"Wanderer, I don't want to die tonight."
"Just wait, you will."
Lichen sat cross-legged on the floor near the fire. The flames crackled and spit, throwing Wanderer's gangly shadow over the walls. He bustled around the house. Singing softly while he arranged Lichen's hides and blankets on the death litter. Consisting of two side poles, the litter had hair ropes laid out across the floor in front and a net bottom made from the woven undercoats of wolves.
Just what I needy to go into the Underworld on scraps from Wolf Slayer's Spirit Helper.
Wanderer's eyes had gone bright and alert, like Raven's when feeding on a week-old carcass. He grabbed a yellow basket covered with red and black designs and filled it to the brim with rabbit jerky, sunflower seeds, and a healthy sprinkling of com pollen. He set the basket on the foot of her death litter.
"Now, Lichen, you have to remember that if Bird-Man decides you're worthy, the journey will have stages. At first the road is easy, but the problems increase as you get closer to the Land of the Ancestors. There's a wide, rushing river that blocks the entry—or sometimes it's a high wall. Only a very good Dreamer can pass—"
"Well, that lets me out. Wanderer. What happens if I can't?"
His lips pursed speculatively. "Why, I don't know. I suppose you just come back. But something might eat you."
"Like what?"
"Oh, there are strange creamres down there. Snakes with wings. Buffalo that live under the water. I once had a toad with antlers try to gore me." He gazed absently at the ceiling, as though remembering. "Hmm. Well, so, when you get to the river, or whatever, let your team pull the weight of the litter. Don't—"
"What team?"
Firelight reflected in his dark eyes. "Your wolf team. It will pull the Utter through the Underworld. That is, if Bird-Man agrees. You'll have to ask him to harness the wolves for you before you set off. Wolves almost never let Dreamers touch them."
Lichen squirmed, not liking this even a little. The closest she had come to learning how to be Snake was the slithering incident, from which she still had cactus spines festering around her belly button.
She twisted her hands in her lap. "Wanderer, are you sure I'm ready for this?"
"No," he said curtly. "But if we don't try, we'll never know, will we?"
"No, but—"
"So, let's get you started on your journey." A twinkle lit his eyes when he leaped over to her. "First you must go and lie facedown on the litter."
Lichen nodded sullenly. "All right. I guess I'll have to do it sometime anyway. First Woman's cave is in the Underworld."
She stepped forward and stretched out on the litter. The fox fur glistened in the firelight as though drenched with morning dew. She nuzzled its softness. "How's this?"
"Oh, that's good. Your chin is right over the cedar we cut from First Woman's tree. It's hidden under that top hide. Now turn your face so that your mouth rests against the fox hide."
Lichen did. "The fur tickles my nose. Wanderer."
He came and crouched by her side. "That's all right, you'll get used to it. Now, you just have to stay on your stomach with your mouth against the hide and call to Bird-Man all night long. If he wants to, he'll answer you."
"And then I have to ask him to harness the Spirit Wolves to my litter."
"That's right. Now," he said, patting her foot, "you'd better get started."
Lichen pressed her mouth to the hides and called, "Bird-Man? Bird-Man, it's me. I need you to come and talk. Bird-Man ..."
She tilted her head and saw Wanderer crouched barefoot in the middle of his blankets, laying Power objects in a circle around his bed. Briskly, he arranged painted rocks so that they alternated with eagle-feather fans, skulls from predators like Marten, Badger, Coyote, Weasel—no, he hastily thrust Weasel's skull back into its basket. Instead, he picked up a huge bear paw and placed it next to where his head would rest. The long claws glimmered in the crimson glow of the fire.
"Wanderer? What are you doing?"
"Hmm?" He swiftly rearranged a rock and a skull. "Don't concern yourself with it. It's for protection, that's all."
A small thread of panic stitched her chest. "Protection? From what?"
He grinned like Coyote baring his teeth. "Bird-Man is your Spirit Helper, not mine. I don't know him as well as you do." He flicked a hand emphatically. "Keep calling him, Lichen."
"Bird-Man, Bird-Man, Bird-Man ..."
Wanderer sprawled fully clothed on top of his blankets and closed his eyes. In almost no time, snores erupted from his mouth.
"Bird-Man, can you hear me? Bird-Man? Bird-Man?"