C. T. Suddeth

Lord of the Caves Part 29

“Change guards,” said Oh-see-rah as he helped the two Wee men off the Flat Stone. “I need help with the paling stake,” he added.

The womenfolk started with the morning meal as the men dug a hole for a new stake.

As Oh-see-rah oversaw the installation of the paling stake, one of the guards approached.

“Any sign of the alligator?” Oh-see-rah asked.

The guard chuckled. “We’re calling him Old Smoke Snout. No sign of him.”

Soon the meal was ready. As heroes of the day, Lol-non and the Boy ate first. Grilled whisker fish with baked wild potatoes and sliced chestnuts.

After all had eaten their fill, Hah-nah-pah got his flute out while Oh-koh-roh got his drum tuned up.

Oo-tah-nah stood on the Flat Stone and sang:

Oh, the Lady of the Creek rules our way

The Lady of the Creek guides our way

The Lady of the Creek shows us the way

Lol-non and the Boy led the dancing line, Ee-shee-nah and Oh-see-rah next, men and women following, all the offspring at the end. Their feet pounded in time with the drum as their bodies swayed to the flute.

After the line circled once, Oo-tha-nah sang:

Oh the Lord of the Stone keeps us strong

The Lord of the Stone lets us live

The Lord of the Stones feeds us each and everyone

The line continued, everyone clapping to the beat, some of the womenfolk singing, too. Lol-non waved his arms to and fro as if he were the wee Lord of the Caves. The offspring were dancing in little circles.

Ooh-tah-nah continued singing:

Oh the Dell Folk never fear anyone

The Dell Folk never fear anything

The Dell Folk are wise past their years

Oo-tah-nah quit singing and picked Lol-non up, hugging him and swinging him in a circle. The Boy stuck his lip out. She picked him up with her free hand and slung him over her shoulder as she laughed and spun around.

Everyone hugged and sat around the grand fire, talking and laughing. Men passed a skin full of fermented blackberry juice.

Oh-see-rah and Ee-shee-nah kissed.

“Come with me,” she whispered.
            He glanced at their offspring.

“Oo-tah-nah will watch them,” she replied.

She led him to a side of the cave on the far side of the spring. In a cubbyhole between rocks, she had laid sleeping furs down. A rush candle glowed softly.

Oh-see-rah reached for her tunic.

She giggled and swung away from him. He shrugged and stood still.

Her eyes gleaming, she wiggled, and her tunic dropped to the floor.

TO BE CONTINUED

Copyright 2021 Charles Suddeth