Moon Chosen

by P. C. Cast

  “Is it metal?”

  Mari passed the knife to Sora. “I don’t know. You check.”

  “It is! And it’s amazingly sharp. This is a really lucky find.” Sora inhaled deeply and then let the breath out in a rush with her words. “Okay, I’ll do it. I’ll kill him.” She moved around Mari, striding to the fallen man with a no-nonsense attitude.

  Mari was going to stop her, but Rigel was faster. He stood between the man and Sora, then he backed a few steps and lay across the man’s legs, baring his teeth threateningly at the girl.

  “Your creature has lost his mind,” Sora said as she stepped back several paces.

  Mari went to Rigel, who whined piteously and thumped his tail, but he didn’t move from his protective position across the man’s legs. Mari crouched in front of Rigel and looked into his eyes. The young canine flooded her with emotions—anxiety, excitement, and worry—lots and lots of worry.

  Mari cupped Rigel’s face between her hands. “We shouldn’t. Plus, he’s in bad shape. He may die anyway.”

  Rigel whined again and licked her face. He didn’t have to use words to communicate clearly with Mari, and she was growing more and more certain about why he’d led her here, and what he wanted her to do.

  “All right. For you I’ll check him out.”

  “What? Why would you do that?” Sora asked.

  “Sora, by now you should know that I’d do anything for Rigel. He led me here. He won’t let you kill this man. I don’t think he could make it much clearer that he wants me to help. So that’s why I’m going to examine him—for Rigel.”

  Rigel moved then, but only enough so that Mari could examine Nik, and he remained between Sora and the man, shooting Sora menacing looks whenever she moved.

  Mari didn’t see the spearhead at first. She only saw that Nik had a wicked gash on his head, which was spreading scarlet-colored water down his face and body. She took a quick inventory of his legs and arms. His right thigh was cut. But the wound was a simple tear. It would need stitching, but it appeared to be a simple laceration. His left shoulder had been battered terribly, and it was already purpling. It was as she was trying to lift him that she saw the extent of the shoulder injury.

  “Oh, this is bad,” Mari told Rigel. “Most of it has broken off, but the head of the spear is buried in the back of his shoulder.”

  “Most merciful thing you can do is to take this really sharp knife and slit his throat,” Sora said.

  Rigel growled at her.

  “Tell your creature that I’m just being logical,” Sora said.

  “Yes, I know how tempting it is to think about biting her,” Mari told Rigel. “But I can’t handle two wounded people right now.”

  “Two wounded people? Mari, he’s not a person. He’s a Companion—our enemy. Do you think he would give a second thought to helping either of us if we’d washed up wounded by his bathing pool? And I’ll answer that for you—NO. No, he wouldn’t.”

  Mari squatted back on her heels and looked up at Sora. “I’ve seen this Companion before. He’s been looking for Rigel.”

  “Great Goddess! That’s even more reason to kill him,” Sora said.

  “He was there when Mama died,” Mari said softly. “He was kind to her.”

  “Him? Are you sure?”

  “I’m sure.” Mari wiped away a tear. Then, decision made, she stood and brushed her hands on her pants. “Sora, I’m not going to kill him. You’re not going to kill him. And we’re not going to leave him out here to be eaten by the swarm.”

  “You can’t be serious! Think logically. Where are you going to nurse him?”

  “In my home, of course,” Mari said.

  “That’s ludicrous! You can’t bring a dying Companion into our home!”

  “Sora, it’s not our home. It’s my home. Mine and Rigel’s, and that’s exactly where I’m going to bring him.”

  “Because he seemed to show some compassion for your dying mother and your crazy canine is attached to him? Don’t you hear how ridiculous that sounds? Companions have tracked us, enslaved us, and killed us generation after generation. Letting this one into your home and your life is a mistake that could cost you—and me—our lives! I told you the Clan would accept you because of your talent, and I still believe they would. But I know what they’d do if they found out you saved a Companion. You have to know the stories, too, about how our ancestors tried to help them. Earth Walkers did a kind thing, and Companions repaid us with death and slavery.”

  “Sora, I’m half Companion. I’ve had questions my whole life that my mother could only guess at the answers to. This man—this Nik—he can answer my questions. All of my questions. So he’s coming to the burrow and I’m going to heal him. If you don’t like it then you can live somewhere else,” Mari said.

  “I don’t have anywhere else to live, and you know it,” Sora said.

  “Then help me. I’ll find out what I need to know from him and then I’ll send him on his way,” Mari said. “Please, Sora.”

  “And you don’t expect that he’ll bring down the force of his Tribe on us after you send him on his way?”

  “I won’t give him the opportunity. I won’t let him know where the burrow is,” Mari said stubbornly.

  “How are you going to do that?”

  “The same way Mama did when one of the Clan was so severely injured that she had to stay at our burrow to be nursed. It didn’t happen often, but when it did Mama covered the woman’s face and walked her around until her sense of direction was completely confused.”

  Sora chewed her bottom lip, staring at the still form of the wounded man. “I don’t have much choice, do I?”

  Mari sighed. “Sora, I’m sorry about this. I do understand that it’s dangerous, but what I need from him outweighs the danger. Rigel knew it—that’s why he led me here. I have to try to save him. I have to try to find out about the other part of me.” Mari raised her newly washed arm. The delicate fernlike patterning wasn’t glowing, but her skin was a tanned, sun-kissed color. “I don’t even know why my skin glows sometimes in the sunlight—and then, like now, doesn’t. I don’t know how big Rigel is going to get or even exactly how I’m supposed to take care of him. I don’t know who part of me is at all.”

  Sora met her eyes. “Is it that hard—that not knowing?”

  “It’s terrible. It makes me feel like I’m a stranger to myself.”

  “A stranger to yourself—that would be a terrible feeling. All right. I’ll help you.”

  Mari smiled at Sora. “Thank you.”

  “You are welcome, teacher. What do we do first?”

  “We get him back to the burrow.”

  “Only that?” Sora said sarcastically.

  “Well, not only that. We need to drag him out of that water, stop the worst of those wounds from bleeding out, and get him dry and warm so that he doesn’t die of hypothermia or shock before we can get him home.”

  “Okay, but if he wakes up and tries to attack us I say we drop him and run.”

  “Rigel won’t let him attack us,” Mari said.

  “You mean you—Rigel won’t let him attack you.”

  Mari’s lips tilted up. “Actually, I meant us. Rigel will protect the both of us. Right, sweet boy?”

  Rigel’s tail thumped.

  Sora grinned. “Huh. That’s, well, that’s nice to hear.”

  “Let’s get him out of the water first, then we can run back to the pool and get some clean things to wrap him in—the clothes should be dry by now.”

  “How are we going to carry him back to the burrow?”

  “On Mama’s litter.”

  “He looks heavy,” Sora said.

  “Good thing we’re strong,” Mari said.

  Sora frowned and said nothing.

  “Okay, I’ll take the front of him and you take his legs. Let’s get him out of the water and onto that mossy area just over there. Then I’ll see what I can do to get him ready to be carried home,” Mari said. “Rigel, you nee
d to move.” The Shepherd obediently made way for her, moving over to sit beside Sora.

  Mari went to the man and crouched beside him. “Nik, can you hear me?”

  The man didn’t stir.

  “Nik?”

  The man’s eyelids fluttered, then opened. He stared at Mari. “Who, what are you?” Then he tried to sit up, but collapsed back on the flotsam with a painful groan.

  “Don’t try to sit up again. You’ve been hurt badly,” she told him. “You are Nik, though, aren’t you?”

  His eyes didn’t open, but he nodded weakly.

  “Okay, well, Nik, who I am is Mari.” She decided to ignore the what are you part of the question for now, adding, “And that’s Sora. We’re going to move you out of the water. It’s going to hurt. Probably a lot.” She paused and added. “Just stay still. I’ll try to do this fast, but if I leave you in this water you’re going to die.”

  Nik’s eyes slit open again and he nodded painfully, whispering, “Okay.”

  “He’s ready. Take his legs.” Mari climbed onto the pile of dirty leaves and roots, bent, and put her hands under his shoulders—trying to avoid the spearhead. “Okay, lift!”

  Nik cried out, but only once. Then his face went the white of dead fish bellies, and Mari was pretty sure he lost consciousness.

  “Hurry! He passed out. Get him to that moss,” Mari said, struggling with his weight. He was a lot taller than an Earth Walker male, and his muscles were long and lean rather than thick and squat—but he was definitely as heavy as any Clansman.

  Once he was out of the water and on the bed of moss Mari worked quickly. “Give me his knife.” She began cutting his pants to expose the wound in his leg and then ripped his shirt open. “I need you to run back down the path. I’m almost positive I saw yarrow just around that last bend. Pull a bunch of it and bring it back here. I’ll have the strips of moss ready and can bind these wounds so that he won’t bleed out while we transport him.”

  “Yarrow about this tall, right?” Sora raised her hand three feet from the ground. “It has lots of small white flowers, smells funny, and its leaves look like a miniature version of a maidenhair fern?”

  “Yes, good,” Mari said as she continued to work on Nik. “I saw a big bunch of it spilling out onto the path. Go get it. Fast!”

  “I’ll be right back.” Sora hurried toward the path.

  “Am I dead?”

  Mari startled at the sound of his voice and her gaze flew to his. “No. Not yet you’re not. Don’t talk. Save your strength. I’m going to have to move you again, but I want to pack your wounds first.”

  “The pup—safe?”

  “Yes. Rigel’s safe.”

  “Rigel?”

  Mari nodded. “That’s his name.”

  “You’re his Companion.”

  He didn’t phrase it as a question, but Mari was quick to answer, “I am his Companion.”

  And then Rigel was there, putting his head between them and sniffing Nik’s face. The wounded man smiled weakly. “Glad he didn’t die.”

  “Well, he’s the reason you’re not dead. You can thank him later—if you’re still alive,” Mari said.

  She shooed Rigel out of the way, but the pup only moved a short distance, and lay down by Nik’s feet, watching Mari intently. She wondered at Rigel’s devotion to this man who obviously knew her pup—who had probably lived with him in their elaborate city in the trees—and she felt the sharp sting of jealousy. Was she going to lose Rigel to him? Would her Shepherd want to return to his Tribe and live the life they’d planned for him?

  Mari stared down at the moss. Her hands stilled and she felt as if her heart was breaking.

  Rigel moved then, coming quickly to her side. He leaned against her, looking up at Mari and nuzzling her with his muzzle as he filled her with love—unending, unconditional love. Mari threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his warm, soft fur. “I’m sorry. I won’t doubt you again. I’m sorry.”

  “Ugh, I’d forgotten how much yarrow stinks!” Sora said, then she frowned. “I thought we were in a hurry, so I ran back here, and I do not like running, to find you hugging the creature. Doesn’t seem like you’re doing much hurrying.”

  “Just give me the plants and keep gathering hunks of this moss. Oh, and he’s awake. Sort of. Don’t let that surprise you.”

  “After today I don’t think there’s anything left that could surprise me.”

  Mari smiled grimly at Sora and then began chewing a hunk of yarrow leaf. She spit the leaf mash into her hand and then pressed it to the weeping wounds, motioning for Sora to follow behind her and pack moss over the yarrow. Nik didn’t open his eyes, nor did he make a sound until Mari lifted him to reach the spear wound, then he moaned and his eyes fluttered open.

  Mari shook her head at the wound, and spoke more to herself than to him or Sora. “I can’t care for this properly until we get him back to the burrow. I take this spearhead out now and he’s going to bleed too much. It’ll have to be cauterized.”

  “What are you going to do about it until then? It looks terrible, all bloody and swollen and disgusting. I’ll bet that river water didn’t help it at all,” Sora said.

  “No, it didn’t. It’s going to have to be cleaned and watched carefully, even after I cauterize it. But right now I’m just going to pack it with yarrow and moss. Gotta get him out of here. The more time that goes by since the spear struck him, the worse it’s going to be getting it out and the worse the infection could be.”

  Mari chewed the last of the yarrow, spit it around the bloody spearhead, and packed moss over it, laying him back down on the bed of moss. She stood and went to the river to wash her hands.

  “What now?” Sora asked.

  “Now Rigel is going to stay with him while you bring back dry clothes. Make him as comfortable as you can,” Mari said.

  “And where are you going to be?”

  “At the burrow getting Mama’s litter. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Mari squatted beside Rigel. “Stay here. Watch him and don’t bite Sora.” Mari glanced at the girl and added, “And if Nik wakes up and tries to hurt Sora, bite him.”

  “Really?” Sora grinned.

  Mari smiled back at her. “Really. But don’t get too excited. I’m pretty sure Nik can’t even sit up, let alone attack you.”

  “Well, it’s a nice sentiment anyway.” Sora reached over and tentatively patted Rigel on the head. Once. The pup’s tail thumped the ground. Once.

  Mari crouched beside Rigel. “Watch Nik and Sora, but if anyone comes, you hide.” She stared into Rigel’s eyes, sketching pictures in her mind to illustrate what she needed him to do—and not to do. The young canine wagged his tail and made generally agreeable noises, sending soothing, warm feelings to her. “Okay, I believe you. I’ll be back soon. Real soon. And I love you.” Mari kissed him and then sprinted past Sora, calling, “Come on!”

  She stayed ahead of Sora on the way back to the bathing pools, which wasn’t difficult to do. The girl seemed to have no stamina at all.

  “Don’t you ever do anything physical?” Mari asked as Sora stumbled down the bank and bent over, gulping air.

  “Not—if—I—can—help—it!” she gasped between breaths.

  “Take these to him.” Mari tossed one of her oldest tunics and a sleep dress to Sora. “Rub him dry with the tunic, but stay away from those wounds. Then cover him with the shift. I’ll meet you back there with the litter and something to, hopefully, make him sleep until we get him to the burrow.”

  “Wait, we’re carrying him on a litter all the way back?” Sora glanced pointedly behind them at the steep rocks that led up to the path. “Down that?”

  Mari smiled. “Well, it’s better than having to carry him up that.” Without waiting for Sora’s response, she finished gathering the clean clothes and then jogged for home.

  33

  All the way back to the burrow Mari sifted through her mind, trying to recall everything Leda had taught her about car
ing for someone as badly injured as Nik. The spearhead stuck in his back was going to be tricky. It made Mari feel queasy just thinking about what she was going to have to do—pull it out—wash it out—and then use one of Leda’s cautery rods to burn the bleeding veins and kill whatever terrible infection might have already settled within the wound.

  That was bad, but not as bad as an internal injury would be. Her mama had called internal injuries the silent death. Mari knew how to check for them—she’d given Nik a cursory once-over and hadn’t seen any sign of internal bleeding. “But I’m not a real Healer. I could have missed something.” Mari chastised herself as she came to the bramble thicket, grabbed her walking stick, and quickly traversed the maze that led to the burrow.

  Mari tried to shake off her fear and her feelings of inadequacy. Moving with much more confidence than she felt, she went to her mother’s medical pantry and began choosing carefully while she recounted aloud what she needed so that she wouldn’t forget anything.

  “Valerian root to, hopefully, help him pass out on the trip here.” Mari began quickly brewing a thick, strong tea that she would pack in the medicinal skin and carry back to Nik. “A blanket and ropes—need to tie him to the litter so we can slide him down those rocks.” Mari paused and shook her head, muttering to herself. “That’s going to hurt.” She went back to the medicinal pantry and stood there staring, feeling helpless, and missing Leda with such force that it almost knocked her to her knees. She wanted to give in to the despair. She wanted to curl up within herself and cry and cry and cry …

  But she couldn’t. No one would save her. No one would help her, or Rigel, or Sora, or even the Companion, Nik. Think, Mari! Mama was a great teacher. She taught you everything you need to know—now you just have to remember.

  And then, feeling foolish and very young, Mari turned from the medical pantry and rushed to the lovingly carved wooden chest that sat at the end of her mother’s sleeping pallet, and had been passed down from one Moon Woman to another for more generations than even Leda could remember. Mari paused. She hadn’t opened the chest since Leda’s death. Slowly, she lifted the lid and breathed deeply of the fine rosemary scent that would, for the rest of her life, remind Mari of her mother.