When the World Melts: A Neanderthal Story

Note: I have used modern English for my story, being as we do not understand what language early humans used. In the waning days of the last great ice age, a small family of Neanderthals eked out a harsh existence in a cave high above a river valley, dwarfed by the colossal glacier looming above them. Ull, the grizzled patriarch, possessed an innate connection to the rhythms of the natural world that his kind had cultivated over millennia of survival. As he stood at the mouth of their rocky shelter, his brow furrowed with apprehension, for the very air seemed to thrum with an ominous portent. A deep, guttural growl echoed through the narrow passageway leading to their cave, causing Ull to stiffen. He turned to his wife, Eeva, who was hunched over a small fire pit, roasting a rabbit they had caught earlier that day. "Eeva, gather the children," Ull said in a low voice, his eyes scanning the darkness beyond the flickering firelight. "We may have unwelcome visitors tonight." Eeva nodded solemnly; her brow creased with worry. She quickly called out to their two children, a boy and a girl named Kren and Ivi, who were playing near the cave entrance. The children scampered over, their faces reflecting the same mixture of fear and curiosity that clouded their parents' expressions. "What's wrong, Father?" the boy asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Ull crouched down beside them, his weathered face bathed in the warm glow of the fire. "There are predators nearby," he said gravely. "But do not fear, my children. We will protect our home." Just then, a low growl reverberated through the cave, causing the family to huddle closer together. The shadows danced on the walls as the fire crackled, casting an eerie light on their faces.