What Are the First Wagons?

With recent events, she has give much thought as to being of the first wagons and what it meant to her. Not all that long ago she had heard one prospect comment that it was the rest of the tribe that supported the first wagons and their lifestyle? Lifestyle? Was the man simple in the head? Their lifestyle was no different than anyone else among the people. They did not lounge around, having their every whim attended to. Those of the first wagons work hard, not only seeing to their own needs, but to those of the rest of the camp.

If there was a woman in the outer wagons who lost her mate, it was those of the first wagons that figured out who would hunt for her, provide for her, if there was no one else to do such. Most of the time they even did it when there was family. If for some reason, a man lost his mate, it was those of the first fires that found help for him and his children. If a wagon broke down, there were those from the wagon makers clan that made sure the repairs were tended to. Did the healers of the first wagons only see to those that resided by their fires? Not hardly. She had seen their healers many times spend days upon end away from the fires, tending to needs of those in the outer wagons.

When time came for the moves, it was those of the first wagons that organized all others into groups to do the work, gather food, cut and bale grasses, tend to the bosk, make repairs to wagons and covering and the myriad of other things that were necessary to enable a large group of people and animals to get from one point to another with the minimum of loss and harm.

Somewhere along the line, people had gotten it into their heads that those of the first wagons were a group of elitist, unable to care for themselves, uncaring of what went on with the rest of the camp. This could no be farther from the truth. The Ubar himself resides at those fires, and works as hard as any man among the Tuchuk. He hunts, he rides patrol, he spends many nights in his saddle among the herds, making sure they are safe. And this does not even touch the time he spends in trying to keep peace among the people.

Yes, those of the first wagons are first. First to help when it is needed. First to see to the good of the tribe. First to support all others. If that makes them elitist, then they are. They are where they are by the virtue of hard work, a pride in their people, a need to make sure all are safe. When one is asked to join the first wagons, it is because someone has seen something in them, that shows they have the good of the people in their hearts.

It is simple to be very honest. Tribe, clan, family, then yourself. Do you have these priorities? If so, then once day you may find yourself sitting at the fires of the first wagons.