Before Tor got there, the riverbank was stripped clear of trees and of wildlife. A sign that people had lived in this gorge for a very long time. The year before, when he had come through twice, the passage was easy. First, when he and his father's party came through, they were intimidating, and then, when he came back through with the girls, the girls told them that he had freed them. Tor hoped that they would remember him for that. Otherwise, this little clan would exact a toll on him. He hoped that the fallow deer would be enough.
Soon, he smelled campfires burning and heard dogs barking. The dogs came out first, but posed no threat, probably remembering him from before by his scent. And, since he was walking a big dog, they respected his alpha position as one who commanded animals. They gathered round and followed him in.
Above, along the cliff face, were caves that had long been the dwelling place of these people. Tor could see the arrows pointing at him at various elevations while the way ahead was open where the trail narrowed close to the river bank. All he had to do was try to keep the arrows from raining down.
Tor called out in his best knowledge of the Po language, "Hello, I come in peace! I must travel on to my mother who awaits me far to the north! I have brought you a deer for my passage!"
Except for the dogs yipping softly to each other there was silence. Tor worried. This is not what I expected. He didn't know what to do next.
But suddenly, there was the sound of laughter as children came out from behind trees and rocks and surrounded Tsen babbling to one another with amused looks of curiosity on their faces. Quickly, it became apparent to Tor that they had never seen a horse before. He patted Tsen gently on the neck to show the children that he was not a wild animal, but a tame one that they could touch like their dogs.
Soon, the children were feeling Tsen's legs and testing his tail. Some of the older ones even came forward to pat him on the head and neck like Tor. Tsen was used to such adoration from his time at the Po clan and tolerated all the touching. But when it got irritating like flies, he would switch his tail to the children's delight.
The women followed the children and the men put down their bows and arrows and followed around all chattering at once so that Tor had a hard time keeping up with a language he did not know well. He saw a white haired elder among the throng and offered the fallow buck to him. In appreciation, the man bowed and then instructed some of the men to take the deer and butcher it.
The elder, who told Tor, "I am Herod," with a smile, led him up a steep path to a natural bowl that served as a gathering place for the clan that numbered less than 30. Tor looked back down and saw that Tsen was being taken well care of by the older boys. Hopefully, he would get a chance to graze and rest later.
Before long, a cooking fire was started and the deer meat was ready to cook along with other things that the women brought out of the caves to make a great feast celebrating Tor's arrival with this strange beast from the Far East. Herod, curious, asked, "Are they good to eat?"
"I don't know. But they are good for riding. Natural. I will show you later. You will not believe. Tsen, my horse's name, can carry me far and fast. But the auroch, a great grazing beast that I killed down river with the help of the girls and spears, is very good to eat. I wish I had some of that meat to share with you."
"You are indeed a man of many adventures at such a young age. You remind me of me when I was young and traveling. But that was many moons, many seasons ago. So long ago that I can now only tell tales around the campfire of what I remember. After we feast and drink, you will tell us some of your tales tonight before you are on your way in the morning?"
"I will, but they will be boring."
"Not to the children. Tell them hunting stories. They need to know. We have to go far to hunt these days and live mostly on generous travelers' offerings like yours. Unfortunately, we have to coerce them into giving us something for their passage." He winked knowingly.
A great feast was prepared and much wine of the wild grape was shared. By the time it came to tell tales around the campfire, Tor was able to tell of killing the bear, the auroch and how he was able to snare rabbits and squirrels for the people of the Po through winter. Finally, he told of the evil spirit that came into the clan and how sick he was. How they lost so many, including Gael, who had come through and talked with them the year before.
Herod confirmed. "He is telling the truth. You may remember the young girl that we talked to last year. She told me that you were the one that saved them. So sad to hear that her life is now with the gods. Like so many like her." The old man was feeling the wine and remembering so many lost to evil spirits. Tears came to his eyes.
Soon, the women were gathering the children up to go to bed. The men settled in to more serious talk about this evil spirit and whether it would come to their clan. They had to make preparations, incantations. Read the signs and find a cure among their many medicines both learned through practice and from travelers coming through.
But a wind came up with flashes of lightning in the distance. Signaling a storm. Herod, who had been dozing off, awakened and grabbed Tor by the hand. "Come with me."
Herod took Tor into one of the caves that was unoccupied. It was rather dark, damp and musty smelling, but there were ample bear skins so that he could keep off the cold cave floor and keep warm as well as be out of the rain that was already starting to come down in windblown sheets before Herod left him alone.
Tor settled in for the night with the wine making him sleepy along with all the food. But it wasn't long before he felt someone crawling in beside him… A small wet body that smelled of a woman but not like the women that he had encountered back in the Po clan.
She whispered. "I am Gretch. My father sent me. I am not married. He said that he thought you were a fine young man, strong and resourceful. He wanted me to have your child. I am okay with that. But I have never been with a man before. Can you show me?"
She hugged him like a child, shivering. But she was older than he. She had hair between her legs and under her arms. Tor remembered what Leia had taught him and gently applied it to Gretch. She was responsive and soon, the wet, shivering child became very warm and very responsive to his touch and his kisses that reached her ample mouth and other places in ways she had never felt before.
Sometime during the night, Tor discovered there was blood. But, far from being hurt, Gretch was feeling far better than she ever had before. She held him close and it took a long time before they both drifted off to sleep.
When morning light appeared at the opening to the cave, it was cooler but clear from the passing of the front and rain from the night before, already rapidly drying off. Gretch clung to him, but Tor kissed her and pulled himself from the bed, knowing that he had to be on his way. He was pleased when he emerged from the cave to see Tsen grazing peacefully below near the river.
The women were cooking gruel in a large pot and he stopped to have some to their delight. It was different from what he had tasted at the other clan, but still heavy and warm in his belly. A meal that would carry him on to his evening meal on the trail. He thanked them profusely and then went down to check on Tsen and his belongings left by the trail. Tor took a brief swim in the river to wash off the sweat and blood from the night of lovemaking and emerged from the water refreshed and ready to continue his journey.
His gear all tied in place, Tor mounted Tsen and started to ride through the encampment. Suddenly, all the children appeared again and seemed newly amazed that he was riding his animal. They had not seen anything like it. They cheered and ran down to watch him. In turn, he left the village to a meadow area just outside and showed the children how fast he could go and how he could steer Tsen to where he wanted by merely pulling on his mane. Even start and stop whenever he wanted.
He even helped all of the children, two at a time, get up on Tsen and he walked them around so they could feel what it was like to ride. By that time most of the clan had come and was watching, too. All amazed. How could a man ride a beast with such ease?
Finally, it was time for him to go. But he saw Herod coming with a boy with a long leash on a dog. When they came up to him, Tor saw that the dog had his mouth tied in a rawhide muzzle.
Tor hailed him. "I told you last night that I ride my horse, Herod. Now I've shown the whole clan! He is a wonderful companion and helps me cover great distances… Even protecting me from bears!" He didn't mind boasting. He was amazed, as well.
"I couldn't have you leave without something to remember us by. This is Shin, named after our word for a lightning strike. He is nearly grown, and has been challenging the other dogs to be leader of our pack. He has made some of the other dogs bloody with his bites, so we have had to muzzle him. He can be free to bite whoever you want when he is with you."
Tor bent down on one knee to take a look at what this gift was like. The dog approached him very directly, held back a bit by the boy on the other end of the leash. When their eyes met, Tor could see that pleading look in Shin's eyes that told him that he would do anything to be free of that muzzle.
"I will take him with great pleasure. But I hope that he does not try to run back to you. That leash may not be enough for him to stay with me."
The children gathered around for one last goodbye. Tor couldn't promise that he would be back or not, so he didn't. Instead of riding away from the gorge like he originally planned, he walked away with horse and dog. They both seemed eager to go. He was glad for that.
By noon, he was a long way from the gorge and climbing on the trail that he dreaded to pass. He reached down and removed the muzzle from Shin's handsome long nose with those pleading brown eyes. He was rewarded when Shin began licking him in the face. With the leash off, Tor climbed aboard Tsen and they, all together, moved more quickly uphill than they had before.
Copyright 2020 © Ronald W. Hull
2/5/20
