The Uprights, page 31
“Dhi. Have you been hit?”
There’s still no response, but he recognises the low voice. He has heard Dhi in pain before.
“Dhi. I’ll stop them. Crawl to safety. Save yourself.”
His words, as loud and confident as he can make them, prompt the two nearest figures to turn towards him. Now, he can see how much bigger they are than him. One of them speaks.
“So little brother. You’ve come to protect Dhi.”
He has to stop himself answering: this isn’t the time for talking. But why didn’t he swing his club at the back of the head of the taller one – undoubtedly Bahnor – a breath ago, when he had the chance?
“Go away, Dahrun. I have no quarrel with you. It’s only Dhi who can stop me becoming leader.”
It’s too late to do anything now. If he tries to hit Bahnor, his blow will be blocked. And it will be the other’s club that opens a skull. His. He will die for nothing.
“Go back to bed, little one. Find a female to give you her milk.”
Dahrun feels like crying.
“Do as B-Bahnor says. We don’t want to … kill you too.”
Now he doesn’t know what to do. Fight and die, or retreat and add to his shame. But while he is occupying the attention of Bahnor and Ohp, he can just see movement between their legs. Dhi is crawling away. Climbing to his feet. Straightening his back. Lifting his club. And what is he, Dahrun, doing? Nothing. He is just standing there. Not even talking. But in doing nothing, he is doing something. He is helping Dhi.
*****
“Don’t try and explain, Wuhn. If we’re lucky, he may think you’re one of us.”
The two females stand next to each other, silently, submissively, their slender fingers reaching out for each other.
“Ooma. It is you, isn’t it? Why are you making so much noise? You know you are only allowed to watch if you keep quiet. Go back to the shelter now.”
They look up at a face hardened by years of leadership.
“I’m sorry, Krau.”
“Go.”
“Yes, Krau.”
“Just a breath. Who is that with you? Was she talking as well?”
“No. No. It’s just me. Meena didn’t say anything. She knows what to do.”
“I’m pleased to hear it. It’s time to cut the big one down. Put his body in the pit. I have to say the words. The family must be silent now.”
“We’re leaving.”
Ooma grips Wuhn’s hand tightly and leads her away from the fire. Out of Krau’s sight. Certainly out of his hearing. But she doesn’t take her all the way back to the shelter. In spite of the warning, she wants Wuhn to see the rest of the ceremony.
“Ooma. Who’s Meena?”
“My cousin. She’s very shy and hardly ever speaks. Certainly never to the leader.”
“That’s clever of you.”
“I thought Krau might not notice the difference in the dark.”
“Thank you. But why are you looking after me, Ooma?”
“You might be telling me the truth.”
“I am.”
“Good.”
“The trouble is Krau might not believe you.”
“Is that bad?”
“I’m not sure.”
“What might he do?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’re frightening me.”
“There’s no need to be. Krau is very wise. And very fair.”
“I’m still frightened.”
“Look over there, Wuhn. If you stand on that fallen tree you can see.”
“At the big one in the clearing?”
“Yes. He was captured many days ago. Bound. Fed. Given water.”
“Then they cut his throat?”
“Yes. Krau does that first. You must have heard his screams.”
“I wondered what it was. I was in the forest.”
“As soon as it comes, Krau collects his blood. Every drop.”
“But now? What are the males doing with him now?”
“Did you see the pit? In front of the fire.”
“I think I did.”
“They will put his body in the pit. Cover him with stones. Then push the fire on top.”
“Oh. How terrible. Why do they burn him?”
“No, he isn’t to be burnt. The stones and the earth stop that.”
“Why are they doing it, then?”
“Krau will leave his body in the pit. Under the stones and fire. Soon we all go to bed.”
“What happens in the night?”
“Nothing. But tomorrow. We come back. Dig up the big one. He will be cooked. We all eat his flesh.”
“I don’t understand. What does cooked mean? How can you eat flesh that’s hot? Black. Burnt.”
“I don’t know what cooked means. It’s what Krau says. All I know is his flesh will be soft and easy to eat.”
“How can that be? Burning destroys everything. His whole body will have gone. There will be nothing left. Nothing except ashes and bones. I’ve seen such a thing.”
“It won’t be like that. Come with me tomorrow. You will see. You can taste him.”
“Ugh. I couldn’t do that. It will make me sick.”
“We’ll see. We have to go now. The hunters will be leaving the fire soon. I mustn’t annoy Krau again.”
“Where shall I go?”
“With me, of course. To the shelter of the females and infants.”
“Will I be safe?”
“Yes. The females won’t question you tonight.”
“Good.”
“But I must hide you in my bed. Otherwise one of the males will take you. You don’t want that, do you?”
*****
Dahrun’s arms and legs seem powerless, but his senses are alert as those of any beast that knows it lives or dies by its next movement. Has his enemy also heard something on the ledge? Does he suspect Dhi is becoming a threat? Perhaps so, because Bahnor half turns, lowers his club and, once again, offers himself as a target. Another opportunity to strike the hunter who has killed his father. Wants to kill his brother. But why won’t he go right round? Offer the back of his head. Allow him the chance of settling the matter for good. Just a little more. Help me. You must help me. I’m not strong. Not brave. Don’t know how to fight. Should I do it now? Later. Is this the best chance? Have to decide so quickly. Too quickly to think. Too quickly to act.
Dahrun still feels ashamed. He held back before and Bahnor nearly killed Luhla. He mustn’t do it again. But he wants to. He wants to run into the cave and hide. Or take up station behind Dhi’s protective frame. Anything to avoid making a decision himself. Now it’s too late. He has waited too long. Ohp is lifting his club. And Bahnor is twisting round to face him again. His chance – if it was a chance – has passed.
“Dahrun. Hit Bahnor.”
Dhi shouts out an order. It doesn’t matter his words have none of their usual strength. Convey very little hope. They are all Dahrun needs. He does what he should have done many breaths before. But something that is better done now than not at all. He swings his club with all his strength. At Bahnor’s body. Not his head. It’s too high. Too far away. Too well protected. His aim is the other’s body. It’s a blow that won’t kill. But it’s a blow that might knock him to the ground.
As Dahrun expects, Bahnor lifts his arms and club to shield his head, the one place a hunter must protect to have any chance of fighting on. But then Dahrun is more young one than hunter. Doesn’t know that a hunter, older and more experienced than him, would always go for the killing place. Straight away. Make the decision in an instant. No thinking. No doubts. Just do it. Even so his club strikes Bahnor’s chest with such force that both assailant and victim hear bones being broken. Bahnor cries out in agony. Drops to his knees. Exposes that which should remain guarded.
“Hit him again. Hit him again.”
Dahrun barely hears his brother’s cries of encouragement.
“Finish Bahnor off while you have the chance. Go on, Dahrun. Do it.”
Again Dahrun hesitates, but this time the delay is not due to ignorance or timidity. He has done something he has never done before. Now he feels more confident. Even has the first stirrings of what it’s like being a proper hunter. But should he do as Dhi orders? Or should he turn to Ohp? He may be older, have ears that don’t work, but he is standing. He is also uninjured and holding his club aloft. Ohp – and not Bahnor – is the one who is dangerous.
“Kill Bahnor. Kill Bahnor.”
Dhi is insistent. Dhi has experience. Dhi must know best. Yet he is sure the instruction is wrong.
“Bahnor. Go for Bahnor.”
Once again, Dahrun does as he is told. Does as he is told even though he is still not sure. He turns away from Ohp. Tightens his grip on his club. Swings it over his shoulder again. Advances towards the figure cursing and writhing by his feet. Tenses his back. Begins to unleash his power, when something happens. Nothing happens.
*****
“What did you mean about a male taking me in the night?”
“To mate with you.”
“My mate is Dhi. He is leading a pack to the far hills. Maybe he’s back in our settlement now.”
“Well, he isn’t here, is he?”
“No.”
“Once you see your blood, you can lie with a male.”
“Dhi.”
“No. One of ours. Many of ours.”
“I don’t want to do that.”
“I thought not. Not when you are so tired.”
“I am tired. I am still hungry. Is there any food in the shelter?”
“No meat. That’s why Krau has the ceremony.”
“Do you have any fish? Roots. Fruit.”
“Yes. I’ll find something for you before you sleep.”
“That will be good. Do you lie with males yet?”
“No. That’s why you will be safe with me. No male will come to my bed tonight.”
“Thank you. I must get strong again. Lose my pain. Wash myself.”
“I know. But tomorrow you will want to spend time with a male.”
“No. No. Only Dhi.”
“You can’t sleep in my bed for long. The other females will complain. You can only be ill for a short time. One or two days. Then they will put you out of the shelter. Tell the males about you.”
“Why would they do that?”
“It’s the way we live. Females have to lie with any male who wants them. They have no choice.”
“Don’t their mates protect them?”
“All the males are their mates. Any male can lie with any female.”
“What about your leader? Krau? Doesn’t he have a harem?”
“No. Not what you said it was.”
“Doesn’t he have any privileges then?”
“Not privileges. Just duties. For the benefit of the clan.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s the leader’s duty to mate with the young females as soon as they show their blood. The first time afterwards. Every time until their belly gets big. You understand.”
“Don’t the females mind?”
“Oh no. They would like Krau the whole time.”
“Why?”
“You are funny, Wuhn. Hasn’t your father, or you mate, what’s his name, Dhee, explained about infants?”
“Of course.”
“Well then, all females want strong infants. Especially now when so many seem weak. They must have strong mates for that.”
“Our family says the same. So why don’t they just mate with Krau?”
“They are many. And he is only one.”
“I still don’t understand.”
“Females can’t have Krau the whole time. Only until they have their first infant. He mates with them until then. Afterwards, he shares them with the other males. This way, Krau fathers the first infant of every female. And the other males can have as many females as they want.”
“I see. You do live differently here.”
“Tell me more about your family, Wuhn.”
“Once a female has chosen her male, she stays with him. Looks after him. She doesn’t have any other mates.”
“But a male – a hunter – can have many females?”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“I don’t know. Dhi – my mate – has four. Tahk, my mate-father, has more. I never counted. It’s not important to me.”
“What do you and the other females do?”
“We look after Dhi. Each other. The infants.”
“We do the same. All the females live together. In the shelter. With their infants. The males mate with us. Teach the young males how to hunt and do other things. Bring us food. Catch big ones.”
“It’s the same as us, but it’s different.”
“Wuhn, you said, once you are in a male’s harem, you don’t lie with any other males?”
“That’s right. Most females don’t want to.”
“How strange.”
“Some females are tempted to lie with other males. But then the males fight. Sometimes they kill each other. Not many females want that to happen.”
“Our males never fight over the females. Sometimes they squabble over the young ones. That’s to be expected. In any case, they all give way to Krau. If they can’t release their tensions with the one they want, they turn to the others. They can have as many as they want. Whenever they want.”
“What about your workers, Ooma? They don’t mate, surely.”
“We don’t have any workers.”
“Who does all the work then?”
“Well, the males build shelters and fires. Hunt. Capture big ones. Females do everything else.”
“I see.”
“Do you want to know more?”
“No. I’m very tired now. Show me where the food is. Then your bed. We can talk tomorrow.”
“Of course. I forgot you need to eat and sleep.”
“You’re very kind.”
“And you’re very interesting, Wuhn. I must take you to Krau tomorrow. He will want to know all the things you have told me.”
*****
Witnessing the felling of his brother spurs Dhi into action. No matter he sometimes sees one Ohp and sometimes two, and that he is hurting all over, he knows he has to strike the older male before he turns on him. And before Bahnor recovers and joins in the fray. Something he is bound to do, unless he is soon to die, which, judging from the foul and increasingly detailed curses he hears from the ground, is not very likely.
Apart from the pain in his head, the problems with his eyes and the bruising on his arms, Dhi is fully fit, and has the experience and strength to use his club to great effect. One mighty blow and Ohp will be finished. Now is the time to do just that. Except. Except Ohp is too quick. And cunning. Seeing both Bahnor and Dahrun fall, he knows the battle will be decided between Dhi and himself. Dhi, the oldest son of Tahk. A hunter in his prime. The one always talked about as taking over the leadership. And himself. Older. Worn down by fighting and hunting. Disgraced. Injured. Unsuitable for anything other than being an elder. Well, he will show all those who doubt his abilities. He will kill Dhi. More than that, he will be the last one left standing on the ledge. And that will prove something.
Since he cannot match Dhi’s speed and strength, he has to anticipate his strategy. Not a difficult task, as all hunters do the same when they are within striking distance of their enemy. It’s the way they have been trained. It’s what has proved itself in battle. They throw the club over their shoulder, twist the back, splay the legs and then unwind as quickly and powerfully as possible, swinging the club in a great arc towards the other’s head. Yes, Dhi will be aiming at his head. He expects that. Knows that. So he will wait for Dhi to commit himself. And to make sure his opponent does that, he will offer himself. Tempt him. Taunt him. But at the last breath, he will duck down and get beneath the danger. He will allow Dhi to unbalance himself and by doing that, expose himself to a retaliatory thrust. A sharp, hard stab with the end of his club. In one swift, fierce jerk, he will bring Dhi to his knees. Then, only then, will he smash his skull.
And this is what happens. In a flurry of arms and bodies, accompanied by bellows of rage and grunts of effort, shouts of pain and cries of triumph, battle is engaged. Blows are exchanged and blocked, and Dhi drops to the ground. Ears or no ears, Ohp knows how to fight. One last blow and Dhi is dead. He will do that first. Finish off Dhi. That must have priority. Then it will be Dahrun’s turn. If he is still alive. No point in taking any chances about that now. What about Bahnor, though? His son. Injured, but likely to recover and become the new leader of the family. Then he will have all the power. All the females. Everything he wants. And he will have nothing. Well, maybe he can do better than that. He has proved himself. He alone is standing. He deserves the fruits of victory. If he kills Bahnor as well. Kills all his rivals. What’s to stop him becoming the next leader. It’s never been done before. But with Dhi and Bahnor and Dahrun all dead who is there to challenge him? No-one.
