Page 59 of Moon Chosen

“Thanks. I appreciate you saying that.” Nik offered Davis his hand, and the younger man grasped it warmly while Cameron danced around them huffing happily.

“Well, Thaddeus is going to tell everyone that you led us on another ghost hunt, but the truth is we didn’t get to Hunt at all, and I plan to tell people the truth,” Davis said stubbornly.

“Don’t get yourself in trouble. Thaddeus doesn’t like to be contradicted.”

“Thaddeus doesn’t like much of anything,” Davis said with a wry smile. “And don’t worry about me. He’ll be too busy gloating over the pups he says are Odysseus’s to bother with anything I might or might not say about what happened today.”

“Just watch yourself. Don’t cause problems with Thaddeus because of me.” Nik gestured at the lift. Light from a torch was glinting off the metal links of the heavy chain as it lowered to the forest floor. “Lift’s back.” Cammy started nipping playfully at Davis’s and Nik’s ankles, herding them forward. Both men laughed good-naturedly at the canine’s insistence.

“He wants to join the party,” Davis said when he beat them to the waiting lift.

“Looks like out of the three of us Cameron’s the smart one,” Nik said, closing the lift door and signaling that it could begin the journey up.

“I’ve suspected as much since he chose me.” He opened his arms and called, “Come on up here, Cammy!” The Terrier sprang up so that Davis caught him easily, and then he and Nik laughed while Cammy covered his Companion’s dirty face in enthusiastic licks.

“Ugh, Davis, that isnothow you’re supposed to wash up.”

Nik and Davis peered through the wooden slats of the cagelike lift as it came to rest in its roost above ground. She was standing on the landing, hand on her curvy hip, young Shepherd by her side. It seemed to Nik that both girl and canine were looking at the three of them as if they’d been rolling in scat.

“Cammy is just being friendly. That’s all. This isn’t how I wash up. I know better than that. Mostly.” Davis put Cameron down and tried to sound nonchalant, but Nik could see that his freshly licked cheeks were now pink, where they weren’t covered with Terrier spit and soot.

Nik stifled a sigh. Claudia was sexy and beautiful, and had been chosen two years before by Mariah—the largest, smartest canine in the only Shepherd litter to whelp that spring. She was also very aware of the effect she had on the men of the Tribe. Just then the effect she was having on Davis was to turn him mute.

“Hello, Claudia.” Nik sent her his most charming smile. “Nice of you to welcome a Hunter home.”

Claudia raised a golden brow sardonically. “It’s my turn at the Lift Watch. I welcomeeveryonehome. And, just so you know, there are no decent seats left at the celebration. The landing was overcrowded within a few minutes of the whelping announcement. Might as well take your time getting washed up—properly.”

“Thanks for the info, and Davis and I appreciate seeing your pretty face, especially after how hard we worked putting out that fire. Don’t we, Davis?”

Claudia’s expression changed instantly, turning from smug to genuinely concerned. “Fire? In the forest? Thaddeus said nothing about that.”

“Huh, that’s strange. He must have been too distracted by the news of Fala whelping,” Nik said, shrugging.

“That’s no excuse to keep such important news to himself,” said Claudia.

“We’re definitely in agreement about that,” Nik said, nodding at Davis until he nodded jerkily along with him. “Hey, Davis, you should make the report to the Elders about the fire. You know, since Thaddeus is busy.”

“Someone certainly needs to, and soon. Where was the fire?” Claudia asked.

Nik sighed internally and sent the blushing Davis ananswer the womanlook, which worked on the young Companion like a prod.

“Oh, uh, over in Scratcher territory by that creek they were gathered at yesterday.” Davis glanced at Nik, who nodded almost imperceptibly. “We, uh, think a Scratcher girl must have knocked over a campfire and started the fire accidentally.”

“Scratchers really shouldn’t be allowed to live on their own. They’re sullen children. I’ll bet the fire wasn’t on their side of the creek, was it?”

Davis and Nik shook their heads in tandem.

“No, of course not. Was anyone hurt?” Claudia was studying Davis with new interest as she spoke.

“My hands are a little blistered, and Cammy’s fur got singed,” Davis said, holding out his dirty hands, palms up.

“A Scratcher woman fell and broke her neck. She died,” Nik heard himself say.

“I meant people, not Scratchers,” Claudia said, throwing a dismissive glance in Nik’s general direction before she turned back to Davis.

“Then Davis and Cammy got the worst of the injuries.” Nik quickly changed the subject, not liking the hollow feeling ofwrongthat had begun to settle in his gut when people talked about Scratchers.

“Are you sure Cameron is okay?” Claudia knelt and held her hand out to the Terrier, who eagerly trotted to her, licked her hand, and then almost licked the big, watching Shepherd, too, but at the last instant tucked his tail and raced back to Davis. Claudia’s soft laughter was melodic and almost as lovely as her lush body and thick mane of golden hair. “Oh, little guy, don’t worry. Mariah likes Terriers.” Still smiling, she stood. “Your Cammy seems to be moving just fine, but you better keep an eye on him. I assume by all the dirt on his feet that he was helping smother the fire. Burned paws can be pretty sore, and take a long time to heal.”