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hip. A grimy-faced little boy edged past her to get a better view. Before long a small crowd had formed around Masa andme. They were mostly women, children, and the old. It was a comfort to find myself among the familiar faces of my clanfolk, but I mourned to see how few of these belonged to our young men, our nobles, our hunters, and all those who would have defended our village.
    “It’s Lady Himiko!” someone shouted.
    “Truly? Where’s she been?”
    “I heard she got lost in the mountains.”
    “Lost and eaten by wolves, that’s what I was told.”
    “Huh. We were
all
eaten by wolves,” a glum voice declared, meaning the Ookami. “She looks like she came out of it better than we did.”
    “Where have you been, Lady Himiko?”
    A whisper hissed past me: “Does she know about her family? About her father and the rest?”
    Another one replied: “
Shhh!
If she doesn’t know yet, better if the news comes from Masa. It will be kinder that way.”
    “Why should
she
have special treatment?” I recognized Suzu’s harsh voice at once. When we were children, she had bullied her way into becoming leader of all our age-mates. We played together, but she resented me for being a chieftain’s daughter and she turned the rest of the girls against me. “She’s been spared enough! She wasn’t here when the wolf clan came; she didn’t have to
see
her father die! I had to
watch
while they took my little sister away with the rest of the slaves, but she gets to be sheltered from it all? Is the pampered little princess too weak to meet the truth? Does she melt in the rain? Is she—?”
    A sudden slap rang out, followed by a yelp from Suzu, then silence.
    “Don’t hit her!” I called into the gathering shadows. “She hasn’t said anything wrong. I was
not
here when we were attacked. I know that my father and my two eldest brothers died in battle. All I want is to go home to mourn them properly, and to give thanks for the family I have left.”
    The people murmured their approval, yet there was a strange note in their voices. I thought I caught a few more whispers—
“soon enough, poor girl … tell her now or … Masa should be the one who …”
—but before I could question anyone, Kaya stepped out of Master Michio’s house and the crowd moved their attention toward her. By the time I introduced her to my clan, night had fallen. Even though the snow had melted, a cold, cutting wind reminded us that we faced a long time until spring. Everyone retreated to their homes, leaving Masa, Kaya, Master Michio, and me behind.
    The shaman clicked his tongue and exchanged a look with Kaya. “Not a worthy welcome for you, Lady Badger, but cold always gets the better of curiosity.” He hunched his shoulders. “I could use some warmth myself, now that I’ve placed you in Masa’s hands. We will talk again in the morning.” With that, he ducked into his house.
    Masa looked at Kaya. “Lady Badger?” he repeated.
    “I’ll explain later,” I said. “Right now—”
    “I know; you want to go home. I’ll escort you there.” He started walking the well-remembered path.
    I matched him step for step. “Masa, I know the way myself. There’s no need for you to go out of your way like this. Won’t your wife have your evening meal waiting? In this weather, you should eat it while it’s hot.”
    “Hot or cold, there’s not that much of it,” Masa replied. “Don’t worry about Fusa. She knows I won’t be back until I see you well settled at home.”
    “Why would you have to do that?” I asked.
    Kaya answered for him: “Maybe he needs to give your mother some warning. She’s been caught in a landslide of tragedies, so many losses crashing down on her all at once. She shouldn’t have a fresh shock.”
    “Yes, exactly, your friend is right!” Masa exclaimed a little too quickly. “That’s why I need to be there when Mother sees you, to make sure it’s not too much for her.”
    It was useless to argue with