Green Serpent sucked at his lips while he inspected the skeleton that stared sightlessly up at the sooty roof high overhead. Then he slowly shook his head. “No. Not her. Hunting Hawk, hard woman that she is, would have just said no. Maybe offered another girl. Maybe one of Yellow Net’s brood, or some other clanswoman. And she would have sent enough canoes of food and gifts that Copper Thunder’s pride would have been satisfied.”
“What about in revenge? Punishment for running off and disgracing her clan in front of Copper Thunder? I can’t imagine the Weroansqua enjoying the prospect of telling the Great Tayac that Red Knot had run off with a callow youth on the eve of her marriage.”
“Oh, my, Panther, that would have been bad. Bad indeed, but the children would never have escaped. No, no, Nine Killer would have had them within the day, no matter that High Fox had a day’s head start. Knowing Hunting Hawk, as I do, I’d say that she’d cast Red Knot out, disown her, and give her to Copper Thunder as a slave rather than kill her. The Weroansqua is never one to let an opportunity pass to teach a lesson to her enemies. And, had she wanted the girl killed for disobedience, it would have been a most public execution. Not what we have here—all loose ends and suspicion.” The Kwiokos paused. “You see, the Weroansqua is smarter than to do something like this.”
“But, someone, it seems, did it anyway.”
Green Serpent nodded, crossing his arms. “So perhaps you need only find someone stupid? That’s not the Weroansqua.” Panther smiled grimly. “To kill in this fashion, Kwiokos, isn’t a matter of being smart. No, no, you misread the mind of a murderer. Red Knot wasn’t killed because of craftiness.”
“What then?”
“Tell me, Kwiokos, have you ever seen the Weroansqua desperate?” Green Serpent glanced uneasily at Lightning Cat and Streaked Bear where they waited by the doorway. He made a subtle gesture, saying, “You two. Check the fire in the front room. I wouldn’t want it to go out. And after that, make sure we have a good supply of wood in. This snow might last awhile.”
Reluctantly, the two younger men glanced at each other, nodded, and left.
“Desperate?” Green Serpent said when the priests had retreated beyond hearing. He waved his gnarled old finger back and forth. “Ah, yes, Panther, I have seen that in her eyes, but only when she looks at Shell Comb. The
Weroansqua’s only great fear is turning the affairs of Greenstone Clan over to her daughter.”
“Shell Comb?”
Green Serpent stepped over by the fire and seated himself, gesturing Panther down opposite him. From the pouch at his side, Green Serpent produced his pipe, and with his other hand, pinched tobacco from a bowl. This he offered to Panther, who in turn retrieved his own pipe and tamped it full.
The Kwiokos raised his pipe in humble offering to the statue of Okeus, then used a twig kept for such purposes to light his bowl. Panther repeated the offering to Okeus and lit his own pipe. Smoke sanctified words, sent them to the Spirits, and validated conversations such as this.
“If any single thing has disappointed the Weroansqua it is Shell Comb.” Green Serpent gave Panther a knowing look. “Of all the quickness of wit and craftiness that runs in Hunting Hawk’s veins, none of it was passed to Shell Comb. She is like the wind, blowing one way one day, and another the next. As focused as the Weroansqua is, Shell Comb is scattered, forever slave to her passions and desires.”
“I see.”
“Do you?” Green Serpent puffed, blue smoke curling about his head in a wreath. “Hunting Hawk is like a sharp chert blade, cutting through life with a single purpose. Shell Comb is like an otter, playing here and there, forever hunting new game. Take them to a ceremony, and Hunting Hawk will be appraising each of the participants for their value to her, and what she can gain from them. Shell Comb will be assessing what lies under their breech clouts and what trinkets they would be willing to string around her body.”
Panther glanced sidelong at Red Knot’s naked bones. “Then Shell Comb has always disappointed her mother?”
Green Serpent shrugged. “Only in the last couple of years has Shell Comb seemed to show the slightest interest in ruling. I think it was because she finally realized just how old her mother was getting. In the last year, Shell Comb has really tried to show some responsibility. But, were I to guess, I’d say she’s not going to be a very good Weroansqua.”
“That worries you.”
“I will be dead soon.” Green Serpent stared pensively at the fire. “The problem will be Lightning Cat’s, or maybe Streaked Bear’s.” He glanced at Red Knot’s supine skeleton. “Some of us thought that perhaps Red Knot would be more like her grandmother. But what I saw, she was another one like her mother, letting her desire outweigh her good sense.”