Harth repeated her command and still there was no response. Carnelian was becoming aware of how many there were of the Bluedancing. So many eyes filled with grief and anger.
'We'd better go back,' said Akaisha, nervously.
'Shouldn't we try -?' began Mossie.
'Let's go now,' hissed Akaisha and, retrieving Harth, they retreated back over the bridge and made their way at speed for the beckoning safety of the Homeditch.
The Elders armed the Tribe as best they could and set them to guarding the two most easterly gates and the arc of the Homeditch which lay between. The Crag beacon was lit to summon back their men. Carnelian waited with Akaisha by the Bloodgate. All eyes were scanning the ferngarden, looking for the expected Bluedancing attack.
When he told Akaisha he thought they were overreacting, she flared to anger.
'What! You don't understand. How could you? If anything should happen to my tree, the grief…' She shook her head and resumed her look-out for the Bluedancing.
Carnelian felt like asking her if she imagined her grief could turn into murderous rage, but he said nothing more. Guilt at the way the Tribe had treated the Bluedancing was the true root of her fear.
Carnelian paced back and forth beneath the mother tree. When Galewing had appeared with many riders, Carnelian, fearing bloodshed, had spoken out in defence of the Bluedancing. He had declared them to be nothing more dangerous than frightened, dispossessed women and children. His words clearly had force for the Elder men though, unhappily, he sensed this was because he resembled the Master. Outraged, Harth had commanded him to be silent, saying the matter was for the Elders to decide. Akaisha had sent him to their hearth to wait for her.
His brooding was interrupted by a voice calling from the rootstair. Seeing it was Krow, Carnelian invited him into his hearth. Astride the men's rootbench, they faced each other. As Krow nibbled at his nails, he was smearing hornblack from his lips to his fingers.
Carnelian asked him how the men were, mentioning names, among which he included Fern so as not to draw attention to his concern for him. Without lifting his head, Krow told him everyone was fine.
Carnelian decided against asking more specifically. 'How goes the great hunt?'
Krow looked up at him. 'I know nothing of a great hunt.'
'Is his earthwork finished?'
Krow nodded grimly. His eyes unfocused as he saw it in his mind's eye. 'It parts the herds on their way to the lagoon. Even heaveners walk round it.'
Carnelian was surprised. Two moons and that's all you've done?'
Krow shook his head. 'He makes us ride against the herds in lines, in arrowheads. He divides us into groups and, with his spear, commands us to strike against earthers in waves.'
Carnelian narrowed his eyes. 'Why?'
Krow shrugged. 'Perhaps this great hunt you spoke of, Master.'
There was something in that shrug that suggested Krow was hiding something. It seemed to Carnelian obvious Osidian was training them for war.
'Why did the Master burn the Bluedancing's mother trees?'
Krow grew troubled. 'He told us that as long as their trees lived, the Bluedancing might hope for freedom and revenge.'
'It was cruel and impious.'
Krow sunk his head again and resumed his nibbling.
'You of all people should know how it feels.'
Krow's head jerked up. The Manila murdered my hearth and tribe.'
'As we did the Bluedancing men and, besides, made their mothers, wives, sisters and children slaves.'
'We showed them mercy.'
The Master's mercy was meant to force the need for this hunt so as to give him power over the Tribe.'
Krow looked away haunted. 'What choice do I have but to follow him?'
'Akaisha might welcome you into her hearth.'
Krow turned back fiercely. To remind her that her son is possessed by the Master?'
Carnelian had no answer to that.
'I'm sorry, Carnie, but the only place I have left is at the Master's side.'
Carnelian could not deny the plea in the youth's eyes that he should stop. He smiled at him. 'Why have you come to see me, Krow?'
The Master wants to know how much progress you've made here.'
Carnelian closed his eyes and tried to imagine how much of the ditch was still to be cut; how much they had already cut and how long it had taken.
He opened his eyes, feeling sick at heart. 'In the end it will come down to whether the Bluedancing will still work.'
Krow smiled coldly. They'll work all right.'
'You're returning to him today?'
Krow nodded.
Tell him that in eight days the work here will be complete.'
Krow took leave of him with a kind of bow and then Carnelian was left alone to brood on what he had learned about Osidian's preparations. Sil and Poppy appeared and Carnelian helped them make the evening meal.
Night had fallen before Akaisha and Whin returned. Everyone could see they had been quarrelling. Akaisha said they had come up from the Homeditch gates, now guarded by the men of the Tribe. Though everyone was desperate to know what the Elders had decided, neither Akaisha nor Whin volunteered anything.
Later, Akaisha took an opportunity to talk to Carnelian alone. 'I suppose you'd better know.' She looked unhappy. 'We have had to take some of their children away from them. There's no other way we can be sure to be safe when our men are away.'
Carnelian was aware she would not look him directly in the eye.
'We have to send them away to ensure the good behaviour of their mothers.' 'Send them where?'
'Galewing will take them with him tomorrow when he returns to the Master.'
Carnelian could not believe this. 'If you must take their children, why not bring them up here where you can keep an eye on them?'
When Akaisha would not answer, he took her hands in his. She glanced up at him.
'Surely you understand, Carnie? How could we hurt them ourselves?'
Carnelian let go of her hands. 'But you're happy to let the men do it?'
'It won't come to that. Their mothers would do nothing to risk their children.'
'I can't believe you want to send any children out there, among the herds and the raveners. Who'll care for them?'
Akaisha grimaced. 'We can't have them here. We can't.'
'What do you fear, Akaisha?'
She shook her head in answer. He thought about it.
'Is it that having them among the hearths the women won't be able to distinguish the Bluedancing children from those of the Tribe?'
Akaisha looked up at him and there were tears in her eyes. 'What have we become?' she whispered. 'What have we become?'
Akaisha conspired with Carnelian to draw out breakfast as long as they could. It was the other overseers gathering waiting for them at the edge of their rootearth that eventually forced them to rise.
'We'll have to face it some time,' Carnelian said.
With the others, they marched in silence down to the camp of the Bluedancing. When it came in sight, Carnelian was as reluctant as everyone else to go any nearer, but he pushed forward nonetheless.
The Bluedancing seemed carved from wood. Carnelian tried not to catch glimpses of their eyes as they were ordered to their work. They shuffled along, their chins digging into their bony chests. They looked like sartlar.
He accompanied them to the ditch and, removing his robe, was determined to work among them as he had done for days. It made him feel better to be sharing their labour.
He clawed at the mud, but hard as he worked, he was aware of the space there was around him. Every time he glanced up he would catch glimpses of the hatred in their eyes. It sapped his strength. Their eyes made him question why he was sharing their work. Was it that he was doing penance for the guilt he felt? Was it that if he pretended to share their suffering no one would be able to blame him for his part in what was being done to them? It was Osidian who had brought all this about, but who was it had brought Osidian to the Koppie and at every turn protected him, nurtured him until he had grown into what he was today? Ultimately, Carnelian could not pretend his hands were clean of any of Osidian's crimes. He dropped his mattock and looked at his red, earthy hands. He left the ditch. It was about time he took responsibility for what he was and what he had done.