People of the Raven(82)

Tsauz held the prayer stick to his lips and breathed his prayer into the wood: “Blessed Ancestors, please protect Runner. He’s been a good friend to me.” He placed the stick on Runner’s side and choked out, “I love you, Runner. If you see Father in the Above Worlds, please tell him I’m all right.”

Rain Bear softly said, “Your father is both alive and well, Tsauz.”

Tsauz whirled around, and his blind eyes searched for Rain Bear’s voice. His expression twisted with a powerful mixture of fear and hope. He wet his lips, as though afraid to speak, but he said, “Where is he? Where’s my father?”

Rain Bear slowly walked down the rocky trail. At the sound of his approaching steps, Tsauz started to shake. “Where’s my father?”

“By now, he should almost be back to Fire Village.”

“Who are you?”

When Rain Bear hesitated, Tsauz let out a muffled shriek, jumped to his feet, and ran.

“No, Tsauz! Don’t run!”

Rain Bear pounded after the boy.

Tsauz charged headlong over the edge of the cliff. His feet churned air; then his body somersaulted down the steep incline like a thrown rock, striking boulders and old tree stumps. New saplings slapped him in the face and raked at his arms and legs. When he hit a huge fir tree, it knocked the wind out of him.

Rain Bear lunged down the slope after him, ordering, “Lie still! Don’t move. I’m not going to hurt you!”

The boy screamed, stumbled to his feet, and careened down the slope again.

Rain Bear caught up with him and grabbed Tsauz’s flailing arm.

“No, no!” Tsauz lashed out, striking Rain Bear with his fists. “Let me go! Let me go!”

“Stop it! Listen to me!” He knelt in front of Tsauz and grabbed both his arms, holding them tight. “I’m not going to hurt you. Do you hear me? I won’t hurt you!”

Dogrib and two other warriors skidded down the slope and surrounded them.

Rain Bear held up a hand to tell them to stay back.

Tsauz cried, “You’re going to kill me! You’re my enemy!”

“Tsauz, please, I’m not your enemy. I wish to help you.”

“Then let me go home!” The last word turned into a wail.

“I will … when it’s safe. But for now, please listen to me. I am Rain Bear, chief of Sandy Point Village. After you’ve eaten and warmed yourself before the fire, we will talk about how to get you home.”

The boy’s eyes widened at Rain Bear’s name.

Rain Bear said, “Do you remember me?”

Tsauz swallowed hard and nodded.

“Good. I’m going to give you my oath, Tsauz, that I will not harm you. Nor will I allow anyone to harm you. Do you understand what a chief ’s oath means?”

In a very small voice, he answered, “Yes,” and clutched Rain Bear’s cape tightly. “Please take me home.”

Rain Bear motioned for the warriors to back away and said, “I will, but first I’m going to lead you up to the village and get you a warm blanket and a plate of food; then we will talk if you wish, or you can sleep and we will talk tomorrow. Is that acceptable?”

Tsauz tipped his face up, nervously wet his lips, and whimpered, “Yes, but … could I hold Runner? Please. He’s hurt. He needs me.”

Rain Bear looked at Dogrib. “Bring the puppy to Tsauz. And be gentle. He’s dying.”

“Yes, my Chief.”

Dogrib trotted away.

Tsauz kept his fist twined in Rain Bear’s cape as they started back up the steep slope.





Hallowed gods,” White Stone said to Red Dog. “He has the boy.”

Red Dog spun around to look, and the entire crowd seemed to spin with him. Voices rose, wondering what was happening, asking who the boy was.

It took only instants before the name “Tsauz” hissed through the ceremonial.

Rain Bear removed his cape and slipped it around Tsauz’s narrow shoulders. The boy shivered as though the sudden warmth tingled his souls. Rain Bear was speaking to him. White Stone could see his lips moving, but Tsauz didn’t answer; he just clutched the limp body of his puppy in his arms as they climbed the trail.

Red Dog said, “There’s nothing we can do now. Let’s get out of here! If we try to take the boy, we’ll have ten tens of warriors on our backs beating our brains out with war clubs.”

Red Dog was right, but if they returned without the boy, Ecan might very well order them gutted.

“Let us watch for a time longer,” White Stone said. “We may yet have our chance.”

“Don’t forget those women,” Red Dog reminded.

Gasps of awe went up, and the crowd turned back to the pillars.