Epilogue
The woodland animals seemed comforted by the low, steady throb of the drum, the squirrels and birds watching from the great cottonwood tree with curiosity, not fear, as the sound rose in volume. Duncan and Johantty had started an hour before dawn, beating together on the log drum, then Duncan had played his pipes as the young Onondaga brave continued the drumming. Lost in the music, the drum like the heartbeat of the tribe, the pipes conjuring visions of his youth, Duncan turned with surprise to find new onlookers. He had expected only Conawago and Moses to help him prepare Johantty for the dawnchaser trail, but most of the inhabitants of the new village hidden deep in the mountains had appeared in the gray light before dawn, sitting at the perimeter like monks in silent meditati
