***Chapter 2
***
Eta watched his new mate fuss around with the pillows. "Turn them over. Sometimes they get pushed down too far when you sleep on them." The other man did that and grinned when it worked. He got comfortable and laid down again, going to take a nap. They had nothing to do but talk so they were bored enough to nap today. I had been three days and he was seriously liking this hunter. He would suit him well if he gave in and liked him back. His team had chosen well. Now if only Star's Fire liked boys. He settled himself down, listening to the camp around them. It was quiet. The children were down for their rests too. He was drifting on his thoughts, trying hard not to look over at his possible mate.
Star's Fire was a proud man. Very tall as well. Taller than he was. He'd have to make sure he could have children if he wanted to once they were together. He itched to be closer to him. He couldn't deal with those desires while his potential mate was in the tent with him. It might upset him and make him want to leave. Eta went back to listening to the surrounding camp rest for the day. Something was too quiet. No bird or animal sounds near the camp. He got up and put on outdoor clothes, heading out to check. The few adults up gave him dirty looks. He waved his knife then moved closer to where there should be noise but wasn't. He found two men hiding and snuck up behind them, tapping one on the shoulder. "Are you here to talk to Star's Fire?" he asked politely."Who're you?" that one demanded, griping his own knife.
"Eta. They brought him to be my mate. You can come talk to him if you wish. He's in the tent with me while we talk. He's resting right now."
They stood up and looked at him. "Why should we not just take him back?"
Eta shrugged. "I'd rather not have to hurt you if you tried against his will." They stared. "Come, talk to him. We have food and can let you visit. It might make him talk more." He waved at the hunters. "Star's Fire's family," he told them. They nodded, letting him escort them to his tent. "Star's Fire, they're here."
He blinked. "It took you three extra days?" he asked, sitting up.
"The council wanted to make extra plans," his older brother said, sitting next to him. "You were stolen?"
"They wanted Eta to have a husband worthy of his hunter's skills. He's a good hunter who teaches the younger men and goes on bride finding hunts with his team."
"So you were stolen," he said dryly.
Star's Fire sighed. "I knew you'd pick on me for that."
"We only take the best for mates," Eta offered, sitting down. "Berries?"
"They're very good," Star's Fire said. His brothers nibbled one, nodding at that. "I know it's odd but Eta is a nice hunter."
"Do you want to be his husband?" his older brother asked. His younger brother was trying to be impressive by scowling. Not that it was working since he looked sulky.
"I don't want to upset him," he said quietly. Eta had snuck out to give them some privacy. He could see him out back. "He'll be destroyed but I've never thought about another hunter that way, brother."
He considered it. "The council said if it was for a mating, we should stay to see how it is going. Protest if there's a reason to. If not, it might gain us friends among other tribes."
"I don't know. I've only known him for a few days. Now and then he gets nervous and tries to flee to do something else." He shifted closer. "What do two hunters do together?"
"The same thing only there's more hair and fewer children," his little brother said with a grin. "You'll need oil or fat though." His brother blushed bright red so he giggled. "You're so shy sometimes."
"I am not." He swatted at him. He looked at his older brother, shifting closer. "If we left now, Eta would become one of those walking spirits that leave to talk to shamans too early in life," he said very quietly.
"It speaks that you have feelings for him." He stared at his little brother. "How long are you in here with him for?"
"They make new couples live together for a month so they can see if they can stand each other." That got a nod. "It's been three days."
"Then we'll talk to the council or chief here."
"Chief or leader. Eta calls him Leader. I think it's the title he's given as a sign of respect."
"That's good to know." He looked out there. "He's not sitting there."
"He probably heard and went to get him. He seems well respected and he's the head of the team that goes to hunt mates. The one I've seen was pretty and modest. Oh, and Eta sews."
"It's a skill our tribe could use," he agreed. "Why steal mates?"
"Not many daughters have been born. They've had Eta breed with a few of the wives in the tribe. He has three sons who are looking like good hunters and a daughter who is a very good hunter as well. He said her mother is a bit loud." His brothers laughed at that. "He stumbled and told me last night he wouldn't mind if I did the same."
"So you're his wife if you can work it out?" his big brother asked.
"Husband. Eta wants to be a wife."
"Hmm. Interesting for a hunter."
"Their leader said that they've had many like him over the generations. Usually they're good for the tribe. One leader was."
"Very interesting," his little brother agreed. He looked around then at him. "It's a nice tent."
"They farm during the summers."
"Good for them," his big brother agreed. "Let us talk to the local leader and we'll see what we can work out."
His brother put his hand on his arm. "I did promise if you stole me back you wouldn't hurt anyone if possible."
"Not a problem, Star's Fire. We're not like that." He patted him on the head then got up, going to find his new brother's wife. He found him patting a young horse on the nose. "Yours?"
"My son's first horse," he said with a smile. "I thought you needed time to talk to him."
"He told us his feelings and we'll talk to your elders, see what they think. Our council said if it was his choice, we'd be setting up relations with you." Eta beamed and pointed. "Thank you."
"Thank you for not stealing him." He gave the horse one last pat on the nose then left to talk to his mate again. "They seem nice."
"They'll pick on me forever," he said with a grin. Eta gave him a hug then sat down again. "Where did you go?"
"My son's first horse is finally broken and ready to be trained. I was petting him to get him used to me."
"That's nice of you." He plucked out a berry to nibble on. "My brothers liked these too." His potential mate smiled. "I still have no idea how two men touch, Eta."
"The same as others do." He smiled. "If you want, I can show you. Whenever you're ready."
"Thank you for not being pushy."
"You're welcome. How does your clan live?"
"Mostly we're like any other group. Newly formed so we don't have much set up. We have an elder's council to advise us. We mostly have single hunters at the moment."
"We don't have many of those anymore. My team and I were good." He shifted. "There's some nice groups with women in the valley."
"We would want our wives to come to us," he offered.
"I can understand that. We each have different ways of doing things." He nibbled on a berry himself, nodding politely as the young hunters came back. "Leader was pleased?"
"Very." The older brother sat down, staring at him. "We would have been here sooner but our council spent the three days bickering on the meaning of your group taking him."
"My team stole him for me as a proper spouse. Someday I'll have to steal husbands for the few girls we've had born recently."
"What I saw of your daughter, she'll need a very strong husband who won't mind her hunting ways," Star's Fire teased.
Eta nodded. "Quite possibly. She's getting near womanhood," he told them. "Within a few years she'll start that path." They smiled. "She's very strong."
"So your leader said. He said all four of your children were strong," the younger brother said. He took a berry to nibble. "These are really good. How do you keep them from turning too hard?"
"I soak them in a honey solution before drying them. It keeps them moist and lets them last longer."
"We need to know how to do that," the big brother said. "Your leader had nothing but good things to say about you. Relax." He looked at his littler brother. "We will remain here with you for the month to see if this is your choice. If so, our tribes will meet and become friends. If not, there's no harm and we'll take you home." That got a smile and a nod. "We did bring you a change of clothes in case you needed one."
"Thank you." They got their stuff from their horses and handed over the clothes. "Where can I bathe, Eta?"
He pointed behind them. "The stream and the fire next to it with the big pot to warm the water." He went that way, talking to his brothers. Eta curled up on his pillows to listen to them giggle at his mate. He liked Star's Fire. His brothers weren't being pushy but they clearly weren't going to let him stay if they could help it. His aunt walked in. "I'm fine."
"And the winds blow pretty tunes through the reeds by the river," she said dryly, sitting across from him. "Just because his family is here isn't a bad sign, Eta. My mother came and sat with us until I had to beg her to go away. She understood and let us have more time together to get to know each other."
"They don't steal mates."
"Really?" He shook his head. She patted him on the head. "Go bathe. It's good to let your mate know your body." She got up and looked around. "I'll bring in dinner." She left, going to cook for them.
Eta grabbed things, heading out to clean himself up. "My aunt offered to cook for us," he said in greeting.
Star's Fire smiled. "Is she a good cook?"
"A very good cook. I learned much from her." He poured more water into the big drum, letting it warm so he could wash as well. While he waited, he took down his hair. "Your hunters don't grow their hair out?"
"No. We keep ours short to keep it from getting tangled while we hunt," the younger brother said. "Your people don't cut yours?"
"It shows our age. The longer the braid, the older you are." That got a nod. He handed over something. "You forgot soap." He mashed some of the soft, oily compound between his fingers and then wet them so he could run them through his hair. "We can share. I'm not evil."
"We know. We use a harsher soap, one that doesn't smell as nice," the older brother said, letting him sniff it.
"It smells like herbs. Does it kill the bugs that bite in the summer?"
"And others," he agreed. Eta finished his hair and pulled some out of the river to rinse it off. He used their soap so they used his on their hair. It felt nicer than their soap did. Smelled better too. Star's Fire was giving them grateful looks but Eta had no problems stripping down to get clean. The brothers stared at his openness. "Your people don't mind when you do that in the open?"
"No. It's a body to us. The soul and the connection are more important than the look of the body," he said quietly, looking at them. "I mean no offense if the body is more sacred to your people."
"We tend to bathe in our tent instead of outside," the little brother told him.
Star's Fire nodded. "It must be cold in the winter."
"Once the snows fall we put a tent around the area, but this is where we do all the washing. Clothing and ourselves." He grinned, tossing the soap at his mate. "You forgot a spot. You have dirt smudges." He wiped over it then blushed and went back to his own bathing. Eta finished up then put on the clean clothes he had brought. He knelt to wash the others out quickly, taking them back to dry by his fire. The older brother did the same once he was done. "Are you sharing our tent?" Eta asked him.
"No, we'll have our own. Your leader said that it was important to your people to be left alone to bond or not during that first month." The older one sat across from him. "We will be seeing our brother every day."
"Of course. We'll have to do some hunting in a few weeks as well." That got a nod and a smile. "We'll do what we can to make sure your brother is safe. We're not mean people."
"So we've been told," he agreed. His two younger brothers came in talking with each other. "You two behave." He looked at him. "I'd offer the younger one instead," he said quietly. "He has tried the same ways you do and liked it in the past."
Eta blushed, shaking his head. "I need someone who wants to talk to me. Playmates are fun but mates are more than fun."
The big brother nodded. "I can see that. That's important to many." He stood up. "Let us put our brother down for a rest while we look around?" That got a nod and they left Star's Fire there.
"I'm sorry they're so nosy."
"My aunt said that her mother showed up while she and her mate were talking to live with them. She had to send her away a few times," he said with a blush. "Your family is nice."
"They are. Even if my younger brother is a pain now and then and the older is too protective. I swear I couldn't do anything for years until they started to send him off on solo hunts."
Eta smiled. "I don't have any siblings so I don't know how that goes, but it sounds like he cares. Like my aunt does."
"He does, he's just grumpy." He shifted closer. "How long have you been camping here?"
"Two summers now. We'll be moving after the thaws to where we were when I was younger. We cycle between the camping areas to let the others regrow game and field strength. This one is nice but the others are a bit warmer in winter so many will be happy to change this time."
"That's not a bad idea. We stomped off at the wrong time of year to do more than set up semi-permanently in one area. Then we'll find an area and set up more shelters and the like for hunting and living." He looked around. "How long do you think it'll be before she brings dinner?"
Eta smiled. "If I know her, she's fussing over it. I learned it from her."
"Your family's women have been very strong in your life. Very good to you. I wish my mother had taught us how to cook." The boys came back. "Don't you wish sometimes that our mother had taught us how to cook?"
"Hopefully it'd mean that you couldn't poison us again with beans," his younger brother said. "He's a bad cook."
"You're worse," their older brother said. He sat down, watching his new brother's wife. He was attractive in many ways. Dark eyes to go with his long, dark hair. A strong body toned from hunting for years. A gentle nature around them that the three brothers found pleasant. He had to warn his younger brother to not confuse the young hunter. It was clear this was his first mating relationship. They were both unsure. He had one when he was younger but she had died during childbirth. He'd have to give his brother some pointers later since they had lapsed back into uncomfortable silence again. It was cute how they both nibbled those berries when they couldn't find something to say. "What else do you hunt?" he asked.
"Around here, we get some deer and some other grazing animals. Some smaller ones for the younger hunters to learn on." That got a nod from them. "I brought down a deer the other day, before your brother was brought. That way I could stock up for him," he finished, looking around again. "I should have made more berries. Everyone likes them." Star's Fire smiled at him. "If I go south by a day there's still some in bloom. I'll send my sons to get some. They're old enough to travel that far and the one does need to ride his new horse more often." He nibbled on one. They were good when you had no idea what you wanted to stay. His aunt walked in. "Aunt."
She smiled at the new boys. "I made dinner, boys. I taught Eta to cook but he's not a woman so he can't do it as well as I can."
"Nearly," Eta pouted.
"Nearly so," she agreed. She patted him on the head once the food was down on the small stand in there. "I brought bread too since I remembered you couldn't make any." She looked at the other two. "I saw your tent. Well pitched." She left them alone, going to report. That younger one was going to cause problems with the relationship. She found the head of the hunting team in there. "Why didn't you pick the youngest of those three?"
"He was a bit mean to one of the other hunters. His older brother sent him off quickly enough but he was acting like a woman with woman issues." He smiled. "Are they doing all right?"
"The older brother reminds me much of my mother when she showed up. The younger reminds me of my younger sister."
"I remember her," the leader said. "Perhaps we can send him back to talk to his people, tell them it's a good match?"
"He might prejudice the message," she noted. "If so, we'll send another emissary with him." He smiled and nodded. "Eta was nibbling on his berry stores. He might need to make some more."
"There should still be plenty further south. I can send some of the younger hunters to gather them. A few of the other women wanted some too."
"That might be helpful. I know Eta said his mate wanted to see him soak them." She glanced that way then at him. "I brought him dinner but I say we sic Eta's daughter on the youngest one." They all laughed at her meanness. "If he means harm, she'll stop him. If not, it'll give her a good view of men who she shouldn't mate to." She walked off to go back to her own family.
"That isn't such a bad idea even if it is mean," the lead hunter said, looking at his leader. He got a nod so he went to talk to her. "Maris." She looked up from her cooking lesson. "Your father's husband's family is in."
"I saw. The younger one looks a bit mean spirited."
"I think you could do well to visit with him. Keep him from picking on others. That way you learn how to get around men like him before we pick you a spouse."
She blushed like her father. "I could like that. His oldest brother was nice."
"Very, but too old for you."
"He's not that much older."
"He's your father's age," her mother said firmly. "Too old for you."
"They might have other hunters there of her age though," the hunter offered.
"Agreed. Take some of the honey treats with you, Maris." She ran inside to clean her face and hands before grabbing them, bringing them to the tent. "If he picks on her father, she's likely to gut him like a squirrel."
"We know," he said with a grin. She laughed back. "Eta's aunt fed them tonight."
"That's fine. She's getting to be good with the cooking." She went back to it. "Need fed, Toler?"
"No. My spouse is fussy and wanting me home. Try to keep them in there. It looks bad with how often they escape."
"It's awkward. Star's Fire knows nothing about men being together."
"Pity. He's nice."
"Very and I can see Eta liking him a lot. We'll have to get him used to the sight. Maybe the books we used to teach the younger ones?"
"I'll see if we have them and if he wants to borrow them." He went to his family to eat with them. His son would need the same talk in a few years so he could prepare by doing it now with Star's Fire if need be.
***
Maris patted the tent then walked in, sitting next to her father. "Mother sent you treats, Father."
"Thank you. This is my daughter, Maris."
"Your tribe's leader said you were a good hunter," the older brother said.
She smiled. "I am. I can beat two of my brothers most of the time." That got a smile. "In a few years I'll be of age and Mother wanted me to see how relationships work since her husband is scared of women. Again. For *some* reason."
"She's with child and loud," Eta reminded her.
"He can do what I do and pout back when she gets loud," she countered. He smiled at her. She looked at the older brother again. "Does your tribe have many young hunters? In a few years Father will have to steal me a husband too."
"We're mostly young and unmarried. I think our youngest is about a year after his manhood celebration." She nodded. "Not too much older than you but still a good gap in there."
"Is he nice?"
"No. He's grumpy. Often. His older brother is nicer but a few years older than him. Cuter too." She laughed, feeding them more food. "Thank you."
"You're welcome. I'm taking cooking lessons from my mother and his aunt too. She taught him so I'm learning the same way."
"It's a good skill to have," Star's Fire agreed. "I wish our mother had taught us. I wouldn't have made us sick with some beans."
She looked at him. "I can do those. I can show you how or you can ask my mother to teach you while she teaches me."
"I might do that." She beamed. "Are you chaperoning us tonight?"
"Yup." The other men laughed. "We're not sure your family won't be mean to Father."
"I would not let them do that. At the very least I can see him as a good hunting partner, even if I can't see him as a mate. I would not want him hurt."
"Good." She beamed. "You know, we have picture books to tell the young hunters how to do things. Mother suggested you might ask Toler to borrow his set." Her father moaned, hanging his head to shake it. "His son is nearly ready to hear the same stories as I will some year."
"Someday you'll make your father a very prosperous grandfather," the younger brother told her.
She looked at him. "Far in the future, when I'm ready to have children. I have much to learn until then." The leader stepped in. "Leader."
"Maris. Your mother send you with treats?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good girl. Eta, we need to know where the berry patches are to the south. You're not the only one wanting some more. I was going to send some of the younger ones out with the older hunters to gather for us."
"The tribe down that way is having problems," he warned. "They've just changed leadership to a young, eager hunter. Some of the ones we ran into were getting picky about their boundaries."
"That's why I'm sending experienced hunters with them." He smiled. "What else do you need for your mix?"
"Some of the herbs I'm out of." He took the hide to draw a map on with the charcoal, then made a list of what he needed. "Here. Thank you."
"Welcome." He looked at the pictures. "That one is the tangy one?" Eta nodded. "I didn't know you put that in there."
"I put it in the deer stew you like so much."
"I'll have to tell my wife that." He walked out, leaving them alone.
The older brother looked at her. "We will not harm your father."
"How would we know that? You only showed up today to rescue your brother. We'll relax when we know more of your people and their ways."
"You're very wise," he praised.
"Thank you." She beamed. "Father, Mother said to get you to help me start my womanhood celebration outfit."
He looked at her. "Isn't that something she should help you with?"
"You sew better than she does."
"I can teach you that." She beamed. "Get the basics built and we'll work on decorating it together." She nodded, giving his arm a hug. "I'm fine. Go eat, Maris." She looked up at him. "Really. They won't hurt me."
She snorted. "Of course they will. You're a fragile man. Men do stupid things because they're men and unworthy to be women. You approach that goodly state but miss it barely by being born a man."
The older brother burst out laughing. "Most of us grow out of that with age and experience."
"Father hasn't. You traveled without more clothes for the colder times so therefore you didn't either." She gave him a smug look. "Besides, I should meet my father's husband. There's probably much I can learn off him and his people."
"Perhaps, but you seem very wise," Star's Fire said with a smile. "And I can't cook."
"You can do other things."
"I can."
"Can you teach me to build traps for fish? Father doesn't do well with fish."
"I can actually build a fish trap. My brother taught me." She smiled at him for that.
"No one here fishes?"
"Plenty do but we usually provide for our own family first then whatever's left can go to the families that don't hunt as well."
"That's a reasonable solution," he agreed. "I can teach you that tomorrow, Maris." She smiled. "I will make sure your father is not hurt. If Star's Fire chooses him then we have no problem with that and our clan would happily set up friendly relations because of it."
"And if not?"
"Then we'll still try to set up friendly relations and perhaps another hunter in our clan would suit him better. One who has experience in the same areas as your father."
"That's good. I'd hate to have to end your clan for hurting my father." She got swatted for it. "Like we four wouldn't, Father. And some of the new mates you brought in would help us poison their wells."
"It will be fine, daughter."
"And I'm a fish." She looked at the older brother again. "We are agreed?"
"Agreed. We would not want to hurt him, Maris. He seems very skilled and good for your people."
She smiled, handing him a honey treat. "Good. I made those myself earlier today. My first attempt."
He nibbled. "A bit grainy but that happens with honey from what I've seen. A good trial and next time it'll be more smooth." She beamed and got up to tell her mother that. "If your sons are like her, you'll have strong hunters for generations." He finished the treat.
"They can be. I'm sorry she threatened."
"It's a family's right and responsibility to look out for their members that way. My brothers have done much threatening when things came near me and the others in the family," Star's Fire assured him with a slight smile. "She's adorable but she got your bouncy nature."
"Quite." He nibbled on a treat. "Not bad. Mine are only a bit smoother because I don't have the patience to keep straining the honey for long enough."
"Neither do we. That's why we have women," the littler brother said. His brothers glared. "It's a woman's job to cook well. We should have brought more with us."
"You can find one who'll have you someday," his oldest brother told him. "That's one reason to set up friendly relations with other tribes." He looked at his younger brother. "Star's Fire, let's finish dinner so we can rest from our long ride."
"Of course." He finished dishing it out and let them have their own. He had a lot to think about. His younger brother was a pain but clearly wanting what he had. He gave Eta a look, getting an understanding look back. "Would it be all right if I escorted them back?"
"Of course. You're not tied up in here."
"No matter how I got to the village?" he teased.
"Toler said you were loud," he said back with a grin.
"Often," the oldest brother agreed dryly. "Very often. I used to gag him when I took him to teach him how to hunt." He shook his head but took a bite of dinner. "Your aunt cooks better than our mother," he praised, eating another bite. Eta beamed at that compliment. They finished dinner and helped him clean up then Star's Fire brought the dishes back to her while they went to their tent. He stopped him before going in. "I'll try to stop him but if he is your choice, we're happy for you, Star's Fire," he said quietly. "He's a jealous girl sometimes."
"I'm not so sure he doesn't want him instead, Sata."
"He'd toss him aside like his last one. That would prove that he was better than you. It is the problem he has quite often."
Star's Fire nodded. "I'll warn him. Do you approve? I know he can be friends with me."
"He seems nice. Sweet. If I wanted a man, you'd have a fight on your hands," he teased with a smile. Star's Fire blushed. "You have the rest of the month to figure that out. If so, it's good. If not, maybe I'll try my hand." He patted his arm. "Go rest. It's been a long, trying day."
"He was bad on the trip here?"
"He was ...strange minded on the trip here. I think the spirits are getting to him again," he admitted. He glanced at the tent then at him. "I'll deal with him tonight." Star's Fire nodded, heading back to their tent. He went inside to talk to his brother. "I will not allow you to hurt our brother the way you seem to want to. If he is Star's Fire's choice then so be it."
"He doesn't deal with men."
"So? That's his choice, not yours. You being pushy is hurting them both. Eta had no idea they were going to steal him for his pleasure." His youngest brother sulked. "Stop it. You've been wrong-minded the whole trip. These seem to be very nice people. We need good relations with other tribes and if they think we're all like you we could be attacked. So stop it."
"Yes, brother." He sulked, moving to his sleeping pads. "What if he doesn't want him?"
"Then maybe one of the ones in the village that like men more will like him. It would not harm either clan to introduce him to them." That got a pout. "If it comes down to the good of the clan resting on this mating, I'll take him. He seems sweet." His brother glared. "Your past matings have been questionable and I wouldn't have brought you this time if it wasn't our brother. Stop it now." He laid down on his own sleeping pad, getting settled for the night. "Rest. It's going to be a long few weeks helping Star's Fire realize if he wants a man or not."
"Fine." He settled himself in and thought quietly. This mating could not be good for the tribe. None of their people lived this way. Played with other men yes, but never mate with one in a permanent way. This was not good for his brother or their clan. No matter what his big brother said.