Page 60 of Moon Chosen

Looking worried, Davis knelt, picked up Cammy and held him so that he was on his back, dirty paws splayed. “Would you take a look at his paws?”

“Yes, of course,” Claudia said.

“Davis, Claudia, I need to find Sol and let him know what happened today. I’ll tell him that you’re going to report to the Elders about the fire, right, Davis?” Nik said. Too busy with Cameron to pay much attention to him, Nik nodded absently. “Yeah, yeah, no problem. I’ll do that as soon as Claudia’s done checking Cammy.”

“Okay, good. See you later, Davis.” The two Companions, their heads bent together over Cammy’s paws, waved absently.

Nik hurried away thinking that Claudia would do well to see the value in Davis. He wasn’t Companion to a Shepherd, but he was kind and brave, and the kid had a sense of humor—unlike Claudia most of the time. The sound of Cammy’s huffing and Claudia’s soft laughter drifted after him with the rain and Nik’s smile was self-satisfied.

Good luck, Davis. You’re going to need it.

***

Thaddeus hated Nik. He’d only recently realized just how much. Nikolas, son of Sol, was soft and spoiled and useless.

“That’s what happens when your daddy makes sure you have everything your little heart desires,” he told Odysseus, who panted up at him in complete accord. “Oh, but that’s right—even his Sun Priest daddy can’t force a canine to bond with him. Poor, poor Nik.” His voice was thick with sarcasm and hatred. “What I wouldn’t give to put poor, poor Nik in his place!”

Odysseus whined and Thaddeus stopped his tirade to bend and ruffle the Terrier’s ears. It was as he straightened that the dizziness hit him. Thaddeus staggered, clutching at his head. He fell to his knees, trembling.

“Hot,” he murmured. “I’m so damn hot. Must be coming down with something.”

Odysseus pressed himself against his Companion’s body, shivering in fear.

“Hey, I’m fine. I just need to get rid of this damn headache. Had it on and off the past couple of days. Putting out that damn Scratcher fire didn’t help it, that’s for sure.” Thaddeus scrubbed at his eyes with his palms. Damn eyes had been burning almost as long as he’d had the headache. “Yeah, the smoke was probablyreal goodfor whatever has been bothering my eyes,” he continued to mutter. “Nik’s fault. All Nik’s fault!” Anger boiled within him, rising with his body temperature.

Odysseus whined again pitifully.

Thaddeus patted his head. “Hey, I said I’m fine. Relax boy. Actually, I’m better than fine. Forget the headache and the eyes—I’m thinking with real clarity for the first time in my life, and I’m telling you, O, it’s time for a change in the Tribe of the Trees.” His hand left the wiry fur of his Terrier and he began scratching his arms as he stared off into the distance. He blocked out the waves of worry Odysseus was blasting him with—he blocked out the strange headache and his burning eyes. He blocked out everything except the anger that seemed to pulse through his body along with his heartbeat. “No, it’s not right. Not right at all that someone like Nik has it better than us just because his daddy bonded with a Shepherd. I’ve never known one Shepherd who had your nose, O. Not one. But do you get credit for that? Hell, no. If I don’t do something to change it, you and I will never be anything but Hunters, taken for granted by the Tribe.” Thaddeus scratched ferociously at his arms, not noticing that his skin had begun to slough off. “Well, I’m going to do something to change it. When I’m done you and I are going to finally get what we deserve, that I promise you.”

As he spoke the promise, something within Thaddeus shifted. There was a great, blasting pain that radiated through his head that felt like his mind was splitting apart. Thaddeus vomited, suddenly and violently, spewing black-flecked blood and bile all around him.

On all fours now, Thaddeus gulped air, trying to steady himself. Odysseus was licking his face almost hysterically. With a shaking hand, Thaddeus pushed the Terrier aside, murmuring wordless reassurance to the little canine.

And then, as quickly as the nausea had hit him, it dissipated, taking with it all remnants of the headache and burning eyes.

Thaddeus sat back on his heals, drawing in a deep breath.

The pain didn’t return.

He wiped his mouth on his sooty shirt.

The pain still didn’t return.

He drew another deep breath. He felt better. A lot better. Good, actually, really good.

Thaddeus stood. He began to walk, then jog, then, with a feral grin, he kicked into a run and sprinted down the path, fleet and powerful as a stag.

He didn’t notice that Odysseus was struggling to keep up with him. He didn’t notice anything except the new power that coursed through his veins.

18

Nik knew his father would be easy to find, even during a crowded whelping party, so he took his time washing off the smoke and dirt and sweat and changing into clean clothes. Then Nik simply followed the sounds of celebration.

Claudia had been right. The Tribe didn’t just fill up the huge landing area that surrounded the Mother Trees that served as hosts for the precious Mother Plants, they filled it up and spilled over, finding seats all along the walkway system that circled through and around family nests, artisan pods, lookout landings, and a plethora of bachelor pods. Nik paused, grabbing a thick bough and hefting himself up so that he could take in the happy chaos that was the thriving Tribe celebrating the birth of a litter of Terriers.

Music and scents of pots of simmering wild rice, mushrooms, and vegetables heavily seasoned with garlic and spring onions competed with laughter and cheers as the Sky Dancers performed from the aerial bars and ropes tethered to the uppermost branches of the trees surrounding the landing. The dancers were dressed in brightly decorated costumes. Their hair—both men and women—was dyed all sorts of colors, everything from beet red to camellia pink and dogwood blue. Nik watched them gracefully dive from perches to twirl and twist and grab a swinging bar, just long enough to lift and then dive again—always in time with the music. They looked like beautiful birds, and Nik cheered along with the rest of the Tribe as the music came to a crescendo and the dancers seemed to defy gravity with their grand finale. Then he made his way through the crowd, smiling and returning greetings as partiers who had obviously been partaking of the much beloved spring ale jostled him.

Sol was at his usual place on the landing. Seated beside him in the place of honor Nik recognized the very happy and very clearly drunk Rose, Companion to Fala. With a great sense of relief Nik did not see Thaddeus, though most of the Elders were present and seated just behind Sol.