by Vance Huxley
Billi sat with the older men again and they started asking him what this year’s excitement would be, in among the usual rumour mongering. They also pressed a bit about the fish farm, but Billi just laughed and said fish weren’t easy to round up so he’d not got it right yet. Billi’s Sibs came to say hello, with smiles, and Billi wondered if they were just relieved he’d been managing better. Though they all laughed about the extension and Edan getting pegged back, and that seemed genuine.
The first excitement turned out to be two bondings, both of them couples who were busy building Billi-huts. Those taken by the fever were remembered, and others had gone to the rock including a Hunter and a Hound. Two other Hunters and Hounds had been taken by the Wild, no worse than most years. The naming and welcoming of babes who had survived their first year cheered everyone up a bit after that. The elders followed with their usual summary of the harvest and how the hunting seemed to have gone, with a few comments about less fish coming into the Village this year.
Eventually the music struck up and the maids and youths started dancing and teasing each other. Billi relaxed and tried to spot why whatever the youths were doing meant they were chasing in some cases and teasing in others. Also why what the maids said and did might be encouragement or rejection, confusing because they sometimes used the same words. He could see a few maids had gifts, claws and teeth, but he already knew they weren’t appropriate for a friend.
A couple of young men who had just become Hunters came over to ask if they could come on the next Winter Hunt. Billi said he didn’t mind who went if another one became necessary, as long as the group didn’t get too big. He didn’t want to spoil the supply in case the Village needed more in a bad winter. The Hunters agreed to talk to the rest and seemed happy with that. Billi realised that the Winter Hunt might be here to stay and wondered just how crowded the Farm might be getting. He decided that the young Hunters might have the same problem Hektor had, not enough time to build up a winter surplus.
A bit of a joke went around that Billi should be asking for a payment when the newly bonded built a Billi-hut. The hut idea had spread quickly among those already bonded and living in crowded houses. The older men were pleased about that since the huts relieved the pressure in their homes, and meant less strife. Billi stumped over to get himself another cider and it came in a lull in the music, clear and loud enough to be heard by a good number of those present.
“It’s disgusting what someone’ll do for a bit of meat. Threw one maid at him and it didn’t work so he threw the other and that seems to be working well enough. You’d think the cripple would do the decent thing but no, he builds an extra room so they can pack the littlun off out of sight. Let’s hope he don’t give her some other disease.” By the time the words finished, the silence had spread and at least half the hall heard it.
Edan. Billi put his cider down and turned, and heard the music die out. He stumped across to where the group stood with Edan front and centre, wearing a smirk on his face. “It don’t matter what ye say about me, Edan, cos ye don’t matter to me, but ye’ve just dishonoured the maid for no reason. Now ye’ll apologise to her.” Billi cursed silently. His accent had gone back to Farmer. He’d thought that had gone.
“Why? It’s not as if you can stop me. I mean you can’t really fight me, man to man.” The last part wasn’t even said to Billi, Edan had turned to sneer it to the hall to rub it in. Something finally snapped inside Billi because this time Edan had finally done it right in front of him. Afterwards Billi thought he just wanted to shut the man up and he took the easiest way, since what Billi did was reach out with his right hand and grab Edan’s throat.
One of the group with Edan spoke up. “You can’t do that. There’s no call for that sort of thing.”
Billi turned on the small group. “No call? The man creeps around my house when I’m out. He breaks my gates and lets my stock out, and then hides. Then when I put someone in the house to keep it safe so I can hunt, as a Hunter should, he sneaks around spreading lies. The last time Hektor stopped him bad mouthing Bliss, so then he tried something else. I grieve for the littluns as anyone does but I’ll not take the blame. Then he starts on Ellibeth who has no man as yet though ye all must be stupid, and if I had two legs you’d not get the chance. So I’m stepping up since his argument is with me, not her.”
“You don’t know it was him.” Billi rounded on the speaker.
“Rabbit followed him home. Ask anyone with a Hound. I know ‘twas him.” There were mutters from the hall and at least one ‘good enough’ which probably came from a Hunter.
“Yes, well it doesn’t give you the right to do that.” One of the men came forward and reached out which worried Billi. He’d got a good grip on Edan that must have the man’s attention as he could feel Edan’s hands scrabbling, trying to break the grip. But now Billi didn’t have a spare hand to deal with anyone else because he needed the crutch.
Before Billi could work out what to do, a low rumble from the door echoed through the hall. Almost everyone looked at the door, including Billi, and that wasn’t a view of Rabbit he’d ever seen! Certainly not from this angle. The Hound’s lips were up and back to expose his big canines and his ruff stuck up stiff and straight!
A voice came from the stunned crowd, very calm but clear in the silence. It sounded like Barimar, Hektor’s Da. “Everyone stay still. Do nothing stupid. Edan asked for man on man in front of everyone and got it. Anyone else steps in the Hound’ll kill ‘em, so move back gentle like.” There were startled looks, then realisation seeped in and the man reaching out to Billi went pale and carefully took a long step back. “Mind, you ought to put Edan down now Billi. I reckon he’s done.”
Billi finally looked back at Edan. The man had gone a bluish red colour and wasn’t really trying to get free anymore, and the strain was only his weight as he slumped in Billi’s grip. Billi let him go and Edan went down like a sack of taters and curled up coughing and spluttering, then thrashed feebly, fighting to drag in big gasps of air. Barimar spoke up again. “Well that settles that unless anyone else fancies insulting the maid, who be kin of my youth’s lass.” Everyone could hear a little bit of threat under that. Barimar wasn’t happy, and Viktor looked fit to kill someone.
The crowd parted to let Canitre, Edan’s Da, come through, and he had a face like thunder. “Not quite. I should have done this back aways.” Canitre walked up to Ellibeth and gave a little formal bow to her and Viktor. “I apologise for not doing so and for any hurt ye’ve suffered.” Canitre walked across to Billi next. “Ye’re a good Hunter, generous with your luck and a good friend to Viktor and his family. I be sorry for the trouble.” He lifted a hand as Billi went to speak. “No, ‘twas my job.”
Then Canitre finally turned to look down at Edan. The young man still lay on the floor and he’d got some breath back but not enough to stop panting. Enough breath to try and speak but Edan only managed a croak. Canitre ignored the attempt. “Ye were wrong in the Forest, ye weren’t fit to take a Hound, and ye could no let it be. I told ye to let it drop, but ye’ve kept going until ye’ve caused a good man and two innocence maids harm. Well that’s enough. Ye’re no son o’ mine. Ye can keep the land with the stockyard and make a living how ye wish.”
Canitre gave the small group behind Edan a withering look. “Your friends can help ye find a bed or build a hut, I don’t care, I’m done.” The Hunter turned on his heel, followed by Autumn, his Hound, and stalked out. A storm of comment rose up. Edan disowned! No landshare!
Billi’s head reeled. He saw all the faces looking his way and the scorn, the curled lips. Just as expected, the cripple was getting the blame. Billi couldn’t stand that, all the accusations and shouting, so he headed for the door through the gap Rabbit had cleared. Ellibeth raised a hand but he kept going since he’d shown her up enough already. Billi stroked Rabbit’s ears and headed home as fast as he could and all the way it went round and round in his head.
Sticking up for the maid had been her
Da’s job, Canitre had said so, or ‘twas up to the Farmer who’d been showing interest, but Billi had stepped in instead. Then he’d nigh killed the man, and Rabbit had threatened to kill another. There again Billi felt proud of Rabbit because three legs or not he’d backed them all up. But what would they all think of him now, starting a fight at the Harvestfest? This was only the second he’d been to and he’d wrecked it. He’d be lucky if anyone spoke to him again, any of them. Billi replayed those looks, over and over in his head.
Worse still, it hurt, really hurt him deep inside. Billi had been resigned to being Stumpy Billi and escorting the wood gathering, and living quiet in his hut, then suddenly he had friends and life became so much better. Now one moment of madness and it was gone and he’d never be truly resigned to it again. Maybe he should just take Rabbit and go and live by the lakes. He’d been thinking of that, anyway. Though he’d expected to be able to come back now and then, to see his new friends.
The whole mess went round and round, and wouldn’t straighten out no matter how many times Billi explained to the three bright eyes watching him. In the end Billi resorted to cider.
* * *
The mess in his head seemed no better in the morning. In fact, it felt worse since Billi had a raging headache and letting out the chickens and milking the goats were painful. Somehow the sun tried to burn out the back of his head from the inside or that’s how it felt. More cider or ale was tempting, but Billi knew that would only be temporary and so he stuck to water. In despair he tried nettle tea, and then berry toddy, blackberry juice with honey and hot water. That seemed to have some effect or maybe the gallons of water he seemed to need finally had some effect. Billi really should have remembered why he’d not drunk too much for years.
The result had been worse last time. The rest of the drunken youths went staggering off home while Billi couldn’t stagger. With only one leg, one that no longer seemed to work, he’d had to crawl home. Da had laughed at him and made him sleep in the shed since he’d got a good bit of lane and pasture in him by then. Ma woke him early to do chores, and stood over him as he hopped from job to job, half blind with a headache. Billi had sworn off too much ale or cider.
At least feeling sorry for himself kept Billi’s mind partly off the real problem. He’d lost his temper for the first time in years, and ruined the Harvestfest. He’d damn near killed Edan and Rabbit had threatened a man, a villager. All the dogs and Hounds were expected to threaten a light fingered type from a caravan lurking around where he shouldn’t be, but not villagers. That hadn’t been a warning from Rabbit. It was a killing threat and everyone knew that, because Barimar made sure they understood.
Billi knew that it would have gone badly if Edan’s friends had started on him so he couldn’t be sorry Rabbit joined in. He really was proud of his Hound because Rabbit had backed down a whole hall, but between them they’d still ruined the Harvestfest. Under it all Billi already felt bitter about losing the bread and pies and warm welcome, because Ellibeth wouldn’t come near the place again. Not after being shown up like that. Nor Viktor, so Billi had better learn to cure his own hides and pelts.
Billi cursed that temper of his, rearing up like that. Billi had tamed his temper eight years ago after smashing yet another crutch in pure rage and frustration. Billi sat among the pieces and realised he couldn’t let life get to him like that, especially since it left him crawling around while he made another crutch, so Billi worked long and hard on taming his temper. Now he’d lost it again, in front of the whole Village. The day went slowly by as Billi churned it all over or berated himself again. Eventually Billi managed some dry bread with more toddy and finally hit his bed tired despite having done nothing much all day. At least his headache had subsided to a gentle thump.
The next morning Billi’s head felt clear and he faced up to the dilemma. What did he do now? He’d obviously shown up Ellibeth in front of the Village, so her bros weren’t likely to be keen on coming to look after the hut. Edan would be blazing mad once he’d recovered, and especially after being disowned, and he’d blame Billi for that. That bunch with Edan would help the stockman tear the fences down and trample this garden flat, or burn the hut, the first time Billi left it. But Billi couldn’t be cooped up here all the time, not again, not now.
He’d come to love the freedom out there with just Rabbit, to crave the peace of the soft green light under the trees. Or the quiet calm amid the harsh lines of the branches and their shadows in the winter, and the thick snow drifting around the bushes and trunks. The place was dangerous because it was the Forest and the Wild always watched but that was part of why it pulled him. That danger kept Billi and Rabbit sharp and aware of everything, and spoke to something deep inside Billi and he couldn’t give it up, not now.
Nor could he give up the glory of the song in his head when Rabbit went into the Forest, lifting to joy at a hunt, a new stream, or chasing flutterbyes in the sun. ‘Twas a pity he’d grown to enjoy a bit of company, or he’d be off today and leave the hut to burn. But what about One-shut, and the chickens and goats? Billi now found it hard to just pack up and go, even when it looked as if that was the only way.
He’d had that idea in the back of his head, moving out to the valley and being shut of all the rumours, but could he really do it? Could he move everything to the valley if he bought a couple of ponies, maybe three, and loaded them? If he put the chickens in woven boxes and tied the goats together? That would take three days taking it steady and he’d not sleep much since they’d be a tasty target for the Wild. But better done now than later in winter when the snow drifted deeper and the Wild grew hungrier.
If Billi let Sis know, she could get someone in here if she wanted to keep the hut. If not perhaps suggest Ellibeth, then she could look after it until one of Sis’s littluns grew old enough to want some room or found a lass. That would give Rubyn a bit more space to grow and he’d have his own room, luxury really. Best find out if that might happen so he could leave the rug and bed fur since the littlun had really taken to them.
Then again maybe he shouldn’t mention Ellibeth to Sis or anyone. Billi had shown her up just as much as Edan did so perhaps he should just go. He could leave a message and the keys with the elders, and arrange to let his Bros and Sis sort out the reed bed. He’d let them know he’d not be back so they could deal with the hut and such. After all the hut would going to Sis in the end. Billi planned it out over the next couple of days but never actually got started on doing anything about it. Billi began to suspect the problem was that he really didn’t want to go.
Billi thought the real reason he put off leaving could be his stubborn streak. It didn’t like the idea of being forced out and all the reasons for not getting started might be just that, being awkward. There again maybe he plain didn’t want to be all on his own again, not now. Rabbit wasn’t pushing to go, not even hunting. He seemed mainly content, as if something had been settled instead of there being a big problem. Maybe Rabbit didn’t want to leave, though Billi felt a troubled undercurrent in the song, a bit of worry. Anyway Billi had to wait to see the elders and then the Tinkerers to trade his furs and stones, unless he just wanted another excuse to stay.
The fifth day, in the afternoon, Billi was cleaning out the goats when Rubyn came up the path from the Village. It wasn’t far since Billi could see the first cottages clear enough in daylight, but not a trip a littlun should be risking alone in winter when the Wild would be hungry. “Ye shouldn’t really be out here alone, Rubyn, not in the winter.”
Rubyn shuffled his feet a bit. “Sorry Billi. There’s a Hunter with the sheep who can see me all the way, and I worried about the chickens.”
“Worried about the chickens?”
“Yes, they’ve got used to me and I don’t want them to get all fluttery again.” Rubyn went into the coop and started stroking the chickens, crooning to them and looking for eggs. Sure enough they sat and let him. Which meant the chickens were contrary as well since when Billi looked for eggs they
always objected and yes, they fluttered. Billi carried on with the goats and they both worked in silence for a bit, and then Rubyn took a big breath and stood real straight.
“I’ve been wondering, we all have, did we upset you?” The littlun looked downright nervous, which took Billi aback a bit.
“What? No! It’s just, I thought, you know with the Harvestfest... Ah, it was after the littluns went home so you don’t know. Look, I did something stupid and it’s best I keep out the way for a bit.” Billi certainly wasn’t explaining that mess to a littlun, and wasn’t surprised nobody else had.
“We all know, Perry told me that the b.., that, er, Edan insulted Ma. Did you really strangle him with one hand? Wish I’d seen that, serves ‘im right!” It was like a spring flood, all pouring out of the lad with the words tripping over themselves and was that what it looked like to Perry? There again Perry was only a youth, hot blood and little thought.
Billi sighed and put up a hand to stop the littlun. “You wouldn’t understand Rubyn, it’s that grown up stuff. It wasn’t my job. I shouldn’t have stepped in like that and I lost my temper which is bad. Talk to your Ma instead of Perry. Go on. Ah, wait, you’d best have your pay.” Rubyn went off looking determined, with a hundred questions dancing behind his eyes and three eggs held carefully.
Billi glanced at Rabbit and the Hound followed Rubyn until the little figure reached the first cottage, and then bounced back. Rabbit wasn’t getting much of a run these last five days and the Hound loved it out there under the green as much as Billi did, maybe more. Rabbit’s song showed that what just happened puzzled him, perhaps because they weren’t going hunting as they usually did when Rubyn came? Billi made a firm decision, because he wasn’t being fair to the Hound. After the last Tinkerers came through and he’d traded the good stones and furs to top up his nest egg again Billi would leave.