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Brun, holding up a hand to shade his eyes, studied each individual creature that passed, waiting for the right aniht circumstances To look at the man, it was impossible to tell the unbearable tension the leader kept under tight control Only his pulsing te heart and raw-edged nerves This was the most important hunt of his life Not even his first kill that had elevated him to the status of manhood matched this one, for on it rested the final condition for residence in the new cave A successful hunt would not only bring meat for the feast that would be part of the cave ceremony, but would assure the clan that their totems did, indeed, favor their new home If the hunters returned empty-handed from their first hunt, the clan would be required to search further for a cave more acceptable to their protective spirits It was their tote thee herd of bison, he was encouraged They were the embodiment of his own totem

Brun glanced at his hunters waiting anxiously for his signal Waiting was always the hardest part, but a premature move could have disastrous results, and if it was hu with the hunt He caught the worried expression on Broud’s face and al moment, his decision to let the son of hiseyes filled with pride when the leader told him to prepare himself for his manhood hunt It’s norht It’s not only his ht arm

Broud noticed Brun’s glance and quickly controlled the expression that gave away his inner tur up straight, the hu beast was a foot ora full herd of the wound to be credited with the kill What if I hts were in turmoil

Gone was the lad’s feeling of superiority strutting in front of Ogapractice thrusts while she looked on with adoration He pretended not to notice; she was only a child, a girl child at that But it would not be long before she was a worows up, Broud thought She will need a strong hunter to protect her now that both her one Broud liked the way she took special pains to wait on hi to obey his every wish even though he wasn’t even a man yet But ill she think of me if I don’t make the kill? What if I can’t become a man at the cave ceremony? What would Brun think? What would the whole clan think? What if we have to leave the beautiful new cave already blessed by Ursus? Broud clutched his spear tighter and reached for his aive hi arm

There was little chance of the ani away if Brun could help it He let the lad think the fate of the clan’s new cave rested on hiht as well learn the weight of responsibility of the position now He would give the boy his chance, but Brun planned to be nearby to make the kill himself, if necessary He hoped, for the boy’s sake, he wouldn’t have to The lad was proud, his hureat, but the leader had no intention of sacrificing the cave to Broud’s pride

Brun turned back to watching the herd Shortly, he sighted a young bull straggling away frorown, but still young and inexperienced Brun waited until the bison drifted farther away from the rest, for a moment when he was a solitary creature away fronaled

Theoff Brun watched as they spaced the an eye on the straying young bison He signaled again and thetheir aran to run into thethe ones near the edge toward the center At the sa him away

While the frightened beasts at the periphery plowed into the led out He poured every ounce of energy into the chase, driving the bull as fast as his thick s could move The dry earth of the steppes filled the air with fine silty soil, churned up by the horde of hard-hooved bison as theBrun squinted and coughed, blinded by the swirling dust that clogged his nostrils and choked his breath Gasping, nearly spent, he saw Grod pick up the chase

The bull veered again at Grod’s fresh spurt Thethe beast back to Brun as he jogged, still panting, to close the circle The vast herd was in full sta across the prairie—their unreasoned fearbull was left, running in panic froth, but with ence and determination to co to give in though his pounding heart threatened to burst Sweat ave his beard a dun cast Grod finally stu took his place

The hunters’ endurance was great, but the strong young bison pushed ahead with untiring energy Droog was the tallestthe beast forward, Droog bore down on hi hi herd By the ti ani was fresh and he pushed the beast on, forcing a new spurt of energy fro bison with a touch of his sharp spear on the flank

When Goov ju The bull ran blindly, doggedly, followed closely by Goov, constantly prodding hi ani in as he let out a yelp and took his turn racing after the massive beast His sprint was shortlived The bison had had enough He slowed, then stopped altogether and refused toWith his spear held ready, the boy approached the exhausted bull

With a judgment born of experience, Brun made a quick appraisal Was the lad unusually nervous for a first kill, or overanxious? Was the beast completely drained? Some wily old bison stopped short of total exhaustion, and a last-e could kill or seriously injure a hunter, especially an inexperienced one Should he use his bola to trip the aniround, his heaving sides left no doubt, the bison was spent If he used his bola, the boy’s first kill would have less distinction Brun decided to allow Broud the full honor

Quickly, before the bison regained his wind, Broud stepped up to the enory aniht of his tote heavy spear bit deep into the young bull’s side; its fire-hardened point pierced the tough hide and cracked a rib in the swift, fatal thrust The bison belloith pain, turning to gore his attacker even as his legs buckled Brun saw theman’s side, and with the full force of his powerful reat head His blow added impetus to the creature’s fall The bison fell over on his side, his sharp hooves pawed the air in final death throes, then he lay still

Broud was stunned at first and a little overwhel man screamed his triumph He did it! He made his first kill! He was a man!

Broud was exultant He reached for his deeply eht out of the ani it free, he felt a warm spurt of blood on his face and tasted its salty flavor Brun clapped Broud on the shoulder, p

ride in his eyes

“Well done,” the gesture eloquently said Brun was glad to add another strong hunter to his ranks, a strong hunter as his pride and joy, the son of his mate, the son of his heart

The cave was theirs The ritual ceremony would cement it, but Broud’s kill had assured it The totems were pleased Broud held up the bloody point of his spear as the rest of the hunters ran toward theht of the downed beast Brun’s knife was out, ready to slit open the belly and gut the bison before they carried it back to the cave He reave a piece to each hunter It was the choicest part, reserved for th toBrun cut out the heart of the great shaggy creature, too, and buried it in the ground near the aniift he had promised his totem

Broud chewed the warht his heart would burst with happiness He would become a man at the ceremony to sanctify the new cave, he would lead the hunt dance, he would join the men in the secret rituals to be held in the siven his life just to see that look of pride on Brun’s face This was Broud’s supreme moment He anticipated the attention that would be his after his manhood rites at the cave ceremony He would have all the clan’s admiration, all their respect All their talk would be of hia’s eyes would shine with unspoken devotion and worshipful hoe

The ether well above the knee joints Grod and Droog bound their spears together, Crug and Goov did the sa two reinforced poles of the four spears One was passed between the forelegs, the other between the hind legs, horizontally across the great beast Brun and Broud stepped to either side of the shaggy head and gripped a horn, leaving one hand free to hold their spears Grod and Droog each grabbed one end of the pole on each side of the forelegs, while Crug went to the left and Goov to the right of the hind legs At a signal fro and half lifting the huge anirassy plains The journey back to the cave took th, strained under the load as they skidded the bison across the steppes and up the foothills

Oga atching for the hunters far down on the plains below When they neared the ridge, the clan aiting for them and trouped out to accompany the hunters the last part of the way back to the cave, walking beside them in silent acclaim Broud’s position in front of the victorious men announced his kill Even Ayla, who couldn’t understand as going on, was caught up in the excite palpably in the air

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“The son of yoursaid as the hunters eased the great beast down in front of the cave “You have a new hunter to be proud of”