Mud Stalker indicated a small steaming bowl that rested at the side of the fire. “I have provided us with fresh black drink.”
Deep Hunter’s hard eyes never wavered. “If I drink any of that, I won’t sleep. It’s already late.”
“So? Do you have a busy day tomorrow?”
A faint smile curled Deep Hunter’s lips. “No, I suppose not.” He lifted the bowl, tilting it to sip at the hot liquid. When he set it down Mud Stalker reached out with his good hand and grasped it, lifting it to his lips to drink some of the dark bitter liquid. It almost scalded his tongue.
“You brewed it strong.”
Mud Stalker set the bowl down and wiped his lips. “Something about black drink. It makes the thoughts clearer and races the blood.”
Deep Hunter’s eyes had narrowed. “I would assume, however, that you didn’t call me here in the middle of the night just to share a pleasant drink and make a little companionable conversation.”
“We have a problem.”
Deep Hunter cocked his head. “We have a lot of problems, you and I.”
“What are we going to do about Owl Clan?”
“What are we going to do? Why should anything my clan decides interest you?”
“Because no matter what is between us, you and I must work together on this.”
“Why?”
“I think you know. You are waiting, planning on striking at Jaguar Hide. You would have done it sooner, but Owl Clan has an agreement with the old rascal. If you take action on your own, it could cause a stir in the Council. Thunder Tail, Cane Frog, Clay Fat, and Salamander could vote to condemn Alligator Clan. I might be tempted to side with them against you.”
“You are assuming that the Council would take an interest in the Swamp Panthers’ response to a ‘peaceful Trading expedition’ that went wrong.” He smiled warily. “You just can’t tell about those people down there.”
“That might work. And again, it might not. Someone could make the plausible argument that your warriors took that action as a provocation. That you were jealous of Owl Clan’s domination of the sandstone Trade.” Mud Stalker massaged the elbow on his ruined arm. “Or, Snakes take us, worse, that it was personally motivated, a backhanded way to repay Anhinga for what she did to young Saw Back.”
After a pause, Deep Hunter asked, “What did you have in mind?”
“There might be a way that you could attain your ends, and I might attain mine.”
“Your ends and mine have nothing in common.” Deep Hunter’s smoldering eyes took Mud Stalker’s measure, his jaw muscles tight.
Mud Stalker made a pacifying gesture. “Let us lay our gaming pieces in the open. You and I have been adversaries for a long time. I know how you used Night Rain against me. Perhaps I deserved that. I shouldn’t have placed such a naive young girl in that position in the first place.” He chuckled at himself. “Knowing where we stand with each other, I propose that we work together.”
“Why should we?”
“Because I think young Salamander has too much of his mother and uncle in him. If he has done the things he has as a fresh-made man, what will he be like in another ten summers?”
Deep Hunter digested that for a moment, his expression pensive. “We thought him pretty foolish for the way he stripped his clan for Trade with those Wash’ta Traders. But look how well he did this last winter, giving out those hides. Who would have thought the weather was going to be so miserable?”
“Even a fool pulls in a full net on occasion, but this is something more.”
“I would hesitate to mention that it was your insistence that put him in such a position of authority to start with.” He gave Mud Stalker an ironic smile. “Let me guess. When White Bird was killed, you thought luck had dropped control of Owl Clan into your lap, didn’t you?”
Mud Stalker shrugged. “I wanted to see Wing Heart’s authority compromised.”
“What prompted you? Everyone thought you were crazy when you married those girls to that boy.”
Mud Stalker chewed his lip, hesitating.
“You said we should speak freely.”
“A Dream,” Mud Stalker admitted. “A Power Dream. Now I cannot be sure if it was for good or evil.”
“Which, I suppose, is the real reason you brought me here. What did you want to offer me?”
“An alliance. At least until we can fix our current problem. You have Thunder Tail’s obligation. Cunningly done, I might add, through information provided by Night Rain. I have influence with Clay Fat. Rattlesnake Clan is obliged to me for the moment.”
“What are you planning?”