Author’s Note: To answer a few comments No I did not get the idea from the Croods, Never saw it. I also was questioned about using words like Diameter and Travois this was for the reader to get an understanding rather than this being Mondo, s Vocabulary.
Mondo’ s Clan part 4
I planed another scout out the River gate. I wanted to find out how that valley connected with the lomen ‘s bowl. But first I started every one practicing with their slings and all the kids to gathering stones .
After practicing the women made sacks out of skins to hold the stones. I had my idea of how to eliminate the lomen. At the 4 steps would be a Cave lion and a handler .Lined around the rim would be all who could use the sling. We would leave the 5 older women to take care of the babies and younger kids.
The three younger cats would be with their handlers roaming behind to pick off any strays coming home. Now the preparation begins. Shad got busy Making lots of spears under the watchful eye of his helper Jonda. Jonda had never fully recovered from the bad sickness that almost wiped out Tondor’ s clan.. Jonda’s right leg had shriveled up but he still had good use of his hands.
I took Hobar and Drago along with Bruno and Runt and left across the walkway for our back way scout. We left the walk way together no telling when we might need quick access on our return. We walked carefully along the river cave. Before we exited I sent out Runt to look around, nothing seemed to be bothering Bruno and soon Runt returned. We stepped out on the trail brushing our tracks as we went.
Remembering our last time here we avoided the area of the ants. We came upon a well walked trail. The tracks were humanoid not much in the way of animals. We stepped off the trail and made or way through the brush parallel to the trail. Within an hour we heard voices on the trail.
It was a group of three lomen with five captives. I was going to let them pass not knowing how close we were to the lomen’s Bowl. But Bruno and Runt made our decision by attacking two of the lomen. The third started to run when one of the Captives stuck out his leg and tripped the escaping loman. That gave Bruno just enough time to finish the first one and to pounce on to the scrambling body of the last one.
We freed the Captives three women and two men. After talking with them we gathered more information about the lomen way of life.
The Lomen
The lomen had at one time been just like every one else. Then one harsh winter they were trapped by heavy snow and their reserves ran out. The weak, generally the women and children, the men killed and ate. The only water they had to drink trickled down the walls of the cave they were hold up in for the winter. The water was contaminated by minerals not meant for human consumption.
Never being over intelligent they gang raped the few women left alive. After the winter passed and time came for the birth. The few women gave birth to monstrosities the babies were extra large and deformed and killed the mother. They bled to death. The lomen’ s animal instincts told them to capture women make them slaves to take care of the babies and to make more. Also by this time they had come to like the taste of human flesh.
The women gave birth to 90% boys, the girls were eaten, the lomen began to raid other tribes for women slaves to bear their young and men as meat. The contaminated water had caused deformities that seem to breed true thus creating another species of man. This became the way of life for the lomen.
They were totally nonproductive they lived to raid, rape and eat … other tribes. Any one of the three had to be broken and they would vanish. We planned to end all three. The captives served multiple uses. For food, to reproduce, and to tend to the children. The intact male slaves were used for any menial work that was needed.
The sad part of it all is there is no way to save the captives. They had been fed on human flesh and the women were pregnant with the lomens children. The men were crippled from having parts of their bodies ripped off to be eaten. When we made our move it would have to be total.
We told the captives what we had planned to do, They offered their help. I asked how many men they could provide. They said at least twenty five may be more. We gave them directions to the cave under the water fall. In two weeks there would be someone there with instructions. The five of them departed for their village.
We hid the three bodies and continued on our search about three hours later we approached the lip of the bowl. I left Hobar to watch this set of steps. Drago went right and I went left to check out the area around the other two steps.
We had made better observations the steps were not on the four points but were off a bit and the bowl was not truly round more like an oval. The gate from the bramble gate side was Southwest. The River gate was more to the Northeast side.
I moved around to the trail coming from the steps Southeast. Something bothered be about it so I followed a ways. I almost wish I hadn’t. It ended at a pit and explained the nauseating odor in the air. The pit was filled with human bones and small scavengers. I could tell that this was not the only pit that had been here, There was evidence that others had been covered over.
We met back with Hobar then headed back to the falls. It took three days to reach the falls. I was mulling over different ideas as we walked. Drago was scouting either side of the trail looking for gathering places. Hobar was looking at places for ambushes.
The 1st night we made camp and compared notes. Now I understood the reason Drago had been so quite. He not only found a similar pit but observed two male slaves and a club bearing loman. The male slaves were dumping bones… human bones. Runt wanted to attack but Drago held him back. Other than that the trail went no where.
This lessened the chance of returnees walking up on us while the attack was going on we rested and moved on the next morning. On the third day we neared our trail to the River Cave. We heard what we guessed was laughter. Bruno was rumbling, Runt was crouched down in his attack mode. I peered through the bushes.
There before my eyes were two lomen teasing a crocodile. One had a bamboo pole with a piece of meat on the end. They were standing on a large rock, the croc couldn’t reach them. The one with the pole would lower the pole and tempt the croc to rise out of the water after it. The loman was just fast enough that the croc would miss.
The croc looked to be about 14 ft long and there were a couple more waiting their turn. I decided we need to help our croc friends. I put my hands on the cats and gave the silent motion for attack. They roared, the loman looked around to see the cats bounding toward them…
The lomen screamed and leaped … right into the jaws of the crocs. With the snapping of the jaws and the thrashing of their tails the crocs made short work of the lomen. We watched them through their frenzy and suddenly it was over and they slipped beneath the lake surface. The lake once again serene and peaceful.
Noma
Noma, and her baby were the only ones to remain with the clan when lateen was captured. She had been listening to the plans and when Mondo left on his back scout. She went to Ludi “Please watch my baby Tiensi. And ask Mondo not to attack until she returned. She insisted it was important. Ludi finally agreed but still did not know where Noma was going.
Noma had made a pack out of Deer skin that had been cured with the hair scraped off. It contained things she might need on her trip. She fashioned a frame out of limber limbs tied the pack to the frame added straps to carry it on her back. On a strap tied to her waist was a pouch of rocks, her sling and her water bag. Also was a small pouch with extra straps for tying if needed and also it held her knife.
On her trip from her home clan she had been observant of the path traveled. She had had hopes of escaping from the lomen. This had proved unnecessary thanks to the appearance of Mondo and his cats. She made good time her 1st day, she picked a well protected clump of brush to make her bed. She was tired so did not make a fire.
Just before dawn, with the sky beginning to lighten she heard a growl her eyes popped open and she was staring into the eyes of an older Dire wolf, He was probably an outcast from his pack since he was alone. She had no chance to use her sling, all she had to use was her knife. The wolf was pushing its nose in to the brush trying to reach her. She slashed with her knife cutting the wolf’s jaw and nose.
The wolf was irate and was tearing at the brush with teeth and claws. Just when it looked like the wolf was going to reach her … the wolf yelped and its head disappeared. Holding her knife out I front of her she edged out enough to see. The wolf was on the ground and a tawny cat was worrying its throat. The wolf ceased its movement and the cave lion backed away.
With blood on its mouth it gave a mighty lick of its tongue and bounded toward her. She smiled it was Soli. Noma looked around expecting to see one of the hunters but … Soli was alone. Noma wondered she had watched while the cats had been trained, Soli was over a Year old and almost full sized, and she had befriended the big cat She wondered if the cat had been sent or came on her own.
It really did not matter she was here and Noma had no intention of returning. She put on her pack and moved out. She was thinking about the signals she had watched the handlers use during the cats training. She used the one for scouting point. Soli turned playfully then headed out on point.
With Soli along with her things were a lot easier and there was little need of the caution she had exercised on her first day. They traveled quickly only eating after dark then resting till just before dawn then on the way again. Altogether they cut a week off the trip that Mondo had made with the freed captives.
Noma’s Tribe was the largest, consisting of close to 100 hunters, 90 women and thirty childern, within 6 months walk. Noma was the daughter of a sub chief and daughter-in-law of the Head chief. It was a joyous time when she entered the village. The Chief Bola her Father-in-law was going to send for her Father Chief Runl. But she told Chief Bola why she was here is more important they talked for a few minutes.
Chief Bola summoned two messengers, Each Message : Our Daughter Noma is here, Our Savior Mondo needs our help bring twenty five hunters and supplies for 5 weeks. We attack lomen.
The next morning the forest was alive with hunters while the Chiefs had a Pow wow. Chief Bola placed Sub Chief Sarl in charge. Medicine man Char and Tor as spiritual guidance. Chief Runl begged to go common sense prevailed Sarl was thirty and Runl was sixty.
With a group of seventy five hunters and support with Noma and Soli in the lead. After the first day Noma was restless, she recognized one of the hunters, Flit, Flit was one of the captives with her. She talked to the Chief and Flit became chief scout.
With Flit knowing the way to the bramble gate meant Noma could get back to inform Mondo of the war party. Two hours before dawn she and Soli was on the run. Less than three weeks later She and Soli entered the bramble gate Leos was at the gate, he rushed to get Mondo.
When Mondo arrived Soli and Noma were in the hot pool soaking their tired aching bodies. At first Mondo had been angry with Noma for taking Soli until he was told that Soli had still been in camp 6 hours after Noma had left. Then he was just concerned. He almost went ahead for the planned attack.
But Noma had been so insistent with Ludi, it was important he wait.
Mondo walked to poolside Noma saw him disregarding her nudity she stood, Noma’ s trim body yelled out to Mondo to grab her and mount her but with so many children running around he thought better of it. Noma began to explain what she had done and how many warriors would soon be available. With the Lake clan and Our Clan we will have over a hundred twenty Warriors.
The Plan
We had already agreed to meet with Lake Clan messenger I sent Socar and Goba with Duri to meet the Messenger. When the Messenger arrived they were pleased there were two of them. They were able to pass the information on that there was a delay and why. It was a bit confusing the messengers Toma and Timi were Identical twins.
Toma would travel back to his people and Timi would travel with Goba back to ours. Socar and Duri Would start a bit of clean up. They would attack the lomen as they long as there were no more than two. They figure the two of them could handle at least two at a time.
Toma and Timi were surprised when they were shown the cave under the water fall. They had a quick meal and then all left but Socar and Duri. Socar decided to make a quick sweep, Mondo had briefed him he stayed off the trail but kept it in sight. He located the ambush site Hobar had told him about. He squatted down to wait less than 3 hours passed when he heard noise coming up the trail.
There was three of them escorting 7 captives he was torn as what to do he did not want to lose the captives. But Mondo said no more than two… then one of the lomen tripped and fell. As he hit the ground Duri burst free and attacked one of the two standing. Socar let fly with his spear it flew true and hit the second in the throat.
The Captives seeing what was happening leaped atop the third lomen pinning him to the ground. Socar reached them and pulled his knife and slit the throat of the last loman. Duri had done herself proud she first hamstrung her opponent he tried to swing at her with his club but she clamped on to his arm mangling it severely then she went for the throat.
Socar freed the captives 4 men and three women, they told him there was my more lomen behind them they think there is 5 more and at least that many more prisoners. Socar says “You all need weapons I saw a grove of Bamboo just about 60 yards that way.” he pointed over his shoulder.”Maybe we can sharpen a few lengths that would give us seven or eight spears. But first we need to hide these bodies..
They all jumped in and drug the bodies in to the bushes. Then we began to make the bamboo spears. This was slow going since all they had was Socars knife. The way they did it was to cut the bamboo on and angle then they would sharpen the spars by rubbing them on stones. It really worked well the spears were razor sharp.
By the time the next group of lomen came along with their captives we were ready … Socar had them spread on both sides of the trail even had one of the women up in a tree on a limb over the trail its self. Socar and Duri would wait for the woman in the tree to start the attack. One of the men would tell the captives to hit the dirt.
They walked along as if they owned the world, Just as the were passing under the tree the woman yelled ‘HEY’ the lomen looked up with his mouth open. The spear went straight down his throat. The others exploded out of the weeds and began stabbing. The rear loman got off a swing with his club he caught one of the women still tied to the pole and killed her instantly. Duri launched past the club and clamped on to his Privates the loman bent over and Duri switched to his Throat.
We need to move the bodies back to the lake … the crocs are hungry. After that was done. Socar said they needed to head back to their village. The tree woman asked what he was going to do. Socar said he was going to try to pick off a few more loman if he could.
She said I’ll stay, two of the men nodded . The rest head home. Socar asked, “I know your people will fight so how are so few of them able to capture so many of your people?”
Loman Control
The lomen have the ability to control minds when they surprise someone, the person freezes for a few minutes. Just enough for them to take control and secure them. But as your clan has proved they have no control when they are surprised. She told her sister to tell their Chief about this. If you don’t show fear they can not control you.
It is odd that this was never discovered, I guess Mondo being ignorant of all this and having the cats with him made it impossible for them to ever control him. In fact they fear the men who hunt with Lions. That is why we stayed with you and your Lion You are doing something and we want to help. Just what are you hoping to accomplish .
Socar tried to explain. Now that we have all the lomen confined back at the bowl… their village. Now if we can contain them till time for the attack then they cannot slip up behind us. And I hope to take out a few more.