The Uprights, page 26
Dahrun will have to die, of course, but not now. Later. When he has full control. When the family accept him as its new leader. That’s for the future. Now he has to persuade – not kill. Besides, the family has starved for a long time. It’s getting smaller. If more are lost, it may have to give up its refuge. He knows how the other leaders feel about their cave. Leadership of a failing family forced to yield its home is not what he wants. Not what he is going to have. His stone can wait. He has many words and hasn’t used them all up yet.
“Listen to me. You may not like what I’ve done. But you must agree with this. In the valley, prides of lions guard the beasts. Whenever hunters go there, many are killed. Or if they survive, they have to run away. How can they fill skins with meat when they have to do that? Dahrun will take packs to the valley. I will take them to the forest.”
His voice is loud and steady, and what he says is convincing.
“Will it be starvation and death with Dahrun? Or life and food with me?”
Now some of the hunters rise. It seems as if they are intent on joining him on the ledge. He smiles at what he sees. This is a better way. What he hoped for all along.
“Tahk was wrong about hunting in the valley. Wrong to say the sun could speak to him. Wrong to believe our future is in the far hills.”
More now stir, sidle around the outside of the cave, brush against the damp cold walls, weave their way through the ranks of Luhla’s supporters.
“What about the blackness in the sky? The sun being covered. These aren’t signs Tahk was right. They are signs he was wrong.”
It all seems unreal to those who are being forced to take sides. One breath they are asleep. The next they are being called to defend the one they would never have chosen. And in so doing, maybe die. And all because Bahnor is so ambitious. So impatient.
Not all have yet committed themselves, but those that have, line up facing each other. Two groups, being pushed together from behind, but held back – so far at least – by those at the front. It must lead to a clash.
Bahnor is pleased. Soon there will be more outside on the ledge than inside.
“There are beasts in the forest to the south. Fish in the lake. With more food, we will grow strong again. That way we keep our cave.”
Luhla is increasingly unhappy: she knows the longer Bahnor is allowed to speak, the greater will be the number that goes to his side. And then everything Tahk believed in will be lost. She turns to see how many of the family have joined her. They still have the advantage – just – but if she does nothing but bravely face the killers of her mate, she and Tahk’s line will eventually lose. She has to do more, but what does she know of out-talking – and out-witting – hunters? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Even so she has to try.
“Bahnor. Ohp. You have spoken and now you must listen to me. How can you ask for support when you have just killed our leader? And the fight wasn’t even in the open, so all could see it was fair. It wasn’t a fight. It wasn’t fair. You crept up to him and attacked him in his bed. In the night. In the dark. You are cowards. Nothing more. Cowards.”
She says things she has never said before. Yet she knows she said it well because as soon as she stops, as if an echo of her own weak voice, the name she reveres reverberates around the cave.
“Tahk, Tahk, Tahk.”
Her dead mate’s name comes from behind, from the sides, and what is most surprising, from the front.
“Tahk, Tahk, Tahk.”
The sound of his name gives her confidence to carry on.
“Tahk upheld the family law. You broke our law.”
It’s now Bahnor’s turn to feel uncomfortable. Perhaps it’s because of what Luhla is saying. Perhaps because he sees one or two of his followers change sides. He hadn’t expected Luhla – or any female – to stand up to him. Only Dahrun, he thought, might protest – weakly and uselessly – about the killing of Tahk, in the same way as he weakly and uselessly protested when he lost his one female – Sohl – to his own, much larger harem. Dahrun, yes. But never a female.
Luhla knows she is on the point of taking the initiative.
“You – both of you – deserve to be taken to the punishment stone. But I don’t want any more deaths. I’ll ask the elders to send you away. You must leave here and join the runaways.”
Now there is another chorus of voices.
“Tahk. Tahk. Tahk.”
Bahnor shuffles from foot to foot. Wipes his upper lip. Repeatedly feels his shoulder for a non-existent bag of stones. He now realises he only has one and that is already in his hand. But he doesn’t withdraw. He still wants to be leader.
Luhla’s words have been directed at those who are lined up in front of her, but they also have an impact on another group – the elders – who have, until that breath, remained at the back of the cave. And they are reminded that although they are too old to fight, they do have a role. But it isn’t to do what Luhla requires of them. No, they won’t do that. But they can stand between those in conflict. Tell both sides to put down their weapons. Demand that no more should be killed. Then they will decide what to do. Choose between Dahrun and Bahnor. Dahrun and Bahnor. There’s no-one else. One is timid and the other, headstrong. One shows no initiative and the other will do just as he pleases.
Above, the sky lightens some more, although today, instead of seeing delicate, life-giving streaks of pink and blue, those that look at what they cannot comprehend, recoil at the sight of great gashes of red and black. As if countless fish have been speared, and their blood and innards thrown into the air. Perhaps the lake has become the sky. Or is it the other way around? Only Tahk would know and he is no longer here to tell them. Luhla suppresses a sob, ignores a small group of elders coming towards her and places herself in the space that has, so far, kept the two ranks apart. If she cannot talk Bahnor into giving way, she will have to go right up to him. Push him off the ledge. Down the path. Into the forest. This is a job for her and not the old ones. Only she has the courage.
Bahnor groans in disbelief. Doesn’t she know he is young and fit, and she is old and bent? That he has a stone in his hand and she is unarmed. Well, she will shortly. When he forces her to her knees. Demands that she and the rest of her mate-sisters offer themselves to him and his harem. Of course, he won’t take her, but the younger females are different. Those he wants. Was even one of the reasons he embarked on this action.
Luhla leaves Dahrun behind. Closes in on Bahnor.
Why doesn’t she know she cannot win? That her sex won’t save her. That his will is greater than hers.
Now he can feel her breath on his face. It’s a soft female breath. But her eyes glow fiercely in the low light, and reveal a determination and hatred Bahnor has never before seen in a female. In any upright. Her looks show she is not to be turned away.
She cannot be stopped by the death of her protector. She cannot be stopped by his threats and arguments. She can only be stopped by his stone.
He has no choice. He now realises he has to kill her – not Bahnor – and having decided on his course of action, his trained hunter’s body readies itself for the task ahead. Something it has done so often before. Not killing a female, of course, but how many heads of beasts and runaways have his stones split in two. Too many to count. So he backs away to give himself more room, raises his throwing arm, bends the elbow, cocks the wrist, grips the stone. At the same time, he pushes one leg in the direction of the target, while – to give power to the throw – his weight sinks back on the other. Then he twists his belly and chest, taking care never to lose sight of his intended victim. He only has one stone, but everything he feels, everything he believes in, everything he has ever done, will make sure it counts. He has no doubt about that. In any case, Luhla is so near he can almost reach out and touch her.
In the past, Luhla recalls being hit. Even knocked to the ground by a bad-tempered fist. But a stone. Never. She has never known a male to use a stone on a female, however angry they feel. They don’t need to. So Bahnor might threaten, look as if he is aiming at her, but he will never actually use what is in his hand. Her sex – and her cause – will save her. And she will save the family. She won’t even a blink.
Bahnor is ready to throw his stone. Kill again. Send Luhla’s nature into the blackness to join that of Tahk. But he hesitates. And it’s nothing to do with striking a female. It’s something else. Something he has just understood. And that is she can never be leader and Dahrun, however young and weak he is, might. He has one stone, one throw. He turns from Luhla and faces Dahrun. He has changed his mind again. Dahrun is the one who must die.
At that moment, a flock of birds comes out of the sky, swoops low and lands somewhere in the darkness behind. Many in the family look up and try and follow their graceful path, wondering perhaps why they haven’t remained outside to feed. Or what they might make of the strange behaviour of the uprights below. Not Bahnor though. He doesn’t look up or wonder about anything. Or now, even see Luhla. He has Dahrun in his sights.
The young hunter could fall to the ground in submission or try and hide in the shadows, but he does neither. Not that he is feeling brave. He wants to get out of the way of the stone, but he’s trapped by the accident of his birth and the shame of his father’s death. But most of all, he is trapped by his mother’s unyielding spirit.
NNNOOOWWW!
Bahnor screams the scream of a hunter as the stone leaves his hand and speeds towards its target. It’s fast and straight and cannot miss, except something – someone – gets in the way. Luhla’s body. Arms. Flowing hair. Head. From nowhere, she comes, blocking his shot, protecting her son, allowing herself to be killed. Silently. With no cry of pain. Nor shout of triumph. No noise except the thump of stone hitting flesh. The sound of her body hitting the ground. The gasp of those who see.
Then there is nothing. Silence. Stunned silence. Even the infants become quiet. Only later – much later –does a weak voice call out.
“No more. I say, no more.”
Gouhpat hobbles between the opposing groups and raises his hands.
“This is not the way. Too many have been killed. Stop. Stop now.”
Other elders join him in the slowly widening gap.
“Bahnor, you have done much wrong. You must stop the killing.”
Long ago, Gouhpat had been brave. Now, once more, it’s time to be brave again.
“Do not talk to me like that, Gouhpat. I had to kill Tahk. He wasn’t feeding us. We would all have died. But I didn’t mean to kill Luhla. She got in the way.”
“It’s not up to you to decide who is the new leader. It’s the duty of the elders.”
“You always favoured Tahk. How can I trust you? You and the others. All old males. Bent. Blind. Some hardly walking. How can you decide what’s best for us?”
“I supported Tahk because he understood so much. Had plans for our future. But we all knew he wasn’t bringing back enough meat. If Dhi’s trip had been unsuccessful, we would have called a meeting. We might have changed our leader then.”
“How do I know you’re telling the truth?
“You might have no respect for us, Bahnor. But we know there’s very little food in the cave. Don’t we always get the last of whatever is brought back? We were never sure of the valley. Not like Tahk. Many of us thought the forest to the south was better. Just like Ohp. Once he had a good chance of taking over. Not now, of course. But before.”
“That just leaves me then. Doesn’t it?”
“You might have become leader if you had waited. But now you and your father have killed Tahk, that’s not possible. You have to go. You have to be punished for what you have done.”
“You can’t give me orders, Gouhpat. Nor can any of your half-dead friends. Can’t you see I’m in charge now? I say what happens here.”
“I don’t think that’s right, Bahnor. Look around you. Many of the family are behind you. But even more are in front. And they don’t agree with what you say.”
“They’re all females and young ones. They’re no match for us.”
“Bahnor. The family has lost too many. We’re all hungry and weak. There must be no more fighting.”
“What do you suggest, Gouhpat? I’m not giving up now. I would sooner fight and die.”
“We don’t want any more of that.”
“I might have done wrong. But I will feed the family.”
“I will have to talk to the other elders about that. I agree we’re all very hungry.”
“I’m not backing down, Gouhpat. Not after this.”
“You killed our leader. And now you are defying me. You’re very bad, Bahnor.”
“Tahk should have gone a long time ago. You will learn to thank me for what I’ve done.”
“You have no respect for our law.”
“No I don’t. Not if the law is bad.”
“The law is the only thing that stops us being beasts.”
“But beasts get all the food they need. I will make sure the family gets all the food it needs.”
“You make a good case, Bahnor. What a pity you didn’t wait.”
“Well I didn’t. None of you did anything. So I had to. We might have all died before Tahk gave way.”
“I know many think like you.”
“Now you admit it. What are you and the other elders going to do?”
“Let me think.”
“Hurry. We can’t stand here talking until the sun goes to sleep.”
“All right. I have an idea.”
“Tell me. Tell us all.”
“What I suggest is this. We count two more days and if Dhi doesn’t return, you become our leader. We will all support you then. But if Dhi does come back. You’ll both have to argue your case in front of us. We will decide.”
“Dhi won’t come back. He has been killed by the fire. Tahk said so himself. I will be the leader.”
“I’ve told you, Bahnor. You will be leader if Dhi doesn’t come back. But if he does, you must persuade us you are better.”
“I will accept that. Dhi is dead, but if he isn’t, he will still want to hunt in the valley. Like his father. We will continue starving under him. I will take hunters to the forest. There’ll be meat for all with me. You will have no choice.”
“I’ve said it’s a good argument, Bahnor. But it’s not time to decide. Will you give up now?”
“Yes.”
“Will you come to the eating stone in two days time, with Dhi if he returns, and talk to us?”
*****
Progress in the forest is proving to be more difficult than she hoped. From her earlier vantage point, Wuhn had seen a canopy of leaves stretching all the way to the area of light she took to be the lake and that had made her suppose the route back to her family was easy. Well not easy, at least downhill, in a direction that could be readily seen. Not near, but not so far that it would take a fit young female more than a day to walk. But this isn’t how it is working out.
She has mostly forgotten about her assailant and even the dreadful things he did to her. And Dhi. Tahk. Jehkmin. And all the others. Well, how can she allow herself feelings for them until she finds the lake? It’s the lake she thinks of all the time. She has seen it. It wasn’t a dream. It’s real. The only fixed thing in her life. Her way out of the forest. Her way to those who mean so much to her.
She looks up at the sky again and this time she tries to imagine Tahk is by her side. Comforting her, protecting her, looking at what she is looking at, but understanding what she finds so mystifying. Clouds that are black and not white. A sun that is red and not yellow. Not night, but not properly day either.
She doesn’t think Dhi could tell her about these things, but he’s sure to know the best way to the lake. He knows about forests, about following streams or keeping to the high ground, about pushing through thickets or keeping to the tracks. Tracks. That’s it. Maybe she should find a track and follow it, rather than continue pushing through the dense undergrowth. It would certainly be a lot easier and a lot less painful.
Almost as soon as she has the thought, she stumbles upon a track. And it’s high enough for her – so long as she stoops a little. This is so much better. She stands up, adjusts her posture and starts to walk as quickly as she can. Nothing holds her back. Soon, she skips and bounds and runs. She is making much faster progress now. The track is high. But also wide. Descending, just as she thought it would. Bending. Going over the roots of trees. Getting steeper. Why has she avoided using tracks up to now? She will easily reach the lake before dark. It opens out a little. Gets even wider. Even higher. Why? It doesn’t matter. She’s on her way now. Of course, she will have to spend another night on her own, but it doesn’t matter. Her body leans forward and her arms swing freely. She is going downhill now and at a full run. Nothing hurts her. Nothing stops her. Steeper. Faster. Getting ever closer to the lake. Can she smell water? Her feet skim the ground. Her legs push through the low undergrowth as if it isn’t there. There is so much hope now. Hope that she has got away from the runaway. Hope she will soon be with Dhi. She can run. Jump. Leap. Forwards. Downwards. Can she see something shining in the distance? Sparkling. She must be nearly there now. Just one more bend. Just one more leap.
