Beast Master's Ark

by Andre Norton; Lyn McConchie

  Then she'd wrapped the dream catcher and given it to her father for his birthday.

  She found that she was telling the story aloud. "I said I'd made it so he wouldn't have bad dreams. The dream catcher would keep him safe forever and ever. He said he'd carry it always. He had to go the next day. He did come back once before he died, and he opened his shirt pocket to show me he still had it. He said, 'See, sweetling. I always carry it, right next to my heart.' Then he went away and never came back." She made a tiny choking sound. "I guess it didn't work against Xik bad dreams."

  She wept without a sound. Her team crowded around her, Surra pushing in gently to lick Tani's hand. Hing chittered indignantly. Storm should do something. He felt again the surge of protectiveness he'd felt when he saw her asleep after her own nightmare. He reached out and gathered her to his chest. Her tears dampened his shirt as his arms closed about her. He spoke softly when at last her grief eased.

  "Weep for a warrior, then take up his bow to fight. Out there is an enemy. Bright Sky would not let a world fall when he could save it. Face the nightmare, Sunset Which Follows the Bright Sky of Day. Follow in the tracks of a monster-slayer."

  He felt her move back against his arms and he released her. Tani sniffed unromantically, then bit back a slightly hysterical giggle. She felt the support of her team, the strong warmth of the man beside her. Fragments of the nightmare she'd had floated up into her mind. An enemy. An enemy here. She nodded once in the darkness. That was what she should fight. She cleared her throat and spoke huskily.

  "I will. My father was from the line of Wolf Sister of the Cheyenne. He was always proud of that, and he was a warrior. We'll talk about it tomorrow."

  His voice came out of the dark. "Good. And maybe before we start, you'll make me a dream catcher too, daughter of warriors. I've never had one."

  He heard her footsteps patter away, but before she was quite out of earshot she paused and her voice drifted back to him.

  "If I make one for you, where will you carry it, Beast Master?" She was gone while he still sought a reply. He sat, Baku balanced on his shoulder, Hing sprawled on his lap, Surra leaning against his legs. It was as well she hadn't waited for a reply. He had no idea of what his answer might be. Maybe if she made the dream catcher he'd discover it.

  Chapter Ten

  Tani slept late, exhausted by her remembered grief. She found when she woke that she felt better than she had felt in a long time. Alisha's own grief had not allowed her daughter to weep. She'd been too afraid of the way her mother was acting. Too busy comforting and distracting the woman sunk in an abyss of sorrow. Tani had learned to suppress even her father's name, and by the time her mother died it had become a habit. Last night the ancient wound had broken open and drained.

  She hugged Minou and Ferarre, who had come to her. "I'm fine, really. I guess ..." Her voice trailed off as she followed the alien thought in her mind. "I guess if my father was a Beast Master and good man even if he was war trained, then there could be other good Beast Masters. Alisha always said there weren't. But she never told me about Father saving Trastor, either."

  Minou whined softly, licking her face. "Hey, that tickles." Her voice became introspective again. "You know, Alisha lied, really. She always told me that Father died because Terran Command sent him to his death. That isn't the way it was." Her eyes stared at the shelter wall, but in its place she saw a simple plascrete slab engraved with her father's name. "I'd like to go there one day. Meet some of the people who knew him last. I'd like to see that inscription on his grave." Ferarre jumped on her and began to play a chasing game with his mate. "I get it, all this is too serious. All right, then, let's eat."

  She threw on her outer clothes and ran to check Destiny. The filly came to meet her, nuzzling affectionately into Tani's shirt. The girl scratched around the sharp curved horns before carefully looking the part-bred duocorn over. Destiny was still growing. She mustn't be overworked, but there were no signs of that. Tani was a lightweight and Destiny was immensely strong. Even the long ride to the camp hadn't made the filly more than pleasantly tired. Yesterday's ride hadn't even done that.

  The girl walked back to where the cooking lean-to was exuding wonderful smells. Small Bird smiled a welcome, offering scrambled grass-hen eggs with fried thin strips of their meat. Tani took the plate, thanked her, and ate heartily.

  Small Bird's hands danced at her. "The food is good?"

  "The food is wonderful." She saw the pleasure in her friend's face. "Where are your daughters?"

  "They bring a gift for you. From One-Who-Drums-Thunder."

  Tani squealed, "A present?"

  Small Bird guessed at the alien words and nodded. From behind Tani Storm spoke. "Who is receiving a present?"

  Tani looked around. "Me. Small Bird just said her daughters had gone to get me one. It's from the Thunder-Drummer." She looked at the bow Storm carried. "Were you looking for me?"

  "I wondered if you'd like to go hunting. Surra was away last night. She came back with half a young merin deer." His face was a parody of indignation.

  Tani laughed. "And you're looking for the other half."

  "No. I know where that is. I'm greedy. I'm looking for a whole one. Surra knows where several are grazing. She'll take us there."

  "When do we go? Do we ride?"

  "We can go anytime today. Merins don't change feeding grounds until after dark. They were there by first light, they'll be there until dusk tonight. We will have to ride, though. Just a few miles." He looked at her, his face becoming serious. "Tani, have you seen one of the clan watching you?"

  She glanced up at him in surprise. "They all watch us. We're new."

  "No, this one is different. I've seen her looking at you and there is hatred in her eyes. Surra says she smells of it when she is near you."

  Tani shrugged. "I haven't noticed anyone. I'll watch out, surely the coyotes would have smelled her if Surra's right."

  "Did you ever ask them?"

  She shook her head. Minou was nearby and Tani linked to do so now. To Tani's surprised interest Minou was certain. There had indeed been a female of the not-people who lingered by Tani. She had smelled of hate and grief. The coyotes had watched the female but she had done nothing as yet. Ferarre trotted up and endorsed that. Tani was starting to feel worried as she told Storm of the team's agreement.

  He was glancing about as he apparently concentrated on whittling a stick and talking to her. "She is not a young woman. She is dressed in the usual clothing, but this one wears a necklace of Rock-Flyer claws. The pendant is polished quartz with a pair of yoris fangs flanking it. She is here now." With an effort Tani kept herself from turning around to stare. "Good girl. Yes, she slips to the left of you. She is half hidden behind a shelter but she watches. Does your team play games?"

  For a moment she was puzzled, but she caught at the idea. A quick signal and Minou was returning with a short, thick stick. Tani tossed it high and both coyotes leaped to catch it. Jumping, tossing the stick, humans and coyotes worked their way to circle the watcher. She realized their intent too late. Storm confronted her, his hands signing questions.

  "You watch the girl, why?"

  She stood there stolidly, making no attempt to respond. He tried several more questions without reply. Then the Thunder-Drummer pushed through the small crowd growing about them. She turned to Tani.

  "What happens?"

  Tani's fingers flickered. "Storm said there is one who watches me. His spirit beast smelled anger against me on this watcher. I ask my own spirit-friends. They say it is so. Storm says this woman spies upon me. Our spirit-friends say this one grieves greatly and smells of hate when her gaze falls upon me. Storm said she was watching us as he spoke. I played a game with my friends. We trapped her while she thought we were not noticing her. I asked her now what is it she wants of me, why she watches? She says nothing. She will not speak to either of us."

  The medicine woman smiled gently at the girl. "There is no need to ask of Wa
lks Quickly what she wants of you. I know. Her son was the foolish one who was slain by the spirit-friend you ride."

  Storm's eyes narrowed. "Does this Walks Quickly mean to harm Sunset?"

  There was a quick twittering between watcher and medicine woman. "She says she watched the new clan-friend only."

  Storm's hand lifted in slow emphatic signs. "That is not the report of my spirit-friend. Nor does a friend lurk watching a friend from the shadows. Sunset is my kin by our common blood. Your clan has named her clan-friend. The one you rightly name foolish was warned by Sunset and by his war leader. He chose to close his ears to their words. One life was taken by Sunset's spirit-friend. Yet Sunset's wise warning saved the clan three lives in exchange."

  From the crowd a tall Nitra warrior stood forward, his mate with him. The interpreter translated with his hands. "My son was behind the fangs of the yoris. The clan-friend and those who follow her held the yoris at bay. Then came the other ones, they made the kill and my son was unharmed. Four lives has she given the clan in exchange for the one her beast killed."

  His mate twittered softly. "I also witnessed. It is so. I owe the clan-friend a life."

  Jumps High joined them. "I was war leader. I warned Tall Grass most strongly to leave Sunset's mount alone. She spoke so, too. Yet he disobeyed me, his leader on the trail. For that I had the right to kill him. The mare slew him first but let Walks Quickly hear me. If the mare had not killed I would have done so. The clan is held together by obedience when there is danger. Thus we are not as the grass hens, scattering each for himself."

  The Nitra woman ceased her passive pose abruptly. Her voice rose in a furious chirping shrillness that hurt human ears. The interpreter's fingers raced. "Her evil spirit killed my son and you crawl at her feet. You name her clan-friend and set these other lives against my son's life. What are they to me? She killed him. Drive her from the camp. I call on the Thunder to judge her." About her there was indrawn breath from the listeners.

  The Thunder-Drummer moved. In that stirring she seemed to gather majesty to her. She took a pace forward, no longer the quiet woman Tani had liked. This was power. Her voice lifted, deepening with strength. Her hands drew a quiet faraway sound from the small drum at her waist. It continued as a soft undercurrent as she spoke.

  "I have heard. We do not bargain with life against life. Yet Sunset made no bargain. She met our warriors as friends. She shared with them food and drink, fire and wisdom. She gave, asking nothing. She followed when they said she was needed, asking not where she was led. When a child of the clan was in danger she acted. She did not stay to bargain with his mother. What was given freely was returned freely. She is of the clan."

  Thunder snarled softly. "The Thunder hears, let it answer, judging as Walks Quickly demands." Above them, there was a flare of lightning, slashing to the earth. Sparks flew, purple in the air; the power drained harmlessly into the earth and was gone. The drum rumbled thunder, echoed again by the sky. The Thunder-Drummer nodded, as if in acknowledgment of a decision shared with her.

  "This is clan law! None in the clan may make war on another within the clan, save that they are given such a right by the Thunder." The eyes she turned on the defiant woman seemed to glow. "Hear me. This right is not granted you. Lightning came and did not strike the clan-friend; Thunder speaks against you. If you move against Sunset the clan turns from you. You shall be as a girl on her name-trial. You shall walk away from the clan to live or die by your own hand. This is the will of the Thunder. Hear it." The small drum gave one long rumble and fell silent.

  Walks Quickly stood staring, hatred now openly on her face. "I hear." Her voice was raised in a shriek. "I do not accept!"

  As she spoke and the interpreter's hands matched her words, Storm reacted. He was experienced in war. It was no surprise to him what came next. Even as the woman produced a knife and leapt, his arm went out to sweep Tani to safety. Surra, raging at the threat, leaped also and the Nitra went down under snarling fangs. Others had moved as well. Jumps High had the screaming woman by the arms as he dragged her from beneath Surra. The dune cat slunk back at Storm's order. A thread of scarlet trickled from a scratch on one furred shoulder.

  Overhead thunder roared abruptly. The Thunder-Drummer looked at the writhing screaming woman of her clan. "Release her."

  Walks Quickly staggered forward as her arms were freed. She looked around the half-circle almost snarling as eyes turned aside. No Nitra would aid one who had defied the Thunder. It had not been simple defiance. Walks Quickly had asked for a judgment, then refused to accept it. Worse still, she had then attacked one who had been named as in-clan by the Thunder. Jumps High walked to her shelter, then returned some minutes later, bearing a rolled blanket. He placed it on the ground, squatting to unroll it as he displayed what lay within.

  Tani saw a thin-bladed knife, a coil of grass string. Dried meat and a water-skin. A pouch lay there. From the dusting of flakes on the draw-strung opening she suspected that it contained herbs of some sort. Whether they were spices or medicine she did not know.

  The Thunder-Drummer pointed toward it. "Take up the trail, Walks Quickly."

  "I have the right to take more. I can carry it. And my son's horse is mine. I take that also."

  The medicine woman shook her head. "You have heard the leader on your son's trail. He says that if Sunset's mount had not slain your son he would have done so for his disobedience. The horse belongs to the clan. But you have the right to take all you can carry. One of you go with her. See she takes nothing that is not lawful." She watched with approval as the two who had spoken for Sunset flanked Walks Quickly. That was well. They owed the life of their child to the clan-friend. They would watch well what an enemy chose to take.

  Tani was on her knees, examining Surra's shoulder. Storm eyed her with amusement. The knife had barely cut the skin. If the cat had shed more than half a dozen drops of blood he'd be surprised. But Surra was playing shamelessly to the praise and petting. Storm caught the medicine woman's gaze and she, too, smiled. She lifted her hands to sign.

  "Take Sunset away. You wished to hunt. Do so. It will distress her when her enemy returns to cast more abuse at her as Walks Quickly will, if Sunset is still here when the outcast one departs."

  Storm nodded. It took tact, but within minutes Tani was walking with Surra to find Storm's shelter, where, he assured her, he had a tube of antiseptic salve that would ensure the wound would not infect. Once there, he left her practicing medicine without a license and went in search of Jumps High. Fingers wove and twisted and the swift talk ended with both warriors in agreement. Storm returned to find Tani satisfied that Surra would be well. He eyed the big cat as she rolled smugly on her back, the girl's hands massaging along her belly.

  Surra had loved every minute of the fussing. With her scratch cleaned and salved it was as he'd thought. The skin had been barely broken. He sent a picture of the merin and the big cat was back on her feet in expectation. Tani looked up.

  "What. . . ?"

  "We did plan to hunt. Surra expects us to keep our promise."

  That was the right way to put it. The beginnings of protest in Tani's face cleared. "Of course. My father used to say you should never break a promise to child or beast. Neither understand. I'll get my things." She ran to her shelter to emerge almost at once carrying Destiny's tack, and with Minou and Ferarre at her heels.

  "Will Surra mind if they come with us? They'd like to hunt too."

  Surra answered that for herself by going to meet the coyotes. She touched noses politely, then turned to pad off down the trail from the camp. Storm grinned.

  "That's your answer." Inwardly he was surprised. Surra was a queen. She liked to hunt alone. That she was happily allowing the coyotes to join with her was interesting. He'd known she was fond of Tani, approving of the girl as one who understood her. That this approval extended to the girl's team he had not fully realized before.

  Tani was readying Destiny. The filly danced wildly in exci
tement. Tani swung up, laughing, her slender body swaying to the gyrations of her powerful mount.

  "If we don't go this minute I think Destiny is going to turn completely inside out."

  Storm adjusted his quiver and bow, then nudged his mount to follow Surra. Destiny danced after them. Where the trail dropped from valley end to the desert below, Jumps High was waiting. He too carried a powerful bow and a full quiver of arrows. Behind him his mount bore a rolled blanket. A quiet pack pony trailed his mount. He said nothing but fell in with the small hunting party. Tani beamed at him. She liked the quiet, sensible Nitra.

  Surra padded on. They left the valley behind and moved toward the desert fringe where it met the true desert of the Big Blue. The cat swung east, then down a long gully and back to where in the shadow of the foothills she had found the merin feeding on a sheltered patch of the long tough desert grasses. Then she halted, waiting. Storm read her suggestion and relayed it to his companions.

  "The merin are about half a mile away. Leave the horses here. Surra will circle. The merin will run this way and we can take them from the brush as they pass."

  Tani looked at him in disgust as they dismounted. "That's all right for you. What am I supposed to do. Jump on one with my teeth?"

  "You've killed grass hens," Storm said teasingly.

  "Sure. With a stone. It'll take more than a small stone to bring down a merin." The deerlike creatures were only about waist high to a Nitra but they moved at great speed and their outward-circling curving horns protected the sides of their head.

  Jumps High intervened. He patted Tani on the arm, then as she turned to watch he removed the blanket roll from his saddle. This he handed to the girl, making the sign for her to open it. She did so cautiously, to find a beautifully made bow within the first circle of woven frawn wool. She held it up, admiring the carving and sinew bowstring. Then it occurred to her that a bow without arrows was useless. Eagerly she unrolled the rest of the parcel.