Beast Master's Ark

by Andre Norton; Lyn McConchie

  She gasped. Within were quiver and arrows as she'd hoped, and the quiver was a masterpiece. It was made from yoris hide, but the skin had been cut and fitted so that the scale colors formed clan patterns. She was speechless as she stood there, her fingers tracing the small figures of the Djimbut, the Lightning, and the tiny knife, which was the sign of the warrior.

  The arrows were works of art. The heads of four were a white glittering quartz while the remainder glowed an almost lambent soft green. Tani held one up. "They're too beautiful to shoot. I want to make them into a necklace and wear them." Storm signed that behind her back. Jumps High's face lit with pleasure. His fingers moved.

  "There is no need to waste the arrows. You have other gifts from the clan. The bow and the hunting arrows are from the three warriors you saved with your warning. My mate, Small Bird, made the quiver for you." He grinned widely. "She says she is used to me, she does not wish to train another mate. The green war arrows Stream Song and Swift Killer give to you. It was their son you saved. The Thunder-Drummer sees this one ..." His finger pointed to Storm. "He wears things of power. The clan talks together. We say that you too hear the Thunder and should have things of power to wear."

  Tani looked questioningly at Storm. "Things of power?"

  He reached for his shirt to pull free the Navaho necklace he wore. The work was old, showing the dull sheen of silver and the warm blue-green of the turquoise. Then he pushed up his sleeve, displaying the ketoh, the bracelet, now ornamental, which had once been the old practical bow-guard. Tani gaped at it.

  "It's wonderful, is that all?"

  Storm shook his head. "No, there's a belt. One of the links required mending. I left it at the ranch." He looked at Jumps High. "What makes you say they are things of power?"

  The Nitra warrior smiled. "Thunder-Drummer so-says. She says the things may come from very far away but their power calls to hers. She agrees it is proper Sunset also wears such. Women—" His hands flicked in an explanation, which Storm translated for Tani.

  "He says the women thought you should have a set that matched mine. They're made for Those-Who-Drum-Thunder. Usually from the same stone as the arrowheads. They show the thunder-flowers, which are both sacred and good fortune. The women make the plaques during the leisure times in spring and fall, when the hunting is so good they need do little work. Each family who owes a life has given a number of the separate pieces. To make a gift someone gathers the pieces that are already made, so they have only to be linked or strung. None but a Thunder-Drummer or one they approve may wear such things." Thoughtfully he added, "I suspect that's very few."

  Jumps High was unwrapping the final package within the blanket. It was parceled in a square of frawn-wool fabric and he unwrapped it carefully. Then with gentle hands he straightened it, displaying the pieces on the natural blue-gray background. Tani gasped. Her fingers reached out to touch in wonder. Storm could only stare. For their clan-friend those who owed a debt had wrought a marvel.

  The work was in the white quartz and the warm green of the arrowhead stone. On the fabric glowed a bracelet. It was of six small green and white flowers linked together by fine metal chains. The belt was similar but the buckle was carved in the rare veined quartz, and flat metal circles came between each flower. He recognized them. They were the trade pieces used by Nitra clans. Many were works of art in themselves and used only for ceremonial trades. But the masterpiece was the necklace. It deviated from his in that it was not the flat engraved plaques.

  Instead, this was a multitude of beads made from the green or white stone. It was patterned in such a way, however, that the beads produced the flower motif. The pendant below was a single large flower. In the center glowed an eye-stone. They were rare on Arzor. It glowed like a drop of dark honey. Through the middle was a slitted line like the half-closed pupil of some nocturnal beast. Most were red, a few a warm lavender or white. But rarest of all was the one that showed green. The eye stone inset on Tani's pendant glowed green.

  Jumps High lifted the necklace and placed it about her neck. She stretched out her wrist and watched as he fastened the bracelet. Storm took up the Nitra belt and threaded it through her trousers, coiling the shabby discarded belt to stow in her saddlebag. The Nitra warrior signed.

  "The flowers are the thunder-flowers. They blossom when the Thunder drums above, when rain falls. These will bring good fortune to one who wears them as a gift." He turned to Storm and his fingers flashed faster. "I do not say things of power will protect her from Death-Which-Comes. Thing-Which-Slays-in-Night has own power. But other clan see this they know she has power. Not be so quick to kill clan one, maybeso."

  Storm explained. Tani grinned. "In other words, it brings luck, but don't rely on that too heavily." She signed slowly. "I understand the words of Jumps High. These are the most beautiful things I have ever owned. Please tell those who have given them to me that I'll treasure them all my life. When I die, my body will wear them so the Thunder knows I am clan friend to the Djimbut."

  Storm saw she was almost in tears and signaled Surra. The cat padded up to thrust an impatient head against the girl. Hunting. They'd come to hunt. They should stop wasting time on things that could not be eaten. Tani staggered, laughing at a second hard nudge.

  "It looks as if we should hunt before Surra gets mad at us." She looked shyly at Storm. "You do think Jumps High knows how much this means to me?"

  "He knows. Now, as you say. Let's hunt."

  They returned near to dusk, the overloaded pack pony complaining with a slowed pace. Three plump yearling buck merin was too much in the pony's opinion. Tani was absorbed at once into the chattering knot of women who greeted the hunters' arrival. They patted her, hugged her, and admired her ornaments. The children admired the bow Tani had used with a skill that had slightly surprised Storm. But then Bright Sky had been a warrior. No doubt she'd learned from him at first and continued to practice the skill in honor of his memory. The Ark would have an exercise area; a ship that size probably had a very large gymnasium, with room for an archery range. He leaned against the weary pony as he helped unload the meat. Later he'd ask what had happened to Talks Quickly. For now he was starving.

  Chapter Eleven

  At the Quade ranch Mandy had planed in for a landing by the mobile laboratory. She opened her beak and gave a sweet piercing call. Kady came running. She caught up a mini-recorder, and a couple of lastree nuts on the way, showing the nuts as she ordered.

  "Give Kady message."

  Mandy obliged, then sat happily cracking a nut while Kady replayed the message on the mini-recorder. Brion joined her to listen. He looked puzzled as he heard.

  "She keeps saying she's with the natives. I thought Brad checked."

  Brad had arrived. "Is that another message from Tani?"

  In reply Kady played the message again. It was Brad's turn to look baffled.

  "She says Hosteen is with her, but where? Logan asked around. The Shosonna saw him last a number of days ago. He went out to check the line cabins and ask the Norbies to move the stock further in from the edge of the Basin. Gorgol says he never told them and they haven't seen him. Let me hear the message once more, Kady." Again Tani's voice spoke through the paraowl.

  "I'm fine and Storm is here with the clan, too. We'll be back in a few more days, I think. Don't worry about us. I love you both."

  Brad had listened intently. "She says the clan, but we know they aren't with the Shosonna. Which means they're with another clan. But Logan has passed the word through all the Norbie clans. None have admitted to seeing them."

  "Which means what?" Brion asked.

  Brad's face was sober. "Which means either they are with a Norbie clan who for some reason are denying it, or . . ." He hesitated.

  "Or?" Kady demanded.

  "The Shosonna saw signs several days ago that Nitra scouts were around. It is just possible that Tani was taken by them and Storm went with her."

  Kady shivered. She'd heard enough from Logan and Br
ad to know of the Nitra. They weren't fond of humans at any time, although because of clan custom they rarely harmed a female. But with the killers driving them from their lands and the stress of clan deaths, they might be more inclined to hurt a human female they caught wandering. Brion shook his head. Kady relaxed a little as she listened. He was right and she should have known better.

  "No, Quade." Brion Carraldo's voice was serious but not distressed. "I don't think so. I'm not saying she isn't with them but firstly I know my niece. There's been no fear in her messages. She links to Mandy. If she was being made to say what Mandy relayed, then the bird would have let us know that the message was a fake. It isn't. In the first message she didn't mention Storm. In this one she says he's with her. I think he arrived later. Again, if she thought he was in danger she'd have tried to indicate that to us."

  Brad knew more of the Nitra than this out-worlder, but he wanted to believe. His face must have shown the struggle, because suddenly Kady gave a chuckle.

  "Of course they're both happy and unharmed. Look at Mandy." She pointed to where the paraowl was cracking a second lastree nut. "She's part of Tani. Do you think Mandy would be so unworried if Tani were afraid or in any danger? That message was only hours old. Unless something terrible happened after Mandy left, Tani and Storm are fine. The message said Tani thought they'd be back in a few more days." She started to move back toward the laboratory. "I, for one, hope to have something to tell them when they return."

  Brion joined her and they were soon at work again. Brad Quade headed for the kitchen. He always thought better with a mug of swankee in his fist. He believed the Carraldos. At the time of the message Tani and Hosteen were unhurt, and the girl at least was unafraid. That meant there'd been no threats against her and she'd seen nothing that scared her. If she was in a Nitra clan camp, that was almost unbelievable. The Nitra were trophy takers. They collected the enemy bow hands to dry in their shelters.

  It was because of that that the more civilized tribes feared them. Surely Tani would see the bow hands drying in the smoke-holes of the clan shelters and be terrified. Logan arrived just as Brad was finishing his drink. Storm's younger half-brother had liked the girl from the Ark and his first words were a question.

  "Any word from Tani?"

  Brad repeated the message. He followed that with his conclusions.

  Logan stared from the door out over the ranch lands. "You think she was picked up by Nitra scouts?"

  "I think it possible. Logan, what did you tell her about the Nitra?"

  "Nothing. I talked about the Shosonna and our friends in the Zamle clan. I told her about some of the customs. The way to greet those who approached your fire, the way to behave. I told her that any natives she met were probably friendly." He grinned. "Do you know; she'd seen the finger-talk on one of her tapes. They have a cortex educator at the Ark and she'd used that and the tapes to learn the signing."

  Brad turned sharply. "How good was she?"

  "Good enough. She'd manage to talk to any native who could finger-talk reasonably. She made me practice with her when we were riding."

  His father went silent, sitting at the table, his face blank, eyes staring absently at the door. Logan waited. Finally Brad looked up.

  "Think of this. She goes riding, taking that filly. No Nitra would ever have seen a horse like that before. Then there's the coyotes and the paraowl. You told her camp etiquette. If Nitra scouts came riding in she'd have followed that, not knowing about them and believing any natives would be friendly. I checked, she took trail bars, canteens, but most important, she took a can of swankee. So if she had that as a drink and offered it. . . Logan, how would Nitra react if they were only scouting and not on a war trail?"

  Logan scowled as he thought. He'd grown up with the Norbie clans, and in many ways the wild Nitra tribes would not be so different. His words came slowly.

  "Much is ritual and custom. If she greeted them as friends, offered food, drink, and fire, they might accept before they thought. If they had done that, then by law they could not harm her within her camp. Once they had talked with her they would have been intrigued."

  "Intrigued enough to invite her with them back to the clan?"

  "Yes. It seems clear from her messages they did. Maybe at first it was to have their Thunder-Drummer make the decision. There's something you don't realize." Brad waited. "Dad, we think of her as a kid who's ignorant of the Nitra and the danger. You're scared she'll see trophies in the camp and react the wrong way."

  "Yes?"

  "I don't think she will. We were talking once about the natives on Ermaine. They eat the heart of a respected enemy or a powerful predator to gain his strength. Tani was there with the Ark after the war finished. The three of them were invited to a feast and saw that happening. Tani said it was just as well they didn't offer it to her. I asked what she'd have done if they had and she looked a bit surprised. She said to each their own customs. She would have refused if she could do it without giving great offense. If not, she'd have pretended to eat and hidden the offering in her sleeve or something. It didn't bother her. It was just something another race did."

  "And you think she's likely to think that way about the Nitra?"

  "Yes. Dad? Did she take any weapons?"

  "Only her knife," Brad said absently.

  "No stunner, no bow?"

  "No stunner, at least we haven't found one missing. Bow? She can't shoot, can she?"

  "Yes, she pulls a light bow but she's a good shot. She learned it from her father to begin with, and then from her aunt. Tani says Kady took up archery years ago as a hobby and they often shoot together. They have an archery range in the ship's gymnasium."

  "Well, there isn't a bow missing from the house, so Tani didn't take one unless she took her own."

  Logan nodded and dived for the door. He was back in a few minutes. "They say she didn't bring her bow from the Ark. It needs a new bowstring and she left it."

  Brad eyed him with narrowed gaze. "That weapons business means something to you?"

  "Maybe. I heard something years back from Krotag. There's an old custom of name-trial the Norbies don't continue any longer, but the Nitra do. I don't know too much about it but it may be relevant. Look, I'm going to ride out to see the Shosonna again. I want to talk to Ukurti and see what he knows."

  "What will the Thunder-Drummer tell you?"

  "Nothing, perhaps. I'll be home tomorrow sometime." He paused by the door. "Oh, and the Norbie tribes closer to the deserts say the death is killing more often and more at a time. The Nitra are moving out into areas not taken or leaning hard on Norbie clans to move up."

  Brad looked worried. "I know. Dumaroy is raising hell with Kelson. The Native Protection League is starting to talk tough, and if this isn't cleared up soon we could have the Patrol itself becoming involved here. Get going, boy."

  He was still watching as Logan vanished in the distance. The Carraldos had not yet managed to get samples from the killer. Until they did, no one could identify the possibilities. Was the thing an escapee from the sealed caves? Or something that bred in the mountains behind the desert portion of the Big Blue and swept out every hundred years or so before dying back again? That was unlikely unless the intervals were much greater. None of the tribes seemed to have any oral records of the death. The Shosonna Thunder-Drummer alone could recite significant events for several hundred years.

  It could even be a mutation, something that had escaped from the sealed caves, bred with something on Arzor, eaten strange foods, lived near the wrong mineral—and changed. He sighed. Every time a man thought he had no problems, every time things were peaceful, something always went wrong. He only hoped Storm and the girl were managing. The messages indicated they were unhurt, but with the Nitra that might change at any moment. Maybe Logan could find good news to bring back. Brad knew the Carraldos were a little worried, despite Brion's words, but they kept on working. He'd better do the same. There was always work on a ranch.

  Tan
i was up early and helping Small Bird with the breakfast. After that she went to practice with her new bow. Storm had gone apart to talk with Jumps High. He wanted to know just how Tani's enemy had left. The Nitra was clear about that.

  "I talked to my friends. Walks Quickly left only a small time after us. She carried a large pack so she was bowed down by it. She took many, many things, grass cord and wooden pegs for snares, fire-maker, two blankets, a bridle ..."

  Storm's hands interrupted the recital. "Why would she take a bridle? The Thunder-Drummer said Walks Quickly could not take her son's horse. And weapons? Did she take weapons?"

  "She had no horse, but maybeso she might find a stray." Storm understood that. Jumps High was delicately suggesting the banished woman might either sneak back to steal a mount or try to do so from another clan. "She took weapons also," the Nitra continued. "She took knives, her good bow, many arrows. Warrior arrows as well as hunting arrows. Stream Song watched, all this she saw."

  "Stream Song?" Storm questioned.

  "It was her child Sunset saved. She watched Walks Quickly very closely. See everything she took. She advised I warn you both that Walks Quickly is full of hatred. She could circle in the night. Return to find where Sunset sleeps and kill her. Then steal a horse, ride fast and far away. Maybe she could find other clan to join."

  "I thought another clan would not take in one the Thunder-Drummer sent away?"

  Jumps High snorted. "She tells a very good story, and maybeso they take her in. More likely they do that if she comes with a good mare to ride. We have good mares in the Djimbut clan. If she kills Sunset, steals a mare, then rides far, another clan may not know. Watch over Sunset, tell the spirit-friends to watch also. If Walks Quickly harms Sunset, the Thunder-Drummer will send warriors to find Walks Quickly. For the killer of a clan-friend we would hang their bow hand to dry. Good trophy, but not good if Sunset is dead."