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Had the shaman retreated so far along the road to his past that he now believed in his own supernatural powers? Or was this to impress his watching followers? "You call upon your spirits for aid, Menlik? But the Apache has the companionship of the ga-n. Ask of Kaydessa: Who hunts with the Fox in the wilds?" Travis' sharp challenge stopped that wand in mid-air. Menlik's head swung to the girl.
While Deklay had reverted to an ancestor who had ridden with Victorio or Magnus Colorado! Travis had a flash of premonition, a chill which made him half foresee a time when the past and the present might well split them apart fatally. "Devil or ga-n." A man with a quiet face, rather deeply sunken eyes, spoke for the first time.
And as ga-n he must treat them, accede to their will. Spurred by that, the Apache gave only flicks of attention to the browsers while at the same time he studied the part of the landscape uncovered by mist. Without weapons or speed, they must conceive a trap. Again Travis sensed that agreement which was ga-n magic, and with it the strong impression urging him to the right.
The Apache took the first step on a new and fearsome road. These ga-n had put their thoughts or their desires into his mind. Could he so contact them in return? With the stone clenched in his fist, his shoulders back against the wall not too far from the cleft opening, Travis strove to think out, clearly and simply, this poor plan of his.
So he pictured in his mind the cleft, the running creatures, and the part the ga-n could play if they so willed. Assent in its way as loud and clear as if shouted. The man fingered the stone, weighed it. There would probably be just one moment when he could use it to effect, and he must be ready. From this point he could no longer see the small meadow where the grazers were.
Naginlta was on the opposite side of the clearing. If the creatures depended on speed, then Travis believed they could probably outrun not only him but the coyotes as well which left cunning and some sort of plan. Travis glanced at the cover where he knew Nalik'ideyu crouched and from which had come that flash of agreement. He shivered. These were truly no animals, but ga-n, ga-n of power!
Then the momentum of its charge had carried it full force against the rock to kill it. Blind luck or the power of the ga-n? He pulled back as the coyotes came padding up shoulder to shoulder to inspect the kill. It was truly more theirs than his. Their prey yielded not only food but a weapon for Travis. Instead of the belt knife he had remembered having, he was now equipped with two.
Or were these companions of his actually ga-n, spirits who could choose their shape at will and had, oddly, this time assumed the bodies of man's tricky enemy? Were they ndendai enemies or dalaanbiyat'i, allies? In this mad world he did not know. Ei'dik'e? His mind formed a word he did not speak: Friend? Yellow eyes met his directly.
The four-footed ones are indeed ga-n for the service of those they like, but it is not good that man walks alone from his kind." There it was again, the feeling of clan solidarity which Travis did not always share. On the other hand, Tsoay would not be a hindrance.
"So far we have found only animal signs, and the ga-n have not warned us of anything else " "Those devil ones!" Again Deklay spat into the fire. "I say we should have no dealings with them. The mba'a is no friend to the People." Again a murmur which seemed one of agreement answered that outburst. Travis stiffened. Just how much influence had the Redax had over them?
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