***Chapter 3
***
Eta woke up in the middle of the night, looking around the dark tent. Something had woken him. He sat up, looking around again. Star's Fire was asleep. You could hear him breathing. He felt something touch his foot and flinched away instinctively, wincing when the snake nearly got his foot. "Dirt."
"What's wrong?" Star's Fire asked, blowing on the embers of the fire to give them a bit of light. "Oh, a snake." He got up to pick it up to look at it. "Poisonous? I've never seen it's kind before."
"Very poisonous." He took it to smash the skull in so it wasn't going to bite them then stood up. "Let me give it to the shaman. That way he can make the serum to help with bite wounds."
"Were you bitten?"
"I moved before it could." He let him see his feet. "I'll be fine." He got up and walked out, waving the snake at the hunter patrolling the camp. No one would care he was only in the cloth covering his man parts. "Snake trying to get warm." That got a grimace from the hunter. "It happens to the best of us." He poked his head into the shaman's tent. He never seemed to sleep. "Shaman." He blinked up at him so he held up the snake. "It was trying to warm itself on my feet."
"I'll set out baited traps for them, Eta. Thank you. Were you bitten?"
"No, sir."
"Good boy. Go back to bed." He nodded, doing that. The old man looked at the snake. "He never forgot that one of you bit him when he was young," he told the body. "It's a shame but we can use your venom and parts around here." He got up to carve into it to get what he needed. Then to mix the traps to kill any others that might be trying to find some warmth. Especially around the new people's tent. He didn't want them to think they'd harm them.
Eta walked back into his tent, tying the flap shut. "He'll make traps for them."
"That's good." He looked the younger man over. "Aren't you cold?" He had no idea how his potential mate was running around without anything on his feet, legs, or chest because he was feeling cold next to the fire.
"It was only to the other side of the camp." He laid down and put another few pieces of bark on the fire. "There, now we won't be cold while we sleep."
Star's Fire got up to check the areas around the bottom of the tent. He tamped back down the spot he found that was open. Another few got tamped down too. That made Eta get up to help him hunt for them. Eta brutally killed all the snakes and tossed their bodies outside the tent then laid back down. Star's Fire looked at him. "Come to this side of the fire, Eta. You'll be warmer and away from where they want to slither." Eta looked at him. "I won't touch you."
"I'm more worried I'll roll over in my sleep and touch you."
"I know you won't force yourself on me," he said with a gentle smile. "Come on." He helped him up and moved his bedding over, letting him lay back down. "There, warmer since the breeze is blowing the heat this way." That got a single nod while Eta snuggled in better. "Do you always braid your hair?"
"It gets in the way so most of us do. There's no significance, just ease of taking care of it."
"Hmm. You do have very nice, long hair." He patted it. "Sleep." Eta was grinning a silly grin but he couldn't see it. He settled in on his own pillows, falling asleep there. Eta snuggled back down into his and got comfortable for the rest of the night.
***
Star's Fire woke up and blinked down at the warm nose trying to nuzzle him. "How did you get in here?" he asked the foal. He tapped Eta gently on the arm, waking him. "Hello, horse." He let it sniff him then petted its nose. "You're very curious. It's a smart horse trait."
Eta looked at the foal. "He was probably cold and hungry. One of the younger hunters found him while he was out on patrol so he brought him back to be gentled."
"Have your people had horses long?"
"A few years in this generation." He patted the horse on the head. "You should be in your warm spot." It nuzzled him so he got up to get it a few of the berries, making it a happy foal. "There you go." He walked outside, shivering at the cold air. "Is someone missing their horse?" he called loudly.
"I didn't think you were really a woman," a male voice complained. "Even if you are as loud as one." His wife evidently swatted him because he made complaining noises.
The leader came out of his tent. "Why are you wondering, Eta?"
"He came to nuzzle us for warmth and berries."
"The amount of trouble you find," he teased, going to get the foal. "I know where you belong." He took him to that tent, letting him inside. The foal trotted up to it's saving master, going to nuzzle him for food. "He's a smart horse. We'll have to watch him for future smartness," he told the guard. He got a nod back. "Eta, you're cold. Go back inside." He dove back into his tent. "The sense of a child sometimes," he muttered, going back to his own. Even with clothes on it was cold out there. He'd have to have the cleaning tent put up sooner.
Eta dove into his bed, getting warm again. Star's Fire put one of the fire's rocks near his stomach, letting that warm him. "I never thought of that."
"Our mother did that to us when we were chilled after an unplanned dip in the river or being in the rain." He smiled, getting up to fix breakfast. "That was a smart horse."
"Very smart. The leader took him back to his family's tent. He's in there nibbling on their breakfast probably." Star's Fire laughed when someone screamed at the horse for eating their food a few minutes later. He took his breakfast bowl. "Thank you."
"Welcome." He sat down to eat his own breakfast, then looked around. "I think it's meant to keep us talking since there's nothing else to do in here."
"Probably. Or for the men to prove they can carve pretty things for their wives and how good she can cook, sew, and those things when the talking dries up." He ate another bite then put it aside. "I'll finish that later." He yawned and went back to sleep.
Star's Fire watched him, finishing his own breakfast. He was still huddled under his blankets. His older brother walked in. "Shh. We got woken by a young horse looking for treats," he said quietly. "He went outside in just his cloth."
"He's braver than I am. I had to put on extra clothes this morning." He sat down near him. "How was your night? I noticed his bedding moved."
"We had snakes."
"That's a good precaution." He looked around then at him. "Go back to sleep, Star's Fire. It's early." He nodded, sliding back into his bedding to do that. He watched over them. Eta seemed chilled so he switched the warm rocks for another one after building the fire higher. Eta shivered but he relaxed further and let Star's Fire move closer to him for body heat. That was a very good sign for their mating. He went to watch the camp wake up, nodding at a few who gave him odd looks. "They went back to sleep since a foal woke them. They're trying to stay warm next to the fire."
"We heard," one woman told him, earning a smile. "Does your tribe have many daughters?"
"No. We've recently split from the main tribe when the one taking over wasn't to our liking. We're mostly younger hunters who've only set up this year. There's only three wives in the whole clan."
"Pity." She patted him on the head. "You seem like nice people." She glanced inside and sighed. "Let me find the herbs to make him drink away his sniffles."
"Star's Fire said he ran outside this morning in only his cloth."
"Eta doesn't always have sense. That's why he needs a husband who pays attention to the common things so Eta can hunt good mates." The older brother smiled so she went to the shaman's tent to find the herbs she'd need. "Eta," she said at his curious look.
"Naked this time? He was only in his cloth when he brought me a snake he killed last night."
"Cloth this morning because a foal woke them." He handed over the bundle of herbs she'd need. "That tangy one to flavor it?"
"No. He knows better. Hopefully his mate has more sense than Eta does."
"He seems to. If not, his mate's family does." She went back, handing it to the big brother. "Make him drink it. It'll be bad tasting but he deserves it this time."
"Should he start to sniffle like a child, I will," he promised. She smiled and walked off. He put the bag inside the tent and went back to his watching. It wasn't much different. They were nice people. Most had sense. The three young men who came out to yell and prance around nearly naked didn't have any but they were young and stupid apparently. Every tribe had a few of those. Usually they grew up and had children just like them to remind them how stupid they were at that age and vex everyone else.
Eta came out, pulling on a shirt over his pants. "What are you three being loud about?" he complained. "I know we passed you into manhood and you all need wives but that is not how you propose to mate with another hunter." He stomped that way to see why they had their manhoods hanging out of their pants this time. Those three clearly had done other stupid things before.
"Someone painted on us!" one said, letting him see. "The Gods are being mean to us, Eta. It must mean something."
Eta looked then at them. "It means Maris and the girls her age are picking on you." They growled, glaring around. He swatted them all. "Go clean it off."
"I tried. It's the same dye they use on clothes and blankets," one complained.
"Then it'll have to wear off," Star's Fire said as he joined them. He looked down and laughed. "Hopefully whatever wives you find will accept it was a prank by another young one."
"It should be worn off before we go hunting them mates," Eta said, giving him a smile. The leader stomped out. "Some of the younger girls decided these three were mean to them for pushing them in the river and things."
He looked at them. "Are you needed to be uncovered that way?" They pointed at the new designs on their penises. "I can see that. Cover it. You'll make a bad impression on the visiting hunters." They pouted but pulled up their pants again. "I'll talk with the girls later. You did torment them for a long time this year. It is ample payback and I'm sure your future wives will see it as a punishment that stopped your tormenting ways." He looked at Star's Fire then at Eta. "At least when he comes out he brings you, even if you're not supposed to leave the tent."
"It's boring. We have nothing to do or talk about," Star's Fire said. "Eta's used to helping handle things apparently."
"We count on him for many things, even if he does walk outside without any clothes on in the snow now and then." He glared at the boys, making them flee. "Let me talk to the girls."
"Maris is one," Eta said quietly. "I'm almost sure of it. Beva's brother was tormenting her all summer long." Leader laughed. "Exactly. It shows good stealth for hunting though." He grinned at his mate. "It's something I did to a few who picked on me. Though I used the dye that never wears out from the tree bark."
"Which is why we don't let you boil any down now," he reminded him. Star's Fire gaped at him in horror. "A few of the same age young hunters used to pick on Eta for being so good and how he is," he explained with a small smile. "It only took Eta getting even with them twice to make them stop for all time and warn their sons to not do so either." Eta grinned at him. "The one time they tried to attach horns to his horse so it looked more like a deer they were very sorry because he pounced and beat them. The other he painted them while asleep with very sturdy dye from some local tree bark. We thought he was working on a new outfit or blanket to sew. We had no idea that the boys would come out wearing deer faces and some had fur markings from the dye. I know not what he knocked them out with to do it but the elders all agreed Eta is not allowed to play with that dye any more." He walked off. "Go eat breakfast, you two."
Star's Fire looked at his mate. "How old were you?"
"Sixteen summers." He grinned. "They never did it again. The ones I painted showed marks for the next three years." Star's Fire burst out laughing, patting him on the arm. "They still don't pick on me and neither do their kids. Mostly. One of the painted ones this morning is one of their sons. I should give Maris my dye recipes." He walked off to check on his daughter, Star's Fire following him. He looked at his daughter. "Did you do that?"
She shook her head. "I told them how to but I did not go paint boy parts, Father." The leader gave her a dirty look. "They deserved it and Mother watches me too well for me to go on those sort of raids. The next time he pushes me in the river I'm going to make him pitiful and so sorry he'll beg to be mated so she'll protect him. The same as I did my brother last year when I gave him bugs on purpose."
Her mother swatted him. "Behave, Maris. Eta, go eat with your husband." He sighed but went to do that. "Don't you try to help them either."
"They got the idea hearing their mothers talk about what Father did to his tormenters, Mother."
"I have no doubt of that." She went back inside her tent. "Come eat, Maris."
"Do not give such ideas again," the leader said.
"Next time I'll go do it myself," she agreed, heading inside.
He looked up. "We'll have problems with her some year soon," he muttered, going to find the other girls responsible. The elders were going to giggle. A few of them remembered Eta doing the same thing. Though, he had dipped fur pieces to use to decorate them instead of brushes like the girls had. The horns on the one of them were very cute as well. He had no idea how she had thought to put horns on his penis.
Star's Fire collapsed on his bed, giggling. "I should have someone do that to my younger brother," he gasped.
His older brother stared at him. "It might serve him right but any girl he talked to would laugh at him and not let him have her. He'd be single and staying with us forever." His brother crawled over to hug him, still laughing. "How badly did you get the ones you did, Eta?"
"I used a very sturdy dye, the one we use on the tents. It lasted for three years." He grinned. "I used a few brushes and dipped a small square of fur into it to make pretty deer patterns on them." The older brother laughed too. "Their wives got it explained to them and they all assured them they had calmed down and quit being so stupid." He settled in to add to their earlier breakfast, handing some over. "Food?"
"Thank you." He nibbled, pushing his brother off. "Eat so you don't fade into a spirit." He got his own food, nibbling as well. "You do cook very well, Eta." The boy grinned. He went back to eating. "If he does take you as a mate, are you going to come to our camp or stay here?"
"Here is my natal tribe."
"Most of the time, wives go to their husband's camps," he pointed out.
"We're more set up here. We have farming plans and have farmed for years. Plus I'm a senior hunter and they expect me to help them hunt and find good mates. Or else the one finding one for my daughter will not think well enough and get her someone who would be upset that she could out-hunt them."
"Good point." He dug in, eating again. "That probably wouldn't bother us too much." He looked at his brother. Who only grinned. "At least you show you like him by following when he goes to do something." Star's Fire blushed. Eta sneezed so he got the herbs, handing them over. "One of the women said to drink those. They'll taste bad but you deserved it for going out in only a cloth this morning."
"I'm fine."
"Drink it," Star's Fire ordered. "I can't stand to see others being sick for silly reasons." He finished up and went to get some water to boil the herbs in. He crushed a few berries to flavor it then handed it over. Eta moaned but drank it. "Thank you." He settled in again. "Are the girls going to be in trouble for that? Our girls would get yelled at for drawing on that part of a man's body."
Eta shook his head. "No. Their mothers will yell because they did it. The elders will sigh in displeasure and chastise them. They'll get extra chores around here. Maris will get yelled at for giving them ideas." He smiled. "They were getting back the ones who tormented them all summer. It's considered a good sign that the girls are strong thinkers. More than brood mares to bear young for the tribe."
"Good thinking," Star's Fire decided. "Our mother still would've beaten a sister to death for that." His brother nodded. "Where is Tapa, Sata?"
"Who knows. He was up before me."
"Maris, go find my brother?" Star's Fire called. "He got up early and is missing breakfast."
"Yes, Second Father."
Star's Fire grinned. "She's a good girl."
"It's getting her out of yelling range," Sata said dryly. "She'll have a long time hunting him if she's wise."
Eta shook his head. "Her mother told her how I did it." He grinned. "Besides, she only told them how to sneak in and get them." The brothers gave him a look. "She does prove my seed is very strong."
"It is," Sata agreed. Maris shoved him into the tent a few minutes later then ran off again. "You're missing food?"
"I was checking our horses." He sat down. "If they do mate, we'll have to go back to the camp to get Star's Fire his things."
"They can come visit so Star's Fire can show off his mate and pack at the same time," Sata said.
"If you're sure our elders won't mind."
"They said they wouldn't." Eta handed him food so he handed it over to him. "Eat." He looked at them. "I'm still shocked they yelled about that in the open with how cold it is today."
Eta shrugged. "It gets colder and the snow piles high on the plains all winter long."
"Good point." He nibbled on a berry, nodding. "These are good."
"When I get more, I'll show you how I make them." He smiled at Star's Fire. "Do you have your own horse?"
"At the camp. If one of the others hasn't claimed her." Eta pouted, slumping some. "Another hunter wanted her very badly when I claimed her. He'd do it if I was only gone on a long hunt without her. He tried it before. Our elders nearly spanked him then."
Tapa looked up, nodding. "They did. It was fun to watch Star's Fire pout at him until he begged to be spanked for it."
"Star's Fire can pout his way out of nearly anything," Sata agreed. "He did pout himself out of a fight with a neighboring clan when he trespassed once." Eta gaped at his mate, getting a nod and a grin back. "He had went too far to hunt for the table. Some of theirs were hunting for a bridal dinner. They ran into each other and Star's Fire pouted his way out of them making a complaint and beating him to death for it. He also pouted his way out of his last possible mate so she went to one who wouldn't pout at her when she burned dinner."
"I did not."
"You did so."
His little brother nodded. "You did, Star's Fire." He finished up. "Thank you, Eta. Well cooked."
"You're welcome." He took the bowls to clean up and put away. They settled in around the fire. The next sneeze he let out, Star's Fire was making him more tea, much to his brothers' amusement. They were very amused by him fussing over his potential mate even though he had no idea what to do with a boy.