Her weary eyes sought out Falcon as he loped alongside the straggling Jaguar People and Star envied him his ease. All he has to do is keep watch for wolves and jaguars and lions, she thought, while I have to lug these heavy baskets!
"Tonight we reach the caves!" said Claw, jogging past. He gave a jaunty wave of his spear. Behind her, Star heard Betafor's heavy panting. Betafor, Claw's wife, carried a very heavy load of baskets and hides, but she was aided by her three grown daughters and their children.
Star wished she had someone to help her carry her baskets, or even someone to talk to. Ever since Chokecherry's escape, none of the other Badger women accompanied her, for fear their new Jaguar husbands should think they wanted to escape also. And of course, none of the Jaguar women sought her out.
She wished that Falcon would help her carry something, even a basket, but he was too busy darting here and there, watching for predators. All he had to carry were his spears. And two small, very light water bladders.
Star licked dry lips. Her last drink of water had been in the early morning.
The long snaking line stretched out over the brown hills and every woman in that line was loaded with possessions. There were baskets crammed with dried roots and berries for winter and tanned hides for making winter clothing and bedrobes.
Star trudged along. The Jaguars wound their way through a dry creek bottom and the walking became easier on her dusty, sore feet. She wiped sweat from her forehead and plodded on.
The sun was low in the sky and the Jaguar People had just emerged from the dry creek bottom when Claw at last cried out, "Stop! We will rest here for a short time." Star halted and set down her possessions with a sigh of relief. She rubbed her forehead where the wide leather band had pressed into her skin.
They had halted at the base of another brown hillone of many that surrounded her in this hilly country. Between the hills were the ravines, where twisted trees grew, their branches gnarled from the wind that whipped across the hills. She caught a glimpse of sparkling blue to the south. It was a river, cutting through black layers of rock.
"It has been a long journey," said Sageflower shyly, walking over to stand near Star.
Star nodded. "Too long. I will be glad when we reach the caves."
She watched Sageflower set down the huge basket she was carrying and wipe her brow. When Sageflower glanced around at the men who wandered the hills, Star knew she looked for Deer Summoner.
Star smiled at Sageflower, glad that the younger woman's marriage, at least, had proved to be happy.
"I wish Chokecherry were here," said Sageflower softly.
"I miss her, too," answered Star, "but Chokecherry could not be wife to Cat Lurks."
"I think she did not try to be amiable to him," said Sageflower.
Star shrugged. Evidently Chokecherry had not confided in Sageflower the true problem of her marriage. There was no point in correcting Sageflower now that Chokecherry was gone.
"I wonder if she made it back to our people safely."
Star heard the wistful note in Sageflower's voice. Star, too, had wondered that. "I think she did," Star answered. "Chokecherry was always brave. I think she would have survived until she found our people."
"Perhaps." Sageflower's eyes followed Cat Lurks as he prowled along a hilltop. "But I wish she had stayed."
There was nothing Star could say to lift the sadness in the other's voice.
Falcon came trotting up from the dry creek bed. He grinned at them as he approached and Star's heart drummed a triple beat. How handsome he looked, how strong and robust and exciting! She touched her bosom to slow her rapidly thumping heart.
Falcon nodded deferentially to Sageflower, but it was on Star that his eyes lingered. She flushed.
He glanced at the baskets and elk hide on the ground, then at Star. "I, too, will be glad to reach the caves."
"How many bears must you drive out before the Jaguar People can live in safety?" asked Star.
Falcon shrugged. "Two or three. Not many."
Sageflower said a polite farewell and dragged her baskets over to where Elk Knees sat with her new daughter and son. Star tried not to watch the easy exchange between the two women. She sighed, wondering when the Badger women would speak freely to her again. She felt grateful to Sageflower for their brief conversation.
"You will like the Bear Caves," said Falcon, apparently not seeing Star's sadness. Or if he did, he choseas usualnot to talk about it.
Star nodded and sat down. "I think I would like anywhere where we can winter in safety."
Falcon squatted beside her to rest, but she noticed he still surveyed the hills; he was always alert.
Tula walked past them, her baby bouncing gently on her back. She did not even glance at Star and Falcon. Falcon's eyes followed Tula and desperation rose in Star. Would he ever forget her?
"Diddid you stay at the caves last winter?" Star could not stop herself from blurting out. "With Tula?"
Falcon's narrowed gaze met hers. "Tula left me two winters ago," he said; then he got up and walked away.
Star sat there miserably, wondering when she would learn never to speak of anything important to Falcon. Only then would he stay with her. She stared out at the slice of blue sparkling water and it blurred through her tears. She blinked them away and held her face up to let the biting wind dry her tears.
The men left shortly after that, Claw leading them to the caves. Betafor went from this group of women to that. When she came to Star, sitting alone, she said, ''We will wait here until the men return. They have gone to drive the bears out of the caves."
"Isis it dangerous?" asked Star.
Betafor shrugged. "Sometimes a hunter gets hurt." Star's alarm must have shown on her face for Betafor added hastily, "But there are many hunters. Only a few bears." She grinned and moved away.
Star worried. She sat there for a long time, thinking about the bears. She had not told Falcon something that frightened her about bears: her father had been killed by a grizzly bear. She had grown up hearing again and again how fierce grizzly bears were, how her father had tried to kill one, but the animal had snapped his spear and batted him with a huge paw. While her father lay stunned on the ground, the bear killed him.
Now she pictured Falcon facing a huge grizzly emerging from a dark cavethe bear upright on its hind legs, teeth gnashing and arms flailing as it chased Falcon from its home.
She thought of her dead father. She imagined Falcon trying to kill the huge, thrashing bear with one of his puny, thin spears.
At last she could stand it no longer. Falcon was in trouble. She knew it. He needed her.
She left her baskets and elk hide and started running in the direction the men had taken.
"Come back!" she heard Betafor cry, but Star kept running.
She heard several more cries from the women, urging her to return, but once she rounded a hill, their voices ceased.
Ahead of her, she had a better view of the river. On one side of the river, sheer cliffs reared up from the rocky banks. On the other side, a gradual series of wide ledges terraced the bank.
On one of the ledges she saw a line of dark holes burrowing into the cliff. The caves!
She started running toward the caves but she was too tired from the day's long march. She had to slow to a stumbling walk.
As she neared the rocky ledges, she glanced up to see how close she was to the caves. To her surprise, the men were sliding down the gravel, returning from the caves. And two of the men carried a prone man between them.
"Falcon!" she cried, and despite her fatigue she found the strength to scramble up the loose, gravelly slope. "Falcon!"
The gravel slid under her feet, but she kept climbing, her heart pumping wildly. "Oh, Falcon," she moaned. By now, the men had reached a terrace and were carefully laying the prone man down.
"Falcon!" she cried, running up to the injured man. "Is he?" She dared not say it. She dared not ask if he was dead. "Oh, Falcon"
The
injured man opened his eyes. "Get away from me!"
Pale, her hands clasping each other in tortured wringing, Star stared at the injured man.
"Cat Lurks?" she whispered.
"What do you want?" Ever since Chokecherry's escape, he had borne her a particular ill will. Star saw it on his face now.
"II thought" She faltered.
"Star! Why are you here?" Falcon walked over to her. "Why are you not with the other women?"
"Oh, Falcon," she cried, throwing herself into his arms. He caught her easily and held her to him. "II thought you"
Cat Lurks was snarling at her. She buried her head in Falcon's shoulder. "I thought it was you that was hurt. I came to help you!"
He patted her awkwardly. The men around him appeared to be looking avidly in any direction but at the two of them.
"You did not need to do this, Star," he said, and she warmed to the kindness in his voice. "I am quite able to fight a bear without your help."
Several Jaguar men snickered at that. When Star glanced up, none of them would meet her eye.
She stepped away from Falcon, wondering suddenly if he was embarrassed at her display of concern for him. "II will return now that I know you are safe." She dragged her eyes away from his, whirled, and fled down the hillside, the snickers of the Jaguar men ringing in her ears.
"Star! Wait!"
But she would not wait for him. Let him laugh at her, laugh at her concern for him. What did she care? Let them all laugh at her; she did not need them. Her face aflame, she slid to the bottom of the slope and quickened her pace to return to the other women.
Once, she glanced back and saw Falcon running as fast as he could toward her. "Star!" he cried. "Wait! Do not go! There are"
Mortified at how she had thrown herself at him on the ledge for all the Jaguar men to see, she swung around and started running.
And came face-to-face with a lion.
Chapter Twenty-nine
Star froze.
Behind her, Falcon cried, "Do not move, Star. Stay still."
She could not move, even had he told her to. The lion's yellow eyes held Star's in a grip that announced her impending death.
"There are two of them," said Falcon softly as he came closer. "Male and female. There may be more. Lions have big families." His voice was a cautious whisper. Still, the lion held Star frozen.
The great tawny beast with the tawny mane crouched to spring. To her right, she could hear a low growl. The second lion!
Without moving her head, her eyes darted to the side.
A snarl from the male lion jerked her eyes back to him.
His fur is the color of the sand and gravel around him, she thought. That must be why I did not see him until too late!
Falcon was beside Star now and his presence lent her courage. "What should I do?" she whispered, her lips barely moving.
"Move behind me," he directed. "Move slowly so you do not alarm him. He is already angry. We disturbed him. Perhaps he has a kill nearby."
Cautiously, Star forced her legs to move. Somehow, she found herself behind Falcon, peering at the lion over his shoulder. "Watch the second lion," gritted Falcon. "If she moves, tell me."
Star glanced at the second lion. The long, lanky lioness seemed content to sun herself on a rock and leave the fight to her mate. "She only watches you," whispered Star.
"Esteemed lion," said Falcon in a soothing voice to the crouching, growling male. "You are strong and noble. A very worthy opponent. I have no wish to fight you. You may have the delicious kill that you made. I will seek other game. See? I am willing to move away and let you have your meat."
Star reminded him, "Falcon, it did no good to talk to the jaguar."
"Sometimes it helps," whispered Falcon.
The lion stopped growling. He stared at Falcon. Star held her breath. "We will back away, esteemed lion," promised Falcon in that same even, droning voice. "You may have the food all to yourself. All for you and your family."
Star carefully took a step backward, feeling the rough ground with her feet. To trip now would prove fatal.
Falcon backed into her. She took another backward step.
Making slow movements, careful not to scare the angry lion, Star and Falcon backed away.
When they had gone a little distance, Falcon said to Star over his shoulder, "Return to the other hunters and warn them of the lions."
While Falcon continued to watch the lion and back away from him, Star hastened up the talus slope to the Jaguar men. But they had seen for themselves what had befallen Star and Falcon and they waited on the ledge.
Star stood with them, fists clenched, the silence taut until Falcon was finally beside her. Only then did she release her breath.
"We cannot get back to our families," said Claw. "We must wait for as long as those lions stand between us and our women and children."
Down on the gravel flats, the lion continued to crouch and watch them. Now and then he snarled. His mate sunned herself.
"Will the women and children be safe?" asked Star.
Falcon nodded. "There are many of them. Lions fear a large group of people, even when the lions have a kill nearby. The shaman and two of our hunters stayed behind. The women will be safe."
Star sat down to watch the lions.
Cat Lurks moaned, his eyes closed tight.
"We must get him back to the shaman," said Claw, and Star heard the fear in his voice.
She peeked over at the injured man and saw for the first time that his stomach bore deep, bleeding gashes. She closed her eyes. Stomach injuries were very difficult to heal. The Jaguar shaman must be very skilled indeed.
The lion now looked as if he were sleeping. "I do not want to stay here all night," groaned Cat Lurks.
"Shhh, the lion sleeps," cautioned Claw.
After some time, Cat Lurks gave a loud cry. "If I do not get back to the shaman, I will die!"
His loud shout woke the lion, who gazed up at the men and snarled. It was getting darker now and it was not as easy for Star to see what the lion was doing.
The lioness was gone from the rock where she had sunned herself.
"Perhaps he will leave," she suggested.
"If the wind shifts, the smell of Cat Lurks's blood may draw him," said Falcon. "We hope the lion will go away and not scent Cat Lurks."
Star glanced down at the groaning man. "I wonder how much longer Cat Lurks will live?"
"Not long, unless the lion moves away," answered Falcon.
They waited for some time but the lion remained crouched. Cat Lurks had fallen into a deep sleep.
At last Claw said, "If we go down there shouting and talking loudly, perhaps the lion will run away. I do not like to leave our families alone for so long. Remember, we killed two bears in the caves, but the third escaped. He could be wandering around and find the women and children."
The men murmured among themselves and finally it was decided to do as Claw suggested.
Red Hawk and Lance picked up Cat Lurks to carry him. The wounded man groaned in his sleep.
By the time they reached the place where the lion had been, the animal was gone. Star stayed a scant three steps away from Falcon the whole time they hurried through the gathering night. An occasional groan from Cat Lurks speeded their steps.
When they reached the other women, there were several fires burning and the smell of roasting meat filled the air. Betafor waddled up to them.
"What took you so long? How many bears were there?"
Claw told her. She eyed Cat Lurks's prone form. "Call Rapt," she ordered one of her grandchildren. The little girl ran off to fetch the shaman.
When Rapt arrived, he was dressed in his ordinary garb except for a few feathers stuck askew in his hair. He approached Cat Lurks and walked around him three times, shaking his head all the while. Star guessed he thought Cat Lurks would be difficult to heal.
"Come," said Falcon. "We will let the shaman help Cat Lurks."
They moved awa
y but Star glanced over her shoulder one last time. "The shaman does not look hopeful," she observed.
"No. He does not. That bear gave Cat Lurks a mighty swipe. He may die."
She touched Falcon softly on his tattooed shoulder. "I am glad that you are safe. I feared for you."
"Yes, you came to the caves to help me," he said. "Why did you do that?"
She busied herself digging through her baskets, looking for some dried meat for their evening meal. She did not want to answer.
"Star?"
When she maintained her silence and business, he said, "You often accuse me of not telling you about how it is for me. Yet now you do not tell me. You keep your secrets, too."
She did not like that. "Then I will tell you, Falcon, but in return, I will have some answers from you. Is it agreed?"
He busied himself gathering twigs. "We need a fire. It is cold out this night."
"Aha, you do not want to tell me anything about yourself! Very well, we will both keep silent."
They worked side by side, Star rolling out the elk hide to sleep on and Falcon making the fire. "I go to Claw's fire," he said and left.
Star fumed. How like him to walk away rather than tell her anything! Just as she was talking to herself about the foolish ways of menJaguar men and one Jaguar man in particularFalcon returned carrying a branch with a burning tip. He touched the branch to the small twigs, and tiny flames leaped up.
Star warmed herself at the fire and gazed overhead at the indigo canopy of sky. White stars shone in the clear, cold air. The nights were colder now.
"Looking for Darkstar?" he asked.
She raised an eyebrow at him but refused to answer. Let him think what he wanted. In truth, she had forgotten about Darkstar, forgotten about finding someone to lead her and the other Badger women to freedom, and she no longer knew if she wanted to escape. Certainly the other women did not. Oh, there were times when she longed for her mother, for the old ways, even once in a while for Camel Stalker, but she thought she had accepted her new life with the Jaguars.
''Darkstar will not help you," he said.
He is trying to provoke me, she realized. Would he rather argue with me than tell me what he really thinks? Probably, she answered herself wryly. "You asked me why I came to you today to help you," she said.
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