People of the Owl(52)

She nodded. “As soon as my son is finished with his responsibilities to the People.”

Mud Stalker lifted his good hand to chew on his thumbnail. Who was this new, companionable Mud Stalker? What was he after?

“He will be a great Speaker.” Mud Stalker’s attention was fixed across the distance.

“Thank you. I am proud of him myself.”

“I salute you, Wing Heart. It is a great coup, a victory well worth savoring, much more rewarding than what our clanspeople are doing over there.”

“I thank you again, Speaker.”

He turned hard black eyes on her. His expression, never anything to contemplate with any pleasure, now appeared strained and slightly bitter. “Let us be blunt. We are old adversaries, you and I. Just this once can we speak as two people without the dodging and darting?”

The old wariness warmed her insides. “Can we?”

He laughed again, sounding genuinely amused. “I’m not sure, but let us try. I have a question.”

“I may or may not have an answer.”

“This son of yours, Mud Puppy? Did he really have a vision?”

That caught her by surprise. “The boy has always been peculiar. Half of the time I’d be forever grateful just to marry him off—even if it was to someplace like Yellow Mud Camp. He’s young, Speaker, and I don’t know if he’s going to end up as a great Serpent ten winters from now, or as a half-wit.”

“And the vision?”

“I can only say that he was right about Ground Cherry Camp, and the Serpent believed him.”

“But you don’t? Interesting.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to.” He continued to stare at the crowd gathered around the Men’s House. “What a curious fate Power has made for you. One son is almost a god—smart, clever, and daring. Look at him over there. People are already calling him Owl Clan’s new Speaker. Even his rivals admire him. Those who should resent him are delighted to share their time with him. Two days ago, even though he should have been locked away in the Men’s House in preparation for the attack, he still managed time to bring me a piece of copper.” He reached into his belt pouch and held up a flat disk of the metal. “Told me he remembered that I had that necklace of copper beads and that this would make the perfect pendant for it.” He turned it in the fading light so that she could see the turtle image engraved in the burnished metal. “It is indeed perfect.”

“My son takes his duties to the People very seriously. It is the pleasure of my lineage and clan to make you happy.”

Mud Stalker took a deep breath, replacing the heavy copper pendant into his belt pouch. “Thunder Tail was here earlier. I saw him walk away after a long talk with you.”

“He was.” Spying on me, are you, old enemy? “He brought Elder Stone Talon’s regards. Apparently her joints are bothering her.”

“I heard that Thunder Tail mentioned a potential marriage.”

She fought to keep the shadow of a smile from the corners of her mouth. Now she knew where this was going. “He mentioned one of his nieces, a girl named Green Beetle. I’ve seen her. She was just made a woman two moons ago. She’s comely, a bit busty for my tastes, but that just makes milk for babies. I’ve seen her coming in from the river a time or two. She’s the one who likes diving for clams. Most of those pearls that Eagle Clan has been passing around were found by her.”

Mud Stalker was silent for the moment, calculating the investment Thunder Tail was making in the offer. Green Beetle, more commonly called Pearl Girl, had been the topic of considerable speculation. Not only was she Stone Talon’s first granddaughter, but pretty and charming to boot.

“But I think my son is interested in Spring Cypress,” Wing Heart added with a slightly wistful tone. “I may have to look in that direction. We have obligations to Clay Fat and Rattlesnake Clan. If Clay Fat were to ask for White Bird, I’m not sure but that I wouldn’t have to give him.”

She let that dangle. Snakes, it would break the boy’s heart if she promised him to someone besides Spring Cypress. But here, for the moment, she could set a trap.

Mud Stalker tripped it when he said, “Clay Fat and old Graywood Snake can be reasoned with.”

“They can?”

“I might have a little influence. You have obligations to Rattlesnake Clan, but they have obligations of their own.

Assuming that White Bird and the girl wouldn’t do something so silly as to elope—”

“Never! At least, White Bird wouldn’t. As to the girl? Well, whatever lengths she might be tempted to try wouldn’t matter. It takes two to elope.”