第25节

lap, a finger on the trigger. 'Friends of yours?"

'Yes." Cadillac had already made preparations for this encounter.

Pulling the elegantly curved Iron Master bow from the quiver attached

to the left side of his saddle, he notched an arrow to the draw-string

and presented its spear-shaped metal point to Malone. A small bundle

of dried red leaves was tied to the shaft immediately behind it.

Malone applied a battery-powered hot-wire to the tips of several

leaves. They started to smoulder, emitting a dense white smoke.

Pinching them together, Cadillac blew on them until the whole bundle

was alight then aimed his left arm at the sky and sent the arrow

soaring high into the air.

The slender arch of smoke formed as the arrow fell to earth behind the

line of warriors was the sign used by the Plainfolk when they wished to

parley with an opposing group. The warriors responded by raising a

clenched fist which they then opened to display the palm of their

hand.

The invitation had been accepted.

Cadillac dismounted, planted his green flag in the ground and strode

forward as a group of Mutes in the centre of the line ran to meet

him.

Their leader was Purple-Rain, one of the Bears who had come to the aid

of Clearwater and Cadillac after the latter's duel with the fearsome

Shakatak D'Vine. Cadillac embraced him warmly then grasped the

outstretched hand of his excited companions. When the first flurry of

greetings had been exchanged, Cadillac invited Steve and Malone to join

him.

Introducing them, he said: 'You already know Cloud-Warrior.

It was he who rescued me from the Iron Masters.

And this is Malone, chief of the redskins who took us under their wing

and journeyed with us across the great plains. They have the bodies of

sand-burrowers but their hearts are with the Plainfolk and they have

but one wish - to fight side by side with us against the iron-snakes!'

'Heyy-yahh! chorused the warriors, brandishing their rifles and

crossbows in the air. As the rest of the posse came forward to join

them Steve encountered several familiar faces. Most belonged to

warriors who had attended his quarter-staff classes or had been part of

the delegation that had travelled to the trading post and they greeted

him with equal warmth.

The uninhibited way in which Steve responded to the beanlike hugs and

ritual hand-slaps turned Malone's stomach. He could not abide physical

contact with Mutes but he could not afford to be the odd man out.

Forcing a smile onto his face, he shook hands with each member of the

posse, disguising his desire to murder every single one of them behind

a convipcing display of camaraderie.

Purple-Rain ran his-eyes over the assembled horsemen and

foot-soldiers.

He had never seen horses before but he had something far more important

on his mind. 'Where is Clearwater?"

Cadillac's smile vanished. 'She was struck down by the

sand-burrowers." His words drew a mournful groan from the posse. 'But

she is not dead!" he cried. 'She lies not far from here in the belly

of an iron-snake and it is from there we must rescue her!" Purple-Rain

winced at the prospect of storming a wagon-train. 'Can she not use the

gift of earth magic to free herself?"

'No. She is too weak. The power will not return until her wounds are

healed. Attacking the iron-snake will be a daunting task but,' - he

indicated Malone and the renegades with a sweeping gesture - 'we are

not alone.

Our friends here know its secrets and are willing to fight by our

side.

The M'Calls proved their bravery in the Battle of the Now and Then

River but raw courage is not enough. This time we will use cunning and

stealth.

The power of the Old One allied to the secret knowledge of these

redskins will free Clearwater and bring the sand-burrowers to their

knees!" 'But the Old One is not here,' replied Purple-Rain.

Cadillac blanched. 'Not here?!'

'No. He has gone to the tradimg post."

Steve was equally appalled by the news, and he could see that Malone

was not too happy either. 'When did he leave?"