People - People of the Wolf Part 43

Heron's valley spread out before them, the hot springs sending plumes of steam into the coppery sky.

"Maybe we can put this Wolf Dream nonsense to rest, eh?"

Raven Hunter nodded soberly. "Oh, I intend to. One way or another."

"That's it!" Three Falls exploded with a disgusted snort.

"Curse her!"

Dancing Fox lay beside him, belly down, staring out over the marshy muskeg to where Moon Water ran to meet the men. No doubt about it, the way the camp had been laid out, it belonged to the Others.

"We still came pretty close. We made up at least three days on her."

Three Falls rubbed his nose, making a clicking sound with his tongue.

"A half day. That's all we needed to catch her." Wearily, Dancing Fox rolled over, face to the cloudy skies as she ma.s.saged her throbbing ankle.

"You've been in pain the whole time, huh?"

She nodded. "Seems like I always am. I suppose it'll get me in the end."

He crawled back off the skyline, watching as she wormed her way after him. "You're not like most women, are you?"

With thin fingers, she pulled her long black hair to one side and looked at him seriously. "If you mean like your wife Mouse, no."

He nodded. "I could come to like you a lot. You'd make a man a good wife. Bear strong sons."

She smiled. "Not interested.""Am I that bad?"

She propped her chin in her palms, frowning. "No. You're a good man. I haven't had to drive a dart through you for jumping on me in the middle of the night."

"We've walked all through the middle of the night. It's tough to jump on you while we're working out a trail."

"Don't try. Men have a habit of sleeping after they finish. You might never wake up."

Three Falls chuckled. "I like my sleep too much. Come on. Let's go break the news to Wolf Dreamer that his Dream is now enemy knowledge."

Dancing Fox turned to take one last look at the band of warriors who ran to surround Moon Water, clapping her on the back. "It's still a race,"

she whispered. "Them or us."

"If we hurry and get the rest of the People through, maybe we can cover the hole from the other side."

"How?"

"I don't know forcertain. Maybe somebody"--he swallowed hard--"could stay behind and roll boulders across the entrance?"

She turned mocking eyes on him. "You've seen the size of the hole. A raging river makes it bigger every Long Light. You really think we could block it?"

He lowered his eyes, gesturing futilely. "No."

The shelters of the People had spread far and wide. The young warriors split off from the main party, seeking the tents of their relatives and wives near the clan standards that waved in the light puff of Wind Woman's breath. Crow Caller, joints no longer spry, barely kept his pace at Raven Hunter's side as they climbed the ridge.

"Four Teeth is there. I see Buffalo Back's totem, too. Seagull Clan is here. I wonder who leads now?" Raven Hunter crested the ridge, looking down on the lush valley, at the cauldron of the geyser and the curiously aqua blue water it spewed into the yellow-lined stream. Willow and birch--now depleted from many camps--lined the narrow valley. A worn path led to the bottom. Brown-skinned people floated in a large pool, laughing and splas.h.i.+ng, sunlight gleaming from their naked bodies.

As he stared down, he added, "But we haven't seen much game on the way in. From the look of the tundra plants, I doubt there's much here. If nothing else, I've seen everything I ever want to about this south. Too dry here. Not enough water to keep the game in good graze."

"Perhaps," Crow Caller grumbled, breath coming in hard gasps. "But then, the Others have the best of that now, don't they?"

Raven Hunter blew softly. "For the moment, Dreamer. For the moment. You can't say they have as much as they would have without our efforts."

"No .. ." Then. "Smell that! How could humans live here? That geyserstinks! Smells like fat rotting in salt water."

Raven Hunter stopped for a moment and chuckled softly. "Maybe, but notice? No flies, no mosquitoes here. The smell must drive off the bugs."

Crow Caller snorted.

At the bottom, Four Teeth stood in front of his shelter, shading his ancient eyes, waving as they approached. He hobbled forward to hug Crow Caller, toothless grin exposing a pink tongue behind brown lips.

"And where is my imaginative brother?" Raven Hunter asked the elder after he'd paid respect.

Four Teeth scowled. "There. See that crack in the rock up by where the water runs down? Spends his time in there doing something. Singing Wolf and One Who Cries take him food every so often. They say he's preparing a Dream." Raven Hunter chuckled and slapped his knee. "My brother? A Dream?" Winking at Crow Caller as the old man cast a gleaming black eye on the rock shelter, Raven Hunter turned away.

At the entrance, he stooped, ducking past a worn caribou hide, seeing nothing in the dark at first. "Runs In Light?"

"Drop the flap, Raven Hunter."

He did, seeing a dull red eye of fire.

"Your eyes will adjust. Come. Take two steps forward, then seat yourself."

Wary, Raven Hunter did, feeling carefully before he lowered himself on soft pelts. A dim outline began to form before his grayed vision. "Very creative. A special act to leave me awed by your claimed Powers?"

"No. I am keeping myself in peace, brother. Keeping my mind clear.

Attempting to learn to do what I must."

"And what, pray tell, might that be? Conjure mammoth from clouds? Grow a lush gra.s.sy tundra here in this waste you've attempted to lure the People to? Come, Runs In Light, forget this--"

"Runs In Light is no more."

"Very well, Wolf Dreamer. Quite a name that. You know, Crow Caller is with me. He's looking forward to a ... shall we say, test of your Powers? Hum? Should be a most interesting Renewal." "And why are you here?" "You're my brother. What would the People say if I just let you go on with this foolishness?"

"I'm deeply touched that you take your responsibilities for your relatives so seriously."

Raven Hunter laughed. "Oh, put your fears to rest, brother. I couldn't care less what you do to yourself. I, however, must at least claim to have made the attempt, you know? A brother has to show some compa.s.sion and try to bring his kin back to the true way of the People. I have a reputation to maintain. A certain status. People will think well of me when I tell them I tried to talk you back to your senses.""Don't cross me, Raven Hunter. I see more than you can."

Raven Hunter laughed softly. "I suppose you'll Dream me away otherwise?"

In the darkness, he could make out Runs In Light's features now. His brother reached, placing more willow sticks on the fire. In the increasing glow, he looked into Runs In Light's eyes; a thread of fear wound through him. A strength glowed there.

"I offer no threat, Raven Hunter. If you challenge me, I must break you.

Discredit you. Throw you out. Pain and death stain your future."

A s.h.i.+ver traced Raven Hunter's spine. How serious Runs In Light was. And he truly seemed to believe it. For a brief instant, a flicker of premonition edged at him. A premonition he summarily dismissed. He had to get the initiative back, take control of the conversation. A thought came. "Jealous over Dancing Fox?"

His brother flinched, looking up with wide vulnerable eyes.

A nerve struck! In the dim firelight, Raven Hunter saw Runs In Light wet his lips anxiously. He laughed softly, repeating, "Jealous?" "No. She's of no importance." "But surely you know how much she loves you." Raven Hunter twisted the barb of his words. "Why her every waking thought is for you, brother. Surely after what she's suffered for you, you can't--"

"No!" He gripped his hand into a fist, eyes closed.

"No? And after her sacrifices?" "I ... Impossible, Raven Hunter. That life is closed to me now." He shook his head sadly.

"You really believe this Dreamer idiocy, don't you?"

A slight smile crossed his brother's thin face. "Yes, I suppose so, brother."

"Then your delusion can't be swayed? There's no way I can bring you to my side. We'd make a good--"

"Your way is that of the darkness, brother."

"I'd not be making claims like that considering how the People feel about holes like this." He gestured around, seeing some of the eerie drawings and effigies placed around. The white lumps had re-formed themselves into various skulls. "You really are absorbed by this delusion. If I believed in such silliness, I might worry." "Will you stand in my way, Raven Hunter?" He c.o.c.ked his head. That voice was so precise, so ... convinced. "I must, idiot brother. This time your delusions stand in the way of the People's survival."

"You know you're half-Other?"

Raven Hunter stiffened, glaring. "I'm half--"

"Other." Runs In Light nodded slowly, a.s.sured. "Our mother was taken on the salt water. She died giving birth to us."

Raven Hunter caught himself. "Of course, more of your fantasy, hmm? Save it, Runs In Light. Save it for Singing Wolf and that gullible One WhoCries. Tell them of your imaginative phantoms. They'll believe your insane claims."

"Ask Crow Caller. Ask Buffalo Back. Ask Four Teeth. They know the rumors."

Raven Hunter shook himself. It couldn't be. No, this was another of Runs In Light's crazy notions.

"Ask!" he ordered. "It's our destiny, brother."

"I'll crush you before I--"

"Listen to me. I have no desire to take your life--but it's in the Dream, brother. Don't stand in my way!"

Silenced by the outburst, he fingered his chin, skeptical eyes on Runs In Light. "You never cease to amaze me. It is the future of the People we're dealing with. I'll not see them led off into the wastes by your quaint delusions."

Runs In Light seemed to sag. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm sorry."

"So am I. Listen, there's still time. We'll get Crow Caller to sing a healing for you, claim you're--"

"And make your status that much higher? Allow you to demonstrate your compa.s.sion for your poor foolish brother?" He shook his head, smiling wistfully. "I'm afraid not ... as if Crow Caller could be persuaded to such in the first place."

"Oh, he can. I have him firmly under my control. He's no fool. He sees where his best interests lie."

"No wonder you see Dreaming as a sham."

"Of course it is. Like all the other charades of healing, Dreaming, and magic. The purpose is to make people feel better. Lay the silly superst.i.tions in their minds to rest. Like ice on a burn. The rest is simple. Drain pus, set broken bones, change diet so the right things get into a person's blood. I've learned a lot since I started mending hurt warriors." And there are the visions which haunt me. Those I'll believe, addled brother. I've seen Dancing Fox--and her child. But nowhere do my visions show rosy futures.

"Heron said you were unschooled. But there's still time. Let me help you learn. I'll teach you everything she taught--"

"Don't be ridiculous." Raven Hunter got to his feet, looking around. So many fascinating things. He'd have to come back here sometime. Perhaps some of this might be useful in keeping his warriors motivated. "Yes, unschooled. Well, I'll leave you now and let you turn your thoughts to how you'll discredit Crow Caller when he unmasks your games."

"Tell him .. ." he whispered desperately. "Tell him I don't wish to destroy him."

"I'm sure he'll find your warning most entertaining."He stopped at the flap. "Sure you don't want me to send Dancing Fox to you? She'd willingly fall into your arms, you know. I can tell you honestly, she's most ardent on a man's staff. Tight, pa.s.sionate, worth your--"

Runs In Light jerked up clenched fists, shouting, "Get out!"

Raven Hunter smiled, not moving.

"Get out before you force me to do something I don't want to!"

"Really? Show me!"

Runs In Light trembled, crossing his arms tightly across his breast. He murmured, barely audible, "Please .. . don't make me, brother. I don't want to hurt you."

Beneath the azure vault of the sky, the huge straight mammoth tusk jutted up from the center of the cairn the White Tusk Clan had built to support their totem. From the top, mammoth tails hung down in each of the cardinal directions, swaying in the breezes. Bright feathers in turn decorated the tails, flicking color about the polished white-brown ivory.

Large tents of cured mammoth hide sprawled across the gra.s.sy flats.

Supported by split mammoth bone and propped by anch.o.r.ed tusks, the tents provided relief from the constant sun. Long hours of labor had sc.r.a.ped the once-thick hide thin to allow a translucent yellow light to filter into the interiors. Before the doorways, a s.h.i.+mmering cloud hovered. The gentle breezes couldn't keep the flies from collecting in tall pillars, their myriad wings humming in a dirge fit to drive man and beast to insanity.

"We need more smoke pots," Ice Fire muttered under his breath. Black flies and mosquitoes as well as occasional hideous beasts--the gaudy yellow and black bott flies--all seemed attracted to this clan council.

"Seems the farther south we go, the worse the flies. Should have stayed down by the Big Water," Red Flint agreed, batting arms in defense.

"Something about that salt water. The flies aren't as bad there."

Ice Fire rubbed his face, shooing the swarm before ducking into a smoky cook tent where the old women gathered around long pits laboriously excavated with their digging sticks.

"Safety." Ice Fire sighed, glaring at the swirling winged beasts beyond the opening. He looked around at the four mammoth tusks propped to support the low shelter. The heat from the fires ate into his backside.

"Out there we're eaten alive. In here we roast."

"Take your pick." Red Flint laughed dryly, crouching down on his heels to avoid the heat and still remain in the protection of the smoke. Ice Fire hated the sound of his cracking joints as he lowered himself.

"You've done well, old friend. This year you've returned the White Hide to the White Tusk Clan. How long since the last time?"

Ice Fire shook his head, white-shot hair hanging free over his shoulders. "More years than I have fingers on two hands. Where did we find honor? Only this year did these Enemy finally raise a leader whowould challenge us." He chewed his weathered lip. "Even then, I could almost pity them. They're so few, we'll sweep them aside soon." He waved a callused and battered hand. "Look, look south. See those rocky hills up there? That's where they've run. I've been up there. Seen what the land is like. It keeps climbing. This river, so big and full of water, runs out of the ice that blocks the valley. That's where they've gone."