He puffed a weary sigh. “This is different. Or it could be.
What would happen to us if everyone went to war? The Trade would be cut off, that’s what. We need each other. If a harvest fails among the Blue Duck, the Rattlesnake send their excess to make up the difference. When that happens, the Blue Duck Clan sends some of their blankets in return for the favor, or perhaps they volunteer labor on some of the earthworks.
“And consider another of the ramifications we face. True, we’re very good at the way we farm the land. We use the rich bottomlands for fields, but to do this, we must have little farms scattered out all over. If serious warfare broke out, what would happclh? Easy pickings for war parties, don’t you think? What People of the Lakes H5
would the consequences be if we spent a summer raiding each other’s isolated farms? Do you think any fields would be planted?”
“No, they’d be left to the weeds.”
, “Ah, indeed, young Star Shell. That’s right. And next winter, people would starve. Bad things happen when a man sees his family starving to death in front of his eyes. He picks up his atlatl and darts and strikes out to take the food he needs from others. Generally, that means he goes down the trail to the next farm to get it.”
“The societies wouldn’t allow that to happen. The engineers would stop it. So would the Star Society, and the Pipemakers.
If they didn’t, they’d have members killing each other.”
“When it comes to keeping your children alive, Star Shell, that might not be a consideration.” He snorted to himself. “No, young friend, we’d tear ourselves apart. Like an old blanket gone suddenly rotten, we’d pull the weave into strands that could never be put back together again.”
That image stuck in her mind. If anger got too far out of hand, how would the summer ceremonies be conducted? If no one cared about anything but killing, who would organize the labor details to work on the clan grounds? If the Traders avoided the country, who would bring in pipestone? Mica?
Copper? . would carry out sacred chert from the quarries around Starsky? Who would coordinate the rituals to care for the ancestors?
And if people stopped caring for the ghosts, would the ghosts extract their revenge? Would they ruin the relationship with the Spirit World? And I thought a ghost didn’t need to worry!
Worse, would the Spirit World react angrily if the proper ceremonies weren’t carried out?
“But Many Colored Crow started this whole mess!” she growled to herself.
“I caught only a bit of that, but I think you’re starting to understand.” His voice sounded too cheerful. “Like fingers woven together, always pulling. First Man for harmony and the Dream of the One. Raven Hunter for struggle and conflict. The balance must be achieved … in the Spirit World as well as in the world of men.” He paused. “That, young Star Shell, is why I’m so calm. You, too, must learn to balance. Pain lies ahead, but we’ll face it when we get there. For the moment, enjoy the beauty. Sniff the air. Listen for the cries of the hawk on the wind. Suffer when you must; enjoy when you can.”
She gave him a weary grin. “You know, I’m starting to like you.”
“Indeed, alas, poor Star Shell, more’s the pity, reality being what it is. Were you anyone else, I should revel in that admission.”
“I don’t understand.”
His eyes had taken on a snake-like, hypnotic depth. “I don’t suppose you would. Forget it, girl. Concentrate on finding your balance.”
She did. But try as she might, she couldn’t coax anything but dread from her soul.
As they closed the distance to Sun Mounds, Star Shell imagined the scene as she confronted Mica Bird. What would she say? “All right, this is it. I’m leaving you. And taking the Mask with me.”
Indeed?
The crazed gleam would light his eyes. He’d beat her half to death and rape her in front of that hideous Mask.
So what could she do? Walk in, pick up a war club, and crack his skull open?
Over her shoulder, she said, “This is going to be a great deal more difficult than I thought.”
“I’m glad you’ve begun to realize that. Robin isn’t the only person in the Moonshell valley who is thinking about the Mask and the Power it would give him. They’re all going to want it.
Our task isn’t an easy one.”
“I was thinking about how to face Mica Bird. What’s he going to do?”
“What he must.”
She searched herself, grappling with the image of fighting him. “I don’t think lean kill him, Tall Man. I just … well, it’s not in me. He’s my husband. The father of my daughter. I mean, I … What am I going to do?”