Beyond Belief (Clan of the Ice Mountains Book 4) Read online

  BEYOND BELIEF

  Book Four: Clan of the Ice Mountains

  By C.S. Bills

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Word from the Author

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Acknowledgements

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Epilogue

  Word from the Author

  You can find me on amazon.com. Visit my Amazon author page to see my other books, and use the comment section to ask a question or leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. The events and characters described herein are imaginary and are not intended to refer to specific places or living persons. The opinions expressed in this manuscript are solely the opinions of the author and do not represent the opinions or thoughts of the publisher. The author has represented and warranted full ownership and/or legal right to publish all the materials in this book. Beyond Belief: Clan of the Ice Mountains (Book four). All Rights Reserved.

  ISBN-13 978-1534829923

  ISBN-10 15342992X

  Copyright © 2016 C.S Bills.

  Bethany Eicher, editor. Cover and formatting by Jeff Bennington.

  Published by Highest Hope Publishing LLC.

  This book may not be reproduced, transmitted, or stored in whole or in part by any means, including graphic, electronic, or mechanical without the express written consent of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  Dedication

  To Chloe Min and Miriam Wren:

  Blessed additions to our Clan!

  Acknowledgements

  Thanks again to Bethany Eicher, my invaluable editor

  and mentor. It has been an awesome adventure working with you!

  Chapter 1

  Attu stood at the end of a rocky finger of land extending far out into the bay. A stiff breeze blew through his fur trimmed parka hood, and his eyes stung. All around him the ice groaned as large hunks of it pushed against each other like male nuknuks during the breeding season.

  Soon Broken Rock Bay will be a solid Expanse strong enough to walk on.

  Attu turned back and looked at the six hills a couple of spear throws from the shoreline. He and Rika had built a sturdy shelter there just two moons ago. And now, under the protection of the largest hill, wrapped in the love and attention of all the women of the Clan, Rika was giving birth to their first child, and Attu had been banished from camp until she did.

  Attu’s spirit called to him to run as fast as he could back to the shelter and Rika, but he knew the women of the Clan would stop him long before he got to her side.

  Suka will come with the news. Soon.

  Attuanin, please keep Rika and my new son or daughter safe!

  Women sometimes died in childbirth... and Rika was the Clan’s healer.

  What if something goes wrong and no one else knows what to do to save her?

  Rika’s child was not the first to be born in this new place, far to the north of the Raven Clan they’d fled and the camp of their new friends, the Nukeena. While Attu battled the killer whales fishes’ desire to attack and eat them all, his Clan had paddled their skin boats around the peninsula and into this bay, through the narrow openings between the teeth-like boulders standing guard over the bay’s mouth. The Clan had built their shelters and explored most of the area surrounding their new home when, as the Elder women gone Between had promised Attu’s Clan, it was time to receive Attuanin’s gift. The babies started coming.

  Yural had been first to give birth. Rika thought the poolik was coming too early, but Yural assured her both Attu and Meavu had been born before Elder Nuanu thought Yural’s time had come. And Yural had delivered a healthy boy.

  “A son to hunt for me in my old age,” Ubantu said, and the rest of the Clan had laughed. Ubantu was as strong as a tuskie, and Attu had never seen his father so healthy. Life on the water had made them all vigorous.

  When it had been Farnook’s turn and Suka was banned from camp, he circled just outside it, calling again and again for a report on his woman until even Attu, who understood Suka’s concern, grew tired of his pacing.

  “You are like an old ice bear, looking for easy game,” Attu said. “Go hunt something. We’ll come get you when it’s over.”

  But Suka had just scowled at Attu and kept circling.

  Farnook was small, and the baby had come with difficulty. After a day and night of labor, a girl child was born. She was tiny, and her resemblance to Farnook, with her darker skin and delicate features, had Suka entranced from the moment he laid eyes on her. Rika told Attu she didn’t know who’d been more exhausted afterward. She’d left the three of them sleeping, Farnook and the babe both exhausted from delivery, and Suka from pacing the entire time his woman labored.

  Several other pooliks followed, and soon the air was filled with infant cries day and night. The entire camp smelled of wetness coverings. Keanu, Nuka, and Meavu, who was due with her own poolik in two more moons, rushed from one shelter to another helping to care for the new mothers and their babies. Suanu, with her son, Brovik, riding in her hood, assisted as much as she could, and Veshria helped also, often shadowd by her young daughter Tishria, who was eager to run and fetch for the women as they worked. Attu was thankful Veshria had rallied after the stillbirth of her last child, taking her place again among the women. Veshria seemed more at peace now.

  The new fathers walked around with perpetual smiles. United under their new Clan tattoo, the People of the Waters rejoiced in the gift of so many new children.

  And now it was Attu’s turn to pace, to wait, and to be banned from camp until word was sent of their new child.

  “I wish Rika was my only worry right now,” Attu whispered. Nagging thoughts had been eating at him ever since he’d returned to camp.

  The hunters had explored north and south along the coast and into the caves, but not past their hills and the next range of hills to the east. The landscape was barren there except for low-growing plants. Most thought it held only small game animals and birds, and the men were too busy hunting seals and fishing to take time to walk the area. That morning, Attu had decided he would take a day to do it. It was close to camp, and Rika was due to deliver their child any day.

  “You won’t go too far,” Rika had urged.

  “No, I’ll be back before dark,” Attu had reassured her. And he’d kept his word, returning even earlier than she’d expected. Climbing up over the last hill before their settlement, he had seen Suka running to meet him.

  “Rika is laboring,” he said, and the two dashed back to the settlement.

  Why didn’t you tell me? Attu mind spoke to Rika as they neared his shelter.

  I want to follow tradition in this. Now mind the women.

  Suka and Attu reached Attu’s shelter, only to have the women shoo them both away. The men walked slowly back toward the beach.

  Rika, Attu had tried again.

  No re
sponse.

  Rika? Rika!

  I mean it. This is women’s work, and I’ll be fine. I don’t want you in my thoughts right now. I need to concentrate on delivering this baby. You can’t help me, and it would only pain you to know how much this will hurt.

  Rika!

  Nothing.

  “Rika won’t let me mind speak with her.” Attu heard the desperation in his voice, but he couldn’t help himself.

  For once Suka didn’t joke with Attu, but looked with understanding at his cousin.

  “Why didn’t she tell me she would block me out when her time came?”

  “Because she knew you’d try to argue her out of her decision.”

  Attu swore.

  “Sorry. I’ve got to grab the net I need to repair.” Suka turned and started loping back along the path they’d worn between the shelters and the beach.

  “Suka, I need...” But the path curved sharply among some boulders, and Suka was already out of sight.

  Attu walked toward the open water at the southern tip of the bay. His thoughts were in turmoil and Attu instinctively sought the water, near his name spirit, Attuanin. Attuanin had spoken to him when Attu’s mind was in the killer whale fish, and his name spirit’s wisdom had strengthened Attu.

  He stood on the rocky tip of the bay now and let the wind blow in his face. But its freshness didn’t clear his thoughts. “Still I stand here, worried about both Rika and what I saw today,” Attu mumbled to himself. He stood for a long while, looking out over the bay, his mind filled with anxiety. He hated feeling like this. So helpless.

  The sound of footsteps on rocks caused Attu to look back toward camp. His father, Ubantu, was walking toward him. The sun was on the edge of the horizon. More time had passed than Attu had realized, so lost had he been in his own thoughts.

  “The baby?” Attu rushed to his father.

  “Not yet, my son. Have patience. Your mother assures me all is going well. She sent me to tell you.”

  “Good.” Attu took a moment to let his father’s words sink in. Rika was doing well. But as his worry about Rika abated for the moment, the other worry surfaced again. “Father, I saw something today while I was out exploring.”

  “What?”

  “I came up over one of the hills, farther to the south than we’ve passed through before, and in the distance I saw a dark man-shape standing on the top of a low hill. It startled me so much I couldn’t breathe. I fell to the ground, hoping the man hadn’t seen my outline against the sky like I was seeing his.”

  “A man? Just one?” Ubantu faced his son.

  “I asked myself, ‘Where did he come from? Why is he standing there, alone and unmoving?’ But I looked closer and realized it was not a man at all, but rocks arranged to look like a hunter.”

  Ubantu popped his lips. “Made of rocks?”

  “Yes. Large rocks. I walked across the flat area and up the hill to its crest, where the rocks were piled. When I got close to it, it became obvious that the man-shape had been constructed.”

  “Who did this thing? And why?” Ubantu asked.

  “That’s what I want to know. And where are they now?”

  “Did the rocks look like someone moved them there recently?”

  “No. They’d been there for a while. A small plant was growing out of the crevice between two of them. On the north side of the rocks, moss and lichens clung to the surface.”

  “But whoever built it could still be in the area, even though we haven’t seen anyone since we arrived.” Ubantu’s thick brows creased.

  “Or they could come through seasonally, following some game.”

  “Attu! Attu!” Suka ran up the peninsula, dodging the large rocks on the beach in the growing darkness.

  “Rika! Is she all right?” Attu asked, as Suka bent over, his hands on his knees to catch his breath.

  “She’s fine!” Suka straightened and beamed at the two of them. “You have a son!” he exclaimed.

  “A son!” Attu said. “I-”

  “And a daughter.” Suka grinned. “Both strong and healthy.”

  “Two babies?” Attu sat down hard on a nearby rock as Ubantu and Suka took turns pounding him on the back.

  “Two?” Attu repeated. “A boy and a girl?”

  Ubantu and Suka roared with laughter and slapped their thighs at Attu’s incredulous look.

  Attu grinned up at his father and cousin, an ear-splitting smile that made the two other men laugh again. Realizing he was still sitting on the rock, Attu leaped up. “What are we waiting for? Come on!” Attu ran back to camp, Suka and his father right behind him.

  “I’m fine,” Rika said, as Attu asked her for the tenth time if she needed anything. “I’m doing well, just tired.” Rika smiled, lifting her hand to Attu’s face briefly before resting it back on the baby nestled at her side.

  Meavu balanced the other newborn on her protruding stomach as her eyes danced between her brother and Rika.

  “They are small,” Attu said. “Are you sure they’re all right?” He sat down on the furs beside Rika and touched the fuzzy dark hair of his son.

  “Each is as large as Farnook’s daughter, and she is doing well,” Rika said. She yawned. “And now we know why I grew large so fast and why it felt like the baby within me never went to the Between of sleep, but was forever kicking...” She closed her eyes.

  “Because four little feet were kicking,” Attu finished her thought, grinning at his woman. “And four little hands were pushing.”

  But Rika had fallen asleep.

  “Here, hold your daughter,” Meavu said. “Elder Nuka will be here soon, and Rika needs to sleep. I’m getting some sleep, too.”

  “But I-” Attu protested. Meavu tucked a small bundle into his arms, and before he could stop her she patted his shoulder and left the shelter.

  Attu looked down at his new daughter. She gazed back at him. Still wrinkled, she looked like a wise old woman, not a poolik. Attu touched her cheek and she turned toward his fingers, her lips moving, seeking milk.

  “Now that I can’t provide for you,” Attu whispered. He slid his fingers over her hair: thick, dark, curly tresses, longer than he’d seen on any of the other babies. She was beautiful.

  Beside Rika, Attu’s new son whimpered, opening his mouth and uttering a small, mewling cry.

  “Oh no,” Attu said. “Your mother needs to sleep.” He scooped the infant up with his free arm, balancing them both toes to toes in the crooks of his arms. “Attuanin, you have greatly blessed me,” Attu whispered as two sets of eyes—dark like the glossy rock in the hills—shone up at him out of two almost identical faces.

  Attu sat back against a shelter pole and jiggled his new son and daughter on his knees. His son mewled again, and Attu adjusted his wrappings. It was hard to do, and Attu put both babies into his left arm, side by side, as he adjusted the wrappings with his right hand. As soon as the babies were touching, his son stopped crying. His daughter’s hand escaped the wrappings and found her brother’s ear. His son squirmed and wriggled his hand free. The babies continued searching for each other.

  Attu unwrapped both pooliks quickly, for the night air was becoming chilly inside the shelter, even with a good fire. He laid the babies side by side, and then wrapped them up together. Both stopped squirming and turned slightly, as if to get a good look at the person they’d been sharing that warm, dark space with for so many moons before they were born. Satisfied they had found each other again, both babies’ eyes closed, and as Attu watched, they fell asleep. He tucked them back in with their mother and turned to warm up some fish stew Rika had made earlier. He was hungry, and Rika would be too, once she awoke.

  “They like being near each other?” Elder Nuka asked, as she entered the shelter.

  “My son was beginning to fuss, but near his sister, he seems content.” Attu looked to the Elder. He wasn’t sure he’d done the right thing by wrapping the two together, even though it was working.

  “May it be so forever,” Elde
r Nuka said. “For twin spirits are woven together, and like a rope of more than one strand, together they are more powerful than each alone. That twin spirits are born to our leader and our healer, Nuviks strong in the Gifts, is a good omen for our people.”

  Elder Nuka wiped her cheeks roughly, turning away from Attu to hide her tears. She bustled around the shelter, putting things back in order from the birth and shooing Attu out before he had a chance to eat.

  “I’ll call you when Rika awakes,” she assured him. “Go. Hear the congratulations of the rest of the Clan. Keanu has prepared fish over the camp’s main fire, and Suka is telling stories.”

  “You should have seen Attu’s face when I told him he was the father of twins!”

  Suka was regaling the rest of the men as Attu rounded the shelter nearest where the hunters had gathered around the fire. The men popped their lips in approval as Suka mimicked Attu’s look of astonishment before falling sideways back onto his furs.

  “Oh, Suka. You make everything so much better in the retelling than it actually was when it happened,” Attu said as he slid into an open spot and someone handed him a bowl of hot food. He took a bite then choked on it as the men slapped him on the back and congratulated him on the birth of his twins.

  “We shouldn’t be surprised,” Suka began again. “Attu almost always comes out on top in any contest. He would be the one whose woman bore two babies at once. You know Attu. He’s so desperate to win at everything. He probably persuaded Attuanin to let him win at fatherhood as well.”

  Attu looked to his cousin and frowned. Everyone knows it’s Suka who always needs to win whenever there’s a competition between us, and it’s Suka who makes everything into a contest in the first place.

  Suka kept still, letting the moment hang—everyone looking at him—before he burst into laughter and ended with a mischievous grin and a wink at Attu. Realizing Suka was pulling a joke on himself, the men joined in.

  Attu settled back into the furs around the fire. He was tired. The waiting and worrying had worn him out more than a three-day trek across the Expanse hauling a full-grown nuknuk.