BLOODTRAIL 1stREWRITE: FIRST PERSON

PROLOGUE:

"My name is Jakool. I am one of the leaders of a clan that is made of many clans including one that is very different from the rest! I am telling you this story so that none of our people ever forget how we came to be one! We used to tell our stories to teach our young ones; and any new members that joined with us, around the campfires at night. We would paint and carve them in the walls of the caves where we lived to leave them for others and to help tell the stories. This story will be added to those in the 'Cave Of Records' though it will take much longer to do this than for me to tell this tale! I will tell it as it happened to me.

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Jakool's First Hunt

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"Remember what you have learned Jakool!" I heard in my thoughts as I tightened my grip on my spear in response to a signal from Kiraat the hunt leader. "I hope we don't run into the strange creature whose tracks we saw!" Thinking of the tracks that our best tracker; Chirac, pointed out on the trail leading into the forest. We'd just emerged from the great grass that separated the hills where we lived from the great forest slopes that covered the feet of the Great Finger in the Sky. Game was plentiful there and our tribe often hunted for deer, bharal and boar. But it held dangerous animals too! The Great One Horn, Rough Fur and Giant Long Trunk! But the most dangerous was a large predator we called "The Great Striped One" Chirac stooped down and studied the strange print then stood up and said "I have never seen this one before! But I remember the Elders speaking of a hunter that lives high up in the Great Fingers that is almost impossible to see or hear until it is upon you!". 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 forest working further up in search of deer or other game. While I waited I thought about why I and my brothers were on that hunt!

"The Elders said we were ready! Our first hunt to make our first kills and join in the celebrations! I and my brothers were excited as successful hunts meant food and food meant mating and more babies to grow our tribe!" We grew up seeing the celebrations. We learned about them from the adults teaching; and by dancing around them, as they mated in celebration of a successful hunt!

"This is a dangerous place to hunt!" I thought as we waited. "Which is why we are a large group. There are four hands of adults and two hands of us young ones on this hunt. But how many will return?" I was nervous, fearful and excited as we started into the forest!

As we entered the trees, we assumed the formation used to trap and kill game. The scouts went first to locate the game. They would follow the trails made by the animals as we held back. 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. He was positioned at the far end of the left finger, waiting to give the signal that game was approaching us. We waited while the scouts followed tracks they'd found. It was some time before Kiraat suddenly made a hand gesture to be ready. I could hear something coming and it was coming fast! I gripped my spear with both hands 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 scouts ahead that was out of sight! That was followed by more screams and yells, causing Kiraat to run ahead to see why they were screaming!

Suddenly, a large black, Rough Fur appeared running straight at him! 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 rooted to our spots!

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, as they were coming towards where we'd been standing! My heart was pounding in my chest; my breath became rapid, as I leaped over bushes, around boulders avoiding 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 frantically looked for a small cave, a burrow, anywhere I could squeeze into where the Rough Fur could not reach me! I saw a small opening in a hillside as I passed a pile of boulders. I was gasping for breath and heard it gaining on me as I stumbled!

Looking behind me I saw it just approaching the pile of boulders and stood back up to run! Suddenly the snow exploded and something leaped high into the air from behind them and landed on the back of the beast! ! I heard a yell that sounded like 'rrruun!', but I was already up and running!

I ran up the steep slope until I reached the half buried opening! I frantically clawed the dirt, snow and rocks away then struggled into it. I was able to crawl back two man lengths then sat there curled up to fit in the small space. The smell told me it is probably a deserted den for the red tails.As my breathing slowed my heart slowed it's constant pounding, 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 my brothers safe!"

I stayed in the den until I was sure 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. I saw blood on the light covering of snow under the trees and signs of a struggle! Shaking my head at not knowing why something had attacked the Rough Fur I thought "What was it? Did I hear it yell rrruun? Probably my fear talking!" Iwent to look for anyone who survived the attack. I started down towards the place where we were ambushed looking for signs of either Rough Furs, my brothers or the strange creature I had only a glimpse 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 the first signs of struggle further down the trail in the tracks and the bushes on each side. "Fur, blood' I muttered as I saw signs of a fight and followed them to a dip in the land with bushes covering it. Seeing where the bushes had been damaged by something pushing through them, I cautiously pushed them aside and felt fear as I saw young Rankoo's body, ripped by the Rough Furs claws and now dead. "I cannot save him, he is dead."_I thought "_But I can send him to the Sky Spirits!" I place 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 the strange tracks again! I thought this odd but then thought _"Maybe since it attacked one of the Rough Fur, it came further down the trail to attack the others that had attacked us."_I followed the tracks until they left the trail and went into a deep gully. I followed it slowly, looking for any signs of a struggle or an ambush! Blood splatters on the ground and some bushes led the way as I climbed down the gully. 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 studied them and saw the strange tracks and stooped to measure them. "_One hand high, two hands across and very shallow"_I thought to myself. 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, Rough Fur and the strange creature on top of them! I soon saw a cave at the near end of the ravine. I approached it and stopped and sniffed the air smelling the water, the trees, bushes and...."_Death! Something or someone was dead!"_I knew as I followed the smell which led to the cave! 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.

Suddenly I heard noise coming from the cave and quickly hid 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 me. I saw several spears still sticking out of its fur and deep claw marks, as it limped over to the water. It bent its head to drink from the stream. 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!

While I watched, 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 dead! 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 had survived the Rough Furs hunting them in the many trees?"_I wondered as I looked for more tracks of them, 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! I went back the way I had entered the ravine to retrace my steps back to the site of the attack on the hunting party. I had to reach it as they should still searching for us. 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 found the place.

I could see that the falling snow was quickly covering the tracks, bloodstains and the bodies of two of my clansmen and a Rough Fur carcass. _"Strange! It has not been butchered!"_I saw when I got closer. I didn't see any signs of a trail leading away so I assumed they were still out looking for us.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. I fell asleep quickly, tired and hurting with the pain of losing some of my tribe. 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 signs that the hunters had returned. Not finding any not covered by the fresh snow 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 it"_ I realized at that moment."There are one set of tracks I can follow! The strange beast that attack the rough fur and saved me!" I decided I was going to follow the creature's tracks and see if I could find it. I didn't want to harm it, I just wanted to understand why it had helped me. In the ravine I was surprised to see fresh tracks of both deer and the creature! "It must have come back here."_I thought knowing that the tracks from yesterday were all buried under the new snow. I followed the fresh tracks along the stream for some time. I thought as I walked"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 I can follow?"I couldn't stop thinking about this, along with it fighting the Rough Fur so I could escape! I continued to follow the tracks up the ravine and now had to climb up a steep slope grabbing bushes and trees to pull myself up to get to the end. I found myself at the foot of a waterfall that was the source of the stream in the ravine. Looking up I saw a narrow trail leading beside it and out of the ravine. As I started up I found a partial print in the soft wet dirt."The same"_I thought as I recognized it. I followed the trail as it wound up and across until it reached the top of the waterfall.

The stream led up into the Fingers Of Rock That Touched The Sky, as all the streams and rivers did here. I saw the trail continue along the stream as it climbed its way further up into the hills going towards the nearest Finger Of Rock. I could feel the bitter wind blowing harder here than in the many trees as it was higher and more open. There were taller trees and less bushes the higher I climbed. A thick snow lay on top of everything with more falling that was starting to fill in the tracks.

I was clutching my hide around me as the wind blew harder trying to blow me off the trail as I continued. I didn't see any shelter, as the trail was now a narrow path that wound it's way across a rock face of the rock finger. Soon the trees and bushes ended as I passed too high for them to live. Rocks, crevices, boulders, snow and ice was everywhere now, as the climb got more difficult, I began to wonder if I was going to survive as I climbed up a rock face. A particularly strong gust of wind caused me to loose my footing and I almost fell! 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 climb up the rest of the way until I was standing on a wider trail that continued up.

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 turned and used my spear to check the depth of the snow; and for any ice on the trail, as I knew it would be there this high up. I went more slowly as I worked my way up, stopping occasionally to allow my breathing to catch up. It was harder to breathe and I had to stop to let my body adjust to it. I saw that the sun was just clearing the top of the Finger Tips, as I came to a bend in the trail. I had still not seen any shelter and began to worry as clouds were flying from over the fingertips to hide the sun. I hoped I would find shelter soon as it was getting colder with each step. The clouds kept getting thicker and lower, now covering up the finger's tip. I worried I would soon be in the clouds following the tracks! I had just gone around another bend when I saw a crevice in the rock face! I felt relief as I went to examined it. The crevice entrance was narrow but I could fit if I turned sideways."Shelter!" I thought as I blew on my fingers to keep them from freezing.

I had gathered some branches and long grasses; before I left the many trees, knowing I would need to make a fire to keep warm. I was glad I had them as I took one out and slid myself into the crevice. There was more light than I expected, as it was open above part of the way in.

When it started to become hard to see I stopped and used some fur, dried grasses and the twigs from a branch to make a fire. I took out another thin branch and made a fire starter using a hide string tied to each end bending them upwards. I placed the end of a thin branch; I had stripped the bark off, into the pile of fur. I then took my bowed fire starter branch and held the string against the other branch while pushing and pulling it from one end to the other, while holding the other branch upright, making it spin back and forth. I kept doing this patiently until I saw a thin stream of smoke! I quickly bent down and blew on it very gently. It took several tries but the fur caught fire and I started feeding it with the dried grass. Once I had enough grass burning, I took another branch and quickly wrapped one end with dried hide that still had the fur on it. I then held that end in the fire until it started burning then followed the crevice deeper into the rock.

I was soon able to turn as the crevice widened so I could walk normally. I continued to follow the crevice, but I kept one hand against one wall watching the floor ahead of me. I walked for some time until I started to see a glimmer of light up ahead. The crevice turned into a steep, narrow ravine once I reached the light. I saw a stream with grass and many bushes growing there with only a light blanket of snow. I walked over to the stream and immediately saw the prints in the soft sand along the banks. They went across and continued on the other side.

I also saw the prints of the animal we called a 'bharal', or nimble climber. I had been on my feet since morning and was very tired so I decided to rest for awhile. I stayed by the stream and lay down. I woke with it getting colder and the light dimmer! I realized I had rested too long and had to find the trail! I was shivering with cold and had to get moving. I got up looking for the prints to follow again. I found them and followed them across the stream to a rock slide on the side of the ravine. I reached it and looked around for the tracks, and other signs for where to go. I saw a faint set of prints then found its droppings behind the boulders! I sniffed to see how fresh it was and so I would know its smell. I suddenly noticed a small cave mouth behind the boulders and stooped down to enter it. I had to stay bent over once inside as it seemed to go deep into the 'Finger Of Rock'.

As I went forward I started to warm up, as I was no longer in the wind outside. The tunnel started out with only a slight slope going up at first. From the smooth walls and floor I believed it to have been made by a river a long time ago. I stopped and made another small fire with fur and lit my seeing stick again. After a long time; and a rest for my aching back and knees, I came to a place where I had to climb through another narrow opening in the rock. I could see a dim light growing up ahead, as I neared the end of the tunnel. I took hope in this as I proceeded up a steeper slope, then suddenly I was at an opening! I looked out and saw that I was now much higher up the finger, on a wide ledge covered in snow!

It was getting dark so I realized I had gone from the side where the sun went to sleep, to the side where the sun woke up! I turned to look up and saw that the ledge was actually a way up! I stopped and scooped up fresh snow and put a handful in mouth for my thirst. I did this several times before continuing up the trail. It was not long before I came across its droppings again and also a yellow stain, showing where it had marked the snow._"Is this its hunting ground? Or it's home territory?"_wondering as many of the animals that hunted, marked both in this way. I looked for any other signs, but the snow was falling steadily now and the light left and night came. I was beginning to lose the warmth I had gained while in the tunnel wondering again if I was wise to follow this creature instead of going back and try to find the hunting party!

While standing there in the tunnel entrance 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 quickly jumping up from behind some boulders and leaping up the trail towards me! "Food! Warmth!" I thought as I quickly backed into the tunnel entrance.

When I heard it approach the entrance, I readied my spear for a thrust, praying my aim was true! I stayed in a crouch, ready to thrust up and through its ribs to its heart, for a clean kill. I saw its head then its body in front of the entrance! 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 tunnel and soon had a fire built. I then turned to the task of butchering it. I carefully skinned it first, as I needed the hide to keep warm. Next I cut off meat from the rear to cut up and start cooking in my fire. It sizzled and splattered; as the fat dripped off it, while I cut off the rest of the rear with the legs. I didn't want to leave the rest, but knew I wouldn't be able to carry anymore than this. I spent the next few hours scraping the flesh from the inside of the hide. Once I was finished, I fed the fire then wrapped the new hide around me and went to sleep.

Sunlight streaming into the tunnel entrance woke me as I felt in on my face. I got up and relieved myself over the edge of the ledge, then ate some of the meat I had left cooking in the embers overnight. Once I finished, I cut into the legs of the hide making a hole in each one. I then ran hide strips through them. Now I could tie 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 for a way around; or over the boulders, but didn't find any way to get around it. 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 feeling around my leg for any more damage but it seemed to be okay. Digging out the snow around my leg, I found that the hole was much larger than I expected! I saw that it 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. I looked around and saw that I was in a much larger 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 and saw there was no snow past the entrance. I was glad as it meant I could stay here to warm up, eat and rest. The tunnel opened up into a cave that got larger as I went. The air was changing too as I could smell it getting wetter and much warmer! I was not ready for the sight of this cave opening up into an even larger cave, with 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. I found some wood nearby where there were signs of a recent fire in a ring of stones. _"Someone has been here" I thought as I studied the remains of the fire and the ring itself. I held out my hands over the ashes and embers feeling warmth!.

I quickly grabbed my knife and the remaining branches and cut a small pile of bark and wood shavings. I then 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 I had a good sized one .

I fed my hunger on some of the cooked meat, then put the large pieces of uncooked meat 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. The circles were gray and black; which would make it hard to see in the Many Trees, or on the Finger Of Rock.

I saw that it's 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 sucked in a breath of surprise, as the man was taller and heavier than me, wrapped in many thick furs with a large spear.

As the Tahr reached the boulder, I watched as it lightly leaped up the smaller boulders until it jumped up to the large boulder! 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 it meant?

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 cooked as much of the meat as the fire allowed for my travel. Then I broke fast, 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 stopped in front of me and put her arms around my neck and said "Ooh-man?" Then pointed at my face with one hand.

Only the hand 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 that she pulled me down onto. 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; when I had not been interested, until 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 chuffing 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." She pointed at the first figure of the rock spirit and started the story. "We call ourselves Snow-Leapers. This is because we are able to make quick, high jumps from hiding to ambush our prey. We can also travel up and down these high places easily by jumping and leaping from one place to another." She showed me her paws and suddenly she showed me her claws! They appeared as she unsheathed them and stuck out at least half a finger length and were curved at the tips. "These allow me to grab not only my prey, but to climb up trees, snow, ice and rock. My fur and my tail help to keep me warm in the cold here. We don't mate like Ooh-mans do. The female Snow-Leaper only mates when she is in her heat."I asked her what does 'in her heat' mean?" confused. "It means that they become able to have cubs. It only happens in the early cold season. During the time it takes the Pale Goddess to show her full face twice, she must mate to have cubs." I was still confused and said so.

Mearoo continued "They will go out and travel into territory claimed by a male snow-leaper. They will leave their water and droppings in a trail back to the edge of their territory. The male snow-leapers will smell this and know it is a female ready to mate. He will follow her trail until he finds her and mates with her." While this was interesting, it didn't answer the first question of how? "I don't understand how a snow-leaper only being able to mate during her mating heat, allows a human to get her with cubs." I said shaking my head. Mearoo sighed and said "Please! I do not know your speech very well. This is hard for me to say!" I saw an expression on her face that must be her frustration at trying to tell me this story, so I said "let us sit down. I will listen and not ask questions so you may tell me this story as you were told." Mearoo smiled, gave me a hug then led him back to the furs.

I looked at the incredible symbols and pictures on the cave wall. Looking at the other walls I saw many more. In fact everywhere I looked I saw images, symbols and painted walls. I had not noticed it before when I first arrived because of the dim light and Mearoo having all of my attention! Now I realized I was looking at the history of Mearoo's people on the walls, just as my people had done! Mearoo had calmed herself and continued telling me the story.

"The First snow-leaper had mated with a male snow-leaper shortly before she met the first human. She had just returned from that mating; and was sunning herself on one of her favorite places, that looks over the trail to this cave. She saw the human tracking a mountain animal, and when he got to the great rock that blocks the path he could not get around it."

I suddenly remembered my dream in the large cavern! I gasped as I said "I dreamed I saw them!" Mearoo stopped in surprise saying "Dream? You had a dream of the First?" I replied "I think so. It was when I first arrived in the large cave there", I said pointing at the tunnel that connected to it. "I was very tired after following your tracks and then killing the Tahr. I first saw her in the large cave with the large water. She was pacing back and forth. She come over to where I was still lying in my sleep fur and sniffed me! She acted as if she could see and smell me! Then I saw her on top of the great rock as you say! She was sunning herself when a man wearing heavy furs came up the trail. He looked bigger and heavier than me. More like some of the others we have in our tribe that were here before my people."

Mearoo looked puzzled as she asked "What does it mean when you say 'before'? I do not understand this word." I stopped to think of a different way to explain. Slowly I said "It is this way Mearoo. A long time ago my people were just one tribe made up of one kind of people. We looked the same for the most part. But as time passed other tribes came to our home that were different. From their stories we knew if they were in the land before us, the same time as us or after us. Mearoo nodded and said "Like how we know that snow-leapers were here before you Ooh-mans?"

I nodded saying "Yes! Just like that! They mated with each other and the children looked different. Mearoo nodded her understanding again and said "They looked like both the father and the mother." I agreed with her saying "Yes but also some parts like one tribe, other parts the other tribe. Mearoo nodded and said "It was the same for the first. She had already mated with a snow-leaper when she met the Ooh-man. He was trying to find a way around the great rock. She was watching him and decided to jump down from the rock and show herself too him."

Mearoo stood up and went back to the pictures and pointed at symbols below the pictures of the first and said "Here in the first's record, it says he came to believe that she liked his smell and the faces he made when she saved him from falling off the trail." I said excitedly "Just like my dream!" She stopped with a strange expression on her face as she looked at me. "Mearoo! Let me tell you my dream!" I said excitedly.

"According to the Elders of my tribe, when you had a dream or vision of something that you then find out to be true, it is a true seeing dream! My dream is a true dream!" I said to her, as I remembered my dream! I then realized there was more of it than I first remembered when I woke up from it.

"I saw them. I saw her lying on the rock when he came up the trail tracking the Tahr. I saw him stop at the great rock and she watched as he tried to find a way around it. She jumped down and landed behind him which startled him! He turned around too quickly and lost his footing!

He was on the edge of the trail and fell! He was sliding off the edge when she leaped forward and caught his furs with her claws and pulled him back onto the trail! She sat down on her hind legs looking at his face while he yelled, made faces to try and frighten her off of him! She liked the faces he made so when he stopped making the noises and faces, she was puzzled and wanted him to keep making them! She bent down her head close to his, nuzzled his face then licked him! The man was both frightened and surprised by this. He tried to get up and she wouldn't let him! He started making the noises and faces again which she liked! She nuzzled his face and licked him again and again causing him to stop making the faces and noises because it surprised him and made him laugh as her tongue tickled his face! He grabbed her face and pulled it to his and he nuzzled and licked hers! She let him up and she showed him the entrance to this cave!" I said as I finished telling Mearoo.

Mearoo looked surprised by this and said "This dream is what we know to be the meeting of the First. It is written here in this cave! The cave where they mated, raised cubs and lived for her entire life. When she died, he stayed here and put their story on the walls, so no one would forget. No outsider has ever been here and no one outside of our tribe knows this story!"" She stood back up and led me to the wall again. "See here? The faces and bodies change only a little at first. But both knew they were different. He tells that even the first cubs were somehow smarter: more willing to stay together after the time when the mother usually sends the cubs away, when they are ready."I asked "When does this happen?" Mearoo pointed at strange symbols below the first pictures of cubs and said "Three seasons." I was startled and asked "They could count seasons?" Mearoo said "He could. She didn't need to. She had the knowledge of her kind that the cubs received from her. He says they were smarter and able to learn things from him, not just from her."

"Mearoo, please tell me the whole story! I want to know how they became you!" I asked her very excited by hearing this incredible tale! Mearoo nodded then smiled showing her sharp canines then said "Of course! It is very important that you know why I chose you as my mate!" I wanted to know this too and stayed silent as she told the rest of the story! I listened and watched as Mearoo told the story of not only the first but their cubs and their cubs, cubs! I learned that they stayed together mating each season in the same manner as the first time. "The female would go out in search of a male. Once she had mated with one she would return to him and they would mate. After her death, he spent all his time in the cave mourning her and making this record. Because the cubs had changed, they would sometimes come to visit him.

One sun; in the cold season, one of the daughters of their last mating, came back not to visit; as she had done before, but to comfort him and mate with him. She did not need to mate with another snow-leaper first!

This was the first time this was possible! So from her came another group of cubs that had more features from his human side." Mearoo then pointed to the next group of symbols and figures. "The first made these symbols here, showing how many cubs were born from which mother and how many were male or female. He ended up mating with several of these until his death. We have counted these symbols that show the number of cubs and the mating's.

I stared at the symbols in disbelief that she pointed at while explaining the numbers. "Mearoo? The first could count large numbers? Higher than the fingers on his two hands?" It was Mearoo's turn to be surprised. "It is not hard. See let me show you!" I shook my head saying "I know how. But I also know that the ones that came before us could not! At least not the ones that our tribe describes in our stories!" Mearoo was surprised and said "We thought all Ooh-mans could count!" I shook my head saying Yes but not all can count as many things as others. The ones that were older than us could only count what they understood. They understood the number of fingers and toes they had. So their way of counting was to use them. When the number needed more fingers or toes they would just say 'many fingers and toes!"

Mearoo seemed to be thinking about this as she went to the earliest part of the symbols looking again at them. "Jakool? You see the symbols that look like two fingers joined together on your hand?" I nodded at the marks she pointed out. "He made them using the fingers on his hand.

I think this shows he was one of those you say came before, and was older than your tribe." I saw this and said "He used two fingers to show one? Why would he do that?" Mearoo said no. The mark means two hands or ten fingers. See how he joins two of them here? That means four hands or four times the number of fingers. He does this many times. He could count the number of suns between the different faces of the pale goddess in the night sky. Here it shows that number to usually be five hands and four fingers, followed by six hands. Here he shows the number of seasons he lived here." I looked and saw the two hands symbol carved in a row. I counted them and saw that it added up to ten hands of seasons!

This was very surprising as here on this wall, was a knowledge of counting that exceeded that of many tribes we had met! My own tribe had learned to count higher than two hands and two feet, only after we had met humans that came after us! They showed us how to count larger numbers of things, by using more hands! "If you have two hands you know that it means as many of something as the number of the fingers on your hands Yes?" Our Elders had taught us when we were learning. "So if you Jakool and you Kika put your hands together do you see what happens?" We didn't understand at first, but Elder Pathak; who taught us, would show us by having us put our hands next to each other and then count them. "One Hand, Two Hands, Three Hands Four Hands! You have five fingers on each hand. You have two hands and ten fingers. So if you count all of the hands you have four hands of fingers or twice as many!" We did see this, as we could 'see' that we had twice as many hands and fingers when we had our hands next to each other.

"So how many mating's did the first have?" I asked interested in how many it took to change from the way the first snow-leaper looked to Mearoo. Mearoo went further down the wall and pointed at different looking symbols for the number of mating's and cubs. She explained "One of the last female cubs that mated with him took over being the Keeper of the First Cave after he died. He taught her how to count, as he was very old and suffered from joint sickness. He couldn't hold things in his hands as they were swollen and wouldn't work well." I nodded saying "Yes. Some of our Elders have what you called 'joint sickness' too. We also would do this when one of our Elders became sick, so another could take their place." Mearoo counted up the two finger marks and said "He mated with the first for three hands of seasons. She was very old when she died and he took care of her the last few seasons, as she didn't hunt or mate anymore." I said to her "This is how we care for our mates too!"

Giving Mearoo another reason to smile and hug me! After the hugging stopped I asked "How many cubs Mearoo? Three hands of seasons is too short a time for such changes to happen."

Mearoo nodded in agreement and pointed out "Yes but each time she bore at least four cubs, sometimes as many as seven! Of those, the females always came back to mate with him! He was surprised by this at first; as he records back here", Mearoo said pausing to find the right symbols on the wall. "Here he says that he was afraid the First would be angry at the cubs returning to this place, but she never seemed to mind! She also didn't seem to mind him mating with the female cubs!" This was very different than my own people! "We do not mate with our own children." I finally said to Mearoo. "Our Elders say it is bad for the blood to always mate to itself. They have seen babies with very bad backs, legs, and other parts of their bodies badly formed from blood mating to blood that is too close to the parents or their children." Mearoo replied "We know this too but this was different. The changes happened over a very long time. His mating with his own cubs increased the blood of the Ooh-man over the Snow-Leaper. That is why the changes needed less time to happen."

I thought "My tribe is made of many others. When we mate with a new tribe do our children also become more like them? But he was human and she a snow-leaper. That must be why it was different than us. So since they are very different, their blood would also be very different? Maybe that is what she means". So I said "So you are saying because he was human and she was a snow-leaper, his seed was stronger than a male snow-leaper?" Mearoo replied "Yes. We know this to be true as we have changed so much since the first. All of us can mate and have children with a Ooh-man. We have babies that sometimes grow to be Ooh-man. Less often we have babies that look like the first snow-leaper, but can think like Ooh-mans! Between those two are many others that can be like me or like the kind of Ooh-mans that came after the first."

Iwas surprised to hear that other Ooh-mans had also mated with her people. "How did other Humans find you and mate with you?" Wanting to hear about them!" "Oh! Well some came to hunt as the first did. It is dangerous to be here if you are not aware of the dangers. If you make too much noise in some places, you can cause snow and rocks on steep rock faces to fall. Once it starts falling it does not stop until it reaches a large flat place, the edge of the Cloud Stabber, or hits a large enough rock face that can stand it's power. We call it a 'Snow Slide'. Oohmans that did not know this were often buried under it.

We would try to help them, but some would be afraid and attack us when we dug them out! We didn't understand at first. But over time we learned that many Oohmans believed us to be just animals. Others believed us to be demons sent to devour them and their spirits! But a few would be like the First. Not afraid enough to attack us and smart enough to understand we were trying to help them." I said "I can see how they would believe this after being buried alive by this snow slide and losing their brothers. But what is a 'Cloud Stabber'?" Mearoo smiled and said "What you call 'A Finger Of Rock That Touches The Sky', we call a 'Cloud Stabber!'" I laughed at her smile then said "I like it! It is much easier to say! But can you tell me more about the humans that stayed?"

Mearoo smiled and said "You remember how we first mated?" I felt myself blush and she looked closely at my face as I felt the heat rise in it as I 'remembered' our first time! "How did you do that?" She asked as she stepped closer and put a paw on my face. "Do what?" I said as I was distracted by her touch, her closeness and her smell! "Make your skin change colors like that!" "Oh. When humans get certain feelings they can cause the blood to rise into their faces." I said in reply as I felt my 'need' for her increase making it hard to talk or to think! She stepped closer and put her mouth next to my ear and purred. The feel of her lips there caused me to groan as I felt myself become very stiff! "Mearoo! You are making me want to do things with you!" I said as I put my hands on the fur covering her breasts. I felt her trace my ear with the tip of her tongue then she said in a voice that left no doubt "I know. So did the ones that were rescued."

I didn't even hear her words as the blood was making a rushing noise in my ears and my heart was beating hard and fast as she slowly traced down my neck with her very flexible tongue. I pulled her tightly to me wanting to feel her fur rub up against my skin! She purred as she wrapped her arms around me and and picked me up off the floor! "What?" I started to protest but now her mouth was on mine and I felt her tongue force it's way into my mouth! I had seen kissing during our hunt celebrations' and practiced with the girls, but nothing like this! She explored my mouth and my tongue with hers. I was helpless as she held me tightly to her body while she did this! I tried to resist at first, but soon I found myself lost in her taste as well as her scent, as my tongue sought out hers and they wrestled in my mouth! When she withdrew hers, mine eagerly chased it back into her mouth! I felt the sharp points of her front teeth, followed by the grinding teeth behind them. I was learning the shape of her mouth and her tongue when I felt myself suddenly flying through the air with her!

I felt the shock of her landing, then I was on my back and she was looking down at me with green fire in her eyes! "Mearoo? What?" I managed to ask but the only reply I got was a low growl as she lay on my body and I felt the heat of her woman part against my erect man-part! I was not prepared for the sudden change in her as she rubbed herself against my body and then I felt myself start to enter hers! I gave a gasp of pleasure then a yowl of pain as she bit me!" Mearoo! Stop!" I yelled but she paid me no heed as she rose up and down on my stiff man-pole while squeezing it with her strong inner muscles! I felt her suck on my breast; where she had bit me, and felt her claws rake down my sides scratching the skin! She was acting more like an animal than a woman and I felt helpless to stop her! She was bigger and stronger than me and just ignored my struggles to stop her! She continued to bit and suck on my breasts while using her claws on my sides, my hips and my legs! The heat coming from her was great as she sped up her body on mine and soon I felt my seed boiling! I groaned, gasped and moaned as she continued to take me into her until I gave a great cry of passion as I felt my body give her what she wanted! Spurt after spurt of my seed started to come from my man-pole into her. She pushed herself down onto me and I felt my man-pole go deeper and then her inner muscles seemed to know how to squeeze and release my man-pole causing even more seed to come out! _"This must be how they mate with male snow-leapers!"_I thought as she continued to do this until I was drained! I lay there helpless as she flipped over changing our positions so I was on top of her body! I felt her muscles clench down on my man-pole causing me pain!"

Now your seed cannot escape me Jakool! You will give me cubs!

She said in a low growl as she continued to use her claws on my back then my rear! I yowled as she ran one down the crack between the two halves and bucked away from it as it raked across them. The feelings from this were both good and bad! There was much pleasure when she ran across the skin but pain when she scratched the skin drawing blood! I tried to move away, but she had me trapped in her body and on her! I became desperate as I felt the pressure of her insides squeezing me causing me to start tingling! Suddenly I felt myself explode with seed into her tight, hot hole!

She quickly locked her legs around my rear and I felt her angle her hips up and felt myself slip even deeper into her as I flooded her with my seed! The pleasure and pain were so intense that I bit down on her breast hard trying to find some relief from it! I felt her paw on the back of my head holding it there as she hissed, growled and bucked under me as I gave her all of the seed in my body! My eyes went blind with intense sparks of light flashing across them as I felt myself losing consciousness.

When I came back to life I slowly opened my eyes and saw her looking down at me. "Are you alright Jakool? I am so sorry!" she said to me as she held me gently to her body. "What happened Mearoo? Why did you suddenly act so...savage!" I asked still weak and in pain. "I..I lost control of myself. I took you as I would have taken on of our males!" she answered holding me in her arms."I pray to the Sky Spirits that I survive many such mating's with you!" I said in reply as she stroked the skin of my back gently with her paws. Her claws were sheathed so it was a completely different feeling than before. "I am sorry Jakool! I have never mated before. I have memories of how to be gentle with a Oohman; and did so the first few times. But I can feel my body is ready and that is why I acted as I did." I slowly said "So when you feel this way you become more like the earlier snow-leapers?" wanting to understand. "Yes. Their mating's were painful for the female. The male's pole has many barbs on it that scratch the inside of her as he enters. It does this to force her body to get ready to accept his seed where it is needed for her to have cubs."

She moved us to a sitting position so she could look me in the eyes as she explained. "He will bite her on the back of her neck to hold her against her struggles to get him out of her when she feels this at first. They will fight, claw and bite during this struggle. But soon the need to have his seed overpowers her survival instinct, and she lets him take her until he shoots his seed. Unlike Oohmans it happens very quickly! Snow-leapers would mate many times in one sun for her to become with cubs. Even then it had to be when she was truly ready. That would be when she was just as likely to ambush a male and force him to take her!" I am truly sorry Jakool!" she said as she held me. I smiled and said "Warn me next time so I can be ready! You frightened me Mearoo." I said as I felt the stinging pain from the scratches and shallow slashes she had made on my body. My right breast was bleeding some and was turning a dark color from the bites and I felt a soreness around my man pole from being squeezed so hard! I could now tell that her expression meant sorrow and sadness at the pain she had cause me. I learned that she was very different from one of our women and I would need to learn about her or make 'Painful' mistakes! "I am trying very hard to understand you Mearoo. You are so different than my kind that it will take time for both of us to learn." She smiled at me as I said this and I knew I had said the right words to her.

"I need to drink and eat." I said in the silence that followed, she immediately jumped up and went out then came back with the container holding the water. She gave it to me and helped me drink. Then she got some of the cooked meat and we ate. Once we were finished I was feeling better and asked her to continue telling me about the other men that mated with them. Mearoo continued "We spend most of lives high up where most humans could not survive. We have seen them die from both the cold and not being able to breathe after we rescued them or they came up to hunt or to escape from down below."

Iwas puzzled "What do you mean 'not able to breath'. Mearoo explained "This cave is only half way up. The first had trouble breathing here. He slowly changed so that his breathing became easier. But he also says that others came that could not learn to breathe and died." I rememberedmy own tribe's history and how many had trouble breathing; when they fled the Great Smoke, as they climbed higher up. "I understand Mearoo. When we first left the lands below, many died from this breathing you describe. The people like me did not have any problems. But others that joined our tribe did! Some like the first got better over time but others couldn't and died." Mearoo smiled as she said "The first kept count of how many men came and survived. Those that did eventually either left to find others or stayed and mated many times with his female cubs that returned to the cave. But 'All' mated with them while here!"

Mearoo got up and went back to the wall and counted the symbols for the number men and the number of their cubs "If I am doing this right, there were five hands and three fingers, of female cubs total that mated with the First and other Humans. The number of mating's changes as some litters only had one female, others as many as three.

Would each different litter of cubs born be counted as a change?" I frowned as I thought back to the Elders; especially Elder Pathak, telling the stories that taught us who we were and how we came to be. "Yes. Each time more are born they would count as a change" I answered.

Mearoo nodded and said "So if each new one is counted as a new change, you are looking at five hundred and sixty new changes!" I asked "Does it show how many seasons this took?" Mearoo nodded and answered "eight hands and one finger of seasons". "After forty one seasons did the cubs look like you?" I asked not believing such changes could occur in such a short time!" "No! Of course not!" Mearoo said sounding a little irritated at me. "I said it took a long time!" She turned to face the wall again and I watched as she fingered each of the symbols that showed two or four hands, counting them. She stopped under an image of a snow-leaper that look similar to her in shape. "Here! The first snow-leaper that had human form and snow-leaper features, was named Lieta. He was the son of Farso and Parma and was born.." she paused while she figured out how many seasons from the First until Lieta. Finally she said "It was ten times ten seasons times ten hands. I do not know the words in your tongue to describe this number. In our language it is "Cheti" "We do not have a word or symbol for such a large number" I said.

Suddenly I felt very strange and dizzy then I fell!" "Jakool!" I heard Mearoo yell as if from a great distance as I kept falling instead of hitting the cave floor! I fell through it over and over again until finally I was lying on it staring at the ceiling! I tried to stand up but couldn't as everything was spinning around and I fell when I tried. The spinning slowly came to a stop and carefully sat up expecting to see Mearoo. I was surprised to see two others in the cave. A snow-leaper male and female watching over five cubs. They looked different than Mearoo; more snow-leaper than human, but I could see how they could become like her. Then I looked at the cubs and saw one that did look more like her!

I heard them talking and the man said "Lieta? It was my fathers, fathers name." The woman looked at him lovingly as she said "Yes Parma. It is a good name to keep in the family." I then realized I was seeing Farso and Parma, the parents of Lieta just after he was born! I watched and listened as they named each of the cubs. Once finished they curled up with them to keep them warm. I heard Parma say "He is different. Will the others be too?" Farso nodded then said "Yes they will. But they will always be our cubs!"

The scene faded and I was back in the cave only now Mearoo was holding me in her arms shaking me! "Jakool! Wake up!" I made a noise then said "I will if you stop shaking me!" She stopped and looked relieved as I sat up and put my arms around her. "I was there. I saw Parma and Farso naming the cubs. Lieta was the only one that looked human and snow-leaper, but Farso answered 'Yes' when Parma when he asked if all of them would be different. Mearoo said slowly "Farso and Parma were rather special. They were the first to master the Ooh-man tongue and to mate to strengthen the Ooh-man blood." "How did they do that?" I asked still wanting to understand how Mearoo's people had developed so quickly compared to us.

Mearoo answered slowly "When we started changing into what we are now, speech came very slowly. At first we would make the sounds we always did, but used them to try and tell the human something as if they understood us. Sometimes they did!" I shook my head and said "How could they?" Mearoo said "Do your people talk to each other without using words?" I frowned not understanding her at first. Mearoo sighed and said "When you and your people were hunting I was watching you. The Leader made signs like this" Mearoo demonstrated by using the 'Hunt' signs that Kiraat had used to show us when to stop, when to go and when to change positions. I said "That is different. We are taught those signs while learning how to hunt." Mearoo replied "The First started teaching the cubs when he realized they were trying to tell him things. They would use the sounds their mouths and tongues could make that sounded like his speech. He slowly taught them to make different sounds. Each new litter of cubs could make it closer to his speech as the shape of their mouths and tongues changed."

I was impressed and looked at the walls and said "It tells you all this here?" Mearoo shook her head and said No. We remember." I turned from the wall and looked at her and said "Remember? You remember what the First taught the cubs?" Mearoo nodded and said "Yes. We all remember what our blood remembers. We are not sure how or why, we just do."

I turned to look at the wall and said slowly "Our people have left their history on the walls of caves as far back as we were a people. But we do this because we do not remember more than we are taught during our lives." Mearoo said "Yes we know. I am a direct descendant of the First. Both of them. I remember everything that all of my blood remember. We are born with this memory." I shook my head trying to understand this idea. Finally I just went back to the furs with Mearoo and sat down.

"Mearoo? If you remember everything your blood remembers, then you should remember what everyone one of these symbols and pictures means and when it was made." Mearoo said "No not everyone. Just the ones that are part of my blood. Almost all the records here were made by the First or their descendants. So while I know them, any that are not of my bloodline, will not. This is why we keep these records in our caves. So all the bloodlines know everything from each other. We keep such knowledge secret as it would be dangerous for outsiders to know such things about us."

I was puzzled until Mearoo said "Think what an enemy would do if they knew this. They would stop at nothing to trap one of our people alive!" I saw how this could be true. "I can see this Mearoo and other things. Such as the locations of all your secret places, how many fighters are there, the trails you use, many things." Mearoo let out a sound then grabbed me around the neck and said "I am happy you understand." I smiled and kissed her but she stopped me from continuing, so she could finish telling about Farso and Parma.

"Farso was a healer who learned all the healing knowledge of all the bloodlines from the cave records here and in other caves. He also studied the mating's and the resulting litters of cubs. He learned that if the male was a snow-leaper, then the females were most likely to look like him with only some of the mothers looks. When the female was snow-leaper, then the males would take after her mostly in their looks. But if both looked more Ooh-man then the cubs always had more Ooh-man looks."

I said "That makes sense as I have seen this in our own tribe." Mearoo continued "Farso convinced the tribe to have mating's based on looks, abilities and bloodlines! The cubs became what we are today very quickly by doing this." Finally I could understand how a Snow-Leaper Female and a Human Male; that came before my people, created a whole new type of people! It was now late so we ate, engaged again in what was now our favorite activity; but gently, then fell asleep curled together in the furs.

The next sun Mearoo continued the stories until she finally stopped and said "I have been telling you more about me and my people than any other outsider has ever been told! I want to know about you! Your People! There must be so much to tell about where you came from, the different tribes that made your tribe what it is!"I laughed and said "I guess that hearing the stories of your people were so different from any tribe we have known, I didn't think you would be interested in my people!"

As soon as I said "My People" I stopped and looked dumbfounded then slapped my forehead! "My People! I forgot about them!" I was ashamed of myself as I thought of them. "I have forgotten about my brothers and sisters!Ever since the 'Great Smoke Years' we have grown smaller and weaker as a tribe! We lost half of our hunters when we were attacked by the Rough Furs! We will not survive the cold because of that loss! I have to try and find them! I could tell them I may have found another tribe that would allow them to join them!" We would become strong again! I could help them! "I turned and said "I must leave Mearoo! I have to go and find my tribe! "What is wrong Mearoo?" I said seeing her staring at me with a very unpleasant look on her face! I went over to her but she quickly stood up and said "I thought you liked me! I thought you wanted to be my mate! I see now that I have made a mistake in choosing you!" I stared at her not recognizing the woman I had held in my arms a short time before,not recognizing her, as she was now hissing, spitting and making other threatening sounds!

I tried to calm her and explain by saying "Mearoo Please! This is important! My People need.." I felt a sharp pain on the side of my face; as my head snap back from a blow, then I was falling over backwards! She leaped on me and started clawing and biting me! I tried to fend her off but she was too strong! "Mearoo Stop! Your Hurting Me! Mearoo!" I cried out in pain and anguish; both from the wounds she was causing my body, and the sudden pain of the thought that I had lost her! Mearoo gave my face a final slash with her claws which I was only able to partially block. I was crying from both the sting of the final blow and the sight of her leaping away and down the tunnel! I struggled to get up as I felt the pain of the wounds she had inflicted on me. "Mearoo?" I cried out in agony as I made my body stand up and slowly walk to the tunnel then through it. I called her again and heard her name echo in the vast cavern.

My voice was the only one I heard answer me as I realized she had gone! I had lost my mate!" I now knew what she meant when she called me that! I went back to the furs and sat down overwhelmed with feelings I had not experience before in my young life! I cried. I was hurt and didn't know what to do. I decided to wait for her to return. I had to make her understand that I wanted to be her mate but my tribe needed my help! "She'll come back. She is just angry at me. Once she calms down she will come back!" I told myself as I examined my wounds and found that most were shallow. I sat and thought, slept, ate and sat some more.

I went out into the outer cavern several times calling her name; believing I had heard someone, but she was not there. Finally after what felt like several suns I realized that she was not coming back. I gathered up my spears, food and furs. I didn't see anything I had forgotten so I turned and left. "I have to find her! I can look for her as I go down to look for my tribe." I thought to myself as I made my way across the vast cavern.

I had reached the fire pit by the lake when I felt weak and dizzy. I sat down and looked at the wounds she had made. At least the ones my eyes could see. I saw slashes across my chest, stomach and bite marks on the shoulders. I touched my neck and felt them there too. I touched the ones on my face and hissed at that pain. I slowly got up and went to the lake. "The clean water should help the pain" I thought as I kneel by the edge and carefully washed my wounds. It was very cold but helped, as it soon numbed the various cuts and bites.

I went back to the fire pit and with difficulty made a small fire. I lay down in my furs exhausted and fell into a troubled sleep. I don't know how long I lay there having nightmares about Mearoo and others like her screaming as they came like avenging demons chasing me! No matter how I tried I couldn't run fast enough to keep from being attacked! I would wake up just as she reached me and I felt the first blow! Other dreams followed that were worse! She led them down in a hunt for my tribe and killed them all because I had somehow disappointed her! I woke up, hot, thirsty and weak. I managed to crawl to the lake and drink sips of water until I could drink no more. I do not know how many times I did this or how long passed before I woke up from my fevered dreams feeling stronger.

I looked around the fire pit and the trail for any signs of her but found none. As I prepared to leave, I decided to leave her a message, in case she returned. I took burnt charcoal from the cold ashes of the fire and drew an image of her then me. Then I drew one showing my tribe, the many trees, the endless grass, the hills and where to find us. I hoped she understood and added two fingers connected together under us! I went to the entrance; turning once to look back, then I left the cave.

Once I was outside the sudden cold, gusty wind, cloud covered sky and snow seemed to awaken my senses. I went down the trail still looking for tracks or any signs of her. I called out her name many times only to hear it carried away on the wind. I thought about everything she had told me, everything we had done together. I relived all the feelings with those thoughts; and felt even worse, for making her think I cared more for my tribe than I did for her!

But I was supposed to care for my tribe above all else! That is what we were taught and we believed! I was arguing with myself all the way down the Rock Finger! By the time I had made it into the hills at the base of the rock finger I was sure of two things. I wanted to find her and beg her forgiveness and I wanted to be her mate for the rest of my life! I found the river that fed the waterfall into the ravine and went around it this time looking for any traces of her or my brethren."There were four hands of us" I thought as I made sweeps of the many trees looking for tracks or signs. _"Two I found dead. Eight others fled into the many trees."_I thought looking for their tracks. I was now past where I had found Rankoo's body in the copse of bushes and was near where the attack had occurred. I was very tired after the long climb down with only a few rest stops and looked for somewhere safe to rest.

I settled on a group of trees with the needle leaves, that grew close together with sticker bushes around them. I threw my furs over the bushes so I could climb through them safely then pulled my furs in behind me. I looked around and saw that the ground under me was carpeted by the needles that had dropped and turned brown, making a comfortable bed. I fell asleep quickly and had more dreams. Bad ones! I relived the attack on the hunting party, only now it was Mearoo and her tribe attacking! I watched in horror as they slashed and ripped our hunters apart saving me for last! I begged her to stop, to forgive me, but she was consumed by her animal side and only wanted to taste my blood! I cried out and woke up to find myself tossing from side to side and digging into the ground with my fingers! I cried and cried out my loss and her name several times before I finally fell asleep again.

I woke up suddenly as something prodded me awake! I opened my eyes to see several people like Mearoo only bigger and meaner looking! The tallest was the one that had prodded me with a foot to wake me.

I stood up excited at seeing them and immediately said "Have you seen Mearoo? I must find her! I must tell her I am sorry!" I said to the tall, silent figure standing in front of me. I began to look among them for her but the tall one said "You are far from home Ooh-man. Why have you come here?"

I stopped looking for her as I realized I must sound sick in the head to him! I looked up at him and said "My name is Jakool. My tribe is called the 'Mihakoo'. We live across the never ending green grass in the hills beyond the many trees. We were hunting here and were attacked by a large clan of Rough Furs! I am one of the young out on our first hunt!

The hunt leader; Kiraat, told us to run when we were attacked so we did! I thought I would die when one followed me, but Mearoo saved me by attacking the Rough Fur, giving me time to hide! When it was safe I came out and couldn't find any of my tribe left alive, so I followed her tracks! That is how I climbed the Finger of Rock that Touches the Sky; that you call a 'Cloud Stabber', until I found the caves and her!" I fell to my knees in front of him, feeling the tears start again at the memories the telling brought back! "Please! Please tell her I am sorry! I didn't mean to anger her by saying I needed to find my tribe! I only wanted to help them! We need help!" I said to him as he stood silent staring at me. I felt so miserable, helpless and all alone. Suddenly the silent one said "My name is Merkansoo. I am the Leader of the Snow-Leaper Tribe. I have listened to you young Jakool and am amazed by your story."

I was surprised when he turned his head slightly and called out "Mearoo! Come here now and face the one you accused of betraying you!" I stayed on my knees as the warriors parted and a smaller figure slowly came forward causing my heart to leap with joy! "Mearoo!" I cried out and would of stood up, but Merkansoo put a hand on my shoulder to prevent me from rising. "Mearoo? why does this Ooh-man have the marks of your claws and teeth? Did he attack you?"Merkansoo asked her sternly. She was unable to look up at his face and was hiding hers in her paws. "No Merkansoo. He did not attack me or hurt me in that way." "Oh? In what way did young Jakool hurt you then? It must of been very serious for you to treat him this way after you saved his life and took him as your mate!" Mearoo sobbed into her paws at this, as if he had struck her!

"No! Don't blame her! It is my fault!" I said quickly, as seeing her like this hurt me so much! "Mearoo took her hands away from her face and looked at me with surprise as I said this. Merkansoo nodded then turned to Mearoo and said "Do you wish me to kill him for you? You have foolishly told him too much to allow him to live or to leave! That is our way!" I stayed on my knees and hung my head awaiting the killing blow to fall. Suddenly I felt Mearoo's body against mine and her arms around my neck saying "No! Please! I was wrong!" She said sobbing as she held me tight against her! I was overjoyed with relief and said to her "Mearoo? Can you ever forgive me? I didn't mean to anger you! I would never do anything to hurt you! I, I want to be your mate! For the rest of my life!" I said while I had the chance! Mearoo held my face at arms length so she could look at me as she said "Really? You want to be my mate? You truly mean it?" In a hopeful voice.

"I shook my head up and down and said "I really do! I vow to never leave you until death takes my body from this place!" I made the sign of our tribe to the Sky Spirits while looking up at the sky. Merkansoo said "I believe that you have done him a grievous harm Mearoo and must make it right!" Merkansoo said still sounding stern. I felt a pang of fear but Mearoo grabbed my face and kissed me soundly then said while crying "I want you Jakool I need you so much! I was angry! So angry when you said you had to find your tribe! I..I thought you were leaving me! I thought that you would never come back to me!" She said to me as I hugged her, kissed her and reassured her. "It is okay Mearoo. I am okay. Now that you are with me." Merkansoo shook his head and said "Now that you two young-lings have realized you have both been foolish in how you have behaved, I would like to hear more about your tribe Jakool."

I nodded and told him the story of my tribe. From our beginnings to the drying up of the lands, to the travels to find new lands. The many places we had stopped and stayed only to leave again. Of the Great Fire in the Sky and the Great Smoke Years! Of how we were reduced in numbers; and to a hand to mouth existence, while trying to survive! I told of how we climbed higher to escape the dangers of staying in the low lying lands. I finished by explaining how few our numbers were and how we needed to find another tribe that would accept us, or we would simply be wiped out by other tribes! Merkansoo listened silently during the story never moving or indicating how he felt, by words, gestures or the expression on his face. When I had finished telling him the whole story of the hunt, the attack, meeting Mearoo, mating and the cave, he stopped me. "I have heard enough Jakool. Are you rested enough to travel?" I said "Yes. Are we going back to your tribe?" I asked feeling a little torn between Mearoo and my tribes need! "No. We will go and see the truth of the story. If it is as you have said.." Merkansoo paused and had a strange look as he finished saying this, "Then there is more at work here than a chance meeting between you and Mearoo."

I didn't understand, but was happy to have them help me find my tribe! "One thing Jakool." Merkansoo said before we started out. "Can you swear by the Gods or Spirits you worship, that all in your tribe would greet us as friends and equals, if we show ourselves to them? If we allow them to join us as you have suggested, will they all accept? Because if any do not wish to join with us they cannot be allowed to live to tell any of us!" I was shocked at hearing this condition but thought about it.

"_If we were the ones that had stayed hidden so long, would we be willing to risk that to help a strange tribe that looked as much like animals as men?"_I shook my head realizing that it was a very difficult question to answer. But I knew the answer in my heart and looked up at Merkansoo and said firmly "I cannot swear as to how all of the tribe will greet you. I can swear that any who refuse your offer to join, will die by my blade!" I put my hand on the hilt of my knife as I said this to him. He nodded and said "So be it!" He turned and said "Lead us to your tribe". I felt Mearoo's hand in mine as I walked passed the warriors who parted to let us through until we stood in front of the tribe. I scanned the many trees and found the trail I recognized and said "This way". The journey had begun, I was now mate to Mearoo and leading the Snow-Leaper tribe to meet mine. But what would my tribe decide? Would I have to honor my vow and kill my own brethren? I silently prayed to the Sky Spirits to send my thoughts to my brethren to warn them before we arrived!