Death on the Trek (15 page)

Enga found a tree whose trunk had a flat side and she leaned against it, still having no pains. However, there was an ache inside when she saw Tog join Vala and Bodd Blow Striker. Sooka sat on the ground near them, still unable to move herself by either crawling or toddling. At least she could sit up, thought Enga. Such a strange child, but then she was not a full Hamapa child.

It would soon be time to dance. Enga called her birth-sister, Ung Strong Arm, over to her.
I think that it would be good to dance around this figure of Aja Hama. I believe that she is the one who guided Jeek, in his sleep, to the crossing place of the river. I think she can guide us to our new land if we dance and sing to her.

But Enga Dancing Flower, we must give praise to Dakadaga. That is the Most High Spirit.

It will not hurt Dakadaga to also dance to this figure.

Enga did not thought-speak it, but she wondered if Dakadaga had forgotten about the Hamapa. The trek had not been easy and no one knew, even yet, if they would find a land where they could live, or if they would all die on these plains. The Hamapa could not live on the small animals they had encountered. Even the antelope took all day to trap, for just enough meat for one meal. Would Dakadaga guide them to the mammoth? She did not know. So far Dakadaga had not done this. These thoughts were tightly cloaked in her own personal soft green, the color of new leaves.

Ung was reluctant, but agreed to do what Enga wanted.

Jeek and the girls came back empty-handed and dejected. The tribe pulled out the dried jerky and ate.

Enga watched Tikihoo bite into the jerky her own tribe had given them. She liked it, but she was the only one. The others ate it because they must. Enga thought she might start to vomit if she had to eat this jerky for another full moon.

That night, there was an air of discouragement in almost everyone. When Ung proposed dancing around the figure, some shrugged and agreed. No one was enthusiastic about it.

Enga watched the dancing closely. Feet shuffled and the few spins were slow. The Hamapa were not putting their hearts into it. This was not the way to win the favor of the gods. The song of Lakala was not being sung to Aja Hama, but to Dakadaga, the Spirit who had not helped them. Enga wanted her to sing to many Spirits. She wanted to dance to many, to Leela, Spirit of the Hunt; to Aysha, Spirit of Birthing; to Ohla, Spirit of Healing, and to others. Some of these, the birthing Spirit and the healing one, Enga wanted for herself. But she could not dance for herself. Now, she could not dance at all.

The dispirited dancing ended, trailing off into almost nothing. Those not still dancing prepared to sleep.

Then Enga caught sight of Tog and Vala together. They were not dancing. Vala had laid out her sleeping skin and Tog was on it with her and Sooka. Bodd Blow Striker had left the dance also and was pacing in the darkness, beyond the light, as he had done in the past.

Enga sent up her own supplication to Puka, Spirit of Strife. She fervently wanted the strife between her and her mate to end.

The thoughts of her brothers and sisters intruded. Many of them were unsettled because they did not know who had killed Panan One Eye. Had their minds changed, or had they given their thoughts falsely, as she had?

Hapa publicly suggested that someone keep watch, maybe two people, each for half of dark time. All were tired from walking all day and none volunteered. Enga thought it was a good idea, but could see why no one wanted to stay up half the night and lose so much sleep. It would be hard to make progress the next day if some were too tired to keep up.

Hapa grew angry that no one would help keep watch. He stomped off, toward the pond, and stood looking across it. She thought he must be worried about the killer among them, since they had never kept watch on this trek. But she could not read his thoughts.

Enga felt a thought coming to her from Hapa.
Enga Dancing Flower, do you remember that we are trying to find out who killed our Elder? Have you found out anything?

She had not forgotten, but had had much concern for losing the baby. She answered him.
I have tried, but I have not learned anything. I will try some more tonight.
And she would. She would stay awake as long as she could, listening in on the thoughts of others. Maybe it was more convenient for her to have Tog with Vala. But just for now. She wanted him to come back soon. The space beside her was cold.

Chapter 23

“Music appears to mimic some of the features of language and to convey some of the same emotions…but far more than language, music taps into primitive brain structures involved with motivation, reward, and emotion.”

—
This Is Your Brain on Music
by Daniel J. Levitin, p. 191

Enga Dancing Flower found that she could not stay awake long. She bedded down near Fee Long Thrower, her mate Bahg Swiftfeet, and their son. Fee and Bahg Swiftfeet sent some thoughts back and forth, not shielded from Enga, or from anyone. They were both weary of the jerky and hoped to reach the final destination soon. They were not thinking any dark thoughts, not thinking about who killed Panan One Eye.

Ongu Small One and her mate Sannum Straight Hair were near, with their three sons, including Mootak Big Heart. Their main concern was Mootak, that he had not fully recovered yet from seeing the white figure with the rock, or maybe not recovered from the calming herbs. They did not think Mootak killed Panan, but did not suspect anyone else.

The Healer, Zhoo of Still Waters, was already asleep beside her sons, Teek Bearclaw and young Jeek. Teek and Jeek lay awake and discussed how to find and track game in this place, so different from their home. They did not think about the killer.

None of these kept secret dark thoughts where Enga could discover them.

She fell asleep before she could touch the minds of any others. Maybe Hapa would be more successful.

A wave of hostility jolted Enga wide awake. She sat up, alarmed. Mootak and Ongu, his birth-mother, stood confronting Hapa, who had come back from gazing across the water. Enga could not catch the thoughts, but their anger flowed flaming bright to Hapa.

Hapa turned his head when Enga sat up. Then others, also disturbed, awoke. Some stood and walked over to the three. The mate of Ongu, Sannum, sat with their other two offspring, but frowned at Hapa.

Finally, Hama came to them.
What is this dissention? Why are all of you not sleeping and preparing for a long walk?

Ongu Small One crossed her arms before her and answered Hama.
Hapa is invading our minds. He is looking for the killer of Panan One Eye. He thinks Sannum Straight Hair, Mootak Big Heart, or I—Ongu Small One—lifted the rock that killed him.

Hapa held up his palms.
I do not think this, Ongu Small One.

She whirled on him, her long braid swinging with her rage.
Then why are you in our minds? Why would you do this if you did not think so?

Enga could see what the problem was. Hapa was not born in the Hamapa tribe. He came from another tribe to mate with Roh Lion Hunter when he was an adult, Donik Tree Trunk—the small and the tall coming together. Since he was not closely related to everyone in the tribe, his mind gropings were clumsy. Enga knew she could flit in and out of the thoughts of her brothers and sisters and not be detected. She was adopted into the tribe, that was true, but she was so young when she came to the Hamapa, that she and her sister, Ung Strong Arm, easily learned all their ways.

Let us hold a council,
Ongu thought-spoke.

Now? In the deepest of dark time?
Hama snorted.
No, we will not do this thing. Everyone, lie down and sleep. We will be on our way very soon.

All lay down as Hama had commanded, but not many slept.

As Sister Sun showed the first curve of her face, shooting out bright rays that leaped into Mother Sky, Hama called for all to arise and get ready to walk.

Ongu and Sannum blocked her way and stood with their arms folded across their chests. Cabat the Thick came to stand beside them. The life flow inside Enga turned cold. A confrontation right now could not be a good thing.

We shall have a council now, since you would not have one in dark time, Hama.
The thought-speak of Cabat was harsh and commanding.
There is a proposal to be considered.

Hama frowned, but stood beside them and beckoned everyone to circle around them.
What is this proposal?

We must consider banishing our Elder, our Hapa.
Ongu stated this, her face defiant and stony.

A collective gasp was audible. Enga was as confused as she was worried. Banish an Elder? How could anyone think of such a thing?

Hama was the only one who remained calm, as befitted her station as their Most High Leader.
What is the reason for this request? This very odd request.

Ongu looked to her mate and he took over. Sannum gestured toward Hapa as he thought-spoke.
This one, our own Elder, our Most High Male, has shown that we cannot trust him. He is invading our minds to steal our private thoughts.

Enga knew that Hapa could not steal their private thoughts, although Sannum might think he could. He could barely see into their minds. Too late, she wished she had warned him to take much care and not to be obvious in his probings. Now his clumsiness would make it hard for her to do her own search. Everyone would be guarding their thoughts, clamping them down tight.

Hama drew her brows together and answered with a sternness that crackled in the mind of Enga.
We will not banish an Elder. It is not done. Maybe we should think of banishing the one who killed Panan One Eye.
Hama gave a hard look at Ongu, then at Sannum.

They both took a step back, away from her, shock on their faces.

So, Enga thought, no one actually believes that a Spirit killed Panan. Everyone gave a false opinion. It was for the good of the tribe, but maybe it was not the right thing to do.

Ongu thought-spoke first.
You think I, Ongu Small One, slew Panan One Eye? Or that my mate did this terrible thing?

Hama turned her gaze upon their birth-son, the new Storyteller, Mootak Big Heart.
There was only one person on that side of the river with Panan One Eye.

Now Cabat sliced his hands through the air with anger.
It has never been done, but that does not mean it can never happen. We could banish both our Most High Female and our Most High Male.

Chaos ensued. Everyone shouted their thoughts. The air rippled with bright red fury, with vivid orange rage, and with sickening agitation. Enga could almost see strands of tension straining them all. She turned her face toward Mother Sky, where Sister Sun was now halfway up. She sent her silent supplication to Dakadaga.

A sweet sound of song cut through the turmoil. Lakala Rippling Water raised her arms high and sang an entreaty to Puka, the Spirit of Strife. She sang for harmony. The Gata male, Fall Cape Maker, ran for the flute and joined her.

The brow of Enga eased. Her muscles relaxed. She bowed her head and stood to take a few shuffling dance steps. Ung Strong Arm joined her, then Fee and Zhoo, then some of the males. Soon most of them were circling the Singer and their new flute player. Enga dropped out, afraid for the seed she carried, but the flow of music and dance calmed the tribe, as it always did. The love for music and dance, for rhythm and pleasing sound, ran deep in the Hamapa. They had made music and had danced as far back as their Sagas went.

The matter was not settled. No one knew who had killed Panan. But they were now able to gnaw a bit of jerky, pack up, and move on. Sister Sun shone at their backs, casting long shadows across the flat prairie. Drops of dew glistened on the long grasses. Small animals and insects rustled in the growth. And the Hamapa trudged on, an uneasy truce hovering above them like the menace of a storm cloud. Enga continued to try to detect the thoughts of a killer, but could not.

At dark time, when most were asleep, Enga lay awake, troubled. She caught some stray thoughts and strained to understand them.

What if someone found out? What if Hama finds out?

Those two came through clearly and she concentrated harder. A dark shape walked back and forth at the edge of the place where they slept. The person was a mere shadow, but the shape was too tall to be anyone but Hapa. What secret was he holding? Enga turned her head toward him and opened her mind all the way.

Hapa hung his head for a few moments, then raised it and walked back to lie beside Hama. Enga would keep track of his thoughts and try to find out what he was holding in his mind. It must have been something he had done. Something he wished he had not done.

They plodded on, growing more and more weary of the trek, through rain showers, punishing heat, and a few downpours that had them running for the nearest trees to seek shelter. They came to no more wide rivers, only narrow streams that were easily crossed. Yet, each time they encountered one, all minds turned to the terrible crossing and the death of their Storyteller. Most nights they bedded down without dancing, singing, or any Saga or council. It was understood that they must keep going, no matter what else happened.

At last they approached the gray shapes. They had loomed larger and more distinct every day until it could be seen that they were huge rock masses, mountains, too high to go over. They stretched as far one way as the next. The tribe could not go around them, either.

Even more discouraged than they had been, they halted and camped for several suns.

That is when it happened.

Chapter 24

“Dr. Marcia Ponce de León and Prof. Christoph Zollikofer from the Anthropological Institute of the University of Zurich examined the birth and the brain development of a newborn Neanderthal baby from the Mezmaiskaya Cave in the Crimea. That Neanderthal child, which died shortly after it was born, was evidently buried with such care that it was able to be recovered in good condition from the cave sediments of the Ice Age after resting for approximately 40,000 years… They discovered that the brain at the time of birth was of exactly the same size as a typical human newborn… However, the skeleton was considerably more robustly formed than that of a modern human newborn. …for the Neanderthals, the birth was probably about as difficult as it is for our own race.”