The First Jumper (first draft version)

The First Jumper 41: War

Mechanically, Little Bear got his spear prepared, and tried to focus on the task at hand.

When two warriors wandered toward them from the other side of the hammock, the Long Spear men faded into the bushes.  Little Bear left it to the more skilled woodsmen.  Tiger and Dire Wolf leapt out and killed with their knives.

As soon as they were committed and had control of their victims, Little Bear ran as quietly as he could to where the second sentry had fallen.  He managed to find one of the spears they had cast, but the other two must have landed out on the hillside.  He took the two spears the sentry had held, and ran back to the other three.

“Get ready,” hissed Tiger, and Little Bear nodded.  This was the most dangerous part of all.

Slowly, they advanced into the wind toward the other side of the hammock.  Gopher went off to the side.  When they were able to see clear into the area around the fire, they could tell that it was indeed a very large tribe.  Little Bear was still counting when Tiger indicated he was ready to begin throwing.

In the dark, they each threw one spear at a target on the far side of the fire, then one at those on the near side.  This time, each of them threw at a different man.

Little Bear’s first cast struck his target in mid-chest.  The man screamed aloud, and fell.  Before his first spear struck, he had fitted another, and released it.  His second target was whirling around, but Little Bear’s spear caught him in the side.

Dire Wolf and Tiger each loosed two more spears at the tribe, while Little Bear ducked down into the brush, and crept aside to near Gopher at the edge of the hammock.  Additional screams and shouts came from the direction of the enemy fire.

By the time Tiger and Dire Wolf had released all four of their spears, the other tribe was in full motion.  With roars of anger and wild cries, they leapt through the underbrush at the now defenseless Tiger and Dire Wolf.

The two warriors ran, straight out the back of the hammock, and down the hill toward the stream.  They zig-zagged like rabbits as they did, as the other warriors began throwing spears at them as soon as they could get clear of the trees.

As they ran past the area where Little Bear and Gopher crouched, Little Bear thought his heart would leap out of his chest.  The sheer terror of the moment was beyond anything he could have imagined.

It was not many seconds before they had all run past, but it was a lot of warriors.  By the time they were all past, Little Bear had gotten his shaking under control.

Once the other tribe was off and chasing Dire Wolf and Tiger, Little Bear began to try to sense who else was in the hammock.  There were not as many as he thought there would be, but it was still more unfamiliar humans in one place than he was accustomed to seeing, and it took some time to sort them out.

Most of the ones he touched were female, but gradually, he was able to identify at least three males.  He began moving until the area around the fire could be seen.  Gopher moved beside him, silent in the night.

There were many bodies, and groans were coming from those who had spears in them.  A couple of the women were trying to help one of the warriors with a spear in his side.  As she moved around to take hold of the spear, Gopher sucked in his breath.

As Little Bear looked at him, he breathed, “My wife.”

As his wife took the spear in her hands, the man screamed aloud, took his knife, and stabbed her in the heart.

“Nooo!” screamed Gopher, leaping ahead, as his wife fell away, leaving the spear in the man’s side.

With no time to curse, Little Bear stood, looking for the biggest threat.  There!  A warrior had his spear out, and was leaping forward, raising it.  Little Bear let fly, his spear passing inches from Gopher, but striking the other warrior in the chest.  As quickly as he could, he loaded and let fly with a second spear at another warrior who was charging at Gopher with a spear.  Little Bear missed.  He loaded a third spear, and missed with that, as well.