Tor did all he could, but a month passed and still, the old man wanted him to stay. Even though Tor's hard work had left Glu with huge piles of coal and copper ore for him to work with. He had also shown Loa how to plant some of the wheat and rye seeds that he had. Those had produced, already, many seeds for a large crop to be harvested in the fall.

Between the hunting and gathering that he and Shin had done with his trusty dog's nose finding some of the best mushrooms in the forest and underground lairs that actually held rodents he could smoke out, the old couple's larder was filled to the brim with food that would last them a very long time.

After his morning bath in the hot spring, Tor joined the couple for gruel and dried meat boiled that morning, becoming a routine. Having thought it over, he announced, "I'm leaving tomorrow. Let me know what there is to be done here today, but I will be packing up to leave. My mother awaits me out there. I hope you understand." His eyes searched the faces of his mentors for their response.

"I understand. I also understand that you now have the skill of a coppersmith. You are the best student I ever had. Far better than my son. Please don't go!" Glu grew emotional and teared up as he blubbered it out.

"I know that I owe you a lot. I would love to stay. But my mother calls me every day." Tor whined.

"But what will we do? How will we live without you?" Loa cried out. Her tears greater than her husband's.

"You were doing all right when I came and you'll do all right when I leave." Tor steeled himself to say it, feeling the emotional fear of the old couple. Not wanting it to get to him… Keep him from leaving.

"We were starving when you came and I had run out of coal and copper ore. You turned everything around for us. We are eternally grateful and have no right to keep you here."

"After I find my mother, I will think a lot about returning and making copper part of my livelihood. My clan appears to be gone and our camp is now in the hands of a group of strangers that I hardly know. I must go now, but I promise that I will return."

Tor did not say it, but he thought, What am I doing? I keep promising everyone that I will return. Am I lying to them? I hope not.

Glu noticed Tor lost in thought and broke into his mind. "After we finish eating (he was always last having so much trouble chewing and swallowing) I want you to see something before you go about packing to leave."

Tor broke from his deep thought and nodded his understanding.

Once again, even though he didn't see very well, Glu led Tor away from the camp. They came to a place where there was a lot of rubble fallen off the cliff side. Here were the graves, piled high with rubble rock, of several individuals. But Glu was interested in only the one next to a huge tree that he patted strongly with his hand to make a point to Tor that that tree was important.

Glu then knelt down and started removing rocks from the grave directly beneath the tree. It wasn't long before he began to uncover a huge cache of copper, both in raw form and implements of many kinds. Reaching in, he handed Tor a beautiful ax, several arrowheads, a comb, a necklace, a few pieces of raw copper and a looking glass, "For the ladies…" With a big, single tooth smile.

Tor filled his bag with the bounty and kept thanking Glu for every piece that he was handed. He never expected such generosity for his work. Especially since he had learned an entire trade.

With the gift giving completed, Tor helped his old friend once again place back the rocks so that the grave looked like all the others, sacred and not to be touched without angering the gods. Once again, Glu patted the tree firmly as if to emphasize to Tor how he would be able to find it if he returned. Trusting only Tor with his lifetime of treasure.

The next morning, after warm bath and something to eat, tearful farewells were made and Tor once again, crossed the fiery river and continued on his way to find his mother. He made good time against the day's sun and was already following the bank of the Rine by the time he would settle in for camp that evening. Almost regretting that he was leaving while feeling the freedom of being on his own again.

But in the waning hours of the day he spotted heads bobbing up ahead and jumped from Tsen to greet them… Three kids from the white color and texture of their hair. Still, he scared them and they scattered when they came into his view.

Shin, always excited with people, ran after and pinned a young girl up against a tree trunk offering to lick her wherever she would let him. The horrified look on her face and her screams did not seem to bother him, but bothered the two boys. One appearing to be just younger than Tor and the other, a circuit of seasons younger.

The boys were yelling, "Stop him… He's hurting her. Stop him! We mean no harm! Stop him!"

Tor called out, "Shin, down. Good boy!" And, his faithful dog, becoming better trained and knowing who was boss, leaned back on his haunches and just panted from his earlier exertion awaiting further instruction.

But the boys still shook in fear… Primarily from seeing Tsen's huge hulk following Tor obediently. They were emaciated worse than any he had seen so far. The girl was just skin and bones.

"I am Tor, on a quest to find my mother. I mean no harm. I can help you."

It took a moment for the older boy to understand that he was no longer in harm's way and to stop shaking. "We are escaped from a group of evil men who captured us many moons ago. We escaped them while they were raiding a clan and too busy with that to see us leave. Do you have any food? We are starving."

Realizing he should be introduced… He added, "I am Teve, this is Seve and the girl is Rach… She needs food more than the rest of us… With child."

"I need to camp for the night. You can join me. I have food."

"We can't do that. They may be following us close. We have to continue on. We can't stop running."

"Okay, we will stop here and you can eat." Tor pulled a bag from the back of Tsen and pointed… "Here, under this tree in the shade. Let's sit down and eat."

The kids ate so fast Tor thought they might get sick. But their stomachs had shrunk so much they soon stopped eating and started asking questions. He also had them drink some tea that Loa had made for him to take with him that morning.

"Is there anywhere or anyone we can stay with that would protect us where you came from?" Seve asked.

"There is and I think you'd be safe there as long as you didn't leave a trail for someone to follow."

"What is that place and how do we get there?"

"It's too far to get there tonight. I suggest you rest and let that food give you strength. There is an old couple that needs help. They are very kind and generous. You can learn a trade from them."

From his bag, Tor reached in and pulled out the copper comb. "They make things like this from this material called copper." Tor ran it through his unruly hair to show how it worked. The three vagabonds' eyes lit up with amazement.

"Follow the river the way you have been. When you get to a river coming in that is very hot, enough to burn you, follow that river as far as it goes. You will find the camp of the old couple. I will be coming back soon to see how you are doing with them." Tor lied.

"We will be going now. Thank you for the food. We will find that couple after we rest tonight."

Tor gave each of them some food to carry and they left.

There was a likely spot nearby and he set out snares to replenish the food he gave the youngsters and settled in for the night.

Later, he was awakened by the low growl of Shin by his side. He put his hand gently on Shin's head and whispered, “Shuss… Stay quiet."

Someone was crawling towards him in the grass. Tor was suddenly fully awake but not showing it, opening his eyes only halfway. Whoever it was, was reaching for his bag where he had his copper treasures. He made out a hand in the moonlight and reached for it, grabbing the wrist of whoever it was and pulling him to his feet. Reaching for his obsidian dagger with his free hand.

In the light of the moon, he saw that it was Seve. The boy now shaking in fright having been caught.

"What are you doing? Didn't I treat you well? Why would you want to steal from me?"

It took Seve a while to calm down and answer him, but he finally did. "We hadn't gone very far before Rach got very sick and threw up all the food she ate. So we stopped for the night. I like her, but Teve thinks she is his with his baby. I thought if I got that comb I could give it to her and she would like me and not him."

"You will need to be a little older before women will like you. I suggest that you stay with that old couple and learn how to make combs rather than steal them. If you continue to steal from people, you will be killed. Go! Off with you! Learn from this lesson…"

Seve disappeared back into the night and Tor, relaxed back to a deep sleep grateful that he had Shin to always alert them of danger even when he was asleep.

Copyright 2021 © Ronald W. Hull

4/8/21