People of the Fire(131)

Three Toes pursed his lips, a deep frown lining his face as he stared down at his feet.

Black Crow caught the look in Makes Fun's hard eyes and cleared his throat. "Ramshorn, everything you say is true. We don't deny it." He spread his arms. "But I ask you, as a host to a guest. Place yourself in my shelter for a moment. Look out at the world through my eyes. We came here at the bidding of White Calf. She told us that if we could go no other place, to come to her. We did that, and Blood Bear came with warriors—yourself among them—to kill us."

"And I, for one, have apologized for that. You must remember the times."

"We do." Black Crow tugged at his braid, composing his next words. "But many things have happened since then. Rattling Hooves and Elk Charm have come to live among us. We've adopted many of the ways of the Red Hand, but we've become a different thing—a new People, not Anit'ah, not Short Buffalo. We are us, even if there aren't very many of us."

"And what will you do when Heavy Beaver comes?" Ramshorn crossed his arms over his chest.

Hungry Bull pointed to the west. "We'll go there, to those mountains. Or if not, we'll find a place where the people don't war and we can live by ourselves."

"The Fish Eaters live over there." Ramshorn's lips twitched. ''Would you want to be a Fish Eater?"

"Once I would have died rather than eat roots and leaves." Hungry Bull's wry smile beguiled. "Food is food, my friend. So long as it keeps blood and bone strong, the soul can take care of itself.''

"I agree with Hungry Bull," Meadowlark added. "I don't understand the changes that are occurring. The fact that my children are threatened by this is enough for me. I know Heavy Beaver. I grew up with him. Maybe I could have done something to stop him. Maybe it would have gotten me Cursed, too. I don't know. All I know is that I can't keep my family fed and clothed if my foolish husband runs off and gets killed in your war like his heart wants him to do."

Three Toes sighed and lifted his hands. "Yes, yes, I want to. What can I say? I wish I could drive a dart right through Heavy Beaver. Look what he's done to us! You find trouble everywhere these days—and it's Heavy Beaver at the bottom of it!" He looked around. "I don't like the idea of fighting alongside the Red Hand. They killed my father."

"And your father killed more than one Red Hand," Rattling Hooves reminded, her mind obviously on Wet Rain.

"That's precisely the point," Makes Fun agreed. "And at the same time, Rattling Hooves, here we are. What do we call ourselves? We're something new, a new People made of two old ones. Your relatives killed mine, and mine yours, and now we're living happily, sharing jokes and work and food. You care for my children when I go out hunting with Black Crow, and I open my camp to you as if you were my sister." She shook her head, making the gesture for "no more" with her hands. "No, I think if we get involved, it will only lead to trouble, to bad feelings and hurt and anger among ourselves."

Elk Charm cleared her throat, asking, "Ramshorn, if we don't want to get involved in this, what will Blood Bear do? Will he come here, angry, and try and kill us? I don't know Heavy Beaver, but Blood Bear isn't reasonable either. You never know what he'll do from day to day. Please, you're my cousin. Once you were my father's best friend. Tell me from your heart."

Ramshorn reached up to rub his eyes. "I don't think Blood Bear will come here. At least not until the Red Hand have driven the Short Buffalo People out of the mountains for good. And if we lose? I don't think Blood Bear will be among the people fleeing the mountains. I think he'll die before then."

Rattling Hooves nodded to herself. "Then I say we stay out of the insanity." She looked at Makes Fun. "I'm sorry I spoke in the tone I did."

Makes Fun winked at her. "Grief does that. Tomorrow, when you have a chance, would you come cut my hair? I'll share your grief with you."

Rattling Hooves, ever invincible, nodded slowly, lower lip trembling as she averted her eyes.

"Little Dancer?" Hungry Bull asked. "Do you have anything to add?"

He shook his head. "I accept what the rest of you do."

"We can't go." Hungry Bull summed up the reactions of his band. "We can't take the chance of killing our relatives. We can't take the chance of splintering the new family we've become here. If Blood Bear is angered and would retaliate against us, I'd ask you, Ramshorn, as a brave and honorable warrior, to send us word, and we'll leave here, go someplace else, maybe the valley of the Warm Winds."

"I'll make sure you hear." Ramshorn smiled wistfully. "And if the Short Buffalo People drive us out, if I live, and if I'm welcome, maybe I'd bring my wives and live with you?"