The Mantooth Read online

  They had moved to the smaller enclosure as soon as Akar was able,expecting to be there only a short time; but the Mantis had notreturned. Nearly six weeks had passed since his departure, and thegirl, at least, had begun to think he never would. But if ever shementioned the possibility to Kalus, he grew sullen and cold; and she haddecided at length to put the thought from her mind, and let Nature runits course. Still, she couldn't help wondering how it would be ifthe larger cave were truly theirs. She had grown very fond of, or atleast accustomed to, the safety of the ?mountain'---their word forthe higher, tooth-shaped rise in the ridge of granite cliffs---andleaving it now for the uncertainty that lay beyond was not a thought sherelished.

  Kalus made his way up the slope to the Mantis' ledge, paused forbreath, then continued. Climbing ever closer up the path, he smiled ather with half his face, and reaching the parapet, passed by her and wentinside. The pup, roused from its attentions to a small bone, wagged itstail and ran to greet him as always. Akar sat up gingerly on his twofurs near the back of the enclosure. Kamela was off somewhere alone.The girl rose after a time, ducked her head and followed him in.

  He sat cross-legged on the floor with the pup in his lap, thinking. Sheknew that look. Something (more than the ordinary) was troubling him.After a short silence she asked simply.

  'What's wrong?'

  'Skither should have been back by now. The weather is growing toocold, and still he doesn't come.' Sylviana said nothing. Helooked at her. 'I know. I feel it too. This place is too small forso many to live. If he doesn't return soon I will try to find usanother place.' She hesitated. 'What about the lower cave?'

  'Perhaps. But not yet.' He set down the wolf pup and drew his legstogether with his arms, sat gnawing at his knees and looking worried.

  The girl moved behind him and began to massage his neck and shoulders.He reached up a hand as if make her stop, but instead took her by thewrist and turned to face her. His deep blue eyes studied her with anunreadable expression. Dropping to one knee in the way now familiar,she stroked his open forearm tentatively.

  'Are you angry with me?'

  'No.' He shook his head, kissed the back of her hand. He drewback into his former attitude and remained silent for a time,occasionally rocking himself and staring at the floor. Finally, as withgreat effort, he said the words.

  'I'm confused.'

  'About what?'

  'The Mantis. And you.'

  'Why me?'

  'You make the world so much closer. I can't run, or close my mindanymore. Almost, I can't hide from the questions..... I can'tspeak of it now. Not yet.'

  Sylviana knew he would say nothing more. Again she stroked his arm,felt his hand encircle her wrist, then rose to prepare a meal.

  *

  That night as they lay together among the furs that made their bed,Kalus moved close beside her and buried his head against her chest.Though they had slept together many times, he had not yet tried to makelove to her. In his instinctive way he sensed she was not ready, and infact this voice inside him was correct. He still, in part, representedto her the harsh world from which he came, a world she was not ready tofully accept, or give herself up to. But this was not what held himback now. A fear that he could not understand---the fear of losing thethings he had found---haunted him now as it had for weeks, seeming tointensify with each passing day.

  Sylviana stroked his hair, now smooth, and felt him warm against her.They lay thus for several minutes, until she realized he was crying.She took his face in her hands, not understanding.

  'I'm sorry,' he said quietly, shaking his head and clearing hiseyes. 'I didn't mean to frighten you.' She took a deep breathand rolled onto her back in frustration. But still the warmth that wasin her made her reach out and touch his face, his neck.

  'The only thing that frightens me is not knowing what you'refeeling. You never tell me. You keep it all inside. I know it hurts,Kalus, a lot. But you have to try. I'm not going to judge you, orthink you're weak..... I care for you very much. In my way. . .Ilove you.' Kalus gripped the edge of the fur and curled it tightly inhis hand, as if needing to use his body over mind. The night was quietand still around them.

  'I don't know what we'll do if he doesn't come back.'

  'Well, what are our choices?' She truly wanted to know, and shethought it might give him something concrete to discuss. She knew, orthought she knew, he didn't deal well with abstractions.

  As he spoke the words, Kalus felt reluctance giving way. Almost it cameas a relief to let go. And as he spoke it took his mind from the placethey were, and into something like a dream, however real, that gave himsome escape from himself. Though his worry was not abated.

  'I've thought about returning to Carak Mesa, where my people livein warmer weather. There are several caves, joined by shortpassageways, and one chamber that is large enough for all of us. It isdry, and gives some protection against the wind.

  'But it is too hard to defend,' he continued. 'Even with a manguarding each entrance, we had to keep our fires burning brightly andour weapons close at hand. Barabbas held it more through intimidationthan anything. Perhaps we could block all but one entrance. But therock is like hard white earth filled with pebbles---'

  'Limestone,' interjected the girl.

  'Yes, and not always firm to brace wooden poles and stonesacross.' His gaze returned from the low roof. 'Do you want tohere this?'

  'Yes, very much.' Even this brief scenario had given a clearerpicture of his life among the hill-people than all the shy, abbreviatedaccounts which had come before it.

  'There are other caves, along the ridge farther north. But they arenot large, and too close to the bottom of the gorge. I don't like tothink that other creatures could crawl down on me: being below the levelof the land. Then there are the earth-holes dug by the wolves in theNorthern Hills. With Akar ---the pack has gone to the South, as I toldyou---it would be all right for us to live there until Spring, perhapslonger.

  'But there also, there are too many unknowns. The great bears comefarther south in Winter, crossing the Broad River far to the west, whereit is shallower and stony. Their violence, when enraged, is like noother creature. My father was killed by such a bear. . .and the thoughtof finding you, dragged out across a hillside..... That is what I fearabove all else.' He released a troubled breath.

  'The sandstone ridge, the caves to the south, are of stone even worsethan the Carak. And there the mountain cats rule. I don't knowwhere else to go.'

  'What about Skither's cave?'

  He shook his head. 'Even if Skither has gone to another place (thethought that he was injured and unable to return, was something his mindcould not accept), the entrance is much too hard to defend. Perhaps wecould block up this passage with stones.' He pointed to toward thesmaller opening. 'But what can we do with an entrance so high as theone below? That is the same reason we cannot stay here. Soon allcreatures will know that Skither is gone, and then the shaft becomes thething impossible to defend.' This was the chance she had waited for,but now she felt reluctant to speak.

  'I think..... I know a way we could barricade the entrance, and makethe larger cave safe.' His eyes narrowed upon her turned form,silhouetted against the patch of starry sky beyond. 'It would behard work, and you would have to let me help you. But it can bedone.' Again, though his own shape was lost against the back of theenclosure, she felt the deep and sullen trepidation inside him. 'Wedon't have to think about it now.'

  'There is a real way? That you have seen?'

  'Yes.'

  After an interval of silence he moved away, as if to sleep. But soonthe great emptiness and restlessness came over him again. Hardlyknowing why, he moved closer and put his arm across her, feeling herbody against him. He lay still for a moment. His heart beat heavily,and slowly his hand found its way to her breast.

  Sylviana felt this, more aware perhaps than he, of the feelings that laybehind it. She felt his gentle, yearning care
ss, closed her eyespeacefully and yielded to it until she felt the hand stop, trembleslightly, and he moved away again.

  'No, Kalus. It's all right.'

  Through the stir of her emotions a feeling of sudden, firm resolve cameover her. She stood up, reached down to her waist, and took off herblouse. She unfastened, and slipped out of her faded jeans. Sheremoved her underclothes more slowly, her own heart beating heavily, andlay down beside him. And shyly, and affectionately, and longingly drewhim close.

  His heart thundering, he pulled away his own garments and surrendered tothe torrent inside him. His last words as emotion and sensationoverpowered him were strange, yet he spoke them with all his soul.

  'I need you. Sylviana!'

  And her name flowed like water through the piercing of his heart.

 

  Chapter 15

  A light snow fell from the silent soft grayness of the sky. Sylvianastood on the parapet with the fur wrapped around her, immersed in afeeling of peace and attachment to her world such as she had seldomexperienced. She watched Kalus on the ledge below, unaware of her eyes,studying the high entrance to the Mantis' cave and pacinguncertainly. At first, as it often did, her mind questioned his mood.How could he not still feel the warmth and purposeful beauty of theirlove-making, the gentle gifts that Nature was bestowing on them evennow?

  But as she continued to watch him, a feeling of contented understandinghad so overwhelmed her doubts as to make them appear small and mean, asource of reproach and beneath further consideration.

  For here, she then expounded, was a creature untainted by civilizationor corrupt society, his roots in the earth, his feet sometimes painfullytouching the ground beneath him, free (indeed unable to do otherwise) toreact naturally and honestly, like a graceful and intelligent animal, tothe world and circumstances around him. Therefore, her thoughtscontinued, his hopes, fears and yearnings were a direct outgrowth ofthat world. His morals, free from religious preconceptions, weredictated to him solely and directly by the needs of Nature.

  Her last thought came to her as a culmination, almost an orgasm, of allthe others that had come before it, tying them together and giving themstill greater meaning and significance. Her lover lived, the more sobecause he did not know it, the deepest and purest human existence: thatof spiritual yearning, and animal desire.

  She pulled the soft fur tighter, massaged one arm with the other, andlooked out across the plains. The snow had all but stopped, and far outover the western hills her eyes caught movement against the clouds. Itmight have been an eagle but for the unnatural, straight ahead motion ofits flight..... Her heart sank. Slowly but steadily the flying shapedrew on, till there could be no doubt. Dejectedly, she called down toher companion.

  'Kalus.' His head jerked towards her. 'You'd better come uphere.' He turned a quick half circle and drew his sword as ifexpecting danger. Finding none, he looked up at her with a questioninggaze. Her arm pointed out over the grass- and tree-pocked drifts of thesavanna. Seeing what she saw, but not appearing to, he sheathed hissword and began to climb. Not until far past the halfway point did helook up from the stone in front of him. Misunderstanding, she pointedagain.

  'Put down your arm,' he said in guarded tones. Soon he stood onthe parapet beside her, and only then looked out at the lowering sky.The girl spoke.

  'It's Skither.'

  'No. It's not.'

  'Then who?' He shook his head.

  Soon she too could see that it was not the mantis they had known. Itwas smaller, and flew with greater speed but less grace. Also, the feelof it was different. It was very close now, perhaps a mile off, andthough it struggled in a growing tail-wind, its wing-plates rufflingbadly, it seemed determined not to rest until it had reached themountain, where clearly now it was heading. Finally it crossed thegorge and landed roughly on the ledge, its brownish-green armor lookingunnatural against the stone and snow. Kalus, whose tracks showedplainly about the entrance, set his jaw and said nothing. Akar limpedout of the enclosure and stood between them, studying the young mantis.

  It remained motionless, head down and breath coming hard, oblivious toanything but its own fatigue. Finally raising its head, it studied thetracks briefly, then turned towards the three of them with no outwardsign of surprise. At length it raised an unsteady foreclaw and signaledsomeone, apparently Kalus, to come down. Through her confusion andalarm, Sylviana suddenly noticed that its other forelimb was severedjust below the first joint. One of its antennae was also missing, andit seemed to stand only with an effort.

  Kalus took a step forward but was stopped by Akar, who took his wristgently but firmly between his jaws. Kalus relented, and let the wolfpass instead. Akar made his way to the path, and taxing the woundedshoulder only at greatest need, began to descend. But in an angryrocking motion that clearly showed its displeasure, the mantis waved himoff. It raised the intact foreclaw once more, this time pointingundeniably at Kalus. He turned to the girl.

  'I don't know what this means. But he will not kill me like this.It is not their way.' He gave his head a severe shake, and made hisway down the slope.

  Stepping out onto the ledge as he had once done before Skither, Kalusfelt less awe but greater danger. Not yet an adult, the creature beforehim was a mystery. And young and hurt and exhausted, there was no wayof knowing..... Stopping at a distance, Kalus began to signal agreeting.

  Brushing off his half understood formalities, the mantis came straightto the point. 'I am only a messenger,' he began, 'Sent byothers to relay this news. Skither is dead, killed by a mating pair ashe tried to draw them out to the place where others stood waiting.'

  Kalus' heart sank, as if a part of himself had died as well. Hehardly noted what followed, and only much later was able to piece it alltogether in his mind.

  The seasonal battle in the desert spawning place had been fierce anddesperate. Apparently Skither had half expected such an end, for heleft word with his comrades of the man-child and his mate, leaving theseinstructions for them:

  'The cave is now yours, along with everything in it. This, mymessenger, will remain here until he is well enough to move on. Be ofgood hope, and continue.'

  But Kalus stood in empty disbelief. He could not believe, for all thathe held to be strong and unchanging had been suddenly, irrevocably cutout from under him. Skither had been more than a symbol to him, he hadbeen a living god---strength and courage and wisdom personified. If hein all his prowess could be broken, then what chance did he himself haveagainst the ceaseless ravages of his world? The question was too muchfor him.

  In all his days he would see only two more of the noble creatures.Their time on earth running out, it was perhaps a small comfort to knowthat the reign of their enemies was also passing. A thousand years ofradiation and unlimited carrion had raised the tarantula to its hugeproportions. But now, like the mantis, who had grown of Nature'snecessity alongside it, the giant spiders were an archaic and dyingrace. And though each year the gathering was larger---as if some lastinstinct called all in desperation to the place of spawning---each timethe number of eggs left untouched (by the mammals which had come to preyon them) was smaller. And without the ensuing cannibalism among thehatchlings---out of which several hundred would be reduced to perhaps adozen---those that survived were more feeble, easier for both themantises and natural attrition to kill. An era born of the violence ofmen was slowly passing.

  Kalus turned without ceremony or awareness and made his way back to thepath. He climbed without feeling, or knowing where he was, and heard avoice inside him say it was all right, he still had the woman.

  Then all at once he felt the fullness of what he had learned, and kneltdown and leaned forward against the cold indifferent stone. His armgave his eyes no comfort.

  Skither was dead.

  Sylviana watched him with apprehension. She had felt an unreasoningterror as he stood before the wounded insect; but now a fear more akinto reality, and therefore duller and deeper, p
resented itself. Shecould not know what was said to him, but she knew him well enough tounderstand at least a part of what he was feeling. Some grim news (orthreat) had been passed on to him; and because he had been weak, becausehe had surrendered to emotion, because he had made love, he was beingpunished, and blamed himself. Such were the scars that his life hadleft upon him.

  When at length he looked up at her, she knew that her fears had beenrealized. The closeness and love that had been in his eyes so few hoursbefore, were gone. All feeling had left him, and he was again trappedin the world he did not understand.

  His guiding star was gone.

  Chapter 16

  The next morning when Kalus woke, he felt, through the pain and loss, aresurgence (and need) of life and hope. The cold had crept beneath hisfur while he slept, and all around him hung a chill moist air thatcalled for action. He still cared for the girl, there were other liveslinked to his own, and he knew he must continue. Skither had told himhe must.