“Very well,” Thunder Tail said with simple dignity. “Speaker Deep Hunter has brought a matter of some gravity before the Council. It seems that an altercation has resulted in one of his kinsmen receiving a serious and crippling injury.”
Mud Stalker hadn’t made a step to second Deep Hunter’s call when Salamander leaped forward, his buffalo robe flapping. Behind him, Moccasin Leaf was a half heartbeat too slow as she tried to grab him back.
The entire Council waited in hushed silence as Salamander strode up to Deep Hunter, his small frame dwarfed by the burly Speaker. “Do you wish to pursue this, Speaker?”
“By the Snakes, I do, boy!” Deep Hunter’s arm muscles bulged, his face reddening. “You hand that Swamp Panther viper over to me!”
“You may not have my wife.” Salamander said it calmly, as if he were discussing a basket of prized stone blanks. His very demeanor, so thoroughly in possession of himself, left Deep Hunter off-balance.
“She attacked my warrior!”
Salamander crossed his arms, lowering his voice. Mud Stalker heard him say, “Are you sure you want to open this jar of ants, Speaker? Before it is done, we may all be bitten.”
Mud Stalker stepped out into the circle. “Open it we shall! The Swamp Panther woman has made allegations! She has sullied the name of my niece. Worse, she humiliated her! Drove her naked through the middle of Sun Town like a slave!”
Salamander shot him a level glance, then looked back at Deep Hunter, saying, “This is an internal matter within my household. I will deal with my wives in my own way.”
“You can’t deal with anything!” Deep Hunter bellowed.
“Uncle?” the soft voice caught Mud Stalker by surprise, as did the firm hand that grasped his elbow and subtly dragged him back. Pine Drop leaned her head close, whispering, “Do not push this, or we will all regret it.”
Sweet Root stepped forward, a stunned look on her face as she in turn began pulling on Pine Drop’s arm.
“Please,” Pine Drop urged. “Step back, or this will burn out of control like hot sparks in a dry forest.”
“You would do this?” He couldn’t believe the determination in her eyes as she nodded yes.
“Trust me, Uncle. Trust Salamander. There is more at stake than you know. My husband will snuff this fire before our clan is burned.”
“Him?” Mud Stalker jerked his head back at Salamander. From the corner of his eye he could see Salamander lean close to Deep Hunter, speaking in a low, earnest voice. Even as near as he was, he couldn’t make out the words.
Deep Hunter stood like a lightning-riven oak, trembling while his expression blackened. Salamander had evidently finished, for he simply stared up at Deep Hunter with calm brown eyes.
“What did he say?” Clay Fat cried. “We can’t hear! Repeat what you said, Salamander.”
“Speak up!” Cane Frog shouted. “This is the Council! Not some Men’s House! Either we all hear, or no one speaks!”
“Speak up!” Thunder Tail and Stone Talon called in chorus. The Clan Elder leaned forward on her crutches, her toothless jaw stuck out in irritation.
“It is your decision,” Salamander said loudly enough for everyone to hear. “I could repeat myself in a voice loud enough for the rest to hear.”
To Mud Stalker’s surprise, Deep Hunter shot him an evaluative look, hesitated, then shook his head. He stepped back, hands still balled into fists. The muscles in his arms knotted and writhed. Before he turned on his heel and stalked back to his place, he muttered, “Alligator Clan retracts its statement. This matter is up to Salamander.”
“What?” Mud Stalker cried in amazement. He started forward again, only to have Pine Drop take his bad arm in a tight grip.
“Leave it, Uncle,” she insisted. “It is between Salamander, me, and Night Rain. Our time will come later, when it will not make fools of us in front of everyone. More is at stake here than you know.”
“How dare you?” Sweet Root exploded, struggling to keep her voice down so the others didn’t hear.
“Be smart,” Pine Drop whispered through gritted teeth before she let go of Mud Stalker’s arm. “Figure it out yourself. I just did.” Then she turned, striding purposefully out of the Council House, pushing her way through the people who had come to watch.
That, more than anything, sank through Mud Stalker’s anger. He stopped short, meeting Sweet Root’s eyes, seeing nothing there but baffled frustration.
Suddenly unsure, Mud Stalker stepped out into the circle, catching Salamander before he could step from the ring. “Just tell me, Speaker. What did your barbarian do out there in the forest?”