17 Stones

by Paul Telegdi

  “Spare me the details. How does it look for tomorrow?”

  “It is hard to know for sure, but my nose tells me that the morning vote will be a cautious testing of the waters so to speak, likely to be the same as the last. The vote following, who knows?” Ushi shrugged. It seemed to Chaiko that in spite of his protestations Ushi was set to talk at length, probably enjoying the attention this opportunity provided and was very much in his element. But Chaiko was not. In the end he had to tell the trader to go, rest and be fresh and clearheaded for the morning rounds. Reluctantly Ushi went, dragging his feet. Chaiko smiled after him; the trader was a most useful man to have around, adept at so many things, curious at all times and a busybody with a nose into everything. Omaani’s loss was Standing-Rock’s gain.

  Darkness had swallowed the world. A few fires were flickering, more for smoke than for light. Chaiko wearily slipped under the bison pelt, snuggling into the warmth that his mate had collected around her. Sensing his movement, the children stirred on the other side. Moon gave a whimper and Chaiko patted her lightly. He lowered his head and closed his eyes but his thoughts would not let him sleep. They chased one another, and when he put one away, a dozen other would pop into his head. Weary as he was after such an eventful day, his mind was still bubbling with chance thoughts surfacing out of the chaos. Reluctantly, he started sorting them to bring some order into this confusion and immediately fell asleep.

  Chapter 20

  People woke with the thought of the election in their minds. Quickly they rose to find out the latest gossip. Men and women gathered in groups, discussing possibilities. The attention of the whole camp was riveted on the one question for the day, who was going to be the Chief? All other matters were forgotten for the present. There were plenty of opinions, sweeping from idealism through pragmatism and onto cynicism; everyone had a viewpoint and a great desire to share it in an unprecedented outpouring of interest.

  One by one the leaders made their way to the Council, accompanied by a procession, followed by every eye in camp. Near the sitting a huge crowd had collected threatening to overwhelm the meeting itself. Corrigan, who was not happy to have so many witnesses overlooking his actions, commanded the stables to push the crowd back. A shoving match ensued, the crowd yielding only a little.

  Chaiko remained back at camp with his family. “Aren’t you coming?’ someone asked. The shaman observed wryly that doubtless the meeting would go ahead without him. He sat at the campfire, staring into the smoke, his mind wandering. At times he could hear waves of sound reaching him and wondered briefly how the voting was going and in whose favor. Had it been right for Baer to join the contest? And what had they really hoped to gain from it?

  The twins were crawling over him. Sun was looking for a breast to latch onto, but had to satisfy himself with a nose instead. Moon was content just to stay in the crook of his arm. He rocked her gently and that put her to sleep momentarily. Sun got a handful of hair and pulled with surprising strength. He put Moon down and scooped Sun up, bouncing him in the air. Squealing with excitement, Sun wanted more. “I can see that you’re going to be an adventurer. That is if Moon will let you out of her sight.” It was interesting how the twins stuck together. At the very least they had to hear each other. When separated, both got very restless and unhappy.

  Dawn came and scooped the two up, intending to take them to Fire-Dancer. Yael was already with Wild-of-Wind. The women were spinning rope and Dawn wanted to help. “There is some smoked meat in the carryall and some mushrooms. That should hold you until tonight,” Dawn said, going off. Chaiko watched her go, wondering how she managed it so gracefully with an infant on either hip.

  Tikki arrived for his practice session bright and early, eager to gain the freedom of mastery. Chaiko examined the man’s stump, found a few sore spots, rubbed some grease onto them, and packed the cup with extra moss. He strapped on the wood, tying it more securely, then pulled him to his feet.

  At first Tikki was even more clumsy than the day before. In his zeal, he overcorrected and was staggering about from one side to the other.

  “Relax!” Chaiko instructed him, “don’t try so hard.” But it was like telling a blind man not to look, for he was like a blind man, seeing with his hopes. Stopping, he swayed unsteadily, not finding his balance point. Finally, Chaiko had to order him just to stand still. “You move about as if you were still on crutches. Straighten up! Hold your weight further back.” The man tried as best he could to obey but his instincts got in the way. Still, after a time, he became smoother in his movements, thought he tended to overcompensate. He also got tired easily and had to rest often, finding that getting down, or up, was even more difficult.

  Dawn returned with the children and put them down for a nap. The twins dropped off quickly, but Yael was still restless. He poked Sun, who woke and cried loudly. That woke Moon and she joined in. Dawn had trouble quieting them and was gently remonstrating with Yael.

  When they settled, Dawn pulled out some footwear, repairing a tear in one of the skins. They would need quite a few for the way back. Everyone had to have at least three pairs ready. She chewed on a new piece she was working, to make it especially soft for an inner lining. From time to time she glanced up at her mate busy with the one legged man, noting how Chaiko’s own limp seemed more pronounced. Was it from empathy? she wondered, glad, however, for his zeal to help others. Tikki finally left and Chaiko sat down by the fire again.

  On the nearby covers, Fire-Dancer and Hollow-Tree were rolling about, tickling one another, their laughter turning hungry. They should go into the flar, Dawn thought with some severity. She then looked at Chaiko who did not look interested in anything other than what he was mulling over in his head. Too bad, she thought, for with everyone else gone, they had a rare chance at privacy. Then she thought back to the night by the lake, a wave of sensuality washing over her, the footwear momentarily forgotten.

  Midmorning, Stow arrived running, quite out of breath. “Ushi... sent me... the morning vote... the same... as the last... no change...” So, just as Ushi had predicted, everyone was playing it very cautiously. Then Stow ran back, not wanting to miss a moment of the excitement.

  Near midday Kray returned with Yaya and Tay. He had had enough of standing around, trying to see and having to be satisfied with a few words of what was happening in Council. “The second vote is in,” Kray reported to Chaiko, “and it is just the same as the last, except people have started to switch their votes. But still it came out the same.” The man shook his head. “Hard to see what all the fuss is about.”

  “Yes, hard indeed,” Chaiko agreed with him.

  Yaya stayed a while reporting to Dawn what the women were gossiping about in the waiting crowd. “It is said that Turbold has lost all interest in his mate on account of this... finding more excitement in the election I suppose.” Yaya’s head nodded knowingly. “Solinex, apparently, is not much better, and has not lain with his woman since this all started.” She paused and fidgeted. “Taeko, on the other hand, does nothing else. Some say he is burning up his nervousness with his woman. But nobody hears her complaining. Baer, on the other hand,” she began then suddenly remembered that she was talking to a close friend of Tanya’s, and changed her tune a bit, “well, you know his self-control.” She giggled. “Would it not be exciting if Baer were to become our Chief?” Dawn shook her head. “Not likely.” Tay in the meantime was playing with Yael who was intent on pulling her long hair.

  It seemed only a short time later that Makar appeared with the result of the next vote. “Baer got two votes,” he panted, “but that is because they had to give a vote to Solinex to keep him strong against the others. What a race! The Council is voting right and left, switching votes back and forth. It is hard to see how it is all going to end.”

  Mid-afternoon Ushi himself came to report. “They are voting, but every which way. Some are changing votes constantly, trying to find someone to carry it and win. So there seems to be no order or purpose left
in their voting. They all just want to go home. Corrigan is furious by all accounts and kicked a stable out of his hut. But our three votes are holding steady, this time we did not have to give up one to balance the others. The latest count is Turbold seven, Solinex six, Taeko four and Baer three. Far short of the eleven to win.” He, too, hurried back so as not to miss anything.

  Next Gill and Ela came back tired of the whole thing. “All we do is stand around with nothing really to see. We speak of the same things over and over again, in the same tired circle. At rare times we hear that someone switched his vote, but that is all. I’ve had enough! The stables are keeping everyone back and you have to be somebody to get past them. I just wish they would make up their minds and be done with it.”

  “How was the last vote?” Chaiko had to ask the disappointed man.

  “Turbold six, Solinex six, Taeko four and Baer four.”

  “Baer four?”

  “Yes. Pelican Sands voted for him, tired of the others.” But Gill waved his hand, disillusioned, “The votes are all over. It appears that Turbold’s six the last time voted for Solinex this time, but still Turbold picked up six votes swinging his way. At this rate, we will never have a decision.”

  Ela recounted for Dawn exactly the same gossip that Yaya had brought back, with little variation. Perhaps she gave a little more credit to Baer. “Tanya would make the best mate for a Chief. Much better than that mate of Solinex. She is such a know it all and gives herself airs and all that. No one likes her at all.”

  Chaiko decided it was time that he himself go and take a look. If the voting was so erratic, it could come to a sudden finish and he wanted to be there for the final voting.

  Just as he arrived on the scene, a chant of “Baer, Baer” sounded and by tracking it to the source, he found a delegation of Standing-Rock yelling enthusiastically their support.

  Chaiko grabbed Ushi, “Stop them! They could stampede the vote the other way!”

  Ushi tried, but to no avail, “Too late!”

  Chaiko then started yelling as loud as he could, “Turbold, Turbold!” Ushi joined in and soon the entire crowd picked up the chant, but each yelled their support for their favorite. The roar of them all rattled the very air. The stables stirred nervously but were undecided as to what to do. Still the restlessness of the crowd motivated the voters and when the next vote came down matters had changed dramatically. Turbold seven, Baer six, Solinex five and Taeko two.

  At the news, fresh chants broke out. Chaiko yelled as loud as he could, “Turbold, Turbold, he is not too old, Turbold to the fore!” Laughter broke out and the crowd picked it up quickly. Then of course, “Baer! Baer! He is our bear, vote for him for he will care!” turned into another crowd pleaser. Taeko was ignored and no one could come up with anything for Solinex, but they felt the man deserved it, for having such an awkward name.

  Again responding to the restlessness of the crowd, the next results came very quickly. Suddenly Baer had shot to the front with eight votes, Turbold held six, Solinex was still in the race with five and Taeko trailed with just one.

  The crowd had barely time to absorb these changes of fortune when already the news was being flashed that they were voting again. “This could mean one of two things,” Ushi wisecracked, “the hounds can smell blood...”

  “And the other thing?” Chaiko asked.

  “That we have won,” and a smile split Ushi’s face.

  “Not yet,” Chaiko muttered, shaking his head. Not yet!

  Then the results were being announced, “12! 5! 3!”

  “For whom!!?” the crowd roared back.

  Then Taragon, the grand marshal, signaled for silence and proclaimed into the waiting impatience, “Announcing the new Chief of all the clans! BAER of Standing-Rock...!!!” A tremendous roar drowned out the rest of his words.

  The crowd surged, suddenly not knowing what to do with itself. It had been such an exciting finish, worth every moment of the wait. The Standing-Rock started to chant, “Baer! Baer! He will care, I will vote for him anywhere!” The crowd gladly took the chant up, and broke into an exuberant dance. Not really knowing why, everyone was happy, shedding the tension in a burst of enthusiasm. Even those who supported the losing candidates were suddenly swept up in the exuberance. This was history in the making. The election of the first Chief of all the clans!

  Flanked by Ile and Dawn, Tanya smiled broadly at all the well-wishers. Baer himself was nowhere to be seen, lost in a crowd congratulating him, pounding on his back and shoulders. He quickly lost all sensitivity in those body parts.

  Chaiko was more concerned about extricating his family from the crush. He found his children in the care of Fire-Dancer, with Hollow-Tree using his elbows freely to provide for them some breathing room. The three of them and the children fought their way through the throng and retired to the safety of the camp. Fire-Dancer was crying, not knowing why, perhaps just from the release of all the tension and emotions.

  These momentous events notwithstanding, Cora was very quiet and kept to herself. That afternoon she had disappeared but returned well before dark. Her sad demeanor remained and Lana looked sympathetically after her. Obviously the echo within an echo had not come back. But in these hectic moments the disappointment of one young girl were quickly overlooked.

  It was late when the Standing-Rock delegation returned, in twos or threes, Baer last with Cosh and Tusk holding the crowds back. Baer sank gratefully down on his place, exhausted from being pressed and jostled from one end of the camp to the other. He gave Chaiko a tired smile and said, “Who would have thought?”

  “It was certainly unexpected, brother,” Chaiko said thoughtfully. “You played it well though. The reluctant candidate, unlike the others trying to elbow their way to victory.”

  “You know well that I didn’t want the honor. I ran only to balance the process and make our views known. Couldn’t let Corrigan steal the election.”

  “And you succeeded. Congratulations,” Chaiko reached over a hand and patted his brother. “Now we can expect a reaction from Corrigan. But I worry less about him than those who have vested interest in supporting him.”

  “Yes, so it goes. You fix one hole in the footwear only to find another,” Baer said tiredly, getting up stiffly. He ambled over to his fire.

  Chaiko sat and observed the activity swirling around him. The fact that his brother was elected Chief, surprising as it was, had sunk in and he was elated. He knew it had changed their lives, but how and to what extent, he did not know yet. The fact was that the many of the clans were often ruled by old men, who were too cautious to embrace anything new. It was high time to reinvigorate the leadership and Baer’s election had done that.

  The unexpected victory had animated Ushi even more than his usual gregarious self. He regaled everyone who cared to listen with an analysis of the election, Baer’s success and of course the role that he, Ushi, had played in it. People listened to him gladly, soaking up the exhilaration in his voice. Chaiko smiled at this; yes, the trader was certainly in his element. Then a peal of laughter drew his attention elsewhere, to Nebu, her expression glowing and alive, laughing for the first time since her mate’s death! She was talking with Yaya, their heads together enjoying the exchange.

  Chaiko looked for Ruba and found him to one side looking at, who else? Cora. He appeared quietly intent. Cora, on the other hand, was subdued and definitely not a part of the ongoing celebration.

  Throughout, a steady stream of visitors made their way to Baer and congratulated him. When Laars came Baer stood and the two leaders shook hands warmly. It was Laars’ steadiness throughout the voting that was the foundation of Baer’s victory and they both knew it. Laars was greatly gratified by the result, though neither had foreseen it. It was strategic manoeuvring on their part, and they were even more surprised than any of the others. The two leaders conferred in private, no doubt concocting a mutual agenda.

  Tanya was overwhelmed: she was the mate of the new Chief, which elevated her to
the rank of First Woman of the clans. The up and down of the day, from hope to discouragement to victory, had left her confused and breathless. People congratulated her and she accepted gracefully enough but inside she was numb. She wondered at herself; I should be feeling more than this, much more. She went about offering refreshments, dried fruits and drinks to the visitors. Lana was beside her, helping, her face beaming with joy and pride for her parents. Ido too was going from person to person, happily talking away. It had been some time since there was so much joy in the Standing-Rock Clan to go around.

  The fires burned much later into the night than usual, as people wanted to prolong the day knowing that such moments of enjoyment came so rarely and pass by so quickly. It was thus late into the night when Baer came to sit with Chaiko. It was interesting that even last year Chaiko would have had to go to him, not the other way around. The balance of power in the relationship had shifted and neither knew what this Chief thing meant.

  “I still can’t quite believe it,” admitted Baer outright.

  “I thought it could happen, but only as an outside chance,” Chaiko observed almost to himself.

  “What does it mean?”

  “I do not know, but I know that Corrigan won’t like it.”

  “Today, I do not care what he would or wouldn’t like. But maybe tomorrow.”

  “Corrigan is my problem anyway,” Chaiko said in a dangerously flat voice.

  Baer pricked up his ears. “What are you thinking?”

  “I am remembering what Bogan prophesied about us, that we would both be leaders, and now here you are, the Chief of Leaders of all the clans.”

  “I had nearly forgotten that,” Baer said, surprised at himself.

  “But then, in his lifetime Bogan said a lot of things to a lot of people. I am sure not all of them came true.”