Drums of Autumn-Quote It was full dark, and the moon not risen; - TopicsExpress

Drums of Autumn-Quote It was full dark, and the moon not risen; the bulk of the mountainside rose up as a darker black against the star-flecked sky. There was an exclamation from somewhere in the crowd, a scattering of more, and then the notes of a single bagpipe came faintly through the air, silencing everything else. A pinpoint of light appeared near the top of the mountain. As they watched, it moved down and another sprang up behind it. The music grew stronger, and another light came over the top of the mountain. For nearly ten minutes, the anticipation grew, as the music grew louder, and the string of lights grew longer, a blazing chain down the mountainside. Near the bottom of the slope a trail came out from the trees above; she had seen it during her earlier exploration. Now a man stepped out of the trees into sight, holding a blazing torch above his head. Behind him was the piper and the sound now was strong enough to drown even the oohs and ahhs of the crowd. As the two moved down the trail and toward the cleared space in front of the bleacher, Brianna could see that there were more men behind them, a long line of men, each with a torch, all dressed in the finery of the Highland chieftains. They were barbarous and splendid, decked in grouse feathers, the silver of swords and dirks gleaming red by the torchlight, picked out amid the folds of tartan cloth. The pipes stopped abruptly, and the first of the men strode into the clearing and stopped before the stands. He raised his torch above his head and shouted,"The Camerons are here!" Loud whoops of delight rang out from the stands, and he threw the torch into the kerosene-soaked wood, which went up with a roar, in a pillar of fire ten feet high. Against the blinding sheet of flame, another man stepped out, and called, "the MacDonalds are here!" Screams and yelps from those in the crowd that claimed kinship with clan MacDonald, and then- "The MacLachlans are here!" "The MacGillivrays are here!" She was so entranced by the spectacle that she was only dimly aware of Roger. Then another man stepped out and cried, "The MacKenzies are here!" "TULACH ARD!" bellowed Roger, making her jump "What was that?" she asked. "That," he said grinning,"is the war cry of clan MacKenzie." Sounded like it."