The Prodigal Troll by Charles Coleman Finlay

Author:Charles Coleman Finlay
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Science Fiction, Fantasy fiction, Fiction, Fantasy, Trolls, General, Children
ISBN: 9781591023326
Publisher: Pyr
Published: 2005-06-30T16:36:05+00:00

e is saying what?" Maggot asked.

In the moons since he had rescued Sinnglas-that was his friend's name, he knew now, not Chin; chin was their word for the food-slipping-in-place-Maggot had made great strides in learning people talk. But the newcomer's accent was just different enough that Maggot could not understand him. Nor did it help that he and Sinnglas sat on the far side of the council, in the place of least favor.

"Wait." Sinnglas leaned forward. "I'm listening."

Maggot waited. And listened. Mostly he watched.

The newcomer was only the latest visitor to come to the council cave of Sinnglas's people. Council lodge, he tried to think the word, though the space, shaped of cut and bent branches, and dark inside, resembled a stuffy cave, especially when crowded by several dozen men and the pungent aroma of their medicine weed.

Strangers had been coming for weeks to the council lodge, but this newcomer impressed Maggot more than the others. He was older, with shoulders as broad as a troll's and arms as long. His nose bent like a hawk's beak, and he talked through it more than through his mouth, making raspy, indistinct words Maggot could not follow. The newcomer's clothes were less like those of the men around him, and more like those Maggot had seen among the lion-hunting men. He carried many weapons, and two men followed him wherever he went, like a pair of trollbirds.

Everyone in the council lodge listened to the newcomer with great seriousness, as if he were the sound of dawn.

They sat cross-legged on the ground, frowning and sighing somberly, while the newcomer droned. Maggot had tried sitting the same way and didn't like it, so he continued to squat troll-fashion on his haunches. It also raised him slightly above the others and made it easier for him to watch their reactions. The newcomer sat in the center at the council's place of honor, beside Damaqua. Damaqua was the First of this band. He was also Sinnglas's brother.

One of Sinnglas's brothers. The other two sat behind Maggot, at the farthest end of the hall, squeezed back against the wall. Their names were Keekyu and Pisqueto. Their eyes gleamed as happily as the morning they had found their brother Sinnglas safe from the flood.

The newcomer finished speaking. He unfolded a cloth lying across his lap and raised a broad belt of beads, mostly black and white. Maggot couldn't quite read the picture-it looked like several men hunting an animal.

Several of the older men shouted, then fell quiet. The newcomer handed the belt to Damaqua. Keekyu and Pisqueto traded half-smiles and nods.

Sinnglas pretended to relax, but his eyes stayed focused on his older brother. Maggot felt like he had the first time he could remember watching trolls vote on something.

Damaqua held the belt up, inspected it, then turned it around, lifted it high, and presented it again to all the men gathered in the lodge. Now Maggot saw the picture clearly. Four men hunted a big tooth lion. One of the men had bright red beads atop his head, the color of Damaqua's turban.

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