29  Gray Deer sensed he was lying, but The Voice only shrugged and threw him back the purses.  "You can keep them," he announced. "You're telling the truth about their owners. They're long gone, and perhaps the wiser for their visit."
    30  They continued on to Gray Deer's house, where Crazy Hawk ate like a man half-starved!  After the meal he watched the others studying, but after a while silently slipped out the door and disappeared.  A moment later The Voice followed him.
    31  Several hours later there was a knock on the door.  When Gray Deer opened it, he found The Voice, Crazy Hawk, and about six children.  The Voice ushered them all into the house. "What is all this?" Gray Deer asked.
    32  "His brothers and sisters," The Voice told him.
    33  "I had a feeling this is what was happening. A slave dealer buys a family for debt, then sends one of the older children out to steal. As long as the boy keeps bringing in money, he doesn't sell off the rest of his family, but keeps them in some slave pen somewhere.  I figure the boy has paid his master maybe ten times their purchase price, so I figured it was time he returned his charges."
    34  "That easily?" asked Gray Deer.
    35  "There was nothing that easy about it!" Crazy Hawk explained. "He beat up the guards, and broke my master's nose.  Pow!  Made him release me, and the rest of my friends, and told him to get out of the city. What a fight!"
    36  Mountain Glory came over. There were three small girls and two younger boys.  "They're filthy!" she cried.  "Those clothes haven't been washed in weeks!  Strip!  All of you!  Come on  ladies, it's bath time!"  The children began to argue, but were led away by strong female hands.
    37  "Now," announced The Voice, "this young man can't go back to his old occupation. How are we going to find him work?"
    38  "I could use him!" put in Bright Sword.  "We're taking in new recruits."
    39  "No way!" argued Crazy Hawk, "No way!  I won't be a fighting person...never again!"  The Warlock shrugged and went back to her scrubbing.
    40  "Didn't the potter say he was looking for an apprentice?" Red Goat asked.
    41  "Yes," said The Voice, "and those quick, sure hands could make some beautiful pots. What do you say to that?"
    42  "I'll give it a try," Crazy Hawk agreed.
    43 He did more than that!  He became one of the famous pot makers of his era, and after studying with Gray Deer, also, a great Speaker.  His knowledge of the city's underworld also became invaluable to their little group. He brought many young people to The Voice, who got them to give up their lives in the back alleys and side streets, to come out into the Light.
    44  But something he would never do was touch a weapon. Though he would sometimes fight with his hands, he would never touch a sword or a knife.