Bounty of the Beast

 

"One killing stroke into the head!" Alpen said, swinging his arm down to show Fallon his attack. "You fend off any others. Then we'll drive them into the water and cut up the beast."

Alithea turned to Fallon. "Did you see these animals when you were a boy?"

Shaking his head, Fallon explained, "The Cawthingi use nets to capture fish. They ride the water on hollowed out trees and when they get away from the shore, they lower their nets. After a while, they pull the nets up with the fish." He held his hands up in front of his body to show the size.

"They certainly look easier to kill than the wolfbear we saw in the forest," Bebe agreed. "I hope we can eat the meat. The young ones need it." She and Alithea stayed with the young ones this time while Fallon and Alpen headed south with their weapons. Bebe ran after them, then handed Alpen a blowfi. "Call us." Alpen looked at the hollowed out tube, nodded and tucked it into his pouch.

////////////

Cautious of the changing direction of the onshore wind, Alpen led Fallon in among the trees. Unfortunately, the tree edge was not as close to the herd of animals basking on the beach. They moved out of the trees and crept along the rocky sand, using the boulders to hide their progress. Peering around one large boulder, they watched the densely packed animals. Sometimes one would get up on its front feet, waddle through the other animals and disappear into the water. Some animals came ashore, calling out in gruff barks and being answered by its neighbors.

"Look, a young one feeding," Fallon pointed out. "Like Ibik." When he had first hunted Ibik with his dad, he felt sad at the anguished cry of an Ibik mother when he took her calf. His dad explained that her young one fed the children of the Jade. His dad taught him to say, "Thank you, mother, for this gift" to recognize and honor the sacrifice of the mother and her young one.

Fallon dragged a stone behind the large boulder and hefted it in his hand. "Forget the knife." The killing of a young one was an easy task and beneath Alpen's status as a senior hunter. Fallon handed his spear to Alpen, who would have a knife and a spear to fend off any adult attackers. Alpen pointed to his open mouth, then counted off by raising three fingers.

Leaping up, they ran toward the herd of animals. Not wanting to challenge the adults with grunts, they made high screaming sounds. Many of the animals roused themselves and clumsily scrambled to the water. As they neared the herd, a large adult issued a challenging grunt and waddled its enormous body toward them. 

///////////////

A mother made an agonized plea, then abandoned her pup. Alpen jabbed at the adult as Fallon straddled the squealing pup, then swung the club on its head and it fell silent. Another pup was nearby. In his battle thirst, Fallon almost dispatched the second pup, then remembered the cardinal rule his dad had taught him – a hunter takes no more than what he needs.

Throwing the club aside, he dragged the pup back away from the herd and the water. Alpen backed up, following Fallon and fending off the attack of the adult. As they retreated, the adult stopped, issuing loud bellows to proclaim its territory.

Fallon stumbled a few times as he dragged the seal pup along the sand. They settled behind the large boulder again and Alpen kept a watch out for any predators whose interest had been aroused by the ruckus. He handed his knife to Fallon, who had paused to silently thank the pup and his mother. He shook his head. "I want to take it back whole. Alithea will be able to see if it is healthy."

"Healthy? It's dead. I don't want to carry all that," Alpen protested.

"I'll carry it," Fallon said. "Help me load it." Once the weight of the pup settled on his shoulders, his feet sank into the sand, something he hadn't counted on. "Let's get to the water's edge," he grunted. "The ground is firmer."

It had been a task to get the seal pup on his shoulders, so he chose to walk the entire distance back to Alithea and Bebe without resting. When he stumbled, Alpen helped steady him. "You'll hurt yourself," Alpen insisted, but Fallon just shook his head as he put one step in front of the other.

When Alithea saw him, she ran forward but Alpen waved her away, fearing that Fallon would lurch or stumble. When they arrived, Fallon let the pup slide off his shoulders and down his back. The pup made a squeal as it hit the sand and Fallon jumped back, then fell on his side, thinking it was still alive.