But Evening Star has joined them. Could Naida’s daughter be making such a terrible mistake?
“Tell me how the Raven People reacted to Evening Star speaking in their council.”
“She won most of the doubters over, Matron.” He smiled in the darkness. “She might have had the support of a couple of the chiefs going in, but when it was over she had even won the respect, if not the hearts, of the dissidents.”
“How did she look, act?”
He gave her a piercing glance. “Like a great matron should.” A pause. “And I mean no disrespect, but if I were Astcat, let alone Old Woman North, I’d be sending every Wolf Tail I could find to cut her head off.”
“That persuasive, was she?”
“Yes, Matron. Even while arguing for Ecan’s life.”
Kaska took a deep breath. The future was looming before her. In a stroke, she could be destroying her whole family. A loyal Kaska would be worth a great deal to the Council. Her heart ached for Astcat. Then she imagined Evening Star, haunted, hunted, fleeing desperately through the forest …
“How would I go about putting our warriors under Rain Bear’s command?”
“It won’t be easy. They think they’re supposed to fight Raven People, not help them.” Sand Wasp gave her a somber look. “If we do this, we will have to get word to Rain Bear soon. He must have time to plan how to use our warriors, and we must get our people into position without arousing the suspicions of the great chief, his Starwatcher, or White Stone.”
Kaska curled her toes to keep them warm. “I need you here to help me. Can you find someone else to deliver the message to Rain Bear?”
“I can, but it will cost a great deal, Matron. To assure secrecy, we must buy a messenger.”
“I will pay whatever is necessary. But choose well, Sand Wasp. What little tribute we have left is rapidly disappearing. Make him aware of the consequences if he betrays us.”
Sand Wasp stood quietly for a time, then whispered, “What will happen to us if Rain Bear wins, Matron?”
Kaska studied the wealth of sparkling Star People, wondering how her ancestors would answer that. They were probably all glaring down at her this instant, asking how one of Gispaw’s children could betray her own people. She prayed with all her heart that her mother could explain it to them.
“The North Wind People will be reborn as something else, Sand Wasp. But for good or ill, I cannot say.”
“Where will we go?”
“I suppose we will live at Wasp Village for a time. After that … who can say?”
Sand Wasp took a deep breath and whispered, “Know this, Matron. No matter what happens, I am your servant.”
Tears sprang to her eyes. She lightly touched his shoulder. “Thank you, my friend. Now, leave me. Find a messenger.”
Sand Wasp bowed and left.
Kaska’s gaze followed the steep mountain slope up to Fire Village. Even at night, the images of the gods painted on the palisade wall shimmered as though alive.
She walked back to her doorway. Just before she ducked through into her firelit lodge, she murmured, “Forgive me, my daughter.”
Fifty-two
The air cooled with the coming of night, and the savory tang of the fires and burning alder filled the forest. Rides-the-Wind drew it into his lungs as fingers of breeze stirred.
Rain Bear and four people—Tsauz, Dogrib, Talon, and Evening Star—sat around the great chief’s fire.
“If I can pull Matron Kaska’s forces into mine on the south”—Talon leaned over the map they had sketched into the charcoal-stained soil near the hearthstones—“it will create an opening to Cimmis’s inner circle. Assuming, that is, that Kaska’s warriors obey my commands.”
Dogrib pointed. “If you can create that opening, I’ll rush my forces into the center as quickly as I can.” He kept his voice low. “But by the time we get there, his strength will be closing around the North Wind People. No matter how well this goes, it’s going to be precarious. One wrong move, one delay, and the battle will fall into chaos, every warrior fighting for himself.”
Rain Bear said, “We can’t let that happen.”
Rides-the-Wind looked out at the ring of guards that encircled them. The warriors stood fifty paces away in the forest, or perched on boulders overlooking the ocean, but their ears were trained on the conversation going on around the fire.
“We must take the boy.” Talon shoved age-silvered hair away from his sharp eyes. “We may need him.”
“Too dangerous.” Evening Star straightened. “The boy should stay here. Tsauz is only valuable to us if he’s alive.”