Hunter's Way

Fanfiction
Title:	Hunter's Way
Author(s):	Vivian Gates
Date(s):	1981
Length:
Genre(s):	slash
Fandom(s):	Star Trek: TOS
Relationship(s):	Kirk/Spock
External Links:
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Hunter's Way is a Kirk/Spock story by Vivian Gates.

It was published in the print zine Golden Oldies and New Delights.

Summary

"On a trip to determine his future, the young tribesman James meet up with Spock, a traveler from the North looking for a mate."

Reactions and Reviews

1998

This is one of Vivian Gates’ alternate universe stories, told in her inimitable matter-of-fact way that nevertheless incorporates subtle complexities. Here a young man named Jame, on his solitary ritual journey from his tribe that will take him to manhood, meets a member of a northern tribe, Spock. Spock is seeking a bride because his chosen T’Pring rejected him, and so his tribe cast him out to bring a new woman back with him. He is carrying valuable goods such as a metal axe that would make excellent dowry gifts, and also make him a likely target for bandits on the trail.

Spock and Jame make an uneasy alliance, and over a few days tell their stories as they travel the same route together, make camp, repel bandits, cross a river. Jame is only 30 days away from his tribe, and when he returns he must make a big decision: to marry a woman or to become a Hunter, one of those who interacts sexually with men. The Hunters also get to travel for the tribe to trade, to hunt for them, to roam. Jame doesn’t really know what he wants in terms of a sexual partner, but he does know “He almost couldn’t stand the thought of staying home, always.”

And then, of course, there is the mysterious Spock, who cares for Jame’s wound after he is hurt with priceless herbs he carries, and who, one night, curls up so close to Jame that the human feels the Vulcan heat. What to do?

I find this story very charming in its directness, its simplicity, and marvel that the author was able to elicit excellent characterization through such sparseness. One odd thing is the way Jame refers to his penis as “stick.” This sort of works, and sort of doesn’t, but I guess I am as charmed by this oddity as anything else, as it kept me searching for this story for about three years. Thanks, Carolyn, for helping me find this gem!