Kakala merely exhaled and shifted his gaze to Ti-Bish.
Barely audible, Ti-Bish said, “But I—I need to pray with Skimmer.”
Nashat said, “You have failed your people, War Chief. You have failed our Blessed Guide.”
Kakala’s dark eyes returned to Nashat. “Elder, your orders prevented me from finding Windwolf. And, as to Skimmer—”
“You mean, the Guide’s orders!” Nashat interrupted quickly, shooting him a warning look.
Kakala lifted a shoulder. “The Guide’s orders sent me south with sixteen warriors. Windwolf was in Headswift Village. I split my force, sending Maga with ten to feint at the rocky warrens while I took four and tried to kill Windwolf as he met with Lookingbill. I had no leverage to force them to turn him over. If I’d been allowed to take the Elders captive, I—”
“Who is Windwolf?” Ti-Bish asked.
Kakala’s brows raised enquiringly.
“A Sunpath war chief,” Nashat answered. “I told you about him. A very evil man. He’s killed many of our warriors.”
Kakala said, “I wouldn’t call him evil, Elder. He’s a brilliant warrior. He’s fighting for his people; he just—”
“It’s just that some of his people have been trying to kill our Blessed Guide.” Nashat gave Kakala a warning look and extended a hand toward Ti-Bish.
Kakala turned confused eyes on Ti-Bish, and seemed to be scrutinizing him with a new understanding.
As though he sensed the war chief’s revelation, Ti-Bish said, “The blessings of Raven Hunter be with you, War Chief,” and swiftly headed for the exit.
Nashat reached out and grabbed hold of his cape to stop him. “I realize it’s your prayer time, Guide, but please, just a little longer.”
Ti-Bish swallowed hard, gave Kakala an askance look and murmured, “All right. A little longer.”
“As to Skimmer …” Kakala began.
“You, War Chief, have failed me for the last time.” He gestured to one of the warriors standing by the entrance. “Take him to his justly earned punishment. He can contemplate his failures there. When Karigi returns, have him come to my chambers. I would speak to him about the position of high war chief.”
Kakala swallowed hard, seemed to sway, and stood as the guard stepped close, his hand on a war club.
“You won’t need that,” Kakala said through a strangled voice. He walked proudly from the chamber, head high, the muscles in his back stretching the travel-worn cape over his shoulders.
Nashat paced in front of Ti-Bish. “He’s a warrior. He doesn’t understand. The Nightland clan Elders made the decision to find Windwolf, capture him if possible, and if not, kill him.” He looked into Ti-Bish’s wide eyes. “You do understand, don’t you, Guide? There are people out there who would kill you before they would allow Wolf Dreamer’s heresy to be supplanted.”
“But, I—”
“There are no buts, Guide. Your responsibility to the people is to lead them to the hole in the ice when the time comes. Mine is to ensure you live long enough to ensure our return to the paradise of the Long Dark.”
Ti-Bish nodded, his eyes dropping.
Nashat said, “You can go and pray now.”
Keresa didn’t look back as she trotted out onto the tundra. Moss and sedges padded her steps as she led the line of her remaining warriors. She could hear Goodeagle’s thudding moccasins behind her. That he was second in line irritated her.
I’d prefer that he ran last. Maybe he’d do us all the pleasure of simply fading away.
No, not Goodeagle. For better or worse, he’d committed himself to them.
She shook her head, worry about Kakala spinning through her soul. They had followed his orders. They’d looked for Windwolf, had even tracked some elusive fugitives, but lost their trail. A man, woman, and child, from the tracks in the snow. A fleeing family, not a hunted war chief.
To her delight, not a single warrior had looked askance at her when she’d made the decision to head back. Each and every one of them understood what Kakala had done for them.
Odd, isn’t it? Their loyalty is to Kakala, and not the Council. How did this happen to us? What have we become that our hearts beat for each other, and not the will of our people?
But then, if they found Kakala in a cage—given everything he had sacrificed for his people—the Council would have crossed some line that even she barely understood.
And if he’s in a cage, Keresa, what will you do? She wondered. Were she to cut the bindings and free him, what then?
“It doesn’t matter,” she muttered under her breath. “We’ll deal with that future when it confronts us.”