[piosenniel]

And now the storm’s first whispers were upon them. Late in the afternoon, scouts had ridden in to say there were eight armed warriors approaching the camp. ‘Seven men,’ she heard one of the scouts say who had crept in close to the advancing party, ‘and one woman, dressed as a warrior beneath a great red and black cloak.’

‘Where were they when last you saw them?’ she heard Ishak ask his men. ‘Maybe two finger widths from us,’ came the reply, measuring two hours distance for the sun to move westward in its course.

‘Do the others of their company follow close behind them?’ asked Faruq. ‘No, no,’ came the assurance. ‘They come alone as if they own the very air they pass through,’ said one. ‘Arrogant, and over sure of themselves,’ said another, thumping the butt of his spear against the ground for emphasis. ‘They paid no heed to the boundary poles we set up at the opening to the valley, in fact, we watched as two of the warriors knocked one down and broke it, laughing all the while.’

The two tribes took in the information and made ready to receive the advancing group. ‘They will present their demands,’ Faruq said, his eyes sweeping to the west, ‘and we will listen closely to them. Then we will send them slinking back to their Mistress with our reply.’

Jamílah dressed in the long brown skirt with cream colored stripes and white blouse of the Bush Lizard clan. A bright blue sash was wrapped about her waist, and round her neck she placed the copper chain of running lizards that held the silver medallion with the image of the Great Tree etched on it. On her wrists were her many silvered bracelets, some with tiny bells, and they clinked and tinkled as she moved, shimmering in the afternoon sun as she walked to meet the other Elders, throwing out their light and sound as she passed.