People of the Sea(192)
Kestrel shrieked “No!” and twisted sideways to dive headfirst down the slope.
She tumbled like a loose boulder, slamming into old stumps, sliding and rolling uncontrollably. She threw up one arm to protect her face, and the act changed her balance enough that she went careening sideways into the trunk of a towering pine. Her wounded leg struck the tree so hard that when she scrambled to her feet to run, she could only stagger forward with agonizing slowness.
A hand twined in her long hair and jerked her backward to the ground, where she sobbed and kicked aimlessly.
Lambkill bent over her, his mouth twisted into a grin. His quartz-crystal necklace swung back and forth above her face, reflecting the silver light in prismatic patterns. Affably, he murmured, “Come, wife. I have someone I want you to meet.”
He gripped her arm hard and dragged her to her feet. By sheer brute force, Lambkill hustled her out across the meadow and into the blackness of the forest…
Horseweed used his atlatl like a club, battering the side of Catchstraw’s head, horrified at the animal strength in the man. Fetid breath, reeking of rot and death, puffed from the witch’s mouth, adding to Horseweed’s panic. With all of the might in his young body, he smashed his head full into Catchstraw’s face, the impact blasting sparks of yellow light across his vision.
Catchstraw’s grip weakened, and Horseweed butted him again, and again, aware that something was shaking Catchstraw from behind.
The witch threw his head back, and a scream ripped from his throat that sounded half wolf yip, half human cry. Then Catchstraw spun away, bucking and twisting, pulling free.
Horseweed shoved to his feet, watching Catchstraw run blindly through the crowd, wailing like a wounded dog, while Helper continued to slash at his legs.
Horseweed wiped the back of his bleeding mouth with his hand and reached down for his atlatl. But all of the darts in his crushed quiver had been broken.
“No,” Oxbalm said, gripping Horseweed’s hand. His faded old eyes showed horror and pain. “No, Grandson. That’s enough. We’ll… we’ll deal with him later. Stay here. I need you to take care of Sunchaser and guard Kestrel. We—”
“Kestrel!” Horseweed cried. He scanned the crowd. “Where’s Kestrel? Where did she go? Grandmother—”
“I’ve problems of my own! I didn’t see!” Sumac cried. She was bent over Sunchaser with the heels of her hands pressed against his bleeding right arm, as though she could force the blood back into his body. But red flowed over and around her old fingers in thick streams. The fight had opened the deep gash.
“Sumac,” Sunchaser said as he thrashed feebly, struggling to rise, “let me go. Let… let me go!”
He managed to shove Sumac’s hands away and to roll to his hands and knees, but he sprawled face-first onto the ground.
“Sunchaser, stop this!” Sumac yelled. “Horseweed, help me get him into the lodge. He’s going to kill himself!”
Horseweed ran to help as Sunchaser’s fingers dug into the dirt and he clawed his way forward, getting up on shaking hands and knees again. His white hair draped in a damp, glittering veil around his face. “Help me … up!” he ordered.
Horseweed knelt and lifted Sunchaser to his feet. He had to wrap his arms securely around the Dreamer’s bloody chest to keep him standing. “Sunchaser, you’re badly hurt. You can’t—”
“Horseweed… listen,” Sunchaser whispered. “Go. Find her! He’ll… he’ll kill her. Hurry! She doesn’t have long. He can’t afford to … trifle with her. I’ll help you as much as I can… from here. Hurry!”
“From here? I don’t…”
Sunchaser’s broad chest shuddered as he inhaled; then he slumped in Horseweed’s arms. Horseweed let him sink slowly to the ground again.
“Go!” Sumac said frantically as she knelt by Sunchaser. “Do as he said. Find Kestrel!” Oxbalm gripped Horseweed’s hand hard. His elderly face was as wary as a young hunter’s. “But be careful, Grandson. Lambkill is crazy. There’s no telling what he’ll do to you if he catches you.”
“He won’t catch me,” Horseweed answered confidently, but he recalled the insane glow in the old Trader’s eyes.
He took one last look at Sunchaser’s bloody face, then ran with all of his strength, weaving through the crowd, shouting, “Did anyone see where Lambkill took Kestrel? Who saw them? Somebody must have—”
Balsam waved his hands from across the gathering and yelled, “I didn’t see them, Horseweed, but I saw Tannin. He ran down the eastern trail!”