Rain Bear and Dogrib spoke for a time longer; then Dogrib headed for his lodge. Rain Bear walked over and crouched opposite Evening Star. In the firelight, she could see the lines that pulled tight at the corners of his dark eyes. He held his hands out to the flames.
“How is the boy?” he asked.
“He’ll be all right. Won’t you, Tsauz?”
Rain Bear chewed his lower lip, fatigue reflected in his face.
Rides-the-Wind appeared out of the darkness and leaned against the dark smoky trunk of a fir. He had the hood of his tattered cape pulled up, but his eyes gleamed in the shadows.
“Why don’t you get some rest?” Rain Bear said. “I’ll let Tsauz sleep in my lodge tonight.”
“Word will travel fast. You know that, don’t you? You should expect ‘visitors’ soon.”
He exhaled hard and nodded. His long black braid hung over his left shoulder. There was something about the vulnerability in his eyes that made her long to hold him.
“I’ve posted guards around the perimeter of the village and on every high point,” he told her. “If they see anything suspicious, they will warn us.”
“There won’t be anything suspicious. I assure you they’ll leave their wolf tails at home.”
Tsauz’s eyes widened suddenly. Evening Star watched him. He obviously knew who she meant.
Rain Bear drew up a knee and rested a fist upon it while he scrutinized the boy. “A single man will be difficult to defend against. In this mass of humanity, who will notice one more stranger?”
Tsauz blinked, probably understanding more than they thought.
When Rain Bear looked at her she saw the desperation that lived in those dark depths. One man, bearing the weight of his people and hers on his shoulders. How did he manage?
Carefully, he said, “If it looks like the emissary might fail, I’m sure he will have instructions to kill our hostage.”
Evening Star smoothed her hand over Tsauz’s hair. “I can’t believe his father would—”
“No.” Rain Bear shook his head. “I don’t think his father would. But Cimmis and the Council are another thing entirely.”
Tsauz clutched Runner’s cold fur.
“Blessed Ancestors,” Evening Star whispered. She shifted to sit cross-legged, and her cape fell around her in firelit folds. He had obviously been doing a good deal of thinking since they’d talked.
“Cimmis and the Council will do whatever they must to maintain their authority.”
“But, why kill … ?”
Her uncle was shrewd and ruthless; it should have occurred to her that he might kill Ecan’s son.
Rain Bear’s eyes remained on the boy for a time before he said, “It would deny us leverage.”
Against Ecan. Yes, of course.
“If he thinks for one instant that Cimmis … It might start a war between the North Wind clans.”
Rain Bear frowned at Tsauz.
The boy seemed to sense it; he shivered and petted Runner. In a voice just above a whisper, he said, “I want my f-father. Please take me to my father.”
Rain Bear said, “We will, Tsauz. For the moment, however, there are a great many obstacles to overcome before we can.”
Tsauz’s chest spasmed, and he couldn’t seem to catch his breath. “I want to go now! Take me now!”
It was an order. He was, of course, accustomed to giving them—he was one of the elite in Fire Village. Almost everyone bowed to his needs. Just as they had bowed to her needs only a short time ago.
Evening Star said, “Tsauz, we are all tired after the Moon Ceremonial. I think we should finish this discussion when we are rested.”
She put a hand on the boy’s arm, and he flinched. “Please, come with me. I’ll take you to Rain Bear’s lodge.”
Tsauz rose on shaking knees and clutched Runner to his chest.
“It isn’t far.”
“You’re Evening Star?” he asked softly. “Matron Evening Star?”
“I am.”
“What are you doing with them?”
She considered the responses she could have given, and finally told him the truth. “I’m trying to save myself, Tsauz. And in so doing, trying to save our people, too.”
“From what?”
“From ourselves.”
He let out a deep-throated roar and wrenched his hand from her fingers.
“Fine. All right.” She stepped back. “Can you walk at my side? I’ll tell you if there’s something you might trip on.”
He nodded, and she slowly guided him to Rain Bear’s lodge at the foot of the gray basalt cliff.
She glanced at Rides-the-Wind. He had his wise old eyes focused on the boy.
Evening Star said, “The door to Rain Bear’s lodge is right in front of you, Tsauz. I’m going to pull the hanging back.”