‘What are you doing?’ said Sarah. ‘Put. Me. Down.’ She did not wait for Peter but wriggled out his arms then pushed at him to force her to set her on her feet.

Sarah staggered as she tried to stand and put her hand out. Peter took hold of her but Sarah jerked her arm back. Peter steadied her by the shoulders.

‘Easy,’ he said. ‘You’ve been shot. With something. Not sure what.’

‘Yes. I remember,’ Sarah said. She straightened. ‘Shot by that creature. That evil alien…’

‘He saved us, saved you,’ Peter said.

‘I remember he aimed a gun at me, and then… he shot me.’

‘Self defense,’ Peter said. ‘You grabbed a gun to shoot him.’

‘Where is my daughter?’ Thorn stormed over the deck his drawn blade flashed as sunlight penetrated the cloud. ‘What’s this I hear of Rock shooting Sarah?’

‘Not me,’ Peter said. He backed away from the older man who had anger in his eyes.

‘Then who?’ Thorn thundered. He looked around for someone to slice with his blade.

‘The evil alien creature,’ Sarah said. ‘The small one. It came before. Tricked us just before the aliens drove us from our village last season.’

‘What did he do?’ Peter said. ‘I mean. Before?’

I can’t imagine him helping the blackbirders. Not an imp. Unless he’s not an imp but something else? Doesn’t talk like an imp.

‘I’ll kill it the next time I see it,’ Sarah said.

‘You can see why he might want to shoot you first then,’ said Peter. ‘How do you feel?’

Thorn shoved his way between Peter and Sarah. ‘Are you hurt?’

‘No. I feel fine. A little dizzy.’

Peter realized the tulanvarqa connexion had changed again, again just only the sense of subtitled words, and not the clearer translation he had experienced before. The imp had disappeared.

He sighed. Back to talking in English to Sarah, and Thaluk to the others. ‘And being considered a witch,’ he muttered under his breath.

Grey shouldered his way to Sarah’s side.

‘I have seen the way of things,’ said Grey. ‘The aliens picked off the Snow Clan last season. Now they would do the same to the River Clan.’

‘I said as much before,’ said Thorn. ‘We must take the battle to them.’

‘Together we can attack them,’ said Sarah. ‘Return to our village and strike them in the heart. Revenge for today.’

Grey shook his head. ‘You saw their weapons. They can hit us from a distance greater than the longest arrow flight, with more force than the strongest lance.’

‘So what would you do?’ said Thorn.

Grey glanced at Peter but set his gaze on Thorn. ‘We take this vessel. We load it with our stores. We would travel north.’

‘There is nothing to the north,’ said Thorn. ‘The teeth of the world would only bite us. High snow bound mountains and the narrow land of cliffs and ravines that squeeze between mountain and sea. A land filled with incessant rain, floods, and cold. There is no grazing for our animals. No food for humans. Instead we would be food for beasts and the mountains.’

‘Then stay here,’ said Grey. ‘You may make your stand with those who wish to fight the aliens. But the River Clan will follow me, and we will carry our store of food and seed with us. You may have this empty place. Our people walked the world before we built stone houses. Imagine though, this vessel is a village. One that can journey with us.’

‘It can not carry or house many people,’ said Sarah.

‘No. But it can carry our wealth. Our food. The River Clan will walk the world again, as our ancestors did.’

I don’t trust him. He says one thing but I sure he plans another. What is it?

Thorn sighed. ‘We cannot delay a decision. The aliens will regroup. There are many more than before.’

‘Each month more come,’ said Sarah. ‘But we have struck a blow. We should join forces. Hit them again now.’

‘Yes they will come again, ever stronger,’ said Grey. ‘We have the gift of this vessel. We need to leave before they try to take it from us.’ He stared at the unconscious forms of the blackbirders at Sarah’s feet.

‘But we could be rid of them,’ said Sarah. She stepped close to Grey. ’Together we can fight them.’

‘This,’ Grey swept his arm around the skyship. ‘Changes everything. We can get away from them.’

‘Do you think they will just let you steal off with this great vessel?’ said Thorn. ‘They will come after you.’

‘No. They will follow.’ Grey shook his head. ‘But we’ll be far away when they do. But you stay. You fight them. Your sacrifice will help us.’

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Thorn drew Sarah away. ‘We will draw up the circle of riders and decide together.’

Sarah glared at Grey then slid her frown to Peter and spoke to him in English. ‘And what do you think we should do? Why does Grey think he can fly this thing?’

‘This was all his idea,’ said Grey as he watched the byplay between them. ‘He will fly the vessel. He called it vaniyaq, skyship. Rock will do this. Won’t you?’

Peter nodded. Better to avoid words. They seemed to always get him into trouble.

Sarah stepped close to him, bent her head to his ear and spoke in English as if the others could understand. ‘Don’t trust him. He only serves one person.’

‘Himself?’ Peter said. ‘I know.’

Sarah shoved Peter out of the way, past the others, and walked with Thorn to the side railing. A rope ladder had been set up where more of the Snow Clan, and not a few of the River Clan warriors, had climbed to the deck. All stared around at the towering masts in wonder.

Grey kicked at the still unconscious blackbirders. ‘Toss them over the side. And to make sure they leave a red mark on the snow…’ Grey stuck his knife into the chest of one of the unconscious blackbirders. ‘Give them a bit of a poke.’

Peter turned away in anger and disgust, but not before looking to where he had last seen the imp.

You did this. Where did you get to? And what are you up to here?

By habit Peter set his hand on his niho taniwha pendent and rubbed at the streak of blue where the zharaqsa had streaked the greenstone.

He felt it then. A tug on his attention. He turned and looked into the rigging. A pair of dark eyes gleamed from high in the crosstrees. The imp seemed to grin at him, but Peter could not see his mouth.

Tulanvarqa my ass. What’s going on here?

And then the imp slipped from view.

Peter stomped away from the skyship wondering who and manipulated who. He had twisted Grey’s interest to save the skyship, but in doing so he had changed the course of the River Clan’s future. And he had used Grey’s ambition to do it.

But the imp might be behind everything. If it is an imp.

Shouts erupted from the mass of Snow and River Clan at the gate. One of the huge carnivorous mounts had broken free and tossed its head from its handler. It lowered it’s head bellowed in frustration and charged at Peter. Snow flew from its clawed feet as it tore up the hard packed snow.

His heart leapt to his mouth and he reached for his… he had nothing. No weapon.

Not that it would do anything against those teeth.

He stood to face it, planted his feet ready to dive to the side. The beast slid on the snow and opened its mouth and warbled.

‘Girl,’ Peter shouted as he recognized the markings across her shoulders and along her muzzle.

The beast lowered her head and purred, stomped its feet as she rocked from side to side in excitement.

He took a deep breath and laughed in relief.

‘Crazy animal.’ Peter reached out and she closed her eyes as he rubbed her snout. ‘Sorry Girl. I neglected you didn’t I?’ The beast snorted in agreement but purred even louder until the rumble of the sound made his chest vibrate. Then he stepped onto her muzzle as the huge creature almost tossed him onto her back then bounced in pleasure.

Girl swiveled and ran without direction towards the forest.

‘I know what you mean. Sometimes I just want to run away too. People are too complicated, aren’t they.’

He thumped her on the neck, then stroked her fur-feathers marveling again at the softness and the bounce against his palm. The great beast barreled into a bank of powder snow and shrugged her shoulders. She sent Peter flying, rolling in the soft but icy cold snow. Then she erupted like an explosion from the white, turned to him and shook her great head clear of snow like a wet dog.

‘You just want to play don’t you?’

Peter sighed and walked into the beast’s neck and leant against her. “Sorry Girl. I’m beat. So much has happened in the past couple of days. And I don’t think I’ve had nearly enough sleep.’

He yawned, patted her on the foreleg.

‘We’ll play later. I promise. When I’ve had some sleep.’

He climbed up onto her shoulders and they walked slow and proud back to the River Clanhome. As he got close he stood, and walked onto her head while Girl reared up on her hind legs. Peter crossed his arms and surveyed the scene.

The skyship swarmed with activity. Grey had his people working at the stern opening. Someone had discovered how to open it. More worked at the gates of the Clanhome preparing their grazing beasts to drag sleds over the snow.

To the opposite side of the Clanhome gate the Snow Clan warriors had gathered around Sarah and Thorn. He caught her staring at him, but she turned away before he could smile a greeting.

Girl dropped her head as they got close to where the other mounts had been drawn up.

No sign of Walt and Tiz.

He stepped off and grabbed Girl’s lead and passed her to one of the Snow Clan in charge of the mounts.

Vale joined him. ‘So young master. You seem to have made a true friend.’

‘No. She doesn’t like me much at all. Don’t blame her.’

‘What? The way you were playing in the snow. That is a rare bond you’ve forged.’

He realized Thorn’s right hand man spoke of Girl and recovered.

‘Oh. It’s a love-hate relationship. She just lulling me into a false sense of security before having me for a snack when I least expect it.’

Vale laughed. ‘You’re probably right. Bonding is best done when both are young.’

Peter stared at Sarah as she laughed at some joke one of the Snow Clan had made. The sense of relief at winning against the blackbirders had been a good way to counter the pain they had experienced in the last year.

‘Have you seen my cousins?’ Peter asked.

‘They keep to themselves,’ Vale said. ‘They have learned only some of our tongue, but they’ve found a way to make new friends. Come. I’ll show you.’

Vale led him into the gate and down the sally port of the Clanhome. The wide street twisted before it opened into the square. A group of moasaurs had drawn up in a tight group to keep warm. Walt sat upon the back of one as Tiz held its lead rope.

Peter grinned. ‘You’ve found mounts then?’

‘These things look like moas don’t you think?’ said Walt.

‘I’ve always thought so,’ said Peter. ‘I used to call them moasaurs.’

‘See,’ said Walt. ‘I told you they look like moas.’

‘More like ostriches with arms,’ said Tiz.

‘Same difference,’ said Walt. ‘Can I keep it?’

A pang of guilt shot through Peter then.

Sarah’s right. If not for me these two would not be here.

‘Sure. Spoils of war.’

‘Told you.’ Walt whooped.

They all laughed, even Vale who, if he had not understood their words, at least grasped the joy in the young boy.

‘Youth is a wonder,’ said Vale. ‘That such happiness can be found in the depths of danger.’

Peter nodded. But his feelings were a long way from happiness. ‘Vale. I have to find a way to get them back to our home. They should not be here.’

‘And you? Where do you belong?’

Peter looked behind. He could just see Sarah in discussion with the other warriors. Laughs rose on the wind from there too, even as Peter’s guts wrenched.

‘In bed,’ Peter said. ‘Right now. This moment. I hear a soft bed calling. I’m dead on my feet. Heck. A hard one would do.’

‘May we all lay our heads where it is best welcome,’ Vale said.

Peter looked the older man straight and nodded ruefully.

No secrets there then.

Just when Peter thought he might be able to escape, Thorn blew on his horn to call the Snow Clan to moot. The riders took to their mounts and began to form a circle.

All I want is to slip away and sleep.

He heard Girl trumpet for him then, so dragged his feet after Vale. But a grin spread on his face as he heard the two cousins urge their moasaurs into movement.

He sobered when he saw the gathering clans.

They’re going to make a decision for all of us. Whether I like what it is or not.