People of the Lakes(246)
Trout rubbed the gleaming white sand from his muscular brown hands. “My wife was killed two winters ago. We had a difficulty with the Badger people—the wild men who live north of us.”
Thin Belt glanced at Pearl and then at Trout, a sly smile on his lips. In a low voice, he said, “Caution, cousin. Always beware of a woman who travels with three men.”
Pearl felt her face going hot. “Let a Trader give you a word of free advice, Thin Belt: A smart man never accepts a situation at face value. But if you are the sort who does, then you’re just the one I’d like to Trade with. Everything you’ve got, for everything I’ve got. Interested?”
Trout laughed, jabbing his cousin in the side with a hard fist.
“Beware, cousin. I think this Pearl is more than a match for you.”
Scattering in different directions, they collected the driftwood that littered the beach and piled it up beside the hearth. Pearl supplied dry grass as under. Trout added an ember from one of his little ceramic jars, and a crackling fire blazed to life.
Otter came up with the last of the packs, rummaging for the ritual paraphernalia of pipe and tobacco.
“What have they said?” he asked.
“Small talk mostly. The people north of here are called the mingbird Clan two years ago. Trout’s wife was killed. Thin Belt says he stays married to his boat now.”
She could sense a trace of reservation in Otter, one not normally present in situations like this.
After the ritual smoking, prayers, and formal introductions, Otter got right down to business. “Ask them to show us where we are “
In the sand, Trout made a long line running north-south, then bent it around in a big loop to the east and back north again.
He pointed to the western side of the loop. “The Ilini lands from which you came are on the west side of this part of the Fresh Water Sea. My clan, along with other Ilini clans, came here—” he pointed to the eastern side of the loop “—several generations ago and took these territories from the wild people who lived here. We still Trade with our relatives, of course, and marry back and forth to keep those ties.”
“What if we wanted to go east, to follow the Fresh Water Sea as far as it will go?”
Trout propped his fist on his muscular brown thigh. “That’s a long way, my friend. We are here, about halfway up the coast Most of the trees around here are beech and sugar maple. Hickories are widely scattered. Then, as you go farther north, birch trees, hemlock, and stands of pine take over. It’s not good land for farming or for harvesting nuts.”
Trout drew the coastline farther north, then bent it to the east.
“This is a narrow passage. Be careful. The Badger people sit on the narrows at this time of year, hunting the big sturgeon.
Sometimes they’re friendly, sometimes they want to kill. It depends on the signs they get from their Spirits, I guess. Who knows how those people think? They’re not really human.”
“So we’d best avoid them,” Black Skull noted.
“My thoughts, too,” Otter agreed.
Trout drew the line east, then back south again and pointed to a spot across the peninsula he’d drawn. “Over here you’ll find some people to Trade with, but they’re way inland. Along the shore here, the Spotted Loon people live. They are fishermen, and warriors, too, but normally they don’t bother Traders.
In exchange for Trade, they’ll show you the way to head south into yet another freshwater sea.”
“Another?” Otter asked when Pearl had translated. “I thought there was just one.” Trout mused on that for a moment. “If you live long enough to reach the Spotted Loon people, they’ll be able to tell you more. I can only tell you what Traders have told me. They say that to go east to the lands of the Serpent Clans, you must go down a river to another freshwater sea.”
“If we live long enough?” Pearl asked, lifting an eyebrow.
“The Badger people are north of here.” Trout pointed up the beach. “We still haven’t found a way to deal with them. In all out war, we beat them every time. But they keep coming back, sneaking out of the forest to attack us, stealing a child, or a woman, ambushing a hunter. They’re as trustworthy as weasels.
Be very careful.”
“We will do that.” Otter studied the map in the sand and sighed. “I’d thought we’d be closer to the Roaring Water by now.”
When she’d translated, Trout studied Otter skeptically. “The Roaring Water? I’ve heard of it. It’s over here someplace.” He pointed far to the east, then rubbed his jaw. “You’ve a long way to go. And it will be very dangerous. I’ve heard the Traders talk. Terrible storms. Fierce warriors raid back and forth. Monsters live in the waters there—big ones that rise out of the depths and eat men whole.” Otter continued to study the drawing in the sand. Despite his stern control, Pearl could read worry in the set of his mouth and the shadows in his pensive eyes.