The Dawn Country(33)

“I don’t want any trouble between you. Is that understood?”

“Perfectly.”

“Then gather your things. We’ll be leaving as soon as Wakdanek arrives.”

“I’ll be ready.” Cord braced a hand against the boulder where he’d been leaning and stood tall and straight before his men. “Dzadi, tell the elders what happened at Bog Willow Village. Let them know I will be home as soon as I can.”

Dzadi glanced suspiciously at the Standing Stone and Hills warriors. “Be careful, Cord. I don’t trust your new ‘allies.’”

Cord smiled grimly; then he turned to Baji. “Baji, I want you to go with Dzadi and Ogwed. They will make sure that you are cared for until our people can find your family and return you to them. You’ll be safe. I give you my oath.”

Baji looked longingly at Dzadi and Ogwed, as though she wished with all her heart to go with them. Her voice quavered when she said, “I can’t. I promised a friend that I would come back for him with a war party.”

“What friend? Another Flint child?” Cord asked.

“No, he’s Standing Stone. His name is Wrass. He …” Tears constricted her voice. “He saved me. Saved us. Last night, he killed the warrior who was guarding us and told us to run. I saw him. He took the dead warrior’s club and walked right into the middle of the camp and poured a bag of poisonous plants into Gannajero’s stew pot. Her warriors beat him half to death. I’m not going home until we save him.”

Odion and Tutelo walked up to stand shoulder to shoulder with Baji, creating a unified front. Only Hehaka hung back.

Odion said, “None of us are going home until we save Wrass and the other children.”

Cord frowned. “Are you sure, Baji? I have to be honest with you. It won’t help any of us to have you along on this trip. Children can be deadly on a war walk. They slow warriors down, and when it comes to a fight, they are distractions. Many of the warriors here are more likely to die because of you. Do you understand?”

She lifted her chin. “I am of the Flint People. I understand. But do you understand that I gave my word? I won’t go back on it.”

Cord exhaled hard. “There’s no time to argue about this.” He looked up at Koracoo. “War Chief, if it is your decision that she stays, I will take Baji as my personal responsibility. She is of my people. When the fight comes, leave her protection to me.”

Koracoo glanced at Baji, and sadness lined her face. She’d obviously been hoping Baji would go with Cord’s warriors. It would have been one less thing to worry about. She simply said, “After what she’s been through, it is Baji’s decision. And if you wish to protect her, it is your right.”

Cord turned to Dzadi. “Leave, old friend. Make it home safely.”

Dzadi stepped forward and embraced Cord hard enough to drive the air from his lungs. “We will be waiting for your return, War Chief.”

“Tell my daughter I love her.”

“I will.”

Dzadi reluctantly backed away. Turning, he and Ogwed trotted west.

Gonda put a hand on Cord’s shoulder, and the man locked his knees, as though the slight weight might cause them to buckle. Gonda noticed and removed his hand. “Can you run for one hand of time?”

“If not, leave me. I’ll catch up.”

In an utterly serious voice, Koracoo replied, “We will.”

She studied Cord in detail, as though absorbing every quaking muscle; then she subtly shook her head and turned to stare over the lip of the ravine at the Dawnland Healer trotting through the moonlight. The long hair of his moose-hump cap glimmered in the light. As he climbed up the steep wall of the ravine, the sheathed knife resting on his breast swayed back and forth. In addition to his slung bow and quiver, he had a ball-headed war club in his fist and a small pack on his back.

“What do you think of him?” Towa whispered to Sindak.

“He looks too hungry for me to ever be quite comfortable around him. I think I’ll sleep with my blanket knotted around my vulnerable throat.”

“Don’t be silly. You’re not going to get any sleep.”

“Really? Why not?”

“Because the first person Koracoo will allow to sleep is War Chief Cord, so he doesn’t slow us down. The second person will be Wakdanek, so she can keep an eye on him. I wager that you and I, my friend, are going to be standing first watch, followed by Gonda and Koracoo.”

Sindak had his eyes on Cord and Wakdanek. They both had faint amiable smiles on their faces, which was as good a way as any to hide their fangs. Sindak tried to imagine himself in Wakdanek’s moccasins. Surely he suspected that Cord had participated in the attack. If Sindak had been standing in the presence of one of the warriors who’d destroyed his village and slaughtered his family, he’d be filled with murderous rage. He might have to bide his time, but he would even the score. He suspected Wakdanek was thinking the same thing.