Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75388 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75388 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
I sit up slowly, making sure that Mah-dee is bundled against the cold, and look around for Vektal. My chief is standing in front of the collapsed cave, his arms crossed. From here, I cannot read his expression, but I know what he must be thinking.
I rise to my feet, noticing that ash cascades off of my body as I do. It is a concern, but then again, what is not? We have no home, no supplies, and there are so many small kits and fragile human females that we must work even harder to keep all fed. I would not change it for anything, but it weighs heavily on my mind.
I approach my chief, passing by Aehako, who is stoking the fire. Raahosh is stringing his bow, readying to go out on the hunt. Others are rising, and I hear the gurgle of more than one kit being fed. Today, we must have solutions. And I must be one of them, exile or not.
“My chief?” I ask, coming to his side. “What can I do to help?”
He turns away from the cave to look at me, and there is stark grief in his eyes. His jaw is set in a grim line and he nods at me. “Hassen. Are you injured?”
“I am well enough.” I can hear now. My limbs ache, but my bruises are fading. Nothing is broken. “Tell me what to do and it shall be done.”
Rokan approaches, and Salukh, too. Taushen is nearby and gets to his feet. Even Hemalo, who is not a hunter, has a spear in his hands and comes forward.
“We cannot stay here,” Vektal says. “The cave is ruined.”
“Can we go inside? Salvage what we can with a bit of digging?” Salukh asks.
Vektal shakes his head. “I have been standing here watching and I see rocks continue to fall inside. One more shake and anyone inside could be killed. We cannot risk it.”
“We must have supplies,” Hemalo says. “What can we do?”
“We need a place to live and for the females and kits to be safe,” Vektal says, rubbing his chin. “But I worry the South Cave will be just as bad as this one.”
“Then the Elders’ Cave?” Someone suggests. “Or the cave that the females landed in?”
“The caves by the salty lake?” Another adds.
“Too many sky-claws,” says Taushen. “The females would never be able to leave the cave entrance.”
Vektal nods slowly. “I hear all of you. And I have many concerns, but right now, we must find a place that is safe for our people for the brutal season. If that is the South Cave, then we will go there. If it is not, then it must be somewhere else. We must check them all out to see which has survived the earth-shake. We can send hunters out to each one and see if they have survived. If it does not look safe to enter, do not go in.” His expression is grim. “I lost one tribesmate yesterday and am close to losing another. I do not wish to lose more.”
“Where to first?” I ask. “The Elders’ Cave? Har-loh and Rukh are there.”
Vektal’s mouth flattens. “If they live, yes. For now, we will take the tribe to the Elders’ Cave. Rokan, you and Li-lah go to the fruit cave you found and see if it remains. Raahosh, go with Taushen to the caves by the salt lake and check for sky-claws and to see if they are safe.”
“I will bring my Leezh,” Raahosh says. “I can protect her from the sky-claws. But I will not leave her behind when it is not safe.”
Vektal nods grimly. “I understand. Taushen will go with you anyhow. Haeden, take Jo-see with you and go to the South Caves to see if they have survived. Harrec and Ereven, go to the original cave of the humans. The one where my Georgie and the others came from. See if it has survived or if it has been completely buried.”
“I cannot take my Claire,” Ereven says, pained. “She is heavy with my kit.”
“I will go,” Salukh says. “Tee-fah-nee and I can go with Harrec. Let Ereven stay with his mate.”
Vektal turns to me. “I must stay here with the tribe. The hunters with the youngest kits will stay with the tribe and hunt for them. I need more hunters that can go to the farthest of storage caves and bring back everything you can. The farthest-flung caves must be checked, and if they are viable, bring back all furs, weapons, supplies, anything we will need. Bring the gear to the Elders’ Cave. We will make that our home for now. Bring back all that you can. Hassen, you take the caves to the north. Hemalo and Asha can check the caves to the south. Bek can go to the west, and Vaza to the east.”