The others

Chapter 1

Watching and Waiting

She crouched amongst the long summer grasses. Her sling in hand and the stone carefully put in its place. She held another stone in her other hand. She heard her quarry in the long grasses. It moved about unaware of her prescense. She let a small smile play across her lips. She and her grandmother could eat good offthe batch of rabbits she caught today. Mara and her children as well.

She threw her stone and stood waiting for the rabbit to dash across the short grass toward the burrow in a group of rocks. She was swinging the sling around above her head. She let lose the stone and her quarry stopped in its tracks dead as her aim fell true.

She retrieved the rabbit and placed it in her pouch. She went on toward camp. She was happy to see a group of women gathered sewing clothes. Others were gathering berries. Gorn and his wife were smoking meat and seeing to Cara telling her of their tales. They were old and still found a purpose in the clan.

She gutted the animal leaving the unwanted things for the camp wolves. He then gave Mara's son, Tulron one as he sat near Arn learning to make spear tips. He smiled grateful for the meat. He was young and Mara had no one to depend on but him. Soon he would go on his first hunt.

She sat near her grandmother to help tan hides after she placed the rabbit on the spit to cook. Her grandmother rose to see to it and she continued her Grandmothers work. Scrapping hides was a large part of any woman's day. The sewing together of hides were only a small part of it.

" Lanna you did well today. A rabbit for us. One for Mara and another for the Clan. A very good hunt today." Her grandmother said.

"Yes we are lucky. The spirits have been good to us today." She andger grandmother let silence fall between them.

She lost herself in her work. She noted the hunters coming back with a horse in tow. It had been dismantled to make it easier to carry. She saw the way Callon and Falron glanced at her. The disappointment when they saw she gad been successful.

They both had been trying to court her. Trying to get her to agree to join with either of them. She didn't like it. She had other concerns. She set about her work until evening fell fully and she placed the hides away.

She ate with her grandmother enjoying the quietness of the camp settling in. She heard low singing and flute music. She went toward the larger circle of clan memebers as they told of the hunt. Norick stood after the details were told excitably to the clan.

"Today we encountered a group of others hunting. They didn't see us but if you come across any run or hide. They are not to be trusted or.sought after. The story or Seron and his wife is knowledge enough to make any beware them." Norick said as the tale days hunting was finished. His dark eyes connected with all in the group.

Lanna winced in memory of her father and mothers death. And her unborn sibling. It was a tragic day it was what had forced them north once more. The competition in the south for food with other enemy groups and others was too fierce. Norick motioned her to follow him to his lodge.

"You went hunting today?" he asked simply as they stood near the opening of the lodge.

"Yes I did. I brought back a rabbit for the clan as well." she explained.

"That is good and well but you are a woman. Your place isn't to hunt. Soon you may have a husband and a child you can't hunt then." he paused when.her head hung low. "Your father was my cousin. He taught you how to survive and do many things well. It isn't seemly to have a woman hunting. You are lucky Callon and Falron wish to join with you. Listen to my words cousin and obey them. You are no longer going to hunt." he reached out his hand and she placed the sling in it.