People of the Masks(8)

“The war leader will be taking my place at midnight, as he did last night. He needs his rest.” Calling Hawk slung his bow and slipped his arrow back into the quiver over his shoulder. “Tell me what news you bring, and I will decide if it is important enough to wake him.”

Sparrow contemplated asking to see one of the village elders, but figured Calling Hawk would view that request with even more suspicion. He said, “Tell Lamedeer that I Dreamed his death. Paint Rock Village is going to be attacked. I saw it—”

Calling Hawk laughed, actually threw back his head and roared. The sound echoed through the stillness.

Sparrow mustered the courage to say, “That amuses you?”

“No.” Calling Hawk shook his head, chuckling. “No, it’s just that the False Face Child recently told us we were not going to be attacked. He said that Paint Rock Village is as safe as a child in its mother’s womb. But do not fear.” He held up a hand. “I will deliver your message. Lamedeer will want to hear it. A little merriment is better than sleep, eh? But you stay here.” He added, “Understand?”

“Of course.”

Calling Hawk marched across the village, and Sparrow sank down in the spot the short warrior had vacated at the base of the tree.

“Oh, gods,” he whispered to himself. “Rumbler Dreamed Paint Rock was safe …” He leaned back and vented a deep exhausted breath. “I’m not wrong again, am I?”





“Lamedeer?”

Lamedeer roused at the sound of Calling Hawk’s voice. He rolled to his side and braced himself on one elbow. The embers in his fire pit threw a bloody light over his lodge, gleaming in the empty eye sockets of the skulls that hung from his roof. Trophies taken in war, he’d polished them until they shone like slate mirrors. He called, “Enter.”

Calling Hawk ducked his head beneath the door curtain. “Forgive me for waking you, but I thought you’d want to hear this.”

Lamedeer yawned. “It had better be important. What is it?”

“Old Silver Sparrow just ran into the village. I swear he looks like an outcast. His clothes are filthy, his white hair is all tangled and filled with leaves. He—”

“What does he want?”

“He said to tell you that Paint Rock Village is about to be attacked and you’re going to die.” Calling Hawk chuckled.

Lamedeer smiled. “Did you ask him if he got this news from Cornhusk?”

“He said he’d Dreamed it, and run for two nights to tell you.”

Lamedeer shook his head. Silver Sparrow’s reputation for spouting nonsense ranged far and wide. “Tell the old man that the False Face Child says our village is safe. We—”

“I did tell him. He looked a little ill at the news.”

Lamedeer shoved his hides down around his waist, and sat up. “But he wanted you to tell me his Dream anyway?”

“Yes.”

“What do you make of it? Did he tell you anything that would make you believe the False Face Child might have been mistaken?”

Calling Hawk shifted. “No. I mean, I’m sure he’s just an old fool. Everyone says so. But I must admit I’ve been wondering about the False Face Child’s vision. Did he ever explain the Spirit Boy’s words about Grandfather Day Maker’s children hunting us?”

Lamedeer heaved a breath. His thoughts didn’t seem to want to congeal. “Rumbler told his mother that the message was for his ears alone. That we did not need to concern ourselves with it.”

Calling Hawk considered that for a while, then the smile returned to his face. “I knew it was nothing. Shall I drive Silver Sparrow away?”

“Yes. Perhaps you should also suggest that he go home and see if Earth Thunderer Village is still there, eh?”

Calling Hawk laughed. Sparrow’s former wife, Dust Moon, the matron of the Earth Thunderer Village, took every opportunity to evade the madman, moving her village anytime he was away. Rumor had it that once she’d even managed it while Sparrow slept.

Lamedeer lay back down and pillowed his head on his arm. “Be quick about it, Calling Hawk. We do not want Red Pipe to discover Silver Sparrow has been here, or we will all face the consequences. Every time Red Pipe hears that Sparrow is nearby, he sleeps with his bow, and hatchet.”

“I’m going,” Calling Hawk said and let the curtain drop.

Lamedeer lay back down, and listened to Calling Hawk’s steps growing fainter. He closed his eyes … .





Four hands of time later, Lamedeer woke.

Utter darkness filled the lodge. He gazed up at the smoke hole in the roof, but couldn’t see any of the Night Walker’s feathered lodges. Cloud Giants must have swallowed them.