Because of the saddle-chairs packed with eggs, the hunt had to return at walking pace. Krow offered Carnelian his aquar but he declined. Carnelian remembered it was Krow who had been the first to defy Crowrane.
'We owe you our lives.'
The youth sunk his head. 'I owe the Master much.' 'Father Crowrane and his son will not quickly forgive you.'
Krow shrugged.
'Why have you ended up in their hunt?'
Krow looked up. 'Because their hearth took me in.'
The youth's eyes betrayed something of the unhappy conditions in which he had to live. They know I am your friend.'
Carnelian became aware Loskai was observing them. He realized now it was Krow who was in danger.
Unable to ride, the hunt were in peril from raveners. The hunters kept fear at bay by describing to each other the Tribe's delight when they received the precious cargo the hunt were bringing home.
Galewing appeared with his men, saying that they had come to offer any help that might be needed. He told them the Tribe knew of their expedition and were worried for their safety. The amazement the Elder and his hunt showed over their haul of eggs lifted spirits. Still* many would be unable to flee a ravener attack and so the first sight of the Koppie rising out from the plain was greeted with audible sighs of relief. The closer it came, the wider grew the smiles anticipating a triumphant return.
Grim-faced, a large portion of the Tribe were waiting for them across the earthbridge. Carnelian saw among them Harth, Ginkga and others of the Elders. He was disappointed when he could not see Akaisha. He had hoped she would be there with Poppy.
The hunters rode over into the ferngarden and dismounted.
Hands on hips, Harth confronted her husband. 'What possessed you?'
Crowrane made a face, painfully aware of the people watching. His wife gave a snort of disgust and, seeking out her son among the press, withered him with her gaze.
Ginkga gazed out over the hunters. Where her eyes looked, their heads fell in shame. 'Have you any idea how much worry you brought your hearths?'
'But no one was hurt, my mother and -' Ravan began, before the Elder silenced him with a look.
'If we hadn't begged the Mother to shield you, who knows how many would've been killed?'
She stabbed a finger at Osidian and then Carnelian. They put you up to it, didn't they?'
'But it worked out exactly as the Master said it would,' cried Ravan, red-faced.
He reached over into a saddle-chair and lifted out an egg. Walking into the crowd, he handed it to a woman who received it like a baby. Ravan grinned as he heard the excitement rippling out through the crowd.
There may be as many as two for each hearth,' he announced.
The crowd came alive as they began clamouring for theirs. The hunters beamed as they began unpacking and handing out the treasure they had brought back for their people. Bright with pride, Krow joined in. Carnelian did not feel he should, though he was fired by the general elation. Crowrane stood, eyes downcast, behind his wife, so that it was Galewing who oversaw the distribution.
'Losing so many young will hurt the bellowers,' cried Ginkga over the commotion. 'You don't understand what you've done.'
Carnelian was sobered by the woman's dismay. The rest of her cries were drowned out by the sounds of celebration.
Ravan basked in the approval of his hearthkin as he told for the second time the tale of the expedition against the bellowers. Osidian strode heroic through that tale and as the Plainsmen savoured the delicacies that had been made with the eggs, eyes kept flicking to the Master, sitting as he always did watching something only he could see in the dancing of the flames.
Not Whin, not even Akaisha were falling under the spell of Ravan's story. They witnessed his swagger, his naked adoration of the Master, with unhappy eyes. Earlier, returning red-stained from the earthworks, they had uncurled the foetuses from the two eggs the hearth had been given and went to bury them among the roots of their mother tree.
As Carnelian watched Ravan, he fondled Poppy's head as she sat against his knee. He glanced at Fern. When he had returned to find Carnelian alive he had run to him and, taking hold of his arms, had regarded him with undisguised delight. This had made Sil unhappy even though she had kissed Carnelian as she did the others, glad to see them safely returned. Aware of her reaction, confused by Fern's intensity, Carnelian had disengaged from him. When Fern became aware of Sil, the three of them had been left isolated, prey to confused emotions.
A movement at the edge of Carnelian's vision drew his gaze down to Osidian's pale hand signing: It seems we are heroes.
Carnelian turned to look at him. Use handspeech.
Carnelian obliged him. The boy speaks only of you.
Osidian made a sign connoting amusement, then: This popularity will, I judge, keep our lives safe outside the ditches.
I intend to return to work with – Carnelian indicated Fern.
No. I need you with me.
From petty jealousy, you endangered our lives and many others.
Osidian made a contemptuous gesture of dismissal. I made a bid for power.
You make my decision firmer. I will take no further part in your machinations.
Osidian's hand fell still. Then, slowly, he turned to watch Ravan who was enacting the arrival of the bellower mothers. Without turning back, his hand began to shape signs again. He will not now leave my side.
Carnelian frowned, staring at the pale hand. The fingers curled.
The outer world is perilous.
Carnelian grew inflamed and pulled at Osidian's shoulder to make him look at him. 'Do you stoop, my Lord, like Jaspar did with my brother, to use threats against another as a means of controlling me?'
Carnelian's Quya made Ravan fall silent. The whole hearth were staring at the Standing Dead.
Osidian's eyes burned furiously. 'You should remember why we have ended up here, Carnelian.'
Carnelian was painfully aware of the people round about.
Osidian smiled at Ravan, who smiled back. 'Do not imagine when the time comes I will have mercy on the boy.'
IRON SPEAR
Husband, you are the sky the angry one the winged sower of rain.
Come, quench my thirst.
The Grove was waking when Carnelian picked his way among the sleeping hollows towards Fern and Sil's. He knew where it lay even though he had never been there. It was Sil who first noticed him approaching and raised her husband. Little Leaf began to cry and Sil put her to a breast to quieten her.
Carnelian felt he was intruding. 'Can I speak to you, Fern?'
Seeing that Carnelian wanted to talk to him alone, Fern rose. Both men made an apology to Sil, who looked concerned.
They moved up the slope a little to where the branches of the cedar forced Carnelian to bow his head.
'I won't be returning to the Bloodwood Tree,' Carnelian said.
Fern frowned. 'You've decided to stay with the hunt?' As Carnelian nodded, he could see Fern was waiting for some explanation, but how could Carnelian tell him what Osidian had threatened to do; how could he tell Fern that he had made Osidian swear on his blood that, if Carnelian went with him, Osidian would not deliberately harm any of the Tribe?
'Well, you've told me,' Fern said at last and returned, still frowning, to his wife.
That day Crowrane's hunt was warding so Carnelian, Osidian, Ravan and several others accompanied Akaisha and her women down into the ferngardens. Akaisha had watched Fern go off to work alone and Carnelian had to endure the pressure of her scrutiny. She was clearly unhappy not only with his decision but with the way in which he had made it without giving her an explanation.