iron point went in at her chest, and then the spear twisted free from his hands. He rolled away and watched as the screaming cat raked at the shaft with her claws. Finally blade nicked spine and the leopard went limp. She stared at him with fluttering yellow eyes, until at last her bleeding slowed to a trickle and she died.
He stood and looked down at the dead leopard. Only now could he see the splash of rosettes hidden deep within her black coat—rosettes the same as a typical and ordinary leopard. The first few driver ants had discovered this new kill, and he watched as the insect river divided itself yet again. This would not be so horrible, he thought—to be devoured by the forest. He knelt and with the wet spearhead he sawed off the man-eater’s tail, his proof for Chabo.
A beam of sun pierced through the canopy, and Kau felt his body being cut by light. He tied the soft black tail in a twist around his neck and let himself be warmed. He could sense the forest watching him, and he trembled as he began walking toward the village.
V
Hungry Crow—The Conecuh River—An unknown killer—The highwaymen
T HAT AFTERNOON HE overtook the three redsticks, and they halted their horses as he told them of the panther. When he was finished speaking Morning Star rocked back on his mount. His gray horse was coughing now, and a lump had formed on the left side of its neck. The prophet rode on ahead, and Blood Girl galloped after him. When she returned it was to report that Morning Star had shared a vision. She circled Kau on her horse and then looked down at him. “Stay close to us,” she said. “Another redstick is coming.”
HIS NAME WAS Hungry Crow and he rode a black horse. They were making a fire for the night when he galloped into their camp, his longrifle held high above his head. This fourth stallion was quickly
challenged by the other three that stood hobbled nearby, but then Morning Star rushed over and the horses all calmed.
Hungry Crow was both taller and thinner than any man Kau had seen in the whole of his life, taller even than Morning Star. Kau was introduced but Hungry Crow ignored him.
“He can speak our language,” said Blood Girl.
Hungry Crow dismounted and walked over to him. His dark hair had been shaved save a narrow roach running from his forehead to the nape of his neck. He lifted a finger to Kau’s mouth but Kau stepped away. Finally the redstick spoke: “Those were your small tracks?”
Kau nodded.
Hungry Crow contorted his bony face into a sneer. “I wondered,” he said. “I thought a child was wandering lost.”
HE CAME TO understand that Hungry Crow lived alone in the canebrake as an angry hermit of sorts, and was a stranger to all of the redsticks save Little Horn. Blood Girl explained that both men were from the Tallushatchee village, had fought together when the Creek War started at Burnt Corn, and now Kau sat listening by the fire with the others as Little Horn told Hungry Crow their purpose in his hideaway, asking what if anything he knew of the men they had come to hunt.
“Thieves,” said Hungry Crow. “Nothing more.”
“So you do know of them?” asked Little Horn.
“Of course.”
“And their cave?”
“Not far. Two day’s ride.” Hungry Crow pointed at Kau. “Maybe two moons of walking for the little one.” The redstick started to say more but then went silent. Morning Star was scraping at his cut teeth with the frayed end of a twig, and Kau saw Hungry Crow look from the prophet to him and then back again. He is jealous, Kau realized. Hungry Crow kept on staring and Kau heard a hissing sound. Morning Star was laughing now. The closest he had yet come to speaking beyond his whisperings to Blood Girl.
THOUGH HE SEEMED to hate all men Hungry Crow was also a redstick, and so in the end he agreed to guide them and kill with them. The next morning the redsticks mounted their horses and rode off in a single-file string. Kau lingered in camp until they
He stood and looked down at the dead leopard. Only now could he see the splash of rosettes hidden deep within her black coat—rosettes the same as a typical and ordinary leopard. The first few driver ants had discovered this new kill, and he watched as the insect river divided itself yet again. This would not be so horrible, he thought—to be devoured by the forest. He knelt and with the wet spearhead he sawed off the man-eater’s tail, his proof for Chabo.
A beam of sun pierced through the canopy, and Kau felt his body being cut by light. He tied the soft black tail in a twist around his neck and let himself be warmed. He could sense the forest watching him, and he trembled as he began walking toward the village.
V
Hungry Crow—The Conecuh River—An unknown killer—The highwaymen
T HAT AFTERNOON HE overtook the three redsticks, and they halted their horses as he told them of the panther. When he was finished speaking Morning Star rocked back on his mount. His gray horse was coughing now, and a lump had formed on the left side of its neck. The prophet rode on ahead, and Blood Girl galloped after him. When she returned it was to report that Morning Star had shared a vision. She circled Kau on her horse and then looked down at him. “Stay close to us,” she said. “Another redstick is coming.”
HIS NAME WAS Hungry Crow and he rode a black horse. They were making a fire for the night when he galloped into their camp, his longrifle held high above his head. This fourth stallion was quickly
challenged by the other three that stood hobbled nearby, but then Morning Star rushed over and the horses all calmed.
Hungry Crow was both taller and thinner than any man Kau had seen in the whole of his life, taller even than Morning Star. Kau was introduced but Hungry Crow ignored him.
“He can speak our language,” said Blood Girl.
Hungry Crow dismounted and walked over to him. His dark hair had been shaved save a narrow roach running from his forehead to the nape of his neck. He lifted a finger to Kau’s mouth but Kau stepped away. Finally the redstick spoke: “Those were your small tracks?”
Kau nodded.
Hungry Crow contorted his bony face into a sneer. “I wondered,” he said. “I thought a child was wandering lost.”
HE CAME TO understand that Hungry Crow lived alone in the canebrake as an angry hermit of sorts, and was a stranger to all of the redsticks save Little Horn. Blood Girl explained that both men were from the Tallushatchee village, had fought together when the Creek War started at Burnt Corn, and now Kau sat listening by the fire with the others as Little Horn told Hungry Crow their purpose in his hideaway, asking what if anything he knew of the men they had come to hunt.
“Thieves,” said Hungry Crow. “Nothing more.”
“So you do know of them?” asked Little Horn.
“Of course.”
“And their cave?”
“Not far. Two day’s ride.” Hungry Crow pointed at Kau. “Maybe two moons of walking for the little one.” The redstick started to say more but then went silent. Morning Star was scraping at his cut teeth with the frayed end of a twig, and Kau saw Hungry Crow look from the prophet to him and then back again. He is jealous, Kau realized. Hungry Crow kept on staring and Kau heard a hissing sound. Morning Star was laughing now. The closest he had yet come to speaking beyond his whisperings to Blood Girl.
THOUGH HE SEEMED to hate all men Hungry Crow was also a redstick, and so in the end he agreed to guide them and kill with them. The next morning the redsticks mounted their horses and rode off in a single-file string. Kau lingered in camp until they
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