[Mkguild] Hunting the Ice age Part 9

[cokane8116 at aol.com]

    “Dust Off is inbound!” Kristen announcedloudly. “Keep back.”    A loud whining noise filled the air and alarge VTOL aircraft slowly descended. The downdraft from it’s powerful bladeswhipped up the snow into a momentary cyclonic snowstorm. The pitch of theengines lowered as they were set to idle. The winds died down to somethingtolerable.    A large loading ramp lowered and two menwearing the modern clothing of an emergency worker raced out. Both were carryingstretchers.    Kristen trotted up to them. “Two patientsand two passengers.  Two are human, theothers feline.”    The flight officer nodded. Philip the humanwas loaded onto one stretcher and Sasha the smilodon was loaded onto the other(specially reinforced) stretcher. Both were quickly taken aboard the ambulancewith their worried wives.    The engines roared loudly and the cyclonicwinds returned briefly. Everyone huddled down until the VTOL had lifted offtaking the strong winds with it.    There was silence for a moment as theywatched the aircraft race from sight.    “Where are they headed?” Jonathan asked.    “The island hospital,” Reuben answered. “It’sa fully equipped, modern one for humans and animals. They’ll get great care.”    “How did our ancestors do this?” Someone asked.“Without getting everyone killed.”    “Next time I see one I’ll ask.”    “They did have several thousand years ofpractice.”    “How would they have handled Philipsinjuries back then?” Jonathan asked.    The archaeologist shrugged. “We’re notexactly sure but they seem to have had a basic knowledge of simple medicine.Broken bones and light injuries were easily handled. But a major injury wouldultimately be fatal.”    “I wonder how many of our ancestors dieddoing the same thing we tried?”    “No telling really. But we do find remainsall the time with injuries or signs of healed ones.”    “Now I understand why their life expectancywas thirty-five,” the one man said as he bandaged his right arm.    “Let’s get back to the village for a rethinkon our strategy,” the leopard ordered.  *******************     The group gathered around the fire thatburned at the center of the village. Chairs and mats were brought out forcomfort. Food and drink soon followed and the depressed mood soon brightened.    “That was a lot harder than expected,”someone muttered.    “We all live and learn,” one of the humans added.    “I knew it would be hard but I didn’t thinkit would be THIS hard.”    “From now on,” Kristen ordered. “On everyhunt someone will carry a modern rifle. Just for emergency.”    “A hunting rifle won’t stop him,” Briancommented. “Unless it’s one of those big .50 Cal guns. “    “How about a Javelin Antitank missile.”    “How about an assault rifle with a grenadelauncher attached. If the bullets don’t do it the grenade will.”    “An excellent idea.”    “That’s all good for the future but whatabout now? So how do we do this?” Phillipe asked.    “Herding him using fire and noise workedwell,” the sabertooth said. “We were able to get him to go where we wanted.”    “Things got ugly when we got in close,” Jakeadded.    “He’s a lot more agile than I expected.”    Darrell nodded. “No wonder they invented thebow, spear, javelin and atlatl. All ranged weapons.”    One of the lions extended a paw with hisclaws out. “That’s not really an option for some of us.”    “They used to stampede herds off cliffs,” Briancommented.    A woman shook her head. “No cliffs. We dohave some steep hills.”    Jonathan was seated by the fire andlistening to the conversation as he gnawed at the bone. He did find it oddlysoothing and relaxing. “How about a large pit trap. Really just a deep hole,camouflaged.”    “That could work but how deep would it needto be?” Kristen asked.    Brian pondered for a moment. “At least twentyfeet deep and fifty long.”    “That’s not a hole, it’s an antitanktrench.”    “It would take forever to dig a hole thatbig.”    “The ditch didn’t work. Why should a hole?”    “The ditch was a good idea, Kristen countered.“We just didn’t expect him to stop so fast or turn around so quick.”    “We should have camouflaged it.”    “What if we maneuvered him out onto the ice?If it was slippery, he couldn’t move fast. Make him an easier target.”    “If it’s too slippery for him it will be tooslippery for us.”    “What if we dug away one side of a hill? Soinstead of the hill gently sloping down it will be a sudden drop off. We scarehim up the hill and he falls down.”    “We can plant spikes at the bottom! Make itmore deadly!”    “If we pour water on it; it will freeze andmake the slope slippery.”    “it will mean a lot less digging.”    “I can help with the earthmoving,” theleopard said. “I know a friend who can help.”    “Sounds like a good plan!”    Several people nodded in agreement.    “We’ve called in reinforcements,” thelioness said in a humorous tone. “We’d like you to meet Donald. Head ofsecurity.”    The figure that walked into the village was. . . B I G!    The bear was at least five feet tall at theshoulder and he was walking on all fours! He had to weigh at least half a ton;all of it muscle, claws and teeth.    “Good to meet you,” the bear growled in astrong tone. “I’m a big fan of your show.”    Thank you,” Jonathan stuttered as he looked upat the mountain of fur in front of him. “BIG fan. Dear God you’re big. I’ve hadcars smaller than you.”    That got a round of laughter from everyone.    “Everything here is big!”  ************** 
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