A Glibertarians Exclusive:  Mog-ee, Part II

Late summer

Wolf stood at the edge of the Digger settlement, looking around nervously for Mog-ee.

His nervousness was borne from his unfriendly relationship with Mog-ee’s brother, Yeeklep-ee.  Yeeklep-ee lived in his own hut on the far side of the village from the small hut Mog-ee slept in, which was near the more capacious bark-covered hut of her parents.  Wolf had not known that the pugnacious little man was Mog-ee’s brother until he learned how the Diggers carried their names – that the ‘-ee’ at the end of the name signified a family, derived from the father’s name.  Wolf was not afraid of Yeeklep-ee; he was much larger, stronger, and faster, with longer arms and legs for striking blows.  But he wanted Mog-ee to think well of him, and giving her brother a beating, no matter how well-deserved, didn’t seem the way to go about that.

Yeeklep-ee was nowhere to be seen.  But Wolf did see Mog-ee, working stooped over in a field nearby.

Wolf called her name.  Mog-ee looked up, smiling, and beckoned him over.  Wolf stepped carefully through the plants – he had learned that stepping on them was cause for a lot of shouting.

This morning, Wolf thought he had something that would provoke a different sort of excitement.  The previous day’s hunt had gone well, and Wolf had brought his share, the entire hindquarter of a reindeer, as a gift for Mog-ee.

Mog-ee’s eyes went wide when Wolf showed her the reindeer haunch.  “Meat!” she piped.

“Fresh, too,” Wolf said.  “My brother and I went hunting with our clan brothers yesterday.  We did well, four reindeer down.  This was my share.  I thought that you’d like…  well, I thought we could share it.”

“We don’t get meat often.  Mostly fish from the stream, sometimes the men catch rabbits and squirrels that are trying to eat our crops.”

Wolf tried to keep from grimacing.  Among his people, rabbit was acceptable fare – barely – but squirrels and other rodents were food fit only for starving times.  “Have you ever eaten reindeer?”

“I have not.”  She took Wolf’s free hand and looked up at him, her sky-blue eyes shining.  Wolf felt his knees go a little unsteady.  “Thank you for bringing it.”

That evening took on something of the air of a festival in the Digger settlement.

To Wolf’s displeasure, Mog-ee’s brother somehow convinced everyone that he should be the one to distribute the cooked reindeer meat.  Yeeklep-ee made sure his parents got substantial portions and took a big helping himself.  Mog-ee got a more modest chunk of reindeer, while Wolf – reminding himself in the process that there wouldn’t even be any reindeer meat if I hadn’t brough it, was awarded a portion of badly cooked, gristly meat from down near the hock.

Wolf was keenly away of Mog-ee sitting on the ground next to him, near the fire but nearer to Wolf.  Now’s not the time to antagonize her brother, he thought.

I wonder when it will be time to antagonize her brother.

While the meat was being cooked and eaten, night had fallen.  It was good and dark outside the circle of light cast by the big fire Wolf had built in the communal hearth in the center of the settlement.  Wolf regarded Mog-ee’s family from lowered eyes.  He had found he didn’t like any of them much, but he liked her brother least of all.

Why am I even here?  It’s not like I couldn’t do like Father did, walk off one spring and find myself a girl from another group of the People, or from the fisher-folk to the south or the mammoth hunters in the north.  Respectable people.  What is it with this Digger girl?

He stripped the last bit of gristly meat with strong teeth and cast the bone into the fire.  He was about to get up and leave when he felt Mog-ee’s small, soft hand in his.

“Come with me,” she said.

She led him away from the fire, away from the settlement, down to a low meadow near the stream.  As they arrived in the cool, grassy place framed with small trees, she let go of Wolf’s hand.  She turned away from him, pulled her woven plant-fiber tunic over her head and dropped it on the ground, then stepped out of her woven skirt.  She turned to face Wolf and held out her arms.

Wolf felt his jaw drop.  Mog-ee’s figure was lean and inviting; something Wolf had not noticed when her body was normally hidden by the typically shapeless Digger garments.  He hadn’t expected that; women of the People tended to show off, often wearing leather and hide garments tightly wrapped and leaving gaps in strategic locations.

He grinned, and quickly removed his own clothing.

What followed was, to Wolf’s surprise, more like a fight than an act of love.  Mog-ee bit, she scratched, she yowled like a scalded lynx, and when they both had come to their first climax, she grabbed Wolf, rolled him over in the grass, climbed on top of him and rubbed until he was ready to go again.

It went on like that until the first light was showing in the eastern sky.  When, finally, Mog-ee seemed sated, she fell asleep in the grass.  Wolf, exhausted, did likewise.

Wolf was awoken by a keening sound from the Digger settlement.

“The morning song!” Mog-ee said, sitting bolt upright.  “I can’t be late!”  Grabbing at her clothing, she ran off towards the settlement.  Wolf pulled his clothing on there in the meadow and followed, slowly.

The keening grew louder as he approached the Digger huts.  The Diggers were kneeling in a circle around the communal fire pit, which was still smoldering from the night before.  Wolf arrived just in time to see Mog-ee, who had somehow managed to clothe herself while running, drop to her knees between her father and her brother.  Wolf stopped and watched.

The morning “song” was more like the wailing Wolf’s people did when someone died.  The Diggers kept up an atonal keening, alternately raising their hands and faces to the sky, then down to the ground.  This continued for some time.

Finally, the “song” ended.  The Diggers circle broke up, most of them picking up implements and heading into the fields.

Mog-ee and her brother approached Wolf, still standing bemused at the edge of the settlement.  Yeeklep-ee wore a smug expression.

“Did you enjoy yourself last night?” he smirked.

“I did.”  Wolf felt his stomach growling.  “Is there any of the meat left?  The meat I brought yesterday to share with your sister?”  Wolf emphasized the last two words and stepped closer to look down at the Digger man.

“There is not,” Yeeklep-ee said firmly.  “What was left last night has been cut up for drying and will be placed in our storage for winter.”

“You did not ask me if you could do this,” Wolf protested.  “I brought that meat.  I was generous to share some with you, but I did not need to do this.”

“But bring it you did.  You did not say it was a gift for Mog-ee alone.  You shared it with all.  Are we to believe that now you will take that gift back?”

Wolf scowled.  Among the People, it was the pinnacle of bad manners to retract a gift once given.

“Very well.”  Wolf stomped over to Mog-ee’s hut and retrieved the two hunting spears and spear-thrower he had left leaning against the low structure.  At least no one had molested his gear.  He walked back and nodded to Mog-ee.  “I will go back to my people now.”  He glared at Yeeklep-ee until the Digger man finally turned and walked off.

Wolf took Mog-ee’s hand.  “Would you consider coming with me?  To live among the People?”

“My place is here.  My family is here.  Would you consider coming to live among us?”

“I don’t know,” Wolf said, honestly.  “I must think on this.  I will come back soon, and we will talk about this then.”

“As you wish.”  Mog-ee stepped closer and, standing on tiptoe, placed a chaste, sisterly kiss on Wolf’s cheek.  When she stepped back, Wolf saw the twinkle in her sky-blue eyes.  He felt a strong physical reaction.

“When will you come back?” Mog-ee asked.  She had noticed the reaction and was smiling.

“Soon,” Wolf said.  He turned and stalked away, muttering.  He would have to seek advice from his father about this.

***

I ain’t gonna work for Maggie’s brother no more

I ain’t gonna work for Maggie’s brother no more

He hands you a nickel when he hands you a dime

Ask you with a grin, “Are you havin’ a good time?”

Then he fines you every time you slam the door

I ain’t gonna work for Maggie’s brother no more