The Gathering Night (30 page)

She whimpered.

‘One of those things is to let your parents starve. You know that, Arantxa. Your children may well refuse to live with you, but they know what evil the spirits would bring down on them if they let you starve. You
knew
you didn't have to be afraid of that. What you were really afraid of was being left alone with your man. Why don't you leave him?'

Arantxa said I didn't understand, and tried to summon up a sob. But all her tears were out of her, just as all my patience was now out of me.

‘You know what the other thing is, Arantxa. Do you want all the People at Gathering Camp to hear who it was that attacked Osané? Do you want them all to hear the things that went on in your family? You know what that might lead to, don't you, Arantxa?'

‘You give me no choice.' Arantxa stretched her hands towards the sky. ‘I can't tell you everything, but everything I tell you is true.

‘Basajaun and . . .' Arantxa mentioned another name, which no longer lives among us – ‘left the Heron People in Limpet Moon. They travelled towards the Sunless Sky—'

‘Who is . . .?' I also spoke the other name.

‘He's Basajaun's cousin – Kemen's cousin. He's one of the Lynx People. Four young men came from under the Morning Sun Sky after the sea washed away the Lynx People's lands. One took a woman among the Heron People. He's still there. Basajaun said the Heron People accepted him. As for the two who've come here – I don't know. Maybe the Heron People told them to go away, or maybe Basajaun's story is true – that he grew restless among the Heron People and wanted to leave. He missed his brother – this is what Basajaun told us. He wanted to find out if Kemen was still alive. Kemen had told everyone he was going to Mother Mountain Island to find the Auk People because he had cousins here. I don't know about that: I think even if there were cousins long ago, it's too far-off for Kemen to call anyone here his kin.'

Arantxa's story had taken hold of her now, and it put its own strength into her voice. ‘So Basajaun and his cousin made a boat and crossed the Wide Strait, heading towards the Sunless Sky. But the wind wasn't kind to them. It wouldn't let them through to Mother Mountain Island. They had to turn and run before the wind towards the Morning Sun Sky. They landed near Edur's winter Camp by Rapid Strait. Not that I was ever in any of these places – I'm just saying what Basajaun told us. They found a path, which led them to the winter Camp of Edur's family, just across the strait from Grandmother Mountain. Basajaun and his cousin walked into the Camp one day near the end of Limpet Moon. They brought as much bear meat as two men could carry. You know what these last winters have been like, Nekané! Even Edur hadn't had good hunting. Then one day these two strangers arrive, loaded with meat!

‘Basajaun walked straight to the hearth where Edur's family were roasting saithe on sticks. His cousin couldn't choose but follow him because he was carrying the other end of the pole – that's how it always is with Basajaun and his cousin, as far as I can tell.

‘According to Edur, Basajaun wasn't in the least afraid of walking into a strange Camp, loaded with meat taken in another People's hunting lands. He just said, “Here we are, two poor strangers seeking shelter at your hearth. Not only do we bring nothing – all we can do is beg you to be kind – but perhaps we've already wronged you. I don't know if we got this little bit of meat in a place where you usually hunt. But if we did, then we'll do anything we can to make it up to you. It's not much, as you see. It was so easy to get, you probably wouldn't have bothered with it anyway. And you see how weak we are; we couldn't even carry much. It was hardly worth wasting the string to hang the rest of it, but we can fetch it tomorrow if you like. It's strung from a big pine tree – I expect you know the one. Maybe some of these strong men could help us. But if we'd known we were so near your winter Camp we wouldn't have taken so much as a limpet without telling you we were here first. As it is, we can only beg you to forgive us, and ask you to accept two useless strangers at your hearth, even if it's just for one night. It would be very kind if you shared this little bit of meat with us, so we didn't feel quite such a burden to you.”

‘Well, Nekané, it's not hard to guess how Edur felt about that! Edur had to listen to Basajaun speaking to that Bear's skull in his own Camp! To make it even worse, Basajaun gave the bearskin to Edur's mother, and she liked it so much she started giving those Lynx strangers food before her own son! At first the family thought these strangers were Heron People. The Heron People must have had a hard winter too. Young men might easily paddle across into Auk country and take meat if they could. The odd part was that they came and told Edur's family what they'd done. Why, Edur and his cousins could easily have killed them! That's what they'd have done if they'd caught them hunting – a sleeping bear too! A Bear in winter must give itself to the men whose Camp is nearest. I'm glad
we
live a long way from any other People. I think you'd have to travel for at least four days from here to get beyond Auk country. It's much better that way. Even Mother Mountain Island is too close to the Heron People for my liking.'

‘A full day's journey when the sea is at its kindest,' I pointed out. ‘No one would dare hunt so far into another People's country. But, Arantxa, you must know that men who live near another People are often more willing to fight. They get like that among their own People too. It gets into their blood. Your sons need to be wary of men like Edur, Arantxa!'

I shouldn't have spoken. She looked frightened, and her story almost lost its hold on her. ‘Oh, I don't . . . I'm sure they won't . . .
My
boys haven't had anything to do with any of this. You saw yourself how Itzal and Koldo wouldn't go to Hunting Camp when my man took Edur and his cousin with the others. They said no, they'd rather go by themselves to Flint Camp. You know that – that's where you met them! Oroitz went, it's true, but Oroitz never minds what anyone does. I'm sure
he
won't get into a fight. At least . . . Nekané, I do hope not!'

‘So Basajaun and his cousin brought this bear meat into Edur's Camp,' I prompted her.

‘Oh yes – where was I? They feasted on the bear meat. Everyone felt well fed and happy. Then Basajaun asked about Kemen. Edur thought very quickly—'

‘I don't believe it!'

‘Did you say something, Nekané? Oh, I thought you did. Edur told the women not to chatter, and took over the talk himself. When the rest of the family understood what he was doing they didn't say anything either. Nobody let on that Kemen was Edur's enemy. Edur told Basajaun that Kemen had taken a woman – Osané – not just any woman, but a prize that any man alive would have been glad to win. He told Basajaun how Kemen had been marked by the Go-Between and accepted by our People. All this was true – so far as it went. Of course Basajaun thought it was very good news. The way Edur talked, Basajaun was left believing that everyone was so pleased with Kemen they'd certainly welcome his brother too. You may wonder, Nekané, why Edur misled Basajaun like this. When my man told me about it I wondered myself.'

‘No,' I said. ‘I'm not in the least surprised by anything you say. Go on, Arantxa!'

‘Edur offered to take Basajaun and his cousin to Osané's family. Of course Basajaun assumed that our daughter, and Kemen too, would be here with us. Edur didn't say anything about how Osané was stolen from us. He didn't tell Kemen's brother how my daughter's own baby – my only grandchild – was a stranger to me, and I to him. He didn't tell Basajaun that Kemen had—'

‘All right, Arantxa. I understand everything that Edur didn't tell Basajaun. Go on with your story!'

‘But, Nekané, it's all part of . . . Oh, very well: Basajaun and his cousin set off with Edur as soon as the sea let them through. They reached our Bird Camp early in Egg Moon. They'd been travelling for many days' – Arantxa held up both hands with all fingers spread – ‘I'm not sure just how many. The winds were unkind, but we were still at Bird Camp when Edur's boat arrived.

‘Our Go-Between met them on the shore. His Helpers had told him something – I don't know what. But Hodei came running into Camp – he'd left them pulling up the boat – Edur had spoken to him secretly – I don't know how – Hodei told us Edur was there, with Kemen's brother and cousin. You can guess how everyone burst into sudden chatter and angry threats! Hodei held up his hands and yelled above the noise. He said if we wanted everything to be healed we must listen to him at once. He said this brother and cousin of Kemen's mustn't hear anyone shouting. He seized my man by the shoulders and shook him. I thought there'd be a fight. But the women – some of the men too – shouted my man into silence.

‘“Listen!” Hodei said. “Listen to me carefully all of you – you must understand quickly. Listen!

‘“Edur has brought Kemen's brother and cousin to us. The Animals made this happen. The Animals are unhappy. You've seen how little they give themselves. Why are the Animals avoiding us? Because bad spirits haunt us. We opened the way to the bad spirits when the rightness of things was broken. Ever since Kemen took Osané our winters have been bad. Do we want to be hungry? Do we want it to get worse? Do we want our children to start dying? We must get rid of these bad spirits! Good spirits brought Kemen's brother and cousin into Edur's winter Camp. Good spirits whispered in Edur's ear and told him to bring these People here. This is so that we can put right the wrong that was done when these Lynx People first brought their bad spirits into our lands.

‘“But we must help the spirits! Listen – these People will be here in a heartbeat – listen to what we must do! We must treat these Lynx People as if they're our friends. We'll give them food, and let them stay with us. We'll hunt with them – Quiet, you! Listen to me, if you wish your children to live! – We'll hunt with them, I say, as if they were our brothers. We'll let them think that Kemen is our friend –
listen
, I tell you! – we'll tell them how sad we are that Osané and Kemen aren't here to greet them. And this – listen, you women – I know it's hard for you not to pour out speech like water as soon as a man even looks at you – this is what you must say: you must say that Osané and Kemen have been in this family since Kemen took her. Usually they live here with us. It's a sad chance that this summer they decided to stay with Kemen's good friend Amets. We'll all be very happy to see them when we meet at Gathering Camp – that's what you must say. Have you understood me?

‘“You're saying you can't lie? Then don't lie! It's better if you women don't speak at all. If only it could always be so! These men won't ask you – why should they? Just let them believe what they think they see. Then the lie is in their own heads, and all you have to do is let it live. Smile at them. Agree with them. And don't let your children say anything either! Have you all understood that? Quiet now, get back to your work! They're coming now!”

‘That's what Hodei told us to do. No one is happy. You must have seen that. People are unhappy because it's wrong to give People food and yet lie to them. Some People here are glad – they dare not say this to me, but I know it – that Kemen took Osané away from her family. Even my sister said that Kemen is a good man. How can Kemen be
good
, when he . . . But not everyone here thinks that Kemen brought bad spirits. Not everyone here wants to hurt him—'

‘How much do
you
want to hurt him, Arantxa?'

Clearly no one had asked her that before. I heard her catch her breath. She looked around her as if she'd forgotten where she was. I glanced out to sea. The ebb had slackened. Out in the loch a ripple of darker water was beginning to flow the other way. An otter was swimming away from the rocks at the far end of the island: I could see the black dot of his head, and a spreading wake in the silvery water. In this sea I'd be able to see a boat from very far away. If anyone were coming to interrupt us I'd have plenty of warning.

‘Forget what your man keeps telling you to think, Arantxa. How much do
you
really want to hurt Kemen?'

Arantxa said very quietly, ‘I want my daughter back.'

‘And who's stopping you having her back? Who is it who makes it impossible for her to see you, let alone stay with you? Is it
Kemen
?'

Arantxa said even more quietly, as if the words were being dragged out of her heart by a stubborn spirit, ‘If Osané is truly happy . . .'

‘Osané is happier than she's ever been before.'

‘ . . . then I wouldn't take Kemen from her.'

‘For that kindness, Arantxa, one day the spirits may be kind to you.'

‘You mean—'

‘What I say. So finish telling me, Arantxa. Basajaun and his cousin have stayed in your Camp for almost a whole Moon, and they still believe that everyone here, including your husband, is their friend?'

‘My husband most of all. Once he understood that the point of this lie was to get back at Kemen, he gave himself over to it more than anyone. He takes Basajaun and his cousin hunting with him. He treats them far better than he's ever treated his own sons. I told you, though, Itzal and Koldo won't have anything to do with it. I don't know what they think. They're angry with everyone, and certainly they won't talk to me. It's all been very difficult, Nekané.' Arantxa's face began to work again. ‘Worse than you could possibly guess. With my man threatening me, and the rest of my family all furious with me – why
me
? – for dragging them into this, and the boys hardly speaking to me, and Hodei urging us on . . . Oh, Nekané, I hate it all so much!'