The Mammoth Hunters - Jean M. Auel [54]
The rest of the hunters followed behind them not long after they left. Everyone who was able and wanted to go went along. The Lion Hearth contributed three hunters. Latie was young and only recently allowed to join Talut and Danug. She was always eager to go, as her mother had been when she was younger, but Nezzie did not often accompany hunters now. She stayed to take care of Rugie and Rydag, and help watch other young children. She had not gone on many hunts since she took in Rydag.
The Fox Hearth had only two men, and both Wymez and Ranec hunted, but none from the Mammoth Hearth did, except for the visitors, Ayla and Jondalar. Mamut was too old.
Though he would like to have gone, Manuv stayed behind so as not to slow them down. Tronie stayed, too, with Nuvie and Hartal. Except for an occasional drive, where even the children could help, she no longer went along on hunting trips either. Tornec was the only hunter from the Reindeer Hearth, just as Frebec was the only hunter from the Hearth of the Crane. Fralie and Crozie stayed at the Camp with Crisavec and Tasher.
Tulie had almost always found a way to join hunting parties, even when she had small children, and the Aurochs Hearth was well represented. Besides the headwoman, Barzec, Deegie, and Druwez all went. Brinan tried his best to convince his mother to let him go, but he was left with Nezzie, along with his sister Tusie, placated with a promise that soon he would be old enough.
The hunters hiked up the slope together, and Talut set a fast pace once they reached the level grassland.
“I think the day is too good to waste, too,” Nezzie said, putting her cup down firmly and speaking to the group which gathered around the outdoor cooking hearth, after the hunters left. They were sipping tea and finishing up the last of breakfast. “The grains are ripe and dry, and I’ve been wanting to go up and collect a last good day’s worth. If we head toward that stand of stone pines by the little creek, we can collect the ripe pine nuts from the cones, too, if there’s time. Does anyone else want to go?”
“I’m not sure if Fralie should walk so far,” Crozie said.
“Oh, Mother,” Fralie said. “A little walk will do me good, and once the weather turns bad, we’ll all have to stay inside most of the time. That will come soon enough. I’d like to go, Nezzie.”
“Well, I’d better go, then, to help you with the children,” Crozie said, as if she was making a great sacrifice, although the idea of an outing sounded good to her.
Tronie wasn’t reluctant to admit it. “What a good idea, Nezzie! I’m sure I can put Hartal in the back carrier, so I can carry Nuvie when she gets tired. There’s nothing I’d like better than spending a day outside.”
“I’ll carry Nuvie. You don’t have to carry two,” Manuv said. “But I think I’ll get the pine nuts first, and leave the grain collecting to the rest of you.”
“I think I’ll join you, too, Nezzie,” Mamut said. “Perhaps Rydag wouldn’t mind keeping an old man company, and maybe teach me more of Ayla’s signs, since he’s so good at them.”
“You very good at signs, Mamut,” Rydag signaled. “You learn signs fast. Maybe you teach me.”
“Maybe we can teach each other,” Mamut signed back.
Nezzie smiled. The old man had never treated the child of mixed spirits any differently from the other children of the Camp, except to show extra consideration for his weakness, and he had often helped her with Rydag. There seemed to be a special closeness between them, and she suspected Mamut was coming along to keep the boy occupied while the rest were working. She knew he would also make sure no one exerted inadvertent pressure on Rydag to move faster than he should. He could slow down if he saw the youngster