Shame of Man Read Online Free PDF

clung to Hu for safety, and Fa stayed very close to Ra.
    But this time Jo and Bl were quicker to react. Jo went to help Ra, and Bl joined Hu. Each attacking youth found himself opposed by two males. This was unusual and demoralizing to them; normally quarrels were one to one. In a moment each foreigner had been struck and bitten, and quickly disengaged and fled. Young females weren't worth such a fight.
    Of the remaining three, two joined the two who had been defeated, and fled. But the last one hesitated. Then, hesitantly, he held out a hand in supplication.
    Jo stalked over to him, growling. The youth rolled on the ground. Once more Bl interceded, causing Jo to accept the stranger. The others hardly knew what to make of this, but had to go along with it.
    The new one was It. Unlike Vk, he was in good health. And he turned out to be useful, because he knew this new forest. He indicated where there was an unoccupied grove, and where there was water. Bl considered, and told Jo, and they went to it. There was some fruit in the trees, and they were good for sleeping in. This was an improvement.
    They remained in this grove for several days, and two more foreign youths joined them. They were now a band of ten, which was a comfortable limit, because more could not be counted on the fingers of the forefeet. If it got much larger, they might have to fission into two smaller groups. Ormaybe they would simply learn to count on toes as well. But the fruit of the grove was not enough; the last of it was eaten and they had to move on.That explained why no other band had taken it: it could not sustain a full band for long.
    The new youths made clear that there were no good vacant groves in this forest. The situation was similar to the forest they had left, with every good place taken by a dominant male and his females and their children. The male youths who had been dispossessed had no choice but to scrounge around the fringe, trying to survive. That was why the new ones had joined the band; survival was more likely within it than without it.
    Jo, prompted by Bl, led the band around the forest, going no farther into the grassy plain than necessary. Even so, there was trouble. Several big hyenas approached, and circled the band, considering whether it was suitable prey. But the moment the hyenas came, Bl picked up some stones and stood on his hind feet. The others did the same. When the animals looked as if they were going to come in close, the members of the band started throwing the stones. Their aim was not good, but some stones almost hit the creatures. The hyenas gave it up; these prey things were too numerous and too eager to fight back.
    After that they moved closer to the forest. Hyenas were funny predators; sometimes they could be scared off, but sometimes they couldn't. It depended how hungry they were. It wasn't safe to go too far afield. Their newest member, It, had a nose for water, finding more for them to drink, but they remained hungry. They had to forage for grubs near the trees.
    But this led to another kind of trouble. The dominant male of a grove they skirted spied the two females in their number and decided to take them into his band. He simply dropped to the ground and ambled out, knowing that no youth could stand up to him. He expected to take what he wanted without opposition. Indeed, in any ordinary situation he would have been correct; he was far larger than any of them, and muscular in proportion. He was old, but no less daunting. They sidled away from him, not daring to flee openly lest he leap and bite them on the necks, perhaps killing them.
    He reached for Fa. She scooted back with a cry of abhorrence. He growled and leaped for her.
    Ra jumped in to interpose himself. He was shaking with fright, but had to try to protect his sister. The male snarled contemptuously, lifting one arm to strike him out of the way.
    Then Jo and Bl and Hu leaped, almost together. Two grabbed the male's powerful arms while Hu,