The two wild pigs, either in lust for a female or fighting over territory, paid no heed to Tor as he carefully snuck up behind trees to the clearing where dust was flying and the two were squealing and parrying in circles. When he got close enough to ensure a good shot, Tor let fly an arrow into the midsection of the closest boar.

The response was almost instantaneous as Tor readied another arrow. The boar that was struck began whipping around in circles as a result of his wound, squealing louder. His opponent, as if confused, stopped still for a moment at the sight of his challenger doing that, no longer coming after him.

Tor let fly another arrow into that pig. As soon as it struck, and the boar turned to face his new attacker, Shin flew in from the side and nipped the beast's hind quarter. The boar spun around again and caught the inexperienced dog retreating with a tusk on his hind quarter. Shin responded by yelping loudly and limping off, blood showing on his rump.

The brief skirmish had given Tor time to launch another arrow. The beast, not willing to be put down, charged Tor and he put an arrow in the pig's throat, finally bringing him down. The other one, mortally wounded, continued to circle until he fell down, dead. Shortly after that, Shin came limping back, his tail between his legs, whimpering. He had done his best to protect his master.

Almost immediately, there was a lot of scurrying around the area and heads popped up everywhere, followed by bodies, some very short and muscled, some with deformed limbs or massive growths, limping or dragging, some bleached white like Silva, and some all bent over with humps on their backs, like carrying a great burden. Most of them were carrying knives that glistened in the sun. But they were clearly cheering rather than making war noises. Happy that he had killed the fighting pigs.

Tor suddenly realized that he was naked and that they were all staring at him as they approached. He felt something at his side and it was Silva. She had run down to the water and retrieved his loincloth. He quickly stepped into it to avoid further embarrassment. Tor often swam naked in front of others. But he had not been greeted by a whole clan in that normally comfortable undress. His family even wore furs in hot weather, sometimes. As a young man, he hadn't worn furs or leathers and hadn't except up on the cold and windy mountain passes on this trip.

While several of the knife bearing group descended upon the pigs and began to gut the one and butcher, the other, others, including an elderly albino man with silver hair to his waist and a long, wispy silver haired beard, approached close and put out his hand in the universal friendly .

Silva, by Tor's side, whispered, "This is our leader, Yahn. If you don't understand him, I will try to translate. I'm sure he will ask you to join us."

"Is he your father?"

"No, he is just another cast off like me and the rest. They think of us as possessing evil spirits. Don't want us around them."

"I see. I hope you will accept my offer of the two pigs as a friendly gesture. As you can see, I have met Silva and she is quite fond of me." Silva translated what he said.

Yahn smiled broadly and shook his hand vigorously. "Won't you please join us tonight in our camp? We are eager to hear of your travels."

While Yahn seemed intent on meeting him, the others that weren't occupied with the pigs gathered around Tsen and Shin with great amazement and lavish petting. "They want to know about your goat" Silva whispered in his ear."

"See if you can tell them that it is not a goat but a horse. Very tame and useful for carrying things and even me. Tell them I will ride for them later and give them rides… You, too, he added." She laughed, looking forward to it.

But Shin was another matter. While he enjoyed without discriminating, strange people patting him on the head and shoulders. He tended to menacingly growl if they got near his wound that had nearly stopped bleeding, but still looked bad and matted his fur with glossy red, turning into rust brown, blood.

Yahn gently interjected, "We can treat his wound. Let's go to the camp where we can do it."

With Silva leading the way, it was a short walk for everyone to go to the clan's camp by the lake in a rather secluded area. She whispered to him. "The other families never come here. We are close to the trail you came on so that we can trade with travelers. You are fortunate. Very few come to our camp. I was worried a bit, but Yahn could see how much I care for you right away. And the pigs are an amazing gift for entry into our world."

She snuggled his ear with her lips as they walked leading Tsen with Tor carrying Shin so that he wouldn't have to limp along with that crowd. The others, young and old, giggled and murmured as Silva stayed close by his side. Tor struggled to carry the growing dog over boulders and deadfall that blocked their path occasionally until they came to a well-defined trail leading in.

The few that remained in the camp alerted from smoking campfires and rose to meet them when they arrived with Yahn announcing their glorious good fortune and visitor. Two strong short people, carrying the whole boar on a pole between them, arrived at the largest hearth fire and began setting up a spit to roast the pig for a celebration. The fat underbelly had been removed already to make lard for many uses. The clan was large enough to consume the whole pig in one celebration. But small enough, so they could prepare the other pork and salt for the days ahead.

Silva showed Tor her humble mud and stick hut that she shared with two other teenagers. "You will stay here with me, tonight. The others will sleep somewhere else." She smiled a knowing smile, with great anticipation. Tor felt it, too, while knowing that he had to continue on his journey.

yahn gave him a tour of the camp, introducing him to many whose names were a blur. He was amazed how some seemed to be caring for those who couldn't care for themselves. Such a loving and accepting group of people, strange as they were. All rejected from their original families. He knew that some would not live through the next winter. But everyone was in danger. Evil spirits were everywhere attacking, and starvation was right around the corner if one couldn't hunt or fish. Winter was a dying time.

It took about three hours before the boar would be ready to be eaten. In the meantime, as a dusky with the end of day, Tor unloaded Tsen's burden and gave Silva a ride down to the lake and back. She hung on to him for dear life, but he felt her warmth on his back and it thrilled him. When they returned, many clamored to ride. He put the youngest ones on first and walked them up and down the trail to the lake. There were many, so this took some time.

It grew darker and the air grew cool. They returned to a place set before a fire. Like with the gorge people, the celebration began. Tor was offered honey, seeds, green leaves and early berries that many brought to him to watch him eat and receive approval. A kind of beer he had never tasted was brought and he drank heartily. Silva smiled at his side. Seemingly so proud to show him off.

An elder woman with sagging breasts and badly wrinkled and damaged skin came with a bone  needle with sinew, offering to tend to Shin's wound. Tor held his friend firmly by his shoulders, petting him gently around the ears while staring into Shin's eyes, while the woman, as gently as possible, pulled the two sides of the four inch gash together, and then, made stitches close together until the wound was closed.

Shin whimpered occasionally when she worked the needle through his traumatized hide. But with the eye to eye assurance of his master, he refrained from trying to turn around and bite her. When it was over, for his bravery, Shin was given a piece of pork that he eagerly took to the side and consumed with a wagging tail. Not letting anyone get near him while he consumed his prize.

When the boar was dripping fat and browned, the whole clan cut into it with gusto. Nearly everyone got drunk, including Silva. She could hardly keep from putting her hands on him. Tor also noticed that some of the other young women were eyeing him with lust in their eyes, too. She leered back at them and held him closer to ensure that they would not interfere with her reverie.

Sated and a bit drunk, too, Silva dragged him off to bed. The interior of the hut was lined with furs to keep the cold night off. The temperature had dropped, but Silva's body was as hot as the fire they had sat close to. Her hands were all over him, while he was amazed at her softness, everywhere. They went at each other like animals. Each enjoyment greater than the last. But he quickly came to orgasm. Once again, she marveled at his sperm as though it was the best thing she ever tasted.

As they lay there afterward, Silva explained to Tor that she had to avoid the sun because it, "Burns my skin to the point that it peels off in large bloody pieces. And my eyes are so sensitive, that I'm nearly blind in sunlight and dare not look at all anywhere near the sun. I have to stay in the shade all the time and it is hard when I am foraging for food."

"I can see that it would be. If I could stay here, I could do that for you. And maybe even carry a shade that we could put over you whenever you had to go out in the sun."

"That would be nice. You are so kind and loving." She reached down between his legs and could feel that Tor's peeing tool was growing rigid again. She cooed, "Stay here with me. Let us be lovers. 

Stay here with me forever."

Tor considered what she was saying for a moment, and then answered. "I can't promise you anything. I must go see about my mother. She may be in great danger without my father to protect her."

"But you will come back…next year?"

"I don't know, but I will try. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me."

Tor lost sight of his enduring love of Gael while so close to Silva. It wasn't long before they were kissing again and following that with more lovemaking that gave Tor and orgasm even greater than he had that morning. And Silva, her pleasure sites overstimulated to the point of fainting, thought that if she died it would be good to do it that way.

This time, having had their fill of drink, food and each other, they both fell off into a deep sleep. But sometime, near dawn, Tor awoke and couldn't help petting those soft places on Silva's warm body that were so close to him. Before long, she was aroused again and they finished off the night with a third and nearly exhausting, round of lovemaking that was so satisfying for both of them.

Copyright 2020 © Ronald W. Hull

5/8/20