"Perhaps." Without better knowledge, the Word-Maker wasn't going to commit himself one way or the other. Martine didn't like the sound of these questions and cursed herself for being helpless.
"Are these gnomes powerful?"
Krote shrugged in puzzlement at Vreesar's question. "I do not know. They are little people and do not raid our land. Some think they are grass-growers and do not know how to hunt."
"Then they are weak."
Krote shook his head firmly. 'Me stories of the Burnt Fur say the little people are strong in magic. If the stories are true, then they are powerful."
Vreesar cackled, its laugh like shattering icicles. "I am magic. I am powerful. The little snow people are nothing, like mephitz, like Icy-White. If that iz all they have, they will be easy to destroy. We will attack them."'The fiend glared at the gnolls huddled near the fire pit, waiting for any to speak out against the plan. The frigid creature's gaze was a fierce
challenge none of the dog-men dared accept, and their silence signaled their acceptance.
It's only a boast, Martine hoped as she heard Vreesar's proclamation. It was bad to have let the fiend escape the rift. The attack on the Vani would be yet another black mark against her in the eyes of the Harpers. If a single one of these creatures could create such chaos, Martine knew she could never allow hordes of Vreesar's kin to enter into the world. While the fiend ranted its threats and schemes, the Harper slid stealthily across the floor, moving in tiny increments toward jazrac's precious stone.
Krote's ears flared at Vreesar's declaration, his eyes suddenly darkening. Standing up to his full height until he almost looked the fiend eye-to-eye, the shaman alone rose to the challenge of Vreesar's words. "Chieftain, we are one tribe. If we fight the people of the snow, many of our warriors will die, even with you to lead us. The little people have strong homes, dug into the dirt like the dens of foxex. The old songs called them fierce like the badger."
"What iz badger?" The shaman's point was lost on the otherworldly creature.
"A demon of the forest," Krote explained. The badger is small but fears no one, not even bears. The gnomes to the south are said to have badger blood in their veins."
"No creature fightz more fiercely than Vreesar," the fiend hissed.
Krote still wasn't ready to relent. "And if Brokka is killed, who will take his mates and find game for his kits? Or Varka? Or Split-Ear? Attack the little people and many mates will howl for their dead warriors."
"That iz the way of femalez," the fiend droned unconcernedly.
Martine froze as the elemental turned to resume its place on the dais. She could only silently pray that it hadn't noticed that she had crept halfway to the wall, or if it did,
that it thought nothing of it.
"Great chieftain, it will take our warriors much time to attack the people of the snow," Word-Maker hastily pressed as he tried yet another tack to dissuade the fiend from its plan. Martine almost believed the gnoll was trying to distract the fiend's attention. If that was so, he was succeeding admirably, for the elemental wheeled about, its icy joints clicking as it moved.
Krote stepped forward to face the fiend. Though the gnoll was gaunt and tall, the fiend was even taller and thinner. The bones and antlers that hung from the arches tangled with the hairlike barbs on its head.
'Me winter is hard," Krote insisted. "There is little food in the lodges. Our warriors must hunt to feed our kits, or they will starve. We must wait for the snows to melt."
Vreesar turned upon the shaman and hissed, "Wait? No… the ice makez the warriorz strong. They will attack now" "But what about the females?"
"They will fight, too, or starve. Femalez fight! Young onez fight All of them!" the fiend buzzed furiously through clenched, needlelike teeth. "Give the femalez swordz and the young onez knivez. Everybody fightz. All of the Burnt Fur must fight!"
A murmur rippled through the assembled gnolls. Voices raised in both eagerness and fear. Though loath to concede it, Martine was impressed that the shaman stood his ground, refusing to give in to the fiend. They were still distracted, and she inched forward.
"You will kill the tribe," Krote predicted. He clutched the icon that hung from his neck. "This is not the will-" Krote's words ended in the snap of his jaw as the elemental swung one lanky arm in a lashing backhand. 'Me shaman's head whiplashed to the side as he reeled backward for three steps before his legs half-buckled and he dropped to one knee.
The creature didn't press its attack but stood watching the gnoll. "I am the chieftain and not an imp of the godz, like you, shaman. Do you challenge me?"
Krote's lips rolled back to bare his fighting fangs, and the shaman tensed for the attack. Like all the others in the lodge, Martine was certain bloodshed was imminent. WordMaker's flattened ears twitched eagerly. A low growl rumbled in his throat as the hackles on his neck rose:
The lodge came alive with an undulating buzz. "Attack me," the fiend taunted in soft whispers. Even as it spoke, the creature gouged long furrows in the dirt floor.
Then the moment passed, and Krote slowly lowered his head in submission.
"Good," Vreesar breathed, making no effort to conceal its disappointment. "No more challengez." It turned away from the gnoll and stood over the sprawled Harper. "No escaping either," it said, noting her movements, then kicked her in the side to emphasize the point. Her body collapsed into the dirt, leaving Martine clutching at her ribs while her breath came in sharp bursts.
"Hot Breath, you have friendz in thiz valley of little people? Family? Are you ready to see them die?" The fiend squatted beside her, tilting its head owlishly to meet her tear-filled gaze.
"I know no one there," Martine gasped.
The fiend grinned brittlely as it knelt close to her. "Perhapz you lie again. Tell me where the key iz, or I will lead my people there and kill them all."
`There is no key."
'Mere iz alwayz a key. Every door haz a key," the fiend insisted, "and you know where it iz. Tell me. Think of your friendz, the gnomes. I will kill them unless you tell me."
"I don't have the key." That, at least, wasn't a lie. "So there iz a key! Where iz it?"
Martine winced at her blunder. She had just removed one uncertainty for the fiend. If she told Vreesar the truth -which she could not-the creature would kill her. If she resisted, it could just as easily kill her in a rage.
"I'll never tell you," she swore bitterly. She braced herself for another onslaught.
"Oh, yez, you will, human," Vreesar droned soothingly. It seemed as if the fiend had suddenly lost interest in her. "Shaman, take my human away."
As she was taken from the lodge, the Harper couldn't resist a wistful glance at the stone. The ranger stopped the instant she noticed Krote watching, but by that time it was too late. The shaman had already taken note. If he didn't know now, the ranger was certain Krote would quickly figure it out.
Outside, Word-Maker shoved her toward the small lodge. Martine was so exhausted she barely noticed when they arrived at her crude prison. Once inside, the woman collapsed onto the furs, ready to surrender to sleep. Krote had other ideas, though. With a firm touch, he pressed his thick-padded hand against her side, seeking out the broken rib.
"What are you doing?" Her words were groggy, confused.
"Healing you." The shaman waved a primitive icon over her side. "You must not die when the thing questions you." Now the Harper was truly confused. Was this an act of kindness, or was it a cruel desire to prolong her suffering? "WhY?"
Without pausing, the gnoll explained. "You are from the warm lands, where humans live, and know many things about them. You must not die before teaching me these things. Remain still." Krote didn't wait for her-to respond, but began chanting the words to his spell, the same one he had used before on her wounded shoulder. Once again a warmth pervaded her from his hands, flowing into her