People of the Masks(71)

The moccasins neared, and their owners began whispering.

Cornhusk’s eyes widened when he saw Jumping Badger silently reach for his bow and quiver of arrows. The war leader slipped from beneath his deerhides, and secreted himself in the corner, beside the rotting head.

Cornhusk looked at the door. The leather curtain swayed, revealing glimpses of black trees and falling snow.

He slid an arrow from his own quiver and nocked it in his bow. The smooth willow felt icy.

Jumping Badger glared at Lamedeer, whispering, “Is this part of the ghost army Silver Sparrow is gathering to kill me for what I did to Briar? Hmm? Answer me! They can’t hurt me. Not so long as I’m near a fire after nightfall. You told me this yourself, I …”

The moccasins halted just beyond the door curtain and the voices grew louder.

“Tell me again how you came to know about this?” Matron Starflower’s voice carried.

“I couldn’t sleep. I went out to Lost Hill to see if my husband’s murderer was dead yet—and I couldn’t find Blue Raven.”

“You are certain he was there earlier?”

“Yes,” the woman answered. “I was down at the lake fishing when Little Wren took Blue Raven his meal. I saw her deliver the food, then gather wood for Blue Raven’s fire. I waited for Wren to return. I wanted to ask her about the False Face Child. But she never came back.”

“Well, let’s find out what her family knows.”

The door curtain drew back and in the square of silver light Matron Starflower stood beside Loon. Glittering white hair fringed the rim of Starflower’s hood, but only darkness filled the interior. Loon’s hair had been hacked off in mourning, but her shell earrings flashed as she ducked beneath the curtain.

When Starflower spied Jumping Badger, she jerked, and her eyes flared.

“What are you doing hiding there, War Leader?” She pointed at him with her long walking stick. “Come out of the shadows so I can see you! We may have a calamity to deal with.”

Jumping Badger stepped forward. He towered over her, twice her height. “What’s happened?”

“Loon woke me from a sound sleep to tell me that your cousin Blue Raven is gone.”

“Gone? Where? Why!”

“That is what I came to find out. I must see Frost-in-the-Willows.”

Jumping Badger called, “Frost-in-the-Willows? Matron Starflower would speak with you!”

At the opposite end of the longhouse, a form rose, and sleepily answered, “Starflower? What’s wrong?”

The longhouse suddenly came alive with dim bodies, sitting, standing, rolling over to watch.

Starflower pushed her hood back and quietly walked down the longhouse. Jumping Badger followed, his bow in his hand.

Starflower stopped at the foot of Frost-in-the-Willows’ bedding. “Where is your son?”

“You know very well where Blue Raven is. He’s on Lost Hill.”

“No. He is not. Where is your granddaughter?”

“As for Wren, I do not know. She was supposed to return after delivering her uncle’s food, but she didn’t.”

“And you did not send anyone out to hunt for her?”

“Why should I? Wren often wanders off alone. You know that, Starflower. She always returns, though she takes her own good time in doing so.” Frost-in-the-Willows pulled her blanket up beneath her chin. “Deliver your message plainly, Starflower. Are you accusing my son of something?”

“Blue Raven and Little Wren are gone, and so is the False Face Child.”

Jumping Badger gasped and took a step toward Starflower. “The boy is gone?”

“He is.”

Frost-in-the-Willows waved a hand. “Well, perhaps the boy finally died, and Blue Raven and Wren took its body down to wash it in the lake before bringing it back to the village. That is customary. Have you searched the shoreline?”

“Not yet. But we will,” Starflower answered. “I wanted to speak with you first. Is that the only explanation you can think of?”

“Yes, of course! I haven’t seen Blue Raven in six days, and Wren is as unpredictable as Wind Mother! But if they are both gone, they are probably together.”

Bows clattered against arrows as warriors reached for their weapons, preparing for whatever came next. The flurry of activity set the infants in the house to wailing.

Starflower leaned against her walking stick. In the reddish gleam, her long hooked nose jutted from her wrinkled face like an eagle’s beak, and her gray hair resembled matted spiderwebs. “My first thought was that your son and granddaughter had released the False Face Child and run off with him.”

Jumping Badger edged closer, peering down at Frost-in-the-Willows with glowing eyes. “Is this possible?”