The Thinking Rocks Read Online Free Page A

again.
Loki answered the call without movement and got ready for the attack on the
birds.  A large male turkey had raised his head as it was looking toward
Loki's position.
    Loki jumped to
his feet and rushed forward screaming and waving his spear.  The birds
started sounding alarms and rushing about looking for an escape route. 
About this time Loki’s feet became tangled in vines and he went crashing down
the bank and into the water.  The large tom let out some loud gobble
noises that inspired the turkeys to new levels of activity.  They rushed
toward Bana and Moki in a packed flock.  Bana leaped to his feet, and
reversing his spear, swung at a hen, catching her in the neck and sending her
down in a cloud of feathers. He next swung at a young tom and again connected
with its head and put it down. Turning his spear over he drove the point
through a large hen, which came within range.  Moki was in the middle of
the flock swinging madly at the fleeing turkeys. He had two down and then he
connected with another.  Confused by the frontal attack, the turkeys
plunged back toward Loki. He was splashing around in the water and trying to
find his spear.  The large tom turkey lead the flock toward this lesser
evil in a last ditch attempt at escape.  Unfortunately for Loki, in his
search for his spear he grabbed the tom turkey by the leg as it went by. 
The tom was about 4 feet tall and at the best of times, it had a vile
disposition. It proceeded to beat Loki heavily about the head and shoulders
with its wings as it slashed him with its spurs and talons. The sound of its
squawks was almost as painful to the ears as were the gouges from its sharp
beak. The tom was quite good at his work, and presented Loki with a black eye
and a cut lip in the first few seconds of the confrontation.  He pecked at
Loki's eyes but missed and connected with his nose, tearing it open in a spray
of blood.  By this time, Loki had reasoned that he did not have a hold of
his spear.  He had also deduced that whatever it was he was holding, it
was not something he wanted to keep holding, and let go. The tom, freed at
last, took one more swing at Loki with his left wing and knocked him over
backwards.  In the process of falling, Loki landed a hen turkey killing
her instantly.  The rest of the turkeys followed the leader past Loki to
safety
    Bana, after
making sure there were no turkeys hiding, called to Moki "I think your
brother is better at chasing turkeys than he is at catching them."
    Moki
looked up as he finished arranging his kill on the ground. Smiling at Bana, he
said, "I noticed that he caught the largest turkey but he changed his mind
about keeping it.  He is my brother, but as a hunter, he has much to
learn.”  Motioning to his brother to bring his turkey over he said,
"Let us see who is hurt worse, you or the dead bird.”  Loki
approached his brother while holding one of his hands over his bleeding nose,
and the other grasping the dead turkey.
    Bana
watched as Moki looked at Loki's injuries and stopped the nosebleed.  The
brothers were both about the same size and height despite Moki being two years
older than Loki. The most distinctive thing about them was the length of their
arms, which seemed too long for their bodies.  Neither appeared as smart
as Bana was, but they were good followers. They both knewthat one day he would lead the clan.
    However,
one of them had a secret, and it was Loki.  His secret was a trait, which
would serve him well. He liked to appear as a fool, he found it useful when
others underestimated him. He was careful to conceal his secret for the time
being.  He knew in time he would benefit from this deception. Now it was
best to appear the fool and to follow Bana.
    Bana
stretched his arms and took a deep breath. Life was good. He was returning to
camp with game and he had his followers with him.   His father the
chief would be proud.  He thought of how they would entertain the clan at
the fire