Finally, it was decided that one would approach the people while the other remained hidden in the bushes. If they were truly defenceless, they would not put up a fight. The villagers would then be taken back to the Iroquois villages in the south. Jesse tensed at the thought of his friends being taken by force. He could not let it happen. Where was Iondaee?
The lead Iroquois warrior pulled out his large hunting knife and walked into the light. The other, still hiding behind a bush, aimed his bow, ready to shoot at the slightest sign of danger. The sight of the stranger brought screams of terror from the women and cries from the children.
“Who is your leader?” the warrior demanded, striding up to the frightened people.
There was a murmur from the crowd. Finally, an old woman, shawled and bent over, approached the warrior. Her legs trembled with each step.
“I am the elder of the village,” she offered. “What do you want with us? We mean you no harm.”
“I am Mindan, from the Iroquois nation. You and your people now belong to us. You will return with us to our village.”
Shrieks and wailing echoed throughout the crowd. The old lady stepped forward and shook her head. “We are not your property. We are Wendat. You have no say in our matters, and we do not wish to go with you to your village.”
The crowd hushed. The warrior's face reddened in anger. He could not believe the old woman had dared to challenge him. He roughly spun her around, grabbed her across the chest and placed his knife to her throat.
“This is what happens to anyone who dares to challenge my commands!” he shouted to the frightened crowd. “Shall I make an example of your foolish elder who…“
Before the warrior could finish his sentence, the air was knocked out of his lungs by a powerful elbow from the old woman. The woman's other hand lashed up over her shoulder and caught the warrior square on the forehead, causing him to stagger backwards. The shawl fell off her head. It was not an old woman, but Iondaee in disguise. He grabbed the stunned warrior, punched him in the lower back and sent him sprawling. A woman stepped forward, waiting for the warrior as he staggered towards her. From behind her back, she lifted a branch and crashed it down on top of his head, knocking him out cold. “That's for my husband.”
Jesse recognized her as Asitari's wife, Tutayac. But his attention quickly returned to the second warrior. Momentarily stunned by what he had just witnessed, the warrior regained his composure and rose to his feet. His bow took dead aim at Iondaee. Jesse leaped ahead. He could see the fingers about to release the bow string. He could only hope he would be in time. Jesse rammed the warrior like a freight train hitting a stubborn moose. The arrow, jarred off course by the impact, slammed into the trunk of a nearby tree. The warrior collapsed into a groaning heap.
Jesse tried to shake the stars from his own head. As his mind cleared, he quickly scanned the forest for other signs of movement, and then back to Iondaee. He was safe! Iondaee, now in a low, warrior stance with bow in hand, explored the perimeter of the camp, moving wolf-like through the bushes, checking for intruders. Jesse joined in the search. The two finally met near the bush that grew beside the moaning Iroquois warrior. Iondaee grinned in the flickering light.
“I think we did it.”
Jesse looked at him nervously, “What about the other Iroquois by the creek? He's still out there!”
“I used your tapping rock signal as a diversion. While he was looking at you, I was able to take him by surprise.” He nodded at Jesse's fallen warrior. “Let's take this one to the women, and then we can go fetch the third.”
Iondaee dragged the unconscious warrior back to the camp. It had been a long and draining day for everyone. The women were more determined than joyful at the knowledge that they had won the battle. Their temporary freedom was horribly tainted by their tremendous loss.
Strips of leather were found and the women went to work at tying up their captives. Iondaee approached his wife and Tutayac, who were binding up the first warrior's feet.
“Shecu, I need you to stay with our people and make sure that everyone remains calm. Tutayac, I need you to follow me and help me carry our third warrior back to camp.”
Shecu nodded as Tutayac straightened herself and left camp with Iondaee and the deer. Tutayac strode beside Iondaee with determination. Jesse could sense that her deep grief was now being transformed into anger. She seemed determined to make sure that her husband's death would not be in vain. Iondaee seemed to sense it too. He had chosen her to help him in order to strengthen her for the leadership role he knew she would now have to fulfill. Iondaee would have no choice but to allow women to become hunters and warriors. It would be at least five years before the oldest of the boys would be prepared for such duties. Survival by any means was now the key to their existence.
Jesse looked at Iondaee with admiration as they were enveloped by darkness. “Were you scared when you had a knife to your throat?”
“Scared?” echoed Iondaee. “No. I knew he would not kill me. There is no honour in the murder of a defenceless old woman. He was only doing what was necessary for him to gain control of my village. He would have let an old woman go, eventually.”
Jesse smiled. “Still, that was one of the bravest things I've ever seen. So what are you going to do with them now?”
“They will come with us until we reach the land of our brothers, the Algonkian. Then they can choose to either remain with us or return to their village.”
Jesse stopped, stunned. “Stay with you and your people? After they just tried to capture you?”
Iondaee smiled. “It is not as unlikely a choice as you may think. The Algonkian will certainly spread the story of how a band of women and children managed to capture three Iroquois warriors. The tale will spread quickly throughout all of the nations. The warriors will likely be too ashamed to return to their people. Also, remember that there are dozens of women in my village in need of husbands. And once we settle, we will require male elders. As a chief, I will guarantee our captives will be honoured and well-treated by my people if they choose to stay and live in our band.”
“Others may take one of these…men as a husband,” spat Tutayac, listening to the one-sided conversation, “but I'll never marry an Iroquois!”
“That is your decision to make,” answered Iondaee, his voice deepening with a chieftain's authority. “But I also expect you to welcome them and honour them if they do decide to join us.”
The three were well beyond camp when they came to the body of the unconscious warrior. He lay slumped over, leaning against a moss-covered boulder. Iondaee explained how he had surprised him by leaping on him from the top of the boulder as he passed by. Iondaee bent down and grabbed one arm. Tutayac moved to the other side of the body. Just as they were heaving the warrior off the ground, Jesse straightened.
“Iondaee!”
It was too late. The whistling sound was there for only a moment. Iondaee cried out in pain as he clutched his leg. An arrow was embedded in his flesh just above his knee. Iondaee dropped the body, sending Tutayac tumbling on top of the unconscious warrior. Jesse flung himself to the left, glancing at the nearby shadowy figure, now aiming his reloaded bow. Jesse knew that this time the warrior would not aim for Iondaee's legs. The bow twanged. The finger of death was on its way.
“No!”
Jesse