Beast Master's Ark

by Andre Norton; Lyn McConchie

  Storm hid a shudder at the information. But it did emphasize how the clan felt about Tani. Or was it the way they felt about their clan member?

  "Walks Quickly is popular in the clan, they like her?"

  A head was shaken slowly. "She quarrels often, with too many. None like her, she had no friends. She is greedy, sharing nothing without orders. She cared only about her son. His father, her mate, is long dead. He died fighting the Merrin clan. He was rich, a fine hunter, a good warrior. Walks Quickly gained it all when he was killed. If she comes back to hurt Sunset, you may kill her. No one in the clan will speak against you. The Thunder-Drummer said Walks Quickly is cast out, she is not of the clan anymore. Sunset is clan-friend."

  That was clear enough, Storm considered. The woman's banishment had declared her no longer of the clan. Until or unless she joined another clan she was outlaw. An enemy to any clan. If even Storm, who was with but not of the clan, killed her, it was permissible. Particularly if he did so to save a clan-friend or to prevent theft from the clan. He rose from where he had squatted on his heels. Even so, it might be safer if he passed this on to the team.

  He noticed Mandy was back, and after alerting Surra and Baku he drifted over to the paraowl. It wasn't so easy to make contact with the large bird. Paraowls had been used in a few teams near to the end of the war. Bright Sky had one of the first as a team member when he died. The first ones had been too conspicuous with their ghostly white feathering. It wasn't until Kady had isolated the gene for the brown shades that they'd begun to be used for Beast Masters. Storm had heard a little about them, but not a great deal.

  He did know they were predators and omnivores. They ate fruit, nuts, and seeds. They could also kill and eat small animals, and on occasion larger prey. On Ishan the paraowls had hunted a medium-sized herbivore called a lanour. The female paraowls would seek out the yearling lanour. The vaguely goatlike animals had hard heads. A paraowl female hunting to feed babies would kill in a fashion similar to the way Baku had struck the yoris: in a blazing stoop from a great height using clenched claws to break open the skull on impact.

  A trained paraowl would also strike sideways, breaking the neck of an enemy. Storm strove to make Mandy understand the danger to Tani. At last he believed she accepted his information. Then he went in search of the girl. He'd alert her and make sure she would be wary. He found the coyotes first. They were easier to alert. Both had watched Walks Quickly and both considered her a danger. They would guard. If the not-human came as an enemy, Minou and Ferarre would be ready.

  And after all that, Storm thought in exasperation, Tani was missing. Off setting snares with Small Bird's daughters. He grinned unwillingly. She fitted into Arzor like a frawn come home. They should ask if it was permitted to leave the clan soon, though. The Carraldos must be quite frantic by now and Brad would be worried. They'd know from the messages Mandy was carrying that Storm and Tani were alive and unhurt.

  All the same, the Thunder-Drummer had brought them here for a purpose. What, he didn't know and had not been told. Tani seemed to have simply accepted that she would know when the time was right. She was having too much fun with the clan to mind. He wandered off to join the cook fire and eat. After that he chose to enter his shelter and sleep. A warrior should eat, drink, and sleep when he could. Storm planned to stay awake for the next few nights and be alert for enemies. One enemy in particular.

  No Nitra clan slept heavily. But that night it was still Storm who was first to know there was trouble. Surra slid out of the dark and touched him with her muzzle. From her he received the impression of enemies. No, not one, several. Coming this way, here soon. His mind reached out to Baku at once. The eagle heartily disliked night flying but she would cooperate. He heard the faint rush of wings as she lifted aloft over the sleeping camp. Surra had vanished again.

  He threw on his outer clothing, seized stunner and knife, and like Surra vanished into the shadows. He reached the Thunder-Drummer's shelter first. She would know who to wake. She was already watching the entrance as he slipped inside. She reached out a stick and stirred the coals to give just enough light to show his hands as he signed.

  "My spirit-friend gave me a warning. Enemies are coming. Maybe four or five. Maybe more follow."

  That would tell her it was not Walks Quickly, or not the outlaw woman alone. The medicine woman gave a low call. Her interpreter appeared and was instructed in their own tongue. Storm waited patiently. She turned back to him as her servant departed.

  "I think the enemies seek horses. But maybe I am wrong. You will fight with us?"

  "Sunset is of my clan. You are her clan-friends. I will fight. Our spirit-friends will fight too. Tell me what you want me to do."

  She smiled brief approval. "Watch the horses. Stop the enemy if any try to steal our herd. If they attack the camp, you protect Sunset."

  Storm bowed slightly and trotted silently away. Surra had circled and was nearby. Tani would be awake by now. The coyotes had probably been awake even longer. They'd see no one had sneaked up on Small Bird's shelter. A stab of warning cut into his mind. He hissed softly. He'd learned that as a danger signal from the Shosonna and it seemed to be accepted that way here. In the dark horses moved restlessly. He could hear one of them stamping angrily.

  Then the night broke open. There was a high wavering whistle of agony from some Nitra. The horses exploded outward from their mob, squealing in panic. In what had been the herd center a filly was busily murdering one of the not-people foolish enough to lay hands on her. Around the camp fires blazed up. A warrior pulling himself astride a bucking pony was dragged from it by Surra. Storm's knife took her prey as he turned on the big cat. It would do no enemy any favors to use a stunner tonight. The clan would have a slow and unpleasant way with a captive.

  A sound behind sent him dropping to the ground, to rise slashing backward with his knife. A body folded over it and dropped limply away. Baku screamed attack from near a fire. Storm had the brief impression of a warrior running with the eagle riding, claws sunk into the back of the warrior's shoulders, beak stabbing at the unprotected neck. Stream Song's mate rose up and struck home and the warrior fell with Baku disengaging neatly. She waddled a few quick paces, then lifted into the air again.

  From above a running enemy came the vibration of wings. He slowed to glance up, just in time to receive the paraowl's strike. His head jerked sideways as he collapsed, his neck snapped by the impact. It seemed as if the enemy were retreating. From the west of the camp came the harsh snarling yapping of an attacking coyote. Storm spun, running for the shelter. It was rare for a Nitra clan to harm women and children, but Minou wouldn't be making a sound unless she were in battle. The herd was well away on the far side of the camp. By the time he reached Jumps High's home the fight could be over. Still he ran. Surra raced with him.

  The sound of fighting was already dying down. Storm flung himself into the dark by the shelter and listened. He wasn't going to run onto a knife. Surra crouched for a moment, then stood leisurely to stretch. The enemy not-people gave no more trouble. Storm took his cue from her. He hailed the shelter softly.

  "Tani?"

  "Come ahead, Storm."

  He entered to find Tani busily rolling a bandage around Small Bird's arm. Possessions lay scattered, some broken or otherwise damaged by trampling feet. She glanced up to nod a greeting before splitting the end of the bandage, then fastening it with a neat bow. To one side of her a body lay with Minou sitting smugly beside it. Her mate sat by the entrance. Surra padded in and touched noses with the coyotes, her emotions those of approval. It seemed that neither of them had been needed.

  He indicated the bandage. "Is that bad?"

  "No, a gash. I cleaned it and pulled the edges together with clamp thorns. The bandage is just to keep it clean for a few days while it starts to heal." Her eyes turned to the body. "It would be nice if you could get that out."

  Storm blinked at the matter-of-fact tone. Then he saw beneath the surface. Tani was
holding in her urge to be sick or to start shaking. She was sure her friend here needed her, and so long as that was so she would be strong. He reached for the body's shoulders and, half lifting it, dragged the corpse out to where fires blazed high in the camp center. Laying it with the others, he looked down at the wounds.

  A real cooperative effort. The warrior had half a dozen deep bites along arms and legs. There were three long shallow cuts down his calves and thighs. On one side of his neck was a ragged tear. A shoulder had bled heavily from a knife wound while a second thrust had reached his heart. Storm suspected the young warrior had blundered into the shelter and struck at Small Bird before realizing she was a female. Or it might be that in the heat of battle and the excitement he had not cared.

  From the damage to the shelter's items the warrior might just as well have stepped in a fire-bees' nest. He'd been attacked in retaliation by the coyotes, Tani, Small Bird, and even perhaps her two young daughters. The young warrior had blundered about, trying to strike back while being distracted from any of them by the next attack from a different direction. He'd been dragged down and killed as wolves on a deer. If his spirit was still around it must be cursing the impulse that had made it choose that particular shelter.

  Jumps High came out of the dark to look down at the body. "Who kill?" Storm shared his finding and his amusement, which was echoed in the Nitra's dark eyes.

  "I counted. None of our clan died, one only is badly hurt. The enemy lost many." His fingers indicated the number.

  "Twelve," Storm said, and whistled softly. "Did any of them escape?"

  "I do not think so. When daylight come we shall go on a hunt. We must find the clan horses, but if the Thunder is kind, they will not be far. Maybeso we will find enemy horses. That would be very good."

  It took several hours for the camp to settle again. Guards watched while those who could slept. With first light Tani was out to find Destiny. She called as she walked; the filly trotted out of the brush and lowered her head. Tani saw the ugly stains that sheathed the horns from tip to hilt. But the filly was waiting for praise. So far as she was concerned she had acted rightly. Tani supplied both praise and cleansing. She didn't blame Destiny for protecting herself but she didn't have to look at the stains, either.

  Storm was out with the warriors. They found only one more enemy. He'd dragged himself far enough away from the camp to die in peace. The enemy horses were further. The medicine woman's interpreter had come with the group. He studied the horses, then the ground. His fingers flew.

  "We have missed an enemy. See, there are fourteen horses. We counted thirteen enemy dead with the one Sunset's spirit-friend killed. Somewhere one waits. Let us return and circle the camp. We search for a trail. Your spirit-friends will help?"

  Storm nodded, sending out both Baku and Surra in reply. Surra found a trail and followed, the Nitra trotting lightly along on foot behind her. The trail wound off to the west. The warrior seemed to have been one of the younger ones who'd attacked from that direction. The Nitra trotted tirelessly. Baku soared higher. She could see no movement below. Almost ten winding miles away, the trail ceased by a jumble of rock and brush. Storm and a tracker looked it over.

  "He came here before dawn. He was very weary. To travel this far in the dark is not easy." Surra was checking about with interest. Storm received a flickering picture from her mind.

  "We spread out and look all around this place. My spirit-friend says one she knows from the clan came here also."

  They found the second set of tracks leading in from a different direction. Storm recognized them as did the tracker, who gave a grunt and signed briefly.

  "Walks Quickly."

  Storm had a premonition. It was almost noon. It was unlikely that either of those tracked here would have remained in hiding that far into the day. Of course, they might have fought and mortally injured each other. But somehow he didn't think so. He went in silence to a puff bush and prepared torches. Then, with one lit and held before him he entered the cave another warrior had spied.

  The light fell on two skeletons. From their positions, Walks Quickly had died in her blankets. The warrior had entered before the killers had finished feeding. His bones lay jumbled barely within the entrance. Storm stepped out from the cave and looked up toward the Peaks. The death was moving closer. As the feefaw flew the cave was only five miles from the clan camp. Of course the camp was also out of the desert and several hundred feet higher up. He wondered how much difference that might make. Beside him the warriors were preparing to perform the funeral rites. When they completed that, they gathered up the dead's possessions and departed.

  Storm halted on a rise to look back. From the desert death came in the night. He'd taken samples from around the skeletons and now carried these in his shirt pockets. He must return and give the information to the Carraldos. If he could return quickly they might be able to tell something from them. He'd talk to the Thunder-Drummer as soon as he could.

  Chapter Twelve

  It took the remainder of the day for the camp to quiet again. The enemy bodies were removed and given the rites to quiet their spirits. Many new bow hands hung in the smoke-holes of the various shelters. Storm had refused his. Instead he had gifted them to the Thunder-Drummer. The offering had met with nods and quick twitters of approval from the Nitra. Bow hands gave power.

  The enemy possessions were shared out with care. Tani had at her disposal the possessions and mounts of the warriors that Mandy and the filly had killed. The two warriors Storm had killed had been well-endowed by clan standards. This time Storm drew approval by handing over all they owned to Tani.

  "Clan-sister," he said formally with both hands and voice. "You are clan-friend here. Let you gift where you will."

  Tani turned to Small Bird and there was a quick flurry of signs. Tani nodded slowly. She stepped to the pile of possessions and studied them and the mounts standing beside the heap. Then she moved with deliberation, taking from the quivers a dozen of the hunting arrows and adding them to her own. The man-slayers arrows she shared between Jumps High and the interpreter.

  To the latter she said, "That you might protect the heart of the clan."

  It was a delicate compliment both to the interpreter as a warrior and to the clan's Thunder-Drummer. Storm hid a grin. Then Tani called Stream Song, handing her a bow, quiver, and the remainder of the hunting arrows she had withheld.

  "For your son. May he be a warrior as his parents are." Another bow and filled quiver went to a young boy on the edge of being accepted as a hunter. His face glowed with joy and pride. Little by little all that the enemy had brought was shared out. Occasionally Tani turned to Small Bird for information but Storm was interested to see that the girl understood the system of clan-sharing. By the time she was done most families had received some small item.

  Finally only the horses remained. One was lame, an elderly mare, but able still to give a foal or two. This went to Stream Song, whose face showed her pleasure. Two were geldings, good animals but nothing special. Tani took their reins and led them to Small Bird. To the tall Nitra woman she handed the horses and signed.

  "For she who is my cousin in the clan, that she may ride."

  She returned to take the reins of the other mount. This was a prize. A mare, no more than five and of real quality. Storm suspected the animal had been stolen from a Norbie clan or even a settler's ranch. He watched. There was no hesitation, the mare was led to the Thunder-Drummer and the reins given into her hand. Storm noticed that before Tani handed over the reins she had made sure all saw her knotting them. The action appeared to have some ritual significance.

  The medicine woman turned, speaking to her interpreter. His hands flashed.

  "You give me a great prize?"

  "A prize for the clan. Let her breed foals for the strength of the clan to grow."

  The Thunder-Drummer made the sign of acceptance. "For the clan, then. It is well done. Go now, Sunset; eat, rest. Tomorrow you return to your people."


  Tani stared, "I have to go home?"

  "We do not cast you out, but it is time." Her eyes turned to eye Storm with amusement. "Before your clan-kin steals you away to them." There was a twittering of laughter at that and the Thunder-Drummer smiled. She reached out to pat the girl's arm. "You are clan-friend to the Djimbut. We do not forget. But those of your blood surely worry. At noon we will say farewell to the Sunset. Come to me and speak alone before that time."

  She led the mare away. Storm stared after her. He wasn't sure what the past days had brought, but it was clear the medicine woman was working to a plan of her own. He shrugged. Medicine took its own paths. It was better not to get in the way. Tani had gone off with Small Bird and Jumps High. Her arrival and their acceptance of her as cousin had done Small Bird and Jumps High no harm, he mused. On the contrary. The warrior had originally owned his personal mount and shared a pack horse with another warrior.

  The enemy killed in the shelter had owned a poor mount and meager possessions, but all had gone to Jumps High's family. Tani had refused anything from that victory. On top of that Small Bird now owned two horses herself. She could ride when the clan moved and use the second gelding as another pack animal. Better still, she now had a spare horse she could offer to her daughters when they came to their name-trials. A girl on name-trial had a higher chance of survival with a pony to do the work, and with the speed for her to escape danger. It was no wonder Small Bird had looked so happily at the gifted animals.

  Storm saw to Baku. She'd be molting soon. She still would be able to fly if he imped her flight feathers to repair any that were broken, but she would be lazy and reluctant to take to the air unless she hungered badly. Paraowls molted as well. He hoped Mandy's molt cycle wasn't the same, or they'd have no eyes in the sky. Storm hadn't forgotten the death even if Tani had. He'd said nothing to her of the pair they'd found as skeletons. Their possessions had been quietly shared among the party who'd found them. Walks Quickly certainly had taken enough, Storm had thought. Maybe she'd planned to live in the cave she knew of for some time. Waiting for an opportunity to steal from the clan that had cast her out.