Stories from the Owl Cave

Adamatori surveyed the new landscape. Moving constantly put a great deal of pressure on him to recognize where game might be found. Normally, hunters knew the territory, and that was of considerable help. Adamatori had an advantage he did not realize, though. Where others had learned the territory of the game, he had learned more about the game themselves. Apart from other humans, and depending on the land, he had become one of the most skilled hunters to have ever lived. Necessity had forced him to gain such skills.

In spite of that, life was hard. Some days, he found nothing, and he, Evelanara, and little Aala had suffered from hunger. More than once, he had cut his share of the kill short, to assure that his loved ones had enough to get by in the cold nights. Evelanara worked hard to gather grains and roots from the area, but it was more dangerous to trust new plants than to recognize prey animals. Meat was meat, but some plants sickened the eater.

If Adamatori took chances seeking the meat that they needed, then Evelanara had taken chances as well. More than once, some small bit of plant that she had carefully tasted had made her ill. Once, they had stayed in one place a week while Evelanara recovered from an unfortunate test, and animals had been hard to find there. It had been a desperate time; only a frozen, starved onager had saved them. When Aala was younger, she had even suffered the effects through Evelanara's milk. They always walked a dangerous path between starvation and poisoning.

It seemed the very land fought them! As they moved South, away from the glaciers that were killing their people, The snowfall increased. Sometimes, Adamatori feared that they were moving from the Ice-Masters to the Blizzard Gods. At least, in the old places, they could see and move around. These places they were in now were blinding, and one could get lost within a stone's throw of their tent.

Still, they had made their decision to move toward the sun. It was bright and provided light, surely it beckoned them on for a reason! His brother had explored in the other direction, and found only starvation and death. He had returned lacking some fingers and toes, and Adamatori reasoned that the other direction was the only hope.

So, they slowly moved South, through the drifting snow and terrible glare. Each night, they set up their single, small tent, and huddled together, Aala between them. In these grim times, they dared not mate. They knew that a child, now, could be fatal to all of them. Aala, in between, was their shield and their focus.

"This child must live", the shaman had said. And so, they had come to the conclusion that they must leave the home place and their lodge-mates. It had been a hard decision, and a harder one to keep to, now.

*****************
One day, as they moved into what would be known as the Kirgiz Steppe, Adamatori noticed a difference in the weather. He had awakened to a feeling of warmth, and an odd smell in the air. It wasn't *much* warmth, and it wasn't *much* of a smell, but Adamatori was detecting the first effects of the Caspian Sea. They were on the shores of the Embi River, and slightly warmer breezes flowed up trapped by the surrounding heights around the river from the warmer climes further South.

"Evelanara", come out of the tent", he cried with surprise. "Come and feel the air"! Evelanara crept out reluctantly, wrapping 2 year-old Aala in the furs first. The storm of the night before had hidden the difference, and the wind was now from the South, not the Sunset.

Evelanara was stunned. the air was cold, but not *as* cold, almost pleasant. Certainly, it was warmer than she had ever felt air before. She did not imagine that air could be truly pleasant! Hurriedly, she got Aala dressed, and brought her out. Aala was delighted. She ran about the area reveling in the warmish breezes that surrounded her. Adamatori caught her in his arms, and lifted her high above him. "I was right", he cried, and spun Aala above him in a circle, she laughing in happy horror at the dizziness!

*********************

In the Summer of Aala's 3rd year, her Father had captured an onager and a true horse according to the ways of their people. Adamatori trained the onager to carry packs, and he trained the horse to carry Aala (and an adult in times of need). Freed from carrying everything they owned themselves, Adamatori and Evelanara began to collect items that might be worth trading to the any people they might meet. This had only occurred to Adamatori when he saw signs that people lived in the area. Burnt hearthfires, hunting sites, etc had revealed themselves to his sharp eyes, though years had gone past since they had been used, and they were mostly covered by nature. They had accumulated flint, firestones, and bits of shiny metals, and Evelanara had woven some baskets at brief moments of leisure.

The trio had reached the Ural River and followed it downstream to where it entered the Caspian Sea. They were all confounded to the endless expanse of water in front of them. And there were other people, there, too! With some trepidation, Adamatori led his family down to the encampment. Neither he nor Evelanara had ever seen so many people before, and they were a bit frightened

*********************

As they arrived among the strangers, Adamatori greeted them politely. In turn, they stood and stared without response. He tried again, using the more formal greetings. No response. Evelanara whispered urgently "They do not seem to understand what you say". Adamatori was confused. How could someone not understand speech?

A large man, dressed with beads and bones on his fur approached. He spoke a series of sounds that made no sense to Adamatori or Evelanara. Aala listened quietly from the back of the horse. Adamatori tried again, but to no avail. He was confused; how could anyone not know words?

Aala reached into the carrying bags on the horse and drew out a piece of shiny rock, holding it outward in her small hand. She knew the glitter fascinated her, so maybe the strange people would like it as well. Evelanara noticed the action, and she noticed the look on the man's face.

Evelanara took the stone and held it ahead of her. At the same time, she signaled to her mouth, her stomach, and the animals. Seeing a look of comprehension in the stranger's eyes, she tried to indicate a trade. After Evelanara changed particular sizes of pieces of the gold, the man showed her some food and a lodge shelter, and he showed her what he hammered from the gold. Evelanara showed a sign of many days, and the stranger made an welcoming gesture.

***************************

Aala was fastest at picking up the new language. She taught her parents more than they taught her, but they all learned together. It was easier for Aala. All words were just words; she had no pre-conceived notions about them. Adamatori and Evelanara had to unlearn many things to be understood. Still, they spent a happy year in the new place. It was warmer (though the people there did not think it so), and there were new tastes (clams and oysters, fish, and squirrels in the trees).

They had come upon a trading camp, where many people visited and had strange words and customs. Aala learned quickly that there were some groups of words that some people used and not others. Soon, she could speak (as a child, of course) with anyone. Adamatori and Evelanara learned only a polyglot of the words common to the whole group. Aala often had to speak between her parents and the traders who visited. Often, the trades she arranged resulted in decorated clothing for her; Aala loved the fine beadwork and stitching of some items. She was, after all, a child.

Aala's parents thrived in the trading camp. Just being free of the terrible cold and hunger was almost enough, but they were accumulating goods as well. There were shells from a larger sea to the West, insects in amber from the North, and tasty bits of plants from the South. All these things they accumulated.

And, the tales from far-off places intrigued Adamatori and Evelanara. Eventually, there came a warm day in Spring when they both decided that they wanted to move on and see new places. Aala was 4 years old. Adamatori spoke to the visiting traders about the climate in other places. Discussing this with Evelanara, they decided that they would like to move to the next Sea to the Setting Sun. The traders called it the "Dark Sea", because of its color, and they assured Adamatori that it was warm. Mainly, they said there were few traders there, and that pleased Adamatori greatly.

Adamatori spoke to several of the visitors at the camp, and found a few willing to move to new areas. Within a few days, there were a dozen men, women, and children collected to make the journey. Adamatori spoke to them of rich trading and new things to learn in a new place (Aala translating, when required). Some spoke words somewhat familiar to Adamatori and Evelanara in their native speech, most did not. As they set out, one trader mentioned they were a new tribe, and that they should have a new name.

The trader brought out his "gia-woman". "I live by the goddess", he said, "and I think we should follow her ways as a group". Adamatori and the others agreed. The trader continued, "I think we should be the Evelagia, in honor of the woman who is the mate of the leader of us". Adamatori declared that they should be the Evelagia, to the acclaim of the group.

Evelanara accepted the honor, but was troubled by this. Aala was not of the "Evelagia". That night, in a secret ceremony, Evelanara brought Aala to the water's edge. Sitting Aala down, she explained her heritage and tribe to her. Seeking a means of ceremony, Evelanara spoke of the horse, the grain, and the goddess of Aala's lost past. Far into the warm night, she spoke of the legends and important ceremonies of their people.

Aala was fascinated. At 5 years old, always on the move, these were things she had never known before; a people like her, a language understood by all, a life with the horses; she absorbed these things as a sponge. Finally, pouring sand down one side of Aala's head, and water down the other, Evelanara spoke these words in a chanting sing-song voice of great grace and beauty:

"Aaliana of the Celtagia, remember these words from me, your Mother. Remember the people of your birth, remember the land we fled, remember the things we taught you, remember the horse, the grain, and the sacred symbols of your hand, the prey, and red ocher of the birth and death of us all.

Lightening crashed above and the wind blew beyond warm for a moment. Evelanara held her daughter tight, sensing a difficult future. "Do not forget who you are, Aaliana, my dear sweet Aala.

In the distance a volcano rumbled, and Evelanara was afraid..

Aaliana whispered, "I won't be afraid, Mother, really, I won't".

**********************

It was a normal beach. They were nearly to the Black Sea. Aala was just 5 years. Adamatori stepped out of the shelter and stretched for the pleasure of unending room. They still tended to sleep in small tents from habit, though the others of the new tribe (just out of sight, for privacy, yet near enough to respond to danger) were not in view. Suddenly, the ground shifted, and Adamatori fell in surprize. He could see Aala playing at the shoreline, undisturbed. In confusion, Adamatori rolled into the tent to find his mate.

Being in the tent helped nothing. As Evelanara screamed in terror, a crack opened up in the earth below the tent, Adamatori felt himself tilting toward the yawning maw and saw Evelanara falling on top of him… The last sound he heard was from outside the tent. "Moooottthhherrrrr!

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	Exodus by cavebear Adamatori surveyed the new landscape. Moving constantly put a great deal of pressure on him to recognize where game might be found. Normally, hunters knew the territory, and that was of considerable help. Adamatori had an advantage he did not realize, though. Where others had learned the territory of the game, he had learned more about the game themselves. Apart from other humans, and depending on the land, he had become one of the most skilled hunters to have ever lived. Necessity had forced him to gain such skills. In spite of that, life was hard. Some days, he found nothing, and he, Evelanara, and little Aala had suffered from hunger. More than once, he had cut his share of the kill short, to assure that his loved ones had enough to get by in the cold nights. Evelanara worked hard to gather grains and roots from the area, but it was more dangerous to trust new plants than to recognize prey animals. Meat was meat, but some plants sickened the eater. If Adamatori took chances seeking the meat that they needed, then Evelanara had taken chances as well. More than once, some small bit of plant that she had carefully tasted had made her ill. Once, they had stayed in one place a week while Evelanara recovered from an unfortunate test, and animals had been hard to find there. It had been a desperate time; only a frozen, starved onager had saved them. When Aala was younger, she had even suffered the effects through Evelanara's milk. They always walked a dangerous path between starvation and poisoning. It seemed the very land fought them! As they moved South, away from the glaciers that were killing their people, The snowfall increased. Sometimes, Adamatori feared that they were moving from the Ice-Masters to the Blizzard Gods. At least, in the old places, they could see and move around. These places they were in now were blinding, and one could get lost within a stone's throw of their tent. Still, they had made their decision to move toward the sun. It was bright and provided light, surely it beckoned them on for a reason! His brother had explored in the other direction, and found only starvation and death. He had returned lacking some fingers and toes, and Adamatori reasoned that the other direction was the only hope. So, they slowly moved South, through the drifting snow and terrible glare. Each night, they set up their single, small tent, and huddled together, Aala between them. In these grim times, they dared not mate. They knew that a child, now, could be fatal to all of them. Aala, in between, was their shield and their focus. "This child must live", the shaman had said. And so, they had come to the conclusion that they must leave the home place and their lodge-mates. It had been a hard decision, and a harder one to keep to, now. ***************** One day, as they moved into what would be known as the Kirgiz Steppe, Adamatori noticed a difference in the weather. He had awakened to a feeling of warmth, and an odd smell in the air. It wasn't much warmth, and it wasn't much of a smell, but Adamatori was detecting the first effects of the Caspian Sea. They were on the shores of the Embi River, and slightly warmer breezes flowed up trapped by the surrounding heights around the river from the warmer climes further South. "Evelanara", come out of the tent", he cried with surprise. "Come and feel the air"! Evelanara crept out reluctantly, wrapping 2 year-old Aala in the furs first. The storm of the night before had hidden the difference, and the wind was now from the South, not the Sunset. Evelanara was stunned. the air was cold, but not as cold, almost pleasant. Certainly, it was warmer than she had ever felt air before. She did not imagine that air could be truly pleasant! Hurriedly, she got Aala dressed, and brought her out. Aala was delighted. She ran about the area reveling in the warmish breezes that surrounded her. Adamatori caught her in his arms, and lifted her high above him. "I was right", he cried, and spun Aala above him in a circle, she laughing in happy horror at the dizziness! ******************* In the Summer of Aala's 3rd year, her Father had captured an onager and a true horse according to the ways of their people. Adamatori trained the onager to carry packs, and he trained the horse to carry Aala (and an adult in times of need). Freed from carrying everything they owned themselves, Adamatori and Evelanara began to collect items that might be worth trading to the any people they might meet. This had only occurred to Adamatori when he saw signs that people lived in the area. Burnt hearthfires, hunting sites, etc had revealed themselves to his sharp eyes, though years had gone past since they had been used, and they were mostly covered by nature. They had accumulated flint, firestones, and bits of shiny metals, and Evelanara had woven some baskets at brief moments of leisure. The trio had reached the Ural River and followed it downstream to where it entered the Caspian Sea. They were all confounded to the endless expanse of water in front of them. And there were other people, there, too! With some trepidation, Adamatori led his family down to the encampment. Neither he nor Evelanara had ever seen so many people before, and they were a bit frightened ***************** As they arrived among the strangers, Adamatori greeted them politely. In turn, they stood and stared without response. He tried again, using the more formal greetings. No response. Evelanara whispered urgently "They do not seem to understand what you say". Adamatori was confused. How could someone not understand speech? A large man, dressed with beads and bones on his fur approached. He spoke a series of sounds that made no sense to Adamatori or Evelanara. Aala listened quietly from the back of the horse. Adamatori tried again, but to no avail. He was confused; how could anyone not know words? Aala reached into the carrying bags on the horse and drew out a piece of shiny rock, holding it outward in her small hand. She knew the glitter fascinated her, so maybe the strange people would like it as well. Evelanara noticed the action, and she noticed the look on the man's face. Evelanara took the stone and held it ahead of her. At the same time, she signaled to her mouth, her stomach, and the animals. Seeing a look of comprehension in the stranger's eyes, she tried to indicate a trade. After Evelanara changed particular sizes of pieces of the gold, the man showed her some food and a lodge shelter, and he showed her what he hammered from the gold. Evelanara showed a sign of many days, and the stranger made an welcoming gesture. *********************** Aala was fastest at picking up the new language. She taught her parents more than they taught her, but they all learned together. It was easier for Aala. All words were just words; she had no pre-conceived notions about them. Adamatori and Evelanara had to unlearn many things to be understood. Still, they spent a happy year in the new place. It was warmer (though the people there did not think it so), and there were new tastes (clams and oysters, fish, and squirrels in the trees). They had come upon a trading camp, where many people visited and had strange words and customs. Aala learned quickly that there were some groups of words that some people used and not others. Soon, she could speak (as a child, of course) with anyone. Adamatori and Evelanara learned only a polyglot of the words common to the whole group. Aala often had to speak between her parents and the traders who visited. Often, the trades she arranged resulted in decorated clothing for her; Aala loved the fine beadwork and stitching of some items. She was, after all, a child. Aala's parents thrived in the trading camp. Just being free of the terrible cold and hunger was almost enough, but they were accumulating goods as well. There were shells from a larger sea to the West, insects in amber from the North, and tasty bits of plants from the South. All these things they accumulated. And, the tales from far-off places intrigued Adamatori and Evelanara. Eventually, there came a warm day in Spring when they both decided that they wanted to move on and see new places. Aala was 4 years old. Adamatori spoke to the visiting traders about the climate in other places. Discussing this with Evelanara, they decided that they would like to move to the next Sea to the Setting Sun. The traders called it the "Dark Sea", because of its color, and they assured Adamatori that it was warm. Mainly, they said there were few traders there, and that pleased Adamatori greatly. Adamatori spoke to several of the visitors at the camp, and found a few willing to move to new areas. Within a few days, there were a dozen men, women, and children collected to make the journey. Adamatori spoke to them of rich trading and new things to learn in a new place (Aala translating, when required). Some spoke words somewhat familiar to Adamatori and Evelanara in their native speech, most did not. As they set out, one trader mentioned they were a new tribe, and that they should have a new name. The trader brought out his "gia-woman". "I live by the goddess", he said, "and I think we should follow her ways as a group". Adamatori and the others agreed. The trader continued, "I think we should be the Evelagia, in honor of the woman who is the mate of the leader of us". Adamatori declared that they should be the Evelagia, to the acclaim of the group. Evelanara accepted the honor, but was troubled by this. Aala was not of the "Evelagia". That night, in a secret ceremony, Evelanara brought Aala to the water's edge. Sitting Aala down, she explained her heritage and tribe to her. Seeking a means of ceremony, Evelanara spoke of the horse, the grain, and the goddess of Aala's lost past. Far into the warm night, she spoke of the legends and important ceremonies of their people. Aala was fascinated. At 5 years old, always on the move, these were things she had never known before; a people like her, a language understood by all, a life with the horses; she absorbed these things as a sponge. Finally, pouring sand down one side of Aala's head, and water down the other, Evelanara spoke these words in a chanting sing-song voice of great grace and beauty: "Aaliana of the Celtagia, remember these words from me, your Mother. Remember the people of your birth, remember the land we fled, remember the things we taught you, remember the horse, the grain, and the sacred symbols of your hand, the prey, and red ocher of the birth and death of us all. Lightening crashed above and the wind blew beyond warm for a moment. Evelanara held her daughter tight, sensing a difficult future. "Do not forget who you are, Aaliana, my dear sweet Aala. In the distance a volcano rumbled, and Evelanara was afraid.. Aaliana whispered, "I won't be afraid, Mother, really, I won't". ******************** It was a normal beach. They were nearly to the Black Sea. Aala was just 5 years. Adamatori stepped out of the shelter and stretched for the pleasure of unending room. They still tended to sleep in small tents from habit, though the others of the new tribe (just out of sight, for privacy, yet near enough to respond to danger) were not in view. Suddenly, the ground shifted, and Adamatori fell in surprize. He could see Aala playing at the shoreline, undisturbed. In confusion, Adamatori rolled into the tent to find his mate. Being in the tent helped nothing. As Evelanara screamed in terror, a crack opened up in the earth below the tent, Adamatori felt himself tilting toward the yawning maw and saw Evelanara falling on top of him… The last sound he heard was from outside the tent. "Moooottthhherrrrr! Back to the List