***Chapter 4
***
Eta looked around at his mate, then at the tent. It was stifling and quiet in there. He needed to do something to make some noise or simply get up and move but the Elders had been firm he had to stay in for a few days. The berries had been brought back and fixed already. They were drying nicely out of the way. They had some meat but not a lot. They had other food but he could use more. He looked at Star's Fire.
"We can't leave the tent," he reminded him. "Not for another day."
"We could use some more supplies."
Star's Fire looked at him. "Your elders are wondering if I'm bad to you and that's why you escape."
"You always come with me."
He gave him a dirty look. "They asked my brothers if I was bad to you even with that, Eta."
"Fine." He pouted, curling up some. "I'm still wondering what I should be doing."
"Do you have anything you need to carve? Anything that needs mended?"
"I need to have noise and something to do."
"I can understand that. I'm bored as well." He moved closer. "Do you want more children?"
"No." He shook his head quickly. "I'll make a good second mother to them if you do but I don't need any more of them."
Star's Fire smiled. "That's not a bad thing. I don't have any children yet that I know of." He stretched out on his side. "Who would suggest that I use her womb?"
He considered it. "Maris' mother might some year but she said she's tired of children. My aunt's daughter might. She's got a husband with an injury and he can't have children anymore. Not since that turkey bit him viciously while he was asleep." Star's Fire smothered a snicker at that. "It's not funny. He nearly bled to death."
"Did it sneak up on him?" Eta nodded, grinning some. "Why?"
"He was out hunting it. It was mean and he claims the Higher Beings made it bite him so he couldn't have more children."
"Think he was naked and it took what it thought was a turkey neck and head?" Star's Fire teased.
"Definitely. He was glad there were other hunters nearby when he screamed. They had to tie it shut to stop the bleeding so they had time to bring him to the shaman." He smiled. "I wasn't anywhere near there but he claims the Higher Beings sent it so he'd be more like me." Star's Fire did laugh at that. "So she might want a child some day soon." He considered the others. "I can't think of any right now that might want another child but I'm sure there are some." He smiled. "Are you looking forward to being a father?"
"Not really. I think I'd do something wrong so they'd turn out like my brother."
"It's possible but not likely." He smiled. "You're smart, strong, and nice. They should be like you."
"I'd hope but he is my brother so it had to come from somewhere." That got a nod. "Maybe some day he'll take on being a shaman since he seems to hear things that we don't now and then."
"Perhaps. We can have ours talk to him about that."
"He's avoided that talk many times." His brothers walked in with a bird. "You got one?"
"We did," he agreed, handing it to Eta. His little brother handed over some bread. "Your aunt saw us carrying it and handed that over as well." He settled in to watch him look the bird over. "We caught it with a snare."
"It's a good bird," he agreed with a smile. He moved off to the side to start with the feather plucking. It was a good size turkey. It took a while to pluck. Once it was clean he chopped the head off and let it drain out the back tent flap.
"We did blood it some when we made sure it was dead," Tapa said.
Eta smiled. "Blood can spoil in the meat when it's cooked. I always make sure." That got a nod so he went back to working on the parts that they'd need to be removed. The insides got taken out while it was hanging up. It was easier for him. The shaman came so he handed them to him, knowing he liked them to eat. "Sata brought it in with his brother Tapa," he said with a smile.
"It's a good looking turkey," he praised. Eta finished the blooding and gutting, then moved to his herb stores. "Are you going to bake it tonight?" He nodded. "May I steal a piece when it's done?"
"Of course, Shaman."
"Good boy, Eta." He patted him on the head, going back to his tent.
Eta smiled. "He's a bit odd but he's a nice man." He finished with the herbs. "Build the fire higher. I have a clay pot to bake it in back here." They built the fire higher for him, letting him prepare it for baking. Once the lid was closed he put it on the fire's edge, putting some of the hot embers on top of the pot's lid. He had a small spot lined with rocks that he moved so he could lay more embers and burnt wood in it. Then he put the pot on top of them and finished covering it. "There, that should be good about dark." He smiled at them. "Nicely caught."
"You're welcome," Sata agreed. "I wondered how Mother did that."
Eta laughed. "It's not hard. I tend to line the cavity with bread and herbs to pick up the juices. Another good reason to make sure it's as blooded as you can get it." That got a nod. "So we'll see. I need some roots too." He went to look at his stores of food, pouting some. "Maris!" he yelled. She poked her head in, kicking dirt over the blood that wasn't fully covered. "Ask your mother if I can borrow a few roots? Sata and Tapa brought in a nice turkey to be baked."
"Can I have some of the stuff you put inside?"
"Of course." She beamed and went to ask her mother then the leader's wife for some when she didn't have any. She even made her brother help her bring them in. He beamed and hugged his children, letting them go play or whatever while he finished cooking dinner. "There. Better." He turned back to his new family. "That should be done at the same time."
"You're a very good cook," Sata assured him.
"My aunt taught me most of it when Mother's fingers wouldn't bend anymore." He shifted closer to the fire. "We need to line the tent soon. It's looking like it'll snow tonight or tomorrow." He looked at them. "You can put your horses with mine if you want. That way they don't get too cold."
"They're there," Star's Fire assured him with a smile. "Toler told them to the last time they rode out." Eta relaxed again. "Do we line inside or out?"
"Inside. That's why I have the extra blankets I make pretty. So it's nicer in here." They got up to line the tents, hanging the blankets and pinning them to the tent so they didn't hang straight down. It was darker in there but warmer. Eta unrolled a few furs he had been saving to put over the ground to keep it warmer too. They had to shift the set around to make sure nothing got near the fire but it was much nicer in there.
"Did you kill all these yourself?" Sata asked, looking at the furs.
"The one Tapa's sitting on I killed on my manhood solo hunt," he said proudly. "It's been a good lasting fur. It was an old buck with many scars." He pointed. "That's the newest. I only got it last winter. It was starving and tried to break into my hunting tent to eat." That got a smile and a nod from Star's Fire. "We'll need to get another one sometime soon. Before they all hole up for the winter."
"Do they all do that?" Tapa asked.
"Not fully but they don't come out as often. They find somewhere with some grazing that's out of the wind and only come out for drinking and to find further grazing. You can go whole months without finding a deer. Plus we've got to check on the new camping area for the spring. With that one tribe to the south getting greedy, we might need to make sure they know it's ours." The leader walked in. "The new camp is secure? It just came to me that we'd have to make sure sometime soon."
"I have a few of the hunters there to protect it already," he said patiently. "I sent someone to talk to their elders when they tried it, Eta. He agreed that was ours and they were in the wrong direction because otherwise his son would be your second husband." Eta grinned. "He heard about the dye incident too."
Eta laughed. "It's not my fault they were mean."
"No it's not. My wife wanted to know how long before the turkey was ready so she could take some of the stuffing."
"About dark."
"I'll be back for some then. Did you make extra?"
"I laid more around the bird because I know how much Maris and some of the women like it," he assured him with a smile.
"Good boy." He looked around. "Nicely hung, boys." He left, going to tell his wife that. It meant she could add to their dinner and not have to cook as much tonight.
Sata smiled. "The women do appreciate you," he said.
"That's because they know I cook very well. My aunt's one of the best cooks in the tribe." He smiled. "My daughter will be some day. Her mother is very good as well." That got a nod. He checked on the pot, adding more embers around it. "There, that should help it some." He snuggled down. Maris came in pouting. "What's wrong?"
"Mother said I can't hunt alone anymore. I'm too old." She flopped down next to him, snuggling into his side.
He looked at her. "Not really. Do you need your womanhood outfit yet?" She shook her head. "I would say you shouldn't because the nearest tribe is getting odd and greedy. They might steal you as a mate even though you're too young."
"I'd kill any who tried," she snorted.
He stared at his daughter. "You are no match for a hunting team, Maris." She slumped but nodded at that wisdom. "It's also better to hunt with a partner in case you get injured or fall. Beyond that, you don't have a horse."
"I know." She settled in next to him. "We need more hunters."
"I'm told they're guarding the camp we're moving to this spring."
"Really?" He nodded, smiling at her. "I wondered where the oldest brother was."
"Hopefully there. No one told me he had been stolen as a mate." She laughed. "It'll be fine. Be safe and careful. We'll have small animals heading into camp soon to try to get warm. Take those out."
"She said it's not good for girls to hunt."
"We see no problem with a woman who can feed herself and her children," Sata told her firmly. "It means she's not ruined if something happens to her husband." She beamed at that. "You should come with us when we bring Star's Fire home to pack and introduce your father to our elders. There may be some who're near your age who you should meet."
"Your people don't steal mates?"
"No, we let ours get to know each other and make a mutual decision," Star's Fire said, glancing at his older brother. She smiled at that. "There's a few very nice young men in the camp. Your father thinks you'll be ready for a husband in a few years. Some will still be very young then. That way your father doesn't have to steal one for you to straighten out."
She beamed. "I might like that. I'll see if Mother would agree." She looked at her father. "Would that suit you?"
"It would," he agreed, patting over her hair. "How is your outfit going?"
"Slowly. I need a better hide than the one I have. Which Mother says I can't go catch."
He laughed, giving her a hug. "Have your brothers get you one. If they say no, tell them it'll mean you'll be married off sooner. I know at least one of them was looking forward to your bridal dinner."
She smirked. "That's so he can nag my future husband, Father." She got up. "I can do that. Are you going to use the feathers?"
"The pillows need more stuffing."
"Shoot." She left, going to talk to her brothers. "Brothers?" They looked up from their knife sharpening. "I need a better hide for my womanhood outfit." She sat across from them.
"What will you trade us for one?" the older of the two in the camp teased.
"I can cook your future wife dinner so she's not horrified that you never learned from Father," she taunted back with a grin.
He laughed. "My wife had better be able to cook at least a little bit."
"Tell Father and Toler that."
"I have." He looked at her. "I have a tanned white deer hide in my tent. What would you give me for it?"
"Mother won't let me hunt alone anymore."
"That's because that other tribe is getting greedy. They might think you're older and steal you already."
She snorted. "I'll gladly sneak back after he's dead." They smiled, that was an answer their father had trained into her. "What did you want for it?"
"My tent has holes."
"I can do that," she agreed with a small sigh on the end. He took her to show her and she fixed them for him that night, then helped him hang up the furs he had to block out drafts before taking the hide back to her mother's tent. "Brother had one."
Her mother looked at it. "It's a nice size hide."
"Young deer, he said." She settled in to look it over. "I traded fixing his tent for him."
She smiled. "That's not a bad idea." She patted her daughter on the head. "We'll need that soon, daughter."
She looked up. "A few years, Mother." She went back to cutting what she needed for her outfit, settling in to start sewing the seams. Her mother sighed but didn't stop her until it was time to get dinner from her father. The shaman and leader were in there too. She took hers with a kiss to her father's cheek then left again.
The leader smiled. "I'd do the same but Star's Fire should be jealous of it." He walked out happier.
The shaman shook his head. "He's strange tonight. His wife must be with child again." He patted the boy on the head. "Very nicely done, Eta, as usual. Your aunt taught you well." He left too.
Eta portioned out some of the rest, watching his family moan in pleasure. He dug in, smiling at how good he had done. "A bit dry but still nice."
"It's very good," Star's Fire agreed. "Much better than I could ever do." Eta beamed at that, eating again.
Sata looked at his brother, who it was clear to him needed to learn how to get along with his new wife better. Otherwise he might steal his wife from him. He looked at his younger brother, who was stuffing his mouth without manners. He glared so he slowed down. "You did the game proud, Eta." Eta beamed at that. Star's Fire gave him an odd look. "You should reward him for that, Star's Fire." He ate another bite, chewing slowly, watching his brother blush like his new wife was. "I'm sure you've kissed at least one girl once. You should try it with your wife."
Star's Fire leaned over, kissing him. "You need a shave," he said, pulling back. Eta blushed again. "The hair makes it feel different." He pulled him closer to try it again. Eta smiled. "The same otherwise. You taste good with the bread and herbs." He leaned back, going back to eating.
Sata mentally swore at his brother's stupidity. That must be why his last potential mate had went with another hunter. Because he didn't know how to compliment his wife and clearly didn't know much about how to please her. He caught Eta's eye, smiling at him. "If he's that bad, I can have him taught," he offered. Star's Fire choked. "Don't waste food," he chided.
"I'm not bad," Star's Fire complained.
"It was a good kiss," Eta assured him with a gentle smile. "He's clearly never played with another hunter so it's fine." Sata kissed him, making him moan when he pulled back. "You're welcome for dinner too."
"You should teach him how to do it better. My former wife liked mine quite a lot. Since his didn't make you make happy noises he could clearly use the tutoring. Practicing makes perfect shots." He went back to eating, ignoring his brother's glare.
"You were married?" Eta asked.
"My wife died in childbirth with our first child," he said, getting a hug for that. "It's been a long time. I was nearly Maris' age. Father and Mother decided I needed my own family shortly after I reached Manhood so I'd leave my brothers alone to learn on their own."
"We have a few who marry early around here but it's mostly because they're bouncy like I am. Their wives will calm them down."
"If she's any good as a wife, probably she will," Sata agreed. Star's Fire glared where Eta couldn't see it. "She would. The same as mine did me."
Star's Fire cleared up his scowl. "I can learn how to please him better if I decide to stay with him," he said calmly. "He's as good of a wife as Maris will be some day."
Sata winced at that compliment. Eta didn't, just giving him a look. "He's sorry, usually he's smarter than that," Tapa told Eta with a grin. "We can teach him better if you want."
"It's fine. I'm not a woman but it's fine."
"I didn't mean it that way," Star's Fire said with a wince. "Sorry."
"You'll think over that comment and come up with something better later to apologize with," his big brother ordered. He nodded at that, ducking his head to eat. Eta gave him an odd look. "He's usually better at talking to people. Your cooking must've stunned the parts of his brain that think of more than hunger, overwhelming it so he could only think of his stomach's needs." Eta giggled, batting at him for that. "Are you saving the rest for tomorrow?" Eta handed him more meat then sealed the pot again and wrapped it in a well-oiled cloth to keep any bugs out. Like he did the smoked meats he kept in there. Sata went back to eating. Tapa was staring at his middle brother, giving him odd looks.
"I think he's right, my stomach overtook my brain. I know you're not a woman and that sort of wife. You deserve much more praise because you hunt and ride so well, you choose good wives for the others, and because you can cook better than most women do. Clearly one of the Higher Ones blessed you to be a special hunter meant as a reward for a hunter. Though I doubt I'm worthy of you yet; some day I will be."
Eta blinked a few times. "You speak like a shaman and an elder."
Star's Fire smiled. "There's hope I'll make elder some day." He took another kiss, earning an approving look from his big brother. "I'm sure you will as well." He sat up and finished his dinner, moving to clean up since his mate had cooked so well for them.
Eta beamed. "He learned that from you with your wife?"
"I was never that smooth tongued, but it's clear he was inspired." He handed his brother his cleaned plate. "We should let you two settle in for the night and take care of the horses for the night." His littlest brother nodded, handing over his plate to be cleaned before following him out.
Star's Fire smiled. "I'm not sure if Sata's jealous or not."
"I'm sure he's not jealous of me."
"He could be. He hardly talks about her. He wasn't very fond of her. Father arranged for him to be married to her when he caught her staring at him as he left to hunt for the family's table. She was giggly and blushed a lot. She didn't want him to think higher thoughts, only wanted more furs for her tent. They weren't well suited but Father insisted."
"Why?" He leaned his chin on his knees to watch him.
"I'm not sure. I was too young to understand. I think he thought Sata was taking over some of his duties in the family. Or possibly to let him start his own family sooner so the tribe had more good hunters for the next generation. I know Sata taught us most of what we know about how to hunt. Father was busy doing other things with the elders of the old tribe. They used to send him to talk to the nearby tribes when problems came up."
"We send our shaman because they respect him."
"Our father was well respected, but he wasn't home all that often to teach us so Sata took over. It made him a bit jealous I think. Mother went to Sata instead of him to get food hunted and things done around the camp."
"I can understand that. My own father thought it was beneath him so he didn't help out. That's how I learned so much about taking care of a camp." He smiled. "He's a nice brother."
"He is." He looked at the dish he was cleaning then at him. "I know Sata is better suited," he started.
"If they had wanted to steal Sata, they could have," he reminded him gently. Star's Fire beamed and went back to cleaning for him. "Is that bowl cracked?"
He held it up to the firelight. "A bit along an edge."
"I'll need to make another one then." He took it to look over. "Any others?" Another got handed over. "It's been years since I made these." He looked around outside but one of the camp's guards pushed him back inside. "I need to have one of my sons get me some wood. My bowls are cracked."
"I'll tell him, Eta. Go back inside." He tied them in and walked off to tell his youngest son. "Your father said he needs some wood gathered to make bowls. His are cracked."
He nodded. "I'll gather him some tomorrow. Am I gathering for anyone else?"
"I'll ask." He patted the boy on the head, walking off to talk to the other women in the camp. They'd know and it was a good project for the winter months. Kept their hands busy and them from being bored. Eta was clearly bored and his husband didn't know what to do with a bouncy mate except follow him around. He ran into Sata. "You need to tell your brother how to calm down a bouncy mate."
"He has no idea what to do with a man," he admitted. "We've been working on it. He only learned how to compliment and kiss him earlier." That got a smile. "Is he in trouble?"
"Eta was going to look for wood to make some new bowls."
"That's not a skill I'm good at."
"Eta either. He had to trim his down repeatedly to make them even." He walked off again, letting him smile.
Eta leaned his head out of his tent. "Tell my son to bring me other things to do too," he called after him.
"I will," his son called from where he was.
"Thank you." He pulled his head back in, letting his brothers-in-law walk in and retye the opening. "Sorry. I'm used to being out of the tent all day."
"It would drive me nuts too," Sata promised, sitting down in his spot.
Tapa shrugged. "There's things to do other than hunting around a camp. Especially without women in ours."
His brothers looked at him. "Perhaps you can learn how to cook from Eta," Sata offered. "That way you would have more chance of finding a mate while being more useful to the camp yourself."
"I'm not a woman," he complained.
"Neither is Eta yet he cooks better than our mother," Star's Fire pointed out with a grin. "It could mean a mate would be attracted to you so you could settle down finally."
He got up and huffed off. Eta watched with a frown. "My daughter has done that a few times."
Sata smirked. "So has Star's Fire but he's mostly grown out of it and pouting." Eta giggled. Star's Fire scowled. "Mostly," he reminded him. "Now and then you do pout like a maiden."
"Go to bed, Sata. Your mind is overstuffed with dinner."
"It was a good meal." He stood up. "I'll let you two talk without us chaperoning." He left to find his younger brother, making him leave the girls alone. "They're not yours to play with and then abandon. They don't believe in that as we do." He shoved him into their tent and tied them inside after smiling at the girls. "Behave."
"I am! It's still not right! We don't live with other hunters!"
"Shut up," Sata ordered. "I have no problem with them and the elders don't either. It's not the first time we've had two hunters living together as a married couple. Our uncle was like that until they got killed on that hunt by the bear." His brother flopped down. "Father said that's why you play with men." His brother glared. "Now, stop being such a sulky girl and behave." He sat down. "Besides, I like Eta as his wife. He's a good hunter and a good man. He's not dumb, he has many good skills that can benefit both tribes, and he's a nice man. Leave them be or I'll send you home tied to your saddle." His brother slumped. "Thank you." He settled himself in for the night. Then he decided to get up and see who had heard his brother. "He's young and stupid," he told Maris quietly when he caught her.
"I know." She patted him on the arm. "Every group has at least one of them. That tribe to the south has many." He smiled. "Is Father still up?"
"He should be. Star's Fire is just cleaning up from dinner."
"I need to talk to him and the Elders. No one's heard from my other brother for weeks." She went to talk to the elder first. "If you say I'm just being a girl I'll make your horse lame."
He looked at her. "What's wrong, Maris?"
"No one has heard or seen anyone from the other camp in weeks. Even on hunts." She sat down next to him. "My oldest brother is there and we would've heard him since he's so noisy at times. If I didn't know better I'd say he was closer to a loud woman than Father is with how he acts."
"That's true. I can send someone out to look after them. See if they gave themselves food sickness perhaps."
"Can I go?"
"No. If it's that tribe, you'd be in danger. You may be able to hunt but you're still a young girl."
"If I was older?"
"They might try to steal you anyway," he admitted, "but you'd be stronger. Right now you can't defeat many of the men. If you could I'd consider letting you go if you were better than they are."
"Sata said his people would appreciate a woman who would make sure her children always ate."
"As do we," he agreed with a smile. "It's a good thing to have." He patted her on the cheek. "I'll send Toler and his group out that way on a hunt. If there's a problem, we'll free your father early and send him to talk to the other tribe with the shaman."
"Thank you, Leader." She kissed his cheek and hugged his wife. "What are we going to do about Tapa?" she asked more quietly. "He thinks Star's Fire should only play with Father now and then, then dump him."
"His people don't see things the same way," he assured her. "We've sent a hunter that way to tell them they're fine and why they're here. They seemed very nice. They had a few hunters just over your age."
"Sata said that. Father said when they go to meet Star's Fire's people that I might go to meet some of them so Father doesn't have to steal me a husband."
"That might be nice," he agreed with a smile. "We'll see." She nodded, getting up and heading out. He looked at his wife. "If she were male, I'd put her in for a shaman in training."
"As would I." She fed him a honey treat she had made earlier. "She clearly is the female version of her father."
"She is. Her settling down to have children some day will be a very loud argument. Hopefully she'll learn to love whoever she ends up with. Though, I am liking Sata. If he was younger, I'd suggest him."
"He's not much older than Eta."
"That's still her father."
"Eta was only eighteen when she was born."
"True." He considered it. "Still much older though." She nodded at that. "I'm not so sure he doesn't like Eta as well. He has been very attentive and even teases him like I do you."
"He has," she agreed with a smile. "If so, we'd have to see how things work out. Star's Fire still has no idea what to do with a husband. Sata told me he was married once but his wife died in childbirth with his first child. So perhaps he'd decide to stay with us since their tribe is so small and new." He nodded he'd accept that. "But Tapa needs a mother's hand on his behind."
"Definitely." He nibbled, smiling at her. "You cook nearly as good as Eta, wife." She swatted him so he pulled her closer to kiss. "Are we having another hunter?"
"With the way I crave honey, it's probably a daughter."
"That's also fine. We're short on daughters." He took another kiss. "His bread and herbs from the turkey does make you taste good." She giggled and swatted him again but he went back to kissing her. She was nicely soft in his lap.
***
Eta looked up as the Leader walked into his tent. "Yes, sir? Problems?"
"That tribe has decided to claim the camp and has our hunters in theirs."
"Does that mean I'm free to go?"
"For now. If Star's Fire or his brothers wish to accompany you, they may. Or they can wait here for you."
"We can go," Sata assured him. "Star's Fire?"
"I would not let my wife go into battle without me by his side," he agreed. Eta looked at him. "I wouldn't." He took a kiss. "When do we leave? Are we taking the shaman?"
"No, you're taking Eta's hunting team to free them. I sent the shaman on another errand late last night."
Sata nodded. "Just a raid to get them back?"
"If you can. Bothering them too much would cause a problem."
Eta snorted. "They took my son."
"If you can not be calm, you may not go," the leader countered, staring him down.
"Fine."
"Thank you." He left. "You go in a few hours."
"Yes, Leader." He got up to change clothes and put on his paint for camouflage. Then he walked out with what he needed for his horse. Star's Fire and Sata followed. "Is Tapa staying?"
"No," Sata said. "He'd never let us go without him. Tapa?" His youngest sibling stepped out of the shadows. "The tribe to the south bothered their next camp. Took their hunters."
"We go when?"
"Now," Eta told him. He swung into his saddle. His horse shook her head. He patted her on the mane. "Calm down. This time we go to rescue, not to steal a mate." He walked her off, meeting up with Toler. "Are they all taken?"
"We checked on the camp, they weren't there. The fires were long cold. We checked and most of us stayed to watch them in case we can get them sooner."
"Are we sure this isn't a way for them to sneak up on this camp?" Tapa asked. "I've done that before. Draw the hunters to one area to get the main camp weaker."
Toler shook his head. "We have many hunters here. Our children down to young ones know how to use weapons thanks to Eta's teachings. They know this." He looked at him. "Though I will put the camp on alert for that." He rode over to one to say something quietly, getting a nod. "It's about a day 's ride." He walked his horse off.
Eta let his horse have her head, walking her off after him. "How big is their camp?"
"Not very. They've had a bad birthing year." That got a nod. "Their new chief is fairly dumb but greedy. He didn't want them to plant as much so they could move more quickly into other territories."
"Stupid," Tapa muttered. Sata nodded at that. "Are we going to take out their leader?"
"Raiding to get our own only," Eta told him. Toler nodded. "That's what our leader wanted because it's not a good time for a conflict with them." Tapa pouted. "If necessary to free our people then it may have to happen, but we are good enough to get in and out with them without having to cause much damage." He looked at Sata. "Where do you ride in your tribe's hunting squads?"
"Second to one of the elders."
"Good. You and Star's Fire are with me. Toler, take Tapa on the distraction." That got a nod and they rode faster.
***
Eta found his people and freed them, nodding back the way he came. They ran out to get their horses and then for the woods. The hunters were showing up to stop them. Eta walked out with his bow and knife, staring at them. "You took my son. You don't have any women of marriageable age to need a hunter such as him." The leader came running at him with a yell. Eta fired on him, getting his ankle on purpose. He fell down holding it and sobbing. "Remember, unlike your tribe, ours only has sons most years." The leader whimpered in pain. Eta walked over, taking the arrow from his foot, making him scream. "I've heard women in labor make that noise, but I've never made it myself. Maybe you should find yourself a husband and whimper like a woman?"
"You do," he sneered, holding the bleeding spot.
"I don't whimper and my husband was with us." He smirked. "He appreciates my beauty on the field." He looked at the guy's sons. Then down. "Hopefully your sons live down having you as a father since even my daughter doesn't scream like that at a small wound like that one." He walked off, grabbing his horse's reins to swing himself up onto his saddle. "Don't try to take what's ours. Our tribe is very fierce in protecting what's ours." He looked around, nodding at a few women. "If you're feeling disgraced at having him as a leader, a few of our hunters could use wives. We'd never hold this over your heads." He turned his horse and walked off.
"Stop him!" their leader shouted.
Eta looked back and laughed. "You've tried that before when I killed that deer instead of you." The crowd grumbled and a few women huffed off to pack and leave. One was clearly pregnant so he pulled her up behind him, guarding the others as they walked. "Come, there's many hunters who could use a good wife in our camp," he said. "Including my son. The one with the mouth? He's my oldest," he said with a smile. "I made sure he can cook very well and can sew too. My other two can almost cook but their mothers were fussy so they only learned how to not poison themselves." They smiled at that. Sata gave him an odd look. Toler just laughed. "We won't say anything to them about their former tribe," he told him. "It's a good thing for ours."
"Still trying to get your oldest son married off?" Toler teased.
"He's bouncy like I am. He could use a wife to calm him down."
"Star's Fire could calm you down," Sata teased.
"True, I could like that." He smiled. "Hopefully soon." Toler laughed at that sentiment. "It'll be fine. The leader won't be upset with me."
"You hope," Toler told him.
"He ran up on me. I only got him in the ankle and reminded him of that deer he couldn't kill." Toler moaned, shaking his head. The rest of the group let the women up behind them so none had to walk and slow them down. They headed back to the new camp for the night then back to the old one the next day.
***
Leader was waiting on them. "Eta, I did not give permission to steal mates as well," he complained.
"I suggested if they were feeling disgraced by their last ones, they were free to join us. I didn't have to steal anyone." He grinned. "One even likes my son." He let the one behind him down gently then swung his way down. "There, safely here."
"Are they going to complain that we did damage?" the leader asked, looking the women over. He got his wife to come help them clean up in his tent. Eta shook his head when he looked at him again. "Are you sure?"
"I cut into the tent holding our people. I broke the bar they had tied their horses to. Until their leader ran up on me to stop me from leaving, we had no contact with them." Leader whimpered. "Then I shot him on the ankle, suggested he screamed like a woman in labor and needed a husband more understanding than mine, and reminded him of that deer before telling the women we would appreciate them and not say anything about their old tribe."
"Ankle?" he asked impatiently.
"It'd keep him from riding," Star's Fire offered, swinging off his horse and letting the pregnant one down too. "There. His wife is helping the others clean up," he said. She smiled, going that way. "They volunteered. Sata and I were watching. Their leader ran up on him and screamed when Eta pulled his arrow out of his ankle. Then he taunted him about a deer he couldn't kill."
Leader looked up then at his people. "Are they going to cause problems?"
"No," Sata said, getting off his own horse. He didn't have a woman for now. "He did tell his sons that he was sorry they had him as a father, that hopefully they could live it down. I thought that was polite of him since he did scream worse than my wife did in labor and she died of it. For a little hole in his ankle."
"Fine, we'll increase patrols that way." He looked at Eta. "You still have weeks yet. Did you get any hunting in?"
"No. We didn't think it was prudent."
"Go now, report back to your tent with your mate later tonight." Eta beamed and went to do that. Finally something to do!
Sata smiled. "He was very good. A bit bouncy but hopefully Star's Fire will learn how to cure that soon." Leader smiled, walking off shaking his head. A few of the single hunters cleaned up and went to his tent to talk to the new women, hoping for one of their own. Sata went to clean up in the bathing tent then cleaned his horse off before putting him up for the day.
Toler walked over with a book. "This is how we taught Eta and others about liking others." He handed it over. "Maris suggested that your brother needed it."
He looked inside then smiled. "It could come in very handy. Otherwise I might have to give him a demonstration." Toler laughed, shaking his head. "Thank you."
"Welcome. Are you staying with us?"
"Our elders might get upset but we'll see." That got a nod. "Thank you."
"We like you and Star's Fire. You have sense. Tapa seems a bit...vicious."
"Now and then he is. He's the youngest of us three." That got a nod. "Are you going to find a wife from the new ones?"
"My present one would be very upset with me." He walked off smiling.
Sata took the book to put under his brother's pillow then went to settle into his tent for a rest. This tribe hunted very well together. It was clear their hunters were some of the best he had seen. Even among his own people. Tapa came in to flop down on his sleeping pile. "Are you all right?"
"There wasn't even a fight."
"It's always better that way. No one gets hurt and no one has to mourn. No later conflicts from it hopefully. Maybe that people will oust their leader for being such an idiot."
"That might be helpful. Where are our brother and his wife?"
"Hunting until later tonight."
"Oh." He grimaced. "Eta was clearly good at hunting brides. He tracks very well too so he must hunt meat as well as he does women for the others."
"We've heard stories of him doing so. That's why our elders were sure it was mate hunting that got Star's Fire stolen instead of an act of a tribe that wanted to cause problems with us as Father said." He yawned. "Rest. We'll probably be helping Eta smoke the new meat later."
"He seems well able to," he protested.
"If you eat of it, you should help catch it or prepare it," he countered. Tapa grumbled but laid down to rest. His brother's word was law in their family. Sata rolled his eyes, settling in for his own rest.