Death on the Trek Read Online Free

traveled four hand lengths, climbing through Mother Sky, Hama called a halt to rest. They laid down their bundles, squatted, and sipped from their water gourds sparingly. They had not encountered any streams and no one knew how much farther they would walk before finding one. They were not going the direction they used to go for hunting, so this land was unfamiliar.
    After the stop for rest, Bahg Swiftfeet and Cabat the Thick paired up to drag the heavy pack. Cabat had a slow stride and Bahg was very fast, so they were awkward together. Soon Teek Bearclaw, the birth-brother of Jeek and a strong young male, took the place of Cabat.
    Tog and Enga walked side by side. He occasionally took her bundle from her and gave her some relief. That made her smile inside and out. He was concerned for the seed growing within her. He did not glance at Vala Golden Hair, who mostly stayed behind them with Panan One Eye. Their shoulders sometimes rubbed together and Enga felt the warmth of his touch long after they separated.
    When Sister Sun had hidden half her face and was beginning to send streaks of color across her Mother Sky, Hama halted once more. She had picked the place wisely. There was a small stream nearby. She pointed to the water and everyone dropped their bundles with eagerness and knelt by the stream to drink.
    Enga listened to the noisy lapping, but could also hear rumbling inside her. She was hungry from walking all day, from carrying the seed of Tog inside her as well as her bundle of belongings.
    They all knew that their meal would consist of the dried jerky they had carried. No one would have the energy nor the time to seek and kill fresh meat, prepare it, and cook it.
    After they ate, everyone looked to Hama expectantly. They did not know what rituals should be followed in this unusual time.
    She sent a thought-speak to all of them. There will be no Saga tonight. We are all tired and must rest for the continuing trek. Perhaps, another time, we will stay in one place for a few days and have music and Saga.
    Hama had indeed chosen the place well. Enga had a fleeting thought that it would be pleasant to dwell here. However, there were no mammoth to be seen or smelled. There were enough tall needled trees to shelter them for dark time. They sat and gnawed on the jerky, each one trying not to eat too much, so it would last as long as possible.
    They got their sleeping furs from their bundles. Enga and Tog shared one since they were mates. She was glad that the growing seed had not made her too large to enjoy her mate yet. She knew it happened sometimes.
    Ung Strong Arm and Lakala Rippling Water approached.
    May we spread our sleeping fur next to yours? Ung asked her birth-sister.
    Enga was pleased to have them near. She had been happy when Ung and Lakala had started dwelling in the same wipiti. Ung was the best hunter and Lakala the best singer. It was fitting that two such females should be together.
    As she eased herself onto her sleeping skin, Enga noticed that Vala spread her own fur next to that of Panan, but that they did not share one. Perhaps he did not want to be too near the restless baby, who would probably interrupt his sleep.
    Enga thought about the amount of jerky in their pouches. It should be enough to get them through the Warm Season, in normal times. Would they all want to eat more when they walked all day? Would they run out of it?
    Then, for some reason, she thought about all the tribe members they had lost recently, during the last Cold Season. The last two Hamas had been slain. The tribe nearly fell apart when that happened. Two youths had also been lost, both banished. Kokat No Ear had died on a hunting trip, gored by a peccary. Maybe it was good the tribe was fewer in numbers. Maybe, with less of them, the dried meat would be enough for those on the trek and would last them until they found the place where the game had gone.
    There were no sounds of night creatures, no night birds singing. They had fled