(http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/news/2012/august/denisovan-dna-suggests-a-dark-complexion-and-interbreeding113697.html) 31 August 2012
At last they were close enough to see the trees clearly. Jeek was a little disappointed that they were so small, but any trees were better than the endless plain they had been across. He blinked when he realized that there were beings standing in the trees, watching them approach. Some were almost taller than the scrubby growth. They were all taller than the Hamapas. But they did not look like the Tall Ones that he had known. Some of the brothers and sisters of Jeek had dark hair and dark eyes, but these new people were like none he had ever seen, with hair, eyes, and skin darker than a night when Brother Moon stays away and cloud garments hide the many eyes of Mother Sky.
The dark ones watched the tired band approach, not moving, not speaking. They were so different, they would probably not understand any Hamapa words or thoughts, Jeek thought.
Hama raised her hand for them to stop at the foot of a hill. The strangers stood slightly above them on the side of the small rise.
Hama sent a greeting to them with thought-speak. Jeek knew it would not work, but it was good to try, to be certain. Next, Hama tried loud speech.
“Vishoo?” Hama asked. That meant hill people.
“Hoo hoo,” one of them answered.
“Hoo hoo hoo,” echoed the rest.
Hama pointed to her group. “Hoody. Hamamapapa,” telling them to listen, these were the Hamapa people.
Several of the tall dark strangers took up the chant, “Hoody, hoody, hoody.”
Vala Golden Hair, who had been lagging behind, caught up to the group. Bodd Blow Striker had walked with her and carried the baby. Jeek thought she looked more pale than she usually did. She staggered forward to the front of the group, held her hands out to the strangers, and fell to her knees. Then she pitched forward onto her face before anyone could grab her. Her hair flowed around her face and onto the dirt like a golden river.
Panan and Tog started forward, and Bodd reached out with the arm not carrying Sooka, but one of the strangers darted down the hill and got to her first. “Woo woo? Moo moo?” he asked. Without waiting for answers to his incomprehensible questions, he gestured to one of his companions. One other came forward with a skin sac of water, and held it to her lips.
When Vala had revived enough to stand and walk, she and the exhausted band followed the strangers to their village. Bodd stayed close to Vala.
Jeek could see that these people were friendly, so far, but would they stay that way? How could anyone tell if they would or not? Were they luring them to the village to eat them? He was almost to the point that he would have gone along with that. He couldn’t go much farther without more to eat. None of them could.
Jeek was cheered when he smelled smoke, then saw the ashes of a fire. Fire meant food—he hoped. Beyond the firepit were some huts, but they were not proper houses. Instead, they were made of large pieces of a skin he had never seen, and were propped up with poles of tree branches. There was a peculiar odor spread throughout the settlement, vaguely unpleasant. He approached the one who had brought the water sac to Vala and sniffed him. These people had their own peculiar smell.
He overheard Enga and Tog speculating about the flimsy dwellings.
I think they might be portable , Tog thought-spoke. Maybe they move about following their prey.
That is possible , Enga answered. Do you remember the Saga of Our Ancestors, the one that tells about the time when they roamed much of the while?
Jeek had not heard that one for a long time, but now he recalled it. Of course, there was also the Saga of coming to the village from a faraway land. That one was about travel, but Enga referred to another Saga, one that told of the Hamapa when they were not settled in one place and moved to follow the animals they hunted. There were not so many
At last they were close enough to see the trees clearly. Jeek was a little disappointed that they were so small, but any trees were better than the endless plain they had been across. He blinked when he realized that there were beings standing in the trees, watching them approach. Some were almost taller than the scrubby growth. They were all taller than the Hamapas. But they did not look like the Tall Ones that he had known. Some of the brothers and sisters of Jeek had dark hair and dark eyes, but these new people were like none he had ever seen, with hair, eyes, and skin darker than a night when Brother Moon stays away and cloud garments hide the many eyes of Mother Sky.
The dark ones watched the tired band approach, not moving, not speaking. They were so different, they would probably not understand any Hamapa words or thoughts, Jeek thought.
Hama raised her hand for them to stop at the foot of a hill. The strangers stood slightly above them on the side of the small rise.
Hama sent a greeting to them with thought-speak. Jeek knew it would not work, but it was good to try, to be certain. Next, Hama tried loud speech.
“Vishoo?” Hama asked. That meant hill people.
“Hoo hoo,” one of them answered.
“Hoo hoo hoo,” echoed the rest.
Hama pointed to her group. “Hoody. Hamamapapa,” telling them to listen, these were the Hamapa people.
Several of the tall dark strangers took up the chant, “Hoody, hoody, hoody.”
Vala Golden Hair, who had been lagging behind, caught up to the group. Bodd Blow Striker had walked with her and carried the baby. Jeek thought she looked more pale than she usually did. She staggered forward to the front of the group, held her hands out to the strangers, and fell to her knees. Then she pitched forward onto her face before anyone could grab her. Her hair flowed around her face and onto the dirt like a golden river.
Panan and Tog started forward, and Bodd reached out with the arm not carrying Sooka, but one of the strangers darted down the hill and got to her first. “Woo woo? Moo moo?” he asked. Without waiting for answers to his incomprehensible questions, he gestured to one of his companions. One other came forward with a skin sac of water, and held it to her lips.
When Vala had revived enough to stand and walk, she and the exhausted band followed the strangers to their village. Bodd stayed close to Vala.
Jeek could see that these people were friendly, so far, but would they stay that way? How could anyone tell if they would or not? Were they luring them to the village to eat them? He was almost to the point that he would have gone along with that. He couldn’t go much farther without more to eat. None of them could.
Jeek was cheered when he smelled smoke, then saw the ashes of a fire. Fire meant food—he hoped. Beyond the firepit were some huts, but they were not proper houses. Instead, they were made of large pieces of a skin he had never seen, and were propped up with poles of tree branches. There was a peculiar odor spread throughout the settlement, vaguely unpleasant. He approached the one who had brought the water sac to Vala and sniffed him. These people had their own peculiar smell.
He overheard Enga and Tog speculating about the flimsy dwellings.
I think they might be portable , Tog thought-spoke. Maybe they move about following their prey.
That is possible , Enga answered. Do you remember the Saga of Our Ancestors, the one that tells about the time when they roamed much of the while?
Jeek had not heard that one for a long time, but now he recalled it. Of course, there was also the Saga of coming to the village from a faraway land. That one was about travel, but Enga referred to another Saga, one that told of the Hamapa when they were not settled in one place and moved to follow the animals they hunted. There were not so many
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