Thad started out limping lamely from his tightened muscles. But soon, he had stretched them out, and being young was able, by stepping carefully to avoid brushing his sore toe, now carefully wrapped in hide by Lena, he made his way without limping. He found going uphill was much easier and easier to see where he was stepping.

Working off all of the food and drink, they moved quickly and by mid day had passed the trail they had come on. Started working their way up into the higher pastures where Tor was hoping to find, remembering the lone wolf and Poal, the goat boy and Ree, his herding dog who saved Shin from the wolf.

The sun was leaning in the west behind them, casting long shadows where they walked, when Tor saw a stone hut up ahead with smoke rising. When they arrived, a young woman came out of the hut to greet them, showing great fear of Tsen, but holding back a dog that looked to be Ree.

Tor commanded. "Shin stay!" And then, he called out to the young woman. "We are friends of Poal. Do you know where we can find him?"

Tor could see that she looked relieved as she answered, "I am his wife. He will be coming home soon from the meadow with his dog so that I can give him his evening meal before guarding the goats tonight. This is Rea, daughter of Ree. She is my protector. What's your dog's name?"

Soon, introductions were passed. 

She told them, "My name is Pia and I am Gal. When Poal brought the goats down to the village in the winter, I fell in love with him. With Pier's blessing, I've joined him here on the mountain. Poal built me this strong hut against the storms and predators like occasional bear and roving wolves."

She put more goat meat on the fire and soon, saw Poal and Ree coming down off the meadow in the last light of the sun. Tor strode out to meet him and was surprised to see a man, not a boy, with a beard who had grown considerably since last he had seen him.

"My, how you have grown, Poal? And you have a wife! I'm so happy for you."

"And so have you. Do I see a woman with you down by my wife? And is that your son?"

"Yes, she's the love of my life. And he is a young man we've adopted for the trip." The two men hugged. But their dogs were more cautious.

Poal’s dog growled at Tor and Shin as though he never knew them, although Tor thought he was Ree. But Shin, already adjusted to Rea, unsure about this alpha male that smelled like Ree, but wasn't him, growled back.

"Where's Ree?" Aware that this was not the dog Tor knew before.

"Ree lost his life one night when a pack of wolves got the best of him and took down three goats. Fortunately, from his first puppies I gathered the alpha puppy, Ret, here and the strongest bitch, Rea, and trained them both to protect my new wife and our goats. They are doing a good job, don't you think?" He patted Ret's head and calmed him down until he made friends with Shin.

Shea added new and strange sea food to the menu, dried shrimp, and they ate well into the dark until they heard lonely howls in the distance and Poal had to get back to his goats. Tor and Thad followed him with Shin and they settled in for the night close to the flock with the dogs to alert them of any danger. They traded stories and laughed until sleep overcame them.

Likewise, Shea and Pia talked on and shared secrets, recipes and tales like their men.

Pia confided, "No one comes here and few take that trail you are on. Low landers think it's dangerous up here. For some who have ventured into the mountains have never returned. You are so courageous to come here. I am lonely sometimes. But I've grown to love this place, so cool in the summer heat with so many flowers, herbs and mushrooms growing among the rocks. Baby goats make great pets as well. Keep me from being lonely."

"I have already started to see wonders following Tor. He has told me about the mountains, the cold and slippery trails. The danger of lightning and the lack of firewood. But I will follow him anywhere he goes, because he's so strong and resourceful."

"I can see that in him. Like my Poal. We both made good choices." They hugged.

In the morning, Pia wanted them to stay, but Tor was anxious to move on.

"But if we ever come this way again, we will be sure to find you." He hugged Pia to reassure her of his sincerity. Still, even with Shea's hug and reassurance, she cried loudly when they left and she was alone again with her dog all day. Poal, the man he now was, hugged them all and wished them well on their journey.

Tor found the first cache and they sorted through the mouse eaten furs to find what they would wear on their feet and bodies. For Thad, a numb foot could mean disaster for his toe and his footing, trying to heal under constant use.

The added weight made carrying their packs harder, but the weight gave them stability on slippery rocks and ice, and the exertion kept them warmer as well as breathing harder in the thinning air. Both Shea and Thad complained of weakness in their legs and a burning in their chests as they crossed the first pass. But the view they saw from that height nearly overwhelmed them with snowy and rocky peaks all around.

"I could stay here all day!" She exclaimed.

"You wouldn't want to be here at night in the cold." Tor replied knowingly with a wry smile at her ill-founded exuberance.

Shea and Thad not only saw Shin chasing, and catching a marmot, but they saw wild goats, bear, wolves, rabbits and Ibex with long curved horns in the distance, something they'd never seen before and wanted to eat, the first chance they had.

Tor assured. "We will get one before our trip is over. But we have to sneak up on them because they are very wary. They are very tasty, but tough." They laughed.

Up ahead, Tor saw the obstacle that bothered him the most. The stream crossing. From what he could see, above was a waterfall with more water than he had ever seen, rather impossible to get around, and below the crossing was a cliff where the water disappeared out of sight, he didn't know how far down.

Probably because of more snow or more rain, or both, the flow was faster and deeper than when he had trouble with getting Shin and Tsen across before. But they were older and stronger now, his fear shifted to Shea and Thad, both considerably shorter than he and less strong. How am I going to get them across? He thought.

Studying the raging water for a while, he said, "Our furs will drag us down if they get wet and if they get wet they won't dry and we will freeze. We must wrap them in seal skin and pull them across by rope. We can keep our hoods if we can keep them out of the water."

Everyone stripped and placed their furs in a large seal skin sail with anything else that they thought needed not to get wet, lightening their backpacks. Still needed for weight to help them to keep on their feet while crossing. The bright sun burned their bare skin while the cool breeze started to chill their skin to the bone. They had to act quickly or their muscles would stiffen up from the cold.

Tor tied a rope around his waist and then, to Tsen. Shea stood by the great horse and calmed him, already a bit eager to get across. Tor cautiously stepped into the torrent that reached nearly above his waist and forced himself across the stream against the weight of the water hitting him slipping a couple of times, but making it okay.

"Untie the rope to Tsen and tie it to the seal skin. Be careful because the current will pull hard on the rope! If you have to, let it go!" Tor yelled above the roar of the water.

Shea held on tight and, with Thad's help holding it up high above the water, got the end of the rope securely tied to the seal skin. They then took it down to the water and both of them threw it with all their might while Tor ran up the bank on his side with the rope over his shoulder. Quickly pulling the seal skin through the raging water and up on the bank, safe and dry.

Tor quickly untied the rope and tied it around a big rock. Swinging the rock above his head he threw it across the water where Shea grabbed it and quickly tied it around her waist. Much shorter than Tor, she braved the water while it rammed her nearly to her chest and Tor, with the rope tied around his waist, pulled her across until she made it. Her pack was a little wet but it could be dried out.

Both Tsen and Shin were both getting very anxious at this time. Shin circled a bit, and then took a mighty leap across the water, missing the other side slightly and his hindquarters taking him down down that shoreline by the torrent. His fur was soaked with water making it heavier, but his strength and resolve was greater than his first crossing and he proved it by coming up out of the water a short distance downstream and far from the drop off. Shaking mightily, he happily joined his master and mistress.

Tsen, seeing Shin take the leap, circled around and took off himself. Much older and stronger, an experienced swimmer, his leap took him nearly completely across the water with only his rear hooves in the torrent momentarily as he scrambled to safety.

As he had with Shea. Tor tied a rock around the end of the rope, swung it above his head and threw it to Thad waiting patiently. He had a hard time keeping the rope up out of the water while he tied it around his chest with one hand. Always game for adventure, he was ready to cross. Tor was ready on the other side and even had Shea to help if necessary.

Thad boldly entered the icy water making sure that his bare feet were carefully placed with each step like Tor had told him, but, about halfway across with the water plummeting him, he lost his footing and went down. Tor and Shea immediately started pulling him in when suddenly, the rope went limp and Thad, screaming, was washed downstream to the point of the cliff where he disappeared.

The sound of his last screams echoed for a bit in their ears before Tor took off running towards the precipice to see if there was any chance that Thad had survived below. Strangely, in all the other crossings, he had never gone to look where the water went.

When he got to the edge, Tor saw Thad lying spreadeagled far below. He wasn't moving. Shea soon caught up and they both hugged and cried. Watching his body for a while and then, getting quite cold without their furs, continuing on. Only the gods decide. The gods of this river were angry.

Copyright 2021 © Ronald W. Hull

7/28/21