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His eyes went wide and exasperated. “What are you?—”
The lead dog was barely more than leaping distance away now. He was planning his lunge. There was no time to argue.
All the myriad scents his canine nose could detect tickled her nose. She could taste his victory on the wind.
Jav reached again for her hips. She brushed his arms away, darting around him and forward a few steps. He gasped.
“What are you doing? Iseris, please—” His voice broke with emotion.
But her sudden movement had scared the mare, already stomping with concern. Panicking, it reared and started forward. Jav lunged after it.
Panting uneasily, she forced her shoulders back, her mind to center. To ignore if he caught the horse, if he was coming to stop her, if the mare was all right. If he was all right. Focus.
She raised one hand, palm facing the low growls.
The hounds were all that mattered now. Her mind reached out, deepening the connection that she’d already instinctively begun.
The leader’s lust for the hunt crashed into her thoughts like a dam breaking, his anticipation of the attack coppery and hot, the memory of blood.
You don’t have to do this. Her own thoughts—her hope, and her fear—were in the mix too. She pushed her raw emotion toward him with everything she had. Something must have broken through, because the dog faltered. You don’t have to do this, she repeated. There’s another way. Her words whispered into each of their minds, and each of them went still just a few feet in front of her.
Everything went still in fact. She could feel the mare calm too now. Even Jav froze where he’d stumbled onto one knee behind her, reins in one hand, the other clutching his side. His eyes on her burned, but there was no helping it.
Yes, it was one thing to see a stone light up. It was another thing altogether to really see magic. Or maybe he hadn’t realized yet what was happening. He would, though. Soon.
The dogs slowed, then sat down. Panted a little. Glanced at each other, then back at her, now relaxed. They’d turned from raging beasts to eager puppies in little more than a blink.
Every drop of gentleness she had, she poured into them. Kept pouring. More, more.
She sensed relief stir in response—odd. Why are you relieved? she whispered.
Hungry, the leader responded.
Starved, said another. Not just of food.
Starved of kindness, too, no doubt. Am I your dinner? she asked.
And breakfast and lunch. But no. Not now. They weren’t allowed to eat her—the knowledge came not in words but still concrete in her mind. Their quarry always belonged to their master, and they were fed only when they returned successful.
Perhaps you might go east, keep your paws and barks and howls quiet, and find some birds or rabbits in the mountain woods. Hunt for yourself for a change. Be free.
Their ears perked up. Yes. The idea of fresh wild rabbit made their mouths water.
Perhaps you could even stay out and eat your fill and not go back until the next sundown. You need to eat. You are on the verge of starvation.
Grimly, they knew it was true.
Perhaps you should not go back at all. If you kept quiet, and got far enough, they wouldn’t find you. She let the thoughts drift between their minds and hers, not pushing, simply thinking and letting them listen.
Yes. A good rabbit and a good, long run.
There might be others who would be kinder to you.
You? You keep us.
I can’t. But look for a farmer or a woodsman. I’m sure there are those who would be kind. Don’t attack the sheep or cows, and they might welcome your help.
She smiled as they left, their paws crunching away in the snow. She stood too long watching them go.
