People of the Raven(21)

Talon asked thoughtfully, “Does that mean you do not wish to fight with us?”

“I will fight,” Rain Bear said. “But if we choose this path, we must all understand that killing Ecan is just the beginning.”

Sleeper sat up straighter. “Go on.”

“If we destroy Ecan’s war party, the North Wind People will be forced to retaliate. We can’t let that happen. So we must attack Fire Village as quickly as possible and with as much force as we can muster. To succeed, I believe we must ally our forces under one war chief.” He paused to let this sink in. “But there is one more thing we must have.”

“Which is what?”

“A spy in Fire Village.”

Talon and Sleeper chuckled softly.

“Well, yes, that would be very nice,” Talon agreed with exaggerated interest, “but I have no spies I wish to sacrifice. Ecan already has enough of my people’s heads on his wall.”

“Without someone inside we won’t know when they’re the most vulnerable, Talon,” Rain Bear answered.

Sleeper asked, “Whom do you have in mind for this dangerous task? Perhaps we could send a slave as tribute, or are you thinking of a slave who is already there?”

Rain Bear tore off another chunk of elk and chewed before he said, “I was thinking of Dzoo.”

Talon jerked so suddenly a piece of hot meat rolled from his bowl into his lap. He leaped to his feet to brush it away. “Blessed gods! Have you lost your senses? Half of our people think she’s a witch, and the other half that she’s one of the virginal Comet Women!”

“Our enemies think she’s a witch.” Sleeper leapt to Dzoo’s defense. “Most of the people in the Raven villages would die for her.”

“Yes, but …” Talon’s gaze darted as if searching for another reason. “Isn’t she in mourning?”

Rain Bear nodded. “Her husband, Pearl Oyster, died three moons ago.”

As Sleeper leaned forward to refill his bowl, the long leather fringes on his sleeves hissed across the hearthstones. “What difference does it make if Dzoo is in mourning? Can you point to a single person in our camps who hasn’t lost someone?”

“But”—Talon hesitated—“why her? Surely there must be someone more … appealing?”

“Who?” Sleeper asked.

At Talon’s blank look, Rain Bear said, “She was born in Fire Village. She knows the place.”

“She was taken from there as a child, you’ll recall,” Talon muttered. “And that’s a strange story if I ever heard one. Foreigners taking a little girl like that.”

“They knew she had Power,” Sleeper countered.

“And that’s another reason she’s perfect,” Rain Bear continued. “She’s sympathetic to us. With her reputation as a Healer, she can go anywhere, talk with anyone. A spy’s first duty is to listen, and no one listens like Dzoo.”

Talon studied the piece of meat that had fallen from his plate, then popped it into his mouth. After he’d swallowed it, he added, “I don’t see why Cimmis would allow her past the walls in the first place.”

“I do,” Sleeper countered. “He’ll see it as an opportunity to demonstrate his Power over a legendary witch. His reputation would soar.”

Talon’s sun-bronzed face appeared pale against the background of the soot-colored lodge. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

Sleeper steepled his fingers. “Will Dzoo do it?”

Rain Bear lifted a shoulder. “I’ll talk to her when she and Pitch—”

Shouts erupted outside.

Talon rose into a crouch. “Hallowed gods, what now?”

Rain Bear reached for his weapons belt and slipped it around his waist.

Dogrib jerked the flap aside. “A runner just came in. Ecan’s war party has split. Eight tens of his warriors are headed in the direction of Antler Spoon’s village.”

Sleeper frowned. “Isn’t that where Dzoo went to Heal?”

“It is.” Rain Bear swung his cape around his shoulders and ducked out into the cold morning air. Warriors had already begun to gather, all shouting questions at Dogrib. Their frightened eyes fixed on Rain Bear as he asked, “How long will it take us to get there?”

Dogrib shrugged. “Given their head start, my chief, too long. Besides, we would need to send at least five tens of men to have a chance against his forces. We can’t afford to pull that many away from Sandy Point Village. If this is one of Ecan’s ruses, these people will be slaughtered like dogs while we’re away.”

“Yes, you’re right, War Chief.” Rain Bear’s gaze went over the hungry children sitting around the smoky fires and the old people huddled beneath mounds of tattered hides.