But their testimony was flawed. These captive long-dogs were
criminals, renegades - like the small bands of rootless ronin that
lurked in dark recesses of the forests blanketing the slopes of the
western hills. The pale warriors of this underground world could also
be disloyal to their masters. Even so, the threat from the south
could not be ignored. Hence the chosen strategy, put into effect
through Yama-Shita, to arm the Mutes, who were numerically superior to
both sides.
Because of their alien culture and backwardness, the Mutes could never
be considered as allies, but their concept of warrior-hood was worthy
of respect. The years of trading had brought about a state of friendly
neutrality. No pledges had been exchanged, no plans were ever
discussed but, over the last few years, Plainfolk territory had become
a buffer zone protecting the frontiers of Ne-Issan. The warrior clans
were now armed auxiliaries who, if everything went according to plan,
would wear the long-dogs down in a slow war of attrition.
On Ieyasu's advice, Yoritomo had awarded the manufacturing licence for
the flying-horses to Kiyomori Min-Orota, whose lands, bordering the
Eastern Sea, lay just across the water to the north of Arongiren.
Kiyomori's father had married one of Yoritomo's aunts and the Min-Orota
were on the list markedfudai.
As the snows deepened, burying the old year, Toshiro had returned with
his first dispatch: a flying-horse had landed near Bu-faro, a harbour
on Lake In on the western border of Lord Yama-Shita's domain. It
carried two riders: a long-dog called Brickman and his escort, a female
Mute warrior from the clan M'Cail, who were the donors of this
long-awaited object.
Without more ado, the craft and its riders had been shipped via the
canal and river system to Ro-diren and from there by road to the aptly
named Heron Pool, the site chosen for this new enterprise. The
workshops had not yet been constructed at the time of Toshiro's first
visit, but he had brought back sketches of the alien craft together
with verbal portraits of Brickman, the brown-skinned long-dog, and
Clearwater, his blue-eyed Mute escort.
After an initial hesitation, Brickman had proved remarkably
co-operative and eager to please. The Mute, on the other hand, had
informed Yama-Shita - with all due deference and through the usual
intermediaries-that the clan M'Call had delivered the flying-horse on
the understanding that she and the long-dog were to be shipped back to
her homeland when the wheelboats made their next voyage across the
great lakes.
But there had been no such understanding. The eventual fate of those
