Death on the Trek (19 page)

Eventually, Enga thought-spoke again.
Would it help you if you talked to me about your troubles? I would like to hear, again, what you saw the night Panan One Eye was killed.

He nodded against her breast, then straightened.
Mother Sky had sent a breath of fog that I could not see through well. What I saw was not clear. But I did see a very white Spirit and I did see Panan One Eye. I saw her lift the heavy rock.

Enga received the picture from Mootak as he sent his thoughts to her. She saw the white shape and she saw Panan. The white shape bent to pick up a large rock. The shape had long hair, hanging down, not braided. She wished the fog would part so she could see more clearly, but the mist was thick. She thought the Spirit looked white only because of the fog.

Could the Spirit be a person?
she asked.

A dead person? One who walks after death?

No, I mean a person who is alive. I mean a member of the Hamapa tribe. Not a Spirit, but a person who looks like a Spirit in the misty breath, the thick air that Mother Sky sent to us.

Mootak frowned and considered this.

Enga continued.
Could a Spirit lift a heavy rock? A person could.

He nodded.

Did you see that the Spirit was a female and not a male?

His eyes grew big and round.
I did say it was female, but I do not know that. I am not sure.

And how did you know the rock was heavy?

It was hard to lift. It was large. And it crushed Panan One Eye when she…or he…

Mootak started gulping back sobs and could not finish his thought-speak. But Enga saw the rest through the vision he sent.

She now knew that someone with long hair had killed Panan. That might help her in her questioning. She held Mootak until he calmed, then led him back to his sleeping skin. His parents had not awakened. Neither had Tog. She slipped beside Tog and, in his sleep, he put his arm across her body again.

Chapter 29

Enga Dancing Flower hung back to approach Jeek as they walked. He had seen her doing private thought-speak with the others during the last sun time and at this one. He felt left out, as he had helped her the last time someone had met a violent death in the tribe. Now she was dropping back to walk beside him. Maybe she would want his help now. He hoped so.

Are you trying to find out who killed Tikihoo?
he asked as soon as she was walking next to him.

She smiled at him. He grinned back as she answered.
I am. I am also trying to find out who killed Panan One Eye.

Do you want me to help you?

She looked surprised at that.

I did help you find the killer when we were living in our village. I could help now.

She looked at him and thought private thoughts, then thought-spoke to him.
Yes, you did help. Maybe you can now, also.

The grin of Jeek grew wider.
What do you want me to do?

I am asking questions about the dark time when Tikihoo was killed. You can help me do that. Here are the questions I ask. Did you sleep well in the dark time when Tikihoo died? Did you hear anyone moving around? Did you get up and move around? Did you see Tikihoo get up?

Jeek was puzzled and frowned.
Why do you ask about the death of Tikihoo? I would ask questions about the death of Panan One Eye.

Hama has told me to ask questions about the death of Tikihoo. You will find that some of them will tell you what they think about the slaying of Panan One Eye after they answer these questions. I am more and more certain that the same person killed both. But now I will ask you to answer these questions.

Jeek thought for a few moments.
I did not see or hear anything at the time Tikihoo died. I believe everyone slept well that night, as we were all tired from walking and we were hungry, eating nothing but the terrible Hooden meat.

They walked a few steps without communicating before Jeek continued.
You want to know who I think killed Panan One Eye. Why do you think it was not Mootak Big Heart? He was the only one with Panan One Eye. Everyone else was on the opposite side of the flooding water.

The flooding was going down during the night
, Enga answered
. Someone could have waded across and done it. I believe Mootak Big Heart when he says he saw someone lift a rock and smash the head of Panan One Eye, then roll him into the water.

It was not a Spirit? He says it was.

Jeek, do you think a Spirit would do that? I will tell you something no one else knows. You must not reveal this, but it will help you when you ask questions.
Her thought-speak became cloaked even tighter in a darker shade of blue, the color of Mother Sky just before she stormed.
The Spirit, or person, had long, straight hair.

Jeek stopped walking to absorb this, then started up again after the person behind him bumped into his back. His thoughts whirled. That would mean that there were only some members of the tribe who could have killed Panan. The hair of Hama was dark and curly. That of her birth-daughter, Gunda, was wavy and as red as Sister Sun when she met Brother Earth at the end of sun time. Enga herself braided her hair. Her birth-sister, Ung Strong Arm, had wavy hair that did not grow very long. His own birth-mother cut hers short. Ongu Small One wound her braid around her head. Who were the females with long, straight hair? Lakala Rippling Water, Vala Golden Hair, Fee Long Thrower, and…who else?

Of the males, Sannum Straight Hair and most of the other males had long, straight hair. Tog Flint Shaper wore his in a topknot and Bahg Swiftfeet wore two braids. Even Hapa and Akkal and Teek had long hair. Only Cabat had shorter, curly hair.

Another thought came to him. What if someone who wore braided hair had unbraided it, as they sometimes did, and let it hang loose? That happened for sleeping sometimes, as well as at other times. Maybe Ung and Zhoo, his birth-mother, were the only two females and Cabat the only male who could not be the killer because of the length of their hair.

Could Mootak Big Heart tell that the hair was straight? Could not wavy hair look straight in the fog that lay on everything at that time?
he asked Enga.

She did not know the answer to that.
I did see the happening through the mind of Mootak Big Heart, but I cannot answer that question. The vision was unclear. Maybe you are right. The hair could be wavy.

I will ask the questions and tell you the answers when we stop to eat and sleep.

Enga told him who she had questioned and they divided up the rest.

After she left him, he wondered if he should have told her about the gestures that Tikihoo made to him and to Fall Cape Maker shortly before she died. He would tell her later.

Jeek had not looked forward to making camp with this much eagerness since they had started the trek. He was energized by helping Enga.

* * *

Enga Dancing Flower was pleased that young Jeek wanted to help. He was clever and could converse more easily than she could with the younger tribe members, the ones nearer his age. Meanwhile, she would talk to some more brothers and sisters as they trudged onward.

She had not yet asked Tog Flint Shaper, her own mate, what he thought about her questions. Nor her birth-sister, Ung Strong Arm and the mate of Ung, Lakala Rippling Water. She would also question the mother of Jeek, Zhoo of Still Waters, since Jeek would not be a good one to do that. This last thought made her wonder if she should be the one to talk to those closest to her. Maybe she would talk to them, then Jeek could also do it. Maybe she would ask about Tikihoo and he could ask questions directly about the death of Panan One Eye, so they would not be saying the same things.

Satisfied with that plan, she looked around for Tog. She found him. He was carrying Sooka, but the mother of the baby girl was not near them. Vala Golden Hair hung on the arm of Bodd Blow Striker, opening her mouth to softly laugh at something he had thought-spoken to her. He had been falling under her spell of flattery for some time now.

Putting Vala out of her mind, she caught up to Tog and started making nonsense noises to Sooka to make her laugh before she sent Tog her private questions.

I have been asking many of our tribe these things. I should ask you also.

He willingly answered that he neither saw nor heard anything.
But, Enga Dancing Flower, you should not be doing this. If someone traveling with us killed both of them, that person will not want you finding out who he is.

Or who
she
is.
She took Sooka in her arms. It was wonderful to hold the baby. Sooka giggled when she made a funny face. Enga put her nose to the top of the head of Sooka and breathed in the pure scent of the baby. Enga wondered if she would always miss the baby she never had.

Do you think a female or a male killed them?
Tog asked.

I am not certain. It could be either one.

Yes, Hamapa females are strong. Our males are strong, too, even the old ones. You are correct. It could be either. Do you have any ideas about this?

She shook her head and the ends of her braids ticked the baby. Sooka laughed, showing her one glistening tooth in her bottom gum. A Hamapa baby would have all of her teeth at this age, more than six moons.

That was all she could find out from Tog. He had no ideas on who the killer of Tikihoo was. She saw Bodd stride away from Vala and start walking next to Fall. She handed the baby back to Tog, with great reluctance—Sooka smelled so sweet and felt so soft. She had to talk to those two, though.

Not wanting Tog to know she was questioning Fall and Bodd, she made the excuse that she had to step aside and relieve herself. When Tog was a good distance away, she returned and sought out the Gata males. She was glad they were behind Tog.

Bodd had nothing at all to add. Fall told her about the hand motions she had seen Tikihoo making to him and Jeek, wondering if they had had anything to do with what happened to her.

She was worried. Scared of something, or someone,
Fall thought-spoke.
She made motions like this.

Enga watched very closely as he tried to repeat them. He screwed up his face like he was crying and balled his fists, turned them in front of at his eyes, then pointed.
She pointed to the riverbank.
Then he put his hands on his hair and brought them down several times.

Crying?
Enga asked.
And indicating someone with long hair?
The long hair agreed with what Mootak saw.

Maybe.
Fall then mimicked cradling a baby, and walking slowly.

Enga puzzled over these actions. She had come upon Tikihoo crying on the day Enga named the Hooden female. The hair of Tikihoo was short and curly. Did she merely wish that she had long hair? Was she crying because she did not? But Mootak said the slayer had long hair. Did Tikihoo mean the same thing?

Enga shook her head. Those thoughts did not seem right.

Fall could not add any more, so Enga went to seek Zhoo of Still Waters, the Healer.

Chapter 30

Enga found Zhoo of Still Waters near the rear of the group. Zhoo had stopped for a moment to give herbs to Ongu Small One for a belly ache. When Enga asked her the questions, she did not know anything about the matter of Tikihoo. Zhoo did not even know the things that Mootak had told Enga. She said she had been busy caring for those with feet that hurt and those who did not feel they could eat any more of the bad-tasting jerky. Zhoo had been dealing with many things. Enga asked if she could give Zhoo any help. However, Teek Bearclaw, the older son, was assisting her, Zhoo said.

Will Teek Bearclaw be the Healer some day?
Enga asked.

Yes. We are planning for that. He learns very quickly and is a great help to me.

Enga was glad to learn that it was going well for Zhoo and for Teek. She wondered what the future held for Jeek, the younger son. She had always had a special affection for Jeek. It occurred to her that, when they stopped for the night and she and Jeek exchanged what they had learned, she should relate the actions Fall showed her.

She next sought out Ung Strong Arm and Lakala Rippling Water who, as usual, were traveling side by side. They had both slept with a deep sleep the night Tikihoo died. Enga decided to ask them about the time Panan One Eye was killed also, but they had not seen anyone leave the group, except the ones who had gone to the water to help those across who had been left behind. It was a confusing time, they said, because the tribe was moving to and fro and the fog was so thick it was hard to tell who was who.

Enga was dissatisfied with all the questioning, except the information from Fall. That might mean something, if someone knew what it was. Maybe Jeek would be able to make sense of that. He had been standing near when Tikihoo had given the gestures to Fall.

* * *

Jeek was excited to talk to Enga Dancing Flower when they stopped that night, but he could not do it right away. Bahg Swiftfeet had run up one of the rocky outcrops and thought he had seen a herd of mammoth far, far away. If only his seed giver, Mahk Long Eye were still alive, Mahk might have been able to tell what animals Bahg had seen.

Did you see trunks
? Hapa asked Bahg.

Were there tusks
? Cabat the Thick thought-spoke.

I have told you
, Bahg repeated,
I saw a large herd and think they might be mammoth, but I could not see well enough to know that they are mammoth for certain.

The whole tribe thrummed with excitement and hope as they lay down their loads and got ready for the night.

How many days of walking will it take to get to where they are
? Hama asked.

Bahg shook his head.
They are very far away. By the time we get to where I saw them, they will move.

That is true
. Hama pondered to herself a moment.
At new sun, on our next time of walking, let us run up to the tops of the high rocky hills and look often
.

Jeek looked around them. There were long stretches of flat land, but there were also hills. Some were high and would take many hand lengths of Sister Sun to climb. But some were not so high. Most of the slopes were covered with the spiny plants that pricked his skin. This land was so very different from the village they had left behind. It was as if Sister Sun were a different Sun, also. And Mother Sky had never worn such a deep blue-colored hue as she had here.