Back | Next
Contents


I


Brat, as usual considerably bruised, but eyes alight with creative pleasure, sat and worried the length of broken dead limb out of the pile of kindling against the cave wall, then crawled stealthily to the fire where Ak and Rill sat gnawing on the remains of supper.

Brat shoved the splintered end of the stick into the fire.

Ak was eyeing the rolling hills visible from the cave mouth. There was a herd of something feeding there in the distance; but, in the drizzle, among the scattered low trees, with the sun about to set, it was hard to tell—

Snap!

Snap!

The resinous dry kindling caught and flared.

A bright-red coal landed on Ak’s thigh. As he brushed it off, out of the corner of his eye he could see the stream of sparks and flame whip through the air.

Rill screamed and grabbed at her hair as Brat toddled past proudly waving the popping flaring length of kindling.

Ak sprang to his feet, snarling.

Brat eyed the carefully hoarded stack of kindling, back where the rain couldn’t reach it. He brandished the flaming brand and headed for the pile.

Rill screamed.

Ak roared, “Nuh fla da! Nuh! Nuh!”

Brat scowled defiance and hurled the brand at the pile of kindling. He let go at the wrong moment, and instead of hitting the pile, the stick landed only halfway there, on the stone floor.

Rill grabbed the unlit end, and flipped it toward the front of the cave.

Brat screamed in frustration, grabbed Rill by the leg, and bit her.

Ak, eyes glittering, grabbed Brat by the hair, gave a deafening bellow, and jerked him away from Rill.

Brat screamed in outrage.

Rill, sobbing, banged into the stone wall of the cave.

Brat grabbed Ak and tried to bite him.

Ak, his face contorted, held Brat painfully close to the fire.

Brat screamed.

Ak listened to the scream change from rage to terror, and jerked Brat back onto the cool stone.

Brat screamed and babbled.

Ak said, his voice penetrating, “Nuh fla da! Nuh fla da! Nuh fla da!”

He punctuated his words with slaps.

Brat reeled and staggered, screamed, sobbed. Eyes flashing in terror and defiance, he stared at Rill. His eyes commanded, appealed, pleaded.

Rill, face grim and unresponsive, felt carefully of her hair, looked at the blood running down her leg, and watched grimly as Ak, with stinging slaps, continued the punishment.

“Nuh fla da! Nuh fla da! NUH FLA DA!”

Brat’s gaze changed.

Reeling, dazed, he stared at his father.

“Nuh fla da?”

“Nuh fla da!” said Ak. He pointed at the pile of kindling and unleashed a torrent of words. He pointed at the fire, the kindling again, the back of the cave, with its piles of soft straw, skins, and tools, the cave mouth, the drizzle outside, then he looked back at Brat.

“NUH FLA DA!”

Brat looked sleepy.

“Nuh fla da,” he said, as if considering the matter. Then, somewhat proudly, “Nuh fla da.” He headed for the back of the cave, and the pile of straw there that was his own. On the way past Rill, he paused, looked at her, and spoke knowledgeably.

“Nuh fla da,” he said.

“Nuh fla da,” she replied.

He nodded, went past, and threw himself on his pile of straw.

“Nuh fla da,” he murmured, and fell asleep.



Back | Next
Framed