Challenge of the clans by Kenneth C Flint

him.
    "Finn!" called the little man, and he turned toward them.
    If he had expected his first sight of a chieftain to be an imposing one, he was much mistaken. Cian was an amiable-looking man, with a round-tipped nose and permanent laugh creases about his small, bright eyes. Fiery red hair was braided loosely at each shoulder and a thick mustache curled out and up on either side of a generous, smiling mouth. His dress was casual to the point of untidiness. A worn cloak hung carelessly around him and his tunic was gray with wear. He smiled warmly at Finn as he addressed him.
    "Welcome, young man. I understand that you would like to join my household company."
    "I would, sir," Finn said earnestly.
    "It's not an easy life," the chieftain warned. "You must work hard and risk yourself for me, and get little for it but food and a roof to cover you."
    "I'm used to hardships, and there's no risk I'll not gladly take," he assured Cian. "My chieftain, nothing in life is so important to me now as learning the warrior's skills."
    Finn's determined attitude impressed the chieftain, but he still had some doubts. "I'd like to help you, lad, but all of my warriors have been trained since they were first able to walk. And the Little Nut says that you've done no fighting at all."
    "True enough, sir," Finn admitted, 'T^ut I have learned the hunter's skills. I can track and stalk and use the spear better than most!"

    The chieftain laughed at this boastful statement.
    "Can you, indeed?" he said. "Well, let's just see." He glanced around the yard, then pointed toward a wooden t>ing post by a stable against the far wall. "See how close you can come to that."
    At that distance, the post was a tiny target indeed. But to Cian's surprise, Finn seemed not at all concerned. He eyed the post for a moment to gauge the throw, lifted one of his spears, and with htde apparent effort fired it toward its goal.
    It flashed across the yard, arching sHghtly and then curving down to bury half its point in the hard wood of the thick post.
    Warriors about the yard now began to quit their o\\Ti practice and look about to see who had made such a throw. The chieftain stared in wonder at the quivering shaft. Then, not willing to accept Finn's skill so easily, he recovered himself and said in a careless way: "A fair throw. But it could have been chance. Try again."
    Finn shrugged and repeated his throw with the second spear. It followed the path of the first, striking home less than a handbreadth below its fellow.
    A cheer now rose fi-om the assembled warriors.
    "He's a master of the spear, that one is," one commented.
    "Aye! Never seen such throwing," agreed another, and voices of praise were heard about the yard.
    Finn beamed at their applause while Cnu Deireoil fixed a challenging look on the chieftain.
    "Well, Cian, what do you think of the lad now?" he asked.
    "He is as good as you told me, my fiiend," Cian replied, all his doubts gone. He grinned at Finn. "My lad, if you can learn the other fighting skills as well as that one, you could be a champion someday."
    He turned toward the warriors in the yard. "Caoilte, come here," he ordered.
    The young warrior Finn had noted before moved forward. As he came closer, Finn saw that he was

    perhaps five years older, a dark, lean, dour-faced man with sleek raven-black hair tightly plaited at his neck.
    "This is Caoilte MacRonan," Cian told Finn as the warrior joined them. "He is the finest of all my warriors." He turned to the dark man. "Caoilte, this lad wishes to join our company. Would you be willing to train him?"
    "Caoilte gave Finn a long, slow scrutinizing look. His expression was one of disinterest. He shook his head.
    "No, my chieftain," he said flatly. "Throwing spears at a post is one thing. Throwing them at something alive is another. Trying to train this boy would be a waste of time."
    "Fm not a boy!" Finn shot back, annoyed by this warrior's superior attitude.
    "He could hunt for us in exchange," Cian suggested