People of the Owl(118)

He raised a hand to her, but didn’t look back as he stroked vigorously for the channels. The young men, clustered as they were, were caught by surprise. Salamander could see them, talking in hushed tones before they raced for their canoes.

“Let him go,” Salamander called. “No matter what your orders, it is only right! He came according to his word: Owl Clan has guaranteed him safe conduct.”

“He killed my father!” Saw Back, of the Alligator Clan, cried passionately.

“Animal,” Anhinga hissed under her breath.

“And your clan has killed more than one of his kin in return,” Salamander replied as he blocked their way to the canoes. “I said let him go.”

“Who are you to give someone in Alligator Clan an order?”

“I am Owl Clan’s Speaker. I stand in the Council and know its wishes! If you push this thing, it will be between your clan and mine. Do you want to come and explain that to the Council?” Salamander crossed his arms.

Saw Back picked up a pointed paddle engraved with alligators and stepped up to Salamander. “You’re the smallest whelp in the litter, Mud Puppy. I don’t care that you were made some Speaker! You’re barely off the nipple yourself, and you want to give me orders?” He smiled as he gripped the paddle. “Move out of my way!”

“Go ahead. Strike me, Saw Back. Do it right and break a couple of bones. Better yet, kill me.” Salamander took a step forward, aware that the youths were watching, waiting, a keen anticipation in their eyes. “Deep Hunter will be so pleased when he has to defend his clansman in the Council. You see, it’s not just me, but the very notion of a warrior striking a Speaker. It sets a precedent that the Council can’t allow, no matter what they think of me.”

Saw Back stared at Anhinga, taking in her perfect body. “I think after I smack some manners into you, I’ll break your wife in for you.”

Salamander took another step forward, crowding him. “No, you won’t.”

“Why?”

“Because your mother will be crying as she burns your bones.”

That brought laughter from the youths. They were crowding around now, that hunter’s gleam in their eyes. They were primed to fight, to kill.

Saw Back had to take a step back to tap his chest. “You’d kill me? Here are my souls, Mud Puppy, come and take them.”

“I am Salamander,” he replied calmly. “As long as you do not defy the Council, I won’t take your souls. But if you push this thing, I will. Not tonight, but sometime when—”

“He’s getting away!” Needs Two, another of the Alligator Clan hunters called as he looked over his shoulder. Jaguar Hide’s rapidly moving canoe was halfway to the channel.

Anhinga backed away. From the edge of his vision, Salamander watched her pick up one of the pointed paddles. The way she held it assured him she hadn’t considered using it in the water.

A handful of young warriors eased off to one side and bent to shove one of the canoes out.

“I said, leave him alone!” Salamander pointed a finger at them. “As a member of the Council, I order you.”

Saw Back made a face. “You couldn’t—”

“Fool!” Salamander shouted into his face. “The Council could care less what I order, but as a Speaker, it would make an exception. Would Deep Hunter want it whispered around that a Speaker can be disobeyed? This isn’t about me, Saw Back!”

“He’s almost to the channels!” Needs Two cried as he hopped from foot to foot, unwilling to take action on his own.

“Well?” Salamander cried, walking between them, his hands waving. “What is it? Are you going to attack me? Are you going to throw a burning ember into the tinder of clan relations? Why don’t you run and ask Deep Hunter if he wants a fight with Owl Clan? That wasn’t in the orders, was it? No, just go kill Jaguar Hide! But Owl Clan has made a bargain since that order was given.” He thrust a finger at Anhinga. “You would kill my wife’s uncle! I would have to seek retribution!”

They looked confused, half of them fingering their darts as they glanced out to where Jaguar Hide’s canoe slipped into the channel, vanishing behind the bald cypresses.

Salamander gave a frustrated sigh, hoping that fear sweat hadn’t broken out on his hot face. “All right, get off the island. I have things to attend to with the Serpent. This woman must be cleansed.” He made shooing signs with his hands. “Stop pestering me, and think about your actions before you go against the Council.”

“I’ll leave in my own good time,” Saw Back insisted.