packet from Enga. She sank to the ground, cradling it and moaning softly. Enga touched her shoulder in sympathy, but Nanno shook her off with a sharp twitch.
Enga withdrew her hand as if a wasp had stung her. Nanno’s bitterness almost burnt. Nanno had held Enga and Ung responsible for her mate’s crippled leg ever since the night the two little girls had been rescued, but Enga had always hoped Nanno would someday change her attitude.
Other females surrounded Nanno Green Eyes and embraced her, trying to soothe her grief. Enga returned to Ung.
The pale New One approached. He made his strange sounds and put his thin hand on the forehead of Ung. She did not pull away. She opened her eyes to see who touched her. The New One drew back at this, his own odd eyes, as usual, cast down and nearly shut.
Zhoo of Still Waters, the Healer, came running from the woods and motioned for the carriers to put Ung into her wipiti. Enga followed. Zhoo gestured to Jeek, her son of eleven summers, to bring articles of healing from her stores. He ran out of the wipiti, his thin young legs pumping hard.
Ung, my sister, Ung , were the only thoughts Enga could form. Her head throbbed. Be well, be well. She dared not think beyond the moment. Kokat No Ear had just died. So many Hamapa died in hunts. She would not let herself think about Ung being one of them.
Sannum Straight Hair came to the doorway and looked in. Enga, grateful to see him, beckoned him.
I would like you to stand beside Ung Strong Arm with me , she told him.
If you wish it, I will gladly do it. The sturdy arms of Sannum had carried the two orphan girls to the village the night Kokat had been injured. That night, a special bond had formed between Enga and Sannum.
Others looked in on Ung, too, and some took seats just outside the door flap.
While Zhoo of Still Waters waited for Jeek to return, she reached for one hand of Ung and one of Enga. The hands of the Healer were cool and steady. Her gaze was steady, too. Her birth mother had been the Healer before her and, when young, Zhoo had been her helper and apprentice. She had seen and treated many wounds.
Her own mate had been killed with the tusk of a mammoth. Zhoo herself had speared the huge beast, then summoned the carriers to butcher it. One of the carriers was her mate. When he approached the animal, it lifted its head, then its body. It was not dead. All the males escaped without injury except her mate. Zhoo of Still Waters never hunted again.
Her calm way now soothed Enga. She felt the pounding inside her head slow slightly. Ung relaxed just a bit, too. But the Red still flowed.
Soon the Healer’s young son reappeared with his arms full. He set his burdens down inside the door flap, then handed his mother a sheaf of long grasses. Zhoo laid them on the stump her wipiti was built around and sliced them with her flint knife. After she balled up the cut grasses and stuffed them into the wound, they saw no more Red.
Enga released a loud breath of relief. She reeled with dizziness. Sannum reached out to catch her, and she leaned against him. Ung gave a weak smile, her face almost the color of the New One.
Do not take the attention of the Healer away from my wound , joked Ung.
Enga wanted to give a light answer, but couldn’t. Sannum eased her to the ground and they sat together near the inside wall, out of the way.
Next, Jeek handed Zhoo the skin bag of bear fat. His hair, streaked blond-brown by the sun, had fallen from its leather binding into his eyes. He took swipes at it to see what he was doing.
Zhoo, her hair streaked nearly the color of Jeek’s, but cropped sensibly short so it would not interfere with her work, dipped bear fat from the bag with strong fingers and smeared the grease over the matted grasses. She topped this with a layer of honey squeezed from a comb she kept in the hollow gourd that had belonged to her birth mother.
Zhoo smiled at Enga. I think she will recover. It is believed by some that
Enga withdrew her hand as if a wasp had stung her. Nanno’s bitterness almost burnt. Nanno had held Enga and Ung responsible for her mate’s crippled leg ever since the night the two little girls had been rescued, but Enga had always hoped Nanno would someday change her attitude.
Other females surrounded Nanno Green Eyes and embraced her, trying to soothe her grief. Enga returned to Ung.
The pale New One approached. He made his strange sounds and put his thin hand on the forehead of Ung. She did not pull away. She opened her eyes to see who touched her. The New One drew back at this, his own odd eyes, as usual, cast down and nearly shut.
Zhoo of Still Waters, the Healer, came running from the woods and motioned for the carriers to put Ung into her wipiti. Enga followed. Zhoo gestured to Jeek, her son of eleven summers, to bring articles of healing from her stores. He ran out of the wipiti, his thin young legs pumping hard.
Ung, my sister, Ung , were the only thoughts Enga could form. Her head throbbed. Be well, be well. She dared not think beyond the moment. Kokat No Ear had just died. So many Hamapa died in hunts. She would not let herself think about Ung being one of them.
Sannum Straight Hair came to the doorway and looked in. Enga, grateful to see him, beckoned him.
I would like you to stand beside Ung Strong Arm with me , she told him.
If you wish it, I will gladly do it. The sturdy arms of Sannum had carried the two orphan girls to the village the night Kokat had been injured. That night, a special bond had formed between Enga and Sannum.
Others looked in on Ung, too, and some took seats just outside the door flap.
While Zhoo of Still Waters waited for Jeek to return, she reached for one hand of Ung and one of Enga. The hands of the Healer were cool and steady. Her gaze was steady, too. Her birth mother had been the Healer before her and, when young, Zhoo had been her helper and apprentice. She had seen and treated many wounds.
Her own mate had been killed with the tusk of a mammoth. Zhoo herself had speared the huge beast, then summoned the carriers to butcher it. One of the carriers was her mate. When he approached the animal, it lifted its head, then its body. It was not dead. All the males escaped without injury except her mate. Zhoo of Still Waters never hunted again.
Her calm way now soothed Enga. She felt the pounding inside her head slow slightly. Ung relaxed just a bit, too. But the Red still flowed.
Soon the Healer’s young son reappeared with his arms full. He set his burdens down inside the door flap, then handed his mother a sheaf of long grasses. Zhoo laid them on the stump her wipiti was built around and sliced them with her flint knife. After she balled up the cut grasses and stuffed them into the wound, they saw no more Red.
Enga released a loud breath of relief. She reeled with dizziness. Sannum reached out to catch her, and she leaned against him. Ung gave a weak smile, her face almost the color of the New One.
Do not take the attention of the Healer away from my wound , joked Ung.
Enga wanted to give a light answer, but couldn’t. Sannum eased her to the ground and they sat together near the inside wall, out of the way.
Next, Jeek handed Zhoo the skin bag of bear fat. His hair, streaked blond-brown by the sun, had fallen from its leather binding into his eyes. He took swipes at it to see what he was doing.
Zhoo, her hair streaked nearly the color of Jeek’s, but cropped sensibly short so it would not interfere with her work, dipped bear fat from the bag with strong fingers and smeared the grease over the matted grasses. She topped this with a layer of honey squeezed from a comb she kept in the hollow gourd that had belonged to her birth mother.
Zhoo smiled at Enga. I think she will recover. It is believed by some that
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