BLOODTRAIL

Jakool's First Hunt

Remember what you have learned Jakool! I thought as I tightened my grip on my spear in response to a signal from Kiraat the hunt leader. Kiraat; the hunt leader, turned and looked at us saying “_Be very cautious! If I yell run! You run!”_

I watched with a sense of excitement tinged with fear as the lead hunters disappeared into the many trees working further up in search of deer or other game.

We had assumed the formation used to trap and kill game when we stopped at the beginning of the many tall trees. We formed into the shape two fingers extended from a hand. My young brothers and I made the place where they came together, while the experienced hunters formed the fingers. A cold wind blew as the snow fell around us, adding to the covering on the bushes and trees. We could only see as far as Kiraat, positioned at the far end of the left finger waiting to give the signal that game was approaching. It was some time before Kiraat made a hand gesture to be ready. I could hear something coming and it was coming fast! Gripping my spear with both hands I made ready to make a killing thrust if one came within reach of me, but I was not prepared for what happened next! Suddenly a scream came from one of the hunters ahead followed by more screams and yells, causing Kiraat to run ahead to see why they were screaming!

A large black, Rough Fur appeared running straight at him with a bloody maw and red eyes! He immediately yelled “Run!” As he faced it with his spear ready! My teachings told me Scatter and Regroup once it was safe, when we heard the command to ‘Run’. But surprise and fear kept me and many of my young brothers frozen!

Suddenly another, followed by another, appeared with blood around their maws and we ran! We ran in every direction away from the charging Rough Furs as the adults attacked them to give us time to get away! The sounds of snarls and roars mixed with the sounds of our hunters screams and yells, followed us as we fled.

I went to the side and up instead of down, my heart pounding in my chest, breathing hard and fast! I leaped over bushes, ran around boulders dodging low hanging tree branches as I ran! I heard a snarl to my right and dodged just in time as one leaped from a copse of small trees to attack! I managed to keep my feet as it missed its charge taking it past me! I ran as hard as I could looking for any kind of cover knowing I could not outrun it. I saw a small hole in a hillside as I passed a pile of boulders and turned quickly to go towards it and stumbled!

Looking behind me I saw it approaching the pile of boulders as I regained my footing. As I thought I am not going to make it! The snow on top of the boulders exploded and something leaped high into the air landing on the back of the beast! ! I heard a snarling yell that sounded like ‘Rrruun!’, but I was already up and running!

I ran up the steep slope until I reached the hole and frantically clawed the dirt, snow and rocks away then struggled in. I crawled back two man lengths then sat there curled up to fit in the small space. The smell told me it is probably a deserted red tail den. I listened and heard the sounds of the two creatures still fighting! I silently prayed Oh Spirits of the Sky and the Rock Fingers! Keep me and my brothers safe!

I stayed in the den until there were no sounds of fighting outside. Crawling to the opening, I quickly looked outside then jerked back in case one of them was lying in wait to ambush me! When no attack came, I grabbed my spear and left the burrow quickly, ready for an attack. There was blood on the light covering of snow under the trees and signs of a struggle! Shaking my head thinking What was it? Did I hear it yell ‘Rrruun!’? Probably my fear talking! I went to look for anyone who survived the attack. I started down towards the place where we were attacked looking for signs of either Rough Furs, my brothers or the strange creature I had only glimpsed as it leaped to attack the 'Rough Fur!

Why? I thought again as I followed a set of Rough Fur tracks down the side of the hill. I saw traces of blood and fur on the trail and the bushes as I followed them to a dip in the land. I reached a thicket of bushes and pushing them aside I saw young Rankoo’s body, ripped by the Rough Furs claws and now dead. I cannot save him, he is dead. But I can send him to the Sky Spirits! I placed my hands over Rankoo's head and heart saying the ancient words Oh Mighty spirits that move the sun and light the pale Goddess of the night! Please accept the humble spirit of my brother Rankoo into your domain! I stood up and left him in the bushes for the scavengers as we did not place any special significance on the bodies of our dead... then.

I had not gone far when I saw more tracks that I did not recognize! Maybe they are from the strange creature! Since it attacked one of the Rough Fur maybe it came further down the trail to attack the others? I thought following the tracks as they left the trail and went into a deep gully. Blood splatters on the ground and some bushes led the way as I climbed down. Broken branches and damaged ground ended in a two man height drop into a hidden ravine you couldn’t see because of the thick brush and trees hiding it.

A stream ran down the ravine with fresh tracks in the mud of the banks. I stopped and measured them One hand high, two hands across and very shallow. The next set of tracks was Rough Fur! Its tracks were longer and deeper; but not wider, and walked over tracks I recognized as one of the young tribesmen!

Following the tracks up stream, I saw tracks of Deer, Red Tail, Rough Fur and the strange creature on top of them! I soon saw a cave at the near end of the ravine and approached it sniffing the air, smelling the water, the trees, bushes and….Death! Something or someone was dead! I hesitated as I didn’t want to die trying to find one of my brethren in there! If he is in there he is surely dead! I thought debating what to do.

A noise coming from the cave caused me to hide behind some thick berry bushes that grew close to the streams edge. I watched as a Rough Fur came out of the cave moving slowly towards the stream. Several spears were sticking out of its fur and I saw deep claw marks that had ripped through the fur to its flesh! The strange creature attacked it too! I realized as it limped over to the water and bent its head to drink. I saw streaks of red float away from it’s muzzle as it drank slowly. I thought about creeping up from behind and killing it for what it had done to my brothers! But even with its wounds, if I didn’t kill it with one spear thrust, I would be dead! A wounded beast is the most dangerous animal you can face!

Suddenly it gave several loud coughs that spewed blood from it’s muzzle and slowly fell over! I waited to see if it got back up or moved, but it just lay there! I got up the courage to go into the cave and look. What I saw sent me reeling back out heaving up what was in my stomach! I stumbled to the stream and washed the foul taste out of my mouth. Nothing would remove the sight of Denack, torn apart and fed on in that cave! No matter how hard I tried, I could not make myself go back into that cave to say the prayer to the Sky Spirits for him! I felt hot tears from my grief and anger over finding two of my brothers dead! I had not thought about the others during my frantic run from the attack by the Rough Furs and hiding from them. Now I had found two of them dead!

Have any survived the Rough Furs hunting them in the many trees? I wondered as I looked for more tracks but only found more of the ones from the strange creature again! These led away from the cave towards the other end of the ravine, but I retraced my steps back to the site of the attack following my training to return. I climbed out of the ravine and was soon back on the game trail leading downhill. I walked slowly looking for any signs of my brethren, alive or dead. It was getting late by the time I reached the place.

I could see that the falling snow was quickly covering the tracks, bloodstains and the bodies of two of the adult hunters and a Rough Fur carcass. It has not been butchered! I saw when I got closer. I assumed they were still out looking for us as the light started to fade. I turned to look around for any shelter from the snow and make camp for the night to wait for their return. I ended up back at the burrow I hid in earlier, after deciding it was the safest place. I ate some dried food and drank melted snow from my cupped hands. Tired and hurting with the pain of losing some of my tribe I wrapped in my furs and quickly fell asleep. But the mystery of a creature that attacked a Rough Fur for me returned to me in my dreams.

The next morning I returned to the spot of the attack and looked for tracks or any sign that the hunters had returned. The fresh snow had covered up everything! I hung my head in despair thinking They must have believed us dead and left! What do I do? I am not sure I can find my way home. I don't remember the way Then I thought “There are one set of tracks I can follow! The strange beast that attack the rough fur and saved me! I realized. I decided I was going to follow the creature's tracks and see if I could find it. I wanted to understand why it had helped me. Retracing my steps to the ravine I found fresh tracks. It must have come back here. I thought knowing that the tracks from yesterday were all buried under the new snow. Following the fresh tracks along the stream thinking as I walked about them. I was taught that all hunters try to hide their tracks from their game and other hunters. Why is this one leaving tracks? it knows they be can followed. I couldn’t stop thinking about this, along with it fighting the Rough Fur so I could escape! The tracks led up a steep slope that reached the ravine's end. A waterfall was the source of the stream in the ravine and looking up I saw a narrow trail leading beside it and out of the ravine. In the soft wet dirt I saw a partial footprint. The same I thought. I followed the trail as it wound up and across until it reached the top of the waterfall.

The trail ran alongside the stream leading up into the Fingers Of Rock That Touched The Sky. I could feel the bitter wind blowing harder here than in the many trees as I climbed higher. A thick snow lay on top of everything with more falling making it difficult to follow the tracks as they filled with the fresh snow.

I was clutching my hide around me as the wind blew harder trying to blow me off the trail which was now a narrow path that wound it’s way across a rock face slowly going higher. Soon the trees and bushes ended as I passed too high for them to live. Dark gray rocks, boulders, blinding white snow, glittering blue ice was everywhere now, as the climb got more difficult, I began to wonder I was going to survive as I climbed. A particularly strong gust of wind caused me to loose my footing! I felt my foot slip and my body slide down, but I fell towards the rock face! I shuddered at the close call I'd had! I managed to continue until I was standing on a wider trail at the top of the rock face.

Looking down the path I'd taken, I could see the land spread out below me! The hills, the stream winding it’s way through them as it climbed down until it disappeared into the many tall trees. The many tall trees far below were now covered in a coat of white, looking peaceful somehow. I could even make out the far edge of it and some of the long, never ending green grass. I thought I saw a dark smudge on the other side of them! That might be the hills of my home I thought as I looked for any signs of the hunting party in the tall, green grass, but

it was too far away to make out details that small.

I went more slowly as I worked my way up, stopping occasionally to allow my breathing to catch up. The sun was just clearing the top of the Finger Tips, when I came to a bend in the trail. The clouds were flying from over the fingertips to hide the sun making it colder. I worried I would soon be in the clouds following the tracks as they thickened and hid the fingertips! I was shivering from the cold and strong gusts of wind that tried to throw me off of the rock and realized I have to find shelter or die here! as I could not longer feel my fingers or toes!

I followed the trail several man-lengths around a bend and noticed a small cave mouth behind some boulders that had fallen onto the trail. “Thank you Gods of the Sky and Fingers of Rock!” I cried out as I stooped down to enter it. I had to stay bent over to get inside and saw it only went back a few man-lengths.

As I went forward I started to warm up, as I was no longer in the wind outside.

While crouching there in the cave trying to decide what to do a slight movement caught my eye. I whirled towards it with my spear ready to fend off an attack, only to see a Bharal jumping up from behind the boulders and leaping up the trail towards me! Food! Warmth! I thought as I quickly readied my spear.

I heard it approach the entrance, saw its head then its body appear then I sprang forward and struck! The Bharal fell over dead with my spear in its heart! I fell to my knees and gave thanks to the Sky Spirits for sending me the Bharal to save my life!

I dragged the heavy animal back into the cave to skin and butcher. I needed the hide to survive the cold of night this high up. Working with my hunting knife I carefully cut the skin off then cut the rear up knowing I wouldn’t be able to carry anymore. I spent the next few hours scraping the flesh from the inside of the hide. Once I was finished, I wrapped the new hide around me and went to sleep.

Sunlight streaming into the cave entrance woke me. I got up and made ready to carry the meat I had butchered from the Bharal. I then ran hide strips through the leg holes and tied them to my extra spear, to make a large hide holder to carry the meat. I swung it over my shoulder and followed the ledge up towards the fingertip. There was more snow and ice so I had to go carefully as the ledge slowly became a narrow trail. I wound my way up and across until I came to a place where large boulders completely blocked the now very narrow trail!

I looked but didn’t find any way to get around them. I sighed as I went to where the largest boulder touched the rock face of the finger, to get some shelter from the wind and snow. I was not prepared to have my foot suddenly slip down a hole all the way up my leg! The sudden fall and pain to my man parts shocked me for a minute. When I could stand the pain I started digging out the snow around my leg and found that the hole was big enough for me to go through and carefully used my spear to probe it. The spear went down its entire length before touching stone. I went down and landed on a pile of snow. Looking around I saw that I was in a large tunnel hidden by the boulders. I still had enough light coming in through the hole to see my way, so I followed it.

I soon felt warmer as I continued deeper into the tunnel until it opened up into a cave. The air was changing too as I could smell it getting wetter and much warmer! I could see strange rock fingers that reached down from the ceiling and up from the floor! I had never seen anything like them! I approached one and saw that it was much wider at the base and came to a point at the top. I realized there was a glow coming from some of these strange rock fingers, that gave enough light to see! I wondered what could make a blue or green light come from rock, or how they came to be as I stood and looked in wonder at them.

I shook my head then focused on the shimmer of light reflected on the ceiling of the cave, showing water was further inside. I found a shallow trail worn into the stone floor of the cave which led me to a large 'Good Water'! The water had a blue glow to it also! I have shelter, fresh water and food! I thought as I went to the water's edge. I put down my spear and hide carrier to take mouthfuls of the clear cold water! Once I had satisfied my thirst I searched for any wood to make a fire. Close to the shore of the Good Water I found some wood piled by a ring of stones. Someone has been here I thought as I studied the remains of a fire in the ring. I held out my hands over the ashes and embers feeling warmth!.

Using my knife I cut a small pile of bark and wood shavings from a piece of wood. I carefully brushed away the ashes on top of the embers and put a small amount on them. I blew gently on the exposed embers and suddenly the shavings caught fire! I fed it the rest of the shavings then the branches careful to not smother it. Soon I had a small fire burning and slowly added more wood until it was a good size to cook the meat.

Cutting some thin strips from the larger piece I put then on the end of my spear and into the fire. Soon I was eating them while the large pieces of meat cooked slowly on the fire. My body felt the fatigue of the last few suns, so I rolled up in my new fur and went to sleep.

While asleep I had a very strange dream in this place. The lake was glowing with a blueish light while the strange rock pillars glowed with green. There was a shadowy figure of an animal pacing along the lake, occasionally stopping to drink. It slowly approached until I could see it in the blue and green light of the cave. It was like the magnificent creature we called the 'Great Striped One', but smaller and with spots and circles of colors on its white fur instead of stripes.

Its paws were wide, its ears close to its head and had a smaller muzzle and nose than the great striped spirit. Its piercing blue eyes stared right at me, making me think It can see me, as it padded silently towards me. It stopped in front of me and sniffed. I stood still as it sniffed me again, then sat back on its hind legs and made a c huffing sound. I didn’t know what it meant or what to do. It yawned showing its sharp, stained teeth, then stood back up and walked back the way it had come! A Great Spirit of this place I thought as it just vanished as I watched. I wondered what it meant as I heard the dripping of water in the cave, and the sounds of water running over rocks, somewhere deep in the cave.

Suddenly I was outside in sunlight, standing on the trail at the boulders. I saw the Great Spirit again, but this time it was sunning itself on top of the large boulder. I turned at a sound and saw something far down the trail. I watched as it slowly climbed up the trail until the beast took notice of it, backed up against the rock face, then lay down facing the trail watching! First a Tahr, or mountain goat, came into view from around a bend, then the hunter! I watched as a man taller and heavier than me wrapped in many thick furs with a large spear followed the tracks of the Tahr.

As it reached the boulder it lightly leaped up the smaller boulders until it jumped up to the top. It jumped down so quickly it didn’t see the beast; hidden by its marked fur, only a spear length away, lying down flat in the snow! I turned to watch the man slowly approach the spot and stop to try and figure out how to get around it. Just as I had found, he couldn’t find anyway to do this! He went to the edge looking for anyway to get around, then turned back towards the rock face. It was then the beast decided to make its presence known! It jumped down onto the trail behind the man. The man spun around in surprise, stepped back then slipped on the snow and ice! He fell heavily and started to slip to the edge! He seemed unable to stop himself when the beast suddenly leaped forward, reached out with a paw and snagged the man's furs!

The man yelled as it slowly pulled him back from the edge until he lay on the trail in front of its paws! Just as it had done to me in the cave earlier in my dream, it bent its head down and sniffed the mans face! The man yelled in surprise, then started making loud noises and faces at it! The beast stopped sniffing and looked at him seemingly puzzled by the sounds and the faces. The man tried to stand up but the animal put its large front paws on his chest and pushed him back down! I watched as it suddenly bend down and lick the mans face! He was as shocked as I was, and started to make the faces and noises again! The animal sat back and just watched his face until the man stopped and looked back at it. The animal suddenly bent down and rubbed its muzzle against his face! He stayed still and didn’t move or make the faces or noises while it did this afraid it would bite him! When it raised its head up and looked down at him, he slowly reached up with his hands and started rubbing the sides of its face!

I watched in fascination as it made low rumbling noises as it leaned into his hands, so he could reach it's face more easily. Soon he was making noises and faces again while rubbing its face! After a few minutes he slowly tried to get up and the animal stepped back to let him! The man spoke to the animal and it seemed to understand him! It must be one of the Great Spirits of the Fingers of Rock that touch the Sky! That is what attacked the Rough Fur! It saved him and one saved me I thought as the man turned and looked again at the boulder blocking the trail. As if it understood, the animal went over to where the boulder met the rock face.

The man watched as it dug some snow out of the way then disappeared down a hole! With a grunt of surprise, the man came over and looked down to see the Great Rock Spirit looking up at him! He lowered himself down into the hole and disappeared with the animal. The dream ended with me wondering what did it mean?

When I woke up my fire had burned down to only a few embers. I coaxed them back to flames and fed all the wood to it. I ate some of the meat that had cooked while I slept then wrapped the rest in the fur. I drank deeply from the water and left the fire pit to follow the faint shallow trail deep into the cave. It seemed impossible that such a large place existed here! Again I wondered how it was created, as I wandered between the rock fingers. Many were twisted into strange shapes now as I drew closer to the very back of the cave. The sound of falling water had gotten louder as I went, and now I could see the source of the sound. A river burst from the cave wall above the great water and fell several man lengths into it making the sound. As I drew near the end of the 'Good Water' the ceiling suddenly came to meet me and I found another small dark opening where the ceiling, wall and floor met. I crawled through and was in another low tunnel that I had to stay bent over to go through. It was short and opened up into another cave! This one was much smaller and I stopped at the entrance, as I could smell something familiar. It took a few seconds for me to recognize it.

When I did, I started looking around the inside of the cave for the creature I had followed here. There was a little light coming from a fire ring that had burned down to embers. In the dim light I saw a figure curled up on a raised ledge of rock in front of me! As I stared; trying to make out its form, it stood up on two legs and slowly walked towards me! As it got closer I gasped in surprise! I thought I was following an animal but this was no animal I’d ever seen or heard described! It looked like me but had thick, white fur; with markings like the Great Rock Spirit, covering its body! Its blue eyes were further apart in its head than mine, had a muzzle and a long thick fluffy tail! I drew in a breath as I heard it make a rumbling sound then stretch its arms over its head and turn slowly in front of me showing that it was female! I felt a wave of arousal and desire as she walked over until she stood in front of me and put her arms around my neck and said “Ooh-man?” Then pointed at my face with a hand that was wider with shorter fingers than mine. Her ears were very close to her skull and were covered in thick fur. Her face looked like both the Great Rock Spirit and my people.

She was taller than me by a hand's length I realized, as I looked at her body and saw breasts under her chest fur. I was feeling an intense desire to get closer to her and feel her fur, when I realized I had not answered her question! I replied “Human named Jakool” and pointed at myself. She smiled and put her cheek against mine and said “Mearoo”, as she pulled me close to her. I felt myself responding to the warmth of her fur and the contact with her body, as she continued to hold me close! She started to nuzzle my face then my neck. I felt lightheaded and a stirring of my man-parts, then she let go of my body.

She took my hand and led me to the raised rock ledge at the back of the cave where I saw a pile of furs before she pulled me down onto them. I was having trouble trying to think to ask her the questions that had caused me to track her here. “Did you attack the Rough Fur that was chasing me”? I managed to ask her as she started to pull my furs off of me! “Yess” she replied as she got my furs off leaving me in my loincloth! I was now feeling a great need to mate since she had gotten close to me! Suddenly I felt her fingers in my loincloth, undoing the knot that held it! “What? What are doing?” I managed to ask as she got it off! “I want to mate with you” She said as she pulled me tightly to her body making it impossible for me to think! My desire was so inflamed that I felt myself grabbed her breasts as she took me into her body before I could say or do anything else! I was panting with the excitement from the burning need in myself and her!

It was my first mating and I couldn’t believe how incredible it felt as she moved her body against mine! I responded as I had been taught; and seen would happen, when the tribe celebrated a good hunt! I felt myself become ready spill my seed in her and sped up. As if knowing this, I felt Mearoo’s innermost parts clamped down on my man shaft; causing me to convulse then shake and jerk! I felt my seed shoot into her over and over until I felt I didn’t have any left! But then she started to do things to my body with her lips, her fingers, the tips of her claws and her insides, that made me want to mate again and give her more of my seed!

I don’t know how long we mated the second time; or what happened after that, as I became unconscious. I woke to find myself still in Mearoo’s embrace and connected to her body. “Awake mate?” She asked me as she lazily stroked the skin on my chest. “No fur. Feels so different, so smooth!” She said as she continued to play with my skin. I found that I enjoyed the feel of her furry hands and fingers rubbing me all over!

Soon I was returning her rubs, rubbing her chest, her face and her body with my hands feeling, the firmness of her breasts, the softness of her face fur and the feel of her body against mine. She smiled as I played with hers and she played with mine. We were getting to know each other’s bodies and what we responded to. I soon felt my body ready to mate with her again! I started to try and enter her, but she stopped me then quickly got up on all four of her limbs arching her rear up at me! I knew this was how many of our women preferred to be taken by a man, so I grabbed her by her hips and pushed into her body! I groaned as I felt the hot, slick insides surround my man shaft and squeeze it!

She laughed as I said “You are squeezing my seed out of me! “Yes I am! But I will take pity on you Oohman Jakool!” She replied and I felt her muscles loosen slightly from around my man shaft! I reached up as far as I could to grab her firm breasts and pinch the nipples, as I started to thrust into her! She growled and me, as I went as deep as I could and just stayed there for a moment. I got the message and quickly pulled back and started moving faster and was rewarded by her deep, low purrs of pleasure! No matter how fast and hard I pushed into her, she pushed back against me with no apparent effort. I was starting to breath hard and fast as I felt my seed boiling in my man rocks, and knew I would soon fill her again with it! I moved my hands to her hips; grabbing them tightly, then I started pushing as fast as I could go and felt the tingling that signaled I was ready to give her my seed! I howled with the pleasure I felt as I bucked and jerked against her strong, tight rear, sending my seed started shooting out of my man shaft deep into her woman part. She growled and bucked against me in response to feeling me do this and soon I was spent and just lay on her back, letting her support me. She grinned as she quickly rolled over under me and I landed hard on the furs next to her! “Ouch! Did you have to do that?” I said in surprise at the sudden fall to the fur covered rock. “She smiled as she pulled me close to her and we touched each other with gentle strokes for awhile.

I became aware I was hungry and thirsty, so I asked her “Are you hungry?” She growled out “Yes! Mating makes me hungry and thirsty!”

I laughed as I replied “Me too!” I reached for the large fur carrier and pulled out a big piece of the cooked meat. I took my knife and cut it in two and handed her half. We ate the meat and then I asked her “Do we have to go to the water in the cave to slake our thirst?” She made a c huffing sound and then got up and said “Come with me.”

She went towards the outer cave but stopped at an opening in one wall that I had missed before. She reached into it and brought out a large container that was round in shape, wide at the bottom and narrow at the open top. She held it to her mouth and drank from it. She handed it to me and I was surprised by it's heavy weight! I looked at the shiny surface and knew it was not made of any stone or wood, but something I had never seen! I held it to my mouth and tasted cold water as I drank my fill, then handed it back to her. She placed it back in the opening then turned to face me.

I asked “Where do you leave your droppings?” She took my hand and led me back to the larger cave and pointed at something I had not noticed before. Where the end of the water met the back of the cave, there was a small stream that ran from it then under the wall. “There”. She went over and squatted; the same as I did when leaving droppings, and I understood. After we had both relieved ourselves we returned to the warmth of the inner cave and the furs.

I finally got answers to some of my many questions about her and her people! My first question was “Why? Why did you save me?” She looked at me with her beautiful blue eyes and said “You were in great danger. I could not stay hidden and watch you die.” I wondered why and asked “Why could you not let me die?” I watched as she slowly got up and then said “Come. I will show you.” She took my hand as I stood up and led me over to the fire pit, where a small fire was burning. She took several pieces of wood and added it to the fire.

Soon the fire was burning brightly and she led me to the back wall of the cave. She pointed and said “Here is why.” I looked at the wall and saw figures and symbols. I was surprised to see images that looked like a man and the Great Rock Spirit. She pointed at the man and said “He was the First!” I was puzzled and said “First? What do you mean First?” She then pointed at the figure of the great rock spirit and said “She was the other First. The first of my kind to mate with an Ooh-man!” I looked at her, then at the two images carved and painted on the cave wall. How? How can this be possible?” I asked her stunned that she was telling me that somehow a man mated with the animal I now called 'The Great Rock Spirit'! She pointed at the next group of pictures under the first two. I saw pictures that showed what looked like small rock spirits just below. The next looked a little different. I got closer to see it better, to try and figure out what looked different.

Mearoo pointed at the face with one paw and said “Look at the faces. The muzzle is smaller, the ears bigger and the eyes are closer.” Looking very close I saw she was right. “But that doesn’t explain how she became with cubs, or children, from mating with a man. ”Mearoo smiled and said “I will tell the story to you as it was told to me.” I watched her face and saw the red flames of the fire mirrored b her eyes as she began to tell me the incredible story of how her people were created!