New Critters

Dag had stayed behind during the next hunt. He had projects he was in the middle of completing, and Ajax was wanting to take the lead. So, he decided to sit one out and see how the young man did. He was inside working on polishing stone axes when he heard the conch shell sound. He set aside his work and reached for his bow.

He hoped it was the hunters returning and not some unknown threat, but wasn’t willing to leave without the bow just in case. As he topped the wall, he saw Jill waving at him. He joined her and looked out to the area of beach she indicated.

“I can’t see who it is, but I want to say it is our hunters returning. They have animals traveling with them, and none of the clans capture live animals yet,” Jill said, but her face was still all screwed up as she squinted hard in an attempt to make out faces.

Dag grunted, “Probably, but I’ll go out to meet them. Send you up a couple more archers while I’m at it. Cover me, if they are another clan, and advanced enough to have domesticated animals, we don’t want to be caught napping.”

When Dag finally was in sight of the group, he realized that it was Ajax, but that he wasn’t alone. It was a whole clan coming with him. Frustrated that the boy would bring strangers without any warning, he closed in on him. “I see we have guests?” he asked, and could barely keep the irritation out of his voice.

Ajax nodded and grinned at him. “Dag, this is Bren. He and his clan have had a run of bad luck, and were chasing down the same herd we were. We joined forces for the hunt. Their people have helped to process much of the meat. It let us go back out, and I have a surprise for you.”

Dag forced a smile on his face as he greeted Bren. “Welcome to our home.” He shot a look at Ajax, “You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?” Ajax flushed but didn’t say anything in reply. As Dag’s eyes roamed over the ragged group of people, he thought he could see the reason that Ajax was so excited to bring them home. There was a young blonde woman in the mix, that Dag later learned was Bren’s younger half sister. The blonde hair being so incredibly uncommon in this area, that Dag knew even dirt covered as she was, she had caught Ajax’s attention. Probably that of every man on the hunt as well.

When they made it back to the castle, Dag stopped everyone outside. “Ajax, take the new animals to the paddock that we built, and take our guests to the bath. They look like they could use a chance to get some rest. Then, I want you to hightail it back up this way. I’ll need someone who speaks the local language like a native.” Ajax ducked his head in obedience and ran off to carry out his orders.

Dag turned to Bren, and motioned with his hand, “This way, please.”

Bren’s eyes were bulging out of his head as he took in the castle with its high walls and towers, and he gaped uncomprehendingly at the presence of the water wheel. When he was taken in out of the heat and sat at the table and chairs that Dag had built for the purpose of impressing Hendden the next time he came by. The inside of the tower was a good fifteen degrees cooler than the outside air, and the girls showed up with cool water and dishes of broiled fish almost as they sat.

Dag hid a smirk as Bren’s eyes were wide in appreciation. Furniture was new to him, as were the ceramic dishes and cups. Jill joined them after a few moments, with Lavern waddling beside her. Dag smiled at Lavern as she came over to kiss him. Dag smiled, “Bren is the chief of the clan that Ajax joined in a hunt with. Bren,” he pointed to Lavern and then Jill, as his hand indicated each woman he said, “My wife, Lavern, and Jill. Jill often takes care of the castle watch while hunting parties are out.”

Jill translated for Dag, and Bren’s eyes went wide with incredulity. Jill was not much over four foot tall, and if she weighed more than seventy-five pounds, it would be because she was carrying a brick. Dag could see that Bren wanted to say something. Likely something that would get him in hot water with Jill, but Ajax’s arrival saved him. “All taken care of boss.” Ajax said with a grin. He joined the four of them at the table and sighed dramatically when the girl Dag had named Sandy came in bringing him water and food.

Sandy giggled at his antics and scurried out of the room. Ajax reached into his plunder bag that he had taken to wearing over his shoulder and pulled out a tiny puppy. Looking barely old enough to have been taken from its mother, Dag wondered if he would need to supply it with some of the sheep’s milk for a time. Ajax presented him with the puppy, “You had said you wanted to domesticate these, this is one of five we collected.”

Dag grinned and handed the small critter off to Jill, who was now more than distracted from whatever Bren had been about to say. So Dag turned back to the man who appeared pretty young to be a chief, but such things did happen from time to time. “So, who wants to tell me the tale?” he asked with a fake smile plastered on his face.

◆◆◆

Bren

Dag sat back in the chair and rubbed his now full stomach. “That was one hell of a tale. A good hunt, with the puppies as a bonus.”

Ajax nodded, “Bren’s people were a big help. With the hunters out with our drivers, we drove more animals into the kill box. It let us make the most of every archer we had. With the ladies of their clan to help with the prep work, there is almost nothing that needs doing now except pulling the strips out of the salt and hanging them to smoke.”

Dag looked back over to Bren, “So, other than a share of the meat, what is it you hope to get out of this?”

As the translation hit him, Bren winced slightly. “My people have had a hard go of it since my father died last month. Four other hunters died on the hunt with him, which left me with myself, three experienced hunters, and a half a dozen half-grown boys like Ajax there. Of course, seeing what an impressive hunter Ajax is, I just wish I had a half dozen of him.” He smiled at the younger man, and Ajax blushed.

Dag frowned, “Are you looking to stay for a visit to regroup, or are you looking to stay on full time?”

Bren shrugged, “Can you give us a couple of weeks’ rest to start? I believe our share of the meat will more than cover that time.”

Dag rubbed at his face, “Yeah, I think we can do that. Do you have tents?”

Bren looked at him, confused. Dag let out a long sigh, “Ajax, they are your guests and your responsibility. Head down to the village and get them settled in. You can use the tents we use on our hike to the gathering if you want to.”

He was barely done speaking when Shirley arrived with baby on her hip. Ajax smiled and kissed her, but just explained the job he was given, while he and Bren dashed off to see to the visiting clan.

When they were gone, Dag looked to Shirley, Lavern, and Jill, “So, what do you think of our guests?”

Jill smiled, “Bren is kinda cute.” Lavern and Shirley both laughed and teased Jill.

Dag sighed, “Look, I need a threat vs. value assessment. Is allowing them to stay worth the risk they pose?”

Lavern leaned over and hugged him, “Easy honey, we know what you meant. We were just having a little fun.”

Dag took a deep breath and let it out slowly, “Sorry, this was just a surprise that I really didn’t need today. I mean, on the one hand, they paid for themselves in the food they helped bring in, and they seem to be hard workers. On the other hand, even their reduced numbers put them on the same level with us, when you figure out the people we have at the Gathering Fort and River Port.”

Jill sighed, “You forget about us. I’ve kept the girls’ training. Even though they may not be able to draw the more powerful bows, every one of my original girls can hit a man’s face with an arrow from fifty paces.”

Dag leaned over and kissed her on the top of the head, “I haven’t forgotten you, but I don’t count them in the town defense. You’re my secret weapon.” He winked at her, and she brightened. Dag let out a groan, and stood to go to the much smaller bathing pool inside the castle walls, “I suppose I already agreed to a couple of weeks. We can see how they fit in and decide more from there. Keep an eye on them though Jill. You’ll be able to do that easier than any of the others.”

Bren Immigration

Recovering

Bren’s people soon learned just how much they loved tents and a dip in the ocean in the heat of the day. Dag wasn’t sure that bathing meant that much to them, but as it was the social event every evening, they joined in with the others. The women of his clan did seem to approve of the shell combs the other ladies shared with them, so perhaps he was being a bit hard on them.

Either way, the first week they rested as much as they could, considering that they all pitched in to help with various projects as well. They weren’t fast workers, nor very skilled, but Ajax had said that it was mostly because they weren’t used to the work, and some of them didn’t really understand the connection of what they were doing with the easier life they were living. Some thought that they were just living off of their last hunt, not realizing that pouring water on trees and feeding animals meant that they would have food in a few months. They just hadn’t adapted to thinking that far ahead.

Dag understood that it was going to take time and experience to broaden their time horizons a bit. As long as they were willing to do the work without complaint, they could didn’t need to understand the why until later. Even so, he noticed Jill had glued herself to Bren and was quite confident that between making eyes at him, she was explaining how things worked. He still wasn’t sure if they would make a good long-term addition, but he couldn’t complain about their conduct so far.

Their other new immigrants all seemed to be adapting well enough. Dag had put the pups in the nursery with the toddlers. He figured it was a good way to raise them together, so the pups got it in their head that the two-legged puppies were part of their pack too. The kids also enjoyed the little beasts feeding them scraps and socializing them to being around people. Dag wasn’t sure how he was going to teach them to hunt with people, as he was no animal trainer, but having them around would be of a help, even if it was only an early warning system for potential invaders.

The new livestock that had been brought in from the last hunt had brought their numbers up high enough to concern him about feeding them all through the lean times. He needed to move some of them to another area so that they could find enough grazing. He just didn’t want to further weaken his position. He didn’t think Hendden would come back with people for a raid, but his story would eventually make it to others who might. He could stand to lose an outpost or two in a crunch, but he could not end up facing a siege behind these walls for any length of time. Even the cisterns that they had dug and the brackish well wouldn’t be enough to support their current population for long if someone filled in their canals.

◆◆◆

Discovery

At the end of the week, Dag found himself eating dinner with Bren. Despite his concerns, he found himself liking the young man. He was in a bit over his head, having the clan dropped on him unexpectedly, but he was putting his all into making the best of it. Dag could see that Bren genuinely admired what he had been able to accomplish for his clan, and either wanted to join up, or at the very least do likewise for his own clan. He would feel better about it all if he knew what the man had planned, but for now, he just spent a little time getting to know him, and pass on a few useful tips where he could.

As dinner wound down, Dag leaned close to Bren, “I told you that you could stay here for your two weeks and recover, and I will honor that pledge, but if you and your hunters are ready, I think I might have a job for you, if you want it that is...” He trailed off watching for Bren’s reaction.

For Bren’s part, he was mostly confused. He had thought that they had been helping out. “What sort of job?” he asked warily.

Dag grinned, “No reason to look like that.” He gave a small laugh, “I just need someone who can explore around the area a bit for me.” Dag waved all around him, “I have a hard time getting away myself. Every day that I am not here, it is a day less of improvements like the waterwheel.” Dag brought it up, because he knew Bren had found it the most amazing of his accomplishments. “I don’t like sending out Jack and Ajax either, because as much as they have accomplished, they are still just boys.”

Bren relaxed and nodded, a small smile creeping over his face. “Yes, I have those too. Not as accomplished as your boys, but still not grown men.”

Dag nodded, “So, you understand my situation. Well, if we could take care of those for you, your women and children as well... Leave you and your hunters free to take on a trip of discovery. You could carry supplies and bring back things we might need. Or act as guides to take larger groups to collect these things after you come back to tell us about them.” Dag shrugged, “If we were feeding those of your clan that might slow you down, you would be able to travel far and fast. You could cover more ground in one moon than I could in three, if I were traveling with my whole clan. Then who would be here to keep gathering in the food?”

Dag could see Bren rolling it over in his mind, and Dag knew he had him on the hook. Now to land it, “These are some of the things that I am looking for...” Dag went on to fill him in on the need for various raw materials. Afterward, he said, “When you get back, if you’ve found something you will be a wealthy man no matter if your clan stays here or goes again. If you don’t find anything, we’ll still let you stay or go, and if you go, it will be with enough dried food to see you through a rough patch well enough.”

Bren nodded slowly, “So, when should I leave?”