by P. C. Cast
“Quiet, Fortina!” Maeve snapped at the pup. “I think we should see what the Tribe has to say about Nik stealing Mother Plants.”
He wrenched his wrist free from her. “As far as I can see, there is no Tribe left. Step aside, Maeve.” As he began to walk around her, Nik reached into his travel satchel, feeling for the length of braided rope he always kept there. I’ll tie her and gag her. That’ll give me enough time to get away and—
Maeve’s scream pierced through the sounds of the sick and dying, echoing in the fetid air around them. She shouted, “Help! He’s stealing from the Mother Plant! Help me! Help!”
“Bloody beetle balls!” Nik swore.
He rushed past Maeve, launching himself down the stairs, three at a time. On the main platform, Emma looked up from administering to patients, her eyes wide with shock as she recognized him, but Nik didn’t hesitate. He ran, leaping over the dying, as he sprinted to the final set of stairs. He reached the forest floor in seconds, and then he ran, weaving between pallets of the wounded and sick as they began to stir. Nik could see Maeve on the top landing. She was leaning over the railing, shouting, “It’s Nik! He’s stealing Mother Plants for his Scratcher bitch!”
Like they were moving through dark dreams, the fallen Tribesmen and women began to rise, their feverish hands reaching for him, grasping at his cloak, trying to stop him. But Nik was faster and stronger. He dodged around them, picking up speed. At the edge of the clearing, he could just make out Laru’s amber eyes from where he’d remained hidden. Nik’s Shepherd was utterly focused on him. He could feel Laru’s strength and encouragement—and he picked up his pace, moving even faster. He was mere yards away from the forest line, and the relative safety the underbrush would provide, when he was blindsided. Someone hit him, and hit him hard, knocking him off his feet and causing the breath to rush from him.
Nik tried to stand, even before he could draw air again, but a foot in the center of his back kept his face pressed into the earth.
“Why in such a hurry, Nikolas?” Thaddeus’s voice sneered. “I’d hate to see you go before you said a proper good-bye—and before that whore of a Scratcher comes to rescue you. Again. Only this time we’ll be ready for her.”
Nik closed his eyes and focused all his energy into communicating with his Companion. Go, Laru! Run! Meet Mari at the Channel!
Instantly Nik was flooded with strength and love and understanding. He allowed himself a moment of relief. Laru would go to Mari. Now all Nik had to do was survive and escape so that he could go to her, too.
CHAPTER 38
As Mari walked through camp she felt as if her heart would swell and burst with pride. Everyone was busy, and even more important, it was obvious that everyone was working together. Earth Walkers wove cloaks beside Lydia and Sarah, who had picked up the skill so quickly that Danita announced that the sisters had true aptitudes for the task.
Jaxom worked with O’Bryan and Sheena, building the last of the litters from the burrow’s deconstructed bed frames. Even Mason, who was recovering with remarkable ease from the Skin Stealer sickness, refused to stay abed and was helping roll dried meat in salt and then packing the meat within supple corn husks for travel.
“It’s hard to believe, but we’re going to actually be ready to leave,” Sora said as she joined Mari in the clearing.
“I know. I’d never have thought it possible just a day or so ago,” Mari said. She pointed her chin at the little face that peeked out of a pouchlike sling that held the pup securely against Sora’s heart. “That seems to be working.”
Sora smiled warmly down at the Terrier pup and kissed her on her head. “It does. But now I understand why canines don’t choose their Companions before they’re weaned. She wants to be with me all the time and I with her—but she’s too little to keep up and she needs to be returned to Fala frequently to be fed.”
“But she whines the entire time she’s away from you,” Mari finished for her friend as she ruffled the soft fur behind the pup’s floppy ears. “I know. Everyone does. She’s a loud whiner.”
“She’s absolutely perfect,” Sora cooed. Then she met Mari’s eyes. “But I hear you. It was pretty obnoxious. So, I came up with this sling. It’s really not much different from the carriers used for infants—just smaller.”
“You do look surprisingly maternal,” Mari said.
Sora narrowed her eyes. “I’m going to take that as a compliment.”
Mari grinned. “I meant it as one.” She cut her eyes to where Mason was packing the dried meat. “He’s healing fast. If we Wash him again tonight, he’s going to be as healthy as Jaxom.”
“Yeah, for such a nasty disease, it’s pretty easy to cure.”
Sora snorted. “Please. Are you losing your memory in your cloud of new love?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, and no, I’m not losing my memory,” Mari said indignantly. “Mason is healing fast.”
“Only after you almost passed out last night from channeling so much moon power into him. Mari, this disease isn’t easy to cure. It’s deadly. It’s only the strength of the moon and the Great Earth Mother that heals it. Take those two things away and Mason would be a raving lunatic again, and would need to be put down like any other diseased animal.”
“When did you get so pessimistic?”
“I think it happened right after I was attacked by diseased males,” Sora said sardonically. “I keep reminding myself of it—of why we’re leaving. It makes it easier.”
Mari nodded. “Yeah, I hear you.”
“Know what I want to hear?”
Mari raised her brows questioningly.
“I want to hear all about what happened last night with Nik.” Sora’s eyes glittered with equal parts glee and curiosity.
“How do you know anything happened?” Mari felt her cheeks heating, so she turned her face away, pretending to study the small group that was packing the last of the herbs from the burrow’s lush garden.
“Because I’m smart. And because Sheena told me how cozy you two were this morning when they met you at your burrow. So, spill it. I want to know every tiny detail.”
“No,” Mari said, trying to hide her smile.
“Yes,” Sora insisted. “Come with me to check on the rabbit cages. Spencer is almost done making the changes to them that you sketched for her. I really like that idea of yours—to make the litters into rafts that can be tied to the boats. It’ll take up a lot less room and—”
“Mari! Get Mari!”
Mari’s head snapped around at the shout that came from across the clearing. Little Chloe whined softly, and beside Mari, Rigel barked sharply—not in anger, but more in a surprised greeting.
And then two adult Shepherds rushed into the clearing, followed by little Cammy—and Mari’s stomach instantly began to feel sick.
“Rigel! With me!” she called, and sprinted toward the canines, but before she’d reached them she was surrounded—Captain was there, solid and strong, Fala beside him, and out of nowhere the stealthy Bast appeared, eyes slitted dangerously, black-tipped tail twitching. Not far behind them came their Companions and O’Bryan, Jaxom, Mason, and every Earth Walker within calling distance.
“There’s no danger!”
Mari looked up to see Davis standing at the top of the stone stairs, his arms wrapped around two very sick Companions.
“Wilkes? Claudia?” O’Bryan called as he jogged up to the group surrounding Mari.
Mari glanced down at the two new Shepherds, recognizing them more easily than she did their Companions. “Odin and Mariah?” she murmured as the two canines filled her with a sense of worry and urgency. Mari ran up the stairs, reaching Davis just as Claudia’s legs gave way and she collapsed. “What’s happened?”
“Nik and I found them at Crawfish Creek,” Davis began, but Wilkes interrupted.
“The Tribe is infected.” His knees gave way, too, and Mari knelt beside him. “We escaped,” he gasped, and then dissolved into a coughing
fit that ended with him spitting out blood and rancid phlegm.
“Oh, Goddess!” Sora said, kneeling beside Mari to hold aside Claudia’s hair as she fell to the ground, dry heaving painfully. “It’s the Skin Stealer disease.”
“Get them into the burrow,” Mari said. She looked around, quickly finding Danita, who was standing behind Antreas. “Danita! Start boiling the goldenseal.”
“Will do!” Danita sprinted off.
“I’ll get the poultice that I used for Jaxom and Mason,” Sora said. “And I’ll start brewing the poppy tea.”
“Make it strong,” Davis said. “They’re in a lot of pain, and moonrise is half a day away.”
Mari nodded in quick agreement before she called out, “O’Bryan, Jaxom, Mason, help Davis get these two into the burrow.” Then Mari drew a breath and looked behind Davis.
She didn’t see Nik.
She didn’t feel Laru.
She turned to Davis. “Where is he?”
“It’s bad, Mari, but he said you’d understand. The whole Tribe is infected. The Council is dead. Wilkes has been betrayed by the Warriors. Thaddeus and his thugs are in charge.”
“Where is he?” Mari grabbed Davis’s shoulder, shaking him.
“He went to the Tribe. He had to. And he told me to tell you that we have to leave now—today—not the day after tomorrow.”
“What? That’s impossible!” Sora cried.
“Why? Why can’t we stick to our original plan?” Mari asked.
Claudia raised her head. Her body trembled and her voice shook, but she met Mari’s gaze unblinkingly. “It’s because of us. When Thaddeus realizes Wilkes and I are gone he’s going to come after us, and when he does he’ll find you. All of you. Odysseus died, and Thaddeus has gone completely mad.” Her red eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry. We didn’t mean to do this to you, but Nik said we could join your Pack. Please don’t send us away!”
Mari touched the young woman’s feverish face. “Claudia, we won’t send you away. And it isn’t your fault Thaddeus is filled with hate.”
“He’s planning on coming after you,” Wilkes wheezed. “He blames you for everything from the fire to Odysseus’s death.”
“We know. That’s why we’re leaving. We were just planning on—” Mari’s words broke off as she was filled with a torrent of emotion.
Fear, worry, anger!
Mari fell to her knees, wrapping her arms around herself as she tried to sift through the panic that barraged her mind, her heart, and her soul. Immediately she recognized the touch of Laru’s emotions. She drew several long breaths, trying to calm the panic that raced through her, threatening to break her concentration and, in doing so, break her connection to Laru.
Easy, Laru … easy. Slow down. I’m here. I’m here.
“Mari! What is it?” Sora was shaking her—trying to get her to speak.
Mari shook her head and met her friend’s gaze. “Have to concentrate. It’s Laru.”
“Oh, Goddess, no!” Sora breathed.
Mari squeezed her eyes shut, blocking out everything except her connection to Nik’s Companion. Laru! Tell me what has happened! Is Nik safe?
Her only answer was another deluge of emotions: Fear! Fear! Anger! Worry! Worry! Fear!
Laru, I don’t understand. Where are you? Where is Nik? Please, Laru! Try harder! Tell me!
More emotions inundated her—predominate among them FEAR.
“I don’t understand!” Mari spoke aloud this time, her voice choked with tears. “Tell me where you are!”
Still, Mari could feel Laru’s emotions as if they had originated within her own body, but the Shepherd’s thoughts were getting more and more jumbled—more and more chaotic. She was losing him—Mari knew beyond any doubt she was swiftly losing her connection to the panicked canine.
Oh, Laru, please, please! Help me understand!
And then she felt the warmth of Rigel’s body beside her and his sense of security—his sense of serenity—cloaked her like a warm blanket on a winter’s night. In her mind’s eye, there was suddenly an image of Nik—of exactly how he had looked earlier that morning when he was jogging away from Rigel and her. And Mari’s eyelids flew open. She stared at her Shepherd.
“Pictures! He can tell me in pictures!” She closed her eyes again and imagined herself sketching a picture of the scene around her—sick Companions, Gathered Earth Walkers, and upset canines. With every ounce of her concentration, Mari imagined sending that picture to Laru.
The flood of emotions ceased. There was nothing left except emptiness.
Mari opened her eyes. Tears poured down her cheeks. She felt dizzy with fear.
“Mari, how can we help?” Sora asked, still holding tightly to her friend’s shoulder—supporting her.
“It’s Laru,” Mari sobbed. “He’s suddenly gone and—”
She gasped as a picture filled her mind so fully that it was as if the image were projected before her. Nik was there. His hands were bound behind his back and he was on his knees in a place Mari recognized instantly as the old meditation platform he’d taken her to when they were waiting for Sol to signal that it was safe to approach the Tribe. Nik’s face was bloody with scratches and his lip was split as if he’d been beaten.
Standing behind Nik was Thaddeus. He held a rope that was tied around Nik’s neck and he was laughing.
I understand, Laru! Hide! I’m coming! She sent an image to the big Shepherd of him hiding as she and Rigel ran through the forest on their way to the Tribe. Then she opened her eyes and got to her feet. Mari wiped her face and turned to Sora. “The Pack has to leave. Now. Do your best to make Claudia and Wilkes comfortable. They can come with us. O’Bryan, lead the Pack to the Channel.” She looked at Wilkes. “You know exactly where those boats are, don’t you?”
“I do. I’ll show you.”
“Show them.” Mari pointed to Sora and O’Bryan as she started moving away from the group.
“Mari! Where are you going?” Sora called.
“I’m going to save Nik,” she said.
“No!” Wilkes shouted, causing Mari to pause and look back at him. “You’re headed into a trap. Thaddeus has spoken often about luring you into camp and then capturing and keeping you, forcing you to heal the Tribe.”
“He will try, and he will fail. Moon Women are not so easily taken, and we can’t be forced to do anything.” She turned and, with Rigel at her side, sprinted up the stairs to the burrow, running for her satchel and the slingshot she wielded with deadly accuracy.
“Thaddeus underestimates us,” she told Rigel. “That and his arrogance will be his undoing.” Rigel growled deep in his throat. “So, let’s go show him what a pissed-off Moon Woman who can also call down sunfire can do when you mess with her mate, shall we?”
Rigel barked in agreement, and the two of them raced into the forest.
* * *
“Davis!” Sora’s voice echoed across the empty clearing.
Davis patted Cammy on the head, sighed, and turned, calling over his shoulder, “I’m here, Sora!”
The Moon Woman rushed into the clearing with her usual no-nonsense confidence, joining Davis before the Goddess idol. When Sora reached her, she stretched out her hand, gently touching the moss that made up the idol’s verdant skin.
“The offerings the Pack left are lovely,” Sora said, her gaze sweeping to take in the feathers, beads, and baubles that had been lovingly placed all around the Goddess’s image.
“She appreciates them,” Davis said.
Sora glanced sharply at him. “You really can hear her, can’t you?”
Davis nodded. “I know she’s coming with us, but it breaks my heart to leave her here—all alone.”
“She isn’t alone,” Sora said. “She’s surrounded by the plants she nurtures and the animals she watches over. And there’s a very good chance that Earth Walkers from another Clan will find our burrows once we’re gone. Not today or tomorrow, but in winters to come. They will tend her and rev
ere her.” She rested her hand on his shoulder. “But we have to leave. Now.”
Davis nodded, bowed one more time to the Goddess, and then he and Sora left the abandoned clearing and joined the Pack. They’d waited patiently when Sora had realized Davis and his Cammy were missing, but now they looked restless—restless and sad.
“This isn’t really a good-bye,” Sora said, wishing Mari were there to help her through the leave-taking. “It’s hello to a new life, a new world, and a new adventure. Pack, are we ready?”
“Yes!” they called.
Sora strode the length of the Pack—counting her people to be sure no one was being left behind. When she got to the litters that were carrying Wilkes and Claudia, she paused, surprised to see that Jaxom and Mason were in place to carry one of them while O’Bryan and Sheena were in charge of the other. She met Jaxom’s gaze, but as usual now, the young Earth Walker turned his eyes from her.
“Who told you to carry Claudia’s litter?” Sora asked.
“No one,” Jaxom answered with his gaze lowered from hers to rest on Chloe’s small face, which peeked out from the sling that held her close to Sora’s heart. “Mason and I volunteered.”
Sora studied Jaxom’s brother. “Mason, are you sure you’re strong enough?”
“With Jaxom’s help I am,” Mason said.
Sora looked at Jaxom again, waiting for him to give her some reassurance he was ready, willing, and able to help his brother, but he kept his eyes lowered, head bowed respectfully. She sighed in irritation. “Well, Jaxom, are you okay with helping your brother, even if it means you have to carry more than your share of weight?”
Eyes still on Chloe, Jaxom nodded. “Yes, I am.”
Irritation merged with nerves, and Sora snapped, “Jaxom, I’m trying to have a conversation with you, and the closest you’ll come to looking at me is staring at Chloe. It’s disconcerting and annoying.”
Jaxom raised his warm, familiar brown eyes to meet hers. “Forgive me, Moon Woman, but your Chloe is the second most beautiful thing I have ever seen.”
Sora stared at him. His tone, his eyes, everything about him was the sweet, friendly Jaxom she’d known and been a little in love with for most of her life. But the instant she thought about him touching her—something that used to bring them both so much pleasure—her blood went cold and her mouth filled with bile.