Okeus and the Weroansqua had a great deal in common. Perhaps old Hunting Hawk had saved them again by this alliance to Copper Thunder’s Pipestone Clan. The test would be to see if Hunting Hawk was truly capable of handling Copper Thunder—and Okeus only knew what would happen if… A young girl came dashing down the trail, her long black hair streaming out behind. For the briefest of moments, Nine Killer thought she was Red Knot, then recognized his niece, Quick Fawn.
“Warriors!” the girl cried. “Warriors, Uncle! Almost two tens of them!” She pulled to a stop before him, bent double and gasping for breath. “By the … old oak. They passed … bows ready… faces painted. Coming this way!”
“Whose warriors?” Nine Killer put a gentle hand on his niece’s head. “Did you recognize them?”
“The … the Mamanatowick’s!”
Nine Killer turned to his warriors. “Water Snake’s warriors are on the west side of the ridge. If this is a raid, they’ll stick to the bottom of the slope, just up from the trails along the beach. Stone Cob, break left, warn the others. Flying Weir, assemble your men. Let’s lay a trap for these cunning infiltrators, and see what comes of it.”
At his signal, the two warriors charged off through the trees toward the other parties of searchers. The two remaining warriors quickly strung their bows, plucked arrows, and looked to him for orders.
“Stay with me, niece. We’ll climb down the slope. I think I know where they’ll pass.” He dropped to a knee and looked the gasping Quick Fawn in me eye. “Was Red Knot with you?”
“No.” Quick Fawn panted. “Is something wrong?”
“She’s missing. And now you tell me the Mamanatowick’s warriors are out there.”
“But she should be long …” She tossed tangled black locks back as she straightened, sudden worry shining in her eyes. “I… yes, I see, Uncle.”
“One thing at a time, girl.” Nine Killer gave her a reassuring smile. “We’ll deal with the warriors, and then we’ll find her.” He patted her on the back. “Go now. Warn the village. Two tens of warriors is hardly a threat, but they could cause mischief.”
Winged Blackbird hurried forward, balancing speed against silence. His line of warriors followed behind him.
He didn’t particularly like this situation, sneaking down the narrow neck of land controlled by Flat Pearl Village’s renowned warriors, but being War Chief to Corn Hunter, Weroance of White Stake Village, carried risk along with status. Winged Blackbird had trained all of his life for this, and now, in his second year as War Chief, he knew just how tenuous his position was.
His only hope was stealth. They had to get in fast, accomplish their task, and get out before that cunning Nine Killer figured out just how weak they were.
Only three days past, he’d been sitting before the fire in his family long house in White Stake Village. His wife, Sees-Through-Shell, had been relating the gossip as Winged Blackbird knotted a new fishing net from cordage. Then Corn Hunter’s runner had arrived.
Winged Blackbird had taken a moment to don his best shell necklace and tie on his stuffed blackbird. He wore the bird on the shaved right side of his head, just above the ear. Then he picked up his war club and went to see the Weroance.
Corn Hunter had been surrounded by his priests, some of the clan leaders, and a stringy, tattooed fellow: a Trader by the name of Barnacle. Winged Blackbird knew of him, a shiftless sort, and not well liked. From the stories told, he must have had no less than four or five different mothers—for no other explanation could account for his various claims of clan affiliation. In all the years that Barnacle had been plying the waters of Salt Water Bay, no clan had ever claimed him, and, it was said, those who had investigated his lineage had never found anyone who knew of him or his family.
Corn Hunter wore a grim expression, brooding, his square jaw propped on a meaty palm as he stared thoughtfully at Barnacle. The Weroance had begun to gray, his body gone soft and round in the gut. Old tattoos had faded into his age-darkened skin until they were barely recognizable. Water Snake had placed Corn Hunter, his younger brother, in charge of White Stake Village nearly twenty years past. The appointment had been enforced by the Mamanatowick’s warriors in the beginning, but over the years Corn Hunter had proved a solid man, if somewhat unimaginative. His duty to his older brother had consisted mostly of stabilizing the northern borders, and checking on Flat Pearl Village and the allies of Greenstone Clan.
Few failed to realize that Water Snake wished to control the territories held by the Independent villages. Over the years, he had sent several expeditions to bring Flat Pearl, Three Myrtle, and Oyster villages under his sway by intimidation or conquest. Each had been met and repulsed by Greenstone warriors and their allies. Winged Blackbird owed his appointment as War Chief to just such a raid, when his predecessor, Net Sinker, had been killed in combat with Nine Killer.