future events; would alter the direction of the River of Time

so that the death and destruction he had foreseen would not occur. He

was aware that, in attempting to tamper with the preordained, he was

setting himself up as the equal of the Supreme Being that watched over

the Plainfolk and he knew it was wrong, but this did not deflect his

growing resolve. It was a forgivable conceit he shared with numberless

other young men - and many older ones too - who had gone before him.

Towards sundown on the day that Death-Wish had been despatched in the

hours before dawn, Cadillac sought out Motor-Head during one of their

brief halts. The heavily-muscled warrior was crouched in a stream

splashing water over his face, chest and arms. Black-Top and

Steel-Eye, his constant companions, lay sprawled on the bank eating

yellow-fists, the Mute name for a type of large, wild apple.

Motor-Head cupped his hands and splashed water over Cadillac as he

hunkered down on the edge of the stream.

'Your face looks heavy, sandworm. You got something on your mind?"

'Yes. I would speak with my brother Bear of things I have seen in the

stone."

Motor-Head stepped out of the stream and beckoned Black-Top and

Steel-Eye to come and sit on either side of him. The three warriors

squatted down facing Cadillac.

Motor-Head snapped his fingers and pointed to Cadillac.

Black-Top tossed him a yellow-fist. Steel-Eye placed another in his

leader's outstretched palm. Motor-Head took a huge bite out of it.

'What would you speak of?"

'The Death-Bringer."

Motor-Head spat the chunk of fruit out of his mouth, tossed the other

piece away, then leant forward with his wrists on his knees and fixed

his jet-black eyes on Cadillac's face. His huge hands hung loose but

his jaw was set, his neck muscles tensed, his killer instinct aroused

by the subject of the cloud-warrior.

'He plans to take wing,' said Cadillac. 'To return to the dark cities

beneath the desert. And he wishes to take Clearwater with him."

Motor-Head glanced at his two companions then studied Cadillac with

narrowed eyes. 'When is this to be?"

'Soon. It could be within two or three moon-risings."

'Does the Old One know of this?"

'He has not spoken of it to me,' replied Cadillac. 'Nor I to him."

Motor-Head's eyes glittered as he got the message. 'What do you wish

us to do - clip his wings?"

'Yes. But in a way that does not harm the arrowhead."

Motor-Head exchanged another look with BlackTop and Steel-Eye and

gained their silent assent. He turned to Cadillac. 'We will make the

run for home when the others sleep under Mo-Town's cloak. It will be

hard. It is more than a day's running. We may not get there in

time."

Cadillac offered the yellow-fist he'd been given to Motor-Head.

'If anyone can do it, you will."

Motor-Head nodded with visible pride. 'True." He gripped his knees

and flexed the muscles in his arms and shoulders. 'So - this

treacherous crow fouls the floor of those who feed him. Is he to be

killed?"

Cadillac considered the idea very seriously. To delay the

cloud-warrior's departure was a decision that could be reversed; to

order his death was an irrevocable act that might lead to an even

greater disaster than the one he sought to avoid. It could also render

him totally unworthy in the eyes of Mr Snow. 'No,' he said. 'Don't

kill or cut him.

Just... keep him on the ground."

Motor-Head's mouth turned down sharply. 'You disappoint me,

sandworm.

There is venom in your heart but your tongue lacks bite. A man who

would take the place of Mr Snow needs iron in his soul. If he cannot

say or do the hard things, the clan will go under."

Cadillac searched his conscience and found what he felt was the true

answer. 'He who would give wise counsel must know when to take life

and when to spare it. The Way of the Warrior is not drenched in

blood.

The strength and courage needed to kill your enemy is only the first

step along the Path to Understanding." ?Motor-Head snorted

contemptuously. 'I will not cross words with you, little brother.

Your head holds the star-secrets, my hand holds sharp iron - but we

were both born to defend the Plainfolk in the name of Talisman." He