People of the Thunder(28)

Flying Hawk shifted on his stool. “I sent Smoke Shield on no such mission. I know he was obsessed with the death of the captives, but the Council and I were specific in our instructions that no action should be taken against the Albaamaha. We decided to wait, watch, and learn before we pursued anything.” He paused. “Are you telling me different?”

Sun Falcon took a nervous breath. “One of my Albaamaha—a man I trust, and who trusts me—came to me yesterday morning. You have heard the rumor about Red Awl’s widow, Lotus Root, supposedly having Smoke Shield’s weapons? You have heard that she claims that Smoke Shield and Fast Legs took her and her husband prisoner? The story is that they tortured Red Awl, trying to make him reveal the names of the traitors who sent the Albaamo Crabapple to warn White Arrow Town. Have you also heard he demanded to know the name of the Albaamaha who killed the captives?”

“Something, yes. But I thought them nothing more than rumors.” He felt a tightening in his chest.

“My informant tells me that the Albaamaha suspected that Fast Legs was stalking Lotus Root outside Bowl Town. He also tells me that they laid a trap for him.” Sun Falcon swallowed hard. “High Minko, if my informant is correct, the Albaamaha have captured Fast Legs. Alive.”

Flying Hawk stared in shocked disbelief. Captured Fast Legs? Impossible! No Albaamaha would dare! They . . . No, he knew his cousin. This wasn’t some wild story.

“Smoke Shield would not have done such a thing. I was clear about the Council’s decision regarding the slain captives. He told me he understood that.”

“But not about finding the Albaamaha traitors?”

Flying Hawk closed his eyes, a sudden sense of desolation within. “No. I told him they were his to hunt down.”

Sun Falcon reached out frantically. “And he suspected Red Awl, of all people?” The chief took a deep breath. “If he did this thing, High Minko, he has poured coals on dry kindling. From the moment of Lotus Root’s return, my Albaamaha have retreated to their villages. People who once nodded when they passed me now look away, a darkness in their eyes.” He paced uneasily back and forth. “The next thing I hear is that they have captured Fast Legs, that he was stalking Lotus Root. . . . Gods, this could burn out of control.”

“If this thing with Red Awl actually happened,” Flying Hawk corrected. “Smoke Shield knows the ramifications of such a rash action. He wouldn’t have crossed me and the Council this way.”

Sun Falcon stopped short, staring back over his shoulder. “The war chief had gone hunting, hadn’t he? Wasn’t that the story? And when he returned without his weapons, without his cape, wasn’t there some story about having them stolen in the forest?”

Flying Hawk narrowed an eye. “Would you call my nephew a liar?”

Sun Falcon stiffened, but said, “And that scab on his lip? He claimed to have fallen during the hunt, but the joke was that one of his women must have bitten him.”

“Enough!”

Sun Falcon drew a deep breath, meeting Flying Hawk’s hard stare. “High Minko, if there is so much as a cast-off nutshell of truth in this, we have a problem.”

Flying Hawk fought down the old rage. Once, years ago, he would have thrown the man out, ordered him away and told him never to return until he had a civil tongue in his mouth. Now he forced himself to breathe easily, to keep the tremble out of his hands.

Taking his time, he said softly, “You find Fast Legs, wherever they’ve hidden him. You find him, and get him back. No matter what has happened, one of my warriors has been taken. That is unacceptable.”

Sun Falcon gave him an unwavering stare. “I will do what I can, High Minko. Who knows what Fast Legs will have told the Albaamaha? If the stories are true about what they did to Red Awl, I’m not sure Fast Legs wouldn’t have been subjected to the same treatment. In the meantime, I would appreciate any warriors you could send my way. I would like them to sweep up from the south, searching the woods as they come. Any excursion from Bowl Town will be observed, and warning will be given. They’ll have moved him by the time my warriors even get close.”

“I shall have warriors in the forest by morning. Keep as many as you need to secure your town. Feed them from the Albaamaha’s stores.” He pointed his mace at Sun Falcon. “Whatever happens, don’t you dare let any of the Albaamaha overrun your town until we get there.”

“Not while I’m alive,” he answered. “If you will excuse me, High Minko, I think I had better be getting back.”

“You are excused.” He sat with closed eyes, not even bothering to look as Sun Falcon strode out of the room. Smoke Shield, tell me you have not done this thing.