gave

is a sky god—he seeks his brother—” Ord added.
“The sky god is away. He hunts.”
Kartr gave silent thanks for the chance to learn the ground before Cummi’s return. “I will wait—”
They did not dispute that. Ord was taken from him and established on a pile of furs in the largest of the tents. And the ranger was given a mat by the fire and offered a steaming bowl of stew. He ate hungrily but it was not appetizing stuff.
“How long ago did—did the sky god leave?” he asked at last.
Wulf, the hairy chieftain and Ord’s father, squinted and sucked upon a tightly rolled stick of dried leaves which he hit lit with a blazing splinter and moved contentedly between his bearded lips, puffing out a gray, ­acrid smoke.
“With the first light. He is very clever. With his magic he holds fast the beasts until the young men can spear them. We feast in plenty since he came to us. He will go to the Meeting