People of the Thunder (North America's Forgotten Past) (50 page)

“What are you doing here?”

Pale Cat gave him a sober look. “The southern palisade just blew over. People are swarming over it like ants. That is, when they’re not dodging flying baskets and ramada roofs. My sister thought it was a perfect opportunity to meet with you.”

“We have stew. Hot and bubbling,” Old White said.

“Thank you, but I must fast on the equinox.” The man reached down, taking Old White’s hand. “I am Pale Cat,
Hopaye
to the Hickory Moiety of the Panther Clan.”

“I am Old White, known as the Seeker.” He made a sour face. “Well,
Hopaye,
I hope it wasn’t your greeting
ceremony this morning that set Mother Sun off.” He gestured around at the creaking walls.

Pale Cat raised his arms, and let them fall. “I leave it to others to call the winds. If Power is annoyed, I’m sure Smoke Shield is at the bottom of it. But half of the southern palisade falling flat? It may be an even stronger sign that Power is displeased.”

“Oh, yes,” Old White agreed.

“We need to talk,” Heron Wing said, seating herself. She flashed a look at Trader—one that communicated more than just greeting. He caught himself before smiling back.

She said, “I have told Pale Cat some of the things you have told me.”

“How do I know we can trust him?” Old White asked.

“You may trust him.” Trader seated himself, trying not to edge too close to Heron Wing. Gods, if he could so much as hold her hand, it would be a gift. “If he is even half the man I knew, we are safe.”

Pale Cat smiled wearily. “I would hope that I am. But we may not have much time. If the wind stops, well, I’m not sure I want to be seen leaving here.”

Heron Wing shrugged. “Everyone will want to see the palisade. Some of the houses to the south may have been crushed. Who knows what the extent of the damage might be?” She got straight to the point. “Have you found the Contrary?”

“No.” Trader gave Old White a narrow look. “And we’ve heard nothing. Have you?”

Heron Wing shook her head. “Neither of us have. And believe me, Pale Cat would be informed if anyone had a Contrary in their care.”

“Then she’s gone to Smoke Shield,” Old White said softly. “I would just like to know if she did it willingly.”

“A woman
has
been in the war chief’s room in the palace,” Pale Cat told them. “She arrived a couple of
nights ago. The guards let her pass because she claimed to come at Smoke Shield’s request.”

Trader winced.

“We’ve had this conversation,” Old White reminded. To the others he said, “Trader doesn’t share my faith in the Contrary’s abilities.”

Trader took a deep breath to calm himself. “I just hope he doesn’t hurt her.”

Old White grunted. “Power protects its own.”

“Smoke Shield has little respect for Power,” Pale Cat told them darkly. “Unless it’s red and filled with pain.”

“He should learn humility,” Old White muttered. “A failing that no doubt can be laid at his uncle’s feet.”

Heron Wing clasped her hands. “Wide Leaf stopped by this morning. Something happened among the Albaamaha last night. She didn’t have many details, but the mikkos met.”

Trader glanced at Old White before saying, “For the moment, the Albaamaha are the least of your worries. The mikkos heard the entire story from Lotus Root, but they also heard from us and one of their Prophets.”

“They have a Prophet?” Pale Cat asked.

“A woman named Whippoorwill,” Old White told him.

“Ah, yes.” Pale Cat crossed his legs. “I have spoken with her in the past. What did she tell them?”

“That the Chikosi and Albaamaha cannot afford to fight.” Trader shot the
Hopaye
a measuring look. “She had a vision; in it, the Albaamaha and the Chikosi split sometime in the future.” He gestured around. “When this place is abandoned.”

“Abandoned?” Heron Wing asked, frowning.

Old White sipped his stew and said, “Matron, cities are born, grow, live, and die. Only the rivers are forever.”

Pale Cat nodded. “If that is the will of Power, so be it. What else was said?”

“If we can figure out a way to get them into the tchkofa”—

Old White stared thoughtfully into his bowl—“they will present their evidence against Smoke Shield in the Council.”

“In the Council?” Pale Cat and Heron Wing asked in unison.

Trader gave them a grim smile. “Assuming we can figure out a way to get ourselves into the Council, it should be a very interesting session.” His expression fell. “But we have a more pressing problem. Great Cougar is on his way here with a Chahta war party. A big one.”

“But the palisade just collapsed!” Pale Cat stiffened.

In a reasonable voice, Old White said, “That seems like as good a reason to broker a peace as any other I can come up with. Our problem is that we might not have a great deal of time.”

Pale Cat frowned. “Smoke Shield recalled most of the scouts. They should be here within a couple of days. He only left a scattering of them to watch for the Chahta. I have to warn him.”

“No,” Trader said sharply, “you do not!”

Pale Cat and Heron Wing stared incredulously at him.

“We don’t need a party of warriors rushing out to fight the Chaktaw,” Old White insisted. “That will only compound our problems.”

“But what about the farmsteads?” Heron Wing asked. “The Albaamaha will be defenseless.”

“That has been seen to,” Trader told her. “The mikkos sent runners out last night. The Albaamaha are being warned to withdraw, to take everything they need, and stay out of the way. By the time the Chahta charge down from the divide, they should find empty houses in their path.”

“You have done all this?” Pale Cat asked incredulously. “By yourselves?”

“Well,” Old White growled, “Smoke Shield sure wouldn’t have been any help.”

“But,” Heron Wing asked, “how can you make a peace with the Chahta? Not even the Council knows what you’ve done!”

Pale Cat had stiffened. “By what authority do you meddle in
our
affairs, Seeker?”

Old White gave him a hard look. “
Hopaye,
Power has sent me from one end of the world to the other. It called me here from the western deserts. It took me to the Contrary, and to Green Snake. Oh, I promise, when the time comes, you’ll get more explanation than you’ll want.”

“I give us the right,” Trader said softly. He raised his eyes to Pale Cat. “I am Chief Clan, from the high minko’s line. Smoke Shield must be stopped. Power has been abused. The Yuchi messenger, the murdered Albaamaha—that is only the beginning of it.”

“I side with them, Brother.” Heron Wing’s voice left no doubt.

Pale Cat turned veiled eyes on Heron Wing. “Sister, I would hope that the love you so poorly disguise when you look at Green Snake hasn’t tempered your wits.” He glanced up, studying both Old White and Trader. “I, too, serve Power. I also serve my people, and would not see them led into disaster.” He clapped his hands on his thighs. “So, if you have some plan to mollify Great Cougar, perhaps now is the time to convince me why I should trust you?”

Trader shrugged. “We have some ideas.”

“Such as?” Pale Cat asked coldly.

“Old Woman Fox gave us the idea, actually.” Old White took a moment to swallow the last of his stew. “According to her, you took the White Arrow Town war medicine. Is that correct?”

“It is,” Pale Cat said softly, “but that’s not something the warriors are going to let you just give back.”

Trader turned his gaze on Old White. “He’s got a point.”

Old White ran his finger around the inside of his bowl before he licked it clean. “After all we’ve been through, you’re worried about a bunch of possessive warriors?”

“I don’t believe I’m hearing this!” Heron Wing looked stunned. “If you take the White Arrow war medicine, the warriors will be enraged. Smoke Shield will be livid!”

“See!” Old White grinned happily. “There’s another benefit.”

Trader enjoyed their shocked expressions. “Power won’t let us down now.”

Pale Cat’s voice hardened. “Power, my friends, is leading you into a quick grave.”

Old White spread his hands. “Trust us,
Hopaye
. We still have a few tricks in our bag.”

“And you know Smoke Shield,” Heron Wing shot back. “He is as cunning as a weasel, and twice as dangerous. If he can twist the truth out of your Contrary, you’ll be dead before you can bring any of this to a satisfactory conclusion.”

“Oh, yes,” Trader agreed. “I’m sure that he’s planning on paying me back for that blow I gave him.”

Old White had fixed his gaze on Pale Cat. “Tell me,
Hopaye,
how many warriors sleep in the Men’s House these days?”

Smoke Shield walked wearily through the palace great room, stopping only long enough to step over and run his fingers over the captured Yuchi relief of the warrior holding a severed head. “Soon, I shall own your people. Within days, the Prophet tells me, the Chahta will arrive. After I break them once and for all, I shall move north. The story your people tell about the severed head shall become ours. And there is nothing you can do about it.”

Then he turned, surprised that Flying Hawk was absent; but then, the old man knew his days were numbered. “And there is nothing you can do about it, either, Uncle.” Since the Prophet had promised that he’d see the old man weep, he’d been delighted with anticipation.

He entered the hallway and ducked into his room. She was waiting, a warm pot of water and folded cloths resting beside the fire. He stared into her dark eyes and said, “The palisade fell, just like you said it would.”

She nodded. “The vision is flowing so fast now. The Chahta are across the divide. Your warriors are moving. Power draws the weave tight.”

He looked down at himself, seeing soot and bits of debris. “I spent most of the day at the palisade. It is good for the people to see the man who will be their
high minko acting like he should. We salvaged some of the logs and began clearing debris. The four-times-cursed Albaamaha were like geese, more interesting in squawking than working. You could see it in their eyes, as if they were heartened by the collapse of the palisade.”

“They shall not act against you. Few understand how their lives are going to change. Split Sky City will be a different place after this. The falling of the walls is but the first sign of the changes to come.”

He narrowed an eye. “I could have used more warriors, but that scheming Blood Skull was missing all through the day. I sent him to ensure that the warriors are where I want them, but he shouldn’t have been gone so long.”

“The Chahta will see no warriors when they arrive.” She smiled at him. “It’s a fascinating game, misdirection. You are good at it. Even the Underworld marvels.”

“Is that how it will be? My name spoken among the worlds?”

“It already is.”

He grinned, stripping off his dirty shirt and breech-cloth. “Wash me. And while you do, tell me what will come next. I am interested in Green Snake and his dealings among the Yuchi. You have already told me I will denounce him before the Council.”

She wet one of the cloths and began sponging his body. “Your brother has made peace with Born-of-Sun, the Yuchi chief. They have discussed a lasting alliance.”

“So, he really has betrayed us.” He reached up to finger the scar. “Will I ever have the chance to repay him for this? He won’t be killed before I can get to him, will he?”

“In the end, I promise you will see him stand before
the Council. There, before your people, you will denounce him and expose his true nature so that all might see. And when that time comes, my lover, you shall take his wealth.” She smiled. “Power cannot be stopped.”

“After I destroy the Chahta, how will I defeat the Yuchi?”

“Look no further than your Dreams, High Minko.”

“In my Dreams?”

“All great Visions are like Dreams. Ever so clear, and with a truth all their own.”

“But I need to know how! What obstacles are in my way?”

She was washing his genitals now, her fingers adding to the effect of the warm cloth. He watched himself stiffening in her hands. She looked up, excitement in her eyes. “I have things to tell you . . . about treachery, a stunning theft that will rock your warriors, and betrayal that will enrage your very souls.” She waved down his sudden dismay, and added, “All in due time, my lover. First, let me tend to this swollen member.”