The Oneness absorbed you like they absorbed other
races they conquered?"
86 The Old Chieftain laughed. "Because we are an abomination," he
answered, "an impure race; something to be used, but not absorbed. It's
our feet, you see."
87 "No, I don't," continued Sleepy Crow. Everyone laughed. Yellow
Thorn, who had joined them, came over and removed her slippers. Sleepy
Crow looked at her feet. She only had four toes, and they were all the
same size, and the middle opening between the toes was far deeper than
the two outer openings. "ALL your feet are like that?" he asked.
88 "For years untold," the Chieftain answered, "our tribesmen lived in
a high valley cut off from all other people. One man was born like
this, but he got around a lot and then became a chieftain. It was not
long before his blood was in every clan. 'Til now, not one of our
kinsmen are born without his blessed feet, but to The Oneness, such a
thing is a curse. Because of some unspeakable evil our ancestors did,
their god has marked us with shame! So we are unfit for anything,
except the lowest work.
89 They would not be shepherds, such things are beneath them. So we
serve a useful purpose and as long as we do our existence will be
justified.
90 We do not intend to wait around until they decide they no longer
have any need for shepherds. Now that you have come, we will pay them
back for their cruelty and depart, taking with us the children they
have blessed our daughters with. Perhaps they do not think they deserve
life, but we have kept every one, and many are now brave warriors,
ready to redeem their mother's honor."
91 "There's only one problem," explained Sleepy Crow, "MY people are
way up here, and tomorrow they will be on the move, heading away from
you. Even if you left tonight, you couldn't overtake them. But if