People of the Raven(20)

Sleeper’s expression darkened. “If Ecan comes in peace, I say that we take the opportunity to speak with him. Perhaps we can arrange a meeting between our chiefs and Cimmis.”

Talon grunted and bolted another mouthful of the tender meat. “You may do as you wish, but I’m taking my warriors and setting up an ambush. If the ancestors smile, perhaps we can kill him and his entire war party.”

Sleeper grimaced. “An ambush would be foolish. And unnecessary. This is now the largest village on the coast. Including refugees, we have almost two times ten tens of people here. Out of sheer desperation, they would tear Ecan’s warriors to pieces. He knows that.”

“Does he?” Talon asked with a vague smile.

“He’s not dimwitted,” Sleeper insisted.

“Really? I’ve heard he’s an imbecile.”

Rain Bear leaned forward to warm his hands over the flames. “I think we should be more concerned about his assassins than his war party.”

Talon nodded. “Now there we agree. It is far more likely that he will send his Wolf Tails to pick off our elders one by one. Curse them. They seem to be able to slip through our defenses like field mice.” Talon ripped another mouthful of meat and stretched out on the thick hides.

Rain Bear grimly lifted a piece of elk and tore off a bite. Grease coated his lips. The taste was rich and satisfying. For many moons, he’d denied the existence of the Wolf Tails, believing Cimmis too smart to take such foolish chances. Now, however, after hearing some of the stories circulating, he had to accept their existence.

Talon twisted to look at Rain Bear, and his abalone hair combs glistened. “Grinder, war chief of Salmon Village, told me that he had two tens of guards around Matron Gispaw’s lodge, and when he went to check on her the next morning, he found her lying in her bed with her head missing.”

Sleeper added, “I heard a similar story from the war chief of Sea Lion Village. He said he found his headless matron, Kirzo, leaning against the wall of her lodge with a teacup still clutched in her hand. That’s why we must try to speak with Ecan. This has to stop.”

“I will speak with Ecan,” Rain Bear said, “if we agree that is the way. But I think we should consider another alternative.”

“What?” Talon asked.

The meat had started to warm his empty stomach. He glanced at each of them and said, “An alliance.”

Talon’s brows lowered suspiciously. “An alliance? With Ecan? Are you mad?”

“Not with Ecan. An alliance between our villages.”

Talon grunted suspiciously and gave Rain Bear a defiant look. “My people do not trust yours, Rain Bear. We’ve raided each other’s territories for cycles. They won’t agree.”

“None of our villages can fight Ecan alone. That should be obvious by now. At most we each have a few tens of warriors. If we join forces and put our warriors under the command of one person—”

“Who? You?” Talon asked defensively, and sat up. The wrinkles across his forehead deepened. “You’ve always argued against war.”

Rain Bear said, “Actually, I was thinking of you, Talon. You command twice as many warriors as I do, and have been a war chief much longer than Dogrib or Sleeper.You are best suited for the position.”

The crow’s-feet around Talon’s eyes tightened. He seemed somewhat mollified and stretched out on the hides again. “I’ll consider it.”

Sleeper stared at the meat in his bowl, his expression thoughtful. “Rain Bear is right. No matter what is behind us, we must join forces and start defending ourselves. So far, we have turned our heads, left each individual village to defend itself. That must stop. But … you would make a better leader, Rain Bear. You were married to a North Wind woman. Plus, you have Matron Evening Star close. With her counsel, you should be able to anticipate the North Wind People’s moves better than anyone else.”

Talon gave Sleeper a hot glare.

Rain Bear lowered his gaze and peered at the steaming meat in his bowl. “Truly, I do not wish to lead the fight against the North Wind People. My wife, Tlikit, was one of them. According to their ways, my daughter and grandson are North Wind People.”

Raven People traced descent through the male, but North Wind People considered Rain Bear’s daughter and grandson to belong to his wife’s Dragonfly Clan.

Sleeper said, “But your daughter and grandson live among our people. They consider themselves to be part of your clan. So does everyone else.”

“For now.” Rain Bear looked up. “But if we join forces and attack the North Wind People, the fighting will get worse before it gets better. People will be killed, inflaming hatred. That’s what war does. It creates an ‘us’ and a ‘them.’ I do not wish my family to become ‘them’ to my people, Sleeper.”