Part Ten, bonus for u ...

I am being generous, just because I having nothing else to report/say lol Comments would be appreciated, let me know if your head has started to spin yet.


Bear Camp was built and its first residents were happily celebrating the founding of their new home, named after the lone bear seen fishing in the rapids a day’s journey up the riverbank.
Petar and Dammi had an almost brotherly relationship Denal thought. For all the time the two spent together, Petar could be contemplating becoming Dammi - laughingly denied by both.
The rock had a place of its own, a small niche next to the statue of Dam. Both noticed it seemed to shake of its own accord in rhythm with the storms now heralding the approach of the Cold. This Dammi had also said he understood why Petar would not go out in the storm and watched the stone closely.
Petar was moreover beginning to feel strangely connected to the thing; something about it bothered him at a deep subconscious level. The tiny piece of the same rock that had chipped from the thing at its arrival was now in his amulet and he often absently minded figured the few things in it. He knew also that he was overdue a ‘jump’ and was unhappily anticipating the next storm. One day he took a square stone from the river and began carving intricate symbols into it, as deep as possible; he wanted the tale to last for the eons it would pass through as the base mount for the rock. He told Dammi the symbols were something known in the cycle called 2010, rarely used; they had been invented in the cycle called 1873.
And as a final crowning celebration Dammi asked for a Mother Festival. The smallest children were given a small drink of sleeping potion, the older ones would shyly watch or not. Petar danced languidly with a young woman named Camelia, she reminded him very much of Oriana - he now realised he missed his main ‘tutor’ very much.
As he led Camelia to the furs, he knew he would never let her know he was making love to another woman he may never meet again. But both still found great pleasure and delight at the Pleasuring.
The following night the camp was in uproar as he failed to return from the final late latrine visit as promised to Camelia’s own furs.
This Dammi also returned to his tent alone, renewing the small light in front of the figure of Dam. “‘May Dam guide your way, Petar, and no harm befall you.”
Petar awoke by the side of a small clearing in what looked like jungle. He had never known jungle proper, but had learned with Oriana and Robin. Was that railing hidden in the trellising vines? And great gates?
He walked carefully through the opening; the gates were held with well worn posts and would have already fallen if it were not for the twining vines, flowering with small trumpet shaped creamy white blooms. The museum had gone, a crumbling large off white building of curious design stood in its place, windows long gone.
But the Bear Camp was still there behind the unknown ruins …..