by P. C. Cast
“Come with us,” Mari said. “Join us, and you will not be without a Moon Woman—you’ll have two of us!”
“Are the Companions coming, too?” Another Clanswoman shouted the question.
“Some of them are,” Mari said.
“Then what will we be? A Tribe or a Clan?”
“Neither,” Mari said.
“We’ll be a new group, for a new way of living,” Sora said.
“We’ll be a Pack,” Mari said. She nodded at Nik, who stepped forward.
“I have sworn to be part of this Pack,” Nik said, his voice loud and strong. “O’Bryan, Rose, Davis, Sheena, and Antreas have sworn to join me. And I have agreed to follow the Earth Walker tradition of matriarchy.” His eyes searched his group until he found the young sisters Sarah and Lydia. “It is your choice,” he told them. “You may join our Pack if you want to. If you would rather return to the Tribe, I will make sure you get there safely once the Pack is on its way to a new land.”
The two girls clutched hands and put their heads together, whispering. Then Sarah surprised Mari by addressing her, and not Nik, directly. “If we belong to the Pack, does that mean you will cure us if we get the blight?”
“It does,” Mari said.
“Then we will join your Pack,” Sarah said firmly. “We watched our grandmother and grandfather die of blight. It’s a terrible thing. Something we’ve been afraid of for years. We don’t want to fear it anymore.”
“And our parents perished in the fire. We have no family to return to,” Lydia said. “If you accept us, we will make a new family with you.”
“Our Pack accepts you,” Mari said. Then her gaze moved around the clustered Clanswomen. “And now the rest of you have a choice. Join our Pack and leave to make a new world with us, or Sora and I will help you collect enough supplies to reach the Clan of your choice.”
There was a long, pregnant silence. Then Adira stepped forward. “You want us to leave our burrows where we have lived, loved, and raised our children for generations in this forest we know as well as our own bodies?”
“For your safety, yes,” Mari said.
“Mari, I mean no disrespect when I say this, but is it not true that the Tribesmen will be hunting you and Nik specifically?” Adira asked.
“Yes. That’s true,” Mari said.
“And for the rest of us, it will be as it was before—the Tribe will hunt us, capture some of us, and leave the rest to live our lives in peace.”
Adira didn’t say it as a question, but Nik spoke up in answer. “They may. They may also hunt you harder than they did before.”
“But you don’t know for sure,” Adira said.
“No, I don’t.”
Adira turned to Sora. “Then why don’t you stay and be our Moon Woman? I understand why Mari must leave and it is right that the Companions go with her, but you are an Earth Walker, fully one of our blood. Why not stay here, where you belong, with your true people?”
Sora answered with no hesitation, “Because I want a different kind of world—the kind where we don’t judge each other by Tribe or Clan, the kind where we can be free to be ourselves, the kind of world Mari and Nik want to make together. Adira, for most of my life my only desire was to be Moon Woman for Clan Weaver, but now I want more.”
Adira looked beseechingly from Danita to Isabel. “Would one of you stay? Would you be our Moon Woman?”
Danita’s eyes went wide with shock and she began to shake her head while Isabel said, “No, Adira. We want more, too.”
Adria’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “But where will you go?”
Mari met Antreas’s gaze and nodded encouragement. His voice rang throughout the clearing. “I will lead our Pack through the mountains to the Plains of the Wind Riders and the new world we will build there!”
CHAPTER 26
It wasn’t a Third Night, but Mari and Sora had decided before they joined the Gathering that the Clanswomen could use an extra boost, especially after they’d just been told they needed to leave the homes to which they had so recently returned. Also, it was an excellent way to begin Danita’s Moon Woman apprenticeship, with an added bonus that it would be a very public beginning, leaving no doubt as to the seriousness of the undertaking. After the gasps and whispered chatter caused by Antreas’s proclamation about leading the Pack to Wind Rider territory had died down, Mari called, “Danita, please join Sora and me for the Washing of the Clan.”
Danita had been standing a little to the side of Antreas and Bast—the Lynx always seemed to be within view of the young Earth Walker—and Mari watched her eyes widen in surprise and her face flush with nerves when she called her name. But Danita didn’t hesitate. She moved quickly to Mari and Sora, taking her place between them.
“You’re going to hold our hands,” Mari explained. “And we’re going to do a simple call to the moon. You just join us in saying the last part of the invocation when we squeeze your hands. By right of blood and birth channel through me / the Goddess gift that is my destiny! Do you think you can remember that?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, then you’ll walk through the Clan with us. You only need do one thing—just focus on being a conduit for the moon,” Mari said.
“Moon power is cold, so don’t let that shock you,” Sora added. “Instead of accepting the power for yourself, you have to remember that you’re just the means through which it is Washing the Clan.”
“It might help to imagine you’re like a riverbed, or maybe a pathway, and the moon magick is like water flowing effortlessly through you,” Mari said.
“You might feel dizzy and even sick. That’s normal,” Sora explained.
“Just remember to keep focused. You’re going to do well; I just know it,” Mari said. “Ready, Sora?”
“Ready!”
“Danita? Ready?”
“Absolutely!” Danita said, doing a good job of covering her nerves with enthusiasm.
Mari and Sora each held one of Danita’s hands; then they raised their faces to the darkening sky. Mari nodded briefly in encouragement to Danita when she turned her face upward. She could feel the watching crowd and sent a silent prayer to the Earth Mother: Please help Danita have a positive first experience.
Mari drew three deep breaths in and out, relaxing and centering herself. Sora did as well, with Danita mimicking them. Mari began the invocation with a shout.
“Moon Woman I proclaim myself to be!”
Sora continued:
“Greatly gifted, I bare myself to thee.
Earth Mother, aid me with your magick sight.
Lend me strength on this special night.”
Mari spoke, feeling the cool silver power of the moon begin to rain into her body:
“Come, silver light—fill us to overflow
So those in our care your healing touch will know.”
Together Mari and Sora squeezed Danita’s hands, and then the two young Moon Women, joined by Danita’s soft-spoken, but earnest voice, finished the invocation.
“By right of blood and birth channel through me
The Goddess gift that is my destiny!”
Mari hadn’t known what to expect. She’d channeled moon magick her mama had invoked and had led Sora in drawing down the moon, but she’d never invoked the silvery light with another Moon Woman, and especially not someone as novice as Danita, so she was utterly surprised when a sweet, sparkling beam of energy filtered from above and settled over the three of them. It glistened downward, flowing first into Mari.
Mari felt the jolt as the pure, cold energy passed from her and into Danita.
“It’s okay,” Mari spoke quietly to Danita. “Relax and release it to Sora.”
Danita was chewing her bottom lip, brow furrowed in concentration, and in another heartbeat Sora began to smile. She nodded encouragement. “Yes, Danita! That’s it!”
“Ready to walk with us?” Mari asked.
Danita nodded tightly. “Yes. I think so.”
Jo
ined by their hands, as well as their intentions, Mari and Sora and Danita began to move among the crowd. Mari and Sora gently touched bowed heads while Danita kept pace with them, her face a study in concentration. The Clanswomen smiled and whispered blessings to their Moon Women, including Danita’s name in their thanks, which almost caused the girl to lose concentration, but she caught herself and continued to channel moon magick.
Davis was the first of the Companions to bow his head before them. Mari didn’t hesitate. She placed her hand, cool and shining with the power of the moon, on his head and felt his body startle. He looked up at her, eyes filled with tears.
“I felt it! I felt the touch of the moon!” Davis exclaimed as Cammy barked happily.
O’Bryan moved to stand beside the Hunter. He grinned a little shyly at Sora and said, “I’ve been healed by Moon Woman magick before, but I don’t remember much of it. Would you mind if I felt a little of it again?”
Sounding much older than her years, Sora spoke the traditional Moon Woman blessing: “I Wash you free of all sadness and gift you with the love of our Great Earth Mother.” Then she rested her hand on O’Bryan’s bowed head.
The Companion sucked in a breath, and when he raised his head Mari thought that his face was almost glowing with pleasure.
“Thank you, Moon Woman,” he said in a voice that shook with emotion.
They continued to move among the crowd, touching the people with the most gentle Washing that Mari had ever experienced. When they finally stopped in front of Nik, Mari placed her hand on his bowed head.
“I Wash you free of all sadness and gift you with the love of our Great Earth Mother,” Mari spoke the ancient blessing softly and allowed her hand to linger longer than was strictly necessary.
He lifted his face, which beamed with love and pride. “Thank you, my Moon Woman!”
Together, Mari and Sora and Danita returned to the center of the circle before the bonfire that burned steadily, casting flickering shadows around the clearing. Sora and Mari finally let loose Danita’s hand. The girl staggered, and Bast was suddenly there, pressing into her side, chirping reassurance.
“Are you okay?” Sora asked.
“My, um, stomach is not so good.” Danita looked almost as pale as the moon.
“You should eat. You’ll feel better, even if you do throw up,” Mari said.
“I’ll be sure she gets something to eat and keep an eye on her.” Antreas seemed to materialize beside his equally silent Lynx.
Mari half expected Danita to refuse his help, but she nodded shakily and made no protest when he took her elbow and helped her toward the roasting turkeys.
“Clanswomen, you have a difficult choice to make,” Sora said when Danita was gone. “We won’t ask you to make it right now.”
“Think about what we’ve said. Ask us or Nik or Antreas any questions you might have about our journey,” Mari said. “But know that as dawn breaks six days from now our Pack will be leaving this place forever.” She paused as emotion threatened to overwhelm her. She felt Rigel’s comforting presence at her side and drew strength from her Companion before continuing. “I’ve lived in a burrow that has sheltered the Moon Women of Clan Weaver for generations. I’ve never known any other home. My mama is buried there. Sometimes I almost can’t bear to even think about going, because it’s like I’m leaving her.” Mari had to stop then and wipe tears from her face. In the respectful silence around her, she could hear several of the Clanswomen sniffling softly. She lifted her chin and continued in a voice that grew stronger and surer as she spoke. “But I’m not leaving Mama. She’ll always be with me—here.” Mari placed her hand over her heart. “I’ll take her love with me wherever I go. I want you to know I hope you decide to join us. I hope you take the love of generations of Earth Walkers with you, too, and use it to help us build a Pack that is kinder, wiser, and stronger than a Clan or a Tribe.”
“I hope you join us, too,” Sora said. “Wind Riders allow others to settle in their lands if the settlers can prove that they are worthy. If there’s one thing I know for sure it’s that the women of Clan Weaver are worthy. Now, let’s eat!”
The Clanswomen were subdued during dinner. They clustered in small groups, eating and talking quietly among themselves. Mari and Sora sat on the mossy ground, forming a little circle with Nik, O’Bryan, Davis, Rose, Isabel, and Jenna. Rigel, Laru, Fala, and Cammy lay on the ground not far from them, busily chomping on turkey necks and bones. Sora’s Chloe was tucked inside her tunic, sleeping soundly.
“Where’re Sheena and Captain?” Mari asked as she blew on a sizzling piece of turkey meat.
“They’re patrolling the circle,” Davis said. “Cammy and I will relieve them as soon as we get done eating.” He glanced at Mari. “Thank you for Washing me. It was incredible. I’d had a headache—probably from staring at turkey sign all morning—but as soon as that coolness touched me it went away.”
“You’re welcome,” Mari said. “I wondered what someone outside the Clan would feel during a regular Washing. I mean, I know Nik could feel the power of the moon when it healed him.”
“So could I, but I didn’t remember much of it,” O’Bryan said. Then he cleared his throat and turned to Sora. “Thank you for Washing me.”
“No problem. It’s all part of being a Moon Woman,” she said.
“Well, it may be normal for you, but for me it was special. Probably the most special thing that’s ever happened to me in my entire life. I—uh—I just wanted you to know that,” O’Bryan said.
With increasing curiosity, Mari realized O’Bryan’s face was flushing. Sora leaned toward him and touched him gently on the arm. “I’m glad, and it’s nice to be appreciated. I didn’t mean to pass off your thanks like it was nothing.” Then she sat back, rearranging Chloe more securely on her lap while Mari watched O’Bryan’s gaze linger on the spot on his arm Sora had touched.
Mari felt Nik’s eyes on her and she gave him a look, mouthing, O’Bryan likes Sora. Nik’s eyes opened wider for an instant; then he shrugged and shook his head a little. Mari couldn’t tell if he was baffled or amused, and she made a mental note to ask him what he knew about O’Bryan’s intentions when there were fewer ears listening.
“From the outside it seemed to go well with Danita,” Jenna said. “How was it for the two of you?”
“She did great,” Sora said.
“Better than I did my first time,” Mari agreed. “I threw up.”
“Me, too,” Sora said.
“So, you’re not sorry you accepted us as apprentices?” Isabel asked.
“Not at all,” Mari said.
“No way!” Sora agreed. “The washing was lovely with Danita. Gentle and effortless.”
“I hope we do as well healing,” Isabel said.
“I’m sure you will,” Mari said.
“There she is!” Isabel jumped up to greet Danita, who looked a lot less pale and was accompanied by the ever-present Bast and, this time, Antreas. Isabel hugged her. “Mari and Sora were just saying what a great job you did tonight.”
Danita’s pretty gray eyes widened and her gaze jumped from Mari to Sora. “Really? It was so hard! And cold! I thought I was going to have to let go of your hands because I was going to be sick.”
“But you didn’t let go,” Mari said. “And that’s impressive.”
“Oh, I’m so glad! Um, now do you mind if I go lie down? I’m still feeling a little strange.”
“Rest will help,” Mari said. “Mama used to be so tired from Washing the Clan that I used to think she was sleepwalking when she got back to our burrow.”
“But you and Sora don’t seem tired at all,” Danita said.
“That’s because the Washing was easy tonight,” Sora said. “And because you helped.”
“Plus, after a while you’ll get used to it. The less you fight the power the easier it is to release, and the easier it is for you afterward,” Mari said.
“I’ll remember that,” Danita said. She star
ted to bow a formal good-bye to her Moon Women, but Danita paused and her eyes found Antreas. “Are you and Bast staying here tonight, or returning to Mari’s burrow?”
Antreas hesitated, glancing at Bast, who rubbed against Danita’s leg, purring loudly.
“We’ll stay here. Bast likes the birthing burrow.”
Relief flashed across Danita’s face. “Oh, good. Do you mind if she lies down with me for a little while? It’s night, and I’d, um, just rest so much better if I didn’t have to be afraid that males might come back to the burrow.”
“We wouldn’t let them hurt you. Not ever again,” Mari said firmly. “You don’t need to be afraid.”
“My mind knows that, but the rest of me—not so much,” Danita said.
“Bast would love to sleep with you,” Antreas said. “And I’ll know right away if anyone approaches the burrow. Bast will tell me.”
“Thank you.”
Danita beamed a true smile at Antreas, and Mari saw a jolt of surprise cross the Companion’s face. Apparently Antreas had never experienced the full force of Danita’s smile—a smile that turned her from a sweet-faced but rather ordinary girl into a sparkly-eyed beauty. As the Lynx and the girl slowly walked side by side to the stairs leading to the burrow, Antreas’s gaze followed them.
“Better keep in mind what I said.” Sora spoke sotto voice to Antreas.
“Huh?” Mari asked.
“Nothing!” Antreas and Sora said together.
Mari meant to scowl at them and push harder to know what was going on, but Nik held his hand out to her, palm up. And on his palm was a wood carving of a four-legged animal with an arching neck and a sleek, powerful body.
“This is an equine,” Nik said. “And it’s for you.”
“Oh, Nik! This is beautiful!” Mari turned the figure over in her hands, loving the smooth feel of it, completely intrigued by the majestic-looking creature.
“They call them horses, and it’s not an insult,” Antreas said.
“So that’s a Wind Rider.” Sora leaned forward, studying the carving. “And you say they’re big enough for a person to ride?”
“People,” Antreas corrected. “I’ve seen three girls, not much younger than Danita, all on one horse’s back. “But they do vary in size.”