When the sun was up, they held a remembrance for Little Bear, listing all the ways he had saved and strengthened the tribe. Not even Cave Bear or Raccoon had been remembered in so many ways. Otter could not participate, of course, and Tiger and Briar chose not to. Yet even Briar owed him her life and her daughter’s life. Everyone else in the village who was of age remembered Little Bear openly and gratefully.
When they were done remembering Little Bear, they remembered Willow, who had been the Head Woman for many years, even though Briar had largely supplanted her role. She, too, had helped the tribe in countless ways. Sprout was the oldest of her eight children.
They buried Little Bear and Willow together in the forest, and piled stones over their grave. Then the tribe began moving over to the cave where they had stayed before. It was about a day’s journey away.
There was much grumbling in the tribe, and at Briar’s advice, Tiger let the grumblers be. Briar was afraid that Gopher or one of the others would kill Tiger and take over as Chief. She had only meant to displace Willow as head woman and discredit Little Bear as a healer. Tiger’s killing Little Bear in rage had consequences she hadn’t thought about.
The whole tribe was furious with Tiger. He had led them well, but his impulsive anger had always been a problem, and now it threatened to bring disaster upon them all.
Briar knew full well that Little Bear had been essential to the tribe’s success and well-being. She had been jealous of him, but she was no fool. She could never admit that, however, or Tiger might turn on her just as quickly.
The confusion of the moment, with Little Bear and Willow suddenly gone, the change in the weather, fear about another terrible winter, and Otter seemingly dead, all contributed to the tribe docilely going along with Tiger’s order to move to the cave. Now was not the time to fight over who was in charge.
The tribe packed everything up, and moved over to the cave where they had taken shelter, in the last long winter. Another cave bear had taken up residence, and the tribe drove it out with fire, then used their throwing sticks to kill it.
Then they all began moving into the cave, and preparing to spend another long winter there.
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The First Jumper (first draft version)
Science FictionThis is the first draft, and will remain free on Wattpad. The revised version has now been published! An alien explorer meets disaster on ancient Earth, and must invade the body of a primitive human to survive, creating great difficulties for the al...
