Snatched by cmsix

Chapter 5

Finally everyone seemed ready to go. Zakat and Matatu took their place in the lead and things were about to move. Katia walked back to us after fetching her pack and I was astonished by its size.

"Shaeta, ask her to put that on our travois. I don't want your best friend walking around with a bent back," I said.

"It isn't that heavy, it's just bulky, but if you can carry it also I'm sure she will let you," Shaeta said.

"Of course I can carry it."

"Carl wants you to put your pack on our travois, Katia. He's worried about your back," Shaeta told her, and I knew from her tone that it meant something more than I realized, but all I could do about it now was wonder.

Katia made it even more worrisome when she gave me her own version of the ten thousand watt smile as she unshouldered her pack and put it onto the travois. Thankfully the others started moving while we were taking care of this little detail.

When everything was in place I made sure the girls weren't in the way and then yanked hell out of the cart's handle. I'd already learned that getting it moving in the first place was the hardest part. The cart leaned toward me of course, swiveling around its axle, and that momentum caused the whole thing to move, getting me underway.

Previous trial and error adjustments had let me balance the ungainly looking rig so that I was basically carrying about forty to fifty pounds of weight via the handle. It was enough to give me good traction and let me lean away from my grip to put most of the work on my thigh muscles. It was almost easy to keep the thing moving once I got it started, especially on level ground.

Shaeta and Katia were frankly amazed at my fast start.

"Did you practice that too?" Shaeta asked.

"Of course. I'll be dragging this thing all day for many days, it only made sense to try and find the easiest way to do it," I said.

They both laughed at that but I didn't care. Now that I was within the group and could observe more closely, it was easy to see that my way was a lot better than theirs. With the cart's wheels and the leverage it gave me I only had to support the extra fifty or so pounds and I could just as easily balance the load so I didn't even have that much, or any weight on me. The weight I carried ended up making it easier to manage the cart and travois rig.

An hour later I also knew I was in much better shape than most of the men. I'm not saying that there was a lot of extra fat on them or anything like that, but since I'd wound up here I'd made a point of running a little at least every other day. Running was good for building endurance and by now I could easily pace myself and run most of the day if I needed to. I wasn't even tired when Shaton called for the first break, about two hours after we'd started.

It seemed to me that we were going to end up taking an easier time today than they normally would have. No doubt many of them were still suffering the after effects of the gajee and they were probably wondering if I could keep up the pace. My guess was that none of the heavy drinkers would complain about taking it slow today.

I wouldn't have had a bit of trouble traveling day and night except for the load. I hadn't done any practicing pulling this much weight and there was no doubt my legs and thighs would be sore tomorrow. It took only a glance at Shaeta to remind me it would be well worth it.

The break lasted at least half again longer than I expected it too, and I was beginning to worry that someone else might be having a harder time than expected. Shaeta and Katia stayed right with me most of the time but we didn't do much talking.

At the next break we ate some type of pemmican that they used for the midday meal while traveling and again the break was longer than I expected.

It's fairly boring playing the part of a beast of burden all day and by the time we'd stopped for the night I'd been trying to decide if I wouldn't be better off with some type of harness arrangement that would let me keep my hands free while I pulled my rig along.

Since I wasn't actually supporting any weight except as much as I needed to for pulling, there'd be no point in something that would fit around my neck or shoulders. Maybe a harness around my waist would let me do just as well though, and end up letting me have most of my upper body free.

When we stopped for the night I put thoughts of a harness aside when Shaeta told me that we would be staying here at least three or four days.

"That's fine with me, but what will we do here. Is someone else going to be mated?" I asked.

"Not that I know of. We are stopping because Zakat thinks we should do some scouting to see if we want to settle near here anywhere.

"Also, Matatu needs to make some gajee, he says he needs to replenish his supply after our ceremony," she said.

"Do I need to help him with anything?" I asked.

"He wouldn't let you help with anything important, they are always secretive about the making of gajee. He would be pleased if you'd help gather wood for the fire though, especially since the last ceremony was for you and I.

"Mother and I will be cooking some special treats for him while we're here, to let him know we appreciate him," she said.

"Then I will gather some special firewood for him, to let him know I appreciate him too," I said, trying for a little touch of my former weird humor.

She gave me the oddest look for a second and then it went away. I didn't know if I'd said something wrong or not. I did appreciate Matatu though, hell, I appreciated everyone that had anything to do with me having Shaeta for a mate. I still had a hard time believing that lucky stroke.

I noticed almost at once that our furs ended up being right beside Katia's or else hers were by ours. That was fine with me, since it might let me get a better early morning peep show tomorrow. In fact, it looked almost as if they had been put there just for such a happy event to occur.

I just sat on my big ass while the women were cooking but I did it with my ears alert. From my eavesdropping I learned basically what the scouting would involve. The men were choosing up sides for hunting parties and they'd be fanning out to see if they could do any good. Plentiful game in an area made it a better place to stay a while.

I already knew that the game was thick here since I could smell it. I decided that I'd go hunting alone the next day, after I picked up a little firewood for Matatu. I kept my ears peeled until Shaeta and Katia came over with our supper, but didn't hear anything else that amounted to much.

Shaeta had a big smile on her face when she and Katia showed up. Hell, I couldn't keep one off mine either. Not only was my mate a real beauty, her friend was one too. I could get used to eating my meals with these two.

"And what are you grinning so about my mate," Shaeta asked, as they reached me.

"How do you expect me to keep a big smile off my face when my beautiful wife and her equally beautiful friend come to bring me a wonderful meal?"

Shaeta looked very pleased with my comment but Katia blushed to the roots of her hair. Neither of them mentioned it though and I decided that they were both pleased somehow but that Katia's blush must be because she was still unmated. Maybe the mating changed them somehow. I doubted it, but it must at least change their attitude. I didn't feel like I could let it go at that though.

"I'm still marveling at my luck. Only a few days ago I was climbing trees to watch people go by. I didn't have a mate or even a Calak and now I'm a member of the biggest Calak I've ever seen and mated to one of the two most beautiful women in it. To top it off, the other beauty is my mate's best friend. How could I end up so lucky?"

Even Shaeta blushed this time and Katia was redder than a beet.

"Enough, enough, mercy," Shaeta said.

"What?"

"Stop long enough for us to eat anyway, then you may start again if you must," Shaeta said, and I knew damned well that she would welcome more now, or later, no matter what she was saying.

"If I must, I'll stop."

"He acts as if he is nothing special. All he's done is best the Calak's Zakat and them let him keep his place. He takes care of his wife and her friend after the celebration and he sits around laughing at all the other men while they are still waiting to cheat him in a trade for a hide that he doesn't even want or need," Katia said.

"Topping that he is carrying more weight than any of them and when you came by he even took over your load. It's exciting to wonder what he'll do next," Shaeta said.

I was pretty sure what I was going to do next though. My amazing sense of smell had already let me know there was a cow and calf pair of thaka nearly a mile from camp. After I gathered some wood for Matatu in the morning I was going to take the cow and if possible I'd capture the calf. It smelled like it was a very young one.

"No need to wonder my beautiful mate. Next I'll be doing exactly anything you ask me to do. I'm also smart enough to understand that the best way to keep a beautiful mate happy is to listen to her closely and try my best to do exactly as she tells me to."

Both their mouths dropped open at once and they stared at me wide eyed.

"I can not believe your luck, Shaeta," Katia said, after a minute that seemed like twenty.

"I can't either. Who'd have thought I could find such a man, and up in a tree at that," she said, and then giggled.

"I'm going to be looking up from now on when we travel," Katia said.

We all laughed after that. When we'd finished eating they dealt with the bowls by snatching out handfuls of dried grass and using it to wipe them clean, then they returned them to where ever they were kept.

The sun was down shortly and we undressed and got into our furs. Shaeta rolled toward me at once and gave me a big kiss, and I couldn't resist slipping a hand down to run up under her short sleeping shift and fondle one of her wonderful cheeks. She sighed when I did and pressed herself closer to me.

"I hope we can make our camp here, I am growing impatient," she whispered.

"Be careful what you wish for, it might come true."

"I hope it does come true," she said, grinding against me lightly now.

"We'll just have to move our camp a few days later," I said.

"Why?"

"Because you'll scream so loud the first few nights that all the game will be scared away," I said.

She shivered against me after I said it, almost panting. I'd noticed that a few newly mated couples made a hell of a lot of noise the first night or two. It was almost always the woman doing the moaning and groaning and the next day she would be strutting around like she had caught the cock of the walk. I knew I was bragging to Shaeta but I thought I could get the job done too.

Later she turned over and spooned her ass up against me. My dick was like stone anyway, so I fumbled around a little and got my boxer briefs down to my knees. I could almost feel that Shaeta was about to ask me what I was doing, but she didn't, and I reached down and separated her legs enough to let my dick spring up between them. It nestled right up against her vulva and she trembled and gasped at my trick.

"Oh, you are evil, Carl," she said, but her tone didn't support the words.

"You keep my dick hard all the time so you might as well keep it warm too," I whispered, and she trembled again.

Hell, in for a penny, I slid my hand up under her light tunic and took hold of a titty so I could worry the nipple. She sighed this time and after a couple of minutes I felt her start squirming her hips a little. When I started kissing around on her earlobe and then nibbling at her neck she made me quit.

"Oh Carl, if you don't stop you'll have me screaming tonight, out in the open," she said, panting.

"Will you be sorry?"

"Not tonight I won't, but I will be very embarrassed tomorrow, and all the other women will be so envious.

I relented on the kissing and nibbling but I didn't take my dick out of its new warm home and I didn't release the titty I'd captured. I did stop teasing the now throbbing nipple though. We were asleep shortly.

I woke as soon as Shaeta moved the next morning. False dawn was providing plenty of light for my viewing pleasure and I was looking forward to the show. It surprised me though, when Shaeta shook me slightly with her hand, as if to make sure I was awake, then she looked at my eyes to see if they were open. She smiled when she saw they were.

Katia was climbing our of her furs seconds later and as she got to her knees in what I'm sure was an unintentional imitation of the dog style position, her tunic-like shift climbed up over her ass and I got a perfect look at her pretty pussy, framed between the backs of her lovely thighs. My dick got a little jolt of its own then but I'm pretty sure my benefactors didn't have a damned thing to do with it. I could just see a little hint of her jet-black fringe as she spread her legs slightly to stand.

I hadn't paid any attention but Shaeta had been watching my eyes and she smiled widely when she knew I'd had a good look at her friend's cooter. Then she licked her lips and I'm not sure if it was intentional or just an unconscious reaction. Either way it seemed like a terribly sexy notion to me.

I was up and dressed almost as soon as they were. I told Shaeta that I was going for the wood for Matatu right away and that I had some traveling food I could eat for breakfast. It was plain that she didn't understand what my hurry was.

"I have to get an early start on your excitement for the day," I said, and she smiled remembering the conversation last night no doubt.

She was surprised when I removed the dolly from the trunk, but no one else seemed to notice. I was going to use it to bring Matatu's firewood back. I already had my web belt on and I only opened the trunk to get my Estwing carpenter's hatchet. I didn't think it would be even nearly as useful as the saw that was hanging on my belt but I took it just in case.

I wasn't two hundred yards from the clearing we'd camped in before I came across an oak like deadfall. It wasn't even completely dried out yet. By breaking off what I could and sawing off what I couldn't it took me only an hour to cut and break up quite a load of firewood for my dolly.

There were several surprised looks when I came back with it, but the look on Matatu's face was priceless. He even thanked me graciously for my efforts.

Damned if I hadn't made it back in time to get a little breakfast from my mate and it was easy to see she was proud of what I'd done. She was a curious one though.

"Are you going to see about joining one of the groups that will be hunting this morning?" she asked.

"You know how they all stand around so long trying to decide what to do. I don't have time for that if you want some real excitement. I think I'll go by myself. They'll just have to do their part without me," I said, grinning.

She gave me a big grin in return and I went over to my trunk to fetch my bow and quiver out of the long add-on case it had arrived in. I also dug out a thirty-foot length of sash cord I'd used before as a makeshift lariat. It wasn't nearly up to snuff for any serious roping, but I wouldn't try to rope anything serious while afoot anyway.

Ten minutes later my loading dolly and me were leaving the campsite. I was heading directly toward the cow and calf I could still smell easily.

They were grazing in a very small clear spot nearly a thousand yards from camp. I cut my pace as I approached and nocked an arrow when I left the cart, still about two hundred yards from them. There was no breeze this morning and I was worried that they would smell me before I could get close enough for a shot.

The cow thaka kept her nose to the grass though and when I was within a hundred yards or so I loosed the arrow and it took her low in the chest. I knocked another arrow quickly and sent it her way too, just for luck.

One of them got her heart and maybe both. She didn't drop on the spot but she didn't really know which way to run. That didn't keep her from trying it though and damned if she didn't head directly my way. I stood as still as possible and by the time she saw me she was done for anyway.

The calf had come with her of course, even though it hadn't known what happened. It was confused now since its mother was lying down. It paced around her and wasn't paying a bit of attention to me, as I crept closer.

I was able to get within twenty feet of the calf and it never noticed me. Luck was with my roping arm too, since I dropped the limp loop over its head on the first try. I had it pulled snug before the calf understood what was going on.

Of course it tried to get away from me, but it probably didn't even weigh a hundred pounds yet, and it couldn't escape. I was going to choke it down if I had to but I didn't. I snubbed off the sash cord around a small tree and just let the calf pull against it until it was too tired to fight any longer. It went to the ground finally, fighting to catch its breath.

When I approached it didn't even have the strength left to try getting up. I did my best not to frighten it any more, and after an hour or so of petting and stroking it while it rested, it wasn't afraid.

Thaka's heads were not exactly bovine looking. They were much longer from muzzle to eyes than a cow while not quite as long as a horse's head would be. Still, there was plenty of room and an acceptable shape for a hand tied halter and I made one out of the sash cord's other end after the calf had settled down.

With the halter in place I took the other end's loop off the calf's neck and tied it to the tree. I don't think it even tested the arrangement while I dealt with its mother's body.

Both arrows were buried deeply in her chest and I removed them by twisting until the arrowheads unscrewed themselves from the shafts. I cut her throat after that but the bleeding was basically over with by that time. It took only a few minutes to fetch the dolly and secure her to it.

It was time for a break and to see if I could get the calf to follow on the lead I'd made for it. I was mostly just hoping this would work. It was a lot easier than I'd expected.

My next trick was getting back to camp pulling easily eight hundred pounds of dead thaka and leading her calf. Remarkably the calf didn't give me any problems but the damned dead mother gave me plenty. She was heavy, maybe one of the biggest thaka I'd ever seen.

It had taken probably two or two and a half hours to find the pair, kill the mother, settle the calf, and then load the mother onto my dolly. It took easily two hours to get the fat bitch back to camp, and it was only a thousand yards. If I'd called out for help someone would have probably come running, but they would have scared the calf and it would have ruined my grand entrance.

It was a grand entrance too. Most of the men were still out scouting, as in hunting and fucking off, but the women were amazed when I came in hauling the thaka on my cart and leading its calf on my rope. They were stupefied in fact, barely believing what they saw.

Shaeta and Katia were the first two to regain a semblance of normalcy and they came to me to help nearly as soon as they saw me.

"You have outdone yourself this time my mate," Shaeta said, and I could tell she was nearly bursting with pride.

"You have in fact, Carl. I have never heard of a man bringing back a thaka by himself, especially without gutting it. You saved all the best parts that way though," Katia said.

I don't think that the calf had even registered on them yet, but in a few more seconds Shaeta noticed it.

"Carl, why did you bring the calf without killing it?" she asked.

"Well, it could walk easier than I could carry it, but that isn't the real reason. I intend to raise it and when it is big enough I'll let it pull my travois," I said, stumping everyone who heard it.

"Will it do that," Caloe, who'd just come up, asked.

"It will if I train it to. It probably won't be nearly as hard for me as it is for you women to train the men," I said, grinning wide.

She looked flustered at first and so did all the others that were watching, which was almost every woman in the Calak. Then most of them laughed. It started with Shaeta and Katia, then Caloe joined in, and then all of them.