People of the Raven(90)
Rain Bear kept his eyes on the warriors, and in a low voice asked, “How old are you?”
“T-ten summers.”
Rain Bear braced his arms across his knees and considered his words. “I wish to speak with you honestly. I know you are not yet a man, but I must treat you as one.”
Tsauz’s blind eyes widened.
“I need to tell you things that I would not tell a boy.”
“What?”
“The truth, Tsauz. Is that bad?”
“No. I—I want to hear the truth.”
“I’m glad.You see … we may be in trouble.”
“Trouble?” His blind eyes widened. “Then, you will give me to Bluegrass?”
“No.” He frowned. “I gave you my promise.”
“Father gave me his promise.”
“I cannot speak for your father. Only for myself. For now, this is what you must know: Let me start with the North Wind People first. I know you understood much of what we were speaking about last night.”
Tsauz blinked as though uncertain how to answer. “You mean about the Wolf Tails?”
“Yes.”
Almost against his will, Rain Bear’s gaze lifted, searching for a familiar face, for someone he had seen at Fire Village. He had to spot the assassin and kill him before he could get close. Many of the warriors he’d once known in Fire Village were on the run, preferring life in the bush to following the Council’s insane orders. How would he know if the familiar face was a friend, or a killer in disguise? The best way for Cimmis to succeed would be to send someone Rain Bear had known and trusted.
“They’ll be coming for you, Tsauz.”
Tsauz nervously petted Runner.
“They will try to rescue you, but I can’t let them do that.”
Tears filled Tsauz’s eyes. “You told me you would let me go home. When it was safe. You promised! Why can’t I go home with the Wolf Tails?”
“Keep your voice down.” Every warrior within a hundred paces had turned to stare at them. “There are people close by that I do not wish to overhear us.”
Tsauz whispered, “You said you’d take me home!”
“I will. When this is over. But for now, you are the only leverage I have against your father. Do you understand?”
“My father?”
“Tsauz, I must convince your father that if he does not help me, I will hurt you. I won’t. I promise you. But I must make him believe that I will.”
Tsauz’s chin trembled. “But you’ll have to hurt me if my father doesn’t. To prove to him that you’re serious.”
“No.” When Rain Bear shook his head, his long black braid fell over his shoulder. “That’s just a risk I’ll have to take.”
Tsauz didn’t seem to be breathing.
Rain Bear continued. “You will be guarded at all times—but only by warriors I trust with my life. Warriors who will—”
Tsauz interrupted. “What if the Wolf Tails can’t rescue me and they try to kill me? That’s what you meant last night, wasn’t it? When you said that Chief Cimmis and the Council would do anything to maintain authority? Can your warriors protect me from the Wolf Tails?”
Rain Bear slowly straightened. “I think so, but I’m not sure. The Wolf Tails are very skilled assassins. If the stories are true, they have managed to kill a number of people who were well guarded. I can only tell you that my warriors will give their lives to protect you.”
Tsauz anxiously toyed with Runner’s front paw. “It won’t make any difference. If they have orders to kill me, they’ll kill me.”
Strained laughter burst from the trees, and Tsauz spun to stare blindly.
Rain Bear glanced at the two warriors who, not so playfully, shoved each other. “What makes you say that?”
“Matron Gispaw believed that all the warriors guarding her were loyal, but two of them were Wolf Tails. They answered only to Cimmis.”
Carefully, so as not to sound too eager, Rain Bear asked, “Do you know which two?”
“No, and I—I’m not sure I would tell you if I did.”
Rain Bear nodded. Firs swayed and whispered in the wind. “That’s fair. But at some point, you may wish to tell me. You see, from what I have been able to gather, Cimmis selected the best warriors in Fire Village to serve as Wolf Tails. I have been gone for a time, but I think I still know who those warriors are. Do you see why you may wish to tell me?”
Tsauz’s eyes darted over nothing. “Because you may know their faces when they come here?”
“Yes.”
“But maybe they can rescue me and take me home.”
“I won’t let them, Tsauz.”