Tor, riding on Tsen, had a better view, but was not more relaxed, with his head and eyeballs 8 feet off the trail. Still, every tree, rock formation and now, rushing with fresh spring water, bend in the stream following the trail became clear and he knew where he was. He passed the tree where he found the girls and knew that he was getting very close to the place… The bloody place, where his father was killed along with the others, in their sleep.
Fear gripped him as he approached. Perhaps his father had reincarnated in his namesake, Tsen. Perhaps he was riding his father back to see his final resting place. But upon arriving, the past winter had not been kind to the massacre. Bones were strewn all around. Predators had arrived after he left with the girls. The raiding party's packs and belongings were spread all about. Untouched by others who may have passed. People would be fearful of ghosts and evil spirits at a place like this. So was Tor. But he knew these people. They were his people and they were gone without a proper burial as was the custom of the Thals.
Gathering together the scattered bones and belongings that he thought were his father's into a neat pile, he took many trips down to the creek to gather rocks to create a stone covering for the remains. The best he could do. There wasn't time or energy to do anything for the others of the party. It was nearing dark when he finished and he didn't want to stay around with the ghosts that were sure to come out in the night. With his father's bones protected from further insult, Tor gathered up what valuable tools and belongings he could find. With regret for the others that he couldn't protect, quickly rode off to find the cache and camp selected additions to their for select welcome additions the night.
Something more than the exertion made him very tired, so he was glad that he had both Tsen and Shin to guard over him as he slept. That deep sleep was filled with wild dreams of killing and the old man who did it. Would he find him up ahead? His dreams told him that he would. Tor awoke with the sun in his eyes. He never slept this late. He was sweating. He had to get going. Without taking his morning ritual bath, he gathered up some dried meat from his pack and warmer clothing that he would need higher up. A coat and a bearskin hood. Boots that would serve him when it got colder, but not right away.
Tor gave Shin some of the meat and ate the rest. Fuel for the steep journey to the next valley. Tsen was grazing nearby. Ready to go at his master's command. Still barefoot and bare back, he climbed aboard and they were off to make up time.
The climb was easy at first. Tor rode along with all the supplies he gathered, thought he would need. Perhaps too much for Tsen. He wasn't sure how his horse would fare in the mountains. He soon would find out. As they climbed higher, they were accompanied by gushing water melting from upstream. Some of it melting snow. And some of it from a glacier higher up where the creek started. Occasionally, the stream became a waterfall and made it easy to get an ice cold drink.
Shin froze on a marmot, sunning by its escape hole. He dared not chase the strange creature, because he instinctively knew it would escape. He waited on his master's response. Tor silently reached for his bow and an arrow while the marmot, never seeing a man on top of a strange grazing creature, just stared and chewed what he was foraging on. Tor took careful aim, and with a single shot pierced the rodent through the neck. They had lunch.
Tor had been careful to bring along dry grass, his clay pot with some coals from the fire the night before, and a bundle of dry wood. Something for warmth if needed and to cook up on the mountain where there was no wood in sight. Something he had seen his father and others do on previous raids. Tor had been the one to carry the wood on those raids and knew what kind of bundle to burden Tsen with.
His memory was dim of exactly where, where he had caught up with the old man. But, as he approached that place where he had to turn back from the killing cold wind and blinding snow, where he made the desperate shot that had found its mark in the old man's back, Tor's trepidation once again, grew. He strained his eyes trying to see a body up ahead somewhere, clothing, anything, a sign. But the bright sun reflected off the remaining, rapidly melting, snow fooled him. Every time he thought he saw something, it turned out to be merely his imagination, rock or dark spot in the snow or ice. Still, he fully expected to feel the wrath of the old man's ghost on the dangerous trail ahead. A bad omen. Tried not to think of it.
Soon, the trail got so steep that Tor was not sure of Tsen's footing on those slippery rocks. He could sense the horse's fear by the way his buddy breathed heavily and snorted as they climbed higher and he could feel his large hooves slipping occasionally while Tsen lunged to regain his footing. It was clear to Tor that Tsen was not in his element.
Tor dismounted, put on his boots after checking to see if there was anything living in them, and began to lead Tsen. Shin had no such problem and was busy exploring every nook and cranny as they climbed. Looking for more marmot. When Shin flushed some nesting birds, Tor found three fresh eggs to add to his lunch that he would share with his new companion. Tsen would go hungry until they reached fresh grass at lower altitude later in the day.
Near the pass, there was a rocky outcropping that sheltered them from the blazing sun. It did nothing for the bitter cold of altitude, but there was no wind and Tor got a blazing fire going quickly. Skinned the marmot and had him roasting. Filling the pot with glacial water, he dropped the three eggs in it and it came to a boil quickly in the hot flame. In a few minutes, he was tasting marmot for the very first time. It tasted a lot like squirrel except that it was fatter because the rodent was eating in his prime season. But Tor found it to be a filling meal with bony scraps for Shin, eagerly waiting for his share. The eggs were also shared and tasty. Though it took longer to cook them at that altitude where water boiled so easily and his breath was so shallow, sapping energy. The meal warmed his stomach and gave him energy to move on.
In a short while, they were at the pass. A natural cleft between high peaks where animals had forged the trail following the easiest natural path. Men found these paths and followed them, too. According to the elders, this trail had been used by the Thals for many generations into the distant past and the origin of the raids. It was well traveled and so easy to follow it required none of the innate navigation that Tor was good at, but glad he didn't have to use as he raced to see his mother.
Even before they got to the pass, off in the distance Tor saw mountain goats in small groups. Rarer, but still often seen, were ibex with their huge curved horns that had so many uses. He would have wanted to hunt them like he did the year before, but without a large party to carry the cut up animal it was useless to go hunting and would slow him down. With each step, Tor grew closer to his mother. He wanted to be there well before the summer ended. He wanted to hunt for them before the following winter that he knew would come. The elders had taught him the seasons well and what to prepare to meet them.
The view was tremendous. To the north many more mountains with some jutting up so steep that there was no place for ice and snow to gather. Tor would have liked to have stayed and climbed them, but he would play it safe and move on. Arrive without injury to his loving mother's arms. Climbing was dangerous and foolhardy for someone who was taking care of loved ones. For him, now grown up, the time for rock climbing was over except to hunt. A man's duty. Injury could end hunting.
They headed downhill faster than they had come up the mountain range. The green valley and blue water below beckoned them on. But Tor had to slow Tsen down. Especially in the steeper parts with loose rock, slippery with meltwater. Often the trail narrowed and while high on one side, dropped off steeply on the other side for thousands of feet. Slipping there would be literally falling off the mountain with no return. In those places, he put his shoulder reassuringly, next to Tsen's shoulder to help guide him and keep him from slipping.
When they reached the grassy slopes again, they rested while Tsen grazed a bit for his lunch. Tor rested on a rock in the sun while Shin took the opportunity to explore. Suddenly, he froze like before. Only this time it was on three fox kits playing just outside their den. Tor watched as Shin looked once again excitedly to what his master would do. Fox pelts were welcome additions to their fur clothing and their often red color great for decoration. But once again, killing these babies would require carrying them, even though the young meat would be tender and tasty. Tor laughed as he watched the kits play. Their mother or father would come soon and scold them for playing while he watched.
Shin had a disappointed look when he joined his master when they rejoined their race to the bottom on a much more gentle slope into the trees. Before nightfall, they camped by a beautiful mountain lake that the trail skirted, before, once again, climbing up into the mountains on the other side.
Copyright 2020 © Ronald W. Hull
3/7/20
