People of the Lightning(72)

Pondwader nodded solemnly. “I do, I just … I love her so much, Seedpod. I want her to be happy.”

“That will come. You just keep loving her.” Seedpod placed a hand on his son-in-law’s shoulder and squeezed.

They continued on in companionable silence, skirting the waves that swept in and out over the sand. Several large conch shells had washed up on shore. Their brilliant pink interiors gleamed in the dusk.

As they neared the trees, Seedpod saw Musselwhite crouch and slip her atlatl from her belt, and his fingers sank into Pondwader’s shoulder to pull him back hard.

“What’s—”

“Shh!” Seedpod hissed. Musselwhite had nocked a dart, lifted her atlatl, and moved into the mottled shadows at the edge of the treeline. Very quietly, Seedpod pulled his deerbone stiletto from his belt and edged forward. Pondwader stayed close on his heels.

“There’s a fire,” Seedpod whispered. “Burning just inside the trees. I can see the orange flicker.”

“A fire?”

“Yes. Let’s hope it belongs to some innocent traveler like ourselves, and not to an enemy warrior.”

Seedpod’s eyes narrowed when Musselwhite stood up from the brush where she’d been hidden and said something in a calm tone. Then she laughed, and he saw her walk into the light of the fire.

“It’s all right,” he told Pondwader as he slipped his stiletto into his belt again. “The camp belongs to a friend.”

“How do you know?” Pondwader’s white brows had pulled down over his pointed nose.

“Your wife hasn’t killed anyone yet, that’s how,”

“Oh, I—I see.”

“Come along, let us greet the people that Sun Mother has thrown in our path this night.”

Seedpod stalked forward with Pondwader bringing up the rear. As they entered the small clearing, Seedpod saw Musselwhite crouched across the fire from scraggly old Dogtooth. Great Mouse, he looked ancient! Amber firelight fluttered over his thin hooked nose and gray hair, and accentuated every stringy muscle in his skinny body. He wore only a breechclout, and sat on a blanket before the flames, roasting a redfish he’d skewered on a long stick. The fish’s fat dripped onto the coals where it steamed and sizzled.

“Come in, come in!” Dogtooth greeted, and waved them forward. “Sit down and share my fire!”

Pondwader’s head came up. “Dogtooth?” he asked. “Is that old Dogtooth? It sounds like his voice.”

“Yes, he’s—” Seedpod began.

“Yes, of course, it’s me, young Lightning Boy!” Dogtooth broke in. “Come over here. I have many things to discuss with you. I see your chest hasn’t been blasted open yet. How are you otherwise?”

Seedpod turned to see his son-in-law’s transparent eyes go as round and wide as an owl’s. Seedpod walked back and linked his arm with Pondwader’s, then guided the youth into camp. The boy came, reluctantly, placing each foot unsteadily. Perhaps Pondwader couldn’t see well in the dark? Which made sense. He could barely see in bright daylight.

Seedpod sank down on the cool sand beside Musselwhite and said, “Great Forest Spirits! Dogtooth, you look as old as I feel. I thought you’d be dead by now.”

“Oh, no, I’m very much alive.” Dogtooth spun his fish on his stick, letting the other side roast. More fat dripped, and brilliant flares of fire leaped and crackled, sending shadows dancing over the smoke-colored trunks of the oak trees. “Pondwader, sit down! If you keep standing like that with your mouth open, you’ll catch so many mosquitoes, you won’t be hungry for supper—and Seedpod will be angry with you for not eating some of that roast goose he’s been hauling around.”

Seedpod sat forward. “How do you know about our goose?”

With a chuckle, Dogtooth answered, “You didn’t think I made this camp here out of chance, did you? No, no. I’ve been waiting here for two days. You’re late! What took you so long?”

Seedpod stretched his cramped legs out and sighed. “The marriage negotiations took longer than we’d expected. Moonsnail is shrewd. She wrung everything out of me that she could.” He hesitated, watching Pondwader. The boy looked as if Grandfather Bear had stepped out of the brush and reared on his hind legs with his teeth bared. Pondwader dropped both packs by the fire, and weakly slumped to the sand.

“So, Dogtooth,” Seedpod said, drawing his gaze back to the old Soul Dancer. “You’ve been waiting for us. How did you know we’d come this way? If we hadn’t been in such a hurry we would have stuck to the forest trails—where it’s safer.”