LITMIR.BIZ

      Unknown to the travellers, there were others who had been caught by the storm. A group of Wetlands hunters were out after the geese which came to the marshes every year. Once the weather in the lands where they spent the warm seasons became cold, these large birds headed south. The older geese were hard to catch, but this year's hatchlings could be snared fairly easily. Their flesh was more tender than that of the older birds. And so it was that the geese and hunters had this yearly meeting. Both came in response to the hunt for food — the geese for the grasses and seeds, the hunters for the geese, and everything else they could collect.

      The hunters were accompanied by their mates, as there were many fruits and vegetables and seeds of grasses to gather as food for the coming cold time. The land about the streams and ponds that ran into the Wetlands river had much plant life with fruit now ripe. Once both the men and women came, they, of course, brought their children.

      This year, the weather was not pleasant. It was cold and the wind blew steadily. It carried sand that stung when it hit faces, but it also brought in large flocks of storm-buffeted geese. Confused and not as wary as usual, the birds could easily be brought down the long sticks the hunters used. So despite the worsening weather, the hunt went on. In all the excitement, no one watched the sky.

      The sandstorm hit suddenly. Visibility fell to zero. They were in a dense fog, not of water droplets but of stinging, blinding sand. Because the weather had been so foul, the children had been kept in a cave the hunters used when they stayed overnight. Even though the roar of the wind frightened them, and the younger ones were crying, none went outside. But as the storm continued, hunger added to their misery. The crying became louder. It was then that one little girl, decided to go and find her mother. No longer a toddler but a four-year-old, she considered herself quite capable. Out of the cave she went. Even though she knew where she wanted to go, the wind tossed her about. But there was no turning back. Reluctantly now, the little girl stumbled on for a very long time. Although she did not know it, she was in the low hills on the sunset side of the great mountain.

      But it was becoming darker as the invisible sun dropped below the horizon. This was the time the predatory animals started their hunt, but she had no knowledge of this danger. Hungry and very sleepy, she took shelter behind a large pile of rock and curled up, trying to keep warm. Suddenly, a movement not far away caught her attention. Something was there! Slowly it moved towards her. She was terrified! Where was her mother? Eyes glinted in the moonlight, which now and again broke through the haze of the storm. They moved closer. Bravely, she felt the ground around her. All that could be found was a fist-sized stone. Should she throw it? She knew she could not throw that far. Paralyzed by fear, the little girl could not move.

      The lynx, always on the watch for its usual diet of hare and small rodents, had never hunted game as big as this. The size made him pause, but not for long. Its stalking continued. This was a young animal. So intent on watching what it now considered its prey, it failed to check its surroundings. Another pair of eyes were watching. Originally, these eyes had been focused on the child, while the brain that controlled them was pondering its next move. The arrival of the lynx had changed all that. With the lynx now the important target, there was no hesitation in what the next move was to be.

      Just as the lynx was about to pounce on the little girl, something large hit it. Massive teeth clamped on its neck. It had only time to hiss before being picked up and shaken. With its neck broken and its spinal cord severed, it knew no more. Its attacker dropped the now-limp body, looked at the little girl, and sat down.

      The child was too afraid to move or make any sound. Her knees trembled uncontrollably, but the large animal did not do anything but sit and look at her. She sat and looked back. Then the animal lifted its head and howled. The little girl's terror increased. But what could she do? In a few moments, there was an answering howl. The watching animal replied, then lay down, crossed its front legs and continued to look at her.

      She was beginning to ache from keeping herself rigid. She just had to move. As she changed position, the animal's head came up and then down again. Feeling a little bolder, the girl wiggled to make herself more comfortable. Again nothing happened. She could not move further away from the animal, as the rock she had rested against was right behind her. Since her arm tucked under her body had gone to sleep, she moved it. In doing so, her hand moved toward the animal. A large paw reached out and touched her hand. She recoiled. The paw withdrew. Curious, she reached out again and again the paw met her hand. This time, she closed her hand on that hard rough paw. For a few moments they both stayed like that, then the animal rolled over on its back.

      She could feel the heat of the animal's belly. It seemed so soft and warm and inviting. She was so cold. Now no longer so frightened, but still respectful, she inched her way closer.

      When Eevo and Sim and Grosh arrived, she was asleep, curled up against Neeth's belly.

      Higher up on the mountain slope, visibility was much better and the quarter moon provided some light. Sim and Eevo, exhausted from their struggles in the sandstorm, were on the verge of sleep when the first wolf howl came.

      "That sounds like Neeth," exclaimed Eevo, sitting upright.

      Then came the answering call from another location, followed almost at once by what Eevo thought was Neeth's call. Then came silence. They again drifted off to sleep.

      They were wakened by Grosh, who was making excited little whines and whimpers. It was obvious that she wanted them to follow her. Taking their spears but leaving the water bag, they moved out after the wolf. She would run, then stop, waiting for them to catch up, indicating her impatience by making small straight-legged jumps up and down in the same place.

      "Why is she so excited?" asked Eevo. "Can they have found Mother and Dedu?"

      Grosh led them at a rapid pace and,

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