Bargaining Begins

By the late morning of the next day the warriors had strapped Ibik skins to the frame. The energy had worn off and the work was not as coordinated but they got the skins stretched and tied. In small groups the women from both tribes streamed into the valley. Alpen’s mate, Bebe, unwrapped her egg sling and handed the pouch and both eggs to him. Drindl was too young to take a mate. Fallon’s partner, Alithea, carried her egg pouch wrapped around her waist and their young boy sat atop her shoulders. He shifted onto Fallon’s shoulders as Alithea transferred her egg pouch to him.

After the women filed into the two separate huts, those without eggs joined the two huts with skins. They left an opening for the Listener to join the women. She would meld the discussions with her language skills. 

From the Glade camp Tall One descended and met Sarten. Each man held his sword in one hand, the other arm bound to his belly with the tribe’s banner. Where was the Listener?

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Sarten and Tall One performed the customary ritual of warriors before negotiations. Fallon scanned the hill for the Listener. His boy squirmed around on his shoulder when he saw  the Sprints on the hill. He banged his heels against Fallon's chest trying to urge his dad up the hill to see the giant spiders. Concerned for Drindl's safety, Fallon glanced around. The young warrior stood with Alpen. He didn't seem bothered by the sight of the Sprints. Must have been the energy he had eaten yesterday. 

One of Sarten's aides came over to him. Sarten needed him to translate. Burdened with an egg pouch and a boy, Fallon asked if Sarten could find someone else. Where was the Listener, he asked? That's why Sarten needs you, the aide said.

Tall One's lower jaw jutted out in defiance as Fallon drew closer. His boy thought they were going to see the Sprints on the hill and made grunting sounds of displeasure when Fallon stopped. Sarten told him to ask Tall One where the Listener was. Fallon tried to concentrate, shifting between the ugly syllables of the Glade language and the mellifluous cadences of his native Jade language. Tall One said the Listener was sick from eating purpury berries. Fallon thought he was lying. There were no berries that had ripened this early in spring. He told Sarten who wanted another Listener to translate negotiations between the women of the two tribes. No, Tall One said. There is no one else. He pointed to Fallon and said, "You translate." When Fallon relayed this to Sarten, he agreed. Fallon protested that he had an egg and a boy to take care of. 
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"Your companion can take care of your boy and your egg," Sarten said. He waved Fallon away.  Altiss pulled back a flap of skin on the treaty hut and called out to Sarten. He told her to wait a few moments. He turned back to Fallon and was insistent, "Hurry." Fallon hurried to Alpen, in the opposite direction from the Sprints, and his boy jerked up and down on his shoulders in protest. Fallon and Alpen inspected his egg pouch. No way could he keep three eggs warm.

"I could carry the pouch," Drindl offered.

"Have you ever done this before?" Fallon asked. "You have to rotate the egg every ten minutes while you are awake. When you sleep in your bedroll, you can't turn. 'Egg sleep' we call it." Drindl assured him he could do it and Alpen said he would tie Drindl down so that he could not turn over in his sleep. Alpen offered to take care of the boy.

Fallon transferred the egg pouch to Drindl's waist and made sure it was secure. He put his hands on Drindl's shoulders and looked him in the eye. "You are my brother now." Drindl nodded.