The Standing Dead - Stone Dance of the Chameleon 02 (52 page)

There's
a
difference
between
wanting
to
stay
alive
and being
afraid,'
said
Loskai.

At
that
moment
Crowrane
approached
demanding
to know
from
his
son
what
was
going
on.
As
Loskai explained,
his
father
frowned,
all
the
time
keeping
his eyes
on
Osidian.

'Well,
I'm
going
to
get
myself
an
egg
and
anyone else
who
isn't
afraid
can
come
with
me,'
said
Osidian in
Vulgate
to
the
younger
men
who
were
gathering round.

Osidian
looked
at
Ravan.
'You
at
least
aren't
afraid
to come
with
me,
or
are
you,
son
of
Stormrane?'

'I'll
go
...
I'll
go
with
you,'
the
youth
answered,
his face
shiny
with
sweat.
He
took
it
upon
himself
to
translate the
Master's
words
for
those
who
had
no
Vulgate.
Krow, among
others,
moved
to
stand
with
Ravan
at
Osidian's side.
The
rest
looked
for
guidance
to
Crowrane,
who
was surveying
the
roost
as
if
he
were
calculating
the
odds.
He brought
the
men
of
his
hunt
into
focus.

'Shall
we
allow
one
of
the
Standing
Dead
to
slur
our manhood?'

The
older
among
them
shook
their
heads
slowly, regarding
the
Elder
in
puzzlement.
The
youngsters declared
their
bravery
noisily.
Their
commotion
brought Galewing,
accompanied
by
several
of
his
hunt.

He
cowed
them
into
silence
with
a
glare.
'Are
you
lot trying
to
get
us
trampled?'

Crowrane
encouraged
the
Elder
to
move
away
with him.
Carnelian
could
see
Crowrane
explaining.
When Galewing
grew
angry,
Crowrane
calmed
him.
Carnelian did
not
like
the
glances
they
gave
him
as
they
talked
and approached
Osidian.

'You
must
not
do
this,'
he
said
in
Quya.

'It
is
no
longer
possible
to
turn
back,'
Osidian
replied.

Carnelian
glanced
off
to
where
the
Elders
were
still
in discussion.
'You
are
putting
us
in
their
trap.'

'On
the
contrary,
I
am
turning
their
trap
against
them.' He
smiled,
fire
in
his
eyes.
'Will
you
join
me?'

Crowrane
returned.
'Father
Galewing
will
make
sure the
water
gets
back
safely
to
the
Koppie.
Those
of
you who
wish
should
return
with
him.'

No
one
moved.

'Well,
then,
let's
go
and
get
ourselves
some
eggs.'

Grinning,
excited,
the
youngsters
ran
for
their
aquar. Crowrane
followed
them,
frowning.
At
his
side,
Loskai was
giving
him
an
anxious
look.

Carnelian
became
aware
Osidian
was
still
waiting
for an
answer.
Carnelian's
unease
turned
to
irritation.

'Do
I
have
any
choice?'

As
Osidian
cantered
into
the
lagoon,
flamingos
rose
like a
sudden
dawn.
Carnelian
was
mesmerized
by
their
flashing
wingbeats.
The
cloud
cleared
to
reveal
dazzling
water stretching
to
the
island.
Many
of
the
bellowers
there
were turning
to
watch
them.

'What
now,
Master?'
Loskai
cried,
hanging
back
with his
father.

Osidian
ignored
the
Plainsman.
He
swung
his
arm round,
his
hand
tracing
a
bright
arc
in
the
air.
At
this signal,
Ravan,
to
whom
Carnelian
had
earlier
seen Osidian
giving
instructions,
waded
his
aquar
off
into
the deeper
water
on
their
right
leading
some
of
the youngsters.
Carnelian
watched
them
curve
round towards
the
shore
of
the
island,
wondering
that
they were
so
readily
prepared
to
obey
Osidian.
As
Ravan
and his
party
drew
nearer
to
the
bellowers
they
rose
up alarmed,
rending
the
air
with
a
trumpeting
that
set aquar
plumes
and
Carnelian's
heart
to
fluttering.
The brazen
cries
rose
and
fell
in
angry
fanfares
as
more
and more
of
the
bellowers
came
down
to
the
water's
edge. The
riders
continued
wading
parallel
to
the
shore
until they
moved
out
of
sight,
drawing
the
bellowers
away.

Without
a
backward
glance,
Osidian
sent
his
aquar forward
at
a
lope
towards
the
island.
Carnelian
could
feel the
general
hesitation
and
sent
his
aquar
after
Osidian, hoping
to
encourage
others
to
follow.
Even
before
he
had caught
up
with
Osidian,
Carnelian
could
hear
the
water behind
him
being
churned
to
foam
by
the
feet
of
many aquar.
Carnelian
did
not
dare
look
to
either
side,
lest
he should
break
the
spell
that
was
drawing
them.

At
its
deepest,
the
water
came
up
to
the
high
ankle
of Osidian's
aquar.
Soon
they
were
coming
up
out
of
it, riding
along
a
ridge
that
swelled
up
to
form
the
island.
A few
bellowers
trumpeting
madly
defended
the
passage
to the
roost.