What if he trapped the aurochs in there? Then they could kill the aurochs as they needed them instead of all at once. The opening was narrow, he could pile brush and boulders across it so they couldn't get out. He set to work. He found a stick about six feet long and as big around as his upper arm. He started prying some of the boulders into position in the holes in the opening to the valley. It was  hot hard work but if he could keep the aurochs in the valley it would be worth it.

   "Why are you moving those boulders?" Somar asked him. "And why work so hard in this heat?"

   "Somar, I didn't hear you." Ogon said. "Come, help me trap these aurochs in this valley."

   "There are aurochs in this valley? Let's kill one and then we can feast for several days."

   "If we trap them first we won't have to hunt for them after we finish eating the one we kill." Ogon replied. "We can just kill another one when we get hungry again."

   Somar looked puzzled, like he couldn't figure out why Ogon wanted to work so hard just so he could kill a second auroch.

   "Brother, if we trap them here we'll have food to last through the hungry months." Ogon explained. "None of our people will starve during the cold months." Somar still looked puzzled. "None of your babies will go hungry this winter."

   Somar's face cleared. He picked up a stick and started helping Ogon. Soon they had a rough wall halfway across the opening. They were both hot, tired and hungry so they decided to take a break. Ogon checked on the aurochs. The noise Ogon and Somar made chased the aurochs farther up the valley.

   There was a wild apple tree nearby so they picked a few apples and ate them. Then they jumped into the creek to cool off. After about fifteen minutes they got out of the creek and lay down in the shade to rest. 

   Suddenly they got up, grabbed their spears and spread out, looking toward the sound of approaching hunters. A fierce looking warrior came into view, then another one. Ogon stood up. 

   "Hello father." he greeted the biggest warrior. "We have enough food in this valley to last through the winter."

   "Aurochs." Somar chimed in.

   "They won't stay fresh that long." Odar said. "It would take at least a dozen aurochs to feed all of us through the winter."

   "There's twenty seven of them." Somar replied. "That's plenty to last all winter."

   "And they'll stay fresh if we don't kill them until we're ready to eat them." Ogon added. "If we keep them trapped in this valley they'll be there when we need them."

   "Simer, Ader, go kill one of the aurochs my sons trapped." Odar ordered. "We will eat well tonight. The rest of us can finish your barrier." 

   "Wait Simer," Ogon called. "Father, wouldn't it be better to save the cows for last and let them have calves? Then we could eat for several years instead of just one."

   "The dreamer's at it again." Simer sneered.

   "He's right Simer." Odar said. "Just kill a bull, an older, smaller one. We can use one of the bigger bulls to breed larger calves."

   Simer shook his head in disbelief as he and Ader went into the valley. Ogon and Somar went back to moving boulders. Odar and the other hunters joined them. With seven of them working on it, it didn=t take long to finish roughing the wall across the opening. Then they started filling the gaps with smaller rocks and heavy branches. By the time Simer and Ader returned with a butchered auroch the wall was done. Odar sent one of the junior hunters to bring the women and children to the valley. They would eat well tonight.

   "Thank you, son." Odar said as he finished eating the meat off one of the ribs. "You have given us more wealth than anyone has ever dreamed possible. We will eat well all through the season of hunger."

   "And beyond father." Ogon replied. "We will not eat all the aurochs by the end of the season of hunger. If we save the cows and the best bull we can have new calves for years."

   "How many can live through the season of hunger in that valley?" Simer asked. "What are they going to eat when the snow gets deep? I say we kill them all during the season of hunger."

   "Have you ever noticed, Simer," Ogon said, "how the rock voles dry grasses and then pile them up near their burrows during the summer and then live off those piles of dried grass during the season of hunger?'

   "So we're supposed to feed them vole hay during the season of hunger?" Simer jibed. "That wouldn't be enough for even a small calf."

   "Don't you think it would make more sense for us to cut and dry large piles of grass for our aurochs?" Ogon answered. "It would be a lot of work but wouldn't a long lasting food supply be worth it?"

   "Now the dreamer is trying to make women out of all of us." Simer griped. "The rest of you can work like women if you want. I'll stick to hunting."

   "Do you want to live off your hunting through the hungry season Simer?" Odar asked. "I don't. Anyone who doesn't help cut the grass will not get any meat from the aurochs this hungry season."

   "We will need to do some hunting while game is plentiful father." Ogon said. "Or we will eat too many of our aurochs before the hungry season is over."

   "We will take turns hunting." Odar decided. "Or don't you like to hunt Ogon?"

   "Of course I like to hunt father." Ogon replied. "Until now I just haven't been very good at it".

   "You're obviously good at it now little brother." Somar bragged. "No one has ever come close to getting twenty seven aurochs at once before."

   "That brings up an important point." Odar said. "It's time for you to marry, Ogon. Next spring you and your uncle Mynan will visit Numar's people . I noticed you and his daughter Sanya out walking together the last time we visited them. I'm sure you'll be an acceptable suitor for her now."

   "Thank you father." Ogon answered. "But we have a big problem to solve before then."

   "You mean besides cutting hay for our aurochs?" Somar asked.

   "Yes, son of my father." Ogon replied. "We are a small clan. How are we going to protect our wealth when the other clans learn about our aurochs?"

   "Another reason to eat them all by the end of the hungry season.' Simer put in. "Then we won't have to protect them from other clans."

   "If we have nothing to protect then we don't have to worry about protecting anything." Odar wasn't happy. "Very poor reasoning Simer. If we have nothing to protect then we have nothing.. I prefer to have this great wealth and a full belly. If you want to go hungry, then go hungry."

   Simer stormed off to where his woman set up their sleeping place within the camp.

    "We need a way to throw spears farther." Ogon thought out loud. "Somar, remember how that one branch you were using to move boulders flew out of your hands? Wasn't that a yew branch?"

   "Yes, but it wasn't my fault." Somar excused himself. "It was a very springy branch."

   "That's just what we need. What if we make a bow like we use for drying the rabbit intestines out of a yew branch and use deer intestines? We can make a bigger, heavier bow and it should be able to throw a small spear quite a bit farther than our best warrior can throw a spear with one of our spear throwing sticks."

   "We'd want a smaller spear point for those smaller spears." Oran, the clan's stone knapper said. "And maybe some feathers on the back end of them. I have many small pieces of rock I can use to make smaller spear points with."

   "We just killed an auroch so we don't need to hunt a deer now." Somar said. "But I guess we can smoke and dry all the left over auroch meat and then hunt a deer tomorrow."

   He got up and started cutting the meat into small pieces and putting them in the smoke from the fire to smoke. The others joined him and soon had all of the meat cut up and smoking.

   The next day Ogon and Somar went out hunting and brought home a deer. They butchered it and cut and cleaned four lengths of intestine which they then tied to drying bows to stretch them as they dried. As the intestine strings were drying they made four yew bows and a dozen small spears.

   Four days later they tied their newly dried strings to the yew bows an tried them out.

   "These aren't working very well." Somar complained. "The small spears keep flying erratically and some of them are splitting when we try to throw them with these bows."

   "So, we need to modify our small spears a bit." Ogon replied as he thought. "What if we put feathers on the back end of them?"

   "That should get them to fly straighter but what's going to keep them from splitting?"

   Ogon went over to a pile of bones, picked a knuckle bone up and started carving it. He soon had a slotted cap he attached to the back end of one of the small spears.

   "That should stop the small spear from splitting." he said. "Now, let's get some feathers attached to the back end."

   One of the boys handed him some feathers which he cut into three inch long pieces. He then cut a few small pieces of auroch hoof and boiled them to make some glue. He used this to glue two feathers and the cap onto the small spear.

   While they were waiting for the glue to set they carved many more slotted caps for the back end of their small spears and cut several dozen feathers. They glued these to the back end of all the small spears they had made.

   The next morning Ogon strung his bow and took several small spears out into the larger valley in front of his auroch valley. He then shot one of his small spears. It flew straight and hit the ground about three hundred fifty feet away.

   "You did it!" an exited Somar exclaimed. "No one can throw a spear that far. Can I try?"

   "Go ahead, brother." Ogon answered. "I bet even Simer will see the value of this new weapon. We really need a new name for these small spears though."

   Somar fitted one of the small spears to the bow and shot it. "Wow. This is really fun shooting these small spears so far. Hey mine went farther than yours."

   "With these we should be able to keep even large clans from killing us." Ogon said. "How about arrows."

   "Arrows?"

   "Yes, arrows." Ogon replied. "The new name for our new weapon."

   "Yes, I like it." Odar added. "Arrows it is. Even the ten year old boys can use this weapon. This will make us the strongest clan. But I think allies will still be good. When you go to Numar's clan to take his daughter for your wife invite them to join us here. There's plenty of grass in nearby valleys to feed many hundred aurochs. "

   "Father, don't sneak up on us like that." Somar said. "It's unnerving."

   "I wasn't trying to be quiet. You two were just too engrossed in your new toy and didn't hear me."

    "It's hardly a toy." Oran joined the conversation. "Even if our women and children will want to use it too. Yes, this will make hunting easier."

   Ogon and Somar set up some scraps of hide as targets and went back to shooting arrows. They were soon able to hit hand sized targets at one hundred fifty feet. The others joined them with the three other bows and more arrows. Everyone took turns shooting arrows at the targets.

   "I can see we need more bows." Odar said. "Somar, you and Ogon are hitting the targets from farther away than anyone else. You two go hunting while the rest of us keep shooting at these targets. Bring back at least three deer. Take Simer's and Oran's sons along. They can learn by watching and help carry back your kills."

   "That's three." Somar said. "Let's give our bows to the boys so they can hunt some rabbits or squirrels." He handed his bow to Oron and Ogon gave his to Simon. Somar and Ogon started butchering their kills while the boys went hunting.

   Forty five minutes later Ogon looked up from his nap to see Oron caring seven rabbits and Simon carrying a yearling deer.          "What did you do Simon, steal my hunting technique?"

   "Well, I watched you and you were doing much better than my dad ever did so I copied you."

   "They say that imitation is the highest form of flattery." Somar said.

   "What do you think, Somar?" Ogon asked. "Shouldn't Simon get a bow from one of the dried intestine strings from his deer?"

   "That seems fair." Simer answered. "His kill does give us four more bows. It's only just that he get one of them."

   "What about Oron?" Simon asked. "He chased the deer to where I could shoot it.'

   "Then he deserves one too." Ogon decided. 

   "This is woman's work." Simer complained as he straightened up from cutting grass. "I should be hunting instead of cutting this grass."

   "You know," Somar replied, "It sure is funny how you complain about the work of taking care of the aurochs but never complain about eating them."

   Simer put down his stone knife. "If I were out hunting my family and I would be eating plenty."

   Odar straightened up. "You would be eating plenty now while game is plentiful but what would you eat during the hungry months? Snow? Every year since you were a baby you always complained about not having enough to eat during the hungry months. This year, if you do your share of the work, you will have plenty to eat all year."

   Simer knelt back down, picked up his knife and started cutting grass again. "Women's work." he muttered.

   Ogon and Somar watched the aurochs wading into the stream near the stone barrier.

   We're going to loose aurochs if we don't come up with a way to build a barrier across the stream." Somar remarked. "But how are we going to do that? Rocks won't work."

   Ogon looked down the valley at some tall skinny trees. "What if we cut some of those skinny trees over there and stretch them across the stream above the water. We can anchor them with large rocks on both sides of the stream and tie branches to them to make a barrier the aurochs can't get past."

   "That'll work." Somar replied. AYou=re always coming up with good ideas. That must be what bugs Simer so much. He never does."

   "Yeah, well, now I need to come up with an idea that'll let us herd more aurochs into our valley." Ogon only counted twenty four aurochs. "We already ate three aurochs and game is still plentiful. What's going to happen when game is scarce?" 

   "If we had moveable barriers like the one you suggested using across the stream, would that work?"

   "Yeah, it would." Ogon said. "We can make them with two short uprights to fasten the long poles to then tie short branches to the long poles. Then all we'd need to do is remove part of the stone barrier we built and use the movable barrier there."

   Two days later the work was finished. Ogon stood near the barrier, admiring the changes. 

   "They won't get out by wading the stream now." Somar observed. "And that movable barrier will let us drive more aurochs into our valley."

   "Yes, and I saw a herd of eighteen aurochs three valleys over." Odar said. "We should be able to get them over here but how are we going to get them to go into our valley?"

   "Four men spread out behind them, not getting too close," Oron answered, "and everyone else in a v formation funneling them into the valley. Two men can open the barrier when they get close and then get out of their way."

   The aurochs were filing through the barrier into the valley. One of the calves, a young bull, had some nasty looking fresh scars on his back end and his testicles were missing. 

   "It worked!" an exited Simer shouted. "We now have forty one aurochs. That should keep us well fed for a long time!"

   "It also means cutting more hay and gathering more grains." Somar pointed out. "And, if I remember right, you were complaining about it being woman's work."

   "I've been doing my fair share." Simer defended himself.

   "Yes, you have." Odar replied. "And everybody appreciates it. Tomorrow why don't you take your son and Ronar hunting?              "There's still plenty of game right now but there won't be much longer."

   Snow was falling. At least they had forty seven aurochs and plenty of hay and grain. The aurochs should stay well fleshed through the hungry season. It wouldn't be a hungry season for them or their aurochs this year. There was still plenty of game so they didn't have to kill any aurochs for a while yet.

   Ogon was happy. His clan had plenty of food and he was going to marry Sanya in just over four months. They had twenty four of the deer string bows and ten of the rabbit string bows and over two hundred arrows. All of the adults except Simer could hit fist sized targets at over two hundred feet and he could hit them at one hundred sixty feet. The best anyone could do with a spear was hitting fist sized targets at one hundred thirty seven feet. If they were attacked even by a very large clan they could defend themselves. Things were definently looking very good.

   Simer was out hunting again with his son, Simon and Simon's friend Ronar. Ogon was working on building fence out from the barrier at the entrance to the valley of the aurochs. Somar was leading another crew building another fence on the other side of the valley. These two fences will definently make it easier to herd more aurochs into the valley anytime one of the hunting parties come across any more aurochs. Ogon and his crew had fifty feet of fence finished and Somar's crew had forty feet finished.

   Ronar came running up. "We just found seven more aurochs and are drifting them this way."

   "Where are they?" Ogon asked. "And how soon will they get here?"

   "They're just over five miles up the river and Simon's moving them slow so it will probably take four hours for them to get here."

   "Take Oron with you and go back to help drive the aurochs." Ogon told him. "Just don't let Simer rush things. We don't want to stampede the aurochs."

   The men worked on the fence for another two and a half hours then went downstream to the river valley. They spread out on both sides of the valley leading back to the auroch valley with Ogon, Somar and two helpers waiting one hundred feet downstream from the entrance to their side valley. 

   Twenty minutes after they got ready the aurochs came into view. Leading the aurochs was a very large old female followed closely by a bull calf and a female yearling. Oron had the two helpers head upstream along the edge of the river while he and Somar spread out and started walking toward the lead cow. The lead cow was getting agitated but kept coming toward Ogon and Somar with the herd following. Ogon shot her with an arrow, killing her. The herd turned back and found their way upstream blocked by Simer and the three boys.

   The only path open was up the side valley. They went up the side valley looking for a way to go up into the hills and circle back to the river valley. There were people there so the aurochs kept going up the side valley until they saw the two side fences. They started milling around, looking for a way out but there were people everywhere but where the fences were. The only way out was through the opening in the barrier at the entrance to the auroch valley so they went through the opening, away from the people. Simer and the three boys with him moved the movable gate into the opening, trapping the new addition to their herd in the valley.

   "You killed the biggest cow I ever saw." Simer jumped on Ogon. "Why didn't you chase her into our valley with the other aurochs?"

   "She was getting ready to stampede right at me." Ogon replied. "By killing her I chased the rest of the aurochs back toward you and then up the valley. If I hadn't killed her the whole herd would have gotten away."

   "Well, I still wish we had trapped her."

   "Thanks to you," Odar said as he walked up to them,. "we now have fifty three aurochs in our valley. That's very good, Simer."

   "Simon deserves the credit" Simer replied. "It was his idea to bring them in. I wanted to kill two of them and bring the meat back."

   "You brought the meat back all right" Somar added. "You brought it back on the hoof."

   "Ogon, Somar, wake up." an exited Simon hollered. "There's wolves getting into our valley"

   Somar jumped up fast, Ogon just seconds behind him. Ogon asked, "Did you wake anyone else up?"

   "No, dad said to come get you."

   "Go wake the other men up." Somar instructed him. "I'm sure we'll need the help."

   When they got there they found fifteen wolves surrounding the very unhappy aurochs. Simer was there and there were two dead wolves between him and the herd. 

   "Good work Simer, Somar, go right, I"ll go left."

   Somar shot and killed another wolf then Ogon shot twice and two more wolves dropped. The other wolves retreated but didn't leave the valley. The rest of the men of the clan straggled in and spread out, getting between the retreating wolves and the herd. Some of the women showed up too. The wolves snarled and growled a little but retreated out of the valley in the face of so many people armed with bows.

   "We sure got rid of them." Simer proudly proclaimed.

   "Thanks to you, Simer." Odar said. "But I doubt we've seen the last of them. Did you notice how skinny they are? They'll be back."
   "We'll just have to increase our watch." Ogon said. "It sure worked well tonight."

   "Yeah," Simer said. "I guess I've finally learned to stop second guessing you. Next time I have to stand watch, I won't complain."

   Ogon and Mynan were less than a half day out from Numar's camp. Ogon saw a small herd of aurochs who were very skittish. It would be hard to get close th them. He went left, upwind from them and circled around them while Mynan waited one minute then went straight at them. The herd edged toward Ogon's position . Ogon shot an arrow, then shot again. Two aurochs dropped and the rest of the herd stampeded.

   "At least we'll bring some meat with us when we get to Numar's camp." Mynan said. "I would have liked to have gotten one of those aurochs though. But it is better that you got them. After all, you are the one hunting a wife."

   "Yeah, and Sanya is well worth hunting." Ogon answered. "And much better to catch."

   "It's Ogon and his uncle Mynan!" An exited Sanya shouted. "And they have two aurochs. We'll eat well tonight!"

   "Mynan, Ogon!" Numar greeted them. "Welcome to our camp. Mynan, did you have to kill these two aurochs to try and prove Ogon's prowess as a hunter?" 

   "Ogon's prowess doesn't need any proof." Mynan answered. "He's the one who trapped twenty seven aurochs in a valley. We've eaten well this entire hungry season because of it."

   "We've eaten plenty too thanks to Sanya planting seeds." Numar replied. "It looks like those two are well matched. But before he can marry my daughter he must bring some meat that he killed into this camp."

   "He killed these two aurochs with arrows at over two hundred feet."

   "Impossible." Anor said. "No one can throw a spear that far."

   "Maybe not" Mynan answered. "But with these bows, we can shoot arrows farther than that. Simer can shoot them the farthest, as you would expect but Ogon can hit targets farther away than anyone else."

   "Ha!" Anor shouted. "I'll throw this spear farther than Ogon can shoot one of those puny arrows."

   Anor threw his spear one hundred seventy feet. Ogon shot an arrow at the spear and before it hit he shot another one. His first arrow hit the butt end of Anor's spear, the second one flew two hundred sixty four feet and hit a stump. 

   "Anor, you are outmatched." Numar said. "You will never be able to throw a spear over two hundred feet let alone hit anything that far away."

   "I don't believe it." a stunned Anor said. "I saw it but I still don't believe it."

   "Watch closely Anor," Mynan instructed, "and I'll show you how to shoot arrows." He put an arrow on the bowstring, pulled it back and let fly. "Here, you try it."

   Anor took the bow and an arrow from Mynan, fitted the arrow to the bowstring pulled it back and let fly. The arrow flew two hundred ten feet.

   "That's a good first shot Anor." Mynan praised him. "With some practice you'll be hitting targets farther than that. But first you must make yourself a bow and some arrows."

   Three days later all the men of the clan were out practicing with their new bows and arrows. Anor was shooting arrows three hundred sixty seven feet and hitting fist sized targets at almost two hundred feet. 

   "Thank you Mynan, Ogon for this great gift." Numar said. "And thank you for offering us that valley near yours where we can trap aurochs of our own."

   That night Ogon and Sanya were married in a simple ceremony followed by a long celebration by the whole clan.. The next morning Sanya gathered up her belongings and the two young lovers left to return to Ogon's valley and his clan. Mynan stayed with Numar and his clan as they prepared to follow.

    "Welcome home, son." Odar greeted Ogon. "I see you brought a new member for our clan. Welcome Sanya. So, you finally caught your game. I hope you think he's worth the catching this time next year."

   "I'm sure I will, father." Sanya answered. "He's much better looking than his father. I didn't come empty handed though. I have seeds for food plants."

   "Seeds for food plants?" Simer questioned. "What are you going to do with them?"

   "Plant them, of course." Sanya told him. "After you dig up some ground for me."

   "Bah! That's women's work. I'll stick to hunting and taking care of aurochs."

   "We have some bare spots where we stacked hay for our aurochs last year." Ogon suggested. "Can you use them for planting your seeds?"

   "Let's look at them." Sanya replied.  "Lead the way." 

   Ogon led Sanya to his bare spots.

   "Yes, they're perfect." Sanya answered. "We can plant our early crops there, then later dig up the ground between them and plant our late crops there." 

   "What's the difference?" Odar asked. "Why can't you plant all your crops now?"

   "The early crops can grow when there's frost but the frost kills the late crops."

   "So, the early crops are the ones you women gather in the spring." Ogon said "and the late crops are the ones you gather in the summer and fall?"

   "Not entirely," Sanya replied, "redroots and cabbage are early crops but are harvested in the fall. The early crops are the ones we can plant early and the late crops are the ones we have to wait until it stops frosting to plant"

   Odar asked, "How soon can we expect your father and his clan?"

   "About five days." Sanya answered. "It'll take them several days to get ready and they'll travel slower than we did. They should be leaving about now."

   "Then let's cut some more fencing materials while we're waiting." Ogon suggested. "Then when the ground thaws we'll be ready to help them build fences around their valley."

   "Welcome, Numar." Odar greeted his friend. "What do you think of your valley?"

   "It is a nice looking valley." Numar replied. "It should hold hundreds of aurochs except there are many places where aurochs can wander out if it."

   "That's why we're cutting these materials for building fences." Odar answered. "We'll help you build the fences once the ground thaws. In the meantime, there's game and we'll share some of our aurochs with you. Come over to our valley and I'll show you our fences."

   Odar led the way over the ridge to the west and into his people's valley near the barrier leading to the valley of the aurochs. Ogon opened the gate and they entered.  
   "These aurochs are very well fleshed, especially for this time of year." Numar remarked. "How do you keep them so healthy?"

   "We cut and dried a lot of grass for them." Odar answered. "And we also harvested a lot of grain."

   "Yes, I can see you did a lot of work here." Numar observed. "But, still, someone knows a lot about aurochs."

   "It was mostly your son-in-law thinking things through. My wife keeps telling me he sure doesn't take after his father when it comes to brains."

AAnd my wife keeps telling me that Sanya is much smarter than either one of us, me especially.@

   "Father!" an exited Sanya shouted as she threw her arms around Numar and gave him a welcoming peck. "I'm so glad to see you. How was your journey?"

   "The hunting was good but Mynan brought in most of the kills" he answered. "We're still learning how to use these bows but most of us can hit a fist sized target at one hundred sixty feet now. There really wasn't any excitement until the last stream we crossed. It was high and your brother Jolun was swept off his feet. Mynan just barely caught him as he was being swept toward the river. At least he's fine now. That's a good thing. Your mother is anxious to see you. The way she's acting you'd think you were gone a year instead of just five days."

   "Well, I missed you and mom too. I'm real glad I married Ogon but it's good to have my family close again."

   "Johnro?" Somar asked as his friend came in sight with seven other people. "Where's the rest of your clan? What happened?"

   "We were attacked." Johnro replied. "Everyone else was killed or captured. We don't want to bring our troubles to you, you are a small clan."

   "Not so small now," Somar told him. "Numar's clan joined us. And we have these bows now. They can shoot these arrows," he held up an arrow for his friend to see, "over three hundred feet.".

   "Then maybe you can hold off our attackers when they arrive."

   When they arrived in the settlement Odar, Ogon and several others came to meet them. Johnro told the full story of the attack on his people. "We first noticed hunters not returning so we went out in larger groups. One hunting group returned with only two survivors, the other four were killed. They told of a raiding party attacking them while the hunters were butchering a kill. They were on the far side of the clearing so managed to escape when the others were killed. We started breaking camp to move toward the river valley. We were attacked by about one hundred warriors before we could finish tearing down our tents. The eight of us managed to escape, everyone else was killed or captured. We fled with just what we had on us. They aren't far behind us."

   "Somar, go tell Numar about this." Odar ordered. "We'll need their help fighting these killers. Have you eaten lately?"

   "The attack was two days ago," Johnro replied. "We haven't had time to stop and hunt. They're close behind us."

   Unar, Odar's wife and Sanya went to the food storage cave and gathered some food from it. They took it to the cooking shed and prepared a meal for the hungry survivors.

   Simer came into camp, "there's over a hundred armed warriors headed up the valley. They're about half a mile from here."

   "Everyone to your defensive positions." Ogon ordered as he picked up his bow and quiver. "Simer, take up position behind the wall and take charge there. Somar, take the west tower, I'll take the east tower. Sanya, take your five junior warriors up the west ridge in case they try to flank us."

   The lead enemy warriors came in sight just as Sanya and her junior warriors reached the tree line and disappeared. Everyone else was ready. The ten best archers divided between the two towers and the seven others behind the shoulder high wall that stretched between them.

The enemy spread out about four hundred feet from the towers and wall. Ogon counted one hundred twenty seven warriors. Sixteen circled east, seventeen circled west, heading for the ridge Sanya and her five junior warriors were on. The remaining ninety four started approaching the towers and wall. At three hundred seventy feet they started charging. The five best archers shot a volley of arrows at the fast approaching enemy, killing four and wounding one. Then the other five archers in the towers opened fire. Nine more enemy warriors went down. They fired another volley and eight more enemy warriors fell. Then Simer and his six started firing at the fast approaching enemy. Sixteen more warriors fell. The enemy warriors threw their spears, most fell short of the wall, but seven hit it.
   The warriors circling up the west ridge came in range of Sanya and three of her junior warriors. They opened fire, killing four of the approaching warriors. The remaining thirteen warriors started running up the hill toward their unseen opponents. Sanya and all five of her warriors fired at the slowly approaching enemy, killing five more. They fired another volley and another six warriors dropped. The two surviving warriors turned around and starting running down the hill, away from an enemy they could not see or hit who was killing them. 

The warriors circling around the east flank were just about in position to charge Ogon's left flank when Numar and his twenty three warriors showed up behind them. They fired, bringing down eight of the enemy. The surviving enemy warriors looked behind them and when they saw twenty four warriors armed with the fearsome new weapon, ran back toward their main body. The spears from the main body of enemy were hitting the wall with some clearing it, coming close to the defenders heads. They were down to just thirty six warriors and when they saw both of their much depleted flanking groups running away from the battle, they too turned and ran. The defenders kept firing at their fleeing foes, killing eleven more of them. The battle was over.

   Ogon surveyed his warriors. Two had minor injuries. No one else was hurt. "We might not be so lucky next time." he said. "The next enemy may have many more warriors and be better led. If they had sent most of their warriors around our flanks and just kept our main defenders busy here, we wouldn't have gotten off so lightly."

   "But we won!" an exited Simer shouted. "And we'll win next time too!"

   "Yes we will." Ogon answered. "Because we'll prepare for a smarter, more numerous enemy."