People of the Raven(173)
He stepped forward to meet the litter. The four young men carrying it were muscular, fit-looking. Beautifully dyed blue war shirts hung to midthigh, and each was decorated by a wealth of stone, shell, bone, and copper beads. They carried themselves well, each as alert as a hawk sailing into an eagle’s territory.
Rain Bear raised a hand. “What is your purpose?”
As one, they slowed to a stop, the right-hand man asking, “Can you take us to the great chief, Rain Bear? We come in response to his promise of safe passage.”
That caught him by surprise. “I am Rain Bear. If your purpose is peace, your safe passage will be honored.”
The speaker smiled uneasily, and at a gesture, lowered the litter. “I am Gispaxloat. I am here on the orders of our great matron. We place ourselves under your protection, Great Chief, and invoke the honor of your oath.”
“What is this?” Rain Bear stepped forward, hands raised. “I grant you my protection, but why are you here? Who’s in the litter?”
Gispaxloat carefully reached over, pulling back the corner of a stunningly decorated and painted robe to reveal an old woman, eyes sunken, her mouth agape. He’d have thought her dead but for the faint rising and falling of her chest.
Gispaxloat stood stiffly at attention. “Great Chief, I present the matron of the North Wind People, Astcat. She has asked us to tell you that when her soul returns, she wishes to speak with Matron Evening Star, Soul Keeper Rides-the-Wind, and the boy Tsauz.”
Wind Woman blew Evening Star’s long red hair over her face. She brushed it away and stared out at the vista. From the top of the timbered ridge, she could see down the coastline and along the rugged terrain. On the distant point below them, Wasp Village could be seen. It seemed so peaceful on such an unseasonably warm day.
Movement caught her eye, and she turned to watch a man trotting down the hillside. His white hair shone like polished seashells. Glancing down the backside of the ridge, she wondered what was keeping Rain Bear. He’d been gone nearly three fingers of time.
“Is that Dogrib?” Rides-the-Wind asked and pointed with his walking stick. He sat on a rock not far from the dead scout’s body.
“With blazing white hair like that? It’s got to be. He’s back sooner than I’d have thought.”
“Perhaps they’re closer than we think and he didn’t need to run farther.”
Dogrib trotted up and stopped. He bent, his chest rising and falling as he caught his breath. His gaze searched the people nearby before he whispered, “Where is Rain Bear?”
Evening Star said, “Sleeper returned from a scouting trip. Rain Bear went to take his report. What did you find?”
“I met our scout, Salt Boy.” He gave Evening Star a suspicious look, as though not certain he should trust her with the information. “He was running down the trail as fast as he could. There was a battle up on the old burned ridge.”
“I don’t understand? Who was fighting?”
“The renegade chiefs who refused to support Rain Bear mounted their own attack at the spring.”
Evening Star took a deep breath, expecting the worst. “And?”
Dogrib shook his head. “Salt Boy said Cimmis’s warriors cut through them like an obsidian knife through hot fat. Apparently Bluegrass’s faction managed to gather about six tens of warriors. They were badly outnumbered to start with and bungled the attack.”
“The fools!” Rides-the-Wind spat the words and clutched Tsauz’s hand more tightly.
Evening Star absently stared at the old alder leaves blowing up the trail. “Cimmis isn’t anyone’s fool. He’ll think it was a trick, a way to make him lower his guard for the real attack.”
Dogrib nodded, a new respect in his eyes. “I agree, Matron.”
“What of Kaska’s forces? Did Salt Boy see them?”
“He watched the battle from that point, Matron.” Dogrib pointed to a hilltop north of the spring, where a thick stand of firs grew. “Salt Boy said he couldn’t tell one group of warriors from another, but they all worked as one, obeying Cimmis’s orders. However, when the battle was over, he’s sure he saw Matron Kaska plunge her stiletto into Sand Wasp’s back. Many times.”
Rain Bear’s familiar steps sounded behind her, but she didn’t turn. “What happened then? Did Cimmis kill Kaska?”
Dogrib shook his head. “Salt Boy says no.”
She tucked windblown hair behind her ears. “If he’s smart he’ll wait. He won’t want to alienate her warriors when he might need to use them against us.”
She waited while Dogrib made his report to Rain Bear.