The Burning Ground by Jo Clayton

Author:Jo Clayton [Clayton, Jo]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: sf_action
Published: 1995-09-21T20:00:00+00:00

***

Luca slid into the thicket where Wintshikan waited, sitting cross-legged on her blankets, her back against the trunk of a small tree, Zell crouching beside her. “Where is he?”

“Back by the stream with his yuzz. Hidan is watching him. Xe’ll let Zell know if he moves.”

“He’s a spy. Didn’t even bother trying to cover his trail. He circled round to come from the east, but he started west. There’s a camp about half an hour down-road. Five mals, armed. Not a phela, sneak thieves and bandits, making more of themselves than is there. Sitting round the fire drinking stilled phuz and boasting what they’re going to do to us.” Luca closed her eyes and shuddered. “Ferns ‘11 be dead when they’re fmished, but they’ll keep the femlits and the anyas to sell. There’s a roaring market for healthy anyas. And the Freetowns are always looking for new, clean whores.” Her voice shook. “Seems like the ones they have don’t live very long.”

“Good work, Luca. Did they say when they’re coming for us?”

“Tomorrow night. The spy’s going to stay with us, make sure that all the arms we have are a few knives.”

“Yes. How drunk are that lot?”

“They’re celebrating pretty hard. In another hour or so, you could kick them in the face and they wouldn’t know it.”

“Do you think it would be worthwhile to rob the thieves?”

“Ahhhh.” Luca pressed her hand across her mouth to keep in the laughter. Eyes dancing, she nodded.

Wintshikan rose to her feet, took the Shawl Zell handed her, flung it round her shoulders, and spoke in formal mode as Heka of the Shishim ixis. “For the crimes of planned murder and enslavement, I declare Bukha the Needle Mal neither Pixa or Impix but beast, and I require of that beast its life.” Sighing, she dropped the Shawl on the blankets. “All very well, these grand pronouncements. Now I have to decide how to do it.”

“Leave it to Wann and me. We can cut the bhasit’s throat while he sleeps.”

“No, Luca. This must be execution, not murder. And he must have his chance to make peace with God.”

“Why? Would he give us a chance?”

“This isn’t about him, it’s about us. Do you really want to use that lot as your standard?”

Luca scowled, then stalked off.

Zell touched Wintshikan’s arm. +She’s hurting and filled with rage, Wintashi, I can feel it. She’ll leave us if we push her too hard.+

+I know. Seems everything I try is wrong. Has Wann?+

+Wann will not speak to us. Xe has given pledge to Luca.+

+Why didn’t they tell us, let us bless them?+

+They will not accept a blessing. What Wann has said to us in anyabond is that it would be a blasphemy, and that they will not do.+

+It is the war, Zizi. Why was I so slow to see? I find myself standing too close to Luca’s ground, too often tempted to hurl curses at God for letting such horrors happen.+ Wintshikan rubbed the sudden rush of tears from her eyes. “So let us go, my sister, my love, and do a horror of our own.

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