Snatched by cmsix

Chapter 23

After the last of my passengers had taken their turn I rode Buster down to the river where the raft making was supposed to be going on. I barely made it in time for the christening. They had been working their asses off and that was no joke.

The rope they'd plaited out of the vines was tied between trees on each side and there was also a rope attached to either side of the raft and tied to trees on the other end so that the raft could be pulled back and forth if it happened to be on the wrong side when you wanted to use it. When they saw me they demanded I try it first. It worked as expected and they had even put up a stout short rail in the middle so people that weren't pulling the rope would have something to hang onto.

I went across and then back across and got one of them to help me back onto Buster. Next I rode him to the main camp to make the happy announcement. Nearly two dozen people followed me back to the river to see what I was talking about.

I left it with the crew that had built it to explain how it worked and rode back to my mates. I didn't see any sense in our sleeping here another night since things were going so well now. Surely I could cobble up a set of hobbles and ride Buster back and forth, and with the raft it would be easier to let the workmen come back and forth to eat their meals without having to undress and redress both ways.

I told my mates the plan and they agreed and began packing up what they'd need to take back while I rode out to tell the other men. They seemed happy enough about it too and said they'd come back to camp before sunset.

Lanita got the honor of riding back with me while my mates walked. They didn't mind of course, since walking was the only way they'd ever traveled up to now. They were excited when they saw the raft in action, but had to stand in line with the others that were trying it out, so Lanita and I were home ahead of them.

Matatu approached me after I'd dismounted and apparently he had come to his senses. He apologized profusely but I cut him off after a little.

"You don't owe me an apology Matatu, and thank goodness you don't owe Caloe one. Zakat will be well in a few days and everything will be back to normal.

"But next winter, or maybe the one after that, you will owe a deep apology to a mother who loses her child, or a man or woman who loses their mate, because your foolishness caused me to use more medicine on Shaton than he would have needed if you hadn't interfered.

"I have a good supply of it, but sooner or later it will be gone, and I can't make any more. That medicine came with me. What you have done is killed the first one that needs it after it is gone."

He was stunned, and he should have been, because it was exactly what he had done. We could hope that more would be provided but that was all we could do, hope. I sure as hell didn't have any idea how to make penicillin and no one else here did either.

Matatu was taking it hard though, harder than I'd expected. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and I could see that he was truly ashamed of himself now. I felt like I had to give him some relief if I could, and I thought of a way.

"Beg the spirits to replace the medicine Matatu. There is a chance that they will. They often send me things in the night and there is a chance they will send more medicine. Ask them for it."

He didn't say anything and he left right away. I didn't know where he was going and I had put it out of my mind by the time my mates arrived. We spent the time before supper making a set of hobbles for Buster and we even got them on him and showed him how they worked before it was time to eat.

Denac and Jekaycey were in our normal spot when we headed that way, but now we had the super heavy-duty furniture to sit on. She and Denac were together on a log about four feet long and there was one probably eight feet long for my mates, Lanita, and I. Lanita and I sat down while Jekaycey and my mates went to get our food.

"I am very impressed with all you've done, Carl. The raft across the river was something we could have made but never thought of, but riding the cashda was something we could have never done," he said.

"Yes, you could have done that too, but didn't think of it. I'll admit it would have been much harder for you to catch them. Hell, I lucked out myself when I did it so easily. Still, it doesn't matter who did it now that we have them. It will be much easier to catch more from the backs of the ones we already have," I said.

"I can see how it would be, but how many do we need?" Denac asked.

"I think one for every man and woman will be enough, with a few extra to pull travois or wagons."

"That seems like so many, will all of us need one?" he asked.

"No, it wouldn't be necessary for all of us, but who do you think will want to walk while others are riding, especially since those that are riding can cover so much more ground in a day?"

"I see what you mean, but that brings me to my next question. What is a wagon?"

"It is for carrying things, almost like a travois, but much bigger, and with wheels similar to my dolly. Surely you remember how much easier it is to carry things with my dolly."

"Yes, I do remember. It would have taken several men to bring the hive section of that bee tree here without your dolly, and with it the two of us were able to do it," he said.

"Yes. A wagon has four wheels and can be much bigger than my dolly. It can also be pulled by a cashda. They are very good for carrying things, but it will take time to build them. In fact, it will take time and trouble to build the wheels."

Our discussion was over then because the women arrived with the important part of the evening. Nita handed me the bowl for Lanita and I, and soon everyone was merrily chewing. Our supper this evening was especially tasty.

Caloe came to our place not long after we'd finished eating, and she looked worried. She didn't waste much time letting me know what she wanted.

"Carl, I saw Matatu talking with you earlier and now he seems to be acting strangely. He didn't even come out of his hut to eat, and he seems to be wailing and begging the spirits for something. I think it is more medicine, but I don't understand. Do you think I was too stern with him about Shaton?" she said.

"No, you were not too stern, and if you asked him now he would tell you that what you did was nothing. He came to me to apologize for his behavior earlier and he is begging the spirits because I told him what he had done. What he was going to cause."

"What will he cause?" she asked.

"He has caused it already, it just hasn't happened yet. The medicine I gave for Zakat cannot be made here, even if I knew how. I only have so much, and when it is gone it will be gone. Matatu's stunt will cause me to use more on Shaton than I would have needed to if he had kept taking it and kept resting until he was well."

I could see right away that she understood what that meant. In fact Nita, Katia, Jekaycey, and Shaeta seemed to understand too. Denac did not understand, and he had the kind of manners that allowed him to ask questions if he wondered about something. It was one of my favorite things about him.

"But why will that matter, Carl. What would make Matatu wail and beg the spirits about that?" Denac asked.

"Because my friend, after I have used the last of the medicine to help others get well, Matatu will know who he killed with his traveling tantrum."

"Who he killed. What do you mean?"

"The next one that needs that type medicine after it is gone will die, and Matatu will know he caused their death, and mostly for nothing. I encouraged him to beg the spirits for more of the medicine. They brought it here with me when I came, and they often leave things for me. I believe that if Matatu is sincerely sorry for what he has done they might replace it."

"For his sake, I hope they do. He is suffering now for his behavior, I can hear it in his voice as he pleads," Caloe said.

"Yes, he is suffering, but he is not dying of sickness. I hope the spirits replace the medicine too. Not only for the sake of one more person saved, though that is important, but also to help Matatu face what he has done and become wiser.

"When people ask you to be their leader, they do it because they think you will help them have a better life, they don't make you the leader so that they can serve your whims. I think Matatu forgot that for a while."

Well, I'd thrown a wet blanket on the earlier good feelings around the dining area, but I couldn't feel bad about it. I wasn't going to let Caloe think she had caused Matatu such grief. He had caused it himself, and even that was encouraging. It was reassuring that he was so despondent now that he learned what the long term costs of his little fit were going to be.

"Don't worry Daddy, it will come out for the good, you'll see," Lanita said, and patted my cheek solemnly, which made me grin at her.

"Things are already wonderful for me, now that I have you to hold my lap down," I said, and it made her giggle and the world seemed right again.

We headed for the hut then, and I was excited knowing that we'd be sleeping on the bear rug. I was a little suspicious that Lanita seemed to fall asleep almost right away, but I put it out of my mind. If she saw what was going to happen, she saw it; it wouldn't do her any damage.

Nita seemed a little nervous, but she'd get over it. I wasn't a bit nervous as I perved on her naked charms, perved on all my mates actually. They returned the favor and all watched me undress. Then Katia and Shaeta laughed at Nita when I finally dropped my drawers.

"Oh!" was all she said when she saw the swinging meat.

"We have been blessed," Katia said.

"It looks like it," Nita agreed, and giggled nervously.

"I guess now you understand why we were happy to have someone to help us with that thing," Shaeta said.

"Yes, I think I'm getting the idea, and I promise to do my part," Nita said, and didn't sound as nervous when she laughed this time.

She was surprised again when I gave her a going over with kisses and tongue work. Her nipples were fascinating, since they were larger than Katia's or Shaeta's. I supposed it might have been from breast-feeding; in fact I hoped it was. If true it meant that Katia and Shaeta might acquire that optional extra someday.

Nita was panting and petting by the time I put my mouth to her pussy, and it surprised her so that she let out a little shriek. It didn't take her long to decide that she liked it though, and she didn't squeal when she went off the first time. She did a lot of moaning though. Especially when Katia and Shaeta took over a titty each.

When I finally shoved it up her I was surprised that, even after childbirth, she was every bit as tight as Katia or Shaeta had been. After a few strokes she was just as enthusiastic too. Poor thing couldn't last though, she was done for before I even got close, but it didn't matter. I had two more to take care of and with the help of the good lord and a stout dick, I did my duty, finishing in Katia while Shaeta was still catching her breath from her ordeal. Then I did what men are supposed to do after sex. I fell asleep nearly at once.

I woke the next morning with a little bundle of joy on my chest again, and I woke because she was playing in the hair and decided to see if she could pluck one out. She could. She was smiling widely at me when my eyes opened.

"You must have been very good to mother last night. Look at her, she is smiling in her sleep," Lanita told me, and when I looked Nita did seem to be smiling.

I was up and dressed in minutes and it turned out to be a good thing, since Matatu was outside calling for me just after I got my boots tied.

"Carl, Carl, come see," he said from outside, and I figured the spirits, or whoever, had sent him something.

I left the girls to their dressing and went out to greet Matatu.

He was holding a damned plastic medicine bottle, just like you get in any pharmacy on earth, complete with a child safety cap. I almost laughed but decided that it wouldn't be right. He handed it to me at once.

"I am so happy, Carl. Is this enough medicine to replace what I caused to be wasted?" he asked, anxiously.

Since the bottle was complete with a label I read it. There were supposed to be thirty-six 1000-milligram penicillin caplets in the bottle, at least that's what Eckerd Drugs claimed.

"You must have impressed the spirits with your prayers, Matatu. This is five times more than the extra Zakat will need. You have turned misfortune into a gift," I said, and the relief nearly made him stumble.

"I am so thankful. After you made me see what I'd done I felt so ashamed," he said.

"Well, now you can be thankful that you have not only recovered what we'd lost but have also made it possible to save five more people that may need the medicine."

He left as my mates came out, but I could tell he was happy about the way things turned out. I also wondered just what in the hell our unknown and unseen benefactors were up to. But, like a Texan should, I didn't look a gift horse...

As my mates joined me outside, Katia asked what Matatu had wanted.

"He brought the replacement medicine the spirits sent him last night. Apparently he impressed them with his sincerity. They even sent more than he caused to be wasted."

"Hopefully he learned a lesson from this," Nita said.

"What lesson Mommy?" Lanita asked.

"That men should be mostly seen and not heard," Shaeta said, and I could tell she barely beat Katia to it.

"Don't pay any attention to them Princess. Just keep remembering who is going to get you a pony," I said, lifting Lanita and swinging her up onto my shoulders.

"What's a pony, Daddy?"

"A pony is a Lanita sized cashda," I said.

"That sounds like an excellent idea Daddy. Just tell me if they give you any more trouble and I'll deal with them for you," she said, giggling.

"Maybe we should let them have their way, at least until after we've had breakfast."

"It's funny Daddy, you seem much smarter than Mommy told me men were going to be," Lanita said, and giggled again.

I carried Lanita over so we could say good morning to Buttercup and let her pet him a little, then we walked out to greet Buster too. He actually seemed glad to see Lanita and was quick to put his muzzle within her reach for a petting.

"He is so big, Daddy. He must be very strong," she said.

"I'm sure he is, and he will be much help for us. All of them will when we have them trained."

It was time for breakfast then so we joined Denac and were waiting when the food arrived. There was always plenty of food, or at least there had been plenty since I got here, and it seemed they brought even more over this morning. I didn't ask any questions, I just stuffed Lanita and myself full and was happy about it.

Caloe came over not long after we finished eating and told us that Zakat seemed better again, though she thought it would be better if Darita and Nita left him off the tea.

"He is better through no fault of his own. He can just continue to suffer with the aches and pains. If the tea does something else to help him it would be different, but since you told me that it only makes him feel better, I think he deserves to feel bad for a while. I was very worried after his trick," she said, and I sure as hell wasn't going to argue with her.

Denac headed for the cashda canyon without me this morning, since I'd be riding over anyway and would probably pass him on the way. I went to Buster and he was kind enough to stand still beside one of the seats we'd cut so that I could mount.

By the time I got to the big pasture, the others were already at the small pen and they had another mare out with one of them leading her around. Hell, they were getting good at this. They even had another one in the chute and were working away at sacking it out, even though they weren't using sacks and didn't realize that was what they were doing.

I rode over to check on them and decided that they were doing fine.

"Denac, are you ready to try it yourself?" I asked.

"I might as well be, it is time I know," he said.

"Good, that's the spirit. Take Busters reins and lead him around so that the two of you can become accustomed to each other. I will see if that big mare will cooperate with me."

He took Buster's reins and started walking off with him. It was just for drill, of course, but I thought it would help calm Denac. I was pretty sure Buster was as calm as he was going to get already.

The mare wasn't as cooperative as Buster had been, but she wasn't a lot of trouble either. She was a little fractious at first, but I already knew that she had settled down quickly yesterday when one of the helpers had been leading her around.

After I'd led her for about half an hour, I put the new reins my mates had made onto her halter and one of the guys helped me onto her back. She didn't exactly buck, but she did crow hop a little. It was no trouble to hold on and she cut it out after a few jumps. I worked with her for another hour or so and decided it was time for Denac to get aboard Buster.

To save the backs of our helpers, since Denac was so damned big himself, I had him lead Buster up beside a large boulder and then had him get on from that step. He took it more gracefully than I'd expected. I explained about gripping around the cashda's barrel with his inner thigh muscles and told him about using his heels to get motion and pulling on the reins to stop, or to turn. Then we were off, kinda.

We settled for riding around in the large open area for now. I wanted to get Denac used to the simple things first. The mare I was riding had settled nicely, and though she didn't know as much as Buster yet, Candace was coming along nicely. I felt confident that we could ride back to camp for lunch.