Durcan hadn't heard of that rule and a look of dismay showed. It only took a few moments until Durcan asked; "Ava are you with child?"

"Not that I know of, but I think it is a good rule. I am told it takes about that long for a woman to fully recover from giving birth and that changing the baby's soiled wrappings helps the father bond with his child." Ava was relying on what Durc had told her in conversation about what he called 'Creative Truth.' The fact Durcan had no knowledge of Durc's 'Creative Truth' was helpful.

Durcan showed only a touch of relief at Ava's answer and relegated himself to someday needing to clean a baby's bottom more than just once. Right now, Ava wanted to change the topic but held back so Durcan could mindfully stew over the thought of changing soiled wrappings.

Ava thought differently the following morning and decided to tell Durcan of her tease about cleaning a baby's bottom. This was done simply so he would not be embarrassed by speaking about the rule to someone and being given honest information in correction. At some point in the future, she would pay a price for making up the rule, but the price to be paid would likely be one she would enjoy paying.

"Durcan, mother and I have discussed Clan beliefs like the one that says if a female touches a weapon it would need to be destroyed because her spirit would confuse the weapon and rend it useless. Mother is the single exception to this; she uses weapons and was given the right to hunt by Brun when she was just ten summers. We also spoke of the women of the Clan not being allowed to be leaders or even see leaders' discussions. Being present at sacred ceremonies is also forbidden."

"Yes, Ava, and mother has told me she was allowed to do all those things and has even made the sacred memory root drink for the Spirit Journeys Mog-urs go on. Ava, I find it exceptional that mother alone was chosen by Ursus as being the only female with permission to go against Clan laws and customs."

"You're right, and after living with the Clan for five years I know how odd that is." Durcan was pleased Ava had knowledge of Clan ways.

Only Ayla, Brun, Mog-ur Goov, and Creb were present when the title of 'The Woman Who Hunts' was given, and only Mog-urs would be made aware of the title and lore. Since it was Brun who bestowed the title, he was the only non-Mog-ur in the entire realm of all Clans to know of it. No Clan man or woman ever spoke of Ayla's hunting; it was a forbidden subject and not to be discussed.

Deep winter was right on time and quickly gripped the land. Children played in the snow, women wove baskets of all different shapes and sizes, and bone plates were cleaned and polished while yet other women sewed new tunics and repaired old ones. Durcan set up what he called a 'wood craft' group where cups were carved to replace cracked, broken, and missing cups and new wooden bowls were carved as well. Some men elected to carve wood for art, children's toys, and trinkets as well.

The Clan's flint knappers were teaching their craft to interested youth and were pleased to have Jondalar show his advanced knapping skills. Wood crafters within the Clan had stocked up on wood they would use to make spearthrowers and the needed darts and spears for the weapons. Bandoman and Jaradal were busy teaching 'Spearthrower Basics' to more of the Clan hunters and then followed up by teaching advanced classes in hunting.

Sets of six trained hunters were given a spearthrower, six spears, and six darts at different 'Honor Meetings' set up by Brac and Durc. Those hunters owning a spearthrower were privileged in hunt position during hunts. Owning a spearthrower quickly became a symbol of being a highly skilled hunter. The Clan hunters who had been taught how to use a spearthrower became friendly with the Markaii hunters. Rather than talk about hunting, the Markaii hunters wanted to learn more sign language and it pleased the Clan hunters to give sign language instruction to the Markaii. Jaradal and Bandoman assisted by serving as translators.

Except for Durcan being injured, life within The Clan of the Cave Bear was nearly normal. Activity was increased because of the many new classes Jondalar, Durcan, Jaradal, and Bandoman had set up. The only really odd thing was the class Durcan was teaching. 'Cooking for hunters' was what he initially called his class.

The class had no Clan men because cooking is women's work and when out on hunts, they ate either raw meat or travel cakes similar to Zelandonii travel cakes. The men of the Markaii were also used to travel cakes and had no real desire to cook. No Clan women attended Durcan's classes as they were told no memories existed to support changes in how Clan food should be prepared.

Durcan's class was quickly renamed 'Cooking with Spices.' All eleven of the Markaii women were pleased with Durcan's instruction, Ava was pleased as well. Fun activities were in place for the children and youth and it was Uba, Marka, Sonja, Ava, and Durcan who led the various age groups.

After a late meal, Durcan stated the obvious when he said, "Okay Ava, we have made seven leather slings, one for each boy and girl ten to fifteen summers. You teach the three girls some games they can play with a sling, and I will teach the four boys to use the sling as a weapon." Ava agreed since it was her suggestion to start with. Each tree limb, squirrel nest, and small critter was soon a target.

This was enjoyable yet was also serious training for the boys. While the four young Markaii men were taught how to use the sling as a weapon, Ava taught the three girls to use the sling for playing competition games. No one within the Clan took the class. The two older girls truly did enjoy competing against each other in sling accuracy and distance.

The same two girls learned the sling very well and were competing against each other. They were best friends and knew the sling could be used for something more than just friendly competition. When alone with each other, they conspired to kill critters in the forest just like the boys did. The two girls would become lifelong friends; both girls really liked the weapon. Ava continued teaching the two older girls.

Uba and Marka taught basic medicine to those girls interested in the craft of healing, and Uba's youngest trainee, Sonja, assisted in this. Ayla taught day planning to the Clan women. The planning class was very popular as it was something new and not banned by Clan laws or tradition. Everyone was busy and Ayla was truly content; she was 'home' and with her family.

Jonayla, Cambarre, and little Marthona were sorely missed but Ayla felt finding Durc was a task she had set aside far too long. Now that Durc was found, she was at peace and could return to the Zelandonii when her stay ended. She would return to the Ninth Cave refreshed, but not fully happy. She would have to leave Durc a second time and now had to leave Ura, Reebrun, and little A-laa as well.

"Good morning Durcan! I hope you slept well."

"I did sleep well, by the way, where are mother and father?"

"They were here when I woke up and mother told me they were going to The Tribal Clan of Mixed Peoples so she could check on leader Erba, and her mate, Joh-nee. They will probably be gone for three or four days."

The morning meal was finished, and Ava wanted to talk. "Durcan you didn't have any broken or cracked ribs from your fall and your underarm chest wound has fully healed and there is something I would like to do now."

"And exactly what is it you would like to do Ava?"

"I would like to sleep together."

"We sleep together every night Ava."

"No, we don't Durcan. We sleep in separate furs and next to mother and father. I want to sleep in the same fur you do. A two person sleeping fur will be warmer for us, and I want to be away from other people during the night."

Durcan knew what Ava was talking about and his body was rapidly responding to her words. "Can you make a single sleeping fur big enough for the two of us Ava?"

Ava was smiling as she whispered words in Durcan's ear. "I already have one nearly finished big man."

"Ava, would you excuse me for a bit?"

"Where are you going Durcan?" Ava was disappointed Durcan wanted to leave right in the middle of her suggestive conversation.

"I am going to a place we can call our hearth. Can you finish the double sleeping fur today? Wait... I will be back right after I check on something." Durcan was true to his word; he did return in just a short while.

"That was quick Durcan."

"Ava, I was a man on a mission, and I have been preparing for this for a long time. Where I will create our hearth is not too far away, and I claimed it as a hearth well before you and father spoke about calling him 'father.' You are not yet ready are you?"

"No, I am not ready. It will take all day to finish our sleeping fur and get all packed up and I figured you would be out hunting for most of the daylight time, so I agreed to watch a woman's two children for the day."

"I don't think that will be a problem because it will take the full day before my chosen spot is ready to move into. Ava, I think you are going to like our hearth when it is finished."

"One day to create a hearth Durcan?"

"Ava, a lot of preparation work was done long before I was injured. What we will soon have will be a hearth unlike any other you have ever seen."

"Preparations?" What kind of preparations?"

"That is information you don't need to know Ava, and right now you have no need to know."

"Okay Durcan, where is it?"

"Ava, don't you remember I said you have no need to know?"

"Durcan, who will be living within your new hearth? I ask because it won't be me living there unless you start talking and start talking right now, understand?" Ava was applying pressure Durcan hadn't anticipated. "Changing the subject, shouldn't we wait for mother and father and tell them we are moving to our own cave?"

"They will figure it out when they see our things are gone and I don't know how to tell you this, but we are not moving into our own cave." Ava began to protest; she wanted a cave and its privacy. "Slow down sweetie, we will have privacy, and no one will be living with us."

"Durcan, I don't understand what you are saying. We can't have true privacy without having our own cave."

"Ava, I want to surprise you. I ask with due respect that you allow me this."

"Okay Durcan, but once finished, how quickly can we get there?"

"In the blink of an eye Ava, in the blink of an eye... or two... or three." Ava tried not to laugh at the reference and managed a snicker instead.

"Okay Durcan, you have one day and just as a point of reference, one day is less than two days. I will ask no further questions but understand; you have just ONE DAY." Ava knew one day was a ridiculous amount of time to create a hearth but that was all Durcan had asked for so that was all the time she would give him. She was highly suspect of gaining a hearth in just one day.

Durcan left Ava so she could finish their double sleeping fur and get things ready for a move. Heading to his chosen spot, Durcan signed briefly to a Clan woman and she scurried away. He then went to speak with Jaradal and Bandoman. After speaking with the two men, the three quickly departed in different directions. Six Clan hunters who had previously volunteered to assist him in any project he needed help on were now being called upon. Jaradal and Bandoman were quickly able to find and speak to each of the six men. Durcan was at the glade building site when the six volunteers, Bandoman, and Jaradal, arrived.

"Men, I am honored you would help me in my project on such short notice. I am trying to build a hearth for my mate and myself and I need to get as much of the structure assembled as possible in just one day. Much work has been done already as you will soon see, so if you are willing, let's build a hearth!" The Clan men had never seen the signed words 'build,' and 'structure,' but they would willingly do whatever the words meant.

The first task was removing the winter's snow from the somewhat rectangular area Durcan had chosen for his hearth. The Clan hunters thought it was odd that he wanted the large rectangular spot cleared of snow and wanted the snow removed from the immediate outside perimeter of the spot, but they didn't question why.

Bandoman and Jaradal knew why because the two men had helped Durcan from the very first day he selected the spot for his hearth. All nine men quickly went to work clearing the snow from the area within and around the perimeter. They even cleared a path leading to what Durcan said would be the entry to his new hearth.

"Durcan, we see many wood poles leaning against that large boulder over there." This was signed in a questioning tone though it wasn't really a question.

"Yes, the logs and poles are the walls and top supports for my hearth. Your help is a true gift as my common mate has given me only one day to build our hearth.

"ONE DAY! Durcan, a hearth can't be brought about in just one day!" The Clan men were surprised at what Durcan had signed. "Normally you would be correct in what you say, but not this time. Many moon cycles of preparation have been done and we should be finished in time for the evening's meal."

"We would be surprised if what you claim is possible but understand, we will do our best." Durcan knew all the preparation he, Bandoman, and Jaradal had done was about to pay off. Under Durcan's direction, two of the Clan hunters quickly positioned the first log. It was a short log that reached a forearm's length beyond the distance from one corner tree to another.

This would be the back of the hearth. The 'half notches' cut near the ends of each short log nested into 'half notches' that had been cut into each long log. Each of the double-fist diameter logs were marked as a nesting set. The four 'corner trees' forming the rectangle were not a part of the structure but instead served as an extra guarantee that the hearth could not lean or be blown away.

Two different men now added the second log, a long log, on the right side of the structure and then Bandoman and Jaradal positioned log three, a short log, and the other two Clan men positioned log number four as the long left log. This completed the first layer of logs and formed the four sides of the hearth. Durcan was serving as construction manager to be sure each marked log was in its proper place.

He had altered two long pole drags by tying multiple fist diameter branches from pole to pole to form two climbing tools and had thus created what he called 'climbers.' Using the climbers once the walls reached chest high, all four walls continued to go up quickly.

He hadn't anticipated building his hearth in the winter and although the snow was cleared from the center and perimeter of the hearth, the ground was frozen. This was a major problem and was so because water and fur don't go well together. "Durcan, I know you wanted water-runoff trenches but with the ground frozen, we can't dig them." Bandoman was showing concern.

"Bandoman, we have to dig them! The snowmelt and spring rains will wet the fur that is the floor of my hearth if we don't. Ava and I can't sleep on a wet floor. Do you have any ideas on how we can get the trenches dug?"

"Let me think about it," was his reply.

Jaradal was approaching the two men and heard Durcan's question. "Bandoman, being weak of mind, I will give you the answer to Durcan's question. Then you can tell Durcan the answer to his problem and say it was your idea." The whole thing was a tease and somewhat of an oxymoron in that Durcan was standing next to Bandoman and he could hear every word Jaradal had said. Jaradal's tease could not be overlooked.

"Okay 'Mog-ur Jaradal,' let's hear your wisdom in answer to digging frozen ground." Bandoman knew he would come out on top in this particular matter. If Jaradal's suggestion worked, he would take pleasure in having offered the answer. Naturally, if Jaradal's suggestion didn't work, Bandoman would attribute the failure to Jaradal. All of this was done in a teasing manner.

"Just surround the hearth with firewood and light the wood on fire. Make the kindled wood a knee-length high, a knee-length wide, and one full body length away from the log walls. Doing this will provide a perimeter fire that will burn long enough to warm the ground below the flames and then the heated earth can be dug to form the shallow trenches." Jaradal was proud of his solution; he had just solved the problem with a good idea.

"Durcan, Jaradal just expressed my idea for me and I am certain it will work." Bandoman was pleased to make the statement.

"I believe your solution to be a good one Bandoman. I will ask the Clan hunters to gather the needed wood and I will let the fire burn until after our midday meal." The six Clan hunters were now tasked to collect the needed wood. The winter wood supply for the various caves could not be touched. Only newly found dead branches would be used in Durcan's effort to warm the ground.

Collecting firewood somewhat hidden under the snow would be a slow task. One of the six men spoke to a group of seven women walking by. They would search for wood to help Durcan. Word soon spread and ten additional women volunteered to help. While wood was being gathered, ten new men now joined in Durcan's project. The ten men were Kalkee, his six raiders, and three other Markaii men.

No one had asked them to help but when Kalkee was made aware of Durcan's hearth project, he and his men felt helping Durcan was the least they could do considering what Durcan and the Clan had done and were still doing for them.

With thirty-six people now collecting wood, the perimeter fire was soon ready to burn. Durcan signed and shouted to alert everyone, "We can now start the perimeter wood on fire." Lighting the fire in twelve locations around the perimeter of the structure went quickly and soon the entire hearth structure was surrounded by fire. The fire was a body's length away from the exterior log walls and this distance from the fire to the perimeter walls was more than enough to prevent the walls from catching fire.

Notching the two long top wall logs was a time-consuming part of the project and Durcan was pleased he, Bandoman, and Jaradal had cut the notches in advance. Each notch would accept a roof support pole.

Using the climbers and the freshly boiled leather straps, the Markaii men began to tie each top support pole in place. They used the boiled leather straps brought to the site by the woman Durcan had signed to after leaving Ava to finish their double sleeping fur.

"Thanks for the warming fire Durcan," Kalkee shouted from a climber. The fire was unexpectedly doing double duty. Within three or four days the leather straps would dry and shrink to a very tight fit at each joint. The wall logs would bear the weight of the roof support poles and the top furs yet to be put into place.

Durcan had planned to channel the snowmelt and future rainwater away from his hearth by digging a shallow trench around his new hearth. Jaradal's idea, given to Bandoman, had solved the problem of digging the frozen earth.

New volunteers came to help, and people were doing this, and doing that, all over the structure. Bandoman and Jaradal stopped working on the structure and went to giving directions to the mass of workers just as Durcan was. Building the hearth was now a community project. One of the Clan volunteers asked, "Durcan, do you have a name for this thing?"

Durcan signed his reply, "Yes, I do have a name for it! I call it a 'fur hearth.' I made up the name based on the fact that it uses skins as a tent does and it will soon be a hearth; a home for my mate and me. It's nearing high sun so let's each go to our different hearths and have a midday meal then return here. I plan to move into what will be my new hearth by early dark."

"There will be no need to go to your hearths for food, the food is coming to you," a man in the near distance shouted. At the start of the day Durcan had asked a Clan woman to start boiling the leather straps she and four other women had recently cut for him. The woman had gone one step further and told Hunt Leader Jonacas what was going on.

Jonacas had the idea to provide a midday meal and set a group of women to preparing a meal for fifty. This was a large number considering only nine men had begun the project. In his wisdom, he felt the number of workers would grow; Durcan and Ava were well known and well-liked within the Clan. Because of this, the women were more than willing to prepare the food as requested.

Hunt Leader Jonacas was mated to 'Lindra,' and she had taken charge of directing the women cooks in what to make. The younger women were also given instruction in proper cooking methods. Lindra used to cook, but at fifty-five summers a head injury destroyed her sense of balance. She was well respected for her faith in Ursus and for dealing so well with her infirmity.

After her injury, Lindra prayed to Ursus for strength. These were heart-felt and mindful prayers and she was answered by being reminded it was Ursus that had given her the sheer grit, determination, and strong mind that told her to fight back. The phrase, 'Live your life,' came to mind constantly. She had heard the phrase repeatedly in her first dream after being stricken.

The voice was far too solid and strong to be anything less than Ursus speaking directly to her from the night sky above. From that time and forward, she forced her way through life not willing to give-in to the disorienting condition.

Lindra did not see the loss as a 'disability.' She looked at the problem as 'an inconvenience,' and something that would not, could not, stop her from living a full life. Jonacas, her mate, supported her efforts as did others. He was a constant in her life she could always depend on.

Gently touching someone's shoulder allowed Lindra a point of reference for standing upright. She was liked, and served as an example to others with injuries and problems. She had knowledge of the strength given her by Ursus and urged others to pray. Praying to The Creator of the earth, moon, and stars always gave her comfort and strength.

Lindra's goal was to reach a point where she could stare at a clear sky and force it to rain. Anyone who had personal experience with Lindra knew the day would come and knew good shelter would be needed when it did.

Enough food for the group of workers was now on hand because Jonacas had felt the number of volunteers would blossom to nearly one-half of the Clan. In standard Clan fashion, the food was shared among the workers. The midday meal was over, and the perimeter fire had done its intended job. In no time at all the hot ashes left by the perimeter fire were cleared away.

Now the original six Clan hunters started to dig the shallow trenches Durcan had requested. The Markaii men helped the Clan hunters as the heat from the perimeter fire had indeed thawed the earth below the ash.

Digging the shallow trenches was now a viable task and made easier by the number of men doing the digging. Within eight fingers of time the Clan hunters and Markaii hunters were done with the shallow trenching. Water from snowmelt and future rains would forever be channeled away from Durcan's hearth.

The planning Durcan had done was paying off and the labor Jaradal and Bandoman had put forth in cutting the logs and roof support poles was the key. Durcan was well pleased Bandoman and Jaradal had assisted him in doing the advance work. This was what allowed the rapid and easy construction of his fur hearth; the structure was what everyone was talking about.

The various workers were not cognitive of all the time involved in cutting the trees down, stripping limbs from the cut trees, the sizing, and notching of each log and pole so that everything would be a good fit. Someone else wasn't cognitive of something; that person was Ava.

What with finishing the sewing of the double size sleeping fur, watching a woman's two children, and packing up both her and Durcan's things, what was going on elsewhere was not even on her mind. Ava had no idea of the activity going on within the community.

Kalkee had no more than tied the last top support pole to the long top log than ten Clan women approached in mass. Each woman was carrying an arm full of furs that had been sewn together and sized over the last two months. Durcan's one request had brought many men and women together in a singular project.

The entry into the fur hearth was created by using a flint axe to make the vertical cuts needed for an entry into the hearth. The top edge of the entry was about the height of a twelve-summer child. The base of the entry was the top of the second short log nested on the ground.

While the entry was being created, two women were sewing loops at three points on one vertical edge of the entry leather. The loops were positioned to match loops that had already been sewn to the inside wall fur. A stick could be placed in each loop thus holding the oversized entry flap closed.

At the same time, sewn furs were being tied to the top supports in multiple locations and tied to the long horizontal top logs also. The tying of the mass of furs to the top support poles was the final step in Durcan's construction project.

"My hearth is finished, and I am grateful for what you men and women have done." Seeing Durcan signing his gratitude was very pleasing to the Clan workers and hearing his gratitude being spoken pleased the Markaii workers.

"Durcan, you and your two hunters have taught us how to make and use a spearthrower. Because of that single act, our Clan will continue to live. We will no longer be living in fear of winter starvation and are grateful to you for allowing us to work on your fur hearth." All six of the original group of Clan hunters waved goodbye to the young Other as they walked away. 'Waving goodbye' wasn't a part of Clan culture, but they would occasionally use the Others strange mannerisms as a show of respect.

Now the large group of women stepped to Durcan, "We women want to wish you well in your new hearth. We will admit that cutting and sewing all that fur together was indeed a large project, but it is one that stands as our mating gift to you and your intended mate. Many women could not leave children and other duties to help, yet they wanted to do something, so they decided to shower your hearth with gifts which have been left inside." The Clan woman signed the statement with pleasure.

"The fact you women were kind enough to do this for us is nothing less than a blessing from Ursus. I stand to show gratitude to each of you." Two folded soft fur headrests for sleeping, four wooden cups, four bone plates, and four fat-burning lamps made of fired clay had been placed inside the new hearth.

One of the women signed a personal comment, "I just want to express my gratitude that we women were given something to do other than make baskets." Durcan and the other women saw the humor within the statement simply because it was true, and everyone knew it. At that, the various women chatted in sign as they walked back to their different hearths. Kalkee and the other Markaii men were also walking away.

"Kalkee, Kalkee, come back!"

Turning to Durcan's call, Kalkee and his men began walking back and Durcan had already started walking towards the men. Upon reaching each other Durcan spoke first. "Men, your help in building my hearth humbles me. You saw I was in need and went to work to fill that need. I want you to understand that I am honored to know you, and I offer you my thanks for what you have done."

"The honor in this is yours Durcan. It was you and yours who forgave our wrongs.

"It was you and yours who helped us survive bad times. It was you who also taught us how to make and use a spearthrower and it was you who introduced us to the Clan. For these things it is YOU that deserves to be honored. We are pleased and wish you well in your mating." Kalkee had spoken from his heart.

The day was a success, Durcan had pulled it off. He and his silent crew of women had kept a four-month secret not only from Ava, it was also kept from his mother and doing THAT was an accomplishment within itself. The women told no lies, rather, they simply did not speak of what they were doing.

Doing this did not violate any Clan laws or customs. Likewise, neither Durcan, Jaradal, or Bandoman had told any lies when they said they were going out to hunt with the other hunters. The three men were hunting for tall straight trees for wall logs, and top support poles; the other hunters were hunting for game. This didn't cause any shortage of food simply because the Clan of the Cave Bear had spearthrowers and Ursus supplied a vast array of game in quantity.

Bandoman, Jaradal, and Durcan started walking back to Jondalar's hearth. Durcan spoke of his respect for his two friends and again offered his thanks for their help over the fall and early winter. He then gave a fully 'embellished' thank-you for 'Bandoman's idea' of starting a perimeter fire to warm the earth. "Hey, that was MY idea if you please!" Jaradal was acting indignant and smiling at the same time.

"Jaradal, if it were your idea, why did you say nothing when Bandoman said, 'Durcan, Jaradal just expressed my idea and I am certain it will work.'?

"Why did you not speak when I said, 'Bandoman, I believe your idea to be a good one?" Durcan managed to keep a straight face.

Bandoman now joined the conversation. "And why did you say, 'Bandoman, being weak of mind, I will give you the answer to Durcan's question?' Beyond that, why did you admit you are weak of mind? Being weak of mind is a declaration of being unable to come up with such an idea." Bandoman feigned a serious nature in saying this.

"Jaradal, in any event, you yourself said you would give me the answer. At that moment it then became my answer and you simply spoke it aloud for me."

"The 'weak of mind' statement was referring to you Bandoman."

"No way my friend, you clearly said, 'being weak of mind, I will give you the answer.' Durcan am I incorrect in any way?"

"Jaradal, I must agree with Bandoman in this matter; once you give something away, you can't take it back. Furthermore, you said, 'being weak of mind, I will give...' This does tend to tell the story. It is odd you would admit you are weak of mind and until now I never knew."

"You two know what I meant!" Jaradal was getting flustered now. "The perimeter fire was my idea and I hereby accept Durcan's thanks in the matter."

"Slow of mind," Bandoman stated with pity in his voice as he looked to Durcan and cocked his head towards Jaradal.

"You two are gonna pay for this someday," Jaradal warned.

"That sounds like a threat, what do you think Durcan?"

"I must agree and Jaradal being slow of mind probably accounts for it."

The only thing Jaradal would say from this point forward was a single word, 'Someday.' All three men were bearing smiles on their faces and each of them knew the fun wasn't over.

Durcan was somewhat surprised that none of the men or women commented on the rock structure that he had built a full moon cycle in advance. It could be seen in the corner near the rear interior back wall. In the process of planning his 'dream hearth,' Durcan conceived a fire pit encased with rocks that were held in place with mud between each rock and with a center opening at the top of the hollow encasement. The smoke from fires would naturally rise up and into the outside air and little or no smoke would likely be present within the structure. Outside, the dried mud was protected from rainwater by a deerskin wrapping on the exposed rocks.

"This isn't a fire pit, it is a 'fire-place' that no spark can escape from." Durcan was thinking out loud. "I know a single spark can start a fire, and since the interior walls, ceiling, and floors are made of fur, I need to be certain no sparks can reach the fur."

His spoken thoughts reflected the care he put into his planning. Durcan had added a 'spark catcher' made of de-haired leather mounted in a sturdy stick framework designed to hold the leather and catch any sparks. The spark catcher was only a forearm's length from the actual fire. It, and the bare earth half-moon circle at the front of the fire-place, would render his creation safe.

He had chosen a spot to construct his hearth that had just a slight slope and positioned his hearth such that the ground at the right sidewall of the hearth was two fists lower than the left wall. Doing this provided a slant for any rainwater on the top to flow away and into the shallow trenches dug around his new hearth. With the addition of the shallow trenches around the structure, he felt certain rain and snowmelt would not be a problem. Arriving back at his father's hearth, Durcan could smell the aroma of seasoned meat and greens. "Ava, the terrible smell in the air, what is it?"

This was one of Durcan's favorite foods and Ava had made it for him. Complaining about a stink or smell that was really a pleasant aroma became a lifelong tease between the two. "Durcan, it's your favorite dish and I am sorry about the stink. When mother and father return I will apologize for leaving their stinking hearth." Ava wanted to throw Durcan off balance with a new tease and had chosen her words and phrasing carefully.

"Hold on Ava, you can't say, 'stinking hearth,' You need to say that you apologize for leaving their hearth stinking." Durcan smiled at Ava's effort to tease him.

"Hold on Durcan! I will say whatever I want in whatever way I want, and remember, I told you this just after leaving Kregg's Clan."

"Ava, words matter and..." Durcan stopped in mid-sentence... He realized Ava had feigned being upset and had set him up for a fall. He would say no more on the subject as Ava's new tease would require thought to best provide a comeback.

After their nightly meal, Durcan voiced a question. "Would you like to gather our new sleeping fur and move into our new hearth? It is finished and I think it will meet our needs. The best part is that it doesn't stink at all." His tease fell flat.

"There can't be a new hearth in just one day Durcan, but I will accept whatever you have come up with. If you will lead me, I will close my eyes when we get close, then you can tell me when to open my eyes." It took only a short time to reach the exact spot where Ava and her father had sat and talked. Durcan had shown an interest in the glade when his father spoke of it and this was where Durcan decided to build their fur hearth.

"You may open your eyes now Ava."

Just as Ayla had squealed with enthusiastic delight when Durc told her of having grandchildren, Ava did somewhat the same thing when she opened her eyes and could see their new hearth. Her first word was "OH!" Now came a round of rapid and spontaneous questions that were rhetorical and weren't truly questions at this point. "Durcan what is this? When?... How?... Where?... What is it called?... This is ours?"

"Ava, this is what I built for us and is now our hearth. It has structure and features no other hearth has. Come, let me take you inside." Durcan was pleased with Ava's reaction at seeing their new hearth. He led her to the draped skin that served as the entrance to the new abode. He had provided four places, one on each wall, for fresh air and sunlight to enter the interior of the hearth. All four of the openings had skin drapes that were tied open at the moment to let in fresh air and sunlight. No other hearth had anything like it. Another high-pitched squeal of delight was heard the moment Ava stepped into the structure.

"Durcan, this is unbelievable! Fur to walk on, fur walls, even a fur top to keep heat in and the cold out! ... And flaps that let light and fresh air inside! You couldn't have done all this in one day. Start talking Durcan and don't stop until I know everything, and the first thing I want to know is what you call this thing."

"I call it a 'fur hearth' and started planning the structure after our first kiss. I used the word 'fur' because it well describes the interior of our hearth. Something else is that it is big enough for the two of us and two guests. With the deerskin fur facing the inside and tied to the four walls, no snow can get blown inside and the same is true for the top of our hearth. The deerskin roof will force rainwater to run off into shallow trenches dug around the outside of the hearth.

When more light or fresh air is wanted, the wind drapes can be opened in any combination you want. The fur floor feels good to stand or walk on and if you want to remove your foot wraps, walking on the fur with your bare feet feels great! I cut and notched all the wall logs and top poles so they fit together nicely and the weight of all the logs should guarantee even a big storm can't blow our hearth away!"

Ava was giddy in all this. She didn't really know where her new hearth was located, all she knew was that it was somewhat near mother and father's hearth. "Durcan, this is fantastic! What was it you called the wall flap things?" I want to know because everything must be called something and I have never seen anything like this before."

"Ava, I call the coverings 'drapes' because that is what they do, but I have no name for what they cover up because they are yours to name and I am surprised you haven't named them already." Ava's mind went into action.

"Oh, really Durcan! I can't depend on you to give a name to things now?"

Ava paused to think for a moment. "They are called 'windohs' because they let in the wind and sunlight whenever you want them. The last part of the word, OH!' is the first thing I said when I opened my eyes and saw our hearth."

"All right, 'windohs' is what they are to be called, the word has a good sound and I like it." The openings in the walls had puzzled the Clan workers while they were building the walls. They wondered why Durcan would want holes in the walls.

"Durcan, I see no place for a warming or cooking fire, and what is that rock thing over there with bare earth around it?"

"The 'rock thing' is your cooking and warming fire-place. Some of it is outside but access to the flame is inside. All of a fire's smoke should rise through the hollow interior of the stacked rock portion running from the floor to the top outside and then the smoke will blend into the sky as it does with any fire. In case any smoke wants to linger inside, all you will need to do is raise the windoh drapes."

"Is 'fire-place' one word or two?"

"It's your choice Ava, but if you make it one word you will have created yet another new word."

"In that case, it will be one word. I like creating words and now I have created three words, 'cart,' 'windohs,' and 'fireplace.' To be clear, are you saying part of this 'fireplace' is outside and I can be inside and cooking even on rainy days and not get wet, and on cold days I can cook and stay warm?"

"That is right, I designed it myself just for you... and the number is four."

"Four what?

"You have created four words Ava: axle, cart, windohs, and fireplace."

"You are right, I had forgotten axle!" I thank you for that, but I don't feel, 'fur hearth,' is what our dwelling should be called. Don't get upset, but consider calling it a 'log hearth.' Other than the furs and fireplace, our hearth is made of logs and that is why I suggest the new name."

The double sleeping fur fit well in the opposing corner of the fireplace and the following day Ava was busy setting up their log hearth. "Durcan, I want one of our fat-burning lamps over there and one on a wall shelf you need to make. Put one by our sleeping fur and the last one on another shelf near the entry. The drapes need to be tied closed for now because of the cold. We also need a supply of firewood, additional water bladders, and... and... and..." These were going to be busy days for Durcan.

The fireplace worked well in warming the hearth and now quickly accustomed to living in their new hearth, both Ava and Durcan were at ease. The two had been living in the new hearth for seven days and, as the sun went down on that seventh day, Ava stood and walked to Durcan, extended her arms and gave him a long and sweet kiss. "Ava, would this be payment for what I have done in building our log hearth?"

"Durcan, it's not payment at all, just think of it as a never-ending reward..."

Life for the two was a constant learning experience and proved to be rewarding for both Ava and Durcan. They fully learned of each other's prior life and were pleased they had come across each other. As a couple, they now had a firm base to move forward in their life together. They were adults and willingly accepted the responsibilities that all adults face. The life they were living was one requiring hard tasks and strength of will. Having a mate made things easier and made life a pleasure in spite of the tasks.