What are you saying? Anhinga wondered. That sandstone is one of the few things Owl Clan has left to barter with for obligation!
Striped Dart opened his mouth, but the hot retort died on his tongue. “I’m right?”
Salamander nodded. “Of course you are. We are getting many things for nothing. I have a beautiful wife, a canoe load of sandstone each moon, and peace. You, my friend, just have the peace from one clan. Mine. It is not fair.”
“What are you saying?” Anhinga snapped.
“I’m saying we should renegotiate.” Salamander spread his hands wide. “Striped Dart, what if we sent a load of gifts with each trip? What would your people like?”
“Fabrics,” Anhinga said quickly. “No one makes fabrics like Sun Town. And dyes. You make the most beautiful dyes. Smoked meat, like the buffalo and elk you have Traded for. My people don’t get such luxuries.”
“Stone?” Salamander asked, indicating the sharp greenstone celt hafted onto his ax.
“No. We have plenty of our own,” Striped Dart answered. “Trading rocks for rocks sounds silly. But these other things?” He looked genuinely interested. “You would do that when you didn’t have to?”
“I would, Brother-in-law. I would simply because it is right. And we have to consider safety.” Salamander jerked his head toward where Eats Wood lay out in the weeds. “Someday soon, someone like Eats Wood, from one of the other Sun Town clans, will come to raid and steal sandstone. He will come to break the peace, not because he hates the Swamp Panthers, but because it is a way to hurt my clan.”
Anhinga asked, “So what will you do? Kill him, too?”
“No, Wife. I will try to be smarter than my enemies.” Salamander’s brows lowered. “I will only send a canoe on the full moon, Striped Dart. I will always send someone you know: Yellow Spider, Bluefin, one of my kinsmen. If you see a canoe with strangers in it, be wary. My advice would be to avoid it.”
“Why? It is our territory. Why should we put up with raiders?”
Salamander let that strange brown gaze of his bore into Striped Dart. To Anhinga’s amazement, her brother squirmed, then lowered his eyes.
Salamander spoke in a respectful tone. “The decision is yours, Brother-in-law. I cannot tell you whether or not to attack them, but I would have you consider that so long as this peace lasts between you and me, it is a thorn in the side of the other Sun Town clans. If we break it, they will have won … and you won’t get fine fabrics and exotic foods in return for your stone.”
Anhinga shook her head. “Striped Dart, you can’t make this agreement. It is up to Uncle. He is our Elder! When he hears, he’ll be furious! He already distrusts you.”
“He and I think differently, Sister.” Striped Dart had pursed his lips. “I had to beg to get this chance to see you alone. He has the winter solstice to plan for, or he would be here, telling me ‘no.’ I’m not a child any more than you are. One day, I will be Elder. I want to be a good one.”
“We need not tell Jaguar Hide,” Salamander said easily. “If there is trouble over the Trade, simply say that Anhinga has talked me into sending it as a ‘gift’ to my wife’s people. Such things are done.” His expression went solemn again. “Like you, I am planning not just for this moon, but for many moons in the future.”
Striped Dart smiled, reaching out with a strong hand. “Done.” Then his smile slipped. “We have one other thing to settle between us. The child.”
“Yes?”
“It is ours. A member of my clan. I want my nephew to be raised as a Panther, not as a Sun person. He is to learn our ways, and I am to teach him.”
“And if it’s a girl?” Anhinga asked.
“Then she is to be raised by Mother.”
“Our child will be raised by me!” Anhinga told him sharply. “I will see to its needs.” What was she saying? She wasn’t going to be in Sun Town for much longer. All she needed was Jaguar Hide’s order to act, and she would impliment the plan she had in mind. Immediately she would take a canoe, head for home, and her clan would raise the child.
“You are going to teach my nephew to hunt?” Striped Dart cried. “How to fish and stalk enemies?”
Salamander raised his hands. “This is a matter between the two of you. But know this, Striped Dart, if anything should happen to Anhinga, I will bring you the child as soon as I safely can.”
“Why?”
“Because it will be your kin, Striped Dart.”
Striped Dart looked confused, as if he fished for thoughts in his head. He asked, “Do you fear me? Is that why you do this?”