People of the Fire(163)

"Your last chance!” Little Dancer pleaded, dropping to his knees.

From where she watched, Tanager felt the beginning of a throbbing headache. She looked up, wincing at the pain. Blood Bear stood, a curious look on his face. He grunted softly to himself, sinking slowly, as if he'd lost control of his muscles. Surprise mixed with fear to glaze his eyes.

The wolf yipped softly, as if in pain.

Little Dancer reached out as he scrambled forward, grabbing the Bundle from Blood Bear's trembling hands, cuddling it close to his chest, a radiant look on his face.

Squinting at the aftereffects of her headache, Tanager blinked hard and stood up, walking forward on unsteady feet.

"I . . ." The words choked in Blood Bear's throat where he lay staring up into the sky. “I. . . can't . . . move. "

Two Smokes moaned softly, sitting up, grabbing his damaged knee before rubbing a shaking hand over his eyes.

"I can't help you," Little Dancer whispered where he held the Wolf Bundle. "You did it. All these years, the Power's waited for me. I—I came prepared to kill you, if I had to, to take it back and restore it. I hated that thought—even if you'd never been a father to me like Hungry Bull. A son shouldn't have to kill a father over Power. Clear Water knew that. The Wolf Dreamer knew that. I see now. They had to take me to the Short Buffalo People. I had to grow with the Wolf Bundle. I had to see the way Heavy Beaver has changed the Spirals. I had to be the way I am to become Fire Dancer."

He licked his lips, talking absently, an odd glow in his eyes. "You'd never have let Clear Water keep the Bundle. You would have stolen it—or killed her. And I would have had to kill you. I would have been just as wrong as you, Blood Bear."

1 'Why can 't I move?" Blood Bear's scream rent the night.

"Paralyzed," the man who now called himself Fire Dancer whispered, eyes going vacant. A blank look possessed him as he sat and swayed. The corners of his lips quivered as his muscles tensed.

Blood Bear's eyes lost focus and he whispered, "The Wolf Bundle, it's ..."

Fire Dancer's jaw trembled before he spoke slowly, the words not his. "Now you'll live as I. Feel as I did, human. Through each moment of your life, you y ll know what it felt like to be used like a toy to mislead the People. And you should know that Wolf Dreamer y the First Man, still has the tip of your finger. A promise made . . . especially to Power . . . must be respected, human. So live the life you ve made for yourself Feel the Power around you. Feel my Power, growing now, in your son's hands. Every abuse you gave me will be paid back. Now you '11 feel every insult, every slap and bruise. Not until the day you're as worn, scuffed, and cracked as I, will you die, Blood Bear. "

Fire Dancer made a whimpering sound, a shiver shooting through his body.

"What?" Tanager wondered, staring at the empty look in Fire Dancer's eyes.

Two Smokes stared, awestruck, hands up with his fingers spread wide. "The Wolf Bundle speaks through him! We're hearing the Wolf Bundle."

Fire Dancer swallowed hard. He sagged, coming to, looking up with bleary eyes. "I don't feel very good. I think I need to sleep now.' '

Tanager glanced around, aware that everyone had frozen in place, terrified stares locked on Fire Dancer. t4 Someone make a bed for him. Hurry."

"What about the Wolf Bundle?" Green Snake asked as she came to place a hide over Fire Dancer's trembling shoulders. Her gaze locked with the suspicious wolf's and she froze.

Tanager stumbled, trying to decide, when Two Smokes said, "It's his. Leave it with him. The wolf won't hurt you."

Green Snake paused and shot a glance at Tanager.

“Or would you risk what happened to Blood Bear?" Two Smokes continued.

Green Snake might have held cactus the way her fingers worked tenderly to settle Fire Dancer and the clutched Wolf Bundle into the bedding. The huge black wolf moved silently to curl around him, yellow glare missing nothing.

Tanager sighed with relief, turning to Two Smokes. "How do you know all this?"

"I am berdache. I live between the worlds. This"—he gestured at Fire Dancer—"has been a long time in coming. And now it's only begun."

''Why can't I move ?'' Blood Bear cried out again. His face worked, tears leaking from shining eyes to streak his cheeks. "My finger! It's on fire! Like it's burning."

Tanager swallowed, looking at his amputated member. The stub seemed to wiggle. She tore her eyes away. "Tall Fir, Fat Elk, take him down by Cracked Rock. Feed him and get him something to drink. Then make sure he's warm for the night. Someone stay with him, talk to him. Keep him calm. Maybe . . . maybe it'll pass."

The look Two Smokes gave her didn't reassure.