Page 131 of Moon Chosen

Mari looked up from the page she was reading. “Can you carry him?”

Sora snorted. “Of course not. We already tried that and I failed miserably. Plus, my arms and legs are just now starting to feel normal again instead of screaming with soreness.”

“Your pain tolerance is low,” Mari said.

“I know that, but I don’t see it as a bad thing. Really, Mari, whowantsto be in pain?”

“Sora, sometimes you do make a good point or two.”

“Thank you!” she grinned.

“Can we get back to healing Nik now, please?” Mari said.

“Okay, but I still don’t understand why you’re so adamant about it. I don’t mean to sound inhumane, but even he says he’s dying. Why not ask him all of your questions, and then give him something to stop his pain long enough for him to return to die with his Tribe?”

“The excuse his Tribe uses for capturing Clanswomen is because they have the blight and can’t tend their own crops. I’m going to cure the blight, so they have no excuse to enslave us.”

“I guess I’m not as optimistic as you about the Tribe suddenly setting our people free.”

“I think this might be it!” Mari jumped up and sprinted into the other room. “Nik! Open your eyes.”

He blinked blearily at her. “Are they open?”

“Yes, now they are. Okay, listen to this.” She read from the journal entry,“Callie had a terrible fungal infection. It reminded me of tree blight, which is why I’m making a special note of it here. Small black spores were attached to what was a cleanly healing wound. Then the flesh began to turn a dusky color, ulcerations appeared, along with a rancid scent.”Mari looked up from the journal. “Does this describe what happens with the blight?”

Nik grinned at her and nodded. “Yes indeedy it does. So, Scratchers—oops, I mean Earth Walkers—they get it, too?”

“Got it. Past tense,” Mari said smugly. “My mother cured it, just like I’m going to cure it. I’ll be back.”

Mari hurried back to Sora. “This is it!”

“I heard. What else does it say?”

“Mama writes:

“I tried several poultices, to no avail. Finally, I remembered a strong remedy my mother had used on a dire fungal infection. I tried it, and the infection was cured, though not without the power of the moon, and the grace of our benevolent Earth Mother. Poultice is as follows: Muddle a fresh indigo root with boiling water. Mix with warmed honey and apply sparingly to the wound. Healing is quick, but NOTE—take care! Large doses are toxic, inducing nausea, diarrhea, heart palpitations, paralysis of breathing, and death. One poultice was enough to cure the disease. I’m very much afraid more than one application would be toxic.”

“Sounds simple. Do you know what an indigo root is?” Sora asked.

“Of course. I use it for dye. It’s the plant with the beautiful blue flower that grows by streams. After it’s done flowering it makes blue pods that rattle in the wind.”

“Oh, I know what flower you’re talking about!”

“Good. Go pull some up and bring me the roots.”

Sora frowned. “You didn’t answer my question about why he can’t be asleep for this. What does carrying him have to do with making that poultice?”

“Mama wrote that her patient was cured withthe power of the moon.”

Sora’s mouth fell open. “No. You cannot mean to draw down the moon for him.”

“I absolutely do, and you’re going to help me. It’s your next step, remember? You healed the fern,” Mari said.

“But he can’t know that we’re Moon Women!” Sora’s whisper was more of a hiss.

“And that’s why I’m going to brew another potion just like the one I gave him before we pulled out that spear, only I don’t want him to pass out until he’s walked himself outside and up to the clearing.”

Sora’s forehead wrinkled in confusion. “So, you’re going to have him walk outside—give him the potion—he’ll pass out—and then we’ll draw down the moon and heal him. Then what?”