People of the Longhouse(22)
“Why should I care? She’s not from this village.”
“Perhaps not, but she is one of the People of the Hills. The blanket she was wrapped in bore your distinctive spiral designs.”
Atotarho’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Where is the blanket? Let me see it.”
“It was soiled. We left it. But I have no cause to lie to you. She is a Hills child. In one of your villages, someone must be desperate to find her.”
Koracoo extended her arms, holding out the baby. Several of the women in the crowd looked hard at the child, but none came forward to take it.
Koracoo said, “Chief, once you notify the other Hills villages that the baby is here, I’m sure her grateful family will arrive and shower you with gifts. Even if her parents are dead, her clan will want her back. Will you deny them the right?”
A pretty young woman, perhaps sixteen summers, shoved through the crowd and asked, “What color were the spirals on her blankets?”
“Red and black.”
The woman turned to Atotarho. “Chief, those are Hawk Clan designs. I am Hawk Clan. If you will allow it, my family will take her until her family arrives.”
Atotarho looked annoyed, but he flicked his hand at her, and she scurried forward, took the baby from Koracoo’s arms, and hurried away toward the Hawk Clan longhouse.
Atotarho stood stiffly. “I understand little of this, War Chief Koracoo. Please tell me more of your story. Yellowtail Village was attacked?”
Koracoo exchanged a look with Gonda before she replied, “We assumed that perhaps some of your warriors were on the raid.”
“No. I was on a trading expedition to the Flint lands. I took sixty of our warriors with me and left the rest here to protect the village while we were away. When did this happen?”
“Five days ago.”
Atotarho scanned Koracoo’s face, then Gonda’s, as though he feared trickery. “When did you find the baby?”
“Just this afternoon. We also think we found the trail of the warriors who stole our children, which means we need to resume our search as soon as possible.”
“Your children? You mean your own children? Not just Yellowtail children?”
“My son and daughter were among those captured,” Koracoo explained.
Sindak leaned over to whisper to Towa, “Zateri was also stolen five days ago. Is there a connection?”
“How could there be?”
Atotarho said, “War Chief Koracoo, do I have your oath that none of your warriors were involved in the attack on my trading party?”
She frowned. “Your trading party was attacked? I know nothing of it. Half of our warriors were killed when we were attacked, and I ordered the other half to guard our village survivors while they cared for the dead and collected their few belongings. I assure you, Yellowtail Village has sent no war parties into Hills country.”
Atotarho’s cape flapped in the wind as he considered her words. In a fearful voice, he said, “Were there other children taken?”
“Yes, several. Though I can’t say they were all taken by the same war party.”
Atotarho shivered suddenly, as though the thin lance of the forest night had pierced his cape. He stepped closer to Koracoo. His misshapen body crackled as he moved, and his face had taken on an almost skeletal appearance. “I pray it is not so … but I fear we may have a common enemy.”
“Who?”
He backed away, saying, “I need to discuss this with our matrons before I tell you more.” He lifted a hand to Nesi. “War Chief? Take them to the prisoners’ house until I know the matrons’ wishes.”
“No!” Gonda shouted. “We need to get back on the trail immediately.”
“Quiet,” Koracoo ordered softly.
Eight
Nesi pointed his war club. “You four: Sindak, Towa, Ober, and Akio, take these warriors to the prisoners’ house and set up alternating watches.” Nesi looked toward the eastern side of the village, where the prisoners’ house nestled against the high palisade wall. On the catwalk near the top, warriors stood guard. Then his gaze scanned the crowd. People had started to grumble. Several had picked up rocks. “And hurry, before anyone takes a notion to avenge his dead relatives.”
“Yes, War Chief.” Sindak gestured for Koracoo and Gonda to start walking. Gonda gave him a hostile look, but walked.
Sindak let Ober and Towa escort the Standing Stone warriors, while he and Akio brought up the rear.
Villagers coalesced into a small mob and followed them.
“This could be unpleasant,” Akio whispered. He had seen just sixteen summers and spent most of his time lounging around his family’s longhouse, which was why he was pudgy and perpetually out of breath. “Our village lost many warriors in that battle with the Standing Stone people last moon.”