The Gods Among Us

Chapter 33 - Julie Felt A Little

Julie felt a little encouraged by all the attention, and slightly empowered. She looked as evil as she knew how and pranced around the little arena and hissed as she neared each one. This worked better than she dreamed and even Junga stopped in his tracks and was taken aback.

But that didn't last, and Junga quickly regained his composure and approached their prisoner. He stood facing her at chest level, and she gave one last hiss before standing up straight. Junga slowly walked around her and returned to face her, looking up at this tall light-skinned creature everyone called Yellow Face. Junga was a high official, the clan's chief, and shaman, and would not be outshined by even the Spirit.

He bent down low and starting at her knees, and standing back several feet, slowly rose, and in a very theatrical way, he sniffed her like a dog. He stood on his toes to reach as high as possible.

Then with only a hand signal from the clan's shaman, Julie was whisked away by a dozen women who took her to the edge of the lake where they coated her in mud mixed with their spittle.

They were smiling, happy to cover her with mud, giggling, dark with smooth tight skin under the layer of lake mud, which covered almost their entire bodies. The small children ran around them playing in the water, splashing and throwing mud at each other.

The girls were naked. Some wore grass skirts over their groins. The rest all showed signs of pregnancy.

How old are you? Julie asked one. The girl looked at her not sure what she meant. How many rains have you seen? She said.

A look of understanding crossed her face, and she smiled saying, I have seen eleven migrations of Fasthorns, I am Tataba.

So, you are eleven? Julie suggested. Tataba was already pregnant.

I have seen ten rains also. The other girls were excited by her attention and started offering her their ages, or what they thought she wanted.

She is my sister, said one, who looked taller and had more body markings. I saw her arrive after two rains, or so I am told.

Who would know this, Julie said.

My mother would, offered the older sister. I am Topanga.

Topanga already had one child on her hip.

Where is she?

A dragon ate her last rain.

Julie recalled she had only seen one rain, and that was earlier in the day.

Season. She said, last season a dragon ate her. It's called a season. From rain to dry to cool to hot, she said holding up a finger for each season. That's four seasons in a year.

The girls looked bewildered and since she wasn't saying anything important, resumed painting her body with the lake mud, all the while spitting on her to ensure the right texture.

Dorks, she said frustrated. Who is the new clan leader?

They all pointed to Junga who was busy chasing down a small pig with a short rope around its neck.

Topanga said, Look. It must have chewed through the rope and now it is free. The girls started laughing, and some of them temporarily forgot about their chores and went to help Junga.

Junga, they said proudly, he is our brother.

Whose brother?

The oldest nodded her head.

All of y'alls?

Yes, said Topanga again.

Wow, she said. Who is your father?