Red Dog grunted and whispered, “Makes you wonder what those old women in the Council think these people are hoarding, doesn’t it?”
Evening Star stood on the far side of the plaza and was speaking to an elderly woman. What a stunning beauty she was. Her waist-length hair had been freshly washed and hung over her elkhide cape in thick red waves. She looked pale, weary, and completely enchanting. From the moment he’d first seen her, White Stone had thought her the most attractive woman on earth. What a shame that she’d ended up as Ecan’s toy.
“Let’s work our way up the slope,” he said as a reminder they had a job to do.
White Stone eased through the sea of people and ascended the trail beyond. He climbed onto a rock and stood looking down upon the gathering.
Red Dog climbed next to him. As the crowd eddied, people moved to within a few hands of them. Were they safe here, at the edge? Did the distance and face paint grant them anonymity?
Four rows of people encircled the plaza. Children sat in front, closest to the fire; a boy and girl appeared to be having fights with carved wooden dolls. Behind them, a row of elders sat on hides; then men and women stood behind the elders. Finally, a row of warriors kept watch over the plaza.
The ceremonial would not begin until sunset. That gave White Stone time to just watch. He studied the children sitting around the plaza. He didn’t see Tsauz, but he noticed several children kneeling at the northeastern corner of the village with a big man. His movements were familiar.
“Is that Rain Bear?” He gestured with his chin. Back when Rain Bear had been a warrior in Fire Village, he and Red Dog had been friends.
Red Dog examined the man’s elkhide cape and long black braid. “He moves like Rain Bear, but I can’t tell. What’s he doing? Can you see?”
White Stone climbed higher into the rocks to get a better view of the plaza. “It’s him.”
Rain Bear put an arm around one little boy’s back and pointed to a line of dead dogs that lay on the ground. The boy gestured to several and spoke to Rain Bear, as though identifying them. Another child, a girl with long black hair, stepped forward, crying, and petted one of the animals. Rain Bear smoothed her hair and said something to her. She nodded and ran away.
“What’s he doing?” Red Dog repeated.
“The children are telling him about the dogs that were killed during the battle.”
“Why?”
White Stone rubbed his jaw. “I don’t know.”
Two guards with red headbands walked to within a body’s length of White Stone.
“When we catch them, Lynx,” the first man said, “I plan to stake White Stone to the ground, slit open his belly, and boil his guts while he’s still alive.”
White Stone pulled his hood lower and turned away slightly, as though concentrating on the pillars up the slope.
Lynx grinned. “You will have to beat me to it. I plan to cut out his kidneys a little piece at a time and eat them before his eyes. I saw a warrior do that to one of the Cougar People once. It was amazing. Using a white-hot stone to sear the blood vessels, he kept him alive for three days.”
The first guard grunted and scanned the crowd. His gaze fixed on Red Dog. White Stone’s heart felt squeezed. After what seemed an eternity, the two guards moved on.
“Come on,” Red Dog whispered. “Let’s go higher. I don’t like being this close.”
Rain Bear glanced at Evening Star, then pointed to a black puppy with a white face. It wasn’t dead, but would be soon. Someone had shoved a spear through its belly. Dirt crusted the blood-caked entrails protruding from the wound. “What about this dog, Wood Quill?”
The little girl twisted the end of her long braid and studied the dog with glistening eyes. “I don’t know this puppy. He didn’t live here.”
Rain Bear patted her back. “Sunfeather told me the same thing. I thank you. You can go back to your grandfather now.”
Wood Quill turned and dashed away through the crowd. When she’d shouldered her way into the ring of elders, she climbed into an old man’s lap.
Rain Bear gazed at the western horizon. Raven had almost finished flying the sun to the sea. Barely a hand of time remained before Sister Moon’s appearance.
A memory floated, that of a little boy with a pack on his back, and the button nose of a puppy barely visible from within. He gently picked up the black puppy with the white face. The beautiful little dog had a pointed nose and spotted ears. It whimpered softly.
Rain Bear petted him. “I know,” he said as he carried the puppy through the plaza and down the trail away from the burned lodges. “I promise I will end this pain for you. Very soon.”