The River Clan warriors swung their mounts about and readied to return to the defense of their people.

‘Sound the battle horn,’ said Thorn. ‘The People of the Snow will ride with you.’

‘And leave us defenseless?’ called out a voice from the crowd.

‘Consider this,’ said Thorn. ‘If we do not save the People of the River then in time we will all perish. Do you think the Snow Clan can stand long alone?’

‘But they did nothing for us when our lands were taken,’ the speaker stepped from the crowd now. The woman stood next to her young daughter. ‘The River people would starve us out, or steal our children.’

‘Enough,’ roared Thorn. He stood tall even though mud dripped from his clothes. ‘We stand together. We will always have more in common with the River Clan than we have differences. The invading aliens must be stopped.’

Peter wondered if the blackbirders would have attacked the River Clan if Thorn had not raided their base. He frowned.

No. The blackbirders would have raided here eventually.

He sent his mount after the leading River Clan riders as they led the party back across the snow bound plain. The moon shone bright as it rose in the sky.

Then he pulled his mount to a halt. ‘Walt, Tiz. You need to get down.’

‘No. We have to stay together,’ said Walt.

‘I’d rather be close to the fighters than separated from them.’ Tiz kicked at the mount's sides as if to move her along.

‘No. That’s not a good idea,’ said Peter. ‘Down.’

‘This is a dangerous place,’ said Tz. ‘Nowhere is safe.’

‘I want to stay with you,’ said Walt. ‘If you go, we go.’

Peter considered staying at the camp. He had every right to avoid a fight. But then he saw Sarah barreling ahead through the last of the smoke from the broken fire.

‘Go Girl,’ said Peter. ‘After them.’ Then quieter and to the boys. ‘Don’t make me regret this more than I do already.’

Peter came to realize Grey and his River Clan men had not just been passing by when they had rode up that evening. Their lands lay far away, beyond the sight of the funeral pyre.

The moon rose high to its noon as the mount’s steady pace brought them to the River Clan’s lands at last. The troupe had followed the river across the plains, then into the low hills and brush that skirted the river’s wide loop out of the high snowy mountains.

All mounts slowed from their jouncing pace as they entered the trees. No beast could run forever, but their long strides would have easily have outdistanced a man running.

Now though the beasts gathered together, heads inward, as their riders considered how to approach the clan’s heart. A glow of fire lit the tree line ahead. The village lay in a valley above the river in a clearing cut from the great forest. The great river that gave them their clan name.

‘Surely the invaders would be long gone?’ said Grey.

‘We must approach with care,’ said Thorn. ‘We do not know how things lie.’

‘On foot then?’ said Vale.

‘We must get to any survivors. Why do we delay?’ said one of Grey’s men.

‘Half the force will circle to the other side,’ said Thorn. ‘The rest must approach upon my signal. Only once the all clear has sounded should we all enter. If we meet opposition, then we fall back and make plans anew.’

‘I go in expecting a fight,’ said Grey.

‘I thought as much. Since you want a fight you will break into a third group. Lead the approach, divert their fire. I’ll not have you draw attack upon any of us until we know how things lie.’

‘Fine then. You hold back like cowards. We warriors of the River will not.’

‘Before your bravado draws attention we will get into position. There are fifty of our number, and five of yours. We have more to lose if you bring a attack upon us. Wait for my signal.’

Grey looked around. Beyond the circle of leaders he saw, as if for the first time, more of the Snow Clan had joined the assault. Peter saw his fear then. He had lost. These fifty would be enough to take the stores of food the Snow Clan had bargained with all winter. If the River clan had fallen so had their fighting mounts and riders.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

They will have to drive off the blackbirders first. Then negotiate for food.

‘As you will,’ said Grey. ‘But heed me now. I will challenge anyone who takes from us without payment.’

‘Our arms, our warriors, should be payment enough Grey. But we come in brotherhood, not as thieves. Despite how poorly we have been treated.’

Then the warriors divided into two troupes. One led by Thorn, the other by Vale. Peter on his mount Girl and the boys moved to circle around the clearing with Vale. As they moved through the pall of smoke, the smell of cooking swirled amongst the wood smoke and the ash of old fires.

If they’re eating then they will not be expecting a fight.

Instinctively the mounts moved slow and quiet, their heads stretched out close to the ground. Only the huff of breath and the hush of trodden snow broke the silence.

Peter marveled at how the beasts and warriors worked together.

They’re pack hunters. This is what they do.

Then the troupe passed beyond the smoke. The glow from the River Clan fire increased as they moved forwards once more.

Peter and the boys pressed themselves close to the body of his mount, partly in harmony with the huge beasts, but also to avoid the branches of the trees the beasts ducked under and around.

He looked to the side. Next to him a light gray beast paced his own. Upon the mount’s shoulders Sarah rocked in time with the sway of the beast’s steps. She held a lance at the ready. She turned her frown upon him and he grinned at her in reply.

Holy smoke. Slay me dead. She’s all warrior.

His heart raced faster and he wished he had a lance too.

‘Why did you bring the children?’ she said breaking the spell.

He had no reply to that. What right did he have to even be here? Without warrior training he could only ever be an observer. A liability. And he had brought two unarmed youths with him.

‘This is no game,’ she said.

Peter raised his fingers to his lips and turned back to the leading warriors who had pulled to a halt.

Vale stood tall on his mount who had reared high on rear legs. He shielded his gaze from the fire as he looked towards the village. All waited for the signal to attack. Then Vale walked onto the raised head of his mount until he stood more than six meters above the ground, he studied the scene ahead, beyond the curve of the slope.

Peter saw his shock at the same moment Thorn blew his signal horn. All the beasts moved to attack in one fluid motion.

Vale’s troupe ran towards the fire, up the slope and out of the trees. Before them lay the village spread along a ridge above the river. In the cleared area next to the village gates a series of fires had been built. Ranged around the fires groups of blackbirders had gathered to eat.

‘Don’t look,’ Peter said. Even as he knew he spoke too late to stop the boys from seeing. His memory flashed back to the fire on the beach on Blackspire where blackbirders had dismembered a manta queen to eat. His guts churned again. He knew now why the clans attacked with urgency, no firm plan. These man-eating animals had to be struck down without reserve, without quarter.

And he did have a weapon. Girl knew his mind as he ran through a scrambling group of blackbirders and bit with her jaws, struck with her forelegs, and kicked with her taloned feet.

The screams of the blackbirders disappeared amongst the roars of the mounts as they slashed and hacked at them. Warriors lanced them until the long shafts broke or were ripped from their hands. Then they turned to the village where the gates lay open. As he and Girl ran at the walls the gate began to close as the blackbirder defenders secured themselves. The charge of the mounts pulled up short.

The sobbing cries of the captives within the village came to them now. This would be one siege they did not want to wage. To starve the blackbirders out would be to lose everything.

‘We have to get inside,’ said Thorn. ‘There is no reasoning with these animals. They will kill the rest of the clan. All five hundred of them.’

They had pulled back from the village gate and had gathered their heads together amongst the trees.

‘Do we know how many of the animals are inside?’ said Grey.

Sarah’s mount moved back and forth as if still ready to attack. ‘We killed a good eighty of the monsters, and not a one of ours lost.’

‘They did not expect us,’ said Vale. ‘They will not be so easy next time.’

‘Why did they not even post sentries?’ said Grey.

‘They’re not human,’ said Sarah. ‘Animals do not plan.’

Grey stared at her in a way that made Peter uneasy. His fists balled up.

‘They are as intelligent as us,’ Peter said. ‘They just think differently. Do not underestimate them. They have weapons unlike yours.’

Grey glared at him as if he had been shown up in front of Sarah. Peter rolled his eyes.

This guy! His village has fallen and he still wants to impress a girl.

‘I believe they did not know of our clan,’ said Thorn.

‘And yet they attacked us just today,’ said Vale.

‘Why do this now? What do they want?’ said Grey.

‘Revenge,’ said Peter. ‘They react to violence with violence.’

‘Revenge for what?’ said Grey.

A silence fell over the group. The breaths of the beasts sounded loud in the night. Peter’s pulse thudded in his chest and he tried to calm himself.

The moon had moved down behind the western mountains so everyone become shadows.

‘Revenge?’ said Grey. Then is voice hardened. ‘What did you do?’

‘We raided their base,’ said Thorn. “Where once our village stood. We needed to get to our winter stores.’

‘And you failed?’

‘We succeeded,’ said Vale. ‘These animals can be wounded.’

‘But a wounded animal is the most dangerous of creatures. And my clan suffers for it.’ Grey’s mount rose up on rear legs. ‘Your clan will pay for this.’

‘Oh shut it you loud mouthed fool,’ said Sarah. ‘They would have come for both clans eventually. We cannot stand by and let them overrun us.’

‘But the cost…’

‘To both clans. And to all humans,’ said Thorn. ‘Will be all the greater if we do not stop them here.’

‘What do we do?’ said Peter.

Grey glared at him, then at Thorn, before landing on Sarah. ‘There is another way into the village. Only a few know of it.’

‘What is your plan?’ said Thorn.

‘Once in,’ said Grey. ‘We will open the gate to you.’

‘Who shall go?’ said Vale.

‘Only my men. I trust no other.’

‘No. We are all in this together,’ said Thorn. ‘One of ours shall go with you. Take Sarah.’

Sarah opened her mouth to protest, but Peter interjected. ‘And me. I know these blackbirders better than you.’

‘What do you mean?’ said Sarah. ‘How can that be?’

‘Tulanvarqa. I understand their words.’

‘Is he a witch?’ said one of Grey’s men.

‘Shaman,’ another of the Snow Clan corrected. ‘He walks with Kituqarup.’

‘He’s a jerk,’ said Sarah, but in English for Peter’s ears alone.

‘But he will go with you,’ said Thorn. ‘No argument.’

Even Grey accepted that, but Peter knew he would have to watch his back.

Great. Enemies on all sides. Why do I do this to myself?