familiar beads.
'Really, my mother, we've taken every precaution not to run out of water,' he said, reaching out to reassure her.
She threw his hand off angrily. 'You've no idea what it'll be like here.'
She turned away, wet-eyed, blind, her eyebrows raised. She gave a little shrug. 'Not that what I feel matters any more.'
Her dark eyes fixed on him. 'What about the huskmen?'
Carnelian knew nothing about that but supposed it unlikely the Grove gates would be sealed with so many people left behind.
'I'll be here to protect the Koppie.'
Akaisha made a face.
At that moment Poppy ran up. 'Carnie, it's time to go.'
Carnelian sagged. He had forgotten he would have to say goodbye to Poppy. 'Have you seen Fern?'
Poppy shook her head. Carnelian was in an agony of indecision. Akaisha hefted a sack. He disliked seeing her burdened like that.
'Is there no one coming to help you?'
'I can manage.'
Carnelian grimaced. He insisted on taking the sack, then, motioning Poppy to go round to Akaisha's other side, they proceeded towards the Lagooning.
On every side, under the trees, people were moving, converging on the Lagoongate. Carnelian, Akaisha and Poppy reached the crowd and had to wait until it was their turn to cross the earthbridge into the ferngarden. As they walked along between the cisterns and the magnolias, Carnelian kept scanning the crowd looking for Fern.
'Carnie,' cried a woman's voice. They turned and saw Sil pushing her way towards them.
Thank the Mother,' she said as she saw Akaisha. 'You were supposed to wait for us by the mother tree. My mother and I didn't know where you were.'
Akaisha scowled. 'I'm not a child, Sil.'
'No, my mother.' She and Carnelian exchanged glances.
'Do you know where Fern is?' he asked her.
She frowned. 'Ravan came for him. No doubt he's off with the Master.'
He must have shown his dismay because she said: 'What's wrong?'
'Will you tell him something from me?'
'Why can't you tell him yourself?'
'He's not coming with us,' Akaisha growled.
'Carnie?' cried Poppy, her eyes wide with panic.
He lifted her up and looked her in the face. 'I have to stay here, Poppy, to look after the Bluedancing.'
'You can't!'
'Don't waste your words, child,' said Akaisha. 'His mind's made up.'
Poppy's lower lip quivered. Then I'll stay with you.'
Carnelian shook his head. 'No.'
Poppy clung to him. 'I'm not going!'
'Oh yes you are,' he said with a voice that froze her. He forced a smile and kissed her. 'I'll be here when you return.'
'Sil will look after you.' He glanced round at Sil, who gave a nod.
Whin caught up with them and he stayed with them until they reached the Far Lagoonbridge and saw the Tribe gathering in the blaze of the open plain. Carnelian took his leave of them. He hugged Poppy, who had still not got over him shouting at her. He was thankful because he knew that if she began crying he might end up joining her. He put Poppy down and put her hand in Sil's.
Sil looked distraught. 'What did you want me to tell Fern?'
Carnelian thought. Tell him he must wait until he returns here with the Master.'
He kissed her lips to stop questions. She frowned, then turned to allow him to kiss Leaf. Akaisha took her bag back from him. He leaned in to kiss her but she turned her face away.
Krow had found him and together they watched the Tribe march away. Carnelian saw riders and was sure one of them was Fern. Dust rose in clouds to hide them but still he stood watching the dark shapes trembling behind the veils. Soon the plain had claimed them all. The few men who had come to watch began to slog back to the cedar shade. It was Krow's discomfort from the heat that made Carnelian leave. As they walked back, he glanced over to where he knew the Bluedancing were slaving in the sun. He was not feeling brave enough just then to go among them. At that moment, what he most wanted was to go and sit against his mother tree.
THE ORACLE
It is too late to avoid a scorpion once you have felt his sting.
Smoke from the burning plain turned the days to dusk; at night it stole the stars, leaving the blackness to come alive with furtive smoulderings. It was hard not to believe they were witnessing the end of the world.
Then the sun began to peer through the haze. The moon rose full and flooded the cold dead plain. Through numberless molten-glass days, Carnelian craved the shade of his mother tree but he chose instead to stay with the Bluedancing. He spared the warriors exposure to the terrible gaze of the sun and left them cowering in the shade of the cedars. Krow chose to join him. With his help, Carnelian tried to arrange the labour of the Bluedancing so that as many as possible should work in the shade of the ditch wall. Still, many women were forced out into the torrid air; onto earth so hot they had to wrap cloth around their feet or else be blistered. Even in the ditch, the sun threatened to sear tongue and eyes. Drinking, each gulp had to be held in the mouth to cool it a little before swallowing. The more unbearable it became, the more Carnelian refused to abandon the women. He could give them no promises, no reassurances. He hoped it was enough they knew their children were safe in the mountains and that each day they saw him suffering at their side.
On a day like any other, a warrior not of the Ochre came to find Carnelian at the diggings. Carnelian ignored the man's stare. Skin slimy with sweat and dust, mouth and throat choked dry; Carnelian's eyelashes gummed together every time he blinked. He closed his mouth and allowed it to fill with spittle. When his tongue came loose, he used it to scour his mouth. He gathered it all and spat it out, licked his lips, spat again, swallowed.
'What is it?' he croaked.
The man's eyes widened. 'Smoke.'
Carnelian peered at the man waiting for more. Krow appeared.
'What's happening?'
The man pointed back the way he had come.*Smoke rising. In the direction of our… my koppie. The koppie of the Darkcloud.'
Carnelian stood for a while unsure what the man wanted of him. 'You want me to see it?'
The man answered with a vigorous nod.
Carnelian and Krow covered themselves with their robes and the youth led them up out of the ditch. They surfaced into blinding incandescence. Beneath a flat, colourless sky, the land smouldered, wisped with dust. Carnelian concentrated on drawing scorched air slowly into his lungs. Sweat trickled down his neck, his back, his inner thighs. He realized the man was waiting for him, impatient. He pointed up at the Crag.
