The DeDiann--third tribe in WOW

1

"Trib!!!" The call grew to screams of joy as the DeDiann women and children flocked to the mountain's ledge to yell their welcomes at the first hunters returning from the hunt. 2

There was light snow crunching beneath their feet, a chill in the air, but the men sang with mighty voices. In the lead of the proud band was Trib. His long flaxen hair bounced with his movements and the thick blond beard swung proudly on his chin. Though fairly slender in comparison to his brawny clan mates, he was called Leader by many. "Trib! Trib!" rang over and over as his troop climbed the rigid wooden ladders into the cave city.3

Lana, fair of face, with sapphire eyes, and a nimble teenage body danced happily with others. "Trib leads the greatest hunters of them all!" She shouted so the hunters would spot her. This young female's mother had perished during the summer burdening Lana with a ten-year-old sister. The two girls had many brothers but no older female relatives. Lana also had two young sons and an infant daughter to feed. If she was to acquire an amply supply of provisions she must attract hunters early. 4

Trib's glance fell on the dancing Lana. He saw the sparking eyes and took instant pleasure from the amusement on her attractive face. He remembered her fine body and pleasant mood when now and then he shared her tent. And amid cries of despair from other women, the popular leader tossed his weapons upon the roof of Lana's tent. His great booty he began to unload beside the entrance.5

The singing turned to gasps in Lana's throat as she stared in disbelief at what the popular leader was doing. Trib was laying first claim to her tent. Short on years but not on common sense, Lana thrust her infant daughter at Alaine and shooed her sister and two small sons off with the warning, "Go to Old Sella's tent and stay ‘til I send for you." Then she shoved her way through the crowd to proudly hold open her tent flap and make the way clear for Trib to enter.6

When the hunter had made the claim on her tent, Lana did not expect he would remain long with her. Never before had a single hunter spent the entire winter in Lana's tent. So while she did her best to satisfy the man, she anticipated the time he would desert her and she would be required to seek other providers.7

"Only Aden, lay beside my mother when I was a boy." Trib told her. She giggled at the folly thinking he said it to impress her. 8

"Many died the season I was born. Aden often told me the horror of that time. He returned to Cabrea to find the starving people forced to eat their dead. He told me how he and his hunters vomited in the snow that whole winter when they spoke of it." Then Trib smiled sadly. He fingered her long hair and stroked her cheek as he said, "Be grateful my adorable Lana, that was long before you were born. The mountains are stable now and we hunt the great herds in the warm land where Aden led us." 9

Lana had heard the story but until Trib spoke the words, she believed it was just a fable her mother told to frighten her. Or the old ones chanted as they did many other stories around the circle of light. But when Trib related a tale he gave it such feelings she sensed he actually saw it in his mind. Through that winter, Lana, along with many envious females, marveled that this hunter never strayed from her tent.10

Trib ate only at her fire, slept only upon her robes, and shared only her body. Accustomed to the temper of younger hunters, who had little patience for pestering children, Lana was mesmerized with this older man. Trib would spend long periods with her sons Adrian and Aleric. He told them stories of the world beyond their home. He carved small weapons with blunt edges that the boys could claim as their own. As the small boys hunted imaginary beasts or did battle with each other, Lana's tent rang with the man's laughter. 11

Lana felt tears mist her eyes when Trib handed little Mercy a carved wooden toy that rattled when the baby shook it. She watched him smile with pleasure when Mercy crawled to him with her tiny arms outstretched to be lifted in the hunter's lap. 12

Their bellies were always full and their fire bright. Trib himself went to plateau to haul back wood something most men only did for an aged mother. Never had Lana known such contentment. The winter cold could not penetrate a tent filled with the warmth Trib brought to it. 13

But soon the spring rains fell upon the earth, and as the hunters left the city. Lana suffered alone with her knowledge. What wasn't supposed to happen . . .happened to her again. She had conceived late in the year with an infant still suckling. Motherless, with no older sisters, Lana spent a difficult summer. Kindness among competing females was not indulged in. Rather she became an object of ridicule for not plunging a pole between her legs and into her body, a method already known to abort a winter baby.14

***15

The joy of autumn once again brought the howls of pleasure and praise for returning hunters. But a female over-ripe with child drew no interesting glances from the arriving males. Lana's own brothers, duty bound, gave only the barest offerings to keep their sisters and young nephews from starving. Lana's oldest brother cursed her royally for not ridding herself of the full belly before the hunters returned. 16

Livid with anger, Syth kicked little Mercy so hard when she attempted to grab his leg the toddler screamed in pain as her uncle yelled. "Why didn't you do away with this worthless female child?" 17

Lana flung his miserly gift of meat at him and would have clawed his face; only Talbet caught her from behind and held her. 18

Ranier blocked their older brother. He growled into Syth's face, "There are three of us home already. It's early, the others will return. Our shame would be great if with seven brothers our Mother's children should go hungry." 19

"I will feed them," Talbet, still hardly more than a boy, yelled in disgust. "I will not see my sisters starve."20

"As will I," Syth admitted. "But I wonder how generous you will be when the need comes and you have no meat left to purchase a warm body." His words were followed by a nasty sneer.21

*****22

Several injures required his group of hunters to pause for a time. So Trib's band came later than usual from the hunt. In the final days their leader moved with a heavy heart towards Cabrea. He knew Lana would be a fool to keep her tent empty awaiting an arrival that might never come. Her youth and fine form would draw many a younger hunter to the tent that had become comfortable to Trib. 23

As he trudged through ankle deep snow, he found himself worrying about the two small boys who pestered him last winter. He pictured them abused by men with less patience and felt anger. As he tossed in restless nights beneath his small hunting tent, he fantasized about the woman in another hunter's arms and burned with a near fever. He even considered that if the hunter Lana took was not too stronger a man… Then he sneered at his foolishness. With a spear he knew few men were his equal. But an idea, such as hand-to-hand combat for the possession of a woman was ridiculous. His troop carried plenty of meat; he would have no difficulty locating a warm and welcome tent. He cursed his own folly but the fretfulness would not leave him.24

Soon the city was insight. The welcomes rang loud for his weary band. The vast abundance of provisions they displayed brought as warm a reception as any hunter could hope for. But Lana was not there to greet them. Even her small sons were missing from the crowd? Damn her, Trib swore to himself, she could have left her hunter's embrace to at least see him home safe. Damn her! He would not so much as look at her tent. But his eyes strayed and he couldn't believe what they told him--the weapons of no hunter lay upon Lana's tent?25

Then to his surprise Lana stepped from that tent. She came outside to draw a few breaths of crisp air. Her time was drawing near. Her belly, large and disfigured with the growing life within, shocked the hunter.26

"Look at the fat bitch!" A woman giggled loudly as another pointed. "Her full belly will not bring Trib rushing to her tent this year."27

Fully aware he was about to become an object of ridicule, still, Trib didn't hesitate. His gait increased as he strode towards Lana's tent. Amid cries of disbelief he tossed his weapons upon their familiar resting place. Calling to others, who had helped the exhausted hunters carry the provisions up the ladders, to leave his bounty by her tent, Trib moved passed the shocked Lana to the welcome of three youngsters who threw themselves in his arms.28

Lana's strong brothers stood among the populace and breathed a sign of relief as they watched their sister follow the hunter into her tent. Trib would suffer no immediate ridicule; their identical scowls sweeping the crowd assured this.29

Lana attempted to do all the things required of a woman welcoming a provider. She gave Mercy over to the care of her sister and sent Alaine and the boys out from the tent. She had no concern for her children now. She knew, her brothers, content that they need no longer provide for her brood, would graciously see to the youngsters so that Lana's hunter could rest and make any other demands on her undisturbed for a few days.30

Lana shook and repositioned warm robes for Trib's comfort. She knelt and attempted to aid him in removing his soggy clothing. Her clumsy efforts soon had them both chuckling. Her huge belly kept getting in their way. Trib, touching it in wonder, felt the movement beneath and jerked his hand back and yelped. Then he snickered at himself. "The child is alive in there?"31

"Of course," Lana said. "Did you think I would have a dead child? All my young are healthy," she bragged. Then the pains began. She bit at her lip as she tried to hold them back as she brought him dry clothing, food, and drink. Her water broke and the stench of woman's blood mingled with the warm air. He sniffed in displeasure but said nothing. Cramping brought her to her knees. "You should leave," she whimpered but clung to his hand. "Go to Myya's tent. Syth will be there. Tell him to send Alaine to me."32

"Alaine's only a child."33

"But I have no mother. No grown sister. No one else to help me." Tears trickled down the tormented young face. She was frightened for always before her mother had been there. Again Lana felt the loss cut as cleanly as the day her mother died.34

Trib's hand smoothed the tears from her cheeks as he said, "You have me." He smiled as he teased, "What can Alaine do that I can't do better?"35

"It's not right. You should leave." But still she clung to his hand as the pains quickened and her body tensed. 36

So instead of spending his first night home being cared for and pampered, Trib found himself doing things he'd never heard of a hunter doing. He helped remove Lana's soiled clothing. Her flesh, hard and hot to the touch, he attempted to cool with snow she had previously gathered to chill his drink.37

"Bring me a wedge of soft wood to chew," Lana begged. "The women must not hear me cry out."38

Though he answered in disgust, "What foolishness is that, even a grown man is allowed to cry out in pain." He brought the wood. Lana's face was sweating now, and he watched her suffering body jerking with each contraction and he ordered, "Tell me what to do that we might get this wretch born quickly?"39

Lana removed the wedge from between her teeth, she breathed deeply now that the pain subsided and for a brief moment she smiled at the hunter. "He will come in his own time."40

"He?"41

"It must be male." Lana whispered in her fear. "A second female...." The horror of such an idea showed in her widening eyes. "I would have to destroy."42

The man shook his thick blond hair as he grunted. "A woman would suffer so only to kill it?" Then he decided, "No! Whatever this one is we will keep it." 43

"We?" caught in her throat as Lana shoved in the wood to muffle a scream. She grabbed Trib's shoulders and hefty her body into a squat. She spat out the wood chew for the man seemed frozen. "Reach between my legs," she yelled. "Hold his head so the neck doesn't snap."44

"Hmmmm?"45

"Do as I ask-please-it's too late to get Alaine."46

"Hmmm?"47

"Trib! Would you have him die?" 48

Falling on his belly Trib reached up but at the first feel of the sticky wet ball, he nearly pulled his hands back. "It's a head?"49

"Good...that's good...."50

He gapped at what was filling his hands. "A head?"51

"What did you think it would be? Now steady the head ‘til the shoulders come through. Gently!! Gently. When you can reach the armpits slide your fingers in very carefully and I will push as you pull." 52

Soon the lusty howl of a newborn filled the tent. Trib placed the squirming mess upon Lana's belly. She bit the cord and gave a soft chuckle. "I told you it would be male. Now you must clean him up."53

"Hmmmm? What?" No answer came. Lana had passed out and the only noise was the squeaks coming from the infant as it struggled to draw breath through its plugged nostrils. Instinctively the man pinched its nose to clear the passageway. He began to wipe away the remaining fluids and thought, how wrinkled, red, and ugly- something is wrong? I should bang it in the head and toss it from the ledge before Lana awakens and must do it herself. Such would be a kindness. Still, Lana had seen the ugly child, he contemplated, and she had seemed content. No, he would not throw it away, he decided. He would let its mother do that. Using wet leaves he continued to polish the infant who unappreciatively continued to howl.54

While the suffering woman had not disturbed the city; the bellowing newborn was not so generous. Trib could hear the noise from the crowd gathering outside. He knew the rare birth of a winter baby was an unusual event that drew not only the women but also the hardest of hunters.55

Once before he remembered, he had been in the curious crowd only to discover it was a wasted night-for the infant and mother died. Now he glanced nervously at Lana. He could tell she was simply in a deep exhausted sleep. He stared down at the infant as if suddenly realizing he was in a birthing tent. He'd never heard of a hunter remaining in a birthing tent. He was cleaning a foul little carcass; he never heard of a hunter doing that either.56

The tent flap was flung open. Syth shoved his younger brother Rainer inside before he ventured in. Behind Syth came three others of Lana's brothers. Two more, still boys, waited outside.57

"Such a stink!" Rainer sniffed loudly with the declaration.58

"It's a male!" Trib yelped and held the wiggling creature out.59

But none offered to claim it. While the five pairs of eyes studied the thing in Trib's hands only the youngest Talbet dared to ask, "Is it suppose to be so wrinkled?"60

Trib, hoping he spoke the truth, said, "They all are."61

"And so red?" Rainer's fingers poked at the infant.62

Trib quickly gathered the baby protectively to his own chest. "Did you hear him howl? He's a healthy boy! Look at him squirm. He'll be a fine hunter."63

"A warrior." Syth suddenly laughed as he saw the infant hand turn into a fist and pound Trib's chest. "I think I will prefer him to the other two."64

"No!" Talbet said. "Adrian is yours. Long have you said that. This one will be mine."65

Suddenly several odd desires came to Trib. "Stric must be a leader's boy," he said as if choosing the name and status of the infant was his right.66

"Stric?" Five mouths uttered the name. He felt foolish but still he continued with the lie. "Lana named him, and swore only a leader would claim him."67