The Quiet Night

It had been quiet the last few evenings.. the skies full of stars.. as I laid on my bed of grass near the streams and just looked up at them.. Making silly young woman's wishes for a family.. a strong warrior to love and care for.. and sons and daughters to help make the tribe stronger..

There were several warriors without mates around the fires.. both the 1st fires and the outer wagons. Not that I had really looked to much.. The thought of someone going to my father I think scared me more than the thought of one talking to me. I also think of my young friend who wanted a warrior so much she got more than she asked for.. And that above all else makes me just keep back. The warrior Fonce is very nice.. but he has some things deep inside him he has to work out.. He would make a good companion and father one day.. He does not look that old.. unless you stare into his eyes.. then he seems ancient.. There is also something else I see in him.. and that is hurt.. I bet my mother would probably just give him a hug.. cause thats how she is.. my brothers get that same look sometimes.. Ord especially.. when a certain young maiden ignores him.. He goes right to my mother.. and she comforts him..

The only other warrior I know from the 1st fires hmm well I don't know his name.. but he is large.. and brooding.. but I watched him with some little boys.. the ones I made boots for and he seemed so at ease.. but he too has been hurt.. and he takes it out on every woman he sees.. Sad in a way.. Not all women are alike.. Not all women hurt men.. Perhaps one of these days he will actually open his eyes to that.. and see that not all women are Osts or sneaky.. but he is very handsome.. probably two handsome... And I am just to young... and not of the 1st fires.. so.. these are just my thoughts..

I would love to have what my parents have.. Yes my father is very strict.. and my mother is very gentle.. but weilds a large pan.. My father is very tender with my mother when they are alone.. I know cause I have watched from the corner of my old wagon.. She feeds him by hand. and he holds her in his lap.. they talk low to each other.. and kiss.. They have been together for over 40 summers.. He as been wounded on raids... kicked by bosk.. hit with pans.. but each night he comes home.. they talk about the day.. they talk about us children.. and our futures.. My brothers are alot older than me.. I came as a surprise to them both.. but its something that I hope will happen one day.. But for now I must concentrate on my clan work. and making it to the first fires. Tribe will always come first..

The Clain Leaders Opinion..

::Noya sought out the young woman returning the items to her::

The work is very detailed, the boots are very well put together. The design of the dress is a little different but quite nice, a woman likes a little style and something slightly different than what others wear, I think it will be liked. My question is the choice of beads. Is this for Cana of the Kailla Clan?

I also noticed the smell of scented oil on the leather. I suggest caution in doing this. As a pregnant woman's nose is very sensative, I'd hate to have a scent send her running for the trenches, a woman's scent is very personal and any scented oil must blend with her scent to please her and her mate. If you wish to do so in the future, I'd recommend having her select the scent before adding it to the leather.

Yamka too to heart what the leader had said..Yes the dress is for Cana.. I will remove the scent.. your are right.. and with a damp cloth she once again oiled the dress and removed any trace of the scent... with slender fingers she lifted it and placed against her face... making sure she got ever bit of the scent off.. Now it was done.. she would set these items on his steps.. for his approval.

Boots and a Dress

She had a very honorable task that laid ahead of her.. So she sought out her father and with his help she was able to find a very good hide of bosk. it had already been soften many times.. it was soft yet sturdy for the young boys..

The slave brought her the boys and the old boots.. except for the youngest.. this was his first pair of boots.. She would measure each foot.. noting from their old boots how they walked and how the boot sole and small heel was worn.. The baby of the boys.. she worked on first.. seems he was a little scamp as she measured his foot.. he would giggle..

His boots were made with a very tiny heel.. the ankles were strengthened to help him walk.. they were made from the soft bosk hide.. Each boys foot was measured.. as she drew on the hide.. then cut out the patterns.. She would within the clan fires.. her Father would stop and check on her work.. as would some of the other elders.. She noticed that the boy that called Tug worn the side of his boots.. more than the bottom.. so she would add a little extra to compensate for that wear and tear.. The other 2 boys.. well their boots were mostly scuffed.. but mostly the normal wear a young boy would have.. Each boot was made with pride.. she would oil each pair.. and set them on the step.. using a soft cloth she would rub the oil in with a caring motion of her hands.. hands worn.. and covered with little cuts and nicks... the boots done she would wait for Noya to check them over.. While she would start on the womans dress

Since it had been said she was with child.. maybe two.. Yamka.. made the dress so that the woman could adjust it with the growth of her belly.. it would wrap..and tieswold weave inside the leather dress so that it would look like one solid piece.. the woman could adjust the ties of the leather dress to fit her while she was carrying.. It was made from a soft piece of bosk hide... a fawn color had been added to make it more to the womans coloring.. didn't all women wish to look lovely when in such a condition... Not that she would know but she thought.. as she would sew alont the seams of the shoulders.. she would place green beads for the woman's clan. Once the dress was done.. she would take a clean cloth and gently smooth over the leather dress with a scented oil... it was a very light scent.. and only she would notice.. Now once she had these tasks done.. she laid them where Noya could find them.. and wait to see if she would approve.

Taboo

Skies what did come out of my mouth... but maybe its a good thing... maybe my father will think before he uses the whip on me again.. I know he has already found out about being called before the Ubar... His recommendation was not to fail..and that is my goal.. boots and a dress his next task.. I will work with my clan on this project.. I will not go it alone.

Cana tried to get him to move my parents wagon further back.. but in reality that would only anger my father and hence his anger would be shown to me. I know Ord was watching... and he will come looking for me.. but tonight he will not find me.. not tonight.. I ran to my wagon once everyone had left.. and packed a small bag.. I would not take my old beast.. cause they would come look. No instead.. I went to the clan fires.. and found a place to sleep under the stars.. this would be the last place my father would look for me. I had done nothing wrong. not this time.. I had not failed... but.. my father would see I had been called out.. and in his eyes.. it brough unnecesary attention.. but not tonight.. my wounds have to heal.. and I will try and avoid my father at all costs.. No he would not find me tonight.

Smiles to the Skies

He accepted my work.... my smile is wider than the skies right now.. Until.. I ran into one of my brothers... my face dropped... as he approached me... Yamka.. father wishes to see you...

I love my pappa..and my mamma... more anything.. but.. whenever he wanted to see me it was one of two things.. I was in trouble. or I was really in trouble.... But obedient daughter that I am.. I headed to my fathers wagon... I kept my head up cause I knew at least I done something the right way.

Well there were my brothers.. my father and mother.. all with the saddest looks on their face... as I headed towards the wagon.. Did someone go to the cities of the dust? I thought maybe Uncle had .. or someone... Until I got closer.. and I could see there on the step was a small parcel.. and mother had made sweetcakes... Then my father.. my father mind you.. drew me into his arms.. and hugged the life out of me... He whispered words to my hears for only me to hear... and I started to cry... I am proud of you my little blossom.. No words could have made me so happy..

And so my brothers all hugged me in turn.. and swatted my backside in turn... we ate cake and I told them all of the 1st fires... It was a good day.

A Task Failed

He returned the leathers again... this man was a hard task master.. and I would prove to him. I could do this. But I needed some advice.. I left my wagon and headed to the clans fires.. and spoke to the woman Noya.. she gave me some advice on maybe what he was expecting... I had been making plain and simple leathers.. that looked more like something the barrens people would wear more than what we would... I was trying to do something different.. and I forgot my fathers basic rules...

So I sat by the fires of the clan of leatherworkers.. and drew out what I hoped he would approve of this time..

I had found four nice hides of bosk leather... it was perfect in every way.. not a mark on it.. as I cut the patterns for jerkin and pants.. Once I had these cut... I unrolled the varios needles and threads I would use... I spend all day at the clan fires.. getting advice and help from the more experienced workers.. I made sure each stitch even and smooth... Soon I had each set done..and I treated each peice with a soft coating of bosk fat.. to make sure it would remain soft. I also made 4 quilted jackets each one different for each boy.. and a leather windscarf.. Each was given my utmost attention..

Once I was done.. I would have the leaderof our clan.. look them all over and make sure she approved...I still have very much to learn... and I knew I would soon be emersed into the workings of the clan... I would wait for her to approve what I had made.. before I would even consider delivering these items.

Task Completed

headed to the main fires... its so much closer now that Cana is letting me use a wagon.. There was a warrior there and the woman named Tarra.. and I don't know the other womans name. but she is a healer..The warrior handed me his mug for some blackwine... and then asked what I brought to the tribe... and then tested me.. by grabbing Tarra by the throat.. oh and sure.. there I got rushing off headlong towards him with my quiva pulled... :rolls eyes: He broke my quiva.. its the one my father gave me.. so I know I will be whipped for that.... and then he said for me to run at him.. and so I did that run and slide trick that Ord taught me... and ran right into him full slam.. and he jumped over me.. and then swatted my bottom... so there will be another whipping... but at least I did not argue with him... I could see one of my brothers had been watching from the rows.. and ran back to tell my Father what he had seen... So I went to my wagon to wait... but at least I got my 3 anwers as Cana had asked me to... I did accomplish that much..I did not have to wait long.. before my Father appeared at the back of the wagon with my eldest brother Sam.. My father spoke low to me... thats when I knew I was in for it.. Sam looked at me.. his dark eyes flickering his angry.. not sure if it was at me or at my father and what he was about to do... I could see the whip at his hip... and I begged him not to do it so close to the 1st fires.... Girl once again you have shamed me with you actions.... :my eyes lowered: Yes Father I am sorry... :Sam tried to speak up..: Father its our fault.. we have treated her like one of the brothers... we taught her that slide and slam move... :my father hand shot up: Silence!.. she is a young woman now.. not some boy.. she needs to learn her place.. and its not sliding into the Ubars brothers knees... :well my mouth dropped: the who? .. he is just some warrior... at least thats what I thought... :before I could say anything my father pulled me from the back of the wagon and nearly drapped me to the outer wagons... to his own... You are MY daughter... you abide by MY rules... Girl... you try my patience... :as my mother stepped out from inside the wagon.. standing there as she always did when my father was about to punish me..Oh sure my mouth couldn't just close.. no words flowed out like the stream... going over rocks and the banks.. Thats what he said. I was starting to irratate him.... :the her hand quickly covered her mouth as the gaze on my father grew black.. Sam.. tie her to the wheel... My brother shaking his head as he spoke low to me.. Yammikins... when will you learn... :his large hands tied both my to the tip of the wheel.. .. I could not breath.. I was so scared... I have to please everyone now.. My father the 1st fires.... "Raise her tunic :my father growled... and before Sam could get it lifted I felt the sting of his whip. on my back.. the other stripes had not quite healed yet.. as he danced his whip around them. My mother did not say a word.. as I was given 5 lashes.. to teach me respect.. I tried not to cry.. I really did but I could not help it.. My father wanted me left there over night.. but my eldest brother Sam.. spoke out.. No.. why shame her and our wagons.. I will take her back... :he stood his ground this time..As my father relented.. So be it!.. and he headed to the herds... with my mother following him..Sam cut me down.. and lifted me.. speaking quietly to him as he carried me back the dark row to my own wagon... He put salve on the stikes.. and then set me in my furs. and sat there talking to me. .. Yammiekins.. You must forget the things we taught you in fun.... You are now a young woman of the tribe.. and you must act as such.. Its our fault.. :he shook his head.: I will be watching you Yammikins... do not make anymore mistakes.. or next time I am not sure if I can stop Father.. :he wiped the tears from my eyes and kissed my forehead and left for his own wagons..I just laid there... thinking.. I am not an ost. if he only knew... I slept on my belly that night.. and finally fell asleep