Tanager gathered herself to spring, an insane rage glittering in her eyes as slim fingers knotted on the handle of a war club.
Have to time this just right. Have to duck so she hits the Wolf Bundle. Then she's destroyed herself No one will challenge me after that! He glared victory down into her eyes, seeing the last of her sanity crumble in rage.
“Yes, that's what the Wolf Bundle told me! I hear its voice now!" He raised the Wolf Bundle, placing just so.
"Liar!" a voice called from the darkness.
Tanager froze at the start of her leap, eyes going to the evening shadows.
Chapter 25
Tanager watched them come, unable to move, knowing she should launch into Blood Bear. An elderly woman—no, a berdache—limped into the light of the fire. A nervous young man—Elk Charm's Short Buffalo husband—followed, a stricken look on his face. He had eyes only for the Wolf Bundle. A faint sweat sheen glazed the young man's skin, heightening the anguish in his eyes. Behind them all walked a huge black wolf, deadly yellow eyes taking each person's measure. The animal stopped to stare at Blood Bear, ears going back.
"Liar!" the young man repeated, voice strained. "Don't you know what you've done? How many times have you lied on the Wolf Bundle? How many times have you—"
"Little Dancer." Blood Bear swelled his chest, walking out to meet him. "And, of course, Two Smokes. This time, you've finished yourselves. What's this? Come to spy on us? Is that it? You're here to find out how many we are? To take information to the Short Buffalo?"
Two Smokes looked as if he'd eaten something rotten. "The only thing I'll never understand is why the Bundle hasn't killed you yet."
"Give it to me." Little Dancer extended trembling hands. "Give it to me, and maybe you'll have saved your life. Can't you feel the Power swelling, growing?"
Blood Bear guffawed and bounced from foot to foot. "Saved my life? You arrogant little fool! The Wolf Bundle is the Power of the Red Hand! Or maybe you forgot where I found it? In your lodge in Heavy Beavefs camp?"
"And you almost killed it—and the Red Hand—the night you slapped it off the tripod. It's only been waiting. Waiting for me."
"Slapped?" someone whispered incredulously. People shifted nervously around Tanager.
"And why would it wait for you?" Blood Bear sneered, stepping back and hugging the Wolf Bundle. He winced slightly, rubbing the stump of a short little finger on the front of his shirt.
"Because he's your son, Blood Bear," Two Smokes added in the shocked silence. "Your son . . . and Clear Waters."
"My . . ." Blood Bear gaped.
"You never asked. You never wondered if I might have kept the child alive. It was easier to pass the story that he'd died. White Calf knew. Hungry Bull knows, as does Rattling Hooves and Elk Charm and all the rest of them by now. Look at him." Two Smokes turned away, pointing. His sad eyes took in the stunned faces of the people. "And the sorrow is that he'll have to kill his father this night."
"This young pup? Kill me? Why?" Blood Bear demanded.
"Because you won't give him what is rightfully his."
"Can't you see what you've done?" A glimmer of tears had formed in Little Dancer's eyes. "You've almost driven the Power from it! Feel it! It's calling! Power can't be abused forever. Not even the Power of the Wolf Bundle can take what you and Heavy Beaver have done to it!"
"You're no son of mine." Blood Bear chuckled. "No son of mine comes crying to take the Wolf Bundle. You're an enemy. The blood of Short Buffalo People runs in your veins, boy."
"I have to take it . . . save it." Little Dancer glanced around, bending to pluck up Tanager's war club. "You must give it to me now. I have to restore it—to save the Power and Dream the Spirals."
"Drop the club, boy, or you'll regret it." Blood Bears eyes gleamed as he crouched.
The big black wolf hunkered down on its belly, fur rising as it pinned Blood Bear. Lips drew back to expose flashing canines. The muscles bunched under that sleek hide, firelight gleaming in the rippling coat.
"He'll kill you. Blood Bear." Two Smokes sighed and shook his head. "The Power's against you"
"Don't!" Little Dancer pleaded, blinking suddenly. "Feel it? Can't you feel it? The anger, it's building."
A low nervous growl issued from the wolf's throat.
"Don't try to play games with me, boy!" Blood Bear's face twitched.
The club dropped from Little Dancer's nerveless fingers as he cried out and staggered forward.
Two Smokes grabbed his head, collapsing as he pressed his hands to his ears.
"What's this?" Blood Bear cried. "Games? You'd play games?" He viciously kicked Two Smokes in the bad knee, and got a scream.