Grey’s mount covered the distance to Dusty and Walt as the ran through the powdery snow. Walt tripped but Dusty dragged him to his feet and whirled to face Grey. He raised his hands up.

‘Whoa,’ he shouted.

Grey’s mount reared up on hind legs and twisted away.

Walt ran to the protection of the line of mounts held in defense by Sarah and the other riders. Peter recognized the Snow riders Beech, Ember, and Bloom amongst them. Walt ducked in amongst the towering legs and looked out and away towards where the thraqanonkra had run.

Dusty walked towards Grey’s mount as Peter rode up alongside.

‘You didn’t think wee Smudge here had forgotten me did you?’ Dusty crooned and the mount lowered her head to him. ‘When I traded the young one to the Rivers all those years ago it took some time and effort to imprint her to you.’

‘Her name’s Blizzard. Not Smudge.’

‘Not any more. But she remembers. She may be imprinted to you, but mount’s never forget a friend. Do you girl.’ Dusty crooned again. ‘I could probably ride her. Except my old Twig would get jealous, even of her own daughter-mount.’

Grey and Dusty eyed each other. Peter saw the casual confidence that lay in Dusty’s eyes as he fussed over Grey’s mount. Then he stepped away, nodded to Peter, then let out an ululating warble. A mount pushed through the line and gave a low owl-like call, deeper and more resonant. Dusty walked forward and without missing his stride walked up his mount’s muzzle onto her head as the beast reared up on hind legs.

Twig, despite her diminutive name loomed large. Mounts did not stop growing, they just slowed down. Twig had lived long enough to become a matriarch amongst the mounts and all dropped to all fours as Dusty stood squared to the Clan. Twig let out a low rumbling cry that vibrated in Peter’s chest. Girl stretched her head out and echoed the call along with the hundreds of other mounts and humans that now gathered about.

Behind him. More mounts and Clan had gathered, but a space had been left between Girl, Twig and Grey’s mount Smudge… or Blizzard. Peter grinned at Grey’s self importance.

‘I’m no leader,’ said Dusty. ‘I’m no councillor. I’m just an old man that sees things. That knows our mounts and the ways of the snow lands. This is all new to me. But I welcome it.’

He looked down.

‘I’m no leader, but I know a bad one. I’m no counselor, but I know poor counsel. I’m only an old man, and have seen and heard a few things. So I have an opinion.’

The crowd laughed at that.

‘Sometimes you listen to me. And I am grateful. Often times the clan takes it’s own counsel. And that is good. Listen to the old men, but have your own opinion. That way we can have a good argument and that is my favorite pastime.’

Dusty held his hands up to settle the laughter.

‘But this time. I’m deadly serious. This time I will brook no argument. This time you will do as I say for I am an old man that has seen a few things. I have heard a few things.’

Dusty turned and set his eyes upon Grey. So did the Clan.

‘Grey? Speak up. What say you? We asked you to lead. Where have you led us?’

Grey stood on his mount but it did not rear up but remained on all fours. And yet people saw and heard him.

‘Again I have brokered safe passage to the north. You all saw. The aliens will let us pass over the mountains. This is where I lead you.’

Dusty shook his head and his mount grumbled. This drew attention back to the old man. His voice rang clear.

‘Grey conspires with the aliens. He is their creature and does their bidding. He turns his words to make himself seem strong. But he is weak. I heard him buy off his life by giving him the treasure Rock gave him to keep safe. The fuel for their ziyaqa, their skyship. It cannot fly and yet he gave them the means to take their vessel to the sky again. He bought his life.’

‘And yours.’

‘Yes. And ours. Grey talks with them. Those that have killed and maimed and stolen from us. He has a strange device that speaks their words so he may follow them more closely. It is as Rock said. He schemes and plots with the aliens. They want him to bring us over the mountain. Is it to slavery and subjugation.’

‘No,’ shouted Grey. ‘That is a lie.’

‘That is what I heard. And all are witness now. He sought to run me down, but his mount has more honor than he does.’

Peter watched Sarah as her eyes locked on his. He nodded to confirm agreement with Dusty’s words.

‘And so Peter,’ said Sarah for all to hear. ‘You did know the way to the pass.’

‘I found the way as I said I would. I had not crossed it before, nor did I know where it lay. Not exactly. But this is Eoth. This is Qhayanpa, and I knew a way existed through the Teeth of the World. And we found it.’

‘And so do you do the bidding of the aliens too? You want to take us north.’

‘Yes. But the alien Arthans are my enemy, as they are yours. Anyone that deals with the blackbirders is an enemy of the Clan and all free people. The north of this long land of Qhayanpa has plenty of land. There we will fins a place for the Clan, especially if we lend our support to those who stand up to the aliens.’

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

‘And how do you know this?’

‘I have been there. But so has the Snow Clan shaman Kituqarup. I counseled you listen to him, as one of your leaders. He can guide you in the ways of the north. Kituqarup — Ember, where are you?’

Kituqarup got jostled forward, his aura flashed doubt and uncertainty. Peter did not let that stop him.

‘Kituqarup can led us where Grey cannot.’

‘And so a girl from Earth, and a two-thumb handed one would lead the proud people of Snow and River?’ Grey shouted out. ‘Outsiders. And you listen to another that is in league with the aliens.’

Many of the Clan shouted him down, but some spoke in support.

Dusty’s mount bellowed then, and reared up with the old man rising higher than any. Twig’s huge bulk gave her a height that few other mounts could match.

‘I call moot. Riders and families all.’

Sarah’s mount rose up and she called for a full moot too.

Dusty’s voice sounded clear in the thin air. ‘Gather in your families and decide. Follow Grey and into a future where your leader is a creature of the aliens. Or choose a new leader to replace him. A leader to take us north into the land of the two-thumb-hands, or one who wishes to return to the south to lands we know, a life we know. You know where I stand. Let any who wish to talk, speak now.’

A few voices rose up but no one stood into the circle to address all. Even Grey seemed deflated.

Peter only had eyes for Sarah, as if he could see what choice she would make. She kept her eyes away from him and so he looked away. The old manisaur Kituqarup had found himself in the center of a growing circle of Clan. Peter slipped to the ground and joined him.

‘Why did you say those thing?’ Kituqarup warbled in the manisaur tongue. ‘I am no leader. I do not wish to lead. I am a shaman, a healer, a keeper of seasons.’

‘That’s why you would make a grand leader,’ Peter spoke in Clan so those around him could hear. ‘You should choose a leader that does not desire the power, does not want the responsibility. Because those called will serve the people and not themselves.’

The Clanfolk nearby murmured agreement.

‘Oh what have you done?’ Kituqarup said. ‘I do not want this.’

The crowd laughed and then dispersed as they went to join their families to begin the debate and to decide.

‘Kituqarup. You know the ways of quevantaqi, and if the Clan are to live amongst them your insights will be invaluable.’

‘But I am no leader.’

‘The Clan do not need leaders. They need wisdom and belief that guides the decisions the Clan makes in moot. Clan leadership are first amongst equals. Not kings. That is the way of the Clan.’

‘You are right. Quevantaq would do well to follow this way.’

‘Kituqarup. How did you come to be with the Clan?’

The manisaur remained silent at first and their aura flickered uncertainty, but then steadied. ‘Arthans kidnapped me and made me a slave. Thorn rescued me, though at first he thought me to be one of the invaders. And to question me. But I helped the Snow Clan escape capture when the Arthans took the Snow Clanhome. And so he took me in.’

‘The Arthans want Grey to bring the Clan over the mountains. Why?’

‘I dare not think. Nothing good.’

‘And so you would advise the Clan to return to the South?’

‘No. I thought perhaps I could return to my former people. But there is a place for the Clan amongst the mountain clans of the klaeds. In the borderlands. And I would stay with the Clan. They are my people now.’

‘Where are you from before?’

‘Hutanqari.’

Peter looked up and searched the manisaur’s aura. ‘I know this place. I fought in a great battle in Hutanqari.’

’It must be another place Hutanqari is peaceful. There has been no battle there.’

‘It would have been six years ago.’

‘I do not know of it. And I have been with the Snow Clan for just five seasons.’

‘So it is possible for there to have been fighting there. Around the time you got captured?’

‘No battle. I would know. There has been no fighting in Hutanqari for a very long time.’

Peter stared at the manisaur in confusion.

Either he or I have the time wrong.

Sarah approached him then. Peter felt his face flush as he took in her earnest expression.

‘We need to talk,’ she said.

Peter nodded.

‘In private,’ Sarah said.

He walked with her away from the Clan up the snowy slope. Their mounts followed behind playing, bumping heads and shoulders until a sharp look from Sarah quelled their enthusiasm.

‘Peter. It is madness to continue through the pass. The aliens who took our lands are there.’

‘They think they have a deal with Grey. Keep him around, he might be useful. Bit take his radio away from him. Someone has done that right?’

‘I will make sure it is done,’ Sarah nodded and then paused. ‘And so you told the truth.’

‘No I lied. You were right. I didn’t know where the pass lay.’

‘But even then you admitted it. And I still did not trust you.’

‘You can believe me. I’ve never seen a reason to lie to anyone. From truth comes trust. From lies just dust.’

‘You’re a poet.’

‘No. Just quoting a Thaluk line from a song.

Ru Luthazha, va’thavira. Ru Zhanar, va’thaza.

The manisaurs are crazy for their singing and going on. They’d love streaming music from home.’

‘How do you speak their language? And you learned Clan so fast. You’re amazing.’

‘It’s not me. There is something about Eoth. I didn’t remember much of it when I ended back on Earth. My language ability is not bad on Earth, but nothing like it is here.’

Sarah looked down and Peter had a chance to stare at her from close for a change. Her red hair had glints of gold in it where the light hit from some angles.

‘Earth,’ she said. ‘I almost forget what it is like. When I first found myself here I blamed you. Then I tried to find a way back. But eventually I stopped thinking about home. Until you arrived. Then all the resentment came back.’

‘It might be my fault. Twice is a coincidence. If it happens a third time I will know it is enemy action.’

Sarah’s puzzled look reminded him. This young woman left Earth as a child.

She’s almost not from there any more.

‘Sorry.’ He pulled out the packet of M&Ms that Varuk’hat had left in his back pack. ‘Chocolate?’

‘What?’ Sarah stared. ‘You have chocolate? And you never told me?’ She shoved him in the shoulders. ‘Do you know how I’ve longed for chocolate, or cheese, or anything milk?’ She held her hand out and tapped her foot on the ground. ‘Give.’

Once she had it in her hand she just stared at it. When she looked up her eyes had brimmed with tears. She fell into his arms.

‘I’ve felt so alone. So far from home. I was so happy to see faces from Earth.’

‘Then why did you hate me?’

‘I never hated you. I don’t… I don’t know.’ She pulled away and searched his face. ‘I had a crush on you. Before. Back when we sailed at Corsair Bay I mean. I couldn’t help it. And then you rescued me… during the storm... like a hero should. Except it all went wrong.’

‘I’m sorry. Maybe you had better stay away from me. In case you get transported to some other alien world.’

‘You mean another other alien world.’

‘Yeah.’

‘But Peter. Haven’t you worked it out yet?’

‘What?’

Sarah laughed. ‘It’s obvious. This is Earth. And not just anywhere on Earth. Aotearoa. This is New Zealand.’