Climate of Change (14 page)

Erectus
was resident throughout Eurasia for more than one and a half million years, but his population was relatively sparse. Man for man,
Erectus
was more than a match for modern man, physically, and he was by no means stupid. But the superior technology, communication, and foresight of the moderns made them more formidable. Why didn't
Erectus
develop such things in similar fashion? Perhaps because his brain was as significantly different from that of mankind as his body: of similar size, but differently proportioned, as described in
Chapter 2
. On the other hand,
Erectus
and Neandertal did hold their own for about 50,000 years after the moderns invaded their territories, so it took more than a better brain to do the job. The key to
victory may have been as simple as a better idea, late in coming, but ultimately overwhelming in its cumulative impact.

Plus one other thing: the first tamed animals. Genetic evidence now indicates that the dog descends from the wolf, and was first domesticated perhaps 100,000 years ago. Until relatively recently no effort seems to have been made to modify its appearance; the dog looked just like a small brown wolf, but ran with men. It proved to be a great friend.

Note: in this context, the term “beest” means any large beast of prey, as in wildebeest.

This time it was Rebel who was returning, with her younger brother Keeper. And Keeper's dogs.

For Keeper had a way with animals. When Hero had speared a wolf bitch, Keeper had sought out her den and found the pups. He had taken them in and cared for them, and Haven, softhearted, had helped. The others thought this was crazy, but the pups grew up into tame wolves that looked to Keeper as their pack leader. Keeper, at seventeen, was a slight man, gifted with neither the power of Hero nor the expertise of Craft, but now the three wolves were always with him, and while they sought no quarrels with others, they bristled and growled warningly when there seemed to be any threat to him. Recently he had found another litter, and was raising a second group of animals, so that he could breed them together and have more. At this point, a number of other people were interested. Haven was caring for that second litter, while Keeper traveled with the first.

The area was easy to locate, because the brother and sister lived on an island in the sea. All they had to do was follow the coast until they spied it. The sea was so big they could not see across it, but Rebel understood that it was entirely surrounded by land. That was hard to imagine!

They came in sight of the isle. It was a rocky projection from the water, about a hundred and fifty paces from the shore. Nestled among the stone spikes was a structure of rocks, gravel, wood, hide, and brush:
the house. The only access to it was by boat, for there were crocodiles and large snakes in the vicinity.

“I like that,” Keeper said, gazing at the residence. “No one will sneak up on that residence.”

“That's the idea,” Rebel agreed. “The Others don't use boats, and they're the main threat.” She took a stance on a projection of land that reached out partway toward the island. “Keep the dogs quiet while I hail them.”

Keeper cautioned the wolves, who were suspicious of strangers, and Rebel put her hands to her mouth and called, “Ho! Harbinger!” She was afraid he would be gone, or have found another woman. She had hardly encouraged him during her prior visit, after all.

Harbinger emerged, and stood with his bare toes touching the water. He recognized her, of course. “Come to quarrel, Rebel?” he called.

“No. I come to marry you.”

He shook his head, knowing better. “What of Craft?”

“He didn't come. This is my younger brother Keeper. And his dogs.”

The man stared at the animals. Aware of it, even from that distance across the water, they began to bristle. “Don't stare at them,” Rebel called. “That makes them angry. Ignore them.”

“Dogs?” he asked, averting his gaze to a degree. “They look like odd wolves.”

“They
are
wolves,” Keeper said. “From another region, so they don't look the same as the wild ones around here. These are smaller, and brown, and tame. But not friendly until they know a person. So just let them sniff you, and they will gradually accept you. You can tell when they are friendly, because their tails curl upward and their ears perk up too.”

Harbinger looked doubtful, understandably. So Rebel made a demonstration. “Here, Brownback,” she called. One of the dogs perked up his pointed ears and ran to her, tail wagging. She stroked his head, and he licked her hand. He was her chief foot-warmer, and she always gave him tidbits from her food. He was the boldest of the three, sharing her adventurous spirit.

Now Crenelle emerged. She had evidently held back, until sure of
the visitors. She cupped her mouth to call. “How is it you come, and not Craft?”

“I had a wild change of heart. He didn't.” Rebel glanced to Keeper. “This is Harbinger's sister Crenelle, who almost married Craft. But it didn't work out.”

“I know,” Keeper said. He was here nominally to protect Rebel, and with the dogs he was quite capable of doing that. But she suspected that he was more than slightly curious about Crenelle, about whom he had heard from all four of his older siblings.

Crenelle seemed just as curious about Keeper, but wary. Twice she had been ready to marry his brothers, and twice they had left her despite being greatly attracted. Keeper was a year younger than Crenelle, so was of less interest, but Rebel knew the woman was not one to let any possibility pass by without close inspection.

Harbinger squatted and drew a boat out from under the house where there was a low channel. He held it while Crenelle stepped in and took her place at the front, kneeling. Then he climbed into the back. Both lifted stout paddles and stroked the craft forward across the water.

Soon they reached the landing. The dogs drew forward, their ears laid back. “Don't move,” Rebel said. “Just stay there in the boat.”

Both Harbinger and Crenelle looked uncomfortable. “If you will sit still while the dogs sniff you, they will let you be,” Keeper said. “But don't make any sudden gesture that might be taken as a threat to me.”

“Tame wolves!” Crenelle said. “I never saw that before. What do they do?”

“They protect us,” Rebel said. “And they help us hunt.”

“The Others don't let us hunt much,” Harbinger said darkly. “Anything larger than a rabbit, and they will come for us.”

“But aren't you protected by the island?” Keeper asked.

“Not against a siege. They could make a raft if they wanted to. They know how, but don't trust large waters. It's better not to give them cause.”

“But there were no Others here before,” Rebel protested.

“They returned. They range widely. Once we traded with them,
but I think the Other woman who did it died. Now they merely tolerate us.”

“Well, if I am to marry Harbinger, I'll want more hides than rabbits provide,” Rebel said.

Harbinger didn't speak, so Crenelle did. “Get in the boat, come into our house. Settle by the fire, and we'll talk.”

“We must bring the dogs,” Keeper said.

“Put the wolves in the boat with us? They wouldn't like that any better than we would.”

“They have been in boats before,” Keeper reassured her. “They know your smell now, and understand that we are friends. It will be all right.”

Rebel got carefully into the boat behind Crenelle, and Keeper got in ahead of Harbinger. They laid their spears on the boat's floor. It was a close fit, but they made a space between them. Then they gestured to the dogs. In a moment all three had scrambled into the space.

Silently, Harbinger and Crenelle paddled the craft around and back out to sea. It floated low in the water now, but was strongly made and not in danger of sinking. The dogs peered out across the water, evidently enjoying the experience.

They crossed to the island. There was a snug harbor there, just wide enough for the boat, holding it steady. Crenelle stepped out, then held on to a bar on the house and extended her free hand to Rebel. Rebel stood and got out, steadied by the hand, and stood beside the boat. Then she signaled the dogs, who scrambled out to join her. After that Keeper and Harbinger got out, and Harbinger slid the boat the rest of the way under the house.

Keeper looked around. “Is there anything dangerous on the island?”

“Nothing but us,” Crenelle said cheerfully. “It's barren.”

Rebel hoped her wince didn't show. “Go,” she said to the dogs. They bounded away, gladly exploring the terrain.

They went to the hearth on the other side of the house, where there was an open region, and Crenelle produced some dried rabbit meat and some fermented juice. Also some scrap bones for the dogs as they
returned, who quickly warmed to her. The woman was not stupid; she appreciated both the danger and the help the dogs could be to her and her brother, so was already cultivating them in much the way she cultivated men.

“Now we need to understand each other,” Crenelle said. “When you were here with Craft, you didn't let my brother near you. Are you teasing him now?”

Rebel shook her head. “I know how he raped my elder sister. No one will ever rape me. I thought it best to make that clear at the outset, lest blood be shed. But then I heard him sing.”

“Ah.” Crenelle glanced at her brother. Then they brought out the drum and flute, and sang and played. Rebel loved it, and saw that Keeper was also rapt. Of course Crenelle was also doing her thing with the bouncing breasts and partly glimpsed crotch, so he had plenty to occupy his attention. But the dogs were also listening, surprised. Maybe it sounded like howling to them, which was no bad thing.

“Yes, like that,” Rebel agreed when they were done. “I realized that there was more to you both than hunting and foraging. And you do those things well too.”

“Still, you can understand why my brother is wary of you.” Crenelle held a tempting bit of bone and sinew out toward the nearest dog, Whitepaw, who was similarly wary. The implication was that Harbinger might be amenable, given sufficient reassurance.

“I need to explain two things,” Rebel said. “The first is that I will always be my own woman. I will not be raped, I will not be dominated. But the man I marry will find me good company, and competent.”

“You brought down that beest,” Crenelle agreed, referring to a prior hunt when Rebel had wielded a spear like a man. “You can use a weapon.”

“I can use a weapon,” Rebel agreed. “And I like action. So I can be good for a man who doesn't mind an aggressive woman.” She got to her feet, and removed her cloak. In this warm weather she wore no under-clothing, so for the moment she stood naked. She turned in the light of the fire, showing off what she knew was as good a body as they were likely to see. “Very good.”

She saw Harbinger's tongue run around his lips. He did appreciate her physical qualities, as she intended. Crenelle was good at impressing men, but Rebel knew she herself was better, when she wanted to be. She sat down, remaining nude, and folded her legs under her. Everything was in plain view. Her brother, knowing her, ignored it, and the dogs hardly cared.

But she did need to explain. “The music impressed me, and I began to reconsider. But it was time for Craft to stay, or go, and when he went I had to go with him. I thought I would forget, or find another interest. But instead of fading, the feeling grew, until I knew I wanted Harbinger. But on my own terms, of course. So I have come to accomplish this.”

“You say you want to marry my brother,” Crenelle said. “You know that we require a rape to start that. Harbinger expects to rape his bride, and I expect to be raped by my groom. This has been a point of difficulty between us. Your brothers didn't want to rape me, and you don't want to be raped by my brother. So we are at an impasse.” Meanwhile, Whitepaw had finally yielded, and taken the bone from the woman's hand. The dog was being secondarily tamed.

“Why can't you just change that difficult aspect?” Rebel asked.

“Why can't you?”

It was an apt retort. She had no apt counter, so she changed the subject. “Now about the Others. If they won't let us hunt, we'll have to be rid of them. Are there many here?”

“Three men,” Harbinger said. “Two of them have women who don't hunt or fight, and the third may be a brother. They have territories, just as we do, and this land by the lake is theirs. If we could be rid of them, other Others would probably leave us alone, because we would have won the territory.”

“Now we have two men,” Rebel said. “And two women. And three dogs.” She stroked Brownback, and saw that Whitepaw now accepted Crenelle's touch on her back. “So we outnumber their three men.”

“We don't,” Harbinger said. “They are faster and stronger than we are, and can throw their spears farther. Even if we wounded one, we would not dare close in for the kill, because of their power. We would
need two men to their one, to fight them, and even that would be uncertain. Three to one would be better.”