TWENTY ONE
Suddenly the sunrises for a new day while Lady Mammoth stands in front of her hut watching the sunrise. Momentarily she is thinking about the tasks of the day which are approaching faster and faster as she stares off in to the waking village of her people. At the moment she has challenging Lady Hawk for the freedom of the captives that are bonded by their evil and barbaric ways. As she looks around many of the other huts are coming alive as the tribe’s people exit their huts to start their daily tasks.
Glancing away from the other villagers, Lady Mammoth turns around to wake the others who are all standing there at the huts entrance watching her as she turns around and is excited by their surprised stare. Jolted for a moment Lady Mammoth says, “You all look ready?”
Anxious to get an early start in order to move on with their plans of today, Ray replies, “Yes, we are very ready, I couldn’t sleep too much thinking about them over there being held hostage!”
Rosalind looks at Lady Mammoth with a sense of security prompting, “Let’s go get our friends!”
Even more restless about going over there for Lady Mammoth to make the challenge is Brown Horn. She exits Lady Mammoth’s hut with some of the supplies that they will be taking along the excursion. She sets them down and starts to hand some things out to Rosalind and Ray preparing them before they leave.
Just then a few warriors of the Big Game hunter’s tribe approach Lady Mammoth’s hut ready to accompany them on the journey of the challenge. The first Big Game Hunter Chief named Big Horn is the first to speak as he approaches Lady Mammoth informing her, “We are here to accompany you on your journey with your challenge with Lady Hawk.”
The second Big Game Warrior Chief named Black Bull steps forward dressed in his war appendages of leather armor loaded with stone blades and knives. Giving Lady Mammoth the support she needs to fulfill the day with taking back their territory through subtle means, Black Bull says, “I am here to support you and back you up just in case anything goes wrong with the challenge.”
Just then he turns with his hand out towards the open area of the village with hundreds of other warriors from under both chiefs is waiting to accompany them as well on the crusade like excursion. Holding his hand in the offering of his army, Black Bull says, “My army is here as well as Big Horn’s ready to watch the fight and respond if anything erupts in to a war of trouble.”
Lady Mammoth looks around at everyone within their tribe as they all stare with a gleam of hope to the reality of saving themselves and their old territory from further persecution. Many of them are away from their families now waiting to better their hopes for their future generations of a united people of this territory.
While everyone stands there waiting to move on towards the Black Hawk’s camp, Black Bull signals for his army to move along. Just at that time Big Horn does the same by signaling his army to follow. Finally Lady Mammoth takes a deep breath and turns around with the realization that she isn’t alone at her challenge for the day, although Big Horn tends to lead the way along with Black Bull.
Ray and Rosalind follow behind Lady Mammoth as Rachael and Clovis the Kid see them off. Giving them the good luck they deserve Clovis the Kid says, “Don’t forget to comeback!”
Looking back and letting go of his hand, Ray replies, “Don’t worry, we’re not going anywhere! We’ll be back to see you soon!”
Hoping that’s the truth, Rachael lets go of Ray’s other hand adding, “I know you will!”
Just then Ray turns around as Rosalind says, “They look sad and probably think they will never see you ever again!”
As they walk away, Ray can hear Rachael comment, “They’ll be back, I just know they will be back!”
Answering back to Rachael’s comment, Clovis the Kid scrambles up, “I hope so, and this is like a nightmare.”
Changing her mind to another subject, Rachael says, “Let’s just go back and play with Little Elk and Caribou Lace.”
Getting further away, Ray says, “Sounds like you’re right; they probably think we will lose along with all of these Big Game Hunters that accompanying us along the journey.”
Soon Ray and Rosalind, as Rachael and Clovis the Kid redirect their motivations, focus their attention on their marching tribe that is reluctant to win back their territory for permanent claim. Rosalind looks around at the many different Big Game tribe warriors who are dressed in war paint and feathered plumages displaying their bravery and rank as a tribal mercenary. Many of them have initiation scars that are noticeable to her as she glances on down the line. Some of them have piercings that she has never seen before which shows their tolerance to pain such as ear piercings, lip piercings, and many facial piercing’s.
Another thing she seems to realize is that many of them look like they are only as old as it takes to reach puberty which is just before their teenage years. According to their tribal customs, once a member of their tribe reaches puberty and enters the rite of passage ceremony, they are considered an adult. And the same thing will be obvious with the warriors of the other tribe. Many of them are young to and are considered an adult around the time of reaching the rite of passage of puberty.
Looking to Ray to mention this fact to him, Rosalind says, “Many of the Big Game warriors look like young game warriors!”
Turning to look, Ray answers back telling Rosalind, “Yes, they do look very young, I wonder why?”
Staring and looking a few of them down, Rosalind notices that many of them have a similarity between them that she can’t quite put a finger on, although she quibbles, “Maybe all of them have reached a certain age in their life where they are considered in to adulthood.”
Right then, Lady Mammoth turns and tells Rosalind that she’s right by saying, “You’re right, most of the younger adults have recently had their rites of passage when they reached puberty and were considered adults. Of course, they’re not men until they make their first hunt and make a big game kill. Only then can they participate in the final ceremony where everyone partakes of his offering.”
Taking another fast look at all of them, Rosalind implores, “You mean, all of them have made a big game kill?”
Thinking to herself for a brief moment, Lady Mammoth answers, “All of them have made a Big Game kill to transform in to manhood through their rite of passage.”
Ray wonders if any of them have ever fought in a war or some other type of conflict of some kind. Gleaming at them all marching along both sides of them, he queries by asking, “Have any of them ever fought in a war of any kind?”
Looking them all over for a quick inspection and then turning back to Ray and Rosalind, Lady Mammoth responds, “Most of them have fought in a few scuffles and some are old enough and have fought when the Black Hawks first came and took our territory when they were in larger numbers. Luckily they are barbaric enough that their death rate isn’t much over three or four years of age. I know because we have had scouts witness their accidents over the years from long unseen distances.”
Wanting to get more insight on how old their death rate is within their tribe, Rosalind asks, “What is the young death rate age within your tribe?”
Interrupting Lady Mammoth’s answer, Brown Horn says, “The young death rate within our tribe is around the age of nine or ten when our children reach puberty and perform their rite of passage. Many of them don’t make it and end up becoming wounded.”
Ray breaks back in to the conversation adding, “That’s quite young you could say?”
Lady Mammoth answers telling them, “Our children get older than their children and thank God for that?”
Thinking about the trip over to the Black Hawk’s camp Rosalind asks, “So what’s the plan when we get there?”
Meanwhile Ray looks around at some of the other Big Game hunters realizing many of them are wearing trophies from their recent Big Game hunts. A few of the men are holding their trophies as they were good luck charms with the power of protection.
Many of them believe in needing the power of protection when hunting to keep the evil eye away. They also believe that the power of evil lurks in the darkness and that you must not kill an animal once it looks you down eye to eye. As he looks around he notices a difference in the way many of them are dressed with a different array of bone necklaces that they have made for a specific purpose.
With a response to Rosalind’s question, Lady Mammoth says, “When we get there watch out for the scouts they have in the trees as lookouts. They will see us before we get there. There will be a signal of horns when we are spotted. At that time only a hand full of us will go in to make contact and try and I will offer them a chance at a challenge or we will be forced to go to war.”
Right away, Ray wonders if they should make sure that their people are alright and not hurt or injured in any way. Bringing this idea to mind and to Lady Mammoth’s attention, Ray asks, “Shouldn’t we make sure that our people are alright before any challenge of any kind is made with them?”
Without any hesitation Brown Horn jumps in to the topic giving her piece of mind shrilling, “That sounds like a good idea. How do we even know that they are still alright? And if they are okay, how do we know whether or not they have been tortured and forced to speak of our secrets with our tribal affairs?”
Thinking to herself for a brief moment, Lady Mammoth replies, “We don’t; we have no way of knowing whether they are alright or whether they are injured. My guess is that they are alright because Lady Hawk would want to use them as a lure to her advantage.”
Wondering what Lady Mammoth means by that Rosalind queries, “What do you mean by that?”
With something to say in thought, Lady Mammoth says, “She took them to keep them prisoner in order to lure more of our people in to her trap.”
Describing in more detail the situation to them, Brown Horn conjures up, “She has a trap which lurks in the shadows as an evil darkness. She has a way of luring outsiders in to the dark shadows that she has left as a deceiving entity. Many of our tribes and other tribes have fallen to her evil traps. Many of the captives are forced to stay in a cave of darkness with only a front door made of bamboo bars to look through to see the sunlight.”
Giving even more detail to Ray and Rosalind about the conditions of the captives within the Black Hawk camp, Lady Mammoth expresses, “There are even armed guards with spears at the entrance watching constantly. It’s almost impossible to get to them without being seen according to Brown Horn and many of the other scouts.”
Knowing his friends and those who are held within the bondages of the Black Hawk camp, Ray insists, “I doubt they like that too much having guards there all the time watching when they are trying to figure out how to get out of there.”
While mustering up the pace forward, Lady Mammoth assures Ray, “Don’t worry; it won’t be that much longer before we arrive at the camp and this will all be over with soon!”
Flipping over to the Black Hawk camp we have the comrades being held prisoner within the dark cave that has been made in to a formal cage for their prey. Jaymes is watching the guards as one of them returns from a long night of celebrating with the Black Hawk Shamans that have been initiating other tribal men in to their ancestral religious practices. It was a big ceremony that was performed with many of the witch doctors and shamans of their community. Returning from a tired night one of the guards relieves the other for a nature’s call. Like a sleeping dog he looks at the captives in the barred cage and then starts to doze off a bit leaning his head over while slipping his spear down slightly.
Watching like an owl from a bird’s nest Jaymes turns to Shantelle informing her, “Hey look, he’s falling asleep and the other one went away to go to the bathroom.”
Shantelle looks wondering if it is a trap because the last time they even tried scraping at the ground to get underneath the barred gate they were caught and jousted with the spear a few times. Hesitating with even whispering back to Jaymes at this point, Shantelle says, “Are you sure it isn’t some sort of trap like the last time?”
Feeling almost positive that this is their chance to make a break for it, Jaymes balks, “This is our only chance while that guard over sleeps the dancing and celebrating off from last night. They were both trading off back and forth with a couple of other guards. I think they had a huge celebration of some kind. It was pretty rowdy.”
Looking around at the work Jaymes did trying to loosen the dirt up, Shantelle drivels, “How are we going to escape?”
Moving some loose dirt with his hand Jaymes informs Shantelle by saying, “Don’t tell the others, but I dug under the bars and put the dirt back. The excess is back there at the rear of the cave. It’s deep enough for us to slip out when nobody is looking or paying attention. And now is a perfect time for us to make a run for it!”
Thinking how that sounds really absurd, Shantelle asks, “When did you do this, when we were all asleep last night during that entire ruckus?”
Going back to the scene in his mind, Jaymes tells Shantelle, “Don’t worry; nobody knows. I waited until everybody was asleep and the guards were busy traveling back and forth between the villages.”
Feeling kind of paranoid about the whole ordeal of trying to get away and risk being speared from behind, Shantelle makes a brief comment while whispering so that the others don’t hear them both saying, “What happens when we get caught?”
Ready to fly out of there like a bat out of hell, Jaymes starts to quietly scoop the loose dirt away in order to try and slip out whispering, “They’re not going to catch us; they are too intoxicated from their celebrating to come after us.”
With the worst of outcomes on her mind, Shantelle says, “What happens when they do catch up to us? I’ll tell you what happens when they catch us? They’ll spear us, and then they’ll spear everyone else that stays because of us both!”
Stopping for a split second Jaymes looks at her and then the guard quibbling, “It’s now or never. I’m not staying around here to wait and see what they will do to all of us.”
Hesitating to go with Jaymes while holding his hand back, Shantelle commands, “No, I can’t let you do that?”
Disobeying Shantelle’s command, Jaymes starts to scoop the dirt away again answering a little louder than before, “What’s going to stop me?”
At the moment Jaymes looks over towards the guard, Shantelle reaches for a rock with one hand that she snuck in for protection. Quickly she lifts the rock up and then with two hands slams Jaymes in the back of the head causing him to fall face first in the soft dirt he had scraped and dug all night.
Quickly he pushes back onto his knees while knocking the rock out of her hand. Making a thump on the ground that remains unheard, Jaymes starts to dig the loose dirt faster with his hands. Nevertheless Shantelle tries to hold him back as quietly as she possibly can without mustering up any more noises, but it’s no use. As quick as a greyhound darting off the finish line, Jaymes continues to dig his way underneath the barred cave. Without stopping Shantelle pulls his arms back trying not to disturb the guard that seems to be either fast asleep or passed out. Moments later, Jaymes makes his way to the other side of the bars and starts to try to crawl underneath even though there’s not enough room. As he pushes his arms and hands through and looks upwards a Black Hawk guard comes from around the corner and then spear pushes against his nose and in to the ground.
Frightened and alarmed, Jaymes remains as calm as he possibly can without making even the slightest movement. While staying stationary and still, Jaymes hears a voice begin to crack as a few native words mumble past him. Hurriedly, Shantelle pulls on Jaymes’ legs dragging him back behind the bared cave. Just when Jaymes leans up another spear chuck jabs next to him right above the shoulder. Luckily the spear misses and the Black Hawk guard pulls the spear back while commanding, “Next time, I spear you in the head or gut, it doesn’t matter.”
Still catching his breath Jaymes leans back against Shantelle’s chest as the others wake aroused and startled. The Black Hawk guard turns around and heads back over to the front guard who is still dazed and confused to what had just happened. Angrily the antagonizing Black Hawk guard jumps in to the face of the staggering front guard yelling, “What are you doing, you almost let them escape!”
Unable to believe her eyes, Marianne stammers uttering, “What happened?”
Coming back angrier than before, the Black Hawk guard yells, “Cover that hole back up!”
Immediately everyone starts to scoop the pile of dirt back in to the hole while Jaymes continues to try and catch his breath. It takes several moments before the entire hole is covered. Making a good impression, Mycroft stands up and packs the dirt down with his feet on the prisoner’s side of the barred cave. Once the dirt is packed down and the Black Hawk guard doesn’t have to waste another gasp of his breath, he scuffs a hard puff of air while holding his spear and turns around and sprints away.
Still quite disembarked from the disturbance, Hether quills, “You both tried to get away without telling us?”
Pushing Jaymes away from her, Shantelle affirms to everyone, “I didn’t do anything; it was him!”
Trying to get to the point, Nick says, “You were helping him?”
Sticking up for herself, Shantelle argues back balking, “I wasn’t helping him; I was pulling him back from getting speared. I woke up and he was digging a large hole ready to crawl out without us!”
Hilda breaks in to the conversation assuring Shantelle, “Well, he’s your friend!”
Shantelle had no idea that something like that would happen. Defending herself against the bold attacks, she says, “Yes, he’s my friend but I didn’t think he would do something like that behind our backs.”
Telling the truth of the matter, Jaymes sticks up for Shantelle saying, “She didn’t do anything? I dug a hole last night while everyone was asleep and she woke up and tried to stop me, that is all.”
Marianne wonders if that is the truth asking, “Is that true, you tried to stop him, because the top of his head is bleeding. Did he get hit by the Black Hawk’s spear?”
Blurting out what really happened, Jaymes describes by telling them all, “No, she hit me on the head with a rock and then I knocked it out of her hand. Then I kept digging away and tried to crawl out until a spear landing in front of my face.”
Nick puts some wise sense in to the matter by driveling, “That’s what you get for trying to escape without telling anyone and risking getting all of us killed or speared to death.”
Mycroft can’t believe he even slept through most of the action saying, “I can’t believe you would even try something like that when you know there is no way to get out of here without being seen by some of the dark guards that are out there.”
Nearly going crazy in his scheming mind of his while deliberating with everyone, Jaymes says, “I just couldn’t take anymore and wanted to get out of here is all!”
Realizing that he is so selfish thinking only for himself and not the safety of the others, Marianne elusively declares, “You’re so selfish to risk all of our lives for your own and not to consult your friends first before doing something so stupid.”
Trying to think up an excuse to tell all of them, Jaymes answers back saying, “I wanted to tell you all, but I thought it would be better if I covered the hole up once I was across and went to seek help from somewhere!”
Rummaging through his brain quickly about how there is nowhere to go for help, Mycroft gibbers, “And get help where, there’s no one out there except Ray and the kids’ that I can think of because the rest of us our stuck here in this cave, and they aren’t here are they?”
Of course, the only one to answer Mycroft’s question is Hether replying, “No, they aren’t here, but that don’t mean we know where they are. We have no idea where they are, although I bet he will try and find help and hopefully find us before it is too late.”
Nick brings a fact to reality telling everyone, “And we aren’t even sure if they are still alive though either. They may have even been killed along with the kids back at the rock shelter.”
Redirecting the story over to the Big Game Hunters and Lady Mammoth as they enter Black Hawk territory, Lady Mammoth continues walking with the Big Game hunters as they near a quarter mile distance from a patch of trees used as look out towers by the Black Hawk scouts. Brown Horn gets ready to signal to Lady Mammoth that have entered to closely within their perimeter, nevertheless the Black Hawk horn sound making a loud sound that echoes throughout the whole entire outskirts of the camp.
The horn continues blowing with a low pounding warning that rings the ears of the Big Game Hunters along with everyone else. Quickly Brown Horn looks off in to the distance and sees a few Black Hawk camp scouts run back towards the center of the village. After a moment or two the fade away slightly as the Black Hawk villagers start to circle around in confusion like there was a battle was about to take place or like it were some sort of invasion. Bringing this to the army’s attention, Brown Horn shrills, “It looks like we have been spotted by the Black Hawk scouts from their towers.”
Regardless the Big Game Hunters muster the pace marching their way towards the Black Hawk camp while approaching closer and closer to the tree towers. Wondering if they should stop, Brown Horn asks aloud, “Should we stop here and wait for someone to come out and negotiate for them?”
Refusing to stop Lady Mammoth keeps up the pace while saying, “No, I want to catch them off guard so that Lady Hawk is unprepared for what is about to take place.”
Becoming anxious to win their land once again, Big Horn says, “We’ll keep marching until they form a line of resistance guarding the edge of their villages!”
At about that time Black Bull signals the right and left flanks to spread out and make a wall of soldiers around the edge of the Black Hawk camp. Just then a group of Black Hawk soldiers begin to make their way towards the main entrance of the Black Hawk camp. However there’s only so many with new recruits falling in formation from behind momentarily one after the other until even more start to pour in from behind some other lines of huts off to the edge. More and more soldiers continue pouring out from other areas of the village in unison.
After a few tense moments go by the Big Game hunters all stop and form a solid line with the leaders standing at the front ready to negotiate and make the challenge to free their people. Lady Mammoth steps ahead of everyone else while showing the initiative to make her offer to free the lands for her tribe and her people.
Matching up to the offense, the Black Hawk soldiers form a line holding their ground to the Black Hawk camp. Pushing her way through the crows come Lady Black Hawk holding her spear up with both hands like she were displaying her warrior qualities even though her match has been made through a forfeit. After pushing her way through her crowded and confused soldiers, she makes her way to the front of the line and stops to look around. Hurriedly she looks around and notices that her rivals Lady Mammoth and Brown Horn are standing fast ground before her with the Big Game Hunter tribe’s Army.
With a bit of embarrassment and fear in her eyes, Lady Hawk looks around at the size of the army that is confronting her village and she even looks to her people for a moment. As she looks around she hears her child Little Hawk crying in the back ground as her cries get closer and closer as her father Black Hawk carries her in through the crowd to see what the hustle is all about. When Black Hawk reaches the front line while holding their daughter, he looks around and realizes that something big is brewing against their ways of life and custom, and he also realizes how their culture and ways of life may forbiddingly change before another day turns by.
Meanwhile, a handful of Big Game Hunters have found where the prisoners are being held. Immediately the prison guards are surrounded by Big Game hunters holding their spears as they move in yelling “Drop you spear and get down on your knees.”
Both guards drop their spears and get down on their knees while dozens of spears are aimed ready to take a jousting blow at any moment. Right then, the gatherers are watching in awe and confusion wondering what the mix-up is all about. One of the Big Game hunters nears the barred cave saying, “Are you al alright, we’re your friends!”
Wondering who they hell they all are and making sure that they aren’t about to be overtaken by some other unknown tribe of savages, Mycroft queries, “Who are you then?”
As the Big Game hunter undoes the ropes holding the caged bars together, he tells them all, “We’re friends with Ray and Rosalind?”
With confusion Shantelle blurts out, “Rosalind with all of you, for reals?”
The Big Game hunter replies, “Yes, she’s here with Ray and the kids are back at our Big Game hunter’s camp! Come on let’s go, the fight is about to begin!”
The other Big Game soldiers take the prisoner guards away commanding, “Come on, let’s go, and move it!”
One of the guards starts to walk the way that the other Big Game hunter’s spear points saying, “Where you taking us?”
The other Big Game hunter answers the Black Hawk guard back saying, “To the fight!”
The other Black Hawk guard asks, “What fight?”
The other Big Game hunter informs the Black Hawk guard as he holds his spear behind driving the way imploring, “The challenge for this vast plentiful land that was once ours!”
The Black Hawk guard is curious about what he’s talking about asking, “Challenge between whom?”
The other Big Game hunters rejoinders, “The challenge Lady Mammoth is about to make with Lady Black Hawk for the return of our territories.”
Guessing at what fight the Big Game hunter escorting the freed prisoners is talking about, Hether asks, “What fight is about to begin?”
The Big Game hunter answers saying, “The fight between Lady Mammoth and Lady Black Hawk for the return of these lands.”
Looking out to the crowd, Marianne twiddles, “Is that why there’s a crowd over there?”
Mycroft glares at the crowd which seems to be getting larger and larger as more Black Hawk soldiers enter the arena. Approaching the two opposing forces and crossing over to the Big Game hunter side, Shantelle sees Rosalind towards the front line standing to the right of a tall barbaric woman whom happens to be Lady Mammoth. Getting her attention to make a peace with her long lost friend, Shantelle shouts, “Rosalind!”
Without any hesitation, Shantelle runs towards Rosalind with open arms saying, “I thought I lost you!”
Rosalind makes a caring comment back shrieking, “I thought I lost you two!”
Hilda immediately runs to the aid of Ray along with Lara who bickers, “What happened to you?”
Lastly Hilda adds a comment saying, “We thought you were lost or good for dead?”
Trying to explain things to the both of them, Ray tells them both some details saying, “Let’s just say after being chased out of the rock shelter, I met some friends and now it’s time to settle the score.”
“Settle the score with whom,” Hilda asks confused about the whole entire scenario still.
Trying to bring a light to mind, Ray tells her as the crowd starts to roar and it becomes harder to hear with the overbearing ranting and raving. Talking a little louder than before, Ray replies, “That tall woman there dressed in mammoth skins is going to challenge Lady Black Hawk who is standing there face to face with her.”
Starting to get in to it considering it involves their freedom as well as the Big Game hunters, Jayme’s blabs, “Looks like I tried to escape all for nothing.”
Interrupting everyone Brown Horn turns and says, “Quiet, don’t distract her from making the challenge!”
Meanwhile Lady Mammoth is staring down Lady Hawk who is standing there looking her back face to face and eye to eye. Slowly the crowd starts to quiet down momentarily as Lady Mammoth does nothing but stares her down as everyone remains calm and waits for something to spark between the two of the opponents.
While the spectators of both tribes wait for the initiative to happen as Lady Mammoth continues to stand there staring. Wanting to know what is up, Lady Hawk questions Lady Mammoth’s authority asking, “So what’s this all about, war?”
Trying to calm her nerves from realizing that she is about to lose her people and her land she had stolen from the Big Game hunters, Lady Mammoth challenges her declaring, “I challenge you to these lands!”
Marveling over what she really means, Lady Hawk asks, “You mean a fight, one on one. Winner takes all?”
Getting the message across to Lady Hawk, Lady Mammoth says, “Yes winner takes all, and then there will be no war. The loser has to move and find a new territorial migrating area for their people!”
For a second Lady Hawk looks back to her husband Black Hawk and her daughter Little Hawk who is being held by her father. Quickly she turns and looks back to Lady Mammoth enquiring, “Does this mean that anything goes?”
Of course, Lady Mammoth wants to have a clean fight without any weapons allowed. Soon Lady Mammoth rejoins, “Yes, anything goes except there are no weapons allowed.”
Lady Hawk answers back agreeing to the terms of the challenge saying, “Sure, I agree why not. There’s nothing like a challenge!”
TWENTY TWO
Suddenly a hard slap against the face of Lady Hawk as Lady Mammoth’s hand pulls back from a quick start. Then quickly she gets down in to a fighting wrestling stance as Lady Hawk pulls her hand from her face and shakes it off. The crowd backs up from all around on all sides as Lady Hawk follows suit with a sparring form of her own. Many of the Black Hawk soldiers raise their spears and slap them together to display the team support they have to offer. Meanwhile Lady Mammoth circles around trying to catch Lady Hawk off guard so that she can move in to try and wrestle her to the ground.
As Lady Mammoth turns her back towards the Black Hawk soldiers, a few pushes and shove are made to no avail. Quickly she turns and moves to the right forcing Lady Hawk to move to the left leaving an opening directly behind her where there are no soldiers blocking her tackling maneuver.
Immediately Lady Mammoth lunges forward Lady Hawk once she sees an opening giving her the upper hand. Lady Mammoth derived this technique through the many years of experience she has had fighting. In the past within recent years, Lady Mammoth has been kicked and jabbed when wrestling an opponent to the ground towards a crowd mixed with your own allies and opponents. She has even had her hair pulled and even wads of hair ripped out when wrestling with an opponent on the ground near a crowd.
Consequently Lady Mammoth leaps in to her abdomen while locking both arms around her waist, although Lady Hawk reaches her arms over her back and around her stomach lifting her nearly off the ground upside down but falls back from Lady Mammoth’s heavier weight. With a fast upward lunge Lady Mammoth grabs ahold of her leg and stands up. As Lady Mammoth stretches her head to the sky, Lady Hawk’s left leg slips causing her to somersault flipping over and landing upright on both legs.
Then Lady Hawk turns and faces Lady Mammoth back in sparing mode. Lady Mammoth shrugs her shoulders and then follows suit by putting her arms up making them ready to block a punch or another wrestle with Lady Hawk. While staring Lady Hawk down her back is pushed forward as the side of a spear bounces off of her back. Lady Mammoth hesitates for a moment. Then a handful of dirt and rocks are thrown at her by Black Hawk soldiers.
The Big Game hunter soldiers follow suit as one hits Lady Hawk on the shoulders with the blunt end of their spear. Then Brown Horn becomes angry and throws some dirt towards the side of Lady Hawk’s face. Rosalind becomes even more agitated causing her to approach Lady Hawk and push her from behind. The crowd roars as both sides of the stance begin to bang their spears together again.
Many of the Black Hawk soldiers begin to show their warriors qualities by making dueling stances with their spears. They stand upright with a sturdy posture while holding their spears outright with both hands. Even a couple of small scuffles happen as Lady Hawk jumps at Lady Mammoth with a side kick that is blocked by her right hand. Lady Mammoth knocks her knee down holding her kick while trying to grab ahold of her fur over shirt.
Nevertheless, Lady Hawk pushes away and moves her arms back in to position ready to leap in to another scuffle. Just then Lady Mammoth sees the chance at taking her down in to another opening where she can possibly wrestle her to the ground pinning her down. Of course, their nature of fighting is more or less compared to that of a Cave Woman fighting. The only difference is that this fight is a fight of basic skills where weapons aren’t allowed. However they fight in a similar notion to that of a Neanderthal with a club, except for the fact that their clubs aren’t allowed in this brawl.
With a fast leap forward, Lady Mammoth jumps at Lady Hawk and grabs both of her arms pulling them together in a crossing motion. As fast as she can Lady Mammoth pulls her left arm over with her left hand underneath her right arm throwing her at her right side. Quickly Lady Mammoth smacks the back of her head with the back side of her right forearm lunging her to the side of her. Then she gives a hard back kick to Lady Hawk’s back making her fly in to the crowd of spectators. The spectators have kept to their sides the best that they possibly could without mixing too much, although there are a few scattered patches here and there from all of the commotion and outside sparing.
As she falls in to the staring crowd while losing her balance, a couple of her Black Hawks catch her fall lifting her back to her balance so that she can turn around. Nonetheless there are a few Big Game hunters within a few feet who give a daring kick to Lady Hawk’s rear. Angry she pushes one leg away really fast like and then turns again to Lady Mammoth who signals for her to come closer.
Tired and out of self-esteem already from all of the vaster blows of the angry crowd, Lady Hawk scoots her feet closer trying to get a better stance before charging her. Taking form, Lady Hawk takes a deep breath and holds it. Then she exhales and takes another deeper breath before jolting ahead with both arms out ready to grab anything she can get a grip on. At the moment she makes contact, Lady Mammoth blocks her grab and they both end up struggling around like two aikido students impressing their sensei with a rough girl fight in the dojo.
While struggling, they both tend to wrestle with their arms locked throwing them both in circles as they are more inclined to discover each other’s real strength. Still they both seem to try and trap each other by locking their arms in order to try and throw the other one down either by forcing the other down or trying to flip the other. Furthermore they continue to struggle as Lady Hawk sticks her right leg behind Lady Mammoth’s left leg nearly tripping her down.
Lady Mammoth lands on her right knee hitting some small rocks which makes her angrier. As fast as a Big Game tackler she pulls the lock on her arms down causing Lady Hawk to tumble directly over her losing her balance completely falling down on her stomach with her right leg out. Without any hesitation, Lady Hawk rolls over and kicks Lady Mammoth in the side with her right leg again as fast as she possibly can before she gets up. Lady Mammoth falls back on her hands leaning over. Quickly she pushes up and lifts herself up enough to make a scrambling tackle jumping on top of Lady Hawk before she rolls over again to get back on her feet.
Lady Mammoth immediately tries to pin her down by sitting on top of her while holding her arms back. Then Lady Mammoth wraps one of her arms around Lady Hawk’s neck nearly being her in a neck lock, although Lady Hawk manages to lift her right leg up over her shoulder and passed the side of Lady Mammoth’s head. Struggling further as Lady Mammoth tries to continue placing Lady Hawk in to a neck hold; she quickly gets her right foot up against the front of Lady Mammoth’s face. As fast she can with all the energy she can gather, Lady Hawk gives one hard shove pushing Lady Mammoth down on her back and breaks the arms lock sliding and scooting away from her.
Right away Lady Hawk gets back on to her feet and stands back up. Of course, Lady Mammoth tussles doing the same trying to get back up on her feet while turning around at the same time with the changing crowd that is constantly moving around. After Lady Mammoth stands up, she turns to Lady Hawk who is feeling some scraps on her chin that seem to be bleeding a bit. She also has many scrapes and bruises on her legs already from the rugged ground that they are wrestling on. Catching the drift from Lady Hawk pampering herself, Lady Mammoth looks at her arms that has a few nicks and scrapes as well. She even looks down to her side noticing a large bruise on her hip from Lady Hawk’s hard kick from her right leg.
Meanwhile Lady Mammoth’s comrades and Big Game hunter friends give her some helpful cheering that seems to root her on spiritual giving her even more energy and drive to accomplish the task. Nevertheless Lady Hawk’s Black Hawks are doing the same. They are displaying their signs of barbarism by cheering and applauding Lady Hawk back in to the fight with a little more charisma than before.
This time Lady Hawk stares Lady Mammoth down for a split second before charging her. Quickly she runs at her with lots of anger while giving a load warrior like roar. Lady Mammoth gears up while she approaches with increasing speed. As she nears, Lady Mammoth slides over to the side and sticks her leg out trying to trip Lady Hawk. Lady Hawk sees it coming and jumps over with no problem.
Lady Hawk runs passed her a few feet and turns again. Lady Mammoth turns as fast as she can as well making sure that she is out of the way of any tags. Still in a fighting frenzy, Lady Hawk Charges at her once again. This time Lady Mammoth is a little less prepared. Lady Hawk makes contact with both her arks outwards. Hurriedly she pushes Lady Mammoth who tries to block by grabbing her arms, although Lady Hawk pushes her towards her and takes a hard punch. Without much of a block Lady Mammoth absorbs a hard punch to the chest.
Lady Hawk’s fisted hand bounces back from her muscled chest with quite a hard crack. Lady Mammoth shrugs for a second before Lady Hawk holds her hand which seems to hurt from some type of armor that she may have under her leather hides that she is wearing. While Lady Hawk holds her fist with the other hand and takes a step back, Lady Mammoth smiles and puts her right hand on the top of Lady Hawk’s head and then she gives Lady Hawk a hard slap in the face with her left hand.
Lady Hawk staggers for a moment as the visions in her eyes begin to flicker in and out like she had the lights knocked out of her. Luckily Lady Mammoth gives her a second to come to her senses. After another moment or so, Lady Hawk gains her sight back and glances at the crowd over Lady Mammoth’s shoulder as they all march and maraud around displaying signs of courage and enthusiasm. Then she looks to Lady Mammoth who is still staring her down like a falcon zooming in on its prey from the skies above.
Like a hawk about to be consumed by the carnivorous treacheries of its own avian species within the group of birds of prey, Lady Hawk takes another quick leap forward towards Lady Mammoth who slaps her once again with the other hand. This time Lady Mammoth only nicked her though as Lady Hawk apparently tackles her to the ground as the crowd starts to go wild and crazy.
Immediately Lady Hawk blocks both her arms with her left arm. Then she starts to jab Lady Mammoth repeatedly with her right arm time after time. After a couple of fast hard right hand punches, Lady Mammoth pulls her arms free and blocks Lady Hawk’s punches while protecting her face. At that time, Lady Mammoth places her right leg just over her shoulder again pushing Lady Hawk down to her left side.
In a rapid turn of tide, Lady Mammoth seems to force herself in to control by rolling over on Lady Hawk. Once she gets over top of her, Lady Mammoth socks a couple of good punches right on the left side of the face with her right hand and then wraps her right arm around her neck. Swiftly Lady Mammoth succeeds at getting Lady Hawk in to a head lock with her right arm as they face opposite directions.
The fans of Lady Hawk’s start to get excessively angry with louder cheers trying to root her on to free herself from the clutches of bad luck. Many of them try getting in the face of Lady Mammoth who continues on with a tight hold leaving Lady Hawk nearly breathless. Regardless of what they all try she maintains a straight face and refuses to give up her guard letting go of the neck lock. Moments later the Big Game hunters move in to break up the distractions of the Black Hawks.
Becoming increasingly more desperate, Lady Hawk is able to slip her left hand underneath Lady Mammoth’s right arm. Once Lady Hawk catches her breath, she succeeds at slipping not only her hand, but her entire arm underneath breaking the hold with the head lock. After breaking completely free from Lady Mammoth’s clutches, Lady Hawk seems to squirm out of the hold and pushes her off slightly. Then Lady Hawk gives a hard shove with the right leg trying to push away from her.
With a change of heart Lady Mammoth gives her a chance to catch her breath leveling up the score of the game. Soon Lady Hawk makes it back to her feet while still trying to catch her breath for a brief moment. This is where she begins to become even angrier with the outcome of the fight. So far everything she has foreseen and dreamed of within the confrontation with Lady Mammoth has turned out for the worst.
Nevertheless she keeps of the determination to look back at her people with a sense of reality and the feeling of surprise that has overwhelmed her friends and family. Momentarily she looks back to Black Hawk her husband and Little Hawk her daughter who have a look of near shame within their eyes at the present instant. Catching an eye for inspiration, Lady Hawk takes a glance at her family for the last bit of hope before turning back passed the crowd with turning eyes. Feeling like she were in a panning shot within a motionless dream, Lady Hawk begins to feel in superior like Lady Mammoth were toppling over her in a dominating shot of a camera to say. Here Lady Hawk feels very insecure as she looks up and over to her staring back at her with maddening and red shot fuming eyes.
In Lady Hawk’s mind, Lady Mammoth seems like a wooly mammoth ready to strike back for some revenge of great loss. The heavy breath from her mouth is very threatening and daunting as she contemplates the next move almost like it were a game of chess which is based on strategy, although their minds aren’t that intuitive as of yet. Nevertheless Lady Hawk anticipates what her next move should be considering that nothing else has been working so far.
While they zoom in on each other with a sense of radar like they were both hunting one another, the crowd starts to become impatient. A few Black Hawk warriors nudge Lady Mammoth from behind with the side of the spears. Stepping forward a pace or so, Lady Hawk becomes fearsome as a few Big Game hunters make their way behind her doing the same. As Lady Hawk takes a step forward, Lady Mammoth sprints towards her like a bull bronco busting its way from a rodeo corral.
Ready for action after taking a deep breath, Lady Hawk waits for a second before crouching down just before Lady Mammoth makes full body contact. Immediately Lady Mammoth seems to topple over Lady Hawk as she rises upwards trying to flip her over. Anyhow with no prevail, Lady Mammoth rolls over her back landing on her feet giving a push back. Lady Hawk loses her balance for a split moment before receiving a hard kick to the back from behind.
Instantly Lady Hawk falls forward toppling towards the crowd without falling though. Quickly she grabs on to a Big Game hunter by mistake and is pushed away as she turns back to the fight. When she turns, she catches a mirage like view seeing double. Once she focuses recognizing the crowd, Lady Hawk is met by a hard sucker punch by Lady Mammoth to the bottom of her chin which causes her to nearly black out for a moment. A hard crackling sound is heard even though Lady Mammoth’s hand tends to feel the pain from it a bit. With a rush of adrenaline and another catch of a wind, Lady Hawk takes a chance with a drop kick that lands a hard breathtaking slam from Lady Mammoth’s breath. Yet she doesn’t fall as she bends over from having the breath knocked out of her.
The crowd goes wild as the fight takes a turn for the worst or maybe for the better depending on who is being rooted for through the loud cries of the onlookers. Lady Hawk lies there for a moment after landing on the ground. While lying there trying to catch another breath, she tries to scoot away just in case her opponent was to react in some sort of hurried retaliation. Before backing away, she turns noticing a few Big Game hunters blocking her escape forcing her to face up to her endeavors.
As Lady Hawk looks back the other way, she is met again by Lady Mammoth who jumps on top of her again quickly trying to pin her to the ground. This time Lady Hawk was unprepared for such a surprise. It seems that Lady Mammoth has caught her by chance and has taken control of the fight. Hurriedly Lady Mammoth pins her down using her knees with Lady Hawk’s face stuck in her crotch.
The crowd goes hysterics as Lady Hawk gasps for air after a moment or so. Nonetheless Lady Hawk tries to push her away with her hands by pushing upwards, though it looks as if Lady Mammoth is too heavy for her or her energy has been expended. Continuing to struggle for a breath Lady Hawk starts to scratch her back with her nails. After a moment or so she scratches even harder trying to dig underneath Lady Mammoth’s skin.
With an angry reprieve Lady Mammoth has decided she has had too much to handle for a fight especially with one of the largest crowds of spectators she has ever seen. As fast as she can she holds her face with her left hand while cocking her right arm back for a hard fisted punch to Lady Hawk’s nose. Immediately a loud snap is sounded as Lady Hawk’s nose has been busted wide open with blood pouring forth.
Figuring she has most likely won and if not she is ready for anything that may come her way in the form of a retaliation, Lady Mammoth decides to let off and stand up letting her grips on Lady Hawk go for the time being. As she stands Lady Mammoth is met with a huge roar coming from her Big Game hunter allies who have been waiting for this instance for quite a long time now.
When she looks to the crowd she glares at the Black Hawk soldiers who are deeply depressed by the loss. Lady Mammoth turns to Lady Hawk’s family who is staring at their loved one lay there defeated. Black Hawk looks to Lady Mammoth with a sense of awe as she turns her eyes away down towards Lady Hawk who starts to try and get up. With the nature of being a good sport, Lady Mammoth decides to give her hand out by helping Lady Hawk back up with a sort of apologetic feeling with it.
Slowly Lady Hawk accepts her lending hand and apology in a strange way considering that she has tried all she could to oppress these lands and squander the game that these migratory territories have had to offer. Within another couple of seconds Lady Hawk makes her way back on her feet. Soon the fight has ended and Lady Hawk nods her head at the bout that she has lost and stands there motionless for another moment before turning to her family who comes to her side.
The crowd continues going wild for a few more seconds before it quits down to where Lady Mammoth can agree on the settlement of the terms with the fighting pact. Quickly she approaches Lady Hawk within a few feet asking, “So are we at an agreement with the fight?”
Lady Hawk stops and turns while she still has smudges of blood all over her face. Her husband turns as well as the crowd watches for an answer. Many of the soldiers stop what they are doing to listen in on the verdict of the outcome. In a sort of drained mood about the whole entire situation, Lady Hawk replies, “Yes, we have an agreement!”
Glad that they both have an understanding about the aftermath of the arrangement, Lady Mammoth says, “Good, then I want you and your tribe to leave the territory and find new hunting grounds along some other migratory region. And you are not to return to the lands and your people are not to return to hunt any of our game within the territory that is now once ours again.”
The crowd listens in on Lady Hawk’s answer as she barley thinks about it retorting, “Yes, we will move back to our old territory immediately.”
Excepting her reply, Lady Mammoth says, “That’s acceptable, but do not make the mistake of returning to these grounds again or there will be war.”
Lady Mammoth turns to Black Bull and Big Horn who both approach with a different idea on their minds. It seems that isn’t good enough for them. They’d rather see Lady Hawk and her family exile from her family. Lady Hawk and her family depart with the embarrassment of losing on her mind. When Lady Mammoth greets her Big Game hunter friends up closely, Black Bull says, “We’d rather see her exile from her people so that we can ensure ourselves the preservation of these lands!”
Big Horn looks to her leave like she has had quite a defeat to face up to relinquishing, “Hopefully they will move far away and we won’t see them again!”
Looking back for a last time Lady Mammoth tells both of her Big Game Warrior leaders, “Don’t worry, she will exile and leave her tribe after the loss of her leadership!”
Soon the others join as a group who has won the battle gaining back their freedom and their migratory hunting grounds. As they all gather Mycroft comments, “Looks like your people will soon have more land to live and thrive on!”
Lady Mammoth replies, “Yes, my people will begin to enjoy their lives once again without their persecutions!”
Thinking about where they are going to live, Mycroft asks out loud to everybody, “Does that mean that the rock shelter is back open again?”
Finally Kelli gets back in to the conversations of things since she has been sort of quiet through this whole entire ordeal, saying, “Great, maybe we can wash our close again without getting them all stolen.
Of course, Hether agrees that things will be better the next time around babbling to them all, “Yes, maybe we can hang our clothes out without having to watch our backs all of the time.
With thoughts of cultivating and gathering Marianne shrills, “It will be great when we can gather food without worrying about others trying to spear us and take us hostage!”
Jaymes talks about trying to grow a garden saying, “Maybe we can start to grow food and domesticate some animals once again like back at home.”
Lara looks to Brown Horn wondering what she will do asking, “So what will you do Brown Horn now that you don’t have to scout on them Black Hawks anymore?”
Lady Mammoth buts in for a second informing, “Oh, we still have to scout on them until they move from our hunting grounds. I will keep a few scouts within a miles distance on the nearest high elevation to ensure they all depart these territories.”
With the thoughts of her pilgrimage on her mind, Brown Horn discloses her future plans now saying, “Soon I will join back to my plans with my pilgrimage to head west following some the migratory bison herds heading out west.”
Rosalind wonders if she will ever return afterwards questioning her, “Will you ever return?”
Brown Horn answers her question saying, “Yes, when the migratory herd that I follow returns to these lands I will rejoin my people!”
Deciding that it is time to gather her people and return to their tribal lands of old Lady Mammoth commands, “It’s time for us to return home and to begin rebuilding our old villages that we have lost to the Black Hawk clutches.”
Ray gives some last words saying, “And let’s start to build some new ones while we are at it!”
THE END