Showcase #74

IT COULD BE YOU

Anthro, the first Cro-Magnon boy, is developing into a man. He spies on a lovely young woman from another tribe while she is swimming, but his father Ne-ahn warns him to be careful of the other tribes in the area. And women are the deadliest beasts of them all. The two of them go out for hunting, preparing food for their family in the long winter ahead of them.  In the middle of a Mammoth hunt, Ne-ahn is wounded and Anthro's spear is destroyed. Anthro grabs his father's spear and slays the beast, but in doing so invokes an ancient custom whereby he has challenged his father for leadership. This cannot be taken back, and the two of them must fight to the death to see who will lead their tribe. Anthro is reluctant to harm his father, and dodges his blows... eventually Ne-ahn tires himself out and is unable to fight further. Having won the competition, he makes a new law revoking the old one so he is not required to murder the man who raised him in cold blood. They have all learned a powerful lesson, and are able to peacefully return to their lives.