The Mender

#2 HUTI STONE - Making Friends

"And the others?"

"Piram is my sister's mate. He came from one of our trading groups. Riga is my sister's daughter and Kai is the son of Tars' mate. Riga and Kai's mothers are both dead."

"And that is all that is left of your group?"

"Yes"

"What about the Others you trade with?" asked Zura.

"They're all gone. We have not seen any of them. Tars took the scouting party to find Others but they were all dead or disappeared. Then he found you."

"Esri's Sun-Man Stick counts the days we walked. She marked the days when we found Others but they were all dead too." Zura spoke carefully. "Some looked like they had not died from the Ash Rain but were killed. What did Tars find?"

"The same. That is why we were frightened when we found you," Nagar gazed at Zura.

"Why didn't you kill us?"

"Piram thought we should, but Tars saw that there were just three of you. And though Dagan is powerful, you were the leader. They watched you, saw you were sick, and how Dagan and Esri took care of you and did not leave you to die."

"And, if we join you and not fight you, there are more of us. We are stronger together," said Zura.

"Yes, I believe that too."

The trust between Zura and Nagar grew rapidly and they spent much of their time together exchanging knowledge about their bodes and themselves.

Nagar was gifted in understanding the cycles of women and how to help women through what could be the difficult times of childbirth. She and Zura hoped that with the end of the Ash Rain and the Always Cloud becoming thinner, that life would return to normal and babies might come again.

Zura talked to Nagar about Thinking Circles and how Guideposts and Sky Bones could measure the wet and dry seasons, tracking cycles for finding plants and migrating animals. Nagar's group had similar counting ways but the Elders who were most knowledgeable about tracking the seasons all died in the Ash Rain before passing on their knowledge.

Both women knew many healing rituals from their mothers that they shared with each other.

Most importantly, they shared an urgency to find a way for their people to survive these terrible times. And to move beyond merely surviving and find a way for their little community to grow and flourish in this changed world.

Zura and Nagar knew that Nagar would not last much longer. Zura's teas made Nagar more comfortable and gave her a little more time, but there was no way to reverse the damage from the ash. Any further small illness would be difficult for Nagar to overcome.

Tars, Piram, and the younger people were more cautious about interacting but they gradually began to get to know each other. Curiosity got the better of some of their fears and seeing the growing warmth and friendship between Zura and Nagar did much to persuade the others to push aside their mistrust.

Esri was unhappy about Kai taking her points. They were chipped off of her flake stone that was now almost used up and she wasn't sure if she could find another in this new place.

But the worst was that Kai took the Huti stone. Esri worried what Kai would do with it. She liked holding the stone. It reminded her of her bode, now many days journey away and a place she would likely never see again.

Esri decided to explore among the rocks above and beyond the cave. Whenever she or Dagan went beyond the area close by the cave, one of the others followed. With Esri it was usually Riga, sometimes Saba. Today it was Kai. She did not like Kai because he had not returned her points and Huti stone.

"Don't follow me," she said to him.

"Where are you going?"

"I want to be alone."

"What are you doing?"

"Go away."

"Wait. Here," and Kai reached into his pouch and handed her the Huti stone and the small points he had taken from her.

Esri stopped and looked at his outstretched hand. She walked back and took the stones from his palm. She looked up at him and saw he was smiling at her and he asked her again, "Where are you going?"

"I want to find a flake stone."

"Like these are made of?"

"Yes."

"I'll take you to a place where you can find flake stones . . . if you show me how to make these." Kai smiled wider, "and if you sing a little."

Esri considered his offer. She carried a lot of anger toward him and was surprised that now it seemed to be slipping away with just a few smiles. She thought about Zura and her laughter with Nagar. Maybe Esri could be a little softer.

"Yes, I will show you how I make small flints if we find a flake stone this big," Esri showed him with her hands.

"And the song?"

"Maybe later."