John and Argent by cmsix

Chapter 64

Everything was hustle and bustle in the camp now. People were excited and curious about the captured mammoths but they were also trying to deal with the dead ones. To put it into perspective, there was nearly half a ton of liver to be dealt with. Mammoth hides needed to be scraped and though the carcasses had been roughly cut up there was more cutting that needed to be done before the freeze that would no doubt come tonight. We were going to be busy long after sunset.

Also on the agenda were rotating guards through the night. The fresh meat would bring predators and if they couldn't get to the meat they would settle for the horses or even the live mammoths. With the female tied up she would be hard pressed to defend herself and the youngsters couldn't be counted on for any help at all.

The horses were accustomed to fire by now but the mammoths weren't so we would have to make sure to build the fires close enough to keep the predators away from them but far enough away to keep from making them panic. It was going to be a busy night and I didn't think I would be getting much sleep, maybe not any.

Racaato took over the fire building detail and with the use of my original wagon, which hadn't been needed to carry the meat; he and some others gathered enough dried dung to keep the fires going all night. When they built the fires they built them smaller than normal and built more of them. It would be more work tending them through the night but Racaato thought that it would do a better job of keeping predators out and would also lessen the fear of our guest.

Danlo stayed with the female during all of this and I'm sure that his attendance helped keep her calm. I went back to talk with him a couple of times and to take him coffee and while I was there I saw that he was even becoming familiar with the younger captives.

After the evening meal Ameliea, Dieta, Geera, Gema, Merita and Maia armed themselves for an all night vigil. Merita and Maia had Prince, King and Rover well in hand and they were patrolling the perimeter with our guard wolves. I felt comfortable knowing that nothing was going to slip up on the wolves in daylight or dark.

As the work progressed and the meal was over I took Deimeta out to visit Danlo and his charges. She was delighted seeing the live beast and especially with the young ones.

"That one is just my size Daddy," she squealed.

"Then it will be yours. You can teach it to behave and later when it is bigger I will show you how to ride on it."

"Can I really ride it? Will it let me on its back?" she asked, clearly thrilled at the prospect.

"You will have to ride on its neck since its back will be too broad but I'm sure that we can teach it to let you ride."

"Oh Daddy I can hardly believe it. I have never even heard of anyone that touched a live mammoth," she said.

"Then you will be one of the first to ride. You should ask Danlo if he thinks he can get the little one to let you pet its snout."

"Can you Danlo? Will it let me touch it?" she asked him.

"I think we might be able to do it, you will have to go very slowly though and make sure that you don't frighten it," he told her, stifling a laugh.

"I'll be very careful, I promise," she told him.

"Come to me then; be sure to walk slowly and keep your hands down by your side. Speak to it very softly as you approach," he instructed.

"What should I tell it?" she asked.

"Tell it how nice you think it is and how much you would like to be its friend," he said.

I backed up a few paces and let her get started. She talked softly and sincerely to the young mammoth and she took a step, waited a few seconds and then took another. It was slow going but that was how it had to be. As she got closer the little mammoth began to get curious and within a few moments it was sniffing Deimeta with its trunk and she was rubbing on the trunk and on its head.

Apparently the youngster liked the attention since it didn't seem to tire of Deimeta's petting. It sniffed at her constantly and she worked her way around it, touching and stroking it everywhere she could reach. Soon they were pals and Deimeta played at tugging on the long trunk while the little mammoth pulled at her with it. I sat on the ground and watched as long as my poor tired ass could stand it but much more quickly than Deimeta would have liked we had to go back to camp.

When we left the young mammoth followed for a few paces but finally turned back to the safety of the mature female.

"Oh Daddy, I just love my mammoth, are you sure it can be mine?" she asked.

"I am very sure. It is your mammoth now and you will have to think of a name for it. You will also need to learn to care for it."

"What kind of care does it need Daddy?" she asked.

"We don't really know yet, we have never had mammoths before. We will have to learn as we go along."

She was satisfied with this and we returned to camp. Jaada was there with one more small sandwich for Deimeta, just in case she thought she could eat a bite before she went to sleep.

"Thank you mommy Jaada, I think that I can eat it. Can I tell you about my mammoth while I am eating?" she asked.

Jaada was happy to listen to Deimeta's mammoth story and while they were at it I slipped over to get some more coffee. Kota filled my mug at once and handed it to me.

"I knew there would be a lot of work on a mammoth hunt but this kind of work is for me. I will skin and butcher meat gladly when I know that I won't have to carry any of it back to camp. The live ones are the big thing though. I've never heard of anyone even considering trying to capture a live mammoth and the way you did it made it seem easy," she said.

"Taking it easy was the only way I could think of to do it. There was no way that we could have forced it to do anything. Even though the adult was a small one it is still stronger than any ten men. Its tusks are short but they would put an end to a man without much trouble if she were intending to fight. I'm glad that she decided to cooperate so quickly."

"I don't know what you intend to do with them but, just by being in our camp, they will let everyone know that the spirits are very friendly to us," she said.

I finished my coffee, got my jacket and headed for Red. I knew that he'd had a tough day but unfortunately for him and me the work wasn't finished. I had my M1 with me and the night vision goggles too. I saddled Red and stepped aboard, urging him away from camp and heading out to circle beyond the firelight. We happened to pass Maia on our way out and I asked her if I could take Rover along with Red and I. She agreed.

Rover seemed to know that things were serious tonight. He paid attention when I signaled him and he separated from Red and I and did his own patrolling. I kept a watch for him and he was easier to keep an eye on than I would have thought. It was a cold clear night and there was a three quarter moon up now. I could see well without the goggles.

We'd made a circuit and about half of the second one when Rover dropped low and got really still. I could tell that he had his eyes on something out in the tall grass but I couldn't see what it was. I finally got the goggles and took a look, finding the bunch of hyenas easily. I could see about eight or ten of them, spread out a little and creeping toward where a few men and women were finishing up with the butchering. I was surprised that they seemed to be about to storm the camp with so many fires around.

They were damned sure up to no good so I unlimbered the M1 and put it to my shoulder. Even though I knew exactly where they were I had hell finding them in the scope. I had a good flashlight with me but didn't think I could hold it, get it pointed in the right direction, and aim the rifle all at the same time. If I'd had sense enough to ask for some type of mount to attach a light to the stock I could have probably pulled it off but I was afraid if I tried to hold both the rifle and the light I wouldn't accomplish anything except ruining the night vision that I had. After searching and squinting I finally found them in the scope. I couldn't see the crosshairs so I just guesstimated when I had one in the center of the picture and let fly.

I heard a yelp and knew that I hit one somewhere. I let the rifle down a little and could see them scattering in all directions, one of them was lagging badly so I must have done him some real damage. I nudged Red in that direction and when I did Rover got back up and led the way. We checked out the last place we'd seen them and found nothing so we went back to our circling.

Racaato rode up to join me in a few minutes and fell in with us as we kept going. He asked what I'd seen and I told him. He had already tried looking through his scope tonight and he said that he hadn't had any luck either. A daylight scope just isn't worth a shit at night, they weren't meant to be and they aren't. We would be better off removing them and using the iron sights at night. Doing that would fuck up the careful sighting that we'd done on them though so we decided to try and tough it out.

Racaato circled back around the way I'd come and I continued in the direction I had been going. Later in the night Raalto and Galto came out to relieve us for a few hours but after a three-hour nap I went back to riding. It was a long night and it got very cold. My palm told me that the temperature had dropped to fifteen degrees Fahrenheit and I was glad there wasn't much wind. I was also very glad for the new clothes that Argent had sent us.

When the sun peeked over the horizon I was more than ready for it. I was pretty tired but didn't feel like I could knock off yet. Breakfast was ready soon and I tied Red to a wagon and went to find my part of it. I saw Deimeta sitting near a cooking fire with her little coffee mug and when I went over to tell her good morning Kateata brought me a mug for myself.

"Have a seat and I will bring you and Deimeta some breakfast," Kateata said.

I was glad to and she was good to her word. Deimeta had plenty of baby mammoth questions for me between bites and her excitement lifted my spirits considerably.

"Daddy, can I go and see my mammoth when we finish eating?" she asked me.

"I'll take you over for a short visit if Danlo thinks it's all right. We must be quiet and calm around them though and we should be very nice to Danlo. Remember he has been up all night watching over them and he might be tired."

"I will be nice to him Daddy, it is good of him to watch over them and I'm sure he is very tired. Maybe we should take him some breakfast and coffee," she said.

"If he thinks it will be all right, you and I will watch the mammoths for him while he comes to get his own coffee and breakfast."

We finished eating and refilled our coffee mugs and I decided to take a mug to Danlo after all, just incase he wanted some right now. We headed his way and when we got to him I was surprised. The female was right beside Danlo and all of the young ones were gathered around where he was lying near one of the fires. When the female noticed that we were approaching she touched Danlo on the shoulder with her trunk and almost seemed to be shaking him awake.

He sat up as we approached and when he saw that we were bringing him some coffee he smiled at us.

"You two are just the ones I wanted to see," he said.

"We are? Why?" Deimeta asked.

"Because you have an extra coffee mug and I'll bet it is for me," he told her, smiling.

"You are right Danlo, it is for you. I can see that Daddy was wrong about one thing though. He said that you were probably very tired and that he didn't think you could have slept any last night. Then we come to bring you some coffee and the mother mammoth had to wake you up," Deimeta said. She gave Danlo a teasing smile that nearly melted my heart and I could see that it had the same effect on him.

"Oh my, I have been caught and there is no excuse," Danlo said, smiling right back at her.

Deimeta giggled then and went to give Danlo the mug of coffee; she even gave him a kiss on the cheek and thanked him for watching over the mammoths all night.

"That is what I intended to do but now I'm not sure who was watching over whom. At first I would go out to circle around our space every few minutes. The big one tried to come with me and when the chain stopped her she got nervous when I left and started struggling. I was afraid she would hurt herself so I came back and took off the chain.

"I started again to make a circle and she kept by me the whole time. Toward the end of the circuit I wasn't sure that she wasn't watching over me," he said.

"Later I was sitting and trying not to go to sleep and I noticed that not only the adult but also all of the young ones raised their trunks every so often and sniffed the air. It was as if they were trying to catch the sent of anything that might be approaching. Finally I did fall asleep and I don't know how long I slept but, just as she did when you and Deimeta came up, the adult woke me by nudging my shoulder with her trunk and when I was awake she kept pushing at me until I stood up.

"I picked up my rifle and she seemed to realize I was ready so she led me outside the circle of fires and toward a spot to the northwest of our area. I hadn't noticed her doing it and I don't know where she got the big rock she was carrying with her trunk but when she got us where she was going she looked out toward something and then raised her trunk and flung the rock toward the spot. A wolf yelped and then three or four of them jumped up and ran off into the night. The mammoths are a lot smarter than I would have ever thought. I can hardly believe how smart they seem," Danlo said, finishing his tale.

"That is amazing Danlo. I would have never guessed that they could do anything like that. Of course they have been getting along up until now without us to watch over them at night. I am really more surprised that she woke you and took you with her to run them off."

"I was surprised but I didn't let it keep me from taking advantage of the situation. After she scared the wolves off she and I made a circle of our area and then I went back over and lay down to sleep again. I'll bet I got more rest than anyone last night and I'll also bet that I was watched over more carefully than anyone else. Look at all those long noses that were sniffing all night for enemies," he said and waved toward his charges.

I could see at once that Danlo was right. The night had been practically windless and with all those snouts sniffing and with their large ears listening I could tell that it would be hard for anything to sneak up on this bunch.

I was glad that Danlo had gotten some rest during the night because he was probably the only one that could get the mammoths to move with us without a lot of trouble. He and I were talking about it and I wasn't paying that much attention to Deimeta. I noticed she was not by me after a few minutes and looked around in a near panic.

I needn't have worried. I spied her over among the youngsters. She was stroking and petting her mammoth and it was sniffing and nudging her. The other little ones were standing in a circle around them and seemed to be wondering where their playmate was. I could hardly believe how easy this was turning out to be.

Deimeta and I stayed with the mammoths while Danlo went to get his breakfast. The adult female didn't want him to leave them but he talked to her lowly and reassuringly for a few minutes and when she tried to follow him off he pushed back at her and spoke more firmly. Finally it seemed that he had convinced her to stay with me. She sniffed over me with her long snout and I petted and stroked her when she allowed it. I could tell that she wasn't happy with me as a substitute for Danlo but she did tolerate me while he was gone.

Her whole attitude changed fifteen minutes or so later when he returned. I could almost see her spirits lifting when she spied him coming back. She was even more tolerant of me touching her as she watched him approaching.

"Do you think they will come along on their own today Danlo?" I asked him.

"I'm sure of it. I'm not sure how fast they will be able to travel, especially the youngsters, but I don't think they will give us any trouble," he said.

"I'll go and see how close we are to leaving. When we start I think that you should try to get them to follow the third or fourth wagon and then let the others fall in behind you. That way some of the wagons will be leading you and the rest will be bringing up the rear. We won't have to worry about you getting ahead or lagging behind and I'll tell the lead drivers to slow the pace if you seem to be falling back."

"That sounds perfect to me. Maybe later in the day we will see if the adult will still stay with me if I am mounted on Jezebel. If she does I won't have to walk all the way," he said.

"I hadn't thought of that but it will be better if you are able to guide her from horseback. Maybe soon she will let you ride on her, that will be the best thing and you will look very impressive riding on a mammoth."

I could tell from his look that he hadn't even considered riding her. I might not have either if I'd been in his place but I had the advantage of knowing that it was not even that big a trick. Deimeta and I went back to the main part of camp then but I noticed that she had a problem getting her pet to stay when she left, just as Danlo had.

"I feel a little sad leaving my mammoth with the others Daddy," she said.

"Maybe you can come back later and walk with it for a while. You have to be sure that you don't tire yourself though. Your mammoth is accustomed to walking much farther in a day than you are."

"I know but if it is all right I do want to go and walk with it for a while at least," she said.

"I will make sure that you get a chance to. We are in no hurry. We want to get home as soon as we can but there is no need to make a big rush of it. We will not get there in one day no matter how hard we push and we should get there in two days without any trouble."

Within an hour everything was packed, the teams were hitched and the mounts were saddled. Galto and the other drivers took their places and Galto led off. Two wagons followed him and when they were headed out Danlo brought his troupe into line and the other wagons fell in behind him. Red and I went to lead the way for Galto while Raalto and Racaato took the drag today. After we were all moving it was apparent that our pace would have to slow a little for the mammoths to keep up but it was no trouble for the Clydesdales. They were so well trained from their former lives that it was almost automatic.

The rest of my mounted people spread themselves up and down the line of wagons and even though we were a large group we kept a sharp eye for any predators. We didn't see any though.

The women had made sandwiches to eat on the way and we didn't stop for lunch. I checked often with Danlo to make sure that the youngsters weren't tiring and he didn't seem to think that they were. He said that the slower pace seemed to be fine for them.

I helped Deimeta down off the wagon she was riding in after she'd eaten her sandwich and the whole line slowed to a stop as she went to join her new pet. We started up again when they were ready and she walked with her mammoth for about two hours before I decided that she was probably tired. She said that she wasn't when I came to get her but I wasn't going to let her keep going until she was exhausted, so I had her get back into a wagon and we pulled out again.

We stopped about two hours before sunset and my palm let me know that we were within an easy day's travel of being back home. We made a much wider circle of wagons and Danlo led the mammoths inside it for the night. This made it much easier since we were able to place fires all around our perimeter and we could keep watch with a guard or two on each wagon seat.

We kept five horses saddled and tied to the wagons just in case we needed to mount up and go out to run something off but they weren't needed. Raalto, Racaato and I were worn out and as soon as I finished eating it was sleepy time for me. I'm sure they did the same. I'm not really sure who pulled guard duty during the night but someone must have since we were all present and unmolested at sunrise the next morning.