Page 128 of Sun Warrior

“No, I know you can’t do that. I’m just afraid, Nik. Thaddeus will be out to get you. If he catches you there, he’s not going to let you leave, no matter what anyone like Wilkes says.”

“Then what’s my other choice? Not to go at all? Not to get a Mother Plant? I must do it for the future of our Pack and our children, Mari. Can you imagine an Earth Walker who does not get Night Fever? Wouldn’t that be amazing?”

“It would—itwill be.Just promise me you won’t get caught.”

“I’ll do my best,” Nik assured her. “I go back to the Tribe. In four days. And then we leave this place. All of us. Together.”

Mari drew a deep breath, nodded, and opened her arms to him. “Do what you need to do. I have your back.”

***

“So, did you talk him out of it?” Sora accosted Mari as she was leaving the burrow.

“It?”

“Going back to the Tribe of the Trees. You know it’s a suicide mission, don’t you?”

“No, it’s not! He knows that place like we know our burrows. He’s going to sneak in, get the Mother Plants, sneak out, and join us here so that we leave together at dawn. We’ll be down the river and well away before the Tribe even knows he’s been there.”

“Um-hm,” Sora said sardonically. “His wounds will actually be almost healed. I added an extra day or so for your stress level. To lower it, I mean. Though I guess it doesn’t matter since he’s going back early anyway.”

“He’s going back because he has to. Sora, what if he’s right? What if we wrap our babies in the Mother Plant and it makes them immune to Night Fever?”

Sora sighed and put her arm around Mari. “Then it’s worth it. Hey, how about you come with me? You need a break and Danita needstraining. I told her to meet me a little way downstream. You know, by where the Clan always plants winter kale.”

“Yeah, I know where you mean. What are you going to have her do?”

“Practice dancing her name, of course. That’s one of the first lessons you taught me.”

“What about Isabel and Jenna?”

“I sent them off to harvest more…” Sora paused and held up a finger for each plant she ticked off. “Yarrow, goldenseal, dandelion, and cow parsnip.”

“Excellent herbal choices, but definitely not as fun as dancing out their names. Are you becoming a mean teacher?” Mari asked, lifting a brow pointedly.

“No! Isabel and Jenna want to be Healers. They can do that without drawing down the moon,” Sora said.

“But their skills will only go so far if they don’t learn to use moon magick,” Mari said.

“Well, yes. Which means Jenna can only go so far—and maybe Isabel, too. I think Danita has shown the greatest aptitude for drawing down the moon.”

“Yeah, I think so, too. But that doesn’t mean Isabel and Jenna can’t be a lot of help. Especially Isabel. She does have gray eyes,” Mari said.

“True. But you can understand why I chose to single out Danita, can’t you?” Sora said.

“Makes sense. Okay, so you’re right. Let’s go. It’ll be nice to watch you dance your name with Danita,” Mari said.

“Me? But you’re the real teacher. You taught me. I thought you’d want to show her how to do it,” Sora said.

Mari shook her head. “Nope. It’s your turn. Pass it along. And someday Danita will be teaching another young girl how to dance her name to the moon.”

“It’s a lovely ritual, don’t you think? I’ll always remember the night you taught me how to do it.” Sora and Mari shared a smile.

“And I’ll always remember that night, too, as well as the nightMama taught me.” Mari blinked hard to keep tears from spilling from her eyes.

“How are you doing? You and I really haven’t had time to talk.”

“I’m good. Better every day. I still miss Mama, though. A lot. How about you? What are you going to do if Jaxom comes back?”Or doesn’t come back,Mari added silently to herself.