THIRTEEN
Just the moment the morning sun begins to raise Hilda gets promptly packed ready to head pass the cave in order to see if Rachael is among them all. Jon grabs his bag getting ready right after her asking, "So what's our strategy?"
"I think we should pass by while stopping to take a look inside." Hilda says ready to start walking. Right off the mark she makes her way there barely waiting for the others.
Krista catches up to her saying, "If she's there we should ask if we can stay."
Hilda replies, "First we need to see if she's there!"
Jayme's gets anxious as well, "Well go ask him."
As they approach they see a figure standing off from the entrance. It's an older man poised there with a stick sort of like a walking cane. Hilda gets a little closer asking him, "You live here?"
"For now," Nick tells them as the group all gathers around scoping out the outside area.
Jon is the next to speak asking, "Are you alone?"
Hether gets in to the conversation shrilling, "Are you alone?'
Nick answer back saying, "No, I'm here with my family."
Hilda asks him where they are, "Are they here, can we see them?"
"Nick gets a little bit on the protective side, "Why it's just my wife, son, and a little girl."
Hilda informs Nick, "Well I'm looking for my daughter. Her name is Rachael!"
"Nick advises them all that she's inside, "She's inside………….. Rachael come outside your family is all here!"
Rachael slowly comes out from around the corner of the cave with Marianne holding her hand while her mother runs up to her taking her other hand.
"I'm her mother! Thanks for taking care of her, I was worried something may have happened to you, we found your handkerchief by the way." Hilda says pulling her closer to herself as she hands it back to her.
"She told us all about you all, why you and your friends don't stay here there's plenty of room inside," Marianne says making them all feel more at home.
Jon admits how nice of an offer that is, "Maybe for a little while I suppose!"
Shantelle starts to let down her bags walking over to the inside of the natural dwelling blurting, "Well, let's all settle in!"
Then Kay and Hether follow in the same manner and start to get them settled in.
Hilda asks her daughter, "Aren't you going to invite me in?"
Rachael turns around still holding her hand shrilling, "I guess so, it's kind of dirty in here like some slobs were here right before we ever got here!"
Hilda seems a little confused as to what she's telling her, "Like what kind of slobs!"
Sounding serious but with a little more sarcasm Rachael says, "The dark skinned slobs."
Entering the cave Hilda asks, "And who are they?"
Acting more or less dumb founded Rachael answers back saying, "People to stay away from!"
The others gather around the outside as Hilda walks over by the fire as Rachael kicks the skull with her foot. Hilda asks, "Who's that?"
"I don't know just a skull they found," she answers back.
Hilda looks at a kid starring at her like he wonders who she is, "No, is that your new friend?"
"Yes, his name is Clovis the Kid," she acquaints her mother with him as she sits down beside him letting go of her mother's hand. She looks around at the walls of the inside of the cavern as she asks her daughter, "So why did you leave?"
Rachael picks up some dirt from outside the fire pit saying, "Because everybody is feisty and I wanted to be alone that's all."
"Then I ran in to them and we all came here," she adds clearing up the whole thing with her mother.
"And what's the name of the lady your all with?"
Hilda asks of her daughter with much curiosity especially when her daughter is sitting there with a skull of some kind.
"Her name is Marianne and the other person is Nick," Rachael rambles off to her mother.
Rachael continues on by asking, "Last night they chose a last name; can we all choose a last name for all of us in the group?"
Her father Jon approaches from behind them all saying, "What do I hear about another name for us?"
Hilda tries to enlighten the concept to him a little more clearly by explaining, "Rachael says that they came up with a last name for themselves and wants to know if we can come up with something."
Getting curious about the idea with a little confusion Jon asks, "What's their last name?"
"They chose Hunter for an ending name," Rachael blurbs out all of a sudden.
Jon kneels down by the fire as Clovis the Kid throws some more wood in to the fire to keep it burning strong. He takes a hold of the skull sitting there wondering where it came from, "Did this come from in here?"
Jon looks around at the walls of the inside of the cave with decorations of hand prints made with blood of some sorts, maybe animal blood from the skins of animals which were killed hanging all around in different places. Jon asks Clovis the Kid where it came from, "Where did this come from?"
Clovis the Kid answers with a slight hesitation, "My father found it," he replies dishing it out on his father.
Jon looks back sensing that the man of the group is standing nearly behind him as he says, "Others have lived here I see."
"Where did this come from?"
He asks again with a lot more apathy and fear as he sets it down again wondering if there were some kinds of danger involved with ensuing to reside here for any amount of time.
Nick approaches from behind Jon replying, "I found it within some trees a ways down the gully."
Jon looks over to Mycroft who has just entered taking a look around about the inside of the place, "It looks like others have been living here for quite a while, yet nobody is around but just this."
"Were there any more where you found this one?" He adds with much curiosity as he turns back to Nick ready to ask him to show him the place where he found the skull. "Take me there and show me where you found it," he suggests eager to probe the areas around the ravine.
Nick answers back saying, "Alright, but there's lots of vultures around still scavenging the area."
The both of them start to leave as Nick grabs his spear heading outside the cave in order to leave. Mycroft decides to go along, "I'll come as well," he blurts out.
As they leave Kay looks to Marianne ready to ask her a question, "So what are we going to do for food?"
Marianne remembers seeing some potential areas that seem to have nuts and berries. She starts to grab her bag ready to go for a stroll as well as the guys informing her, "I saw some blue berry bushes I thought along the way along with some acorn trees."
Shantelle gets anxious right away as her stomach begins to churn wanted anything she can possibly get her hands on, "Let's all go, I'm really hungry."
Marianne doesn't think that's such a good idea if they all go. Some of them need to stay there now that there are a larger number of them residing at this unknown place. She tells them all, I think some of us should stay here with the kids. Only a few of us should go and we could pick enough to bring back enough for everyone."
Hilda decides to stay there with the rest of the group, "That's a great idea, why don't just a few of you all go, while I and the others stay her to get settled more. We don't want to spoil everything on our first day now do we?"
Lara and Ray all of sudden choose to go along for the fun of it giving them a chance to get to know the place a little bit more. "We'll both go along with you two so that we can get as much as we can."
Krista, Kelle and Jaymes unpack their bags as Kelle says, "My clothes haven't been washed in like a long time."
Jaymes adds to the conversation saying, "Either have mine."
Hether, Kay and Shantelle take notice of their clothes as Shantelle says, "Either have ours.
Hether adds, "We need to wash them some where's?"
Tana pulls on her shirt realizing just how stiff it has become from all of the frozen dirt and mud they have trekked their way through. Tana shrills to them all, "There has to be a stream or something nearby where we can wash our clothes."
Rachael and Clovis the Kid seen a small creek along the way just a ways over alongside the other side of the ravine. She explains this to them saying, "I saw a stream on our way here where we could wash up a little and get some to drink."
Krista joins to the whole idea telling them, "That's a great idea my clothes are so crusty I can barely move a muscle."
Back with the search with Nick, Jon asks, "So how much further?"
Nick replies, "Just a little further I think, I'm trying to remember. Just past those trees up ahead!"
As they make their way towards a thickened patch of trees Jon catches eye of a Turkey Vulture sitting there resting. Looking to Nick he says, "See that! He's waiting for something. There is something dying somewhere and he's waiting to prey upon it!"
Nick looks over a few yards or so at the spot where he found the body. Pointing the way he discloses, "I found it right over there. See there's some disarticulated body parts scattered around that the vultures have feasted."
Mycroft takes a closer look at the scene, "Wonder if he was the only one around here and what killed him."
"I don't know," Jon indicates.
"We ought to be careful and take a look around a bit," he says looking around about the trees at a distance.
Behind them are eyes on the prowl lurking to scope out the new visitors that have moved in to the rock shelter. These eyes belong to Black Hawk the Hunter who is a Larger Game Hunter who hunts mostly Bison preferably. But nonetheless he doesn't like intruders on his land. Moving from place to place has exhausted their tribe of darker skinned people who have been settling her since the first glacial maximum. Many have moved her seeking new shelter along with a better way of life. But to the Hawks they have decided to never make an exception. This land is becoming more sacred to them as the herds of bison they are living on migrate in a large circle. This circle extends to the lower flat valleys and ranges below and back around to the west during the spring and back this way before the summer approaches.
Soon the herds of Bison will make their manner back this way within a couple of months and he wants to make sure this area is free of anything that might cost them their livelihood. Little do the others know that this was the site of an attack as the Hawks took many of the inhabitant's prisoners while this one tried to make way for an escape? However this one never did get too far without being speared down between this patch of trees and Black Hawk the Hunter will never stop his pursuit until they are dealt with by the usual means of extraction.
As Nick, Jon, and Mycroft look around the trees the best they can they notice some markings within the bark of one of the trees. Jon is the first to recognize them as he shrills, "Looks like some markings of some kind."
Mycroft declares, "Could be a mark for territory or something."
Nick slows down a bit from walking any further disclosing, "This is further than I had come before. Maybe we should head back."
Jon says, "Let's just go a bit further to make sure there isn't anybody else around."
Meanwhile Krista, Kelle, and Tana are forthcoming their way to the stream so they can do some long needed tasks of cleaning themselves along with washing their clothes. Nonetheless there are other eyes on the watch. It seems that they have stumbled in to a place that has been heavily guarded for some time. Behind the corner surrounded by tall bushes and grass reeds lurks Lady Hawk the Huntress who is another Larger Game Hunter member of the Hawk Paleo-Indian Tribe.
While the females all begin to undress and dunk their fur garments in the stream Lady Hawk the Huntress stays watching trying to get acquainted with the way they dress. These girls seem to put on more than the usual crowd of visitors from before. To her they are over dressed and have a tendency to wear too much. All she can do is sit there and watch them crotch over a few boulders within the stream while taking off their garments.
Wildly she growls a grunt or so before moving a few feet closer by taking a few low lying steps. Then suddenly she gets on her hands and knees crawling nearer and nearer towards them hiding in the blowing reed-like grass as the strands whisper back and forth.
Tana finishes cleaning her fur top resembling a type of fleece or jacket made up of sheep skin. Swiftly she gets up and sets it on another boulder next to the thickened grass just a few feet away. She turns back to wash her thin skinned under shirt by setting it on another boulder while dunking it in the stream. Then she takes another stone just big enough to fit her hand around and begins to ring the water partially out. Krista and Kelle both begin to do the same while ringing each one out separately as thoroughly as they can and leaving them out on branches or other boulders.
The water is very cold because it is runs off from the glacial valleys above. There are areas where there is some snow still left along the side of the crook. Tana starts to ring out her furred undergarments while mentioning, "I don't know why, but this place sort of give me the chills!"
Krista shakes off a few cold smudges jousting, "It gives me the chills too!"
Kelle puns the both of them by blurting, "Come on now, it's just because the water is freezing!"
Krista answers back, "I feel like someone is closely watching us," as she gets another colder windblown chill up her spine as the grass behind her starts to blow against her back. Meanwhile Tana keeps up the hand maneuvers as she stone washes her clothes, adding, "Everybody has been saying that the whole entire trip, that they feel like we're being watched or something."
Behind them Tana's shirt slips away, as some sleight of hand had swiftly taken a hold of it and snuck away. Quietly the creped fingers are niggling further back from their detained position.
Kelle finishes up her wool shirt and lays it behind herself so that it can dry uttering, "We need to make something to hang our clothes up."
Krista continues with her wardrobe while coming back with, "We could use some vines from up around the rock shelter to tie between a couple of trees."
Tana looks around a bit noticing a smaller tree that has some bare branches. Nodding her head at it she blabs, "We should use that tree so we don't have to carry wet clothes back."
Kelle sets her wool shirt coming forth with, "That's a good idea."
Tana looks back at her back grabbing another article of her clothing while realizing that something is missing. Hurriedly she shouts, "My smock is missing!"
Kelle replies asking, "Where did you put it?"
Tana with an angry tone of voice tells her, "Behind me, right here."
Krista scrambles ghastly understanding that it couldn't have gone anywhere, "It couldn't have walked away. We were all here."
Kelle brings the little brats to mind insinuating, "You don't think it's Rachael or that other kid whatever his name is trying to play a prank on us do you?"
Tana heatedly declares, "If it is I'll ring their necks, I hope he didn't see us bare the little brat."
"When we get back I'm going to force it out of them."
"Then I'll give it to them, I'll tell his mother," she rambles on with.
Krista thinks about how odd the family seems, "Who are these people anyway that she was with?"
"Damned if I know," Tana promptly says with a face of puzzlement thinking that maybe they should head back.
"Maybe we should head back," Tana says getting eager.
"With wet clothes," Kelle answers back.
Tana makes a comeback invoking, "Better than no clothes."
FOURTEEN
Marianne picks some more boysenberries for her bag as Shantelle puts a few in her mouth to feed her hunger. She looks to Marianne while grabbing a few more to put in her mouth, "I think we have enough, don't we?"
Marianne looks downhill a ways towards another patch of trees mentioning, "Let's look for some nuts first, I seen some acorns over down that way once we came in view of this place."
Ray takes a glance at the trees down yonder saying, "We could pick a lot just off the ground."
Marianne disagrees with picking them off of the ground. She'd rather pick fresh ones the only problem is that many of them are higher up and hard to reach. She tells them this retorting, "It's better to pick fresh ones although the ones on the ground are easier to open."
Lara thinks about maybe climbing up a ways to try to pick some fresher acorns saying, "Maybe one of us could climb up and pick a bunch."
Shantelle agrees with her offering some help as they make their way just yards away from the patch of trees responding, "Maybe you could help me up to that lower branch hanging right there."
All of a sudden there are many different varieties of birds scattering to the winds before they can get any closer. Seeing that the strangers are approaching closer, Sky Hawk the Bird Snatcher quickly immerses himself behind some falling tree stumps to keep from plain view. He has been on the prowl with maintaining a steady distance in order to stay out of uncovered sight. In this land there are always eyes watching and waiting for new-fangled comers to poke their noses in the Hawk's terrain.
For the most important reason that this area was very sacred to them, especially Sky Hawk. To him this place is one of his sacred grounds where he can catch birds of prey almost every occasion he visits this place. Almost every bird imaginable comes here to feed upon the wild berries and nuts it has to offer.
Now it seems threatened once again as always lately with a steady flow of visitors who have trekked their way to this so called free land. This has been his favorite habitat for quite some time now, a place where he can gather and hunt in order to fulfill his own daily needs and the daily needs of others as well.
Walking closer to rooted underbrush they begin to step on many of the fallen nuts that have planted themselves all over. Not to mention all of the dung that the fauna of the sky has left as messy droppings. They all stop taking notice of the acorns sprawled out throughout the tree. Many of them are at reach hanging on some of the lower undergrowth. They start pulling off what they can get to which didn't seem to take very long. Wanting to pick even more Ray says, "Someone help me up to that branch and I'll climb up and get more so we have enough for a while."
Lara puts her hands out ready to give his foot a boost up as Ray looks down at her hand seeing a slight heal print in the damp mud. Ray reacts to this with a fast drag of pulling his foot back. Commenting and bringing this to the attention of the others Ray shrieks, "There's a footprint right there."
Shantelle acts pretty curious right off the mark wondering where this so called foot prints is exactly, "Where?"
"Right there," he shrills as he pulls his foot back and then kneels down closer to get a better bird's eye view. Immediately he puts his finger closer to it trying to point it out for them to see. Holding his finger there as they all stoop down slightly Shantelle discloses, "There's only half of a foot print there."
Marianne takes a glance at the heel print noticing, "It's only the end print of a foot of some kind."
Ray's intuition serves him well realizing that the print is fairly fresh from within the recent early morning hours. Getting a few shivery chills up his spine for a moment he says, "It looks like the rear foot print of another being."
Lara stands back up all of the way and slowly takes a look around about the trees with a mere agitation saying, "Are you sure it's not an animal of some kind?"
Shantelle comes back with a quick response shrilling, "It looks like there's another group of some kind living and thriving off these fields besides us."
Marianne comes over the group with a feeling of hospitality by declaring, "Great, maybe we'll have to find another area that we can keep for ourselves."
Shantelle replies, "If there are any!"
Lara gets on the defensive by asking, "How do you know there are others coming here, there's only one foot print I see?"
Ray figures there have to be other footsteps lying around somewhere nearby. Why can they only see one is slightly confusing as he glances over towards a patch of pushed over grass that continually waves back and forth within a slight breeze? As he stares he notices a thin trail meandering off to the right a few yards inwards. Looking back to the others he invokes, "Looks like there's a path of some kind leading off to somewhere!"
Marianne gets a feeling along with an urge to lead on a curious notion to what's at the end of this path that lies ahead.
Right away Ray starts to take another step forward as a blunt striking projectile buzzes past the front of his face and sticks in the tree trunk a few feet from where he's standing. As quick as an eagle dive Ray falls to the ground kneeling down wondering where the piercing object came from.
Immediately Lara does the same followed by Marianne and Shantelle, "What was that?" she says with a sense of fright and surprise.
Ray looks back at the tree trunk to catch a better glimpse of what may have maimed or serious could have injured him, "Looks like some kind of blackish stone blade."
Shantelle gets a bit nervous as she stares off in to the remote distant grass that separates them from another patch of trees a few hundred feet away or so. Trying to catch her breathe a little she declares, "Maybe we should get the hell out of here!"
Marianne feels the same as Lara that maybe they better retreat back to the rock shelter as ably as they can without stirring up any more attention, "I think we better find a way out of here myself before we get speared!"
Ray gets a moving impulse flowing as he tries to nudge his way back the manner which they came. Before making a couple of steps another projectile point hums over the back of his shoulders and makes its way into some brush just passed the tree a ways. Lara gets down in a more scrunched position saying, "Let's make a run for it!"
Shantelle answers back imploring, "How many do you think are out there?"
Lara gets ready to make a run for it shrilling, "Why wait and find out!"
Like a bison on a rampage Lara quickly makes a darting run back passed a few more trees that lie many yards near where they entered from. Without any further hesitation Marianne follows as another stone projectile knife blade hits her fur bag she has strapped around her shoulder hanging down towards her side. Faithfully she continues the plunge forward running off following Lara. Shantelle takes the next chance at a running away from the scene without looking back.
Continuing with a scampering run they make it a few hundred yards and slow down looking back. Shantelle is the first to catch her breath saying, "What was that all about?"
Ray answers her back replying, "Looks like we're in someone else's spot."
"I figured someone had to of lived around here before we came here," Marianne jousts with a sigh of respite.
Lara gets anxious to get a move on in order to make it back to the rock shelter shrilling, "I think we better keep a move on if we want to get back to the others."
Going back was very tense; they looked around with every glance towards any creeping noise that crept besides them. They felt like at every moment someone would sneak up on them. Would it be the same person, would they be alone, or would they be outnumbered? All of the questions and thoughts raised fear in their minds. At one point they thought that they had heard footsteps coming closer and closer from directly behind themselves. Darker clouds started to hover over the horizon as they made their way closer to camp. Looking ahead towards the canyon just opposite the rock shelter Lara quirks, "There's the canyon."
Hurriedly they approach the outside of the cave as the others are sitting around arguing a bit. Ray is the first to raise a curiosity about what the hell is going on around this forbidden place, "What happened?"
Tana points to the shirt she's wearing indicating, "My other shirt came up missing when we were washing clothes in the stream in this spot past those trees. I thought the kids took it playing a prank"
Lara gets a little confused as to the whole idea jousting, "They've been here the whole time. When did you last see it?"
Tana disclaims, "I set it down right behind me on the side bank of a stream to dry out, and then I started to wash some other things which I set out to dry. Then it just came up missing at some point."
"I wonder where it went," Lara shrieks, "Maybe it floated downstream by mistake?" she adds.
Marianne decides to tell them about their little trip trying to gather whatever they could find saying, "Well we went gathering."
Krista looks at Marianne's bag wondering if they found anything they could use to eat.
Growing in hunger pains Krista asks Marianne, "Find anything?"
Shantelle answers Krista back interrupting, "Yes, we found a few spears and knives that were thrown at us by someone."
"Where did you go?" Kelle asks with much curiosity.
"We went to a place where there was a patch of trees where we could graze nuts," Ray responds.
Hilda figures that they must have gotten something before they were struck with surprise by asking, "Did you get anything at all?"
Shantelle answers back, "Well I picked up a few from the ground while Ray was trying to climb up to get a better reach. But it wasn't much."
Then Ray noticed a foot print in the dampened dirt next to the tree before a stone knife blade flung past his head and another one hit Marianne's bag as we fled the scene," she rambles on saying.
Jon wonders if they saw anything besides the foot print, "Did you see anything else?"
Ray answers back quickly retorting, "I couldn't see anything out past the trees. All there were was fields of stranded grass."
Mycroft realizes that they aren't alone. When he went inside to the rock shelter he sensed a musty smell like many others have settled here and came and went. There was a sense of terror about the place, although he couldn't put a finger on it. Some of the things that have been left have been there for a while. He wonders if some of these things were planted to give others a sense of stability about the place. He felt like this place was a sort of lure for someone or anyone that dared to visit this nearly haunted dwelling. Sharing his feelings about the aura of this place Mycroft tells them, "Really I don't think we should be here, this is someone else's rock shelter, or some abandoned trap."
"We should get a move on and find somewhere else to stay," he carries on informing them all.
Jaymes comes alive with a reply declaring, "And go where without running in to anyone to boot somewhere else."
Nick tends to believe that whoever is stalking them it would have to be the dark people. They are the ones who can hide in the shadows untouched and unnoticed. However on the other side of the spear is a sharp bloody end that brings a cringing reality to mind. That they will come back and assimilate them if they decide to stay. Nick brings this all to mind stating, "And if we stay they will always be out there lurking until we are wounded or until they push us out."
Ray defends what you would call upholding the fort so to say by blurting, "We don't even know how many there are, just some stragglers."
Lara doubts they are only stragglers considering the accuracy at which the knife blade was thrown towards them. For some reason she feels they are being sporadically grouped out from each other. Thinking up an excuse for a plan to keep their stay Lara devises, "Eventually these stragglers will come around and we can set a trap for them."
Jaymes thinks about how worn in the place was before they even made their way here jousting, "I knew there was too many worn in tracks to this place when we first came."
Tana gets over protective right away as she shrills out some mockery, "Maybe we can leave some more clothes out and catch one trying to steal them."
Hilda starts to laugh out loud as she shrills, "And what would they do with them?"
Kelle starts to giggle herself like it's such a preposterous idea anyhow responding, "Try them on and then wear them around their camp."
Tana gets on the defensive side saying, "If I see anyone wearing my clothes I'll kill them."
"Whoever they are I'm sure they'll be back soon," Krista jousts back with assurance.
Jon gets up and walks over to the entrance of the cave. Without any hesitation he pulls a string of vines growing around the outside of the cave. He keeps pulling as many strands fall down all over him. Once he gets at least a mouth full, he cuts a length long enough to strip the leaves off in order to tie up a line. Before he strips a couple of leaves Mycroft approaches asking what he's up to, "What's that's for?"
Jon continues stripping away leaves stating, "I'm making something we can hang our clothes from."
Mycroft thinks that he has a great idea; although they need a trigger spot, one where they can keep an eye on their personal belongings without having anything stolen.
He also felt that they needed an area that was covered on the closest upper end towards the rock shelter so that they could keep a hidden eye out. Furthermore there had to be to trees fairly close together where they could tie the vines snug enough to keep the line from sagging too much.
Jon takes the stripped vines and starts walking towards a pass between two trees he can see over to his right just passed the trail. There are even some smaller trees just to the left along with some bushes between the rock shelter and this spot. Trying to get over there fast enough he makes way over to the tree on the left. Quickly he stops and turns to Mycroft who is patiently following behind saying, "Take the other end and tie it to that tree over there."
Firstly Mycroft makes his way towards the tree while looking back making sure not to tangle the long vine Jon has stripped to use. Once he approaches he lifts his arms up as high as he can try to reach one of the lower hanging tree limbs. Carefully he wraps the vine around the branch and ties it as snug as possible. Mycroft looks back to John who is about a good thirty feet away or more standing below the lowest branch of the other tree.
Finishing up Jon ties the last part of a knot and then pulls on some of the slack just next to the branch giving the close line a feel for being snug enough to hang clothes on.
Jon walks towards the middle of the line testing the sturdiness to see if the line is strong enough to hang some clothes on. Getting closer to the middle he notices some slight sagging. Quickly he turns to Mycroft informing him, "Maybe we should tie it a little bit tighter so it doesn't fall down."
Mycroft pulls some slack through a slipping tether he left on purpose like he does when he fastens one of his projectiles to a shaft making a spearhead. Pulling the droop tighter he answers back replying, "Try it now, I tied a slip knot so that we could get it tight enough without having to retie it."
Jon pulls on the line again testing the loop once again jousting, "Try a little more."
Mycroft pulls some more lashes through the slide knot as tight as he can without breaking the line with his sharp crinkly finger nails. Letting go he starts to tie another knot around the branch jousting, "That's as tight as it's going to get for now."
Jon tries it again realizing that's the best they can get it. Flicking it with his hand one hard time he responds, "That's good enough."
Mycroft walks out from the tree towards the middle saying, "I think we are going to need more than one line."
Jon rubs his chin for a moment shrilling, "You're right, one isn't enough. There's just too many of us."
"The girls alone need more than one just by themselves," he adds momentarily without any further hesitation.
Mycroft turns back towards the direction of the rock shelter as Tana approaches with an overwhelming curiosity. Looking at the line and reaching her hand on it she says, "What's this for?"
Jon puts his hand back on it saying, "It's a close line to dry clothes on."
"And how are we supposed to keep an eye on them way over here," she over protectively states.
Jon and Mycroft both stand there still and quiet thinking to themselves for a brief moment in time. Getting to the point Mycroft declares, "Well, one of us will have to keep a watch out here and there."
"Here and there," Tana argues back boldly. Going further she continues on influencing them by saying, "I can't risk losing anymore clothes."
"I've already lost one of my smocks," she adds up.
"Well we're going to tie in some more lines so it will be easier to keep an eye out," he shrills real fast like.
"It's sort of like a trap with a maze of clothes hanging around," Mycroft jousts with a bit of humorous sarcasm.
Tana sums up a little humor of her own by shrieking, "Kind of like a cat and mouse game, except which one of you will be the first mice."
Immediately Tana walks away with a sense of doubt that their plan will work or even lead up to anything.
Waiting for a moment contemplating what she just said, Mycroft and Jon stare at each other for a mere second. Then they just both shake their heads and follow from behind. Jon speaks to Mycroft saying, "Let's try and make some more line to hang up."
Tana wonders when will they even start to watch them and keep a look out about the place, "So when are we going to start our watch you might say?"
Jon smartly replies, "Tonight, I take the first watch."
Mycroft shrills boldly, "From where?"
"I was going to climb up in one of the nearby trees to make a sort of watch tower," Jon adds momentarily without hesitation like he has it already worked it out in his mind.
Tana thinks about the fact what will happen if they do run in to any of them by mere chance saying, "And what if they do happen to come here?"
Jon answers her question by eluding the fact, "I haven't gotten that far in my plan yet."
Tana goes a bit further by adding up, "How are you going to see the dark ones when there is no light?"
Jon ponders over the abilities of his other senses declaring, "The keenness of my earshot will give any sound away."
Mycroft decides that they should set up another type of trap to try and catch any trespassing on their new territory. He thinks about setting some sort of trap in one of the trees by jousting, "How about using these vines to set a tree trap using some sort of weight and catch them around the knob."
Tana sort of chuckles a bit, "What knob are you talking about?"
Mycroft says seriously like, "I was talking about catching them around the feet so to speak."
Jon goes in to more detail about his plan shrilling, "First, I just want to keep a look out to see if anybody even shows up. There is no reason to get roused up over nothing I guess."
Tana asks Jon another question, "And then what do we do if they steal from us again."
Jon informs Tana, "Then I'll surprise them by jumping out of the tree and chase them off."
Mycroft gabbles back, "What happens if there are more than one and you run in to trouble?"
Jon finishes the scene by shrieking, "Don't worry about that! Well, the line is hung up and ready to hang clothes on."
Tana gets excited by saying, "I'll go get Krista and everyone and see if they have anything to hang up."
Jon shrills, "That's a great idea because it's going to be dark soon."
Tana leaves the scene as Mycroft and John finish the last tasks at hand.
Meanwhile Shantelle decides she should wash her clothes to have something to hang up. Shantelle says, "My clothes are very hard now and need to be washed. Does anyone want to come?"
Kay and Hether feel they should join her just the same. Kay tells her, "We'll come with you."
Hether says, "We should be careful though!"
FIFTEEN
On the other side of the region the dark people are gathering around a fire like a kind of altar to worship the sunsets in to the night skies. Lady Hawk the Huntress kneels down as she breaks open some branches from a nearby tree. She takes her long dirty and scraggy fingernails and scraps out the pulp extracting a splintery finger of Indian Gum that she places on the tip of her tongue.
Then she throws them down and grabs a hold of the clothes she stole from Tana, a fur smock that is made out of something she can't quite identify with yet. She rubs her hands over one side firmly trying to get acquainted with the feel of things. Briskly she carries her fingers over feeling deeper in to the fur because she thinks it feels so very soft. From behind Sky Hawk the Bird Snatcher approaches holding his spear out like he's ready for a nightly prowl on the zone. With a low toned voice, Sky Hawk questions her weight, "Where did you get that?"
Lady Hawk babbles back saying, "From the whitish ones, the females bathing in the stream down the canyon."
Her daughter Little Hawk makes her way from at the back of her mother blurting, "What's that?"
Lady Hawk answers back saying, "Some sort of shirt."
Little Hawk asks to try it on, "Can I wear it?"
Lady Hawk gives it to her, "Take it back inside and see if it fits."
Little Hawk takes it and turns around back to the hut they have made from mammoth skins they have had throughout the ages.
Black Hawk the Hunter walks up and gets eager to descend upon their plan for the evening. With an animal like voice he speaks his first words by reproving his future plans, "Tonight we encounter those who have crossed over to our secret grounds."
Sky Hawk the Bird Snatcher then speaks momentarily, "There are a many of them this time, and it seems that the small family of gatherers has teamed up with a much larger family of gatherers from the other side."
Black Hawk the Hunter realizes that there are a many more of them this time around. However there are a many of them as well, Black Hawk informs Sky Hawk the Bird Snatcher by uttering, "Tell White Hawk and the others that we will scout them once again after the sun sets."
Sky Hawk the Bird Snatcher turns around and leaves the scene as fast as he can without wasting another moment. Behind Lady Hawk's hut is another line of huts in a row which have been built along a narrow tributary that flows down in to the lower valleys where there are more animals to hunt. Black Hawk tells Lady Hawk before heading inside, "There's some work to do before we head out."
Lady Hawk jaspers, "Give me a moment."
She stands up and looks about the fire a bit with a gaze of unconsciousness. Then she grabs her spear and makes her way inside the hut.
Back with the gatherers, Tana, Krista, Kelle, Shantelle, Hether, and Kay have all washed their clothes finally. Now they've reached the clothesline to hang up their clothes to dry. Some of them are still a little damp from before when they washed earlier. So far they have only lost one article of clothing and nothing else as of yet. Krista starts to hang her clothes up first, "I suppose I should just lay them over like and then let them dry right?"
Tana wisps back declaring, "I guess, unless we can think of a way to tie them up so they dry better."
Kelle adds, "Eventually, we'll think of something I guess."
Krista hangs up another article of clothing saying, "Good because we'll have to hang only a few at a time until we have more lines strung up."
Hether shrills, "We have lots of clothes between all of us."
Shantelle thinks how this isn't even all of them, "There are only six of us."
Kay mentions, "That's enough of us."
Tana answers back stating, "I agree this one isn't enough for all of our clothes we'll soon have to tie more up."
"At least we can wash our clothes here, back home they were all a frozen muck," Kelle adds briefly.
Tana brings another thought to mind, "Regardless of where we are we have enemies, back home it was the weather and here it's the strangers. And so far they aren't that friendly and they're very shifty and can't put a feel on them."
As they finish their chores the sun starts to set more and more very quickly. Kelle glares towards the settling night sky declaring, "We should head back to the shelter it's starting to get darker and darker."
Shantelle agrees by saying, "I agree we should get back right Hether?"
Hether answers her in accord, "Yes, were done now!"
Kay starts leaving quibbling, "Let's go!"
Shortly a moment passes by and they start to walk away back to their fresh place that is rather old in its own sense to say considering they really know hardly anything about this place they have stumbled upon so desperately.
While they are returning Jon is ready to push his way out before the darkness of tonight settles in. Mycroft tries to walk him off for a moment, "Don't you think it would be better if I come along as well and position myself at the neighboring trees."
Jon stops and thinks for a flash, "No, it'll be fine. Nothing will probably happen anyhow."
He turns around and heads out realizing that he has studied the nearby terrain with much attentiveness. He feels he knows his way around which is covered in grassland reeds with thickened patches of trees around every corner of the area. So far there is a slight trail which has been in laid towards the scrap of trees where they placed their clothes line. The females pass a slight crest heading back the other way to the rock shelter. The females all slow down and block his way along the trail with Krista and Kelle asking, "You're headed alone?"
Jon briefly answers them back saying, "I guess so, why not?"
Krista gets suspicious about the whole entire scenario, "What if something happens while you're out there on your own?"
Jon gets a more serious look on his face as it starts to disseminate from their view more and more in the darkness, "This isn't for the pursuit of anything, it's just to chase them off and sway them away from here."
Tana thinks for a second or so, "Too bad there aren't any closer patches of trees to the shelter so we could keep a better eye on things."
Jon relates to them that it's really not too far just over the first crest away from the foothills of the cliff fallen rocks that form a mere plateau protruding about the place.
"It's really not that far from here just over the crest," he adds.
Tana thinks that he should be extra careful, "Well, just be careful."
Krista continues as they start to move along about their way once again, "Do you want us to check up on you?"
Jon talks back to them with much certainty, "No, I'll be fine, if anything bad happens I can retreat back to the shelter I suppose."
Jon starts to walk away heading back down the path leading to their place they chose just up from the stream passing through the rock canyons.
Hether scrambles up a few words, "I hope he knows what he's doing?"
Shantelle comes back asking, "What's his trip."
On the way back Krista gets nervous about his undertakings, "Knowing our luck he'll fall asleep and all of our clothes will be stolen."
Kay gets angry, "I hope not."
Tana figures that eventually they'll have to make more, although they have enough for now, "Well I lost one, but I still have an old fur I brought to make another."
Krista thinks about how they are going to even get anymore furs anyway saying, "We're going to have to do some darn serious hunting if we want to make anything around here."
Kelle goes a bit further with her little notion in mind by including, "The funny thing is that we are the only thing being hunted around here."
"Isn't that the truth," Krista says as they get closer and closer to the rock shelter.
Once they approach the outside of their new home someone's loud footsteps sneak up behind them. It's Mycroft ready to make his way along with Jon for no reason what so ever.
About to follow behind Jon, Mycroft asks, "Did you pass up Jon?"
Tana answers his question by saying, "Yes, not too long ago."
Krista gets angry right off the mark bossing, "You're not trying to trail after him are you?"
Turning around like he's in a hurry Mycroft adds, "I'd better because he'll probably need my help!"
Without hesitation Mycroft keeps his move and disappears off in to the distance of the path they have formed recently. His only thought in mind is watching Jon's back the best that he can without him even knowing the slight of difference.
Then Ray speaks as they make their final steps towards the outside of the rock shelter, "What was that all about?"
Kelle blows the whole thing by leading, "Mycroft is heading back to give Jon a hand or something I guess."
Hether says, "He's scared or something."
Kay adds, "He should just stay here with us!"
Shantelle responds, "They'll be back after a while."
"Their wasting their time anyhow, I doubt anything will happen anyhow at night. If something were to happen it would be during the morning or early day," Ray shrieks to them tactfully.
Tana gets on the defensive right away because he doesn't think he's a professional combatant or something. He's nothing more than a domesticating farmer who has nothing else left in his farm which is a thing of the past. Going further with the affair, Tana includes, "And what makes you so sure nothing is going to happen around here?"
Ray explains himself by telling them, "We haven't been here long enough for anything. If something happens it won't be for a little while yet I would think."
Marianne approaches them and says, "Are you hungry, we found another spot for the pickers."
"Where's that?" Kelle asks as she reaches for some from her hand.
"Just down the rock canyon a little ways," she speaks with a soft gentle voice.
Tana starts to reach for some as well while Marianne allows her to take part of them along with Kelle.
Hether thinks they should take their ripe Pickens as she reaches for some saying, "Let's go their tomorrow."
Kelle turns from everyone and starts to head inside wondering where the others are right at about the moment, "Where is everybody?"
"Marianne says, "Most of them are inside getting settled in."
"Why so early?" Kay answers back straight away.
Marianne tells them the reason explaining, "They all were tired and thought only a few of us should stay guard in case something was to happen!"
Shantelle starts to yawn a little, "Maybe we should all turn in for the night."
Krista notices Marianne seems tired as well moping around the outside of the rock shelter without nothing more ado. Ray decides to take charge and offer them a chance to get some rest while he keeps lookout by himself for a while, "Why don't you all get some sleep while I keep the first lookout?"
Tana is ready to take him up on his offer by twiddling, "Who has the second watch tonight?"
Marianne interrupts Ray by scrambling, "Jayme's has the second watch?"
Ray then continues by adding, "And Nick will take the last watch until morning."
Kelle babbles on how she should get some sleep, although it must be a little crowded in there by instructing the others, "Maybe we should just try and rest out here for a change because it must be cramped inside."
Marianne decides that's a good idea because she is doing the same thing herself. She already has her blanket laid out off to the side, "That's a great idea. In fact go ahead and use my blanket if you'd like!"
Kay thinks about getting her blanket shrilling, "There's too many of us for one blanket anyhow."
Hether decides to get hers by saying, "I have another right out here next to my bag."
Ray gets a notion to ease their minds a little in order to settle them in by uttering, "You're all too easy, just let us three handle things!"
Back at the vine clothes line John hears a rustle behind him. With a quick response he focuses his senses listening for something that sounds like it is coming from behind him. Staying as quiet as he possibly can without mustering a single sound or noise he turns his head slightly in order to focus his eyes towards a slight ray of light which has shined its way past a cloud break within the moonlight. For a moment or so he thinks he can see something standing still which seems to be in a frozen pose of some kind. However he can't put a finger on it. Waiting a flash of a second longer he decides to call for Mycroft, although he can't seem to get any expressions out thinking that it could be an intruder or enemy.
Catching a winded breath with much adrenaline Jon gasps a few whistles by singing, "Whistle!"
It doesn't take long before Mycroft gives a whistle back whisking, "Whistle!"
Behind them Black Hawk the Hunter and Sky Hawk the Bird Snatcher are making a foot in a low sprinted position. Black Hawk stops and quos the others by putting his spear back against their sides. With this stakeout there is only the three of them eying the scene out before they take matters further in to their own hands. Pausing for a longer instant Black Hawk points his spear over to the gap between the trees with the vine clothes line tied across. A dim shriek of moonlight lingers over the trees and dims it way across the tops of many articles of clothing resting in the frigid air.
Penetrating and giving them away Jon calls to Mycroft once again by saying, "I told you to stay!"
Straight forth Black Hawk holds the others back for another short while trying to catch another ear full. Momentarily Mycroft declares, "I figured you'd need a hand!"
Lady Hawk scoots forward next to Black Hawk bossing, "Take that end, and I'll take this side!"
As quietly and brisk fully as she can Lady Hawk makes her way around the opposed side that Jon is stationed at waiting with his known trap. She remains within her low stance as she follows around a strip of reeds and grass that fill the field between the patches of foliage. Taking precarious steps she still seems to fumble a few broken twigs here and there without being able to help it that much. Nevertheless she's able to keep the crackling noises down without being heard so easily. When hunting she probably sounds no louder than any smaller game when creeping her way up for the chase.
The only thing separating her from Jon's position is the grass reeds which are richly planted in between the trees. As she reaches the tree where their line is tied, she stops and kneels down making sure she hasn't been seen. With her keen nightly vision she gets a partial view of the line as the clothes sparkle somewhat in the staggered moonlight that surpasses the clouds. On the other side she realizes the lineup is tied to the other tree at the beginning of a patch of trees a ways over.
Using the same approach Black Hawk and Sky Hawk come within reach of a neighboring tree where Jon is sitting so effortlessly quiet less. However they decide to stay frozen and hold their place.
Meanwhile Lady Hawk takes a few more paces in order to take a closer look at what's in store hanging out to dry. Once she gets on the forefront side of the tree she reaches higher and tries to follow the line down to the center of the opening in the field. She continues following the vine until she takes a hold of lower portion that she can walk with. A few yards down she feels an article of clothing.
SIXTEEN
Jon has a weird feeling at about this time and then notices the line moving slightly like something is pulling on it. Quickly without any further hesitation he takes a better hold of his spear and begins to step out from the tree with a giant leap. He lands hitting the ground making a loud stumble. This stirs Mycroft who starts to follow the initiative as well as fast as he possibly can without missing out on any of the action.
Immediately Jon gets back on his feet and catches his balance. Focusing in the darkness ahead he moves towards a dark object bluntly blurred in to the oblivion of darkness absorbing every little bit of light that shines in to it.
Lady Hawk lets go of the article of clothing which was hung all of the way over. It seems she missed her opportunity nearly. Then with a reflex of anticipation she grabs it again and misses as Jon approaches closely as quick as a blaze. Hurriedly Lady Hawk flees the scene by running back towards the tree behind her where the line is tied up at. Once she gets there she darts around to the other side and disappears in to the darkness. Jon stops and picks up the fur sheet that is lying on the ground below the clothes line that she failed to run off with.
About that time Mycroft comes running behind Jon and slows down blurring, "What happened?"
Jon leans back up with the blanket looking off in to the near darkness that separates them from their assailant that vanished blaringly. Glaring out into the vastness Jon answers, "Someone tried to steal something without being seen I think!"
A moment later Black Hawk and Sky Hawk maintain their stillness without giving themselves away at all. Ready to take a leave and abort the scene Black Hawk signals to Sky Hawk that they should go for now.
Jon continues looking off in to the distance while Mycroft turns around and hears another slight rustle, "I heard something over there!"
Jon understanding that they aren't alone declares, "They are all around us."
Mycroft glares out in to that direction contemplating, "Who are they do you think?"
Jon answers him back saying, "The dark people I guess. I think we should go back and tell the others."
Mycroft wonders if their stuff will be safe saying, "Can we leave our stuff?"
"I think we chased them off for now," he gibbers.
Right away they return to camp where Jaymes is on second watch at the time. Still trying to catch his breath Jon informs him saying, "We had a little quarrel someone tried to take a blanket out there!"
Jaymes asks, "Did you see them?"
Jon answers back declaring, "No it was too dark they ran off too fast!"
Jaymes adds, "What should we do?"
Mycroft thinks that they should just wait it out until the morning time when there is some sunlight, "Why don't we wait until everybody is up in the morning?"
Jaymes sits back down and decides to rest a moment saying, "We are safe here from them and I don't want to wake anybody. Nick is supposed to relieve me soon anyways."
Over on the other side Lady Hawk is talking to Black Hawk as a huge congregation of Hawks gathers around the fire they have outside her hut. Talking to Black Hawk she says, "We should strike back with more forces!"
Sky Hawk leaves the scene pronouncing, "Time to tell the others!"
Lady Hawk anxiously proclaims, "We leave soon!"
Backside at the shelter Nick is taking the end of the third lookout when many of the others are getting up. Hether and Kay come out hungrier than ever. Hether boshes, "I think it's time everybody gets up and gathers something to eat before we all starve."
Marianne wakes up from a slight nap jousting, "Its morning now, let's wake the others and I'll show you where some fresh Pickens are growing."
Marianne starts to wake up everybody outside while Kay and Hether head back inside the rock shelter to gather up everyone for another day of survival and settling in. Once everybody has been woken up and about Ray seems slightly agitated from a rough night's sleep saying, "So what's the plan for the day?"
Marianne informs them that they should all go with her to her fresh patch of berries she found yesterday, "I wanted to show everyone where we could get something to eat before anyone finds it."
Ray doesn't really think that is such a good idea that everyone should go along. He feels that a couple of them should stay back at the rock shelter to keep a watch at least. Keeping his thoughts in action Ray implores, "We all shouldn't go, and at least one of us should stay here and watch the place."
Nick gets an idea in mind by informing them all, "Why don't I go along with everybody and Jaymes and a few of you stay here and keep an eye on everything."
Mycroft agrees with him saying, "That's a great idea, how about Ray, Jon, Lara, Hilda and the kids stay here with myself while the rest of you get what you can and come back."
Rachael gets disappointed replying, "Why can't we go?"
Hilda takes her hand saying, "No, we have to stay here!"
Then Jon thinks about how they need to check up on their belongings hanging on the clothes line near the tree patch blotting, "Don't be too long because later I need to check up on our stuff out there."
Marianne eases the situation by saying, "We won't be too long, just long enough to bring something back."
Everybody waited for Marianne to start and lead the way to this place they had discovered recently. Once she began to walk heading her way down the trail everybody followed behind her. It wasn't long before they had all vanished out of sight over the rock shelter's crest of fallen rocks that surrounds the outside grounds. Jon gets eager to find out if anything has happened back there where they have been drying their clothes. Becoming more and more restless he shrills, "I think one of us should go and check up on our belongings out there while they are all gone!"
Ray isn't so sure that's a good idea anyhow. He feels they should wait until the others get back. However Mycroft begins to agree with Jon driveling, "He's right, we can't wait all day. Someone has to check up on things. The both of us should go get our stuff and bring it back here before the Dark people return and steal them all."
Ray agrees but thinks that they should be extra careful considering that they had a confrontation last night out there. Going the extra mile he waddles, "Okay, but don't spend too time much messing around. Just get everything and bring it back here."
Jon takes the initiative jousting, "Alright, we'll both go really quick and get everything we can muster by ourselves."
Jon and Mycroft grab a few empty fur bags and leave the scene as Ray and the little ones all stay behind at the rock shelter.
Once Jon and Mycroft are out of sight Ray asks Rachael and Clovis the Kid to help him around the place, "We should clean this place up a little while everybody is gone."
Rachael answers back asking, "And do what?"
Ray looks around the place and notices that everyone's bags and blankets are left around scattered slightly. Deciding to straighten them up a bit Ray instructs them both, "Let's just fold everyone's blankets up and make everything look neat and orderly, how's that for a change?"
Clovis the Kid and Rachael head back inside a ways in there and start to fold their own stuff first. Clovis the Kid says, "Well I'll start with my own things first."
Rachael adds a few words or two saying, "That sounds like a good idea!"
Nearly approaching the clothes line Jon and Mycroft arrive and start to take the articles down and place them in their empty bag they have brought. After taking down an article or two Mycroft hears a slight wrestle from behind him. As he turns Jon sees a figure emerge in front of him with an object of some kind piercing its way through the tall grass that surrounds the field all over. As Mycroft turns his head back faintly he notices a sharp object tied to a spear shaft with splotched red stains. Slowly without hesitation he places the article of clothing in his hand within the bag and starts to put his arms out saying, "Now what?"
Jon replies "Stay still."
Just about a second later Little Hawk points at Mycroft's back with her spear for them to move it bossing, "Move out."
Mycroft hesitates for a moment as his muscles seem to lock up from fright. Then quickly he feels the sharpness of a spear against his back as his nerves begin to tingle as Little Hawk squawks, "Go on, move it!"
Finally Mycroft gets the ability to take his first steps away from where he was standing towards many of the other Hawks who are standing all around them. Jon is sort of on the confused stage by now as he follows behind Mycroft with careful steps.
As they continue to walk together their bags of clothes are taken from them immediately by some of the other natives who are watching them very closely. Behind them they hear some more rustling as Jon turns around and notices other natives pulling their belongings down from the line.
Hurriedly Little Hawk places her spear up towards his face really fast with a slight twist making him turn back around facing Mycroft. Slowly but surely they are taken at spear point back to the camping ground which belongs to the Hawks.
By this time Marianne has showed everyone her new place for some fresh Pickens to grab. So far everyone seems to be eating more than they are saving for some reason or other.
Nevertheless there are more than they can get away with. As the others gaze around they see a mound of bushes with bluish boysenberries. Kelle takes another handful while Krista opens her bag saying, "Shouldn't we fill up our bags first so we can take some back?"
Kelle puts some in her mouth quenching her hunger replying, "I will once I get some for myself."
Krista answers back angry like, "Let's not think for ourselves."
Kelle starts to pick some for her back pack adding, "They just look so good and I can't help myself."
Nick starts to pick with Marianne putting some in his bag telling her, "We'll save these for our son."
Shantelle gets ready to take another handful when she looks up and notices a stranger staring at her carrying some sort of weapon responding, "Who are they?"
Before she can even move a muscle or get back a response a spear is put nearly in her face and the others are grabbed from behind and put under restraint. She looks around and notices how the others are muzzled by a hand and dragged back away from the others one by one. Krista puts up a fight as she lands her right foot back in to one of the native Hawk's heel and pushes her away. She starts to run as another female Hawk blocked her way just passed another few bushes planted just in front of her. Quickly she turns again and is blocked by a spear pushed up against her chest and is pushed back and covered by three nine inch spear points on all sides.
"Where did they come from so fast?' All of these thoughts have begun to rummage around in their heads as they are all slowly escorted away from there. While a few of them like Shantelle and Jaymes continue to make a struggle as another Hawk approaches from the far distant corner along with some domesticated dogs that don't seem to be too friendly either. With drooling lips and sharp jagged teeth they all start to fight their way from the leash that is being held in order to take a bite of any of them. Kelle starts to pull away as one of them tries to reach its front claws a little closer. Immediately the leash is pulled back and the bloody hound begins to take notice of another one along with the other varmint tide along.
Momentarily they are all under control as Sky Hawk points his spear forward slashing a few words, "Let's go!"
Without putting up too much of a fight Marianne and Hether start to walk a little taking their first steps. Leaning closer to Marianne in order to whisper in her ear Hether softly twiddles, "Where did they come from so fast?"
Marianne tries to get a reply back out bossing, "I don't know!"
Another one of the Hawks approaches quickly with his weapon shrilling, "Quiet!"
Being unprepared for the unexpected has finally caught their grip and has taken advantage of their opportunity recently. However the fight isn't over considering they are fighters who will really never ever give up.
Back at the rock shelter things are going well as everything has been straightened and cleaned up around the place. Lara and Hilda are sitting outside organizing their belongings as a shadow pierces their view from behind them looming over just and above their own personal shadow.
As Lara turns around she sees an arrow placed closely towards her neck and she then notices another one at Hilda's back between her shoulder blades. In a deep voice White Hawk slangs, "Get up!"
From inside Ray takes a look out and notices something of a bad nature at hand. In a short preoccupied accent he declares to the little ones directly behind him, "Find somewhere to hide. We have visitors!"
Clovis the Kid and Rachael follow up and do as told while Ray begins to take a closer look at the situation at dispense. Slowly without taking any devastating responses he takes a few more steps towards the outside noticing Lara and Hilda surrounded by outsiders who seemed very armed and well trained to say the very least. Forced to their feet Hilda gets a little bit on the defensive side by leaning down to grab her bag she has lying there by her feet. White Hawk quickly pushes his spear closer for a faked out jab as Ray takes a further advance towards the outside. Continuing to take another few steps passed the exterior over hang Ray hears a few rock crumbles below his left side. As he takes another footed march further he sees a dark image come nearer and nearer carrying a blunted projectile point from side to side that seems to have a tinge to it by some means.
Hastily devoid of any feelings he puts his hands out and dashes forward without any wavering holdup to the situation. As fast as he can like a ram charging the wide open he runs as fast as he can past them all and heads for a patch of trees down the canyon a few hundred of feet. Nevertheless Lady Hawk is suddenly on his trail like a cat after a mouse as he continues to run away and ditch the scene.
In shape enough to dash away Ray ran around everything he could find in his path. He scuttled around huge rocks imbedded within the canyon walls among the tree patches and he ran through every little scurry that curved its way through the valley floors.
It wasn't long before he came to an area where there were smaller trees stitching and pointing their way through the vale. As the vegetation had thickened he found it easier to take a look back to see if he had gotten away by now. But nonetheless she was hot on his trail, although he had some smaller trees rooted that were pretty numerous around the area with a heavy thickened planting. There were also some lower branches which were hanging all over and sprung pretty low towards the ground where he could pull on them and use them as a sort of sling to slow down anything behind coming along his path.
Getting very desperate he tries his idea by grabbing the next low hanging branch he sees just ahead about a foot or so. Pulling it along with him he slides his hand down to the end of it and snaps it back at her and hits her in the face slowing her down a slight bit. Reaching for another as he moves forward he pulls another one along as he slides it back and snaps it right at her in the chest area. Just up ahead a few yards is a much larger stem with some jagged kindling hanging from a tree. As he gets closer he looks back and does the same maneuver. However this time he lands it right in to her nose which nearly stops her for a second before she comes back with another angry response at will.
Hurriedly he takes a look backside to his rear and notices some blood to her face. Then he looks forward again to watch his step and then takes another look behind seeing her wipe a handful of blood away from her mouth.
Hastily without warning he looks forward realizing there is a sort of drop off ahead with water below at the end of his view. Boldly he takes a look back understanding he has no way to out run this person of another temperament. Without further reflex Ray moves faster forward and runs taking one large step leaping himself over the edge of a small cliff or over hang.
A moment later he lands in to an embankment of a waterway that has lots of water and also has a depth worth plunging in to. Once he breaks the fall nearly belly flopping on his stomach he sinks nearly twenty feet after holding his exhausted breath. Moments later he rises to the top and looks out to the side of the waterway and swims as fast as he can without stopping for anything.
After he reaches the river's edge he gets to his feet and looks a top the cliff hang just behind him on the other side. At the top is Lady Hawk looking down at him in disappointment. Angrily he gives her a bad sign and leaves the scene.
Below is a link to Hunted Gatherers subpage 5.