Raven's Choice Read Free Page B

back, out of their way. The Longhead ignored them. His chest heaved, his breathing ragged. He shook his head as if to clear it, then he grasped his upper arm again and worked it back and forth.
    Mesmerized, Raven couldn’t look away. He was massive and imposing, even if he was shorter than most of the surrounding men and not much taller than Raven. His legs and arms were a little shorter than a normal man’s, but his core was longer and much larger than any man’s she’d ever seen—except for Bear.
    “Here’s your chance, Leaf,” Bear said. “Will you finish him off, or shall I?”
    Raven’s head snapped around. Bear, his wolfish smile playing around his mouth, was watching Leaf. Surely he wasn’t going to make the scout kill the Longhead on the spot. For that matter, why kill him at all? He was obviously injured and not a threat. There was no reason for it—other than cruelty. Raven glanced at the unsuspecting Longhead, still working his arm around. Her mouth was as dry as steppe grass in winter, and her heart pounded.
    Leaf looked around at the others. He swallowed several times and cleared his throat. His eyes blinking rapidly, he slowly raised his spear over his shoulder.
    Raven couldn’t help herself. A small anguished cry, part gasp and part moan, slipped out.
    Upon hearing her, the Longhead’s frozen senses thawed, and he returned from wherever he had been. His eyes focused on the men surrounding him, on the threatening spear. For the first time, he seemed to realize his predicament. He pressed back into the rock wall and tried to raise both arms but ended up clutching one arm with the other.
    Bear glanced back at Raven, his eyes cold, and she knew he’d heard her also. “Lower your spear, Leaf,” he said. “I was only making certain of your bravery—and having a little fun with you.”
    Leaf let the spear roll out of his hand onto the ground. He was breathing heavily, his jaw clenched. Several of the men laughed nervously, and Bear raised a hand, silencing them. “Why risk breaking a spear at this point? We’ll decide what to do with the Longhead later, but right now, I want Leaf to question him. Longheads haven’t been seen around here for some time. Leaf, ask him where they came from and why they’re hunting here.”
    Bear was having fun with them all, Raven understood. He obviously had little respect for anyone. Her musing was interrupted by those strange noises falling once again from the scout’s tongue.
    Calmer and not as shrill, Leaf sounded like a squabbling crow instead of a wounded one. His hands and arms moved and waved in slower patterns. The men’s spears lowered. They gaped at Leaf, and then all eyes went to the Longhead when he replied in the same fluid, flapping way, using only one arm, his injured arm kept still, his voice more often a deep warble than a hoarse caw.
    If the Longhead found it strange that Leaf knew his manner of speech, he didn’t show it by trying to flee the way the others had. Twice, he paused his gesturing and talking in order to rub his right arm, wincing briefly.
    Leaf turned to Bear. “They are from over the mountains, several days’ journey from here. He says the hunting is better on this side of the mountains. Their tribe is hungry, and they need meat. They intended to return after they made a kill.”
    Raven didn’t know what caused her to look down the canyon. “They’re back!” she shouted.
    All the men except Leaf—who snatched up his spear and pointed it toward the captive—spun around to face the five Longheads standing not much farther than a spear-throw away. Every Longhead carried rocks, and their heavy-browed glares were so menacing that Raven wondered if she should perhaps run away down the riverbed.
    One of the bloodied ones called out something. Leaf spoke without turning, his eyes never leaving the captive. “He says to take the kill. But when we are gone, they want to take their brother.”
    Bear grunted and ran his hand over