Rahan. Episode Twenty-Six. The Mammoth Killer. by Roger Lecureux. A Puke (TM) Comic.

Rahan.

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Episode Twenty-Six.

The Mammoth Killer.

The son of Crao, charged by a large mammoth, had made the mistake of taking refuge in an isolated tree.
He was now at the mercy of the monster whose trunk furiously whipped the lower branches.

Rahan should have fled to the forest!
"Two-Teeth" will uproot the tree!
Baroom!

Crack!
Each thrust of the mammoth shook the trunk dangerously and roots were already springing from the ground.

Page Two:

The Ivory Knife that the son of fierce ages hugged was useless to him.
“Two-Teeth” is too large! Rahan cannot strike at the Heart!

The son of fierce ages, hugging his ivory cutlass, suddenly fell in a crash of branches, burying him under a maze of foliage.

Through a gap he glimpsed the fearsome tusks of the mammoth that was charging.
Rahan will no longer see the sun or the moon.
He will rejoin the land of the shadows.

But the monster stopped, sending a terrifying roar skyward. A long but solid spear was stuck in his side.
Strok!

Rahan made out the hunter who, at thirty paces, was already throwing a second spear.
Rahan thanks you for helping him brother!
Oh!

Page Three:

Turning his anger against this unknown hunter, the monster charged heavily at him.
The man shouted a hateful challenge and fled to the forest.

You aided Rahan!
Rahan will aide you against the “Two-Tooth”!

The hunter, who had just reached the thick copse, could have disappeared there.
But he waited until the mammoth was very close to him to take his course again!

Rahan understands!
You want to lure "Two-Tooth" into a trap!
The man was now rushing into a clearing.

Rahan saw him running nimbly on a bamboo trunk, lying on some grass.
Grasses that did not have the same hue as the surroundings.

Page Four:

A moment later, the great mammoth tumbled into the pit concealed by this carpet of grass.
Without worrying about the monster, the hunter disappeared into the thicket.

The clamor which arose nearby, perhaps explained his flight?
But why was such a brave hunter running away from his clan?

A club flying out of the bushes hit the neck of the son of Crao.
He did not see the men appear, brandishing spears.

When he came to he was hanging upside down by his feet.
Who are you?
Why are you behaving like an enemy in our territory?

I am Rahan, son of Crao!
And I am not an enemy!
So why did he trap a "two-tooth"?
The man was pointing to the pit where the mammoth was dying.

Page Five:

There will soon be no more “two-teeth” on our territory!
The clan watched in dismay the monster impaled on stakes at the bottom of the trap.

And the horde will go hungry again!
Why did Rahan kill that "Two-Tooth" that we had been saving for ages!

Rahan would have killed it if he could have!
But it was not Rahan who lured it into this trap.

It was a brave hunter with fiery hair, whom Rahan could not even thank!
Ho-Nak!

You have heard of him!?
It is a new crime of Ho-Nak against the horde!!
Untie Rahan!

Page Six:

The clan remained hostile.
Rahan is not telling the truth!
He lies to save his life!
Do not listen to him, Baho!!

How would Rahan know that Ho-Nak had fire hair if he had not seen it?
And Rahan could not know the location of this trap!

That is why Baho believes him!
With the help of the ivory knife, the chief of the clan himself freed the son of the fierce ages.

Who allowed himself to be led to the hunter's village.
Why does the horde resent Ho-Nak for killing a "Two-Tooth"?

Because Ho-Nak has lost his mind! It's the fourth "Two-Tooth" that he slaughters unnecessarily!

Page Seven:

Baho narrated how Ho-Nak had abandoned the horde a few moons earlier.
Ever since, the Fire-Haired Man hunted for himself alone.

Or rather Ho-Nak does not hunt!
He kills for the pleasure of killing!
And the meat of the "Deux-Dents" that he slaughters rots on the spot, in the traps or the swamps!
If we do not stop this killing there won't be a single "Two-Tooth" alive in the bad season.
And hunger will decimate the horde!

For days and days we have been looking for Ho-Nak!
Alas.
He is a skilled hunter.
He always knew how to escape us!

Rahan is also a skilled hunter.
But he does not approve of Ho-Nak's conduct!
Oh! What are you doing?

Page Eight:

On an order from Baho, men overpowered him, and snatched away his ivory Knife.
You gave Baho an idea!

Ho-Nak escapes us because he knows all the hunters of the horde.
But he does not know Rahan!

If you find him you can approach him without arousing his mistrust!
Bring back Ho-Nak and we will return your knife to you!

The son of Crao had no choice.
He either abandoned his precious knife to Baho.
Or he could track down the man to whom he owed his life!

Rahan will go hunting this very night!
If you succeed, our wives and children will owe you a great deal!

Page Nine:

The rough hands of the chief gently caressed the hair of his children.
Rahan understood the feelings of these starving hunters.

But delivering them a man without whom he would have joined the "Territory of Shadows".
Was that not a crime?

If it had not been for the ivory knife, he might have abandoned these hunters to their quarrels.
But there was the knife!
So, at nightfall, he went hunting.

Not far from the trap, he found Ho-Nak's tracks.
Despite the darkness he knew, just by feeling the ground.
Whether he was following the track of an animal. Or a man.

At dawn, the traces of the hunter were linked to those of a mammoth.
Ho-Nak has found another "Two-Tooth" thought Rahan.
He is following his trail!

Page Ten:

The great river shimmered in the sun when he saw the man.
This one hardened the points of his spears in the fire and his hair was the color of flames.

It was Ho-Nak the mammoth-slayer!
He straightened up suddenly!
Who are you?
I have never seen you in this territory!

I am Rahan, whom you saved from a "Deux-Dents" yesterday!
The man was confused.
From his expression, Rahan understood that the man had not seen him, the day before, under the uprooted tree.

Ho-Nak did not act to help Rahan, only to lure the "Two-Tooth" into the trap!
Made as it was in the fierce ages, this thought made the task less difficult.

Rahan promised Baho to bring you home!
The spear point was still smoking when he got up.

Page Eleven:

Mine have been tracking me for ages!
They have become my enemies and since Rahan obeys Baho, He is also my enemy!
He will die. Like a "Two-Tooth"!

The spear shrieked in the ears of the son of Crao who had foreseen this reaction.
Ho-Nak will learn that Rahan is more agile than a "Two-Tooth"!

The hunter had no time to grab another spear.
The two men rolled on the muddy bank.

Cries of joy arose and the children of Baho emerged from the thickets.
We have been following you, Rahan!
We wanted to see how you would capture Ho-Nak!!

The furious hand-to-hand combat had dragged the two men into the water, fortunately though the river was not very deep.
Ho-Nak was as tough as his opponent.

Page Twelve:

He took over for a moment and now Rahan's face was underwater.
Ho-Nak meant you no harm.
But if you obey Baho, you must die!

The children followed the fight with anxiety.
Would the fearsome Ho-Nak drown Rahan!?

No! The son of Crao had freed himself, bracing himself on his back.
His Legs exploded, catapulting the mammoth-slayer.
Ra-ha-ha!

As the two men stood up, the trumpeting of a "Two-Tooth" resounded.
Over there, the mammoth was charging the children!

Hate twisted the features of Ho-Nak, who rushed to the bank in front of Rahan.
No!
You will not kill those children, “Two-Tooth"!!
Rahan was confused.

Page Thirteen:

Pulling out the spear stuck in the ground, Ho-Nak, with incredible courage, went to meet the monster!

A few steps from the beast, he threw his weapon.
It penetrated the breast of the Mammoth which continued its course.

And the son of Crao saw the hunter knocked down, and disappear between the huge legs of the monster.

The audacious diversion of Ho-Nak had allowed the children of Baho to take refuge in the Bushes.
Ho-Nak saved us! He, He, Sacrificed himself for us!

The mammoth was now charging Rahan, who had armed himself with one of Ho-Nak's spears.

Page Fourteen:

The spear, thrown with violence, flew towards the hairy chest and penetrated deeply.
Schronk!
Ra-ha-ha!

The sky darkened above Rahan, who felt as if an avalanche of hair was burying him.
Ah! Argh!

Something suddenly encircled him and the sky appeared again.
Snatched up by the trunk, he saw the monstrous spine of the “Two-Tooth”.

He also glimpses there, Ho-Nak coming back to him.
Then the whole landscape turned upside down.

The Mammoth had thrown him to the ground!
Stunned by the shock, he vaguely distinguished the monster which, after having moved away, was going to charge him again.

Page Fifteen:

Rahan saw that he was only a few paces from the fire over which Ho-Nak had hardened the points of his spears.

The last of these spears had remained in the fire and the hardwood was beginning to blaze.
Ra-ha-ha!

Rahan became aware that the ground was shaking behind him.
The mammoth was attacking!
Approach “Two-Tooth”! Rahan is waiting for you!!

Ho-Nak, from afar, was yelling vengeful encouragement!
Kill him Rahan! Kill him! Then I will know peace!

As the monster came upon him, the son of Crao leapt aside.
You won't surprise Rahan twice "Two-Tooth"!

Page Sixteen:

The tip of the flaming spear that he had just thrown disappeared into the mammoth's thick fleece.
Ra-ha-ha!

A flame rose immediately, devouring the side of the beast.
It ran to the spine, and wrapped around its paws.

A moment later, the entire fleece of the mastodon was blazing like a torch.
Barking with fear and pain, it fled towards the forest.

The children arrived and Ho-Nak rushed towards Rahan.
Hatred had fled from the hunter's gaze.
The last “Two-tooth” will not go far!

The last!? What does Ho-Nak mean?
Ho-Nak had sworn to kill five "Two-Tooths"!
This was the fifth!

Page Seventeen:

But why kill five "Two-Teeth"?
Because a few moons ago Ho-Nak had a wife and four children.

And Ho-Nak no longer has a wife or children!

All of them were massacred by a herd of "Two-Toothed" as they were going to the river!
Ho-Nak has sworn to avenge them by killing a "Two-Tooth" for everyone he loves!

Why did not Baho say this to Rahan!?
Baho claims that the interests of the horde must be placed above their feelings!

He may be right, but he would have to understand Ho-Nak!
Rahan understands him!
What will Rahan do!?

Page Eighteen:

What he promised Baho: To bring Ho-Nak home!
Mine will kill me!
No! Cried the Children. We will say Ho-Nak saved us! Baho will forgive you!

The son of Crao watched Baho's children with a smile.
An idea came to him.
There may be a better way to convince Baho!!

The sun was sinking behind the distant mountains when Rahan and the Mammoth-Killer arrived at the village.
There reigned the greatest excitement.

Rahan kept his promise, Baho.
He Brings Back Ho-Nak!
To the devil with Ho-Nak!
Can you not see my Pain!?

My two sons have been missing since last night!
No one has been able to find their traces!
But what do you have!?
Rahan's face darkened.

Page Nineteen:

Rahan discovered the corpses of two young children, near the river.
They had been crushed, trampled and mangled by the "Two Teeth"!

Baho seemed to faint, but he pulled himself together and his gaze filled with hatred.
If these corpses are those of his sons.

Baho will kill two "Two-Tooth" with his own hands!!
One to avenge my son Kaik! One as vengeance for my son Look!!

Ho-Nak did not react any differently, Baho!
But you, you will not have to go hunting!
What?

Rahan cried out and the two children appeared on the crest of a mound.
Look! Kaik!

Page Twenty:

They happily descended the slope.
Why did you lie Rahan?
So that you could better understand the feeling that Ho-Nak has more reason to kill "Two-teeth"!

But Rahan only half lied!
Without Ho-Nak, you would never have seen your sons alive again!

Shortly after, Kaik and Look relayed the death of the fifth mammoth.
A death that finally brought peace to the heart and mind of Ho-Nak.

This night would have pleased Crao!
He liked so much that “Those-who-walk-upright” understood each other!
Rahan savored this moment, when a horde finds one of his own.

Crao's son lived among these hunters until the morning when, eager for new horizons, he left.
The last vision he had of this clan was that of Baho and Ho-Nak who saluted him with the same gesture.

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