The Standing Dead - Stone Dance of the Chameleon 02 (37 page)

'You
stupid,
little
-'

'Sit
down,
all
of
you,'
cried
Akaisha.

Carnelian
sat
down
and,
glowering
at
each
other, Ravan
and
Fern
did
so
too.
The
passing
of
the
bowls resumed.
When
Carnelian
got
his,
he
ate,
wondering
how long
he
could
conceal
Osidian's
utter
rejection
of
the Plainsmen.

Carnelian
awoke
gripped
by
fear.
He
struggled
to
order his
thoughts.
He
had
been
dreaming
he
was
with
Fern watching
Osidian
die.
Carnelian's
hand
found
Osidian's body
warm
beside
him.
He
listened
for
his
breathing,
but could
hear
only
the
sighing
as
the
mother
tree
sifted
the breeze
through
her
needled
canopy.
Her
voice
was comforting.
Through
her
roof
there
was
a
hint
of
dawn
in the
colour
of
the
sky.
He
became
aware
of
the
sounds
of the
Tribe
waking.
He
slipped
out
from
under
the
blanket, being
careful
not
to
disturb
Osidian.
Carnelian
sat
for
a moment
with
his
arms
crossed,
rubbing
his
shoulders, peering
at
him
lying
in
the
hollow.
He
denied
the
memory of
his
dream.
He
assured
himself
Osidian
would
soon
give up
his
fast.
As
he
blew
warmth
into
his
hands,
he
smelled yesterday's
blood.
He
had
to
go
to
work.
He
rose,
his
body aching
all
over,
dressed,
then
padded
towards
the
huddle of
shapes
around
the
hearth
to
share
their
warmth
and
to have
breakfast.

It
was
Akaisha
who
led
them
down
to
the
Bloodwood
Tree with
Whin
at
her
side,
with
Sil
and
the
others
of
their daughters
and
grand-daughters
following
on
behind. Carnelian
was
further
back
with
Fern.
Three
girls
walked behind
them,
one
of
them
carrying
a
baby.
The
little Twostone
girl
brought
up
the
rear.

The
earther
lay
beneath
the
tree,
most
of
its
bones
now exposed.

Akaisha
wrinkled
her
nose
up
at
the
stench.
'We'll have
to
finish
her
today.'

'We'd
have
to
anyway,'
said
Whin.
'Crowrane's
hunt
is supposed
to
be
bringing
in
another
earther
today.'

After
everyone's
face
was
painted,
Akaisha
asked Whin
to
marshal
them
to
the
boulder
tables
and
to
make sure
the
knives
were
sharp,
then
she
turned
to
Fern
and Carnelian.
'You
two
know
what
you
have
to
do.'

Carnelian
removed
the
new
shoes
Akaisha
had
given him
before
they
set
off
and
put
on
the
makeshift
ones already
stained
with
gore.

Sil
was
standing
nearby
rocking
her
baby
in
her
arms. She
looked
up.
'I'll
help
them,
my
mother.'

Akaisha
put
a
hand
on
her
arm.
She
shook
her head.
'No,
Sil.
Fern
must
see
this
through
to
the
end, alone.'

She
registered
Sil's
glance
at
Carnelian
and
smiled
at him.
'I
never
imagined
that
any
man
would
choose
to share
Fern's
punishment.'

Both
women
smiling
at
him
made
Carnelian
embarrassed.
'I
owe
him.'

'I
don't
need
your
gratitude,'
said
Fern.

Those
were
the
first
words
they
had
spoken
to
each other
that
morning.

'Nevertheless,
I
will
work
at
your
side
until
you
are released.'

Fern
shrugged.
Carnelian
yearned
to
re-establish
the easy
friendship
of
the
previous
day,
but
remembering
his dream,
he
decided
it
might
be
better
to
leave
matters
as they
were.

Just
before
midday,
it
was
Sil
who
brought
Fern
and Carnelian
food
and
water
as
they
took
their
rest
with everyone
else.
Carnelian
saw
she
had
the
thin
Twostone girl
to
help
her.
The
waif
walked
behind
Sil
taking
small steps,
her
whole
being
focused
on
the
bowl
of
water
she was
carrying.

Fern
made
a
lunge
at
his
wife.
'Come
here,
let
me
kiss you.'

Sil
eluded
him,
grinning.
'Look
at
the
state
you're
in. I'm
not
letting
you
anywhere
near
me
until
you
wash.'

Suddenly,
water
exploded
everywhere.
Carnelian,
who had
been
watching
the
play
between
Fern
and
Sil
with mixed
feelings,
saw
the
little
girl
staring
appalled,
the bowl
lying
empty
on
the
earth
near
her
feet.
Carnelian went
cold.
The
last
time
he
had
seen
the
expression
the girl
had
on
her
face
was
on
his
brother
Tain's
face,
when Jaspar
had
deliberately
unmasked
in
front
of
him
so
as
to ensnare
him
in
a
threat
of
blinding.
He
followed
the girl's
unblinking
stare
to
Fern,
his
dark
skin
marbled
with gore.

'What's
the
matter
with
her?'
Fern
demanded,
clearly unsettled.

Sil
crouched
beside
the
girl.
'Why
did
you
drop
the bowl?'