C. T. Suddeth

Lord of the Caves Part 30

Oh-see-rah grinned and reached to snuff out the rush candle. Giggling, Ee-shee-nah yanked his breechcloth off.

Dousing the rush candle, he dove onto her and pulled the sleeping fur over them. With no one nearby, they made lots of noise.

It was the best day he’d had in many a day. He kissed her and fell asleep.

He woke with Ee-shee-nah massaging his back.

“We need to check on our offspring,” she said.

They dressed and snuck back to the main part of the cave.

“Two more families just joined us,” Hah-nah-pah said.

“As long as we have room,” Oh-see-rah replied.

“I found them a place.” Hah-nah-pah headed for his sleeping furs.

On-see-rah checked on the guards and returned to his sleeping furs. Oo-tah-nah, her family, Ee-shee-nah, and their offspring were waiting.

Lol-non jumped up. “May I explore?”

“Where?” Oh-see-rah didn’t need to go hunting hm down again.

“Inside the cave.” Lol-non glanced toward the cave mouth. “I’ve had enough of outside for a while.”

“Stay out of trouble.” Oh-see-rah thought: What could happen to them inside the cave?

Lol-non dashed toward the back of the cave, the Boy tagging along.

Oh-see-rah slipped under the furs and prepared to catch up on his sleep.

“Help!” womenfolk yelled.

Oh-see-rah sat.

Shrieking, womenfolk and offspring fled toward the front of the cave. Oh-see-rah stood to see what the matter was.

RHOOOAAARRRRH.  A giant cave bear came from within the cave and gazed at everyone as if it couldn’t decide who to eat first.

“Herd the folks into our cubbyhole,” Oh-see-rah told Ee-shee-nah. “The alligator might still be outside.”

“Follow me!” Ee-shee-nah yelled as she fled into the cubbyhole.

“You know the drill!” shouted Oh-see-rah. “Warriors grab torches. Womenfolk, get your spear throwers ready.”

The offspring huddled inside the cubbyhole as a line of womenfolk readied their spear throwers. A line of warriors in front of the womenfolk held torches, ready to hurl at the cave bear that was so tall its head almost grazed the ceiling.

The cave bear peered at the torches, and then looked to its left. Lol-non tried to sneak around the cave’s edges. He was unarmed, but even a full grown man couldn’t fight it.

RHOOOAAARRRRH. The cave bear leapt at Lol-non.

“Torches!” yelled Oh-see-rah.

His eyes wide with terror, Lol-non’s wee legs pumped hard as he headed for them.

“Now!” Oh-see-rah yelled.

As if just one warrior, everyone hurled torches. Countless flaming torches smacked into the cave bear’s face and chest, littering the cave floor with sizzling torches.

After trying to swat at the torches it halted and glared at the warriors.

Lol-non put on a final burst of speed and joined the warriors.

Oh-see-rah scooped him up and handed him to Oo-tah-nah. The cave bear swiveled and faced them.

“Spear throwers ready!” hollered Oh-see-rah.

The cave bear turned its back on them.

“My brother!” squeaked Lol-non.

Then Oh-see-rah spotted the Boy standing on the far side of the cave bear. He was obviously too frightened to move. His back was to the rock wall—if he went left or right the cave bear would eat him while everyone watched.

Oh-see-rah darted forward, grabbed a still burning torch, and stopped. “Hey, cave bear!”

RHOOOAAARRRRH.

The cave bear swiveled around and charged Oh-see-rah.

TO BE CONTINUED

Copyright 2021 Charles Suddeth