He grinned at the horrified look on Two Smokes' face where he stared up. Your day is coming, enemy freak! After Sage Root, I'll drive your polluting presence from the People.
“This is our last warning!'' Heavy Beaver thundered. “Two Elks, so wise, so warm, has paid with his life! The final choice is upon us. We must purify ourselves of the ancient evils! We must make a new way for ourselves, or the Spirit World will turn its back on us for good. The evil ones know themselves. Within days, the Power I call on will banish them from our midst!"
"Hear our Spirit Dreamer!" Throws Rocks shouted, lifting his fist to wave it while he danced. "Heavy Beaver brings us a new way! With his Power, the buffalo will return!"
Fire At Night whooped and jumped, prancing on light feet as he yipped his zeal.
"The rest of you," Heavy Beaver ordered, seeing Choke-cherry start to open her mouth. "Two Elks is dead! Do none of you mourn the loss of this great man? Do you all just stand here? Go! Go out and find sage to clean his body! Bring your best to honor him."
"And the Anit'ah?" Sleeping Fir asked, staring around nervously. "Are there more?"
"Only one came to reclaim the cursed object." Heavy Beaver narrowed an eye at Two Smokes and the soiled child who clung to his side. Hatred filled the boy's eyes. Well, that could be beaten out of him. He was still young enough to train in the proper ways.
"What of Dancing Doe?" Chokecherry called as the people began to split up, walking somberly to their lodgl a soft mumble.
Heavy Beaver closed his eyes, adopting a pained expression. "I would have you, Chokecherry—and Sage Root to her. Take her up on the ridge behind the village. Surely with the help of the berdache and the boy, the two of you can get her up there."
"And you'll Sing for her?"
"I think, sometimes, you don't believe I have Power. Why do you want me to Sing for her?"
Chokecherry didn't hesitate. “I’m thinking of her family. Most are with White Foot's band. They'd want someone to Sing for her."
He nodded. "I'll Sing." And you'll see my Power within days, old woman! "And maybe it will ease the pollution she brought to the People."
Chokecherry's eyes hardened. "You know, boy, I can't help but wonder where the real pollution lies."
He stiffened, staring angrily into the old woman's eyes. "Do you want me to Sing for her, or not? Your words make it very difficult."
Chokecherry bit off her retort and walked over to Sage Root's lodge, muttering under her breath. Heavy Beaver stood, arms crossed, seeing the startled look on Sage Root's face. Frantic eyes turned in his direction, reflecting a loathing for what he'd asked her to do. Chokecherry's arms waved in appeal and Sage Root finally nodded, getting to her feet.
Heavy Beaver watched as they proceeded behind the birthing lodge. Then, looking surreptitiously about, he slipped silently into Sage Root's lodge. From his pouch, he took dried leaves, crumbling them between his fingers and dropping them into the stew in her horn bowl.
Casting a quick glance about, Heavy Beaver slipped out and returned to his lodge. The datura would do what threats couldn't. Power worked many ways—especially in the victim's mind.
Chokecherry lowered herself next to Makes Fun where she painted white clay on a staked antelope hide. Above, on the edge of the terrace, Heavy Beaver chanted, shaking a rattle, as he Danced about Dancing Doe's body. At least the story would get back to Dancing Doe's relations that someone had cared. Chokecherry rubbed at the bloodstains where Dancing Doe's body had leaked on the hem of her dress.
"Nice painting. That's for Two Elks?"
Makes Fun nodded, stirring the pigment in the horn bowl. “His children all moved away with Two Stones' band. Who else would do it? A man as good and wise as he should rise to the Starweb looking his best. We can't have him meet the Wise One Above looking like a starving coyote."
"No. I have a beaded necklace. I'll get it for him."
"How's Sage Root?"
"Not well."
Makes Fun sighed and rubbed a forearm across her sweaty forehead. "You think it's serious?"
"Of course it's serious. Heavy Beaver's killing her. He's doing it by preying on her one weakness. She doesn't know anything about Power. She doesn't know if he's right or wrong. Once he's got her questioning herself, he's won half the battle.
"Worse, he's hung raven feathers off the tips of her lodge-poles. Sage Root saw them, and threw up. She tore them down, of course, but you should have seen her shaking. Her lodge was the only one messed up by the Anit'ah. It's all piling up in her mind."
Makes Fun puffed a heavy exhalation and rocked back on her haunches. "He's been Singing in there all day. My nerves are stretched to the point where I dragged my hides out here so I couldn't hear. What a day. Dancing Doe kills herself. An Anit'ah kills Two Elks and steals the berdache's sacred bundle. And through it all, Heavy Beaver keeps killing Sage Root." Empty-eyed, she stared at the far buttes, where they shimmered in the sun's mirage. "And I thought my sister was trouble."