January 26 Investigation after 'vehicle driven in forest'

 Dumnorix lifted a stone, moved it over a darker stone into a square drawn in the dust, removed the darker one and grinned in the face of his elder. He was starting to win more frequently, and it wouldn’t be long before he’d have to play another member of the community, but right now, he enjoyed the moment. Some of those watching shouted with excitement.

It had been a long winter, they’d lost half of people to the cold and disease, two others had been slain by animals, but they had survived to the thawing time.

The shouting was continuing outside and as Dumnorix rushed to find out why, Aodhán burst into sight, screaming and pointing to the sky. The dogs thought it a game and ran to him, almost tripping him over, he kicked out at one and the others skulked away, whimpering.

Grabbing a stick he started drawing on the ground, a diagonal line, the width of a hand, which then veered off at an angle, before after another hands journey adapted back to its original path. People gathered jostling to see.

After three repetitions, Aodhán looked up to check if people were watching, he looked pale, like those about to die, but moved with the strength and agility of a warrior. Content everyone was paying attention he drew a section zig zag line, a finger apart to the left, making a pair. It looked like animal tracks, but no land or sky creature Dumnorix had ever seen would leave such a mark. Whelping out loud, Aodhán drew a third line, this time to the right, and then dropped the stick and pointed at it. Children laughed and shouted, the dogs regained their confidence and joined in, but those who were the best at hunting understood, nodded and retreated to gather their weapons. They had faced uncertainty before and had always come out on top. Dumnorix fetched the CASIO watch they’d found a week earlier and placed it next to the tracks on the ground so everyone knew how serious this matter was, and without another word, the five of them Aodhán in the lead, followed by Dumnorix and the younger boys set off towards the tall trees.