Page 114 of Moon Chosen

“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 meanyou—Rigel won’t let him attackyou.”

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 need 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,whatare 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 thewhat are youpart 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.