The Trek: Darwin's World, Book II (The Darwin's World Series 2) by Jack L Knapp Read Free Book Online Page A

scurvy, palatable.
    He watched his wife as she worked around their personal camp. The trip had been very hard on Margrette. Colin had often been busy with the kitchen, so setting up camp had fallen to her. Callie had helped as much as possible, but as the trip progressed Margrette had lost weight, more even than the rest of the tribe. They were thin, she was gaunt. And as she lost weight, her mental state declined; she often spent long minutes just gazing off into the distance. Colin suspected it was a left-over effect from the rapes she’d endured, but he knew of nothing he could do to make things better.
    Colin prepared a gourd of tea with an extra spoonful of honey before taking it to her. He would have added more, but the tribe’s supply of honey was limited too.
    Everything was limited. Colin had been rationing salt, but even so, what little remained would be gone within two weeks.
    “Why don’t you drink this and lie down for a while? I’ll bring your food when it’s ready. You need the rest.”
    “Colin, all of us need rest. I’ll be all right. I would like to rest for a little while, though, if you don’t need me in the kitchen.”
    “I’ve got plenty of help. You drink your tea and relax. I’ll send Callie over with food when it’s ready.”
    “Thank you, Colin. I’ll try to eat more this time.”
    Colin resolved to speak to the Wise Woman. There might be something she could do. Robert, too; he would need to know about Margrette.
    But Robert already knew. He’d considered Margrette’s condition as well as the condition of the other tribe members when he’d accepted Lee’s suggestion. He’d become increasingly worried as food stocks dwindled and people became thinner. They were often withdrawn now, not even taking the time to converse with others in the evening. The trek was consuming their inner reserves.
    “Colin, we’re going to stay here for a week. If the hunters bring in game and the foragers gather enough vegetables, we’ll stay longer. We want to get to the western lands, but I won’t leave our people dead along the way. Pavel and his followers aren’t helping. Even if they do find game, they’ve left it up to the rest of us to do what they should have been doing. We can’t depend on them as long as they listen to Pavel.
    “Something strange about that, too. Pavel never told me he was leaving. I’d think he had just abandoned the rest of us and left the tribe, but he didn’t take his camp gear. None of them did. They just slipped off and never bothered to explain what they were up to.
    “I’m going to talk to Lee. If he agrees, I’m considering banishing Pavel. I hate to lose people, but he’s more problem than help. If his little group goes with him, so be it. I’ll take people I can depend on rather than people who will likely fail us when we need them most.”
    “I agree, Robert. Just don’t do it alone. Lee will back you and so will I. Marc, Michel, and Philippe are reliable too. They’ve been scouting and hunting, plus they’re well armed. If Pavel doesn’t take the hint and leave on his own…well, we’ll just leave him. After salvaging the arrows, of course.
    Robert and Colin shared a thin-lipped smile. Hard choices are easier made when no other choices exist.
    #
    Late in the afternoon, Pavel’s band found the drag marks left by the travois.
    It was too late to go farther today. They would camp near the trail and be careful not to blunder into the tribe the next day. Judging from the tracks, the tribe might be a day ahead, but they hadn’t been moving fast when Pavel left. They might be closer than expected.
    They made a cold camp that night, Pavel cautioning his men to be extra watchful. Animals were more likely to approach since there was no fire to keep them away. Three men bedded down, weapons in hand, while Pavel took the first guard shift.
    He kept watch until nearly midnight, considering various alternatives, thinking over his plans for the morrow.