As always, the song made things easier. He was not sure how many times he repeated the words, but soon the hole was deep enough. His part of the job was now done. Lifting a post into the hole took at least two grown men.

Okwaho stood and looked around. What else could he do? He walked along the row of posts already in place. When he pushed against them they all held firm—except for one. It moved slightly. It needed earth and stones packed into the ground on the other side.

Okwaho went out and walked along the wall. From the other side he could hear the men working. He located the loose post, placed his digging stick next to it, and went to find stones of the right size. It took some time. He had to walk into the forest till he found a hill with loose stones. When he returned with a heavy armload, he placed the stones on the ground and knelt to begin work. However, just as he was lifting the first stone to pound it into the earth he’d loosened at the base of the post, he heard something. Two men talking softly on the other side of the wall, not aware that he was there. Burnt Hair and his father, Holds the Door Open. Okwaho started to say something. It wasn’t right to listen in on other people talking without their knowing.

But then he realized they were talking about Tawis and him.

“There still must be something we can do,” Burnt Hair said. “Were we wrong to decide not to try to plan a raid against them?”

Yes, Okwaho thought. Yes. Go raid the Oneidas and rescue Tawis!

“No,” Holds the Door Open said, his voice firm. “We moved to this place to escape from war. If we raided, it would have made all our efforts meaningless. Tawis is young and strong. They will not treat him badly, I am sure of that. They were raiding—just as our people have done for more years than can be counted—to get young people to adopt and take the place of others who were killed in warfare. He may be safer among the Oneidas than here in Kanata if Atatarho does send his warriors to attack us. In time, Tawis may become one of them and even forget his life among us.”

Those words felt like a knife being stabbed into Okwaho’s heart. Could Tawis really forget his old life, forget his best friend? He bit his lip.