Kakala gestured for his warriors to climb the ladder first. All the while, Windwolf stood rigidly, eyes glued to Kakala’s every movement. Only when Keresa passed by him did his gaze shift. He glanced at her with a softness in his eyes.
Kakala climbed out last … and walked straight into three tens of warriors with clubs and nocked atlatls. Keresa bowed her head and smiled wearily.
Kakala grimaced. “What are we doing?” He took another look at the warriors, seeing no more than ten adults among them. Some looked as if they were hiding wounds. The rest were women and children, but each seemed to know how to hold a weapon.
Windwolf gave him a piercing look, almost pleading. “First, order your warriors to follow my directions.”
“Why?” If I ordered a sudden rush, we could probably break that pitiful bunch of warriors, seize enough weapons to make a real fight of it.
More to Kakala’s warriors than him, Windwolf said, “Working with me does two things. First, it saves your lives, and perhaps the runner’s as well. Second, it gives us a chance to keep you out of the cages.” In a louder voice, he said, “Do you understand?”
Kakala looked back at his warriors, who shot questioning gazes in his direction. He turned to Windwolf. “You could just kill the runner.”
A faint smile crossed the man’s lips. “Nashat will know the rumors are true.” He gave Kakala a challenging look. “You help me; I help you.”
“Outside of keeping out of the cages, is there a reason I should?” He shot another measuring look at the pitiful band of warriors, women, and children.
“No games, Kakala. We don’t have time for it. You choose: back in the hole, and I kill the runner, or we work together to find a solution that leaves everyone breathing, and with a future.”
“We await your orders, War Chief Kakala,” Keresa said formally. She managed to keep her expression wooden, but he could see the anguish behind her eyes.
She’s leaving the choice to me. In that instant, his soul swelled with heartfelt appreciation. If she would do this for him, he could do no less for her.
“We do as War Chief Windwolf instructs! No tricks, no foolishness. That is my order,” Kakala shouted loudly enough for the rest. To Windwolf he said, “Tell me what you want me to do.”
“You’ll meet the messenger in the ceremonial cave, where everything will look perfectly normal.”
“All right.” Kakala started walking. His warriors followed. The Lame Bull warriors surrounded them with their darts knocked.
Windwolf matched his pace to Kakala’s. “Let’s discuss your conduct.”
“I think I know how to act with another Nightland warrior.”
“One wrong word, one suspicious move—if you blink too quickly, Kakala, I’ll do what I have to do. But I’ll keep you alive to the last. Do we understand each other?”
Rage flared, but he controlled it. “We do.” Then he asked softly, “Keresa, too?”
His shot went home. He saw the scream behind Windwolf’s eyes.
“I die with my warriors,” Keresa said stiffly. “No favors.”
Kakala and Windwolf locked gazes, each taking the other’s measure. A silent tug-of-war ensued.
Keresa noticed, averted her head, and made a phiisst! sound with her lips.
Then Windwolf broke the gaze, almost laughing. Softly, he said, “I want you to ask the runner one question for me.”
Kakala squinted suspiciously. “What is it?”
“Ask him if anyone has reported the location of my warriors.”
The question seemed to have a special importance to Windwolf. By Raven Hunter, he doesn’t know. Kakala laughed. “And to think I’ve been worried—”
Windwolf’s muscular arm slammed Kakala painfully against a boulder. His warriors started forward.
Keresa shouted, “Keep your places!” Then in a lower voice, “Windwolf, that isn’t necessary.”
To Kakala’s surprise, Windwolf backed off, saying, “Just ask him.”
“Of course,” Kakala responded mildly. A seed of hope lodged in his breast, quickening his breathing. If Windwolf didn’t know, they could be days away. Or dead.
He shot a quizzical look at Keresa, who lifted her eyebrows in a shrug.
Windwolf took a deep breath, remarking, “Keresa’s right.You bring out the worst in me.”
In a voice too low for Keresa to hear, Kakala said, “We don’t have to like each other, but if this goes bad, you will make sure Keresa is safe?”
“Kakala,” he said with a sigh, “I am a flawed man. For reasons I do not fully understand, I even want you safe.”
They walked around the base of the rockshelters, and passed through totally empty Sunpath camps. Every person was gone. Their belongings lay strewn in front of the lodges as though dropped by fleeing people. A few dogs skulked unhappily through the garbage, sniffing and growling at anything that moved.