Snarls bubbled in the throats of dozens of Marat Wolves on the hilltop, and once again came the low, harsh howls of direwolves from somewhere down the slope and out of sight.
Doroga turned to face Clan Wolf without turning away from them, no trace of fear showing in his face. “Our law gives him that right, if none step forward to call him mistaken. To call him to the Trial of Blood.” His finger swung to point at Tavi. “This Aleran calls Atsurak mistaken. This Aleran says that his people are no enemy of the Clans.”
“He is not of the Clans,” Skagara snarled. “He has no voice here.”
“He stands accused with his people,” Doroga shot back. “And the accused have a voice at the horto.”
“Only if the headmen of the Clans decide that they do,” said Skagara. “I say he does not. You say he does.” He narrowed his eyes and stared at Hashat. “What says Clan Horse?”
Hashat only then unfolded from her relaxed slouch on her stone, rising and facing Skagara without speaking for a moment, the wind tossing her mane out to the side like a banner. Then she turned, took a step into Doroga’s shadow, and folded her arms. “Let the boy speak.”
Excited murmurs ran through the Marat atop the hill.
“Fade,” Tavi whispered. “What is happening?”
Fade shook his head. “Don’t know. Careful.”
Doroga turned to Tavi and said, “Speak your belief, valleyboy. Bring it out before The One.”
Tavi swallowed. He glanced back at Fade and then slipped away from the slave, standing as straight as he could manage. He looked around the circle, at the Marat all staringat him with expressions of curiosity, contempt, hatred, or hope. “M-my people,” he began, and choked, coughing, his stomach fluttering so nervously that he abruptly became certain he was going to sick up again.
“Hah,” spat Skagara. “Look at him. Too afraid even to speak. Too afraid to bring what he believes before The One.”
Doroga shot the Wolf headman a narrow-eyed glance. Then looked back at Tavi and said, “Valleyboy. If you would speak, now is the time.”
Tavi nodded, swallowing a sour taste from his mouth, and straightened again. “I am not your enemy,” he said. His voice broke, and he cleared his throat. This time it came out stronger, ringing clear among the stones again. “I am not your enemy. My people have sought no quarrel with the Marat since before I was born. I don’t know who this Atsurak person is — but if he says that we want to hurt your people, he’s a liar.”
The words rang among the stones and fell on an odd and puzzled silence. Tavi glanced over at Doroga and found the Gargant headman staring at him with his head cocked to one side. “Liar.” Doroga frowned, and lowered his voice to a confidential murmur. “I do not believe Atsurak has mated with any of yours. If that is what you mean. He does not lie with Alerans.”
“No,” Tavi said, nervous flutters coming back into his stomach. “A liar. He’s telling lies.”
Doroga blinked again. Then nodded, as though in sudden comprehension. He raised his voice again and said, “You believe he speaks mistakenly.”
“Yes,” Tavi said. “Wait, no! No, a lie is different than a mistake —”
But Tavi’s words went unheeded as a shout rose up from the Marat around the hilltop.
Skagara leapt atop his rock and raised his arms for silence. “Let him challenge! Let this Aleran whelp test his beliefs before The One! Let him face the Trial of Blood with Atsurak and end this matter!” Skagara sneered toward Tavi. “Atsurak will split his belly open before he can scream.”
“Atsurak is not here,” Doroga said, lifting his chin. “I am the eldest headman present. And it is thus my duty to take up the challenge to Atsurak’s belief in his place.”
Skagara’s eyes widened. “Atsurak,” he said, “would not approve.”
Doroga bared his white teeth. “Atsurak,” he repeated, “is not here. I will defend his belief as is proper.”
Skagara growled. “As well. The strength of Doroga is well known. He will break the Aleran in the Trial of his Clan, even as Atsurak would do in a Trial of Blood.”
“That would be correct,” Doroga said, “if I faced the trial myself. This will not happen.”
“Only you, I, or Hashat may stand for Atsurak,” Skagara snarled.
“Unless,” Doroga said, “I invoke the right of my heir to stand in my place in any Trial before The One.”
Skagara stared at the Gargant headman in stunned silence.
“Kitai,” rumbled Doroga. “Step into the horto.”
The boy that had cut Tavi before appeared nervously at the head of the crowd — from behind the ranks of Clan Horse, Tavi noted. Doroga saw it as well and scowled. “Get in here, whelp.”
Kitai hesitated at the edge of the stones, then hurried inside, steps carrying him lightly over to stand on the ground beside Doroga’s stone.
Doroga put his hand on Kitai’s shoulder. “In this, I ask you to stand for me. Will you?”
Kitai swallowed and nodded, without speaking.
Skagara snarled. “Then draw the circle. Bare the contestants. Let the spawn of Doroga show the strength of the sire. The Aleran is no match in a Trial of Strength, even for your whelp, Doroga.”
“The trial of Clan Gargant is the Trial of Strength,” Doroga said. “But Kitai is not yet Bound to a Clan. And the trial of Clan Fox, the Clan of my whelp’s mother, is the Trial of Wits. Kitai may accept challenge in either. And I decree that in this the Fox Trial best serves the interest of the Marat.”
Hashat frowned at Doroga, as though she didn’t fully understand, but she said, “I second Doroga’s opinion. Let us bring the question before The One.”
“No,” Skagara spat. “The Fox Clan is no more.”
Doroga spun toward Skagara again and advanced a step on the other man. His hands closed into fists with a rippling crackle of popping knuckles, and his jaws bulged where he clenched them. He came to a stop, across the pool from the Wolf headman, shaking with a visible effort to restrain himself.
“I think,” Hashat said, quietly, “that Doroga believes you mistaken, Skagara. I think he wishes to bring the matter before The One in the Blood Trial of the Wolf Clan.”
Skagara gave one glance to Hashat and then stumbled back and off of his rock. “I will not forget this, Doroga,” he said, voice strained, high. “Atsurak will know how you have perverted our laws for your purposes.”
“Get out of my sight,” Doroga said in a quiet, dreadful voice.
Skagara retreated, behind an uneasy wall of warriors of Clan Wolf and down off of the hilltop.
Uneasy talk broke out among the Marat watching, but Doroga turned in a circle, speaking to them. “Go back down. Hashat and I will arrange the trial. We will let The One help us decide what path we will walk.”
The Marat departed then, peaceably, though there continued to be much talk among them, and though the Wolves seemed to retreat down the hill cautiously, many fangs bared, low growls warning away those who came too near.
A few moments later, Tavi and Fade stood with the three Marat alone. Doroga gave his shoulders a shake and blew out a long breath. “Very well,” the Marat said. “Hashat. What do you think is an appropriate trial?”