sticking out of the capo's chest just behind the right foreleg. He

pulled his knife from its stick-shaft and cut the bolt out of the dead

buck. Clearwater wiped the blood away with a handful of grass. The

pattern scored on the shaft in front of the vanes were not those of the

M'Call clan.

'What is this, brothers?" said a mocking voice. 'A coyote and a fox

that feeds off the meat of lions?"

Cadillac's and Clearwater's hearts faltered momentarily as four unknown

Mute warriors rose from the grass around them. One of them who, to

guess by his adornments, was the gang-leader, carried a crossbow; the

others were armed with knife-sticks and stone flails. The strangers

wore helmet masks of hardened buffalo hide onto which were sewn bones

and coloured pebbles. They had stone-studded leather cuffs on their

forearms, and their patterned bodies were shielded with similar thigh,

chest and shoulder plates, hung with feathers and bones that had been

dipped in blood.

Cadillac and Clearwater rose slowly to their feet as the four Mutes

took a menacing step forward. Cadillac slipped his knife into the

sheath tied to his waistbelt and turned to face the heavily-built

gang-leader. The Mute tossed his crossbow to the warrior on his

right.

Cadillac offered the bolt to the gang-leader on his outstretched

palm.

'I am Cadillac, of the clan M'CalI, from the bloodline of the

She-Kargo, first-born of the Plainfolk. We have stalked this fast-foot

since the sun was at the head of the sky. The bolt I fired lies in its

heart." He gestured to the dead capo. 'Cut it free and you will see I

speak the truth.

Yours was aimed too high to kill." He tossed the bolt towards the Mute

- who snatched it out of the air with an angry gesture.

Clearwater's heart quailed at Cadillac's recklessness.

One of the other warriors knelt and examined the wound in the breast of

the dead buck. He nodded to his leader as if to confirm Cadillac's

claim.

'It does not matter,' said the gang-leader. 'I fired first. It is our

meat."

Cadillac flushed angrily. 'He was already dead when your bolt

struck!"

He tapped his chest. 'I made the kill!" The gang-leader filled his

deep chest, flexed his shoulders and treated Cadillac to a mocking

smile. 'You have a big mouth, coyote. But your tail will soon be

between your legs."

Cadillac stood his ground. 'A coyote does not fear the cawing of

carrion crows with no name."

The gang-leader swaggered forward until his nose was almost touching

Cadillac's and folded his arms - a gesture indicating his total

indifference to any possible danger from his opponent. 'Listen well,

coyote - while you still have ears.

I am Shakatak, of the Clan D'Vine, from the bloodline of the D'Troit,

mightiest of the Plainfolk." He indicated his companions. 'These are

my brother Lion-Hearts Torpedo, Cannonball and Freeway. We have chewed

bone, coyote. A full head-pole marks the door to our pad. Your skull

will sit well upon the second."

His three companions laughed, and mocked Cadillac by yelping like

frightened coyotes.

Clearwater moved to Cadillac's side and addressed Shakatak without any

sign of fear. 'By what right do you take the life of a soul-brother?

Are we not all of the Plainfolk? Do we not breathe the same air? Let

us divide the fast-foot between us and share the triumph of the

kill."

Shakatak uncrossed his arms, holding his fists clenched against his

thighs. 'The D'Troit are not soul-brothers of the She-Kargo." He spat

on the ground in front of them. 'Your name is dirt in our mouth. We

share nothing with those who invade our turf and steal the meat from

our knives."

Clearwater could not restrain her anger at the insult.

'This is no-man's land! Your clan have put down no markers I' Shakatak

flung out his left arm towards Cannonball and snapped his fingers.

Cannonball reached down into the grass and picked up a claim stick - an

eight-foot pole hung wi