Little Mountain looked from Ryan to the wolf with fear-widened eyes.
As his friends pushed around him into the room to recover their weapons, Ryan said coldly, ‘”It’s no sin to betray a betrayer,’ as Sisoka said.”
Joe shrugged, his hard, ruddy face tight. “I didn’t betray you.”
“You kept us in the dark about what this conflict is really about,” Ryan said. “You’ll bring death to this valley because of some dream, some theory you cooked up, based on nothing but bitterness and ego.”
“You’ve been seduced by Sisoka.”
Ryan caught Krysty’s swift sideways glance toward him. “Joe, you’re going with us to Sisoka.”
His obsidian eyes narrowed. “Pizi will kill me.”
“Probably.” Ryan showed his teeth in a humorless, smile. “I don’t know if you deserve it or not. But I do know you’re the man who brought war to this valley, and you brought us here to help you wage it.”
“You came here for gold,” Joe replied. “If you turn on me now, you’ll lose it all.”
“Don’t be so sure all white men are as greedy as history makes us out to be. Now, both of you, let’s go.”
Joe didn’t move. “Go where?”
“To get horses. When we go out, keep it looking natural and friendly, just a friendly stroll with the wasicun kagas . No talking unless I ask you a question. You fuck with me, I’ll chill both of you where you stand.”
Joe exchanged a quick look with Little Mountain, nodded brusquely, then moved toward the door. All of them filed out into the corridor and then into the brooding, quiet night.
“Who seduced you?” Krysty asked as they walked around the tree.
Ryan sighed. “Later.”
They reached the compound, which was unguarded, though Blood-sniffer’s ears were pricked up and he stared around as if sensing something that couldn’t be seen. The horses snorted and shifted when the wolf scent reached their nostrils.
While Joe and Little Mountain were held at blaster-point, Krysty, J.B., Doc and Mildred selected the mounts from the others and put pad saddles on their backs. Krysty picked out a sturdy pony for Ryan.
Mildred handed Joe the lead rope of his pinto. As he checked out the braided bridle on the horse, he said, “You’re making a mistake, Ochinee.”
“Mebbe,” Ryan replied. “Mebbe I’m trying to correct one.”
Sighing, Joe reached out to pat his pony’s velvety muzzle. Abruptly Blood-sniffer stiffened, hackles rising, a growl rumbling from his throat. Ryan made a move toward Joe, raising the SIG-Sauer to club the man down.
Stridently Joe yelled, ” Kicizapi !”
The pony instantly screamed, rearing on his hind legs, hooves and forelegs lashing out. Ryan avoided a fractured skull by the thickness of a fingernail. As it was, a hoof dealt him a glancing blow on the side of the head, staggering him. Joe and Little Mountain moved so fast that individual motions couldn’t be distinguished. They dived toward the horses, shouting shrilly, and the animals neighed and milled in a panic, jostling J.B. and Doc off their feet. Voices yelled from the darkness beyond the compound, and Joe and Little Mountain shouted back.
“Fireblast!” Ryan snarled, grabbing the bridle of the pony Krysty had chosen for him. He vaulted onto its back, squeezing off three shots into the night. The reports sounded obscenely loud, but he wasn’t aiming at anything. He hoped the blasterfire would keep the warriors at bay long enough for his friends to get mounted.
With Jak’s help, Doc managed to get astride Judas Redux, and when everyone was more or less mounted up, Ryan kicked his horse into a gallop. Blood-sniffer raced beside him.
They drummed up the avenue and veered toward the open plains. Glancing back once, Ryan saw warriors darting for ponies, trying to calm them enough so they could be saddled and ridden.
All six people let their horses run flat out across the grassland for five miles. Only when the black woods rose before them did they slow the horses to a canter.
Blood-sniffer had dropped back due to his injured leg, and Ryan waited until the wolf had trotted up, sides heaving, tongue hanging out with exertion.
Mildred twisted in her saddle. “I don’t think they chased us.”