“Please, Fast Legs, tell me you have run the woman down, killed her, and recovered my bow and arrows!”
The muted roar of the crowd was his only answer.
Fast Legs! There was the problem. During the Busk celebration, Fast Legs had made more goals than Smoke Shield. Fast Legs hadn’t earned his name for nothing, and now, when so much was on the line, where was he? Blood and thunder, all he had to do was hide a body and hunt down one weasel-like woman. What could possibly be taking him so long? It wasn’t even as if he didn’t know where the woman lived.
If Fast Legs had just set a diversionary fire in a granary, he could have slipped into the woman’s house during the confusion, brained her when she stepped in the door, and been done with it.
He had needed Fast Legs here! For the game. In the eye of his souls, Smoke Shield could see Fast Legs catching his throw, turning, and slinging the ball through the goal time after time.
“It’s your fault,” he mumbled. “But for you, I wouldn’t be in this situation.”
Just kill that cursed woman, and get back here!
“War Chief?” came Thin Branch’s call.
“Yes, I’m here.” He straightened, leaning back against the wall. Gods, the last thing he wanted was to deal with his idiot slave.
Thin Branch pushed the door hanging to the side, his face betraying a curious excitement.
“How bad is it?” He couldn’t bring himself to look at Thin Branch, didn’t want to betray the extent of his depression. “I watched the Old Camp women practice. That relay of outside passing was remarkable.”
“We won!” Thin Branch chirped. “You should have seen it. Twenty to nineteen. And, here’s the remarkable part: Heron Wing had Morning Dew play for us. She was wonderful! Three goals she made, War Chief. Three unassisted goals. It was amazing! She ran like a deer! Outplayed the defenders every time. Tricked them, outran them, knocked them out of the way like they were grouse!”
Smoke Shield straightened. “She did what?”
“She won the game! On the last play, she got the ball and ran from half field clear to the goal! You should have seen it! The whole field was chasing behind her, this huge mass of women!” Thin Branch’s face was glowing. “She outran them, dodged the defenders, or tricked them. Once she threw the ball between a woman’s legs. While the woman was looking between her legs, Morning Dew knocked her flat, ran past, scooped up the ball, and made the most spectacular cast I’ve ever seen. The ball flew true, perfectly between the goalposts.”
Smoke Shield gaped. “My slave did that?”
“Well …” Thin Branch looked slightly abashed.
“They must be showering her with gifts!”
“Oh, they are. You wouldn’t believe it. Morning Dew took a terrible fall as she made that last cast. Knocked the wind right out of her. Our women picked her up, carried her. They went three times around the tchkofa, laughing and singing; then they plopped her down in front of the stakeholders. As the wagers were handed out, she was covered with pots, pearls, baskets of food, blankets, hides, and copper. We could hardly carry it all away.”
Smoke Shield threw his head back, laughter rolling from deep down in his gut. “Carry it you shall. You take as many men as you need, those selfsame stumbling idiots that lost my wager, and you bring it all up here. Every last bit of it!” He jumped to his feet, flush with excitement and victory. He smacked a hard fist into his palm and let out a whoop of victory. He was giddy, laughing like a child.
When he spun, he could see the look of consternation on Thin Branch’s face. He waved at him. “Go on. Like I said, you don’t have to do it yourself. Take some warriors. Tell them I ordered it.”
Thin Branch swallowed hard. “You said everything, War Chief.”
“Yes, yes, everything! All of it. The pearls, the food, the copper, everything!”
Thin Branch swallowed hard. “That’s just it, War Chief. I followed your orders perfectly this morning. I did exactly what you told me to.”
Smoke Shield stopped short, spinning, muscles bulging. “What are you talking about?”
Thin Branch, looking like a man poisoned, whispered, “You told me explicitly this morning. You had me repeat the order you gave me, War Chief. Word for word. I did exactly like you told me to.”
Smoke Shield frowned. “I told you, word for word, to bet everything on Hickory Moiety this morning.” He thrust an angry arm out. “Look at this room! Everything.”
“Yes. And I did that. Just as you ordered.” He winced. “You see, the thing is, everything included Morning Dew. Heron Wing …”