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e can stay and fight

on ground of our own choosing. If we head for the hills, we will have

to abandon our bread stalks and the other earth food we have planted.

For if the iron snake reaches this place unchallenged you can be sure

that all we have sown will be destroyed before the Gathering."

'We cannot give up the growing places,' said Buffalo Head. 'We need

ripe seed to plant in the New Earth."

'Have we none in store?" asked Cadillac.

'A handful,' she replied. 'The rest has been fouled by the grey

dust."

Buffalo-Head was the chief among the women charged with organising the

M'Call's food supply.

'Oyy-yehh ..." groaned the clan.

'But if we stay and fight,' said Sting-Ray, another elder, 'many of our

clan-brothers will die."

'That is certain,' agreed Mr Snow.

'But if we move to the hills,' said Buffalo-Head, 'there will be

nothing in our huts when the White Death comes.

The Bears will have to raid other settlements. There will be blood on

the meat. Our soul-brothers will not let us take the food from their

mouths without killing."

This time, it was Hawk-Wind who leapt to his feet. 'We are not afraid

to die,' he cried. 'But if we are to kiss sharp iron, we should do it

over the bodies of sand-burrowers!" 'Hey-YAH!" roared the warriors.

Cadillac rose. 'My brother Bear speaks with the wisdom of a great

warrior. We must defend our turf against those who have not laid the

hand of friendship upon us but if we cut down those we have made our

soul-brothers, we are no better than the flesh worms that devour the

dead. The Plainfolk will become as dust, scattered by the four winds

across the empty land."

Mr Snow nodded approvingly as Cadillac sat down again.

'Well said. If this should happen, not even the power of Talisman

could bring us together again. Our turf is sacred but we must always

remember that the Plainfolk are brothers under the sky. Even those who

are dirt in our mouths will one day stand at our side against the

sand-burrowers."

'Those are good words,' said Rolling-Stone, the chief elder. 'Let us

hope that day may come."

'But not before we have filled our head-poles? cried Convoy from the

rear of the massed warriors.

'Hey-yah!" replied the warriors, amid peals of laughter.

'You will all chew bone before the moon turns its face away,' said Mr

Snow. 'And if Mo-Town our mother does not drink from your

life-streams, your poles will be heavy with the heads of

sand-burrowers."

'Hey-YAH!" chorussed the Bears.

Rolling-Stone exchanged a worried glance with the other clan-elders.

'Is this the counsel of the Sky Voices?"

'The Sky Voices advise caution,' replied Mr Snow. 'It will take more

than the hot-blooded strength of our Bears to stop the iron snake.

Cunning and magic are the weapons we must use."

'But can you still summon the earth-magic?" asked Long-Tooth.

'If Talisman wills it,' said Mr Snow. 'But even if he strengthens my

hand, many who now sit before us will not hear their fire songs. This

is the year that Mo-Town sits in the Black Tower of Tamla. Her heart

is filled with love for the She-Kargo but her throat is dry. She

thirsts - and when she drinks, many streams will run dry."

'She will also have blood to drink from the necks of sand-burrowers,'

growled Motor-Head.

'Hey-yah,' murmurmed the warriors, with the same low, throaty growl.

Rolling-Stone held up both hands for silence. 'Enough talk. Let those

who would head for the hills stand up and be counted!'

Nobody moved.

'The M'Calls have spoken,' said Rolling-Stone. 'We hold fast to our

ground and fight the iron snake!" Everyone, from the youngest child in

Mr Snow's story circle to the grey-haired elders leapt to their feet

joyously, arms raised, beating the air with their fists. The forest