
In a stark future where scattered clans cling to survival, Alan, the sole husband of the Wolf tribe, finds himself caught between ancient myths and the harsh reality of relentless raids. While trying to pass on old stories to a restless group of youths, the peace shatters as gunfire erupts from the fields, forcing the clan’s children—especially the fierce teenage girl Helen—into immediate action. Their scramble toward the citadel reveals a world where old gender roles have blurred, and the line between protector and prey is razor‑thin.
The story follows Alan’s desperate attempt to shepherd the younger members to safety while confronting strangers from rival clans, their kilts marking a new, uneasy alliance against the Wolves. As the citadel’s stone walls loom, tensions rise and the community’s fragile hope hangs on whether Alan’s plan can stave off extinction. Listeners are drawn into a tense, fast‑moving tableau of loyalty, survival, and the uneasy balance between tradition and the brutal demands of a fractured world.
Language
en
Duration
~30 minutes (28K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2019-05-15
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1917–1983
Known for big-idea science fiction with a practical, satirical edge, this prolific American writer explored politics, class, and economics long before those themes became common in the genre. His stories were especially popular in magazine science fiction from the 1950s through the 1970s.
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