People of the Mist(113)

Nine Killer frowned. “One of ours? The Great Tayac’s men are staying in our village, after all. We’d been dancing together all night long. It’s only natural that we’d be talking to each other.”

“I know.” White Otter’s brow lined. “It was the way they were talking, heads close together. It was like, well, like they were being sneaky.”

“Go on.”

“That’s what made me suspicious. I ducked into the shadows and watched, and the warrior slipped out of the palisade. Then Copper Thunder looked around as if to see if he’d been observed. He walked over to the side of the Weroansqua’ sGreat House and listened for a moment with his head against the wall. Then he looked around again, and hurried for the gate. He took one last look, then trotted out through the passageway.”

Nine Killer sat back, puzzled. “Why would he be furtive? He’s a guest here.”

“Maybe he didn’t want anyone to know he was talking to that warrior?”

But what did it mean? Who had the warrior been?

“I see. Anything else?”

“No. Not then. I came home, and made sure that no one had missed me. Everyone was asleep. I didn’t think anything of it, because no one else mentioned that Copper Thunder was gone, or that anything was wrong. Not until Red Knot was found missing. But then, I couldn’t tell because…”

“… Your mother and I would have known you slipped out,” he finished for her. “White Otter, there’s a lesson in this for you. When you do these things, it’s like toying with a jellyfish. You’re not supposed to do it, and periodically you’ll get stung when you do.”

“I’m learning that, Uncle.” She ran the soft fibers through her fingers, combing them out.

“All right, what’s past is past.” He fingered his chin, thinking, seeing Copper Thunder sneaking out in the predawn. “So, the Great Tayac slipped out of the palisade on the morning when Red Knot was murdered? I wonder if she’d already left Flat Pearl Village by then?” “No. She was behind the House of the Dead talking to Quick Fawn just before that. I think they were having an argument. I could tell that they wanted to talk alone, so I left them. That was just before I saw Copper Thunder. Red Knot had to leave after Copper Thunder did.” “But he was here the next morning. He ate—”

“But I saw him come back! It was when Mother sent me for water. I had stepped out of the long house with the water pot, and he came through the gate.”

“Did he look suspicious?”

“Not really. He just looked as if he’d stepped out and made water. But, well, I don’t know for sure …”

“Go on.”

“When I saw him, I thought he had been out the entire time. He just, well, he didn’t look …” She made a face.

“Look like what?”

“It’s nothing I can be certain of. I think what I want to say is that he didn’t look as if he’d slept. He was, yes, too alert. You know, he didn’t have that sleepy look a person has when they just get up.”

Nine Killer tucked that thought away the way a squirrel did a plump nut. “What else did you see?”

She closed her eyes. “Let’s see. Old man Mockingbird was walking across the plaza. And Hunting Hawk’s dog was sitting by the Weroansqua’s doorway. Then Shell Comb came out of the House of the Dead and walked toward the Weroansqua’s Great House. I passed her going across the plaza. Then, I walked down to the canoe landing and dipped the pot full of water. After that, I carried it to Mother. Just like every morning.”

Nine Killer shrugged. “That sounds pretty normal.”

“What about Shell Comb being out? She usually sleeps late. She was coughing, too, as I recall. Old man Mockingbird told her to be careful of her health in the cold.”

“Niece, Shell Comb’s daughter was being married that day. Shell Comb had been responsible for a great many things. With the visitors in the Great House, she might have been in the House of the Dead for any number of reasons.”

“You’ve always been too easy on her, Uncle. Mother says it’s because you wish she was from another clan.”

Nine Killer narrowed an eye and shook a warning finger. “Don’t even jest about such a thing! She’s a friend, that’s all. And I’d never even think of her in any other way. Shell Comb is my cousin! Even the thought would be the most horrible calamity that could befall our clan.”

Nevertheless, White Otter’s words unsettled him. Shell Comb had always had an effect on him, and his interest ran so far beyond friendship that he made extra sure never to be alone with her for more than a moment’s time. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust himself… but, well, when it came to Shell Comb, he didn’t trust himself.