“Wait, how do I get to Mari?”
“Mari? The girl who saved Captain?” Sheena said.
Nik nodded. “Yes, Mari saved Captain and O’Bryan.”
“She does seem to be a gifted Healer, but I don’t understand. Why are we going to a Scratcher Gathering Site to find Mari?”
“It’s too complicated to explain right now. Will you just trust me?”
Sheena looked from Nik to O’Bryan and made up her mind quickly. “I trust you. Captain and I are alive today because of your Mari.”
“So am I,” O’Bryan added. “But I still don’t know how to find her.”
“Captain can find her—or rather, he can track Rigel. And where Rigel is, there Mari will be, too,” Nik said.
“If the pup’s anywhere near the site, my Captain will find him,” Sheena said.
“Have him search to the southeast. And call for Rigel while you’re searching. Don’t give up. I promise, he’ll eventually come to you.”
“Wait, Cuz. You’re going to be with us soon, right?”
“I’m going to try, but if I don’t make it out of the city you have to find Mari. Tell her—tell her I’m sorry. Tell her I wanted it to end differently.”
“Cuz, I’m not going to have to tell her anything. Don’t get yourself killed. If you can’t figure out how to stop it, get the hell out of the fire. You die in there Mari isn’t going to be the only one pissed at you.”
Nik hugged his cousin quickly. “I’ll do my best, Cuz.”
“If you see my parents…” O’Bryan began, but his words faded and he pressed his palms against his eyes.
“If I see them I’ll do everything I can to get them out,” Nik assured him.
O’Bryan swallowed hard. “That’s all I can ask.”
“Okay, you and Sheena let Rose and the girls rest for just a few minutes more and then get going. It’s too dangerous to remain anywhere near the city. Laru and I are off.”
Sheena touched his shoulder before he could move away. “May the Sun bless you, give you strength, and keep you safe.” She spoke solemnly.
“And you as well, Sheena.” Then Nik motioned for Laru. “Let’s go!”
CHAPTER 3
Mari broke from the path that led back to Nik’s Tribe and plunged into the trees, but she’d only struggled through the underbrush for a short time before she was chewing her lip in confusion. The smoke wasn’t as dense as she moved into the forest and away from the burning city, but it was thick enough to block the sky and confuse her sense of direction. Mari turned in a slow circle, trying to get a feel for exactly how she could skirt the Tribe of the Trees’ territory and not lose too much time making her way to the southeast and the swampier forest where the Earth Walker burrows were located.
She moved off in one direction but came to a blackberry thicket so dense that she and the pup had to back out of the area carefully. Frustration threatened to overwhelm her as Mari searched for any marker that would help her locate the way home.
A few feet ahead of her, Rigel froze. Head, ears, and tail up, he tested the wind. From deep in his chest came a warning growl, alerting her to the fact that they were no longer alone. She’d just begun backing away, Rigel beside her, and was frantically looking for a fallen tree or some thick scrub that might conceal them when Isabel, a young, newly liberated Earth Walker Mari easily recognized, burst into view.
“Mari! Mari! I found you! I can’t believe I found you!” Isabel rushed toward Mari and then staggered to an abrupt halt when she almost ran into Rigel, who was pressed protectively against Mari’s side, still growling a warning. “Mari?” the young woman whispered stiffly through lips colorless with fear. “Help me! Don’t let him get me!”
“Rigel, it’s okay. Isabel is a friend,” Mari told the pup, and patted him on his head, though he had already relaxed and stopped his warning growl. “He’s completely safe. I give you my word that he won’t hurt you,” she said to the girl.
Still wide-eyed with fear, she stared at Rigel. “I don’t understand. Why is a Companion’s Shepherd with you?”
“Rigel’s with me because I’m his Companion.” Mari tried to sound as nonchalant as possible. “I guess you didn’t notice him earlier on the dock.”
“I did. I thought he was with the young Tribesman—the one who came for Jenna yesterday. I think his name is Nik. I—I don’t know for sure. Today, after you Washed us, was the first time I could think clearly since shortly after they took me.”
“You’re right. Nik is his name. His Companion’s name is Laru. This is Rigel, Laru’s son. He belongs to me, and I belong to him.”
Isabel’s gaze went from Rigel to Mari. “But that’s impossible. You’re not a—” She saw the jolt of shocked understanding as Isabel really saw her. “Your hair—your face. It’s you and it’s not you,” Isabel said slowly. “You look like one of them.”
Mari squared her shoulders. “My father was a Companion—a member of the Tribe of the Trees. Mama and I hid that from the Clan. But now Mama’s dead and things have changed with the Clan. I have stopped hiding.”
Isabel clenched her hands together while she continued to stare at Mari. Finally she said, “Are you part of them now? The Tribe of the Trees.”
Mari snorted. “Did it seem like I was part of them when they were shooting arrows at me?”
“No, but the young guy—Nik. He and the Sun Priest seemed to be with you.”
“They were. They are.” Mari shook her head and then corrected herself, continuing sadly, “Well, Nik is. The Sun Priest, Sol, was his father. He died on the dock protecting me.”
“I still don’t understand how all this happened.” Isabel’s gesture took in Mari and Rigel.
“It’s a long story that I have no problem explaining to you, but I’d rather wait until we’re not in the middle of a burning forest.”
“Okay, okay, I agree. And anyway, we need to get back to the others,” Isabel said.
“Others?”
“I left a group of Clanswomen in a clearing not far from here. I was scouting ahead and trying to figure out where we are. It’s all this smoke. We can’t tell which direction leads home. It’s odd to say, but thank the Earth Mother that you are his Companion.…” Isabel paused and jerked her chin in Rigel’s direction without actually looking at the young canine. “He does know the way home, doesn’t he?”
“Rigel? Of course.” With an effort Mari stopped herself from smacking her own forehead and declaring herself as simple as a babe. Even Isabel knows Rigel can follow his nose home. What’s wrong with me? I should have thought to have him track our way home much sooner! She could almost hear her mama reminding her to be kind to herself—to not waste time berating herself but act instead. Mari strode to Isabel. “Lead me to the other women; then I’ll have Rigel take us home.”
“This way. I marked the trees so I could find my way back to them.” Keeping Mari between herself and Rigel, Isabel fell into step beside her as she lifted the long piece of flint she held and pointed at a slash mark she’d made in the bark of a nearby tree.
“Good thinking.” Mari watched the younger girl whose gray-eyed gaze kept flicking nervously from the trail to Rigel. “You really don’t have to be afraid of him. He’d only hurt you if you attacked me.”
“I wouldn’t do that! You’re special. You’re our Moon Woman.”
“Isabel, you and I aren’t so different. We’re both marked by eyes that prove we have a Moon Woman legacy.”
“But you can actually call down the moon. I can’t.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that. For right now, how about we focus on our similarities instead of, well…”—Mari paused and made a conciliatory gesture toward Rigel—“our obvious differences.”
“You sound a lot like your mother,” Isabel said with a tentative smile.
“That is the nicest thing you could have said to me. Thank you. Does that mean you agree?”
Isabel’s smile widened. “No one in their right mind would d
isagree with Leda.”
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Mari said, thinking, One more Clanswoman has accepted me—how many more to go?
They walked on in silence, following the slash marks that seemed to glow through the murky, smoky light. Mari waited until Isabel had stopped sending Rigel frightened glances and seemed to be more relaxed before she asked, “How many women are with you?”
“Twenty. They were all I could gather. I—I don’t know how many of the rest of them made it out of the Channel. The current was just too strong. And with the smoke added to the chaos the Companions caused, I think they got confused and couldn’t find the shore. They drowned. A lot of them drowned.” Isabel paused to swallow hard and wipe at her eyes. “I found bodies. Too many bodies.” Her voice broke on the last word, ending with a sob.
“Oh, Great Goddess, no!” Mari pressed her lips together, fighting a tide of guilt. “I didn’t think. I should have been smarter. I was just trying to help.…” Her words trailed off as she wiped away bitter tears.
“Mari.” Isabel stopped and took her hand. “It wasn’t your fault. Truly.”
Mari blinked through tears of guilt and sadness. “I didn’t mean for it to happen. Not like that. I healed Sol’s nephew of the blight. He said I could ask for a favor—for anything. I told him what I wanted was to Wash the captives of Night Fever. I was going to pressure Sol and the rest of the Companions into freeing you—all of you—in exchange for healing members of the Tribe of blight. I swear I was.”
Isabel took Mari’s hand in both of hers. “Of course you were.”
“But everything happened so fast! No one was supposed to know I was there except Sol and Nik. I don’t know how the Tribe found us. And then they wouldn’t listen to reason—not even from their Sun Priest. I should have waited. I shouldn’t have healed anyone until every Earth Walker was released and safe. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”
“Listen to me, Mari. You did the right thing. You Washed us of the fever. Even those who drowned trying to escape you helped. Today, for the first time in years for some of us, we knew happiness and hope again. We would all agree: Death is not too great a price to pay for such a gift.”
Mari nodded and pushed aside the guilt and regret that threatened to overwhelm her. She would have time to sift through her feelings later. Now there was only time for action.
“Then let’s gather what’s left of our Clan and get them safely home. Finally,” Mari said resolutely.
Together, the two women and the young Shepherd came to a small clearing beside a dry streambed where a group of Earth Walker women, ranging in age from preadolescent girls to adults, clustered together in a soggy, frightened group. They looked up to see Mari and began excited cries of welcome, but Rigel’s presence at her side had their greetings fading, to be replaced by fearful murmurings and looks of confusion.
Mari straightened her back, lifted her chin, and rested one hand on her Shepherd’s head as she looked from woman to woman, waiting for the group to fall silent. Then she spoke in a strong, clear voice that brooked no argument. “His name is Rigel. Yes, he is a Shepherd and he is mine. As you know, I am Leda’s daughter. I am also the daughter of a Companion. Rigel won’t hurt you, and I know it’s difficult for you, but part of accepting me is accepting him. If you can do that, come with me. He’ll lead us home.” She drew a deep, cleansing breath and then added, “If you can’t do that—if you can’t accept me—Rigel and I will still guide you home. From there you will be free to join another Clan as soon as you’ve rested and prepared for the journey. I’ll help you. I’ll do whatever I can, except hide who I am. I won’t do that ever again.”
The silence that followed stretched so long that Mari’s stomach began to feel empty and sick; then an older woman whose face was familiar but whose name Mari couldn’t remember stood.
“Where is this Companion father of yours?” she asked Mari.
“Dead since I was a baby.”
“And this home your canine is leading us to—is it an Earth Walker burrow or a Companion’s City in the Trees and the enslavement that goes with it?”
“Home is Earth Walker territory and the burrows waiting for us there,” Mari said, trying to keep all resentment out of her voice. “I would never lead you back into captivity.”
The older woman’s gaze didn’t falter and Mari didn’t let her eyes slide away. “Is it true that Leda is dead?”
“Yes,” Mari said.
“And you are Moon Woman in her place?”
“I am. As is Sora,” Mari added, causing a gasp of shock to ripple through the listening group.
“Two Moon Women for one Clan? That’s unheard of,” said the older woman.
“I’m sorry, Mother.” Mari used the formal address for an adult woman of the Clan. “I recall your face, but not your name.”
“I am Serena. I considered your mother a friend, as well as my Moon Woman.”
Mari nodded, suddenly remembering why Serena’s face was familiar. “You were a midwife in the birthing burrow before you were captured.”
Serena nodded. “I was.”
Mari’s voice warmed. “Then you understand the importance of working together as a Clan. You did it daily in the birthing burrow. Likewise, Sora and I have decided to work together. Things have changed since my mother’s death. The Clan has changed. It’s time Moon Women found strength in each other as well as in the moon.” Mari told the truth simply and directly.
“It’s hard to believe anything you say with that creature by your side,” called a voice from the middle of the group.
“Rigel will always be by my side, so get used to it.” Mari’s response rang sharp and clear.
“Canines belong to our enemies!” shouted another woman.
“She Washed us!” Isabel’s voice cut through the mutters of agreement, silencing the group. “This canine was hers then, too. He was there, on the dock, at her side. What’s wrong with all of you? Mari is why we aren’t still in those floating cages waiting to die of Night Fever. She called down the moon, and that means she is our Moon Woman. We’re not slaves anymore. We’re going home! And that’s because of Mari, too. I don’t care about anything else, and neither should you.”
Mari flashed Isabel a quick, thankful smile, then drew a deep breath and regained some of her lost patience. “I know this is hard. Some of you will remember me as Leda’s sickly daughter. The truth is that I’ve never been sickly. I’ve only been different and Mama thought it best that I hide that difference from you. Mama is gone now, and I’m done hiding. Accept me or don’t accept me. Either way, we’re wasting time. Do you really want to be out here, wandering around in a forest on fire, when the sun sets?”
“No, I don’t,” Isabel said firmly. “I want to go home. I’m going to follow Mari and her Rigel.” She turned to Mari and bowed formally, respectfully. Then straightened and skewered the group with her sharp gray eyes. “Who is coming with us?”
Slowly, and with varying degrees of mistrust and hope, each woman stood and bowed to Mari—last to bow her acknowledgment was Serena, who continued to watch Mari and Rigel with wary eyes.
CHAPTER 4
Nik and Laru plunged into the area of the forest that held the City in the Trees. They moved fast, with Nik shouting directions to the straggling wounded to make their way south—to catch up with O’Bryan and Sheena, to find the creek that served as the western boundary of Scratcher territory and follow it until they came to an abandoned Gathering Site. He didn’t know what else to tell them. With the path to the Channel cut off, he was torn. Part of him wanted to gather the wounded and lead them to safety himself, but the other part of him, the more reasonable part, won. What good would it do to get a few people out if the entire forest was engulfed in flame?
If the fire wasn’t stopped that could very well happen—it could even reach Earth Walker territory.
So Nik and Laru ran on.
At first he was worried that people would stop him—question him. But the ho
rror of the forest fire was all-encompassing. Those who actually spoke to him seemed only relieved when they saw that Laru was by his side and that the two of them were rushing toward the heart of the blaze.
“They think we’re joining Father, and they’re sure Father will save them,” Nik said to Laru as the big Shepherd jogged by his side, dodging around ferns and jumping over logs and ditches. The tall, majestic pines above them were vomiting confused, terrified people and canines, who were all expecting a miracle from their Sun Priest.
Nik and Laru sped past the six Mother Trees. Tribeswomen were gathered below, catching bundles that were being hurriedly lowered to them in a rush of barely controlled panic. He glanced up and up and could just make out a flurry of activity that was the Tribe harvesting the precious Mother Plants from the boughs of the trees, wrapping them in dampened cloths, and then stacking them on litters that were lowered quickly to their waiting caretakers.
“Nik! Laru!”
Nik felt Laru pause. The Shepherd had recognized the woman’s voice—as had Nik. It was Maeve, his father’s lover, who was Companion to Fortina, the biggest female pup in Laru’s last litter.
I can’t tell her about Father. Not here. Not now.
“Maeve!” Nik shouted over his shoulder as he and Laru ran past the Mother Trees. “Try to make your way south—to the creek that’s on the edge of Scratcher Territory.”
“No, Nik!” she shouted back at him. “We have to get to the Channel and the Farm. That’s where we’ll find safety.”
Reluctantly, Nik stopped. “The fire’s spread along the western ridge. The way to the Channel is cut off.”
“Then we’ll go east. I’m not taking Mother Plants into Scratcher territory!” She locked her gaze with Nik. “No matter how friendly some of them seem.”
Nik studied Maeve. She’d met Mari. She knew Mari had healed O’Bryan. She might even know Mari had healed Sheena’s Captain, and still her voice and body language made it clear that she didn’t trust Scratchers.