Page 39 of Moon Chosen

“But they have Jenna,” Mari sobbed.

“And if we stay they will have us, too.Run, Mari! Now!” Leda repeated. She grabbed her daughter’s hand and pulled, forcing Mari and Rigel to sprint into the darkness with her as Xander’s cries of rage and pain faded with the glow of torchlight and the scent of blood.

12

Nik had never been to Farm Island after dusk, and he didn’t relish the thought of a visit now, but at least he would be rid of the crying female once they got there. For what seemed like the thousandth time, Nik glanced over his shoulder at the captive Scratchers. The five of them were tied together, wrists to waists, so that they could march, one after another, in a line. The crying girl, the one that they’d captured just as the Scratcher male attacked them, stumbled along last in line, weeping inconsolably. The small group of Hunters, led by Thaddeus and his Terrier, Odysseus, surrounded the females, keeping well-lit torches held high so that they wouldn’t be surprised by any more spiders, and prodding the captives to keep up a fast jog. By now it was well past sunset, and the last thing the already battered group needed was for a roach swarm to catch them before they reached safety.

“That last female is in bad shape.” O’Bryan caught Nik’s glance. “I know she’s just a Scratcher, but man, Nik, her crying is getting to me.”

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Nik said as his cousin fell into a steady jog beside him. “I’m used to them being depressed and pretty much out of their minds, especially at night. Who isn’t? That’s why they need us to take care of them like we do. But this female’s crying is weird.”

“It’s like she’s mourning that big male we killed last,” O’Bryan said.

“They do form attachments, a lot like children,” Nik said, glancing behind them again at the sobbing female as she stumbled to keep up with the others, who jogged, blank-eyed and completely silent, with the Hunters. “Males try to steal the females from the island. And some of the females actually seem to go with them willingly. Two did just that a week or so ago. They were shot coming out of the Channel with the male who was leading them away.”

“Well, this one must have been attached to the male who attacked us. Do you think he might have been trying to protect her?”

“Hell, O’Bryan, is that even possible? You know how the males are—they get so violent and out of their minds that they can’t even be domesticated like the females. Would it know that it was protecting the girl?”

“You’re right. It’s probably not possible,” O’Bryan said, wincing as the female drew a breath and then began sobbing even louder.

“She’s younger than the others. She’s just afraid. The forest terrifiesmeat night, and I’m not a childlike Scratcher. I imagine being out here is doubly frightening to a half-wit. She’ll be fine when we get her to the island and the floating homes where it’s safe,” Nik said.

“Yeah, I’ll be glad to get rid of her, too. Not far to the bridge now,” said Miguel, breathing heavily. The man was obviously in pain—his left cheekbone was bloody and swollen, and he’d fallen back to the rear of the Hunters with Nik and O’Bryan.

“Miguel, that cheek looks bad. You sure you’re okay?” Nik asked.

“Fine. I’m fine. Wish we’d got that bitch who hit me, though.”

“Heal up and come back out with me. Maybe we’ll get lucky and run into your Scratcher again,” Nik said.

“You’re going to keep searching?” Miguel said.

“Of course I’m going to keep searching. You saw the tracks as clearly as I did,” Nik said with no hesitation, though a good measure of irritation.Why the hell did the pup seem important only to him?

“Yeah, and I also saw that the spider pack crossed over his tracks. A half-grown canine, even a Shepherd pup as big as that one was, can’t survive an attack by an entire pack of those things,” said Miguel.

“Oh, really? That’s the same half-grown canine who can’t have survived the fucking bloody beetles and damned swarming roaches—yet those were his tracks, I’m sure of it,” said Nik.

“I’m with Nik—the pup should be found,” O’Bryan said before Miguel could respond. “If he’s still alive, he has to be a truly special canine.”

Miguel shrugged and then winced painfully. “Hey, I hear you. I’m in, too. As soon as this is healed, I’ll go out with you again.”

“I’ll hold you to it,” Nik said, choking down the comment he wanted to make—the one where he told Miguel that hereallyneeded Hunters who were also Companions. Using a Terrier’s nose to track would help him far beyond what humans could discover. And, of course, there was also the fact that Miguel’s skin had been broken—badly. It was doubtful he would heal enough to Hunt, or be chosen as a Companion, ever.

“Halt!” Thaddeus called back at the group, and the Hunters pulled the Scratchers to a ragged stop.

Nik looked around them and could see that they’d come to the edge of the pine forest. Before them the torches illuminated an ancient stretch of broken asphalt, and as they paused clouds scudded across the face of the moon, veiling the feeble, milky light. Then, with a sudden gust of wind, rain began to drizzle through the canopy, making a comforting pitter-patter on the fronds of the ferns and causing the broken road to glisten like a shattered mirror.

Nik gritted his teeth and muttered a curse. The rain would dilute the pup’s trail. He had to get back to that big holly bush early tomorrowwithhunting Terriers before the scent was completely untrackable.

“In the lookout! Hunters to enter the island!” The shout pulled Nik’s attention up to the observation blind that had been built into the last of the massive pines that bordered the asphalt.

“Go ahead. I have you covered,” came the answer from the tall Companion who moved out on the wooden deck, crossbow notched and ready, and his Shepherd by his side.

Thaddeus waved to the guard, and then motioned for the group to follow him. They jogged onto the broken road, following it up to the bridge. Thaddeus lit the torches that framed the entrance.

“First, Miguel, I don’t like the way that wound looks. I give you leave to return to the Tribe and get it tended. Lawrence and Stephen—accompany him,” Thaddeus said. “The rest of you watch the Scratchers as we cross the bridge. Don’t let them misstep. They fall into the Channel at night and we’ve lost them and wasted a Hunt.” Thaddeus caught Nik’s gaze as his Hunters began cutting the thick ropes that bound the females together. “Nik, you’re responsible for the last girl.”