2025-09-29, 11:10 PM
1
The damp morning mist rose from the river toward the mountain peaks. The sun hadn't yet reached the tops of the mountains; so far, only a dim light illuminated the small forest clearing that opened in a curved arc toward the river. On one side of the square was a narrow passage leading to a wide plain, from which the clan elders had led the group.
At the edge of the clearing, where the trees clung to the rising rock face, some deep caves nestled into the rock.
The small clan of the Flying Feathers, consisting of about ten to twelve families, all in all around fifty or sixty adults and children, had found a place for their new home here a few moons ago after a long journey.
Originally, they were nomads, having long ago found a good settlement where they had lived for several summers and winters. But now, laden with only the bare necessities, they had to leave their beloved home and decided to move on. A powerful, warlike clan from the Black Ravens had repeatedly attacked them and even attempted several times to kidnap young girls from the settlement.
The small community could no longer resist the hostility of the strangers. They finally decided to look for a new camp.
Their clan elder, Idam, was seriously injured in a clash with the warriors.
The men carried him on a stretcher they built from wooden poles and woven branches during the long journey. It was padded with moss. The women cared for him for a long time. However, his condition deteriorated steadily, and he died on the long march here. He was buried in a sunny spot near the present-day settlement. His grave was covered with many large and mighty stones. No wild animal was to disturb the peace of Idam.
That same evening, the shaman summoned all the men of the clan to a sacred council at the deceased's grave. The flames of the oracle fire revealed the name of the new clan elder to the sorcerer. The adult men then secretly elected the hunter Bogo as their new leader. All swore loyalty and unconditional allegiance to him.
On their further journey through the deserted, barren steppe and dense forests, they encountered many wild animals. Rain and storms sometimes made their journey difficult.
The elders of the clan had decided on this new place together with Bogo.
An ideal location, the caves faced the great river. People had begun to dig deeper into the caves, making them more spacious and offering them ample room. Many of the inhabitants had protected the entrances to their dwellings from wind and weather with large mats made of stronger branches, woven with finer, softer materials.
A small waterfall cascaded from the mountains diagonally across from the clearing, providing a constant flow of fresh water. Some of the surrounding mountains were so high that the sun often took a little longer to warm the valley during the day. However, as soon as the sun crested the mountain peaks, it became bright and pleasantly warm. Even in summer, it never got too hot, and when it did, the breeze from the waterfall and the coolness of the river provided a pleasant refreshment. At night, however, the temperature usually dropped quite quickly in the shade of the rocks. The great advantage of this spot, however, was its sheltered location and manageable size.
The children of the clan could gather safely to play in the open space or by the river. They particularly enjoyed stone-throwing competitions, races with their crafted tree bark rafts, and swimming in the shallows of the river.
The boys and older youths occasionally tried to test their strength in wrestling matches. They often also tried to outdo each other in dares to assert their rank within the group.
That morning, a boy of about 14 or 15 stepped out of one of the caves into the early twilight. His age could only be estimated, because Stone Age people didn't understand numbers. If they wanted to tell how much something was, their fingers would suffice; anything more was simply a lot... The boy knew he'd experienced more summers than he had fingers.
Yawning loudly, he stretched and raised his arms in the air. With both hands, he ruffled his fiery red hair, which fell to his shoulders. A delicate reddish down was visible above his lips, and his body appeared very muscular for his age. He wore the clothing typical of Stone Age boys, in a time when the sun rose higher and higher each day and the colors of nature reawakened. A short fur apron, tied around the waist and reaching just below the thighs, was all they needed. Only in the very cold season did Stone Age people wear a second long fur as an upper garment. Some also wore a raccoon fur cap. They protected their most sensitive body parts with a small fur, which they pulled between their legs, fur-side inward. It was held around the waist with a cord made of plant fibers. In winter, they wore old skins wrapped several times around their feet, which they also secured with strips of fiber.
Uglo, which meant something like "the redhead," turned back to the cave where his younger sister Akai slumbered, still wrapped tightly in her reindeer skins. Their parents, father Bogo and mother Akana, had been out and about long before sunrise that morning. The father had climbed into the mountains with the other men of the clan; they had spotted a herd of reindeer up there and wanted to try their luck hunting. The clan's meat supplies would soon run out. Akana, too, had set out early to replenish their supplies of mushrooms, berries, and herbs.
Uglo stepped out of the cave. His day almost always began from the beginning of the time of
From the rising sun and the sprouting buds to the harsh foggy times when the forest leaves were aglow and sometimes a white blanket covered the ground, he would enjoy a quick dip in the cold water of the river. He had learned this from his father, and many of the boys, including the older ones in the clan, admired him for it.
Today, too, he went to the center of the square, to the large fireplace, where the ancient clan elder Kuchola, the guardian of the fire and true mistress of the Flying Feather line, was just adding a few more logs of wood.
To warm himself a little, he held his hands over the still-hot embers. "Good morning, Grandma Kuchola," he bowed deeply and respectfully to the old woman. She returned his greeting, "Good morning Uglo, up so early? Are you going to take another dip in the cold water today, or what are you planning?"
"Yes, Grandma, I'm on my way to the river, but I also want to take advantage of the morning and catch some fish before Mother returns." "Ah, that's good. Please be so kind as to fetch an armful of wood from behind first, okay?" The boy nodded, quickly went to the supply pile at the back of the clearing, and carried a large load of logs in both arms to the fire pit. The Firekeeper thanked him and wished him luck on the hunt.
Uglo had plenty of time today. He was at the age where young men were supposed to learn from each other, primarily through play, how to live together, but also how to assert themselves. Naturally, this also included observing the adults in their daily lives and helping them. While the boys had to learn a lot about hunting, making weapons, animals, and nature, it was the girls' job to learn from the women everything about processing fur into clothing, preparing food, and other handicrafts. They also had to learn how to tend the fire. If the fire went out, the entire clan was in danger. Uglo would become a hunting assistant next summer, and he was already looking forward to the new tasks he would then be given. His destiny would then be to learn how to make arrowheads, bows, and spears. He would learn how to sneak up on and kill various animals. As a hunter, he would then be accepted into the community of men. However, he also knew that for this, he would have to endure the rituals of manhood. But that was still a long way off for him,
Uglo returned to the cave once more to retrieve his short fishing spear. He and his father had proudly finished it just a few days ago. Today he wanted to try it out for the first time and surprise his family with fresh fish.
He walked quickly to the shore, where he took off his short spear and his fur apron. He owned only this one item of clothing and was careful not to let it get wet. A fur that got wet once took many days to dry.
Although it was customary for all children to bathe naked in the river, this had become increasingly embarrassing and uncomfortable for him. He had grown quite a bit in the last two or three months, and his fur barely reached his bottom. It felt strange sometimes...
He felt like he was being watched especially when the older girls or younger women were around, or when he didn't think about his short fur and moved awkwardly, so that...
He looked around attentively, but this morning he was alone at the river, and now, just as he was, and without fear, he stepped into the water cautiously, feeling for purchase with his feet on the slippery stones. He took a deep breath and with a bold swing, he threw himself into the water, allowing the river's force to carry him along for a while. After a few powerful arm strokes against the current, he surfaced and tried to find purchase with his feet. He quickly stood up and shook his damp hair. Cautiously, he made his way back to the bank. To warm himself up a little, he hopped up and down a few times, whirled his arms around, and breathed deeply in and out. Still wet, he stepped back into the river with his spear in his hand. He looked for a spot where the water was more swirling; he had learned that the fish were a little less attentive there and easier to hunt. A secret his father had told him.
Only when the water rose above his knees and reached his thighs did he stop. But these bubbling spots were also the most dangerous. Here, the river's wild current became even stronger, and one had to be especially careful not to be swept away.
Just during the last great heatwave, a small girl slipped while bathing in the river, fell, and was caught in the strong current. The other children could no longer help the girl; the river had swept her away. The girl's parents mourned for a long time and searched the riverbank. Before the snow began to fall, they left the clan and followed the riverbank. They had hoped to find their child again. They never returned to the clan.
But the rapid current of the river was only one of the dangers that threatened the settlement's inhabitants, despite its favorable location. Time and again, a few saber-toothed tigers, hyenas, or coyotes tried to approach the caves containing the sleeping people at night. Their roars and hisses often eerily penetrated the inhabitants' ears at night, waking some of them from their sleep. The predators scented the people and hoped for easy prey. They could certainly also smell the stored supplies. Especially when the men were away hunting for several days, the children and women in the dwellings were in danger. For this reason alone, it was especially important that the women, who tended the large fire at night, remained alert and did not fall asleep. The large fire had to burn constantly at night. They therefore bore a great responsibility.
Another time, a Barbary lion appeared at the river opposite where the children were bathing. After sneaking through the undergrowth, it silently dived into the water. Uglo had been carefully watching the other bank and spotted the lion first. Calling out loudly, he tried to alert the children to the monster, but to no avail amid the noise of their games and the roaring river. In his fear, he tried to drive the predator away by throwing stones, but to no avail. Desperately, he ran, just as he was, as fast as he could to the cave where his father was testing his bow and sharpening an arrowhead. Even as he ran, he cried out his fear to his father, "Father... a lion, in the river... the children...!" Bogo immediately understood that a grave danger had appeared for the children at the bathing spot. With his bow in one hand and a long arrow in the other, he followed his son to the river. The lion had already reached the middle of the water, but the playing and romping children still hadn't noticed him.
A loud, piercing scream from Bogo's mouth alerted the children to the danger. Everyone fell silent in shock, frozen with fear, unable to move or flee. The lion had almost reached them. Breathing heavily from his fast run, Bogo nocked the arrow into the bowstring... He only had one shot. He held his breath and tried to concentrate; he had to hit it! The lion came closer and closer, diving again and again. The predator's head briefly surfaced from the water; Bogo had been waiting for this moment.
With a soft hiss, the arrow left the string, and a moment later, the lion's hideous roar could be heard. Bogo's arrow had struck him right between the eyes. Fearful and still frozen with shock, the children watched the beast roaring and raging in its death throes, which, now growing increasingly weak, was being swept away by the water. Little by little, the boys and girls broke out of their state of shock and waited on the shore. Wordlessly, they gathered their belongings and crept reverently past their savior. Uglo was proud of his father, who was one of the best hunters of his family.
Thinking about this event, his eyes carefully scanned the opposite shore until he was sure that there was no danger from there today.
By now, the sun had climbed over the peaks, its rays casting sparkling reflections on the water. Leaning slightly forward, his fishing spear in hand, he turned his gaze back to the water, trying to pierce the shimmering, choppy surface with his eyes. The cold of the flowing water slowly crept up Uglo's legs. But that didn't bother him or most of the other boys in the clan. He stood perfectly still, waiting for his chance. After a short time, the first large fish swam between his calves. They didn't seem to notice that the young hunter was watching them. He quickly plunged his spear into the water for the first time.
Nothing—the animals had noticed the shadow of the boy's quick movement. He quietly cursed his clumsiness.
Uglo was only briefly startled when a small, flat stone twanged past him across the water's surface. Immediately afterwards, he heard a faint clacking sound from the shore. Instantly, he knew who was watching him from there and giving him a sign.
Careful not to slip, he turned only his upper body toward the shore. There stood his friend Ango, a boy about his age with long hair, broad shoulders, and his hair tied back in a ponytail. Ango signaled to him silently. He pointed at Uglo, then at the sun, then back at the water, and shook his head. Uglo glanced at the sun, looked at the surface of the water in front of him, and understood. He hadn't noticed that the sun's rays were casting his shadow on the water. No wonder the fish had noticed his movements. Uglo looked back toward the shore, where Ango had just taken off his apron and was cautiously wading toward him. He, too, carried his spear.
The boys greeted each other wordlessly, silently touching their foreheads. Next to each other, but now so that their shadows no longer disturbed their plans, the friends stood motionless in the bubbling water, waiting for the opportune moment.
Now, almost simultaneously, their spears hissed into the water with a soft sound! Two large, wriggling fish violently tried to free themselves from the points. But without hesitation, the boys grabbed firmly and threw their prey with a powerful swing onto the shore. They grinned at each other and silently returned to their hunt. They were successful several more times; by then, Akai and a few other smaller children were gathering the fish into a large wicker basket on the shore.
Back on the shore, the boys quickly got dressed again and examined their catch. Akai snuggled up to her big brother and whispered to him, "You're a good hunter." Uglo grumbled back and then said, "Yes, we were good with Ango, but without him I wouldn't have been as successful." He nodded gratefully to Ango, who just waved his hand and said, "Come on, let's see how many there are." They had caught so many fish, and so large, that their fingers weren't long enough to catch them. They decided to share their catch with the other families. Together they carried the basket from cave to cave. Some of the families were happy to take a few fish from them and thanked the young hunters.
In the end, there were still enough fish left for the two boys' families. Uglo sent his sister into the cave with his share of the catch and instructed her to begin cleaning the fish. He himself took two of the largest and most magnificent specimens and, together with Ango, went to the large fire in the center of the clearing, where the firekeeper still waited. The boys bowed respectfully to the old woman, knelt before her, and handed her the fresh fish.
"Grandmother, thank you for your good wishes this morning. We had a good day fishing, and we'd like to thank you and give you a gift." "Thank you, Uglo, thank you Ango, you have a good heart and don't forget to honor the elders. May the Great Feather Spirit protect you and make you great and strong hunters."
Uglo asked the firekeeper for another fire chip, which he would use to rekindle the embers of the small fire at the entrance to his cave to roast the fish for breakfast. Then the boys thanked them for their wishes and turned to leave.
When the boys separated, they agreed to meet later, when the setting afternoon sun would shine through the hole in the large rock, to swim at one spot a little further upstream.
The damp morning mist rose from the river toward the mountain peaks. The sun hadn't yet reached the tops of the mountains; so far, only a dim light illuminated the small forest clearing that opened in a curved arc toward the river. On one side of the square was a narrow passage leading to a wide plain, from which the clan elders had led the group.
At the edge of the clearing, where the trees clung to the rising rock face, some deep caves nestled into the rock.
The small clan of the Flying Feathers, consisting of about ten to twelve families, all in all around fifty or sixty adults and children, had found a place for their new home here a few moons ago after a long journey.
Originally, they were nomads, having long ago found a good settlement where they had lived for several summers and winters. But now, laden with only the bare necessities, they had to leave their beloved home and decided to move on. A powerful, warlike clan from the Black Ravens had repeatedly attacked them and even attempted several times to kidnap young girls from the settlement.
The small community could no longer resist the hostility of the strangers. They finally decided to look for a new camp.
Their clan elder, Idam, was seriously injured in a clash with the warriors.
The men carried him on a stretcher they built from wooden poles and woven branches during the long journey. It was padded with moss. The women cared for him for a long time. However, his condition deteriorated steadily, and he died on the long march here. He was buried in a sunny spot near the present-day settlement. His grave was covered with many large and mighty stones. No wild animal was to disturb the peace of Idam.
That same evening, the shaman summoned all the men of the clan to a sacred council at the deceased's grave. The flames of the oracle fire revealed the name of the new clan elder to the sorcerer. The adult men then secretly elected the hunter Bogo as their new leader. All swore loyalty and unconditional allegiance to him.
On their further journey through the deserted, barren steppe and dense forests, they encountered many wild animals. Rain and storms sometimes made their journey difficult.
The elders of the clan had decided on this new place together with Bogo.
An ideal location, the caves faced the great river. People had begun to dig deeper into the caves, making them more spacious and offering them ample room. Many of the inhabitants had protected the entrances to their dwellings from wind and weather with large mats made of stronger branches, woven with finer, softer materials.
A small waterfall cascaded from the mountains diagonally across from the clearing, providing a constant flow of fresh water. Some of the surrounding mountains were so high that the sun often took a little longer to warm the valley during the day. However, as soon as the sun crested the mountain peaks, it became bright and pleasantly warm. Even in summer, it never got too hot, and when it did, the breeze from the waterfall and the coolness of the river provided a pleasant refreshment. At night, however, the temperature usually dropped quite quickly in the shade of the rocks. The great advantage of this spot, however, was its sheltered location and manageable size.
The children of the clan could gather safely to play in the open space or by the river. They particularly enjoyed stone-throwing competitions, races with their crafted tree bark rafts, and swimming in the shallows of the river.
The boys and older youths occasionally tried to test their strength in wrestling matches. They often also tried to outdo each other in dares to assert their rank within the group.
That morning, a boy of about 14 or 15 stepped out of one of the caves into the early twilight. His age could only be estimated, because Stone Age people didn't understand numbers. If they wanted to tell how much something was, their fingers would suffice; anything more was simply a lot... The boy knew he'd experienced more summers than he had fingers.
Yawning loudly, he stretched and raised his arms in the air. With both hands, he ruffled his fiery red hair, which fell to his shoulders. A delicate reddish down was visible above his lips, and his body appeared very muscular for his age. He wore the clothing typical of Stone Age boys, in a time when the sun rose higher and higher each day and the colors of nature reawakened. A short fur apron, tied around the waist and reaching just below the thighs, was all they needed. Only in the very cold season did Stone Age people wear a second long fur as an upper garment. Some also wore a raccoon fur cap. They protected their most sensitive body parts with a small fur, which they pulled between their legs, fur-side inward. It was held around the waist with a cord made of plant fibers. In winter, they wore old skins wrapped several times around their feet, which they also secured with strips of fiber.
Uglo, which meant something like "the redhead," turned back to the cave where his younger sister Akai slumbered, still wrapped tightly in her reindeer skins. Their parents, father Bogo and mother Akana, had been out and about long before sunrise that morning. The father had climbed into the mountains with the other men of the clan; they had spotted a herd of reindeer up there and wanted to try their luck hunting. The clan's meat supplies would soon run out. Akana, too, had set out early to replenish their supplies of mushrooms, berries, and herbs.
Uglo stepped out of the cave. His day almost always began from the beginning of the time of
From the rising sun and the sprouting buds to the harsh foggy times when the forest leaves were aglow and sometimes a white blanket covered the ground, he would enjoy a quick dip in the cold water of the river. He had learned this from his father, and many of the boys, including the older ones in the clan, admired him for it.
Today, too, he went to the center of the square, to the large fireplace, where the ancient clan elder Kuchola, the guardian of the fire and true mistress of the Flying Feather line, was just adding a few more logs of wood.
To warm himself a little, he held his hands over the still-hot embers. "Good morning, Grandma Kuchola," he bowed deeply and respectfully to the old woman. She returned his greeting, "Good morning Uglo, up so early? Are you going to take another dip in the cold water today, or what are you planning?"
"Yes, Grandma, I'm on my way to the river, but I also want to take advantage of the morning and catch some fish before Mother returns." "Ah, that's good. Please be so kind as to fetch an armful of wood from behind first, okay?" The boy nodded, quickly went to the supply pile at the back of the clearing, and carried a large load of logs in both arms to the fire pit. The Firekeeper thanked him and wished him luck on the hunt.
Uglo had plenty of time today. He was at the age where young men were supposed to learn from each other, primarily through play, how to live together, but also how to assert themselves. Naturally, this also included observing the adults in their daily lives and helping them. While the boys had to learn a lot about hunting, making weapons, animals, and nature, it was the girls' job to learn from the women everything about processing fur into clothing, preparing food, and other handicrafts. They also had to learn how to tend the fire. If the fire went out, the entire clan was in danger. Uglo would become a hunting assistant next summer, and he was already looking forward to the new tasks he would then be given. His destiny would then be to learn how to make arrowheads, bows, and spears. He would learn how to sneak up on and kill various animals. As a hunter, he would then be accepted into the community of men. However, he also knew that for this, he would have to endure the rituals of manhood. But that was still a long way off for him,
Uglo returned to the cave once more to retrieve his short fishing spear. He and his father had proudly finished it just a few days ago. Today he wanted to try it out for the first time and surprise his family with fresh fish.
He walked quickly to the shore, where he took off his short spear and his fur apron. He owned only this one item of clothing and was careful not to let it get wet. A fur that got wet once took many days to dry.
Although it was customary for all children to bathe naked in the river, this had become increasingly embarrassing and uncomfortable for him. He had grown quite a bit in the last two or three months, and his fur barely reached his bottom. It felt strange sometimes...
He felt like he was being watched especially when the older girls or younger women were around, or when he didn't think about his short fur and moved awkwardly, so that...
He looked around attentively, but this morning he was alone at the river, and now, just as he was, and without fear, he stepped into the water cautiously, feeling for purchase with his feet on the slippery stones. He took a deep breath and with a bold swing, he threw himself into the water, allowing the river's force to carry him along for a while. After a few powerful arm strokes against the current, he surfaced and tried to find purchase with his feet. He quickly stood up and shook his damp hair. Cautiously, he made his way back to the bank. To warm himself up a little, he hopped up and down a few times, whirled his arms around, and breathed deeply in and out. Still wet, he stepped back into the river with his spear in his hand. He looked for a spot where the water was more swirling; he had learned that the fish were a little less attentive there and easier to hunt. A secret his father had told him.
Only when the water rose above his knees and reached his thighs did he stop. But these bubbling spots were also the most dangerous. Here, the river's wild current became even stronger, and one had to be especially careful not to be swept away.
Just during the last great heatwave, a small girl slipped while bathing in the river, fell, and was caught in the strong current. The other children could no longer help the girl; the river had swept her away. The girl's parents mourned for a long time and searched the riverbank. Before the snow began to fall, they left the clan and followed the riverbank. They had hoped to find their child again. They never returned to the clan.
But the rapid current of the river was only one of the dangers that threatened the settlement's inhabitants, despite its favorable location. Time and again, a few saber-toothed tigers, hyenas, or coyotes tried to approach the caves containing the sleeping people at night. Their roars and hisses often eerily penetrated the inhabitants' ears at night, waking some of them from their sleep. The predators scented the people and hoped for easy prey. They could certainly also smell the stored supplies. Especially when the men were away hunting for several days, the children and women in the dwellings were in danger. For this reason alone, it was especially important that the women, who tended the large fire at night, remained alert and did not fall asleep. The large fire had to burn constantly at night. They therefore bore a great responsibility.
Another time, a Barbary lion appeared at the river opposite where the children were bathing. After sneaking through the undergrowth, it silently dived into the water. Uglo had been carefully watching the other bank and spotted the lion first. Calling out loudly, he tried to alert the children to the monster, but to no avail amid the noise of their games and the roaring river. In his fear, he tried to drive the predator away by throwing stones, but to no avail. Desperately, he ran, just as he was, as fast as he could to the cave where his father was testing his bow and sharpening an arrowhead. Even as he ran, he cried out his fear to his father, "Father... a lion, in the river... the children...!" Bogo immediately understood that a grave danger had appeared for the children at the bathing spot. With his bow in one hand and a long arrow in the other, he followed his son to the river. The lion had already reached the middle of the water, but the playing and romping children still hadn't noticed him.
A loud, piercing scream from Bogo's mouth alerted the children to the danger. Everyone fell silent in shock, frozen with fear, unable to move or flee. The lion had almost reached them. Breathing heavily from his fast run, Bogo nocked the arrow into the bowstring... He only had one shot. He held his breath and tried to concentrate; he had to hit it! The lion came closer and closer, diving again and again. The predator's head briefly surfaced from the water; Bogo had been waiting for this moment.
With a soft hiss, the arrow left the string, and a moment later, the lion's hideous roar could be heard. Bogo's arrow had struck him right between the eyes. Fearful and still frozen with shock, the children watched the beast roaring and raging in its death throes, which, now growing increasingly weak, was being swept away by the water. Little by little, the boys and girls broke out of their state of shock and waited on the shore. Wordlessly, they gathered their belongings and crept reverently past their savior. Uglo was proud of his father, who was one of the best hunters of his family.
Thinking about this event, his eyes carefully scanned the opposite shore until he was sure that there was no danger from there today.
By now, the sun had climbed over the peaks, its rays casting sparkling reflections on the water. Leaning slightly forward, his fishing spear in hand, he turned his gaze back to the water, trying to pierce the shimmering, choppy surface with his eyes. The cold of the flowing water slowly crept up Uglo's legs. But that didn't bother him or most of the other boys in the clan. He stood perfectly still, waiting for his chance. After a short time, the first large fish swam between his calves. They didn't seem to notice that the young hunter was watching them. He quickly plunged his spear into the water for the first time.
Nothing—the animals had noticed the shadow of the boy's quick movement. He quietly cursed his clumsiness.
Uglo was only briefly startled when a small, flat stone twanged past him across the water's surface. Immediately afterwards, he heard a faint clacking sound from the shore. Instantly, he knew who was watching him from there and giving him a sign.
Careful not to slip, he turned only his upper body toward the shore. There stood his friend Ango, a boy about his age with long hair, broad shoulders, and his hair tied back in a ponytail. Ango signaled to him silently. He pointed at Uglo, then at the sun, then back at the water, and shook his head. Uglo glanced at the sun, looked at the surface of the water in front of him, and understood. He hadn't noticed that the sun's rays were casting his shadow on the water. No wonder the fish had noticed his movements. Uglo looked back toward the shore, where Ango had just taken off his apron and was cautiously wading toward him. He, too, carried his spear.
The boys greeted each other wordlessly, silently touching their foreheads. Next to each other, but now so that their shadows no longer disturbed their plans, the friends stood motionless in the bubbling water, waiting for the opportune moment.
Now, almost simultaneously, their spears hissed into the water with a soft sound! Two large, wriggling fish violently tried to free themselves from the points. But without hesitation, the boys grabbed firmly and threw their prey with a powerful swing onto the shore. They grinned at each other and silently returned to their hunt. They were successful several more times; by then, Akai and a few other smaller children were gathering the fish into a large wicker basket on the shore.
Back on the shore, the boys quickly got dressed again and examined their catch. Akai snuggled up to her big brother and whispered to him, "You're a good hunter." Uglo grumbled back and then said, "Yes, we were good with Ango, but without him I wouldn't have been as successful." He nodded gratefully to Ango, who just waved his hand and said, "Come on, let's see how many there are." They had caught so many fish, and so large, that their fingers weren't long enough to catch them. They decided to share their catch with the other families. Together they carried the basket from cave to cave. Some of the families were happy to take a few fish from them and thanked the young hunters.
In the end, there were still enough fish left for the two boys' families. Uglo sent his sister into the cave with his share of the catch and instructed her to begin cleaning the fish. He himself took two of the largest and most magnificent specimens and, together with Ango, went to the large fire in the center of the clearing, where the firekeeper still waited. The boys bowed respectfully to the old woman, knelt before her, and handed her the fresh fish.
"Grandmother, thank you for your good wishes this morning. We had a good day fishing, and we'd like to thank you and give you a gift." "Thank you, Uglo, thank you Ango, you have a good heart and don't forget to honor the elders. May the Great Feather Spirit protect you and make you great and strong hunters."
Uglo asked the firekeeper for another fire chip, which he would use to rekindle the embers of the small fire at the entrance to his cave to roast the fish for breakfast. Then the boys thanked them for their wishes and turned to leave.
When the boys separated, they agreed to meet later, when the setting afternoon sun would shine through the hole in the large rock, to swim at one spot a little further upstream.