Turning her attention back to Cimmis, she could have predicted what happened next. His warriors packed him up on the litter and charged for the gate. As they neared, they cried, “Make way! Make way for the great chief! He’s wounded. We need help!”
Sleeper climbed nimbly down the palisade, dropping to the ground. “Let him in! And then let the Four Old Women in. After that, try to close the gate with the warriors outside.”
Evening Star leaped to the ground as Cimmis’s litter was borne through the gate and carried to the Council Lodge. As the four bearers lowered it to the ground, she gestured, sending several of her warriors to surround them.
The four bearers looked up in astonishment as Evening Star stopped before them. “We have no wish to kill you. If you wish to save his life, you will surrender your weapons and walk peacefully to that lodge.” She pointed to the large storage lodge where Tsak and his warriors waited under the vigilant noses of Dogrib’s warriors.
“I say we do it,” the first muttered as he took measure of the hard-eyed warriors surrounding him. The others nodded, tossing stilettos and war clubs to the ground.
As they were being led off, the Four Old Women were being ceremoniously borne through the palisade. Evening Star shot a glance over her shoulder in time to see Sleeper’s men roll the gate closed in White Stone’s face.
Angry shouts broke out as the North Wind war chief howled in protest.
Then Rain Bear emerged from the lodge where he’d been hiding. He shot her a smile, but looked haggard, still breathing hard from his long run. His body remained sweat-streaked and filthy. An ugly bruise had swollen and discolored his left shoulder. She watched him climb painfully up the rickety palisade. He cupped his hands and shouted, “We have Cimmis and the Council! You will disband, surrender your weapons, and leave this place!”
“Rain Bear?” White Stone cried in dismay.
“It’s over. We have won.”
The shout caught everyone by surprise. Not only that he could do it, but that a man with a crushed chest could muster the volume.
Cimmis shouted, “Attack! Kill them all!”
White Stone waved his men back, Cimmis’s order ringing in his ears. Attack! His chief commanded.
“Assemble here!” He pointed to the grassy flat just out of casting range from the palisade. “I want someone to run to the forest for a log! Not a rotten one that will splinter on impact, but one that will take that gate down!”
Ten of his warriors turned on their heels and left at a run for the distant stand of firs.
White Stone paced back and forth. Everything was out of control. He shot a glance at the masking trees behind them. Ecan was hit; he was sure of it. Some part of his soul insisted that he send warriors to hunt the Starwatcher down. Sense told him he needed all of his strength here.
He studied the Wasp Village palisade again. No way around it—this was going to be a bloody affair. His people would die on the way to the gate. With Kaska’s forces, he had enough warriors to storm it, but once inside? Who knew how many capable fighters Rain Bear had behind him.
Rain Bear? He was supposed to be fleeing southward around Raven Bay. How in Gutginsa’s name had he gotten into Wasp Village in the first place?
Kaska stood as her guards set her litter down and went trotting up to join White Stone’s assembling warriors.
She blinked in amazement. No doubt about it—that was Rain Bear’s silhouette above the palisade. No one could mistake his voice as he warned White Stone not to attack.
She pushed her way forward and stormed up to the war chief. “You’re not seriously thinking of attacking, are you?”
White Stone gave her a cold glare. “My chief has given me an order.”
“It will be a bloodbath!”
“Then it will be a bloodbath, but those are my orders! I have sworn to obey my chief!”
She could see he didn’t like it, but a lifetime of obedience ruled him where sense should have.
“Is this what we’ve made ourselves into?”
She turned, taking stock. Her warriors stood to one side, shooting uneasy glances at her, White Stone, and the Wasp Village palisade. Unlike White Stone, they certainly didn’t have any illusions.
She hurried forward, fully aware that she had little time before White Stone had her either killed or silenced. She lifted her hands to the storm-filled twilight and shouted, “My warriors, listen to me! It is time for you to choose!”
Her men knew something had gone terribly wrong. They must be confused, frightened. Would they obey her?
Kaska stabbed a finger at Banded Eagle. “You are now my war chief. Prepare to lead our warriors against the people who murdered Matron Gispaw!”