CHAPTER 17: The Tribal Clan
Late fall was upon the land and Erba had sent Joh-nee and the other hunters in the mixed blood group out to do another day of hunting. Every day was a hunting day for 'The Tribal Clan of Mixed Peoples.' The group started life together as seventeen expatriates heading into the wilderness. The seventeen had left 'Jorpa' and his 'Clan of True Spirits' and had followed Erba and her mate Joh-nee. The couple's child was present as well. With Erba, Joh-nee, and their child added in, twenty was the final count.
There was a very short history behind how the group came to form what they now called 'The Tribal Clan of Mixed Peoples.'
"Do as I command! Take the position!" This was the second time Jorpa had signed the command to Erba. Her refusal to do as Jorpa had initially commanded was what set things in motion.
"No, Jorpa. I will not do as you command, not for you or any other man. Erba had committed two transgressions simultaneously; one was speaking to a man without being given permission, the other was refusing Jorpa's direct command. Jorpa didn't care what Erba wanted or didn't want... Erba did.
"I am the leader of this Clan and you will do as I command or be punished."
"I fear allowing you to abuse me just to please you is not honorable. You have no desire for me as a mate and I have no interest in having you as a mate." Erba was digging herself in deeper by adding insult to injury.
"Woman, do as I have commanded, or punishment will follow."
Already knowing she would be punished for her actions, Erba spoke once again. "Jorpa, I fear disappointment will surely follow if I do as you command. If I am to submit to a male, I want a male bigger and stronger than you." The singular statement was intended to be an insult to the man and was very effective in doing so. The beating that followed was witnessed by others and in Jorpa's mind, the woman got what she deserved.
"What happened to you Erba? Did beasts trample you? Did you fall from a tall tree? Your body is well bruised, but it is good I can feel no broken bones." Claremonde was the older of Jorpa's two Medicine Women and was seeking information so she could best treat Erba.
"I spoke without permission and refused a command from Jorpa to spread my legs. In anger of my speaking and refusal, he beat me. I had disobeyed our leader's command."
"This is not good Erba. You know a female must do whatever a male commands. Why would you invite a beating or even the Death Curse by refusing Jorpa or any other man in our Clan?"
"I do so because I see men as unkind creatures showing no respect or caring in their words or actions. I live and I breathe, my mind thinks, and I have a body separate from anyone else. Because of these things, my mind tells me I have, or should have, choices within the span of my life and I refuse to accept being told otherwise. I have met kind men I can respect, but Jorpa is not one of them."
Claremonde understood Erba's problem, she had seen it before and felt much the same as Erba did. She treated Erba's injuries and helped the beaten woman walk to her hearth to recuperate. Other women provided Erba with food and firewood.
What had happened was out of the ordinary in that such anger was shown and such a severe beating had occurred. Jorpa was angry in his heart and fully self-centered as well, and everyone knew it.
"Woman, you will do as I last commanded you to do," it was Jorpa again. "I have needs and after the beating I gave you the first time you refused me, you will now act on my command." This was not to be the case. He had chosen a public place to show all who passed by that it was HE who commanded those within his Clan.
"Jorpa, I still refuse to do as you command. Beat me if you must, but you have nothing I want, and I feel Ursus is urging me in my refusal." Now Jorpa had a problem far bigger than before. To claim Ursus was involved in this matter invoked the Spirit World and only the Clan's Mog-ur deals in that realm. This was more than a refusal to obey a command, this was as serious as things can get; this was a sacrilege against Ursus.
"Mog-ur Clev must now become involved in this matter because of what you have claimed!" Jorpa was angry and was now being forced to deal in matters beyond his domain. It only took half a finger of time for Mog-ur Clev to reach the pair. The Clan's Mog-ur would act as a buffer, thus protecting the angered leader from the spirits.
Jorpa was upset that Erba had created the need for the Mog-ur's presence. Word had quickly spread of Erba's statement and Jorpa's response. The possibility of a Death Curse being given was present. This was an extremely rare event and only a few of Jorpa's people had ever seen the curse given.
Jorpa would be within his rights to have a Death Curse placed upon the woman and the people who had seen what Erba signed knew it. She soon overheard the words 'death curse' spoken within a group of spectators. This was all going too fast for Erba. 'I just did and said what I felt in my heart was right, and for that I must be cursed?'
"Erba, I have been told what has happened and must ask you, is there is any error in your statement that Ursus has urged you in your decision?"
"There is no error present Mog-ur." Erba would not tell a lie and she felt Ursus was on her side and guiding her decision.
"My child, can you bring Ursus to us to confirm his bidding? Do you have knowledge of the Spirit World?"
"No Mog-ur, I cannot bring him present and I know nothing of the Spirit World."
"Then you have committed a sacrilege and the punishment for such is the Death Curse, but only if our tribe's leader demands it can I place the curse upon you. Jorpa, what say you in this matter?"
"Mog-ur Clev, as the leader of this Clan, I have little choice but to command the Death Curse be placed upon this stupid and contrary woman." Jorpa was certain in his decision. Uttering a sacrilege was a sin against Ursus and a Death Curse was the prescribed penalty.
Now Mog-ur Clev acted quickly. He wanted to be rid of the attention, rid of the task, and rid of the woman who had spoken a sacrilege to the leader of his Clan. "Erba, you have committed a sin against Ursus and by your own admission it is proven. Your punishment will be the Death Curse and I ask what you say in this matter." The Mog-ur was offering Erba a last chance for salvation.
"I did and said what I felt was right and feel Ursus himself spoke to me in this. There is nothing more I can say." Erba could only speak the truth she felt in both her heart and mind.
"Erba, you are now under a Death Curse. From this point on you are cursed. I am now signing to the wind since you no longer exist as a living being. No person in our Clan will see you, but for a short time some may be able to see your spirit form, see you signing, and even hear your spirit cry for recognition." Mog-ur Clev had done what he was forced to do and stopped signing; he walked away.
Erba had now ceased to exist as anything other than a spirit within the Clan. This was no sham or act put forward to frighten her; she no longer existed. She was dead and was now a spirit who happened to be visible to some. To the people of the Clan, death was a change of state, a journey to another level of existence.
A person could be alive one moment and dead the next with no apparent change. The essence, the flesh that was the real Erba, was no longer a part of their world; it had been forced to move into the Spirit World. It mattered not at all if the seemingly physical part that remained behind was warm and animated; it was just trickery, and in time it would go away.
'I can't believe this has really happened!' Erba immediately thought to herself. Those in attendance began to go back to their daily activities as if she were now invisible. Erba began going from person to person pleading for their recognition but the people looked away because they knew the spirit demanding attention was not alive. It was trickery that was to be avoided, shunned, and left alone.
The following days were repeats of prior days. No one would speak to her, not even those she was close to. Living a death which she refused to acknowledge was strange; there was no longer a place for her. No friends, no close relative, not even the Clan's storyteller would speak to her.
'Maybe I truly am dead even though I don't think I am. I must be dead and even if I am still alive, I am thought of and treated as dead.' Erba's decision to leave her Clan and all those she knew took longer than most of the other dead people the storytellers speak of. Six moons had passed before Erba decided to take action in preparation to leave.
'I have taken a throwing spear and a thrusting spear from Jorpa, a belt knife from the Mog-ur, a good supply of dried meats from the storage pit, and a hot coal from the central fire ring. Jorpa watched me take the two spears and Mog-ur Clev saw me take his belt knife. Neither Mog-ur or Jorpa could say anything as I took their possessions simply because acknowledging my actions would prove me to be alive. These are the only things I have ever taken without permission and I do so rightfully.'
In her mind, Erba had justified her actions. 'These two men stole my life and I have a right to whatever I take. I already have a bladder for carrying water, my furs for sleeping and my usual tunics for summer and my winter furs and foot leathers. I will practice with the spears until I am able to down game and my kills, along with fruits of the land, are what will keep me alive. It seems humorous that I have not only touched a weapon, I will be using the three weapons I now have to hunt game. What can Jorpa do? He certainly can't give me a Death Curse again.'
Erba now walked away, her determination was readily apparent in her thoughts and actions. 'I will consider myself to be alive until Ursus Himself tells me otherwise. I will find a small cave that will protect me from the winter snows. That is where I will stay, and being small, the cave should be good to hold heat from the fires I make.' Erba had started fresh fires in the past so at least she knew how.
'In spring I will trek further away and find a similar cave for the next winter. I am not dead and as long as I feel hunger and have need to squat, I am ALIVE!'
Erba's first winter passed and then a second winter and now spring had passed into the presence of early summer. On a morning hunt, Erba found a male Other when she happened upon the man's campsite. The man was as ugly as Others come and worse, he was delirious.
It appeared he had been bitten by a poisonous spider, snake or other creature. 'I think it was a red spot spider that has bitten him because the bite is on his neck. If it were a snake bite it would likely be on a leg and the man would be dead by now because what few snakes are around this region have poison that kills quickly. This man's camp shows he is here alone, and it appears to be well provisioned.' Taking pity on the man, Erba began to nurse him as best she could. Six days later the male Other woke from sleep and began to live again.
"Who are you?" the man signed weakly. Joh-nee felt awkward; Erba was the first Clan woman he had ever been in presence with.
"I am Erba of the... Erba of the Clan." The woman mouthed her name sound twice as she signed but didn't want to say what Clan she was from. "I found you delirious from what I think was a bite from a red spot spider. I have cared for your needs as you were having muscle pains, heaving, not breathing well, and sweating profusely. Your stomach was cramping badly, and your eyelids were swollen. I have been unable to find any movement in your legs, can you move them?"
"Yes, I can move my legs... see."
"Yes, I do see them moving now." It was true she saw movement, but it was more like tremors or spasms than intentional movement.
"I have rubbed animal fat on your body where rashes have appeared, and you will likely want to scratch or rub them. Please don't do these things because if you do, they will only get worse. You are going to live again but it will still be a few days before your body wears away all the poison and then you will need to strengthen your muscles and learn how to use them again.
"You need food and I have some broth from a flightless bird I downed yesterday. I will feed you some broth but not too much at the start because your body must learn to live again. When was it were you bitten?"
"It must have been last night while I was sleeping. All I know is that I was well when I bedded down." Joh-nee was signing weakly and coherently but had confusing tremors in his signing.
"You have been without mindful response for six days; would you share your name with me? I would also know where you learned to sign Clan."
"My name sound is 'Johanyee' but I am told how I mouth it is different from how the others of my kind speak it."
"Johannee, how can that be?" The man could not hear how Erba had tried to mouth his name so there was no correction of her speech.
"I had some ability to hear for my first five summers but by seven summers my hearing was totally gone. People understood the affliction and tried to be helpful but the need to communicate became more important the older I grew. I am not mated because no female wanted only half a man.
"Two summers ago, my lack of hearing nearly caused the death of a child and I did not want to ever again be a risk to anyone's life. I left my hearth knowing that leaving my tribe of Others would probably result in being killed by some animal or pack of animals, but death would be better than constantly being rebuked by females and taunted by some of the other men. I wandered to the East and now I am somewhere, but I have no idea where I am."
"You are in Clan lands. There is only one tribe of Others within our lands, but they are a small tribe and are not seen very often. Again, I would know how it is you sign so well?" In a real sense, Joh-nee didn't know where he was when he camped and was bitten. He still didn't know after Erba told him where he was as he had no true point of reference.
"I was taught signing by an Others female when I started losing my hearing. She said she grew up in the Clan and was a Medicine Woman. I am of the Zelandonii tribe and one of my people mated with the woman. Mating a Zelandonii man automatically made her Zelandonii and it was she who taught me to sign."
"Johannee, you were lucky to find such a woman."
"Yes, I was lucky. She taught some other hearing people to sign as well and that allowed me to communicate without too much difficulty."
"Johannee, in ten moons or so you should be able to care for yourself and that is when I will leave you because I too am wandering. My people's Mog-ur gave me a Death Curse because our leader told him to. It is a story I don't like to tell."
"Erba, you are wandering, and I am wandering, would you consider allowing me to wander with you? Wandering together would be safer than wandering alone and I promise not to be a bother or a hindrance to you. I would also promise to leave if you ask me to and I will not harm you in any way." Joh-nee was sincere in his statement and signed with strength.
"What you say does make sense and I admit I am tired of being alone. Yes, Johannee, I will try wandering together with you."
Erba was intrigued with this Others male. 'He doesn't issue commands, he shows respect, he shows concern for my safety, and has promised not to harm me. He even said he would leave if I told him to and stated he would not be a hindrance or a bother to me.'
Musing to herself, she envisioned the two of them helping each other survive. 'He is Other ugly, but ignoring that, he seems to be a kind man,' she thought. Erba decided to shorten his name sound to one she could easily mouth if needed. The way he pronounced it was awkward for her to speak, so she decided to sign and mouth his name as 'Joh-nee.'
'This Clan woman saved my life by caring for me after I was bitten, and she speaks in sign very well. Her body is not unlike an Others woman and she is obviously very strong. Erba is indeed human, she walks, she signs, she uses fire to cook food and has manner in the wilderness. The fact she is Clan doesn't really matter to me and I think the fact I am an Other doesn't really matter to her.' These thoughts were running through Joh-nee's mind. It was three weeks after waking up, that Joh-nee had recovered enough to begin hunting again.
The two had been surviving on dried meat Joh-nee had in his camp and by Erba catching fish in a mesh sinew net Joh-nee had with him when she found him.
'No one but my parents and the woman who had taught me how to sign ever really seemed to care for me before. Erba is obviously human and is kind and smart in many ways; she can at least talk to me using Clan signing and she has already taught me some of the Clan's ways.'
Joh-nee was eager to learn more about Erba and the two soon became one. It had started with looks of appreciation then Joh-nee gave Erba her very first hug. "I am surprised Joh-nee, I don't know what that was, but it felt good and I enjoyed it."
"It is called a 'hug' in the Others language," Joh-nee signed. "Among the Others it is an expression of happiness and caring."
If Erba could blush this would certainly be the time. This 'caring about each other' thing was new to both of them. To Erba, Joh-nee was kind and gentle and totally different from the Clan males with their constant demands and superior attitudes. Erba acted the same way towards Joh-nee as he acted towards her.
"Joh-nee, females in the Clan are required to do whatever a man commands. I disagreed with the requirement and that is why I was sent away under a Death Curse; I disobeyed our leader's commands." Erba felt an explanation of why she was cast out of her Clan was proper; it was truth.
Joh-nee and Erba had set a lifetime of being together in motion. Just being able to talk freely to a man on an equal level was exceedingly pleasurable. "Joh-nee, this is a wonderful new life you have given me; I value the things you have shown and shared with me."
"Erba, it is a pleasurable new life you have given ME! I too value how we have blended and the caring we have shared."
After three full summers together, Erba brought Joh-nee and their male baby to the Clan of True Spirits, this was the Clan that Leader Jorpa had cast her out of. Erba's spirit had apparently mated with an Other's male spirit and she had a spirit child with her.
Erba was making Leader Jorpa recall a time he had hoped never to think of again. Such was exactly what she wanted; 'Jorpa needs to see his Death Curse has been beaten by a female spirit.'
"I call for a meeting of all members of my Clan," Jorpa signed openly. Word quickly spread and he continued only when all were assembled. "I am told a dead woman's spirit has returned and is now haunting us and I am told she has brought both a mixed-blood spirit child and the spirit of an Other's male with her. This is a bad omen for our people, and we must band together in asking Ursus to send the three spirits away from us."
The sad part in all this was that Jorpa truly believed what he was saying. The spirit woman was someone he sent away under a Death Curse summers ago. He could not speak the name sound 'Erba' because if he signed or spoke her name it would be acknowledging her as being alive. Everyone knew who and what he was talking about even though the spirit's name wasn't spoken.
Now Jorpa had what he felt was a good idea; it has happened in the past and he had memory of it. "All mated men and women and all individual men, women, and children, who can see the spirits should pack up and leave with the spirit woman.
"The woman's spirit mate and mixed blood spirit child will likely leave with her. The rest of our people may stay and be safe within our Clan." Jorpa figured roughly half the camp would go and half would stay. Of course, everyone could see the spirit woman but not everyone was willing to say so. After all, Jorpa had said, 'should' pack up and go, not 'must' pack up and go. Jorpa had thought to himself, 'Those that leave will lessen the constant drain on food supplies and that will mean better hunting for those that stay. I will never ask those who stay if they saw the spirits. By not asking, it will allow them to stay without telling a lie.'
Jorpa's estimate of losing half of his people to the spirit woman was close to being right. The Clan of True Spirits went from forty-five to twenty-five members and he was pleased with the outcome. Seven small to medium size caves were now empty.
This created a group of twenty exiles plus Erba, Joh-nee, and baby Aproj. Erba always took a very special delight in signing and pronouncing her child's name as 'Ah-frah-ghe.' The name was 'Jorpa' in reverse and was intended to be a living insult to the man. The group would be nomads until they found a cave of their own and hopefully it would be located far away from Jorpa and his Clan.
The group of seventeen fledgling nomads followed the spirit woman and her mate and found a previously undiscovered cave; it was rather large and was five moons to the southeast of Jorpa's Clan of True Spirits. This was not as far away from Jorpa's Clan as most wanted, but still, no one wanted to pass up a good cave.
"Joh-nee, we have found a cave and it is large enough to shelter many more people than we have now; we have room to grow. Those among us now need to become a people. I am going to speak to those who followed us and I ask for your help in this."
"I will be pleased to do what I can in the matter."
"Then if you will bring everyone together, we will have our first group meeting." Erba knew what she wanted to say and what she desired as an outcome. Being brought together as one, Erba stood and prepared to sign. The people ceased activity as Erba stepped onto a small rise. "We are now together as a people and there are decisions to be made.
"At this moment Joh-nee and I are standing as your leaders simply because we see needs that must be met and no one else has claimed leadership. It is obvious I am not a spirit as Jorpa says nor is my mate or my child. Know that I do not seek the leadership of our people, but there must be a Hunt Leader, a Medicine Woman, a Spirit Leader and a Tribal Leader in order to create or our new Clan-Tribe. For that reason, I request each of those among us who are willing to take on the task of leadership to state such and we can then vote on who will be our leader. People, I ask for your thoughts."
Silence filled the air until a mixed blood man signed, "I do not hear or see anyone speak up for becoming leader and I have no problem with Erba and Joh-nee becoming our leaders. Erba, would you and your mate accept the role of leaders if voted to the position?"
Erba looked to Joh-nee and he gave an affirmative nod. "Yes, we would accept the role of leaders but only for two summers. I say this because by that time all things should be reasonably settled, and new leaders may rise from among us."
"In becoming a people, will adult females be able to vote, or must we be silent? I ask because I am tired of being silent in matters that affect me." Erba and many others were surprised by the question because it was signed by Claremonde, a full Clan female and Medicine Woman well known by the people.
"I think all voices should be heard just as you are seeing mine," Erba signed. Those who were Clan could see what was being said. Many of the Others within a mixed mating could also understand sign language. Those not able to understand sign were helped by those who could translate, no one was left out.
The mixed blood man who asked Erba if she and Joh-nee would accept being leaders spoke again. "We men can determine who would be best as Hunt Leader, and the women can determine who would best serve as our Spirit Leader. Is there anyone else among us who wishes to be considered in the voting?" No one spoke or stepped forward.
"I now call for a vote; raise a hand if you will accept Erba as our First Leader." Hands slowly went into the air and acceptance was achieved.
"Lower your hands. Now raise your hands again if you accept Joh-nee as our Second Leader." It was general knowledge the Others tribes had female leaders. No rancor was present in the voting and as such, Erba and Joh-nee became first and second leaders of the group.
Erba responded to being elected with a statement. "I would have it that we determine a name for our new people...Speak to me of your thoughts." Erba felt this was a good start for the group and could see a future leader in the mixed blood man who had spoken up.
"Would we be a Clan or a Tribe?" an Others man asked.
"Let us vote and decide," signed Erba. Those choosing 'Clan' should raise a hand. Now those that would choose 'Tribe' raise a hand." The vote was extremely close.
A mixed-blood man now signed, "Can we speak of this matter among ourselves and then vote again?"
Erba replied, "As this man has pointed out, the vote was very close, and I feel a proper discussion in the matter should have been held before the first vote was cast. As such, we should discuss the matter and then vote again. Whatever is decided on the second vote will bind us."
"I want us to be a cave that accepts all peoples," a woman signed. The people talked and signed to each other for a finger of time before Erba signed a stop to the discussion. She was about to ask for the results of the various discussions when a voice was heard...
"I feel, 'The Tribe of Mixed Spirits,' should be our name," someone shouted.
"I don't want 'Spirits' in our name, it's too close to what we just left," a man signed. General agreement seemed apparent on what the second man had signed.
"We are all people so I suggest we call ourselves 'The Tribe of Mixed Peoples' and as a tribe and not a Clan, females can be leaders! Remember, we just elected Erba as First Leader," a mixed blood woman signed.
"I want Clan in our name," signed another man.
"To be fair to both Clan and Others, I propose we call ourselves 'The Tribal Clan of Mixed Peoples.' Doing this honors both Clan and Others within our name."
Erba was surprised when she realized the suggested name and comment came from a young mixed blood female. Normally a young girl would not speak out and this female looked to be only twelve or thirteen summers. 'I think we may have a future leader here. The child isn't old enough to vote but she can have a voice in discussions,' Erba thought.
"We have a proposal; does anyone wish to discuss?" A long silence ensued. "If no further discussion, then we vote. All those who would name us 'The Tribal Clan of Mixed Peoples' should raise a hand." It took a few moments to vote but the decision was unanimous. "Speaking as the leader of 'The Tribal Clan of Mixed Peoples,' I accept the vote, we are both a Tribe and a Clan!"
By voting, the new group had decided who they wanted as elected leaders, and with Erba being first leader they had also decided that women could vote and be leaders. Claremonde being the group's Medicine Woman didn't require a vote.
Word soon spread among the various Clan caves. People of mixed spirits and mixed matings began to seek out the Tribal Clan. Various singles, male and female also joined the new Tribal Clan.
The Clan of True Spirits had seven occupied caves and a number of them still had those of mixed spirits. Soon, Jorpa's Clan no longer had Others or mixed blood people within the various caves. Some of his people had migrated to the more accepting Tribal Clan of Mixed Peoples. Other Clans lost people as well. The Clan of the Big River was among them as Marshee, a mixed-blood female, and her Clan's second Spirit Leader, sought to join the Tribal Clan.
Marshee traveled the entire distance from Clan of the Big River to the Tribal Clan when she became aware it existed. Many of those in her Big River Clan wouldn't accept her as a Spirit Leader because she was of mixed blood. They would only speak to the full-Clan woman who was called First Spirit Leader.
Speaking truth, honoring Ursus, and caring for others, Marshee felt good about the move. 'I think the discrimination I experienced at Big River will not be repeated at the Tribal Clan.' Her thoughts proved to be correct. A Mixed blood man went with her for travel safety and was hoping she would agree to mate with him once they got settled.
In the end, Jorpa's Clan had only eighteen people and some skill sets were lost. Loss of hunters and knappers were the greatest blows. Jorpa was displeased his plan had gone awry. He had lost his most experienced Medicine Woman but had not lost his younger Medicine Woman. He found at least some solace in that.
Erba and Joh-nee assumed the role of leaders of the new Tribal Clan with the understanding another election would take place two summers from the time they were elected. This was somewhat ironic; she who was dead had conquered death and was alive again. The people had accepted Erba's return to life and appreciated her guidance and thoughtful leadership.
With Medicine Woman Claremonde now part of the Tribal Clan, the people could rely on good care. Her skills would be essential to long term survival. She was a well-respected woman and had saved many lives in the past. The lives saved were both Others and Clan.
Each individual newcomer, couple, and family with children were welcomed into the Tribal Clan and the growth was rapid. The new people joining the tribe were aided in setting up a hearth and friendships naturally ensued. The Tribal Clan of Mixed Peoples thrived as skill sets abounded within the many people.
The Tribal Clan had hunters, flint nappers, cooks, bakers, fishers, weavers, sewers, wood carvers, basket makers, butchers and leather workers as well. Invariably, the nappers were Others males because their manual dexterity was best in comparison to those who were full Clan or of mixed blood. Having both a Medicine Woman and a Spirit leader, the new Clan was quickly and firmly in place. Rising to forty-seven members by the end of the following summer, the Tribal Clan of Mixed Peoples had grown markedly. The increase was from people who were seeking solace among like-minded people.
The Others in the new Tribal Clan had norms that those of Clan origins had never conceived. Most men and women were monogamous, yet some were in open relationships. These people were generally referred to as, 'the odd ones,' but not with a disparaging intent; it was just personal preferences. Of the current forty-seven tribe members, there were more women than men.
A very strict law covered domestic abuse beatings. Such beatings were banned throughout the Tribal Clan. These were laws without quarter. No child, youth, woman, or man could be physically abused by a mate, parent, or guardian. The standard punishment for beatings was agreed to be a beating of the blindfolded offender but to a greater degree. 'Two for one' bruises would be the general rule.
Three assigned men would punish men, three assigned women would punish women. No volunteers would be accepted as they may have a grudge or other animus toward the offender and do more than a reasonable meting out of punishment. Erba felt it would be very seldom a woman would be punished. The good thing was that the entire Tribal Clan of Mixed Peoples was new, and none of the laws had yet been violated. The location of the Tribal Clan was southwest of the Clan of the Cave Bear and nearly due south of Jorpa's Clan of True Spirits.
The truly good thing about the Tribal Clan's location is that it was on a high hillside and this protected them from floods that occasionally came in the spring. The people had fresh hunting lands to the South and the Southwest. This meant they would not be encroaching on the hunting grounds of the Clan of the Cave Bear or even get near to Jorpa's Clan of True Spirits.
The hillside caves had fewer trees and being elevated just above the forest trees, the view was remarkable. The elevation aided in protection from nearly all predatory animals, the only real danger was wolves. They ran in packs as there is strength in numbers and they instinctively knew it. When the wolves were out hunting for food, they preferred the waterways like streams, rivers, and the small ponds and large lakes they created. Other animals were at the various water sources on a daily basis and provided a very rich source of food. The diverse menu pleased the predators.
