People of the Fire(159)

"Women?"

Warm Wind grinned. "Maybe you forget, Tanager leads us. Women fight well. They can't run as fast as men, or maybe cast darts as far, but they'd rather be dead than dragged off as Short Buffalo captives. You'd be surprised what a woman can do with a club when she gets mad. Try being a sheep in a trap—or a wounded enemy warrior.''

"Tanager leads you?" Blood Bear's anger stirred.

Warm Wind squinted slightly, changing his posture as the others behind Blood Bear shifted uneasily. "You'll have to take that up with Tanager."

"You're not coming with us?"

"No. Not and leave this trail unguarded. People die that way.''

Blood Bear stared at the man through narrowed eyes, seeing no hesitation in the hard gaze that met his. Things had gotten farther out of hand than he'd anticipated. Rather than scoff, he should have come at the first rumor of Tanager's rise in status. But who would have thought that skinny girl had it in her?

"Then guard the trail. I'll speak with you later."

Warm Wind nodded, then added, "I wouldn't push too hard, Blood Bear. You're the Keeper of the Bundle, but some of us would urge you to think clearly and not let your emotions lead you to trouble."

"Oh?" Blood Bear wheeled in the trail, a deadly quiet settling around his heart.

Warm Wind saw and kept his neutral posture. 4t You heard me. Keep in mind that Tanager has saved more than one of our lives—the one most dear to me being my own. She's kept us together, and at least shown us a way to stop the raiders for the moment. If you go to cause trouble, you'll be splitting the Red Hand down the middle at a time we all need to stand together.

"Tanager's said nothing against you. When the subject of your leadership comes up, she steers us away from it, leading us to other subjects with the admonition that we shouldn't quarrel among ourselves. Keep that in mind as you deal with her and the people in the camp."

Blood Bear couldn't keep the sarcasm from his voice. "Thank you for your care and concern for the people, Warm Wind. I'll cherish and respect your advice." And he pushed on down the trail, the mutters of those following burning in his ears.

Didn't they remember who rescued the Wolf Bundle from the Short Buffalo camp in the first place? He was Blood Bear, the greatest of their warriors, the man who'd driven the Short Buffalo People from the mountains time and time again! He had been the one to reunite the Red Hand through the Wolf Bundle. It had been his leadership that kept Three Rattles and his Traders returning to the mountains with goods from the western ocean. Had his leadership been so bad?

With an angry thumb, he batted at the Wolf Bundle, a feeling of trouble growing within.

They found the camp as the sun sank below the horizon, shadows stretching across the land. Blood Bear walked self consciously across the open meadow. Grasses gone dry swished on his moccasined legs. He stopped, hands on hips, before the rising pile of rock. Even through his anger, he could see that Tanager had chosen well. No doubt it the were rushed, the defenders could hold off the worst of the attack while the rest scattered through the roeks. A faint memory of hunting in the area hinted of trails leading down the other side. A perfect spot. Tanager couldn't be surrounded and cut off.

As he neared the camp, warriors—men and women-appeared to rise out of the ground, calling greetings, smiles on their faces.

The irritation grew. These didn't look like desperate defenders. But where would they be when the cruel fist of winter closed on the mountains and they had no caches of food?

He climbed the base of the rock to find a sheltered camp, the fires screened from view. Cracked Rock lay to one side, a poultice on a bad thigh wound.

Tanager stepped out on one of the boulders above. "Blood Bear! We're happy to see you. Make yourself welcome and rest. For the moment, only one foolish band of Short Buffalo has decided to try us today. Never Sweat just chased them away and killed at least one in the process. They're probably still running."

Blood Bear squinted up at her where she stood in the cool shadow, realizing she had the position of authority up where her words could carry. Everyone would know he'd been welcomed.

"Come down, Tanager. You and I must talk."

"You've brought a way to kill more enemy? We're happy to have you. More darts to drink enemy blood!" Like a flash she disappeared, leaving him off balance again.

Brooding, he waited while others crowded around, asking for news, hearing of relatives and who'd been wounded. When he looked behind him, his little band had been absorbed, hearing stories of battles fought and won. The animation in the eyes of Tanager's warriors seemed infectious. He missed her arrival, preoccupied by the sound of cheers that grated on his very soul.