“No. All five of them developed a rash that covered their chest and back, but it didn’t appear serious and went away well before the birth.”
“I wish I had an idea to share with you, but I am as stumped as you are.”
“You are a great warrior, not a healer. I did not expect you to solve this problem for us. It is simply good to talk it out, hoping that something will become clear that I have missed before.” He paused and looked into the fire, suddenly appearing far older than his years. Then he brightened a bit. “I’ll bet you have come to find out where the danta is.”
“Yes. It will make it easier for us to prepare meat for the winter. It is generous of you to share the location with us.”
“You might not be so happy when I tell you what has happened in the place where the danta is.”
Alex’s heart sank a bit, but he kept his face as neutral as possible. “Is it still there?”
“Oh, yes, the danta is still there, but we haven’t been able to get any of it for many moon cycles.”
“Why? Is something keeping you away from it?”
“Several somethings are keeping us away. Godat-ta and wasta-ta.”
Alex was more than familiar with Godat-ta. He and his army had met the gigantic bear on the path to Denta-ah two summers before. Even with an army of hundreds, the bear had run through them with ease, tossing soldiers aside like they were toys. If Senta-eh hadn’t loosed one magnificent shot that hit godat-ta in the eye, it might have killed them all.
“What is wasta-ta?”
“Do you not know them?” Rinka-ak asked. He held his hands close to his sides and waved them like wings while making a noise that sounded like “bzzzzzzz.”
Bees. Would bees really keep an entire village away from their salt?
“How big are the wasta-ta?” Alex asked, holding his fingers a hopeful inch apart.
Rinka-ak laughed, then reached out and pushed Alex’s fingers as far apart as they would go.
Alex gaped at his own hand, trying to envision a swarm of bees that were four or five inches wide.
“Do they have a barbed stinger?”
“Oh, yes. Each sting has a bit of poison in it. A full-grown warrior can withstand a few stings. Some even a few more. But if you get stung a dozen times or more, it paralyzes you. You will drop to the ground and be nothing more than a snack for any passing predator.”
“And both the wasta-ta and godat-ta are there?”
“The wasta-ta make a delicious amber food. Godat-ta loves it, so he hasn’t left the place where the danta is since he found it. He seems to like the danta, too. He might wander away for a few hours to grab some krista-ta out of the great river, but he always heads back immediately.”
“If I can find a way to kill the godat-ta and make him leave, and manage to get rid of the wasta-ta, I will. But, I have a favor to ask.”
“If you can do those things, I will grant you any favor it is in my power to give.”
Chapter FiveGodat-ta
The egg ceremony in Rinta-ah was both informative and amusing to Alex. He elected not to participate, but instead wanted to guide the tribal members through the experience like an experienced LSD user making sure a novice didn’t have a bad trip.
After the worry and sadness of the previous months, the tribe took to the escape easily. Each one took a small bite of the egg and let it slide down their throats as Alex indicated. The effects were immediate and nearly overpowering. One by one, the Rinta-ah swallowed, closed their eyes, and a blissful smile came over them. They slowly slid from their chairs until they were prone on the ground.
There were no bad trips, but the Rinta-ah version of “Oh, wow” was echoed again and again.
After an hour, Alex and the few members who were left to watch over the others were the only people standing.
A few people came to a few hours later, but most were out until first light showed in the east.
Rinka-ak had grown, and though he was still not a full-grown adult, he had taken the same size bite as anyone else. He was among the last to awaken.
Finally, he sat up, a dazed expression on his face, and said, “When can we get another karak-ta egg?”
Alex smiled and said, “We have to be careful not to hunt them into extinction, but I will send a runner with an egg when we have them.”
“I saw beyond this world,” Rinka-ak said. “I never knew all that existed.”
Alex thought back on his own experiences with the psychotropic egg and agreed. “It can expand your mind.”
The boy chieftain sighed, let himself come fully back to earth, and said, “I am sure you want to get started on your new adventure. I’ll get four of my best men to take you across the Kranda-ah and to the danta.”
Rinka-ak struggled a little to rise and Alex reached toward him and offered a hand, steadying him until he had his legs under him. Once he did, he raised his hand and called for the same man who had led the expedition to retrieve Alex the day before.
Before the sun was fully above the horizon, the Rinta-ah warriors and Alex were double-timing it back to the boat.
When they reached the opposite shore, Alex felt sure he had the motions and control of the hooks they used to cross the river set in his mind. He knew he would be awkward when he first tried to use the hooks, but he was confident he would at least be able to maneuver the boat across.
Before they reached the other side, Monda-ak jumped from the boat and swam ashore, getting swept downstream a bit before he found land. He did not seem concerned.
Harta-ak stood at the front of their welcoming committee, a question obvious on his face.
“Good news
