Spear and Fang

"Spear and Fang" is a prehistoric short story by Robert E. Howard, the creator of the famous Conan character. It was initially published in Weird Tales in July 1925.

Plot
A-aea watches Ga-nor painting a mammoth in his cave. She wants to pursue him romantically, but is unable to because of the mores of their Cro-Magnon society. She retreats to her own cave, and on the way overhears talk of "Gur-na", their word for Neanderthals. The Neanderthals are hated and feared by the Cro-Magnons, depicted as sub-human monsters. Ka-nanu accompanies A-aea in the guise of protection, but instead carries her away into the forest. He attempts to rape her, but they are attacked by a Neanderthal. Ka-nanu fights it but is killed, and the Neanderthal carries A-aea away. Ga-nor, recognizing by footprints that A-aea was carried away by Ka-nanu, goes to follow them.

The Neanderthal carries A-aea to his lair, where he offers her the arm of a human child to her to eat, then attempts to rape her. She fights back, and Ga-nor hears her and rushes to her aid. He fights the Neanderthal, but it gains the upper hand. When hope seems lost, he is able to press his elbow into its throat and kills it, taking A-aea back to their village, and winning her love.

Characters

 * A-aea, a young woman.
 * Ga-nor, a young man with painting ability.
 * Ka-nanu, the son of one of the chief's councilors.