[50024 Years Ago/ One Month Later/ The Lake]
The tribe was breaking camp on the eastern shore. Now that the full moon had come and gone, they would be continuing their slow march around the Lake. The next campsite would be in the northeast. With such a mass of people and with all the ceremonies along the way, it would be two full days before they arrived.
Heba was packing as she looked to the south, out to where the surface of the Lake became lost in a white hazy brilliance in the morning light. Mike was there somewhere and she fervently hoped he was doing well.
She noted a purple tint to the water. It hadn't been purple the day before.
"Bali?" she said.
Bali looked up from her pack. "Yeah?"
Heba pointed. "Do you see that purple color on the water?"
"For the twentieth time, no, Heba, I don't see the purple color. Nobody sees the purple color." Bali stood and came closer to the Lake. "Maybe it's a seer thing."
"Maybe," Heba said.
"And if it is, then the purple color is following you." Bali peered out. "Y'know, it could be that as we go around the Lake, we're making it ours and you can tell that by the color."
"I'd like that to be true," Heba said. "So, you believe I see it?"
"No," Bali said and laughed.
Heba laughed too.
"Hurry ladies," Tagi said, coming up. "We must be on our way before it gets too hot. There's no tree cover for a mile or more."
"Yes, Matron," Heba and Bali said.
"And Bali, you will stop flirting with Dev."
"What?" Bali said, blushing. "I'm not flirting with Dev."
"Yes you are," Tagi said.
"Definitely," Heba said, laughing.
Bali crossed her arms over her chest.
Tagi came closer, her voice was low. "He is a fine young man, and he will inherit the mantle of sub-chieftain from his father. He is a good choice for you, but you mustn't put your personal desires above those of the tribe."
"Yes, Matron."
Tagi raised her chin and looked down her nose at Bali. "Are you still a virgin?"
"Yes, of course," Bali said. She shook her head and looked away in seeming indignation, but then while looking at Heba she winked.
It was all Heba could do to keep from laughing.
"Good," Tagi said. "Now, stop dawdling, both of you."
"Yes, Matron," Heba and Bali said.
They watched as Tagi went off.
"There're too many rules in this tribe," Bali said. She spotted Dev by the shore filling waterskins. "Oh, I need to fill our waterskins." She was gone.
Heba chuckled.
"Heba." This was the shaman. He seemed in a jovial mood.
"Good morning, Shaman," Heba said.
"Good morning. Are you ready for the next leg of our journey?"
"Almost."
"Good, now I have been very busy, but I wanted to praise your work so far. Without you, we'd be spending all our time hunting and gathering. Your seer's eye for food sources has served the tribe well."
"Thank you, Shaman," Heba said. "I'm amazed by how much I can see. The gods have blessed me."
"The gods are good, and they wish us to be well and to take full possession of this Lake. They will work through you to make certain our journey is easier." The shaman pointed his staff at her. "Don't lose your focus."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean Mike. You spend much of your time looking to the south, and the further we go away from the village, the more time you spend searching for it across the water."
"I'm sorry," Heba said. "I worry about him."
"I know, but you have work to do, and Mike needs time to heal. He will be there when we get back, but for now, honor the gods who have given you your gifts and make certain we accomplish our goal."
"Yes, Shaman."
"Now, there's a rocky span ahead and that means snakes and since Pult and the younger hunters are back at the village, you will go with the older hunters to find them."
"Yes, Shaman," Heba said, shuddering. To her, this was the worst of her many tasks.
When the shaman had left and was out of sight, Heba took one last look to the south, then went back to packing her things.