The Standing Dead - Stone Dance of the Chameleon 02 (81 page)

Osidian
waited
until
the
Elders
had
reached
him before
he
spoke.
'We
can't
allow
this.'

'Why
not?'
Kyte
asked.

Osidian
raised
an
eyebrow.
'If
you
insist,
I
shall
point out
the
obvious.
Firstl
y,
it
would
delay
our
return
to
the Tribe.
They'll
already
be
worrying
about
us
and,
besides, the
longer
we
remain
out
here
the
greater
the
danger
to
us all
from
raveners.
Secondly,
this
would
mean
we
have
to take
those
bodies
back
to
the
Koppie.
Can
you
imagine the
Ochre
welcoming
so
many
dead?
Not
to
mention
the sheer
labour
of
it.
Thirdly
and,
perhaps,
most
importantl
y, how
do
you
think
those
women
down
there
will
feel towards
the
Ochre
when
they
see
all
their
men
dead?
You can
see
how
numerous
they
are.
How
could
we
hope
to control
them
in
their
grief?'

Kyte
frowned
and
glanced
back
at
the
barricade
in misery.
He
shook
his
head.
'Perhaps
we
should
just
let them
die.'

'If
that's
your
wish,'
said
Osidian.

The
old
men
returned
to
the
barricade,
round-shouldered.
When
they
gave
out
their
decision,
the wailing
grew
so
that
even
at
that
distance,
Carnelian
felt harrowed.
The
children
stolen
from
the
Ochre
were
being given
back.
The
women
untangled
their
drag-cradles
and began
to
load
them
up.

The
Elders
returned
wan
and
tearful.
'We
should
help them.'

Osidian
shook
his
head.
'In
their
midst
we'd
only
give their
grief
a
focus
for
revenge.'

So
it
was
the
Ochre
sat
and
watched
until
at
last
a
mass of
the
Bluedancing
came
up
the
slope
towards
them,
a great
march
of
aquar
pulling
drag-cradles.
Looking among
them
Carnelian
could
see
the
dejected
faces
of
the women,
their
snotty
children,
but
it
was
to
the
people leading
them
that
his
eyes
were
drawn:
old
women,
their grey
hair
jewelled
with
salt,
their
eyes
brighter
still
with hatred
and
a
staring
disbelief.

Uncertain,
the
Tribe
watched
their
men
approach followed
by
the
mass
of
the
Bluedancing.
The
returning men
and
their
women
gazed
at
each
other
over
the
divide and
Carnelian
could
feel
the
yearning
drawing
them together.
The
pull
of
it
was
stronger
than
their
wariness
at the
crowd
of
strangers.
The
riders
accelerated
into
a
wild rush
and
the
women
came
streaming
out
to
meet
them. Carnelian
found
himself
left
behind
with
Osidian
and
the Elders;
the
dead
and
wounded.
The
aquar
slowed,
then intermingled
with
the
advancing
women.
Men
were slipping
down
from
their
saddle-chairs
into
the continuous
turmoiled
mass
in
which
everyone
was shouting,
hugging,
kissing.
It
was
through
this
the
women
Elders
came
riding
with
Harth
and
Akaisha
at
their
head.

Carnelian
smiled
at
Akaisha
but
her
eyes
were
fixed
on the
people
and
drag-cradles
coming
up
behind
them.

The
Bluedancing,'
announced
Galewing.

'All
their
women.
All
their
children,'
said
Kyte.

Harth
frowned.
'What
are
they
doing
here?'

'It'll
take
some
time
to
explain,'
said
Galewing.

Ravan's
aquar
advanced.
He
grinned.
'We
won
a
great victory
and
killed
all
their
men.'

'All
?'
Akaisha
gasped,
in
horror.

'Did
anyone
tell
you,
child,
that
you
could
speak?'
said Harth,
severely.

Ravan
recoiled
as
if
she
had
slapped
him.
He
opened his
mouth
to
say
something,
but
a
sharp
look
from
his mother
made
him
shut
it
again.
He
focused
on
his
knees, struggling
to
contain
his
anger.

Harth
turned
her
glare
on
the
Elder
men.
'What
is
this you've
allowed
to
happen?'

The
boy
spoke
out
of
turn,
Harth,
but
he
spoke
truth,' said
Kyte.
'We
snatched
victory
from
a
dangerous
defeat.'

'You
mean
the
Master
did!'
erupted
Ravan,
before
he rode
off
towards
the
Ochre
crowd.

Harth
gave
Akaisha
a
glance
of
approbation
and
then her
eyes
fell
on
the
Elder
men.
'Did
we
suffer
loss?'

Her
face
paled
as
she
saw
none
were
prepared
to
meet her
gaze.
She
noticed
Crowrane,
head
bowed.
'Husband?' She
rode
to
him,
spoke
again
but
still
he
did
not
respond. She
noticed
the
drag-cradle
hanging
behind
his
aquar. She
dismounted
and,
seeming
infinitely
old,
walked round
to
find
her
son
lying
dead
in
it.

'How
many
dead?'
asked
Ginkga,
tearful
as
she watched
Harth
collapse
to
her
knees
beside
her
son.