The Standing Dead

Ginkga shoved Ravan out of the way and glowered at the Tribe. 'Yes, this bastard is Bluedancing.' She turned to Ravan, contempt on her face. 'Do you know how many men the Bluedancing have, boy?'

Ravan gave a shrug as if he could not care less.

'Well, if you don't know…' She pointed at each of the youths who had shouted out support for Ravan. 'Can any of you young fools tell us? No? Well let me tell you. For every one of us, they have two. Heed my words; even were the numbers on our side, fighting would be risky: against such odds, it would be madness.'

Harth came to stand beside her. 'Ginkga speaks the truth. We've lost enough already. We'd lose more in attempting revenge.'

That's easy for you to say,' a woman cried out. Others joined their voices to hers.

Harth raised her arms, then waited until they fell silent. 'Why is it, you think, the Bluedancing attacked us at all?'

Carnelian felt the blood draining from his face. He put his arm over Poppy to stop her trembling.

'I'm sure it's well known to you by now that, recently, the Master

…' she looked round at Osidian, 'put some of our lads up to starting a brawl with the Bluedancing in which several of their people were badly hurt and -'

'We didn't start it!' Ravan bellowed as he advanced on the woman.

Harth and the other Elders regarded him with horror.

Akaisha interposed herself between Harth and her son. 'Who do you think you're speaking to?'

Harth stepped out from behind Akaisha. 'If the Bluedancing had seen the Master, they could've betrayed us to the Gatherers, bringing disaster down on the Tribe.'

Ravan grimaced, dropped his head, shaking it as if he was being confronted by an exasperating child. He lifted pleading eyes to his mother. 'It wasn't like that. The Master made certain they could not see him.'

When his mother's frown deepened, he pointed at

Harth. 'Can't you see she's lying? It wasn't like that, it -'

Akaisha's slap across his face brought Ravan to a halt, gaping, accompanied by the crowd's catching of breath. Akaisha's voice carried clear and harsh. 'Never again will you dare address an Elder in that insolent way.'

Ravan bared his teeth in cold rage. 'Every man here knows the arrogance of the Bluedancing's been swelling with every passing year. Are we to accept that any number of brawls, whoever started them, is justification for killing us and carrying away our children?'

'This was the action of some hotheads,' cried Crowrane. 'It couldn't possibly have been sanctioned by their Elders.'

'What does that matter?' a woman cried out and was answered by a surge of approval.

Carnelian was sharing the general feeling when he felt Osidian speak something in his ear. He turned and looked into his eyes.

Tell them,' said Osidian in Quya.

Carnelian shook his head. 'I will play no part in your games, Osidian.'

Then I will use another.'

'What are you saying?' demanded Harth.

Carnelian shook his head. 'I will take no part in this.'

Osidian began to speak in Vulgate. Harth asked her husband to translate. He frowned.

'He said that, even though their numbers are greater than ours, they still feared us enough to attack at night like cowards.'

Harth smiled slyly. 'Does the Master counsel us to make war upon the Bluedancing?'

Osidian narrowed his green eyes as Crowrane told him what his wife had said.

'And who would we put in command of this expedition?' Harth continued as if she were reeling in a fish. She raised her eyebrows waiting for an answer. Osidian seemed not to hear her.

The Master himself, no doubt?' she said and smiled.

Osidian spoke and Crowrane, scowling, refused to translate. Harth began to look uncertain.

Ravan turned to face the people. The Master says that perhaps under his command we might find the manhood we lack.'

The Tribe erupted in outrage. The men, who had been feeling the humiliation, cried out that they had no need of the Master to find courage. They boasted of their bravery in the hunt.

Carnelian saw Harth's horror as she realized she had lost control. The mothers who had lost children and husbands; the men who had lost wives, fixed up the anger of the Tribe until there was a universal baying for war. Harth, Akaisha and other women Elders tried to calm them with commands, then appeals, but the crowd's mood overwhelmed their opposition. Shouting against the tumult, Galewing, Crowrane and other Elder men gave their leave for war. Watching in horror, Carnelian froze when he saw the smile Osidian was making no attempt to conceal.

As the Tribe scattered to their preparations, Carnelian approached Osidian. 'Why did you smile?'

The eyes Osidian turned on him were those of a stranger. 'Matters have come to pass according to my will.'

Carnelian went cold. He considered asking Osidian how he had brought this disaster down on them, but knew he would get no answer. 'Why?'

'It is the God's will.'

The cool, indifferent Quya made Carnelian boil. He would tell Akaisha and she would put a stop to Osidian's madness. He looked around him and saw the hollow-eyed determination on every face. Even if Akaisha believed him, would she be able to tell the mothers to forget their lost children?

He felt empty as he regarded Osidian. 'You will at least fight with them?'

'I will lead them to victory.'

'Lead them? Did Ravan not tell you that they rejected you?'

Osidian smiled again. They will follow me.'

Carnelian felt tired, not understanding what he meant, not wanting to understand.

'And you, my Lord,' Osidian said. 'Who will you fight with?'

Carnelian clasped his head in exasperation. 'How many sides are there?'

'Either you will choose to stand with me or else number yourself among the savages. Which will it be?'

Carnelian considered whether he might refuse to fight at all. But could he watch Fern and the others march out and remain behind? The waiting would be unbearable. He searched Osidian's eyes for any glimmer of the boy he had loved, but all he saw was a Master.

He shook his head. 'Not with you.'

Osidian turned away.

Carnelian stood there for some moments, considering all the arguments he might make, the appeals, but he knew the Master would never listen and, desolate, he went off to find Fern.

Carnelian wandered sick at heart through the encampment. Fresh edges were being struck onto the flint blades of their spears and javelins. Aquar were having their saddle-chairs adjusted. Unnecessary equipment was being removed. Men were taking turns hornblacking each other's faces.

Carnelian's heart sank when he saw Fern approach with Sil and Poppy. The girl looked like she wanted to run to him, but Sil was holding her hand. Fern offered Carnelian a freshly honed spear.

'Will you fight with us?'

'Do you really want this?' Carnelian said.

Looking unhappy, Fern shrugged. 'It's happening. To try to match the Bluedancing's numbers everyone's going: from the eldest to the youngest. We need every warrior we can get. Will you fight with us?'

'Warriors?' Carnelian snorted and when he saw Fern's dismay, he reached out to take the spear. 'Of course I'll fight with you.' j

Poppy ran into him. 'You mustn't go, Carnie. You mustn't.'

He crouched, holding her away from him so he could look into her eyes. 'You wouldn't want Fern to go by himself, would you?'

Poppy looked at Fern and then back at Carnelian. Sil put a hand on Poppy's head. They'll take care of each other.'

The girl looked up at Fern. 'You promise?' 'I promise,' said Fern.

As Carnelian rose, Sil looked at him with a question in her eyes. He gave her a nod in answer, then put his hand on Fern's shoulder.

'Come, paint me for war.'

The Ochre warband had a ferocious aspect. Swarthy sinews, midnight faces and, already, something like the joy of battles had come upon them. Seeing them round him laughing, even Carnelian began to believe in the possibility of victory.