The Standing Dead - Stone Dance of the Chameleon 02 (89 page)

By
order
of
the
Elders,
the
Bluedancing
were
stripped
of their
salt.
Akaisha
and
Whin
stopped
coming
to
the
fern-meadow
and
gradually
all
but
a
few
Ochre
overseers began
to
stay
away.
Morose,
Carnelian
took
to
labouring in
the
ditch.
He
had
the
Bluedancing
move
their
camp
to the
neighbouring
ferngarden
and
made
Akaisha
force
the Elders
to
send
a
demand
to
Osidian
that
more
water
must be
brought
to
the
Koppie
daily
for
the
earthworkers.

The
men
who
brought
water
described
the
circular earthwork
Osidian
was
making
them
dig
near
the
lagoon. At
night
they
had
to
light
great
fires
to
keep
the
raveners at
bay.
When
asked
what
the
earthwork
was
for,
they would
shrug
and
say
they
just
did
what
the
Master
told them
to.
They
seemed
to
Carnelian
much
grimmer
than he
remembered
them.

These
same
men
regularly
brought
with
them
not
only water
but
a
saurian
carcass.
The
Tribe
were
beginning
to feel
hunger.
Hearths
sent
people
down
to
watch
the butchering
to
make
sure
to
get
some
of
the
fresh
meat.
It was
Carnelian
who
insisted
that
the
Bluedancing
should at
least
be
given
the
offal.

The
day
after
the
Tribe
had
celebrated
the
return
of
the tributaries,
Carnelian
was
breakfasting
when
cries
of alarm
began
sounding
here
and
there
in
the
Grove. Everyone
leapt
to
their
feet
and
some
youngsters
were sent
to
find
out
what
was
going
on.
When
they
returned they
answered
Akaisha's
questions
by
drawing
everyone to
where
a
gap
in
the
cedar
canopy
allowed
them
to
see smoke
rising
in
the
south.

Whin
exchanged
an
anxious
look
with
Akaisha.
'It's
too much
smoke
to
be
a
beacon.'

Their
koppie
burns,'
said
Sil.

Akaisha
shook
her
head.
Their
ferngardens
wouldn't be
dry
enough.'

Poppy
was
clinging
to
him.
Carnelian
knew
what
he must
be
seeing
was
a
fire
in
the
koppie
of
the Bluedancing.
Akaisha
and
Whin
stared
bleakly
out.

'What
is
it
that
is
burning,
my
mothers?'

Both
women
turned
wild-eyed.
Their
mother
trees.'

Leaving
Poppy
with
Sil,
Carnelian
followed
Akaisha, Whin
and
others
of
the
Elders
down
to
the
Eastgarden. He
sensed
they
were
expecting
trouble.
The
camp
of
the Bluedancing
seemed
much
the
same
as
it
always
did except
that
the
women
were
all
standing
gazing
to
where the
pall
of
smoke
was
hanging
over
the
southern
horizon.

'Imagine
how
they
must
feel,'
whispered
Mossie,
and Ginkga
shut
her
up
with
a
glare.

They
crossed
the
earthbridge
and
went
down
the Blooding,
turning
often
to
observe
the
motionless
ranks
of the
Bluedancing.
Akaisha
took
the
path
of
barren
earth
to the
camp.
As
the
Ochre
approached,
the
Bluedancing seemed
unaware
of
them,
but
then
some
children
cried out
and
the
women
turned.

'What're
we
going
to
say
to
them?'
asked
Mossie.

'Hush,
dear,'
said
Akaisha.

The
eyes
of
the
Bluedancing,
red
from
weeping, regarded
the
visitors
with
hatred.

'We
must
order
them
to
their
work,'
said
Whin.

'The
work
will
make
them
forget,'
said
Ginkga.

'Would
you
so
easily
forget
your
mother
tree?'
asked Akaisha,
her
eyes
flitting
among
the
Bluedancing.

Carnelian
could
see
how
that
thought
was
being
passed between
them
with
glances.

Compassion
and
fear
warred
in
their
faces.

Harth
glared
at
them.
'I
warned
you
not
to
trust
the Standing
Dead.'
She
advanced
towards
the
sullen Bluedancing.

'Get
to
your
work,'
she
commanded.

The
Bluedancing
made
no
move
and
continued
to stare.
Behind
them
Carnelian
could
see
the
smoke
from the
burning
of
their
mother
trees
swelling
the
horizon.

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.