‘Peter, get up.’ Jan shook him as he remembered where he was.

‘What? What is it?’

Someone kicked him. ‘Tiz. Stop is. He’s awake now,’ Jan said.

‘Finally.’

‘Are blackbirders attacking?’ Peter said.

‘No.’ Jan spoke in a low voice. Not a whisper, but not normal conversation level. ‘There’s no sign of them.’

Peter lay back down and rolled over until he felt Girl’s warm flank. He had spent too many hours last night wishing he had made different decisions. He could barely get his eyes open, but what he did see remained dark and cold.

‘Then leave me alone.’

How is it this place is even more complicated than Earth?

’No. You’ve got to get up,’ said Tiz.

Jan’s whisper broke as her frustration increased. ‘There’s some ceremony. Sarah and Grey and the Clan.’

‘What ceremony?’ Peter sighed, then sat up with a stretch. The cold ground, even with his furs and all his layers of spongy felt clothing did not make the ground any softer.

‘At dawn. Something Grey has forced Sarah to do.’

‘She’s a big girl,’ Peter said. ‘I’m still munted. I’m wrecked. It’s all been too much… these last few days. Way too much. Besides, what do I care? Sarah doesn’t want anything to do with me.’

‘She’s hasn’t had any sleep either, she’s sleepwalking into it.’

‘Into what? Spit it out.’ Peter rubbed at his face. The cold had got to his nose and ears even after he had wrapped them in a layer of feather-felt.

‘They’re getting married. Sarah and Grey. A Union to symbolize the coming together of the two clans.’

Peter breathed out to calm himself.

‘Like I said. She’s a big girl. Adult enough…’

‘You know she hates Grey. She wouldn’t have anything to do with him a week ago.’

‘What does Thorn say?’

‘He’s injured. Real bad,’ said Tiz.

‘Do you know where he is? Thorn I mean. He’ll put a stop to this wouldn’t he?’

In the pre-dawn light Peter saw Tiz and Jan share a knowing look.

‘What is it?’

‘He’s not speaking. But the last words anyone heard him say was for Grey and Sarah to save the Clan. To join it and be joined.’

‘He wouldn’t.’

‘That is what they say.’

‘Who?’

‘The shaman. Kituqarup.’

‘Then it must be the truth. Manisaurs do not lie.’ Peter turned to Tiz. ‘Take me to Thorn, and Kituqarup.’

‘But if you do that, it will be too late. Look.’ Jan pointed to the east.

The sun lay close under the mountains. Beams of light radiated into the pink dawn sky.

‘When the sun leaves the mountains, the Union will be complete.’

Peter ran to Girl’s great head.

‘Up Girl. Get up. You’ve got to get me into the circle before time.’

Tiz gave the mount a kick, she opened her eye and stared at the boy and growled.

‘You’ve got to stop kicking people awake. It’s not nice.’

‘Worked for you didn’t it?’ Tiz backed away from the beast as it stirred.

‘Yes. But then I’m not likely to eat you.’

‘She’s not going to do that. Is she?’

‘The blackbirders have broken something in her. She’s more wild than tame. I suggest you run away. Now.’

Peter strode up Girl’s muzzle as the mount lifted her weight from the ground. Once in the saddle webbing he clicked his tongue and the beast leapt forward. Girl began to run towards the sun and the circle of riders that had formed up in moot.

She hates me now. So what do I care?

But he knew he did… some lies break the mirror of self deception. And as he rushed towards the Clan he did not like what the shards reflected back to him.

She is right to hate me.

The beams of dawn’s new light angled towards him as his mount drew up to the Clan’s circle.

Mounts had formed up around a huge mass of Clanfolk. More pressed behind the mounts.

‘Make way. Let me through.’

The people moved from the path of Peter’s mount but the circle of mounts would not open to him. Riders and beasts turned to him with equal animosity.

‘Let me in,’ Peter shouted.

‘You disgrace yourself, do not defile our Clan,’ said one rider.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

‘Go now. You are not welcome here.’

Girl backed away. She sensed the unease of the other mounts in the same way Peter felt the rejection like a visceral blow. Tulanvarqa gave him too much insight into the feelings of others. Girl’s reaction only heightened the impact.

‘Why?’ Peter pleaded. ‘What did I do?’

But Girl backed away and people surged around to fill in the space like water flowed around a rock in a stream, but a rock roiled by the force of water cannot stand up to a river.

‘Snow melt.’ The word came unbidden to Peter’s mind. ‘The snow becomes the river in the light of a spring day.’

Two figures reared up as the sun cleared the mountain and rays of dawn light shimmered to day. Their mounts lifted them high, their hands together as Clan and mounts shouted out.

‘We are as one.’

Peter stared and thought he saw Sarah turn her face to him. But he sensed her eyes were lowered, submission.

‘She’s given herself over. A mere symbol, a trophy for Grey to hold over the Snow Clan.’

Girl reared up then, but not in agreement. A line of mounts had turned to face her, lances prickled towards him.

‘Go now.’

‘Leave. You are not wanted here.’

Peter brought Girl to all fours and urged her to back away.

‘At least let me see my father,’ Peter said.

‘Vale is dead. He who took you in, made you Clan. He died because of you.’

‘We should kill him, and this unnatural beast he rides.’

’Sarah commands we give him passage.’

‘Let him go. Let him die alone.’

‘Thorn. I wish to see Thorn,’ Peter said.

‘He is dead.’

The shock to Peter shook even Girl, who staggered under the tulanvarqa connexion that bound them.

‘He takes his last breath. His last wish fulfilled.’

‘If he lives, let me see him.’

A warrior pointed to a small tent away to the west. A mount lay upon the ground beside it. Peter saw the shaking hand and saw the man. Dusty stood against him too.

‘He is close to the west skies and will step away soon. Leave him be.’

Peter ran Girl towards the tent. Any moment he expected a lance or spear to pierce him, but no one followed.

Perhaps in their mind Thorn had passed. Peter hoped they were wrong.

Peter hauled Girl to a halt before the tent, slid down her flank, then tumbled in a parkour roll to land on his feet. In three strides he stood at the door to the tent.

The shaman stood before him, arms crossed, two thumbed hands upon his forearms.

‘Thorn is dead.’

‘But does he live?’ Peter said.

The manisaur’s aura flashed. ‘The man lives, but he that was has gone.’

‘Stop talking riddles. If he is alive I want to see him.’

Kituqarup stepped aside and let Peter pass into the tent. An old woman bowed over Thorn who lay on a bier upon the middle of the floor. He still breathed. The ragged breaths the loudest sound in the space, after Peter’s own heart.

Peter knelt, to look closer. ‘He still lives.’

‘But is not the man. Thorn is dead. Only his vessel remains.’

He sensed it now. Thorn did not sleep, would not wake. Peter reached out. As he held Thorn’s hand the woman took a sharp inward breath and eased herself back.

‘You should not,’ she said in a hushed whisper.

‘Leave us. Leave me.’

The wrapped body had been laid out as if in life, but Peter could see the damage, an ooze of blood, a hollowness and not the bulk of muscles. And Peter remembered another old friend who died as he watched.

‘Maggie.’

The dark distance of time and space separating her from him crowded close, and he fell back, let the hand go.

‘Thorn? Did you really want this for Sarah?’

The old woman pushed him away, and muttered prayers or curses, he could not tell which.

Outside Peter faced the manisaur.

‘You said Thorn had died,’ Peter said. ‘So you can lie.’

‘It is no lie to say he passed. For he will not return to this life and walks the next.’

‘I’m tired of your quevantaqi riddles and poetry. But tell me, did he tell Sarah to join with Grey? Tell me true.’

‘He did wish it. And has become so.’ The manisaur shaman held his arms out as if he had commanded the events himself.

’When did he fall? How long has Thorn been like this?’

‘Since the battle.’

‘But? When did he say Grey and Sarah should be joined in Union?’

‘You knew of it. He wished it for many months. To join the Clans he would sacrifice his daughter.’

Peter stared as realization hit. He stomped towards his mount as frustration mounted. ’Months ago? You made it sound he had just made the decision.’

‘A decision he had made. A decision needed now. Don’t you think?’

The manisaur’s aura flickered but settled on a steady certainty.

‘You don’t lie. But you don’t tell the truth either.’

Peter reached to climb on Girl when a shout came from a mount running towards them.

‘You are to be gone. I will lance you now if you delay.’

‘Grey!’ Peter said with scorn and anger. ‘Come to finish off your competition?’

‘Do not test me. Sarah made me promise to let you go free. But she may not know what she does not see.’

Peter swung up into Girl’s saddle webbing. The mount pirouetted to face Grey’s beast, then grumbled a threat.

‘You are like the broken creature you ride upon,’ said Grey. ‘You are not welcome here. You are not Clan.’

Tiz, Walt and Jan ran up to them then. ‘They’re coming. More of them.’

Peter feared for the three more than himself. And so the Clan gathered. They formed a semi-circle around him with Grey in the middle.

‘You took the skyship,’ said Grey. ‘You brought the blackbirders upon us. You with your unnatural tongue. Who here amongst we Clan have not felt the touch of evil when you speak. Your words do not match your voice. You are no shaman, but a witch. Your shade has worked its way into our minds. You shall be gone.’

Peter sighed. Tulanvarqa did freak him out, that it unsettled the Clan did not surprise him. So he spoke clearly now. In Clan.

‘It is not magic, or witchcraft, or anything unnatural. It is a translation device that helps me speak to those who would listen.’

‘And now you speak Clan. As if you were born to it. Even my wife speaks not as well. Jay-o-vani needs his wife to say his words for him when he is drunk. But you. Witch. Can speak Clan after a few short days.’

Peter sighed.

Can’t win either way.

‘You can attack the messenger,’ said Peter. ‘But my message to the Clan is this — Grey speaks to the invaders, the blackbirder aliens. He schemes and plans and takes advantage.’

‘Hear him. It is he with the gift to speak to those evil creatures. It is he that came from the old Snow village now held by the invaders. It is he with the otherworld devices. Look at the bag upon his back. He is not Clan. He is an agent of the enemy.’

Girl backed away from the crowd. Peter felt the mounting anger of the Clan. They had lost so much in the flight from their home.

‘This is not true,’ said Peter. ‘Or at least it is not how he says it is. I escaped. Thorn took me in when we would have died. I would not hurt the Clans.’

‘And yet you took the skyship against my counsel, so we were attacked. I led the Clan away from that craft, so the invaders let us be. The Clan can see, because we are not blind.’

‘What is he saying?’ said Tiz?

‘We’ve got to go. We’re on our own. You had better climb up here.’

The three scrambled up Girl’s flank webbing and took Peter’s hand as he swung them behind him.

‘And now you take children as your shield. Coward.’

‘And you are a lying blowhard. If only people could see what I see. It is you that does the invader’s bidding. It is you that is the coward. It is you that lies and cheats. And for what?’

‘To lead my people beyond the Teeth of the World.’

‘Do you know the way?’ Sarah rode up on her mount and took a place beside Grey.

‘I have been in the north. Yes,’ said Peter.

‘But do you know the way through the mountains? Can you guide us there?’

Peter stared.

I know there’s a way. I’ve been told of it. How hard can it be?

‘Peter,’ Sarah said. ‘Where is the way?’ She asked this in English as if pleading for him to tell him the truth.

‘I don’t know.’

‘So you lied.’

‘None of you believed you could cross the Teeth. I know you can. Once I learned where we were, in the south, on the great continent, on Qhayanpa. Then I knew a northern pass existed. Without that hope…’

‘Without that lie we would have not left the lands of our fathers, of our mothers. Where we were safe,’ said Grey.

‘The blackbirder aliens had other ideas.’ Peter saw though that no one believed him.

‘You lied.’

And Sarah least of all.

‘Peter. We had better go,’ said Tiz. ‘I don’t know what they’re saying but they look pretty pissed.’

Girl had stopped her backwards movement, now she turned. Peter twisted around to look across the Clan. More had gathered and they all had weapons.

‘Go Peter,’ said Sarah. ‘I will not let them hurt you all. But you cannot stay.’

Without conscious thought Girl reared up and bellowed, then ran towards the west away from the sun and the gathered Clans.