A shuffling step, and then the familiar turn of the iron ring in the wood.
“Here they come,” whispered Autumn Star.
“It’s time,” Black Soil said.
The door opened a crack, and the hand darted in quickly before releasing the sack of food.
The sack had not fully left the hand and begun to fall, when Autumn Star grabbed the wrist and dropped back with his full weight. The man was pulled into the other side of the door with a crack of breaking bones. Autumn Star rose up, maintaining his hold on the now limp wrist while Black Soil shoved at the door to open it further. Autumn Star continued to pull, and then Gray Wolf grabbed the arm, and together they forced the man through the door before Black Soil slammed it shut.
“Look for anything we can use for a weapon,” Black Soil said, his head against the closed door, listening.
They pulled the man down the rest of the stairs and quickly stripped his clothes off and began to look through the pile.
“Blade,” said one of the warriors, holding it up in the air from his crouched position.
“This must be the fire stick that killed Horned Owl,” said Autumn Star, holding the pistol before him.
“Let me see that,” said Black Soil, descending the stairs and reaching down and taking it from Autumn Star.
He held it in his hands, turning it over. He went back up to the stairs, holding it to the thin band of light coming from the crack of the closed door. The moan of the naked man sprawled on the floor caught their attention.
Black Soil stood as tall as he was able in the small space, closed the distance in two great strides, dropped silently to his knees, and brought the raised the pistol down with one sure motion. There was a sharp crack from the splintered skull, and then no noise from the man.
“Quickly now,” Black Soil said. , Without hesitation the young men lined up as they had trained. Quickly, silently. ” Blade,” Path of Fire said, reaching his hand out for the weapon. The warrior by the body flung it, and it spun at his open hand.
“Good,” Path of Fire said, snatching the spinning blade effortlessly by the handle. Black Soil moved to the door and silently eased it open several hand widths. The men ducked and squinted, trying to adjust their eyes to the sunlight. There was a large sail blocking out the light and the view to the right, but still the light was blinding. There were two sailors stood immediately in their way with their backs to them looking out beyond the sail. Other sailors were also down along the rail on the right side looking at something . Autumn Star and Path of Fire each grabbed the startled men and flung them violently but silently to the deck. Black Soil and Gray Wolf joined in and it was over in a second. Autumn Star and Gray Wolf removed the knives from the dead sailors and all of the Men of Honor continued their way to the left side of the ship away from. As the were preparing to leap into the Ocean, Black Soil looked down and saw great thick sticks, some with the ropes from the sails tied to them, sitting in a rack along the rail. He pulled one free.
It fell like a war club into his hand. He twisted back and tossed it easily to the warrior behind him. We have a new plan. Now we stay and take this ship.
They worked quickly through the rail, Gray Wolf first pulling the rope in to slacken it, then letting it go as soon as Black Soil cleared the club and tossed it to the warrior at the door. The warrior relayed it to the other Men of Honor. They worked in silence. There were three clubs left in the rail when they heard a cry and a rushing of feet stomping over the deck toward them.
Black Soil stood to his full height and turned to face the onslaught. A shadow fell over him, and for a breath, he could see everything in front of him. The sailors were much shorter than them but he could see they were strong and they were confident. Black Soil could see the sailors sentiments were totally misguided. His young warriors were already stepping up to meet the threat in their well practiced way. Autumn Star and Path of Fire came together, side-by-side , brandishing their weapons, preparing to engage in battle. The other warriors were already preparing for their slashing flanking attack. It would be over in seconds. The sailors had no chance to survive the onslaught that was about to be unleashed. The sailors in the front began looking up and shouting, the ones behind holding their arms over their heads, cowering.
Black Soil’s eyes relaxed a little further as it got even darker, and then the Sailors were all gone – disappeared under the massive sail which had fallen over them. There were the sounds of struggle by the door they had all just come through, shouts of the sailors, thrashing and tearing sounds. The Men of Great Honor made no such sounds. He raised the club over his head and took a step towards the first struggling mound underneath the sail.
Path of Fire speared a shape with the blade. The red of the blood spread in a circle on the sail . This would be easier than catching alewife during the spring run.
Suddenly a strangled cry came from Gray Wolf , then a thud as he dropped to his knees. Black Soil looked around. The young warrior did not appear to be wounded. He remained rigid and staring out over the right rail . As the Men of Great Honor began looking out to what Gray Wolf was staring at they too let out slight groans and slumped to their knees. Path of Fire’s mouth was open in disbelief.
A huge stone structure, as big as a small mountain, was rising up from the shore towered over the deck. Black Soil was stupefied – how could these men have built this?