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The Old Man of Many Winters (LST 2022)
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Time has passed with many winters coming and going.
His seed had been sown in many villages as he, as a young warrior, had passed through spreading the bountiful fruit of his loins which gave the seed of life for many new babies; yet now he wondered just how many more winters he and his spirit guide (if such a thing truly existed) would see before he passed this world for a new existence in the land of the dead.
He did not dwell upon such things as there was always the hunt that occupied his time and afterwards the sleeping furs beckoned him with their call of warmth and sleep. Unlike times past he now spent his time alone in the sleeping furs with his dreams of past hunts and glory his only company.
He was a well known warrior and hunter in his youth yet his reputation was just about all he had left as now, the 16 summer youths were running faster and were able to throw their spears further than he could even consider attempting; such was the life of one who had lived so many winters .
He was rolled into his sleeping furs as the first cold of winter had started that late afternoon day when to his ear came muffled screaming from outside his shelter.
He arose and grabbed his hunting spear and opened the flap of his shelter to see what was causing all the noise. The sight he beheld added a new coldness to his blood as there were strangers in the village striking down the few men awake with clubs and spears while dragging the women away with bound hands. He could see 8 of these raiders and without hesitation he charged forward . The closest raider's back was to him so he thrust his spear into the fellow's neck at the base of the skull; as expected he fell without a sound with his spinal column severed.
Darkness was upon the camp lit by only the central camp fire so he used the shadows to his advantage as he stalked his next quarry. It was apparent that the raiders had been divided into two groups. One group to fight and kill the sleepy men and another group to capture the women worthy of their desires.
The camp was alive now as the warriors and men were awake enough to fight these raiders. The Raiders being the thieves and cowards they were seemed to be trying to escape with the women captives; they obviously did not know the women of this village as even the youngest ones fought back like little tigers.
There was a Raider who had tied a rope around the necks of 4 women and was tugging them along to follow him into the shadows. As he approached pulling and tugging he was met with a spear point which which entered under his left arm and penetrated though his lung all the way to his heart. He fell frothing blood from his mouth and a look of defeat and horror upon his face.
Cutting the rope and freeing the women he looked around for his next victim of opportunity while one of the younger women picked up the raiders spear and stood by his side also looking and waiting.
The tide had turned and the three Raiders who were left had dropped all their booty and were trying to fight their way free of the now fully awake warriors of the village. The warriors had ringed them in with their spear points so there was no escape just coming death upon a sharpened point . The three were standing back to back trying to ward off the blows of their attackers as the Old Man of Many Winters walked up casually and thrust his spear into the leg of the raider facing away from him. The idiot screamed like a girl child as he fell exposing the backs of the other two Raiders. They went down within two heart beats to rise no more.
The villagers were going to kill the Raider with the leg wound until the Old Man of Many Winters stopped them. He explained they needed to know from where the Raiders had come from and why the raid had been attempted. Many of the women wanted to see if the Raider could talk without his shrinking manhood but again he stopped them.
It did not take long for the young Raider to explain that many of their village women had died during the summer from what most believed to be bad drinking water. Almost all the young men had been on the annual hunt for the big beast of the plains and had been spared the gruesome death of the women. The young men wanted women and this village was the first encampment their scouting party had come across. They had thought they could grab a few women before the alarm was raised and the village awoke. The Old Man of Many Winters just shook his head at the stupidity and passion of youthful desires.
The young Raider had seen 19 summers and was named Toe Maa he was freed on the third day but everyone knew he would surely die as his wound already had the stench of putrefaction and the yellow seeping that always seemed to bring on death. His skin was hot to the touch and on the 7th day he died.
The young hot bloods wanted to launch a counter raid and kill everyone they could find in the Raider village but the Old Man of Many Winters suggested he go and speak with the Raider's leader.
It was a two day journey to the valley of the Raiders according to Toe Maa and after a few arguments it was decided that the Old Man of Many Winters would be accompanied by 24 of the village warriors which would leave 30 warriors to set up watches and guards for the village while they were gone.
It was a three day journey instead of two for the first snow had fallen making this trek slow and cold but upon the third day they were looking upon the Raider village. The sky was cloudy but the sun would have been high if the clouds did not obscure its mighty warmth.
There should have been children and people preparing the noon day meal but there was only one fire visible with a few men sitting around trying to stay warm.
The Old Man of Many Winters and his 24 warriors approached from the nearest tree line and were upon the Raiders before they even knew they were being watched. Of course as soon as they were seen the group of 12 rushed to their feet with war spears in hand.
The Old Man of Many Winters approached the group unarmed holding up his hands palms forward as a sigh of peace. There was not a Raider among the 12 that looked like he had seen 25 summers which was a bad omen as far as the Old Man of Many Winters was concerned. The hot blood of youth acts instead of thinks sometimes was his considered opinion.
The language was not the same but there was enough commonality the Old man of Many Winters could communicate enough, if not have a discourse with these young bucks and a semblance of understanding.
These 12 were all that was left of their village except for two 8 man scouting parties which had left 10 days ago to find food . The Old Man of Many Winters told of one of their 8 man parties which had attacked their village and of Toe Maa and his fate.
One of the Raiders screamed, “Toe Maa was my brother and started to charge but the Old Man of Many Winters stood his ground and simple said, “The yellow blood killed him not us.”
One of the other Raiders (with more than two brain cells) grabbed him and made him stop before the Old Man of Many Winters and his 24 warriors brought him and all the other 11 down in a raining of war spears upon their bodies.
During the next four days an uneasy yet respectful air hung about the camp as the men got to know each other. There was only one almost a fight but cooler heads had stopped it before blows began to fall. Toe Maa's brother would shape up or be expelled or killed; his fate was in his own hands.
His seed had been sown in many villages as he, as a young warrior, had passed through spreading the bountiful fruit of his loins which gave the seed of life for many new babies; yet now he wondered just how many more winters he and his spirit guide (if such a thing truly existed) would see before he passed this world for a new existence in the land of the dead.
He did not dwell upon such things as there was always the hunt that occupied his time and afterwards the sleeping furs beckoned him with their call of warmth and sleep. Unlike times past he now spent his time alone in the sleeping furs with his dreams of past hunts and glory his only company.
He was a well known warrior and hunter in his youth yet his reputation was just about all he had left as now, the 16 summer youths were running faster and were able to throw their spears further than he could even consider attempting; such was the life of one who had lived so many winters .
He was rolled into his sleeping furs as the first cold of winter had started that late afternoon day when to his ear came muffled screaming from outside his shelter.
He arose and grabbed his hunting spear and opened the flap of his shelter to see what was causing all the noise. The sight he beheld added a new coldness to his blood as there were strangers in the village striking down the few men awake with clubs and spears while dragging the women away with bound hands. He could see 8 of these raiders and without hesitation he charged forward . The closest raider's back was to him so he thrust his spear into the fellow's neck at the base of the skull; as expected he fell without a sound with his spinal column severed.
Darkness was upon the camp lit by only the central camp fire so he used the shadows to his advantage as he stalked his next quarry. It was apparent that the raiders had been divided into two groups. One group to fight and kill the sleepy men and another group to capture the women worthy of their desires.
The camp was alive now as the warriors and men were awake enough to fight these raiders. The Raiders being the thieves and cowards they were seemed to be trying to escape with the women captives; they obviously did not know the women of this village as even the youngest ones fought back like little tigers.
There was a Raider who had tied a rope around the necks of 4 women and was tugging them along to follow him into the shadows. As he approached pulling and tugging he was met with a spear point which which entered under his left arm and penetrated though his lung all the way to his heart. He fell frothing blood from his mouth and a look of defeat and horror upon his face.
Cutting the rope and freeing the women he looked around for his next victim of opportunity while one of the younger women picked up the raiders spear and stood by his side also looking and waiting.
The tide had turned and the three Raiders who were left had dropped all their booty and were trying to fight their way free of the now fully awake warriors of the village. The warriors had ringed them in with their spear points so there was no escape just coming death upon a sharpened point . The three were standing back to back trying to ward off the blows of their attackers as the Old Man of Many Winters walked up casually and thrust his spear into the leg of the raider facing away from him. The idiot screamed like a girl child as he fell exposing the backs of the other two Raiders. They went down within two heart beats to rise no more.
The villagers were going to kill the Raider with the leg wound until the Old Man of Many Winters stopped them. He explained they needed to know from where the Raiders had come from and why the raid had been attempted. Many of the women wanted to see if the Raider could talk without his shrinking manhood but again he stopped them.
It did not take long for the young Raider to explain that many of their village women had died during the summer from what most believed to be bad drinking water. Almost all the young men had been on the annual hunt for the big beast of the plains and had been spared the gruesome death of the women. The young men wanted women and this village was the first encampment their scouting party had come across. They had thought they could grab a few women before the alarm was raised and the village awoke. The Old Man of Many Winters just shook his head at the stupidity and passion of youthful desires.
The young Raider had seen 19 summers and was named Toe Maa he was freed on the third day but everyone knew he would surely die as his wound already had the stench of putrefaction and the yellow seeping that always seemed to bring on death. His skin was hot to the touch and on the 7th day he died.
The young hot bloods wanted to launch a counter raid and kill everyone they could find in the Raider village but the Old Man of Many Winters suggested he go and speak with the Raider's leader.
It was a two day journey to the valley of the Raiders according to Toe Maa and after a few arguments it was decided that the Old Man of Many Winters would be accompanied by 24 of the village warriors which would leave 30 warriors to set up watches and guards for the village while they were gone.
It was a three day journey instead of two for the first snow had fallen making this trek slow and cold but upon the third day they were looking upon the Raider village. The sky was cloudy but the sun would have been high if the clouds did not obscure its mighty warmth.
There should have been children and people preparing the noon day meal but there was only one fire visible with a few men sitting around trying to stay warm.
The Old Man of Many Winters and his 24 warriors approached from the nearest tree line and were upon the Raiders before they even knew they were being watched. Of course as soon as they were seen the group of 12 rushed to their feet with war spears in hand.
The Old Man of Many Winters approached the group unarmed holding up his hands palms forward as a sigh of peace. There was not a Raider among the 12 that looked like he had seen 25 summers which was a bad omen as far as the Old Man of Many Winters was concerned. The hot blood of youth acts instead of thinks sometimes was his considered opinion.
The language was not the same but there was enough commonality the Old man of Many Winters could communicate enough, if not have a discourse with these young bucks and a semblance of understanding.
These 12 were all that was left of their village except for two 8 man scouting parties which had left 10 days ago to find food . The Old Man of Many Winters told of one of their 8 man parties which had attacked their village and of Toe Maa and his fate.
One of the Raiders screamed, “Toe Maa was my brother and started to charge but the Old Man of Many Winters stood his ground and simple said, “The yellow blood killed him not us.”
One of the other Raiders (with more than two brain cells) grabbed him and made him stop before the Old Man of Many Winters and his 24 warriors brought him and all the other 11 down in a raining of war spears upon their bodies.
During the next four days an uneasy yet respectful air hung about the camp as the men got to know each other. There was only one almost a fight but cooler heads had stopped it before blows began to fall. Toe Maa's brother would shape up or be expelled or killed; his fate was in his own hands.
edit on 727thk22 by 727Sky because: (no reason given)
One the 5th day the other 8 man party returned with some fresh meat they had butchered from one of the beast of the plains. They had traveled east
while the party that had raided the Old Man of Many Winters' camp had come from the west.
The meat was welcome even though the butchering was mediocre at best. These Raiders had their women do the butchering after a kill as they thought it was beneath their station as warriors to do such a deed..
Another 4 days were spent at the Raiders camp before a few details were ironed out. If the Raiders were to be accepted into the Old Man of Many Winters clan then the language of the clan was to be spoken. If someone refused to speak the language or was to dumb to learn then after the next winter they would be asked to leave, If they refused to leave they would be killed.
The women of the Old Man of Many Winters clan chose their mates and were not forced into a relationship they did not desire or want. Any Raider raping a clan woman would be killed by the women and they were very good at making a man cry for his mother for several days of agony.
These things were agree upon so they all set off for the Old Man of Many Winters' camp. The snow was falling so thickly they could not see 30 steps in front of their desired walking path. There was even thunder which scared many of the young men as they trudged along unable to see in the distance what lay before them.
Some say the fire of the Gods struck a tree as they crested a rise of the terrain; the was a flash and then in an instant a deafening boom of thunder, right on its heals another mighty flash and boom . When everyone got back to their feet, with ears throbbing, the Old Man of Many Winters lay still to rise no more.
The clan went on to prosper and grow in numbers as the Old Man of Many Winters looked down from the land of the dead and smiled.
The End
The meat was welcome even though the butchering was mediocre at best. These Raiders had their women do the butchering after a kill as they thought it was beneath their station as warriors to do such a deed..
Another 4 days were spent at the Raiders camp before a few details were ironed out. If the Raiders were to be accepted into the Old Man of Many Winters clan then the language of the clan was to be spoken. If someone refused to speak the language or was to dumb to learn then after the next winter they would be asked to leave, If they refused to leave they would be killed.
The women of the Old Man of Many Winters clan chose their mates and were not forced into a relationship they did not desire or want. Any Raider raping a clan woman would be killed by the women and they were very good at making a man cry for his mother for several days of agony.
These things were agree upon so they all set off for the Old Man of Many Winters' camp. The snow was falling so thickly they could not see 30 steps in front of their desired walking path. There was even thunder which scared many of the young men as they trudged along unable to see in the distance what lay before them.
Some say the fire of the Gods struck a tree as they crested a rise of the terrain; the was a flash and then in an instant a deafening boom of thunder, right on its heals another mighty flash and boom . When everyone got back to their feet, with ears throbbing, the Old Man of Many Winters lay still to rise no more.
The clan went on to prosper and grow in numbers as the Old Man of Many Winters looked down from the land of the dead and smiled.
The End
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