Page 131 of Sun Warrior

This dream was different. From the beginning the entire texture of it was unlike anything Mari had ever experienced. It seemed to Mari that she was watching her dream through a soft, beautiful light from a great distance away. She saw herself then, standing on a high ridge, overlooking the Tribe of the Trees. Half of it was a blackened mess. She could see Companions, who should be working diligently on rebuilding the city in the sky but were instead shuffling about the forest floor as if they were characters in a walking nightmare.

Then there was a terrible darkening of the sky, and like a tidal wave, painted Warriors descended upon the Tribe, overwhelming them, destroying them. Sickened by the slaughter, Mari was trying to wake herself when from the middle of the battle a single dove, as silver-gray as a Moon Woman’s eyes, flew frantically away from the carnage—and straight to Mari!

Will you help me? I cannot fly any farther by myself!The little dove’s voice was inside Mari’s head as the bird fluttered around her, obviously at the end of her strength.

Instinctively, Mari began to lift her arm to give the dove a place to land, but then her mama’s voice was inside her head, too.

Help her, but the price of your aid is her vow to be truthful.

Mari met the dove’s gray-eyed gaze.I will help you, but you must promise to always tell me the truth.

If you ask it of me, I will give you only the truth—but you must ask it of me, Moon Woman.

Then I’ll help you.Mari lifted her arm, and the dove landed gracefully on it.

Mari felt pressure on her arm, and her eyes shot open.

“Hey, wake up! You and Chloe are such lazybones!” Sora was shaking Mari’s arm.

Mari peered up at her, blinking sleep and confusion from her eyes. “You’re not a dove.”

“What?”

Mari hesitated and still half asleep said, “If you see a dove, be careful with her. Help her. I think she important, but only if you make her tell you the truth.”

“By the smooth thighs of the Goddess, what are you talking about?”

Mari rubbed her eyes and sat up as Chloe whined a sleepy puppy complaint, Sora’s tone bringing her full awake. “Sorry, I was dreaming.”

Sora’s gaze sharpened on her friend. “Dreams can bring omens and signs, especially the dreams of a Moon Woman.”

“Okay, yes, I know.”

“So, tell me what you saw.”

“In my dream a dove flew away from the Tribe of the Trees as it was being destroyed by painted Warriors. She came to me looking for sanctuary. Mama’s voice told me to help her, but only if she vows to a Moon Woman to tell the truth as the price of my aid.” Mari shrugged. “Does that mean anything to you?”

“Not a thing, but I’ll keep an eye out for doves,” Sora said.

“And if you find one, help her,” Mari said.

“But only if she vows to tell me the truth. Okay, yeah, I heard you.”

Feeling strangely relieved, Mari combed her fingers through her hair and looked around. Danita was still over by the stream, carefully dancing the pattern of her name around the mossy clearing. “It’s nice that she gets to practice it like this before she dances in front of everyone. She seems to be doing well.”

“Yeah, if anything I’m worried that her desire to be perfect will get in the way of the joy she should be feeling when she dances to the moon. And you said joy is a big part of it, right?”

“That’s what Mama taught me. How about you and I join her tonight, so she doesn’t feel too much like she’s on display?” Mari said.

“Nice idea. So, we’re Washing the Pack again tonight?”

“Actually, I thought we’d only Wash those who were injured. Third Night is tomorrow. There really isn’t any problem with anyone who’s healthy waiting until then to be Washed,” Mari said.

“Yeah. They don’t need to get into a habit of us drawing down the moon every day. It takes a lot out of me. Is it like that for you, too?” Sora asked, sitting beside Mari and taking the still-sleeping Chloe from her friend.

“It can be, but Mama would remind us to keep some of the moon magick for ourselves, even though she usually forgot to take her own advice,” Mari said.

“It’s hard because I still feel like I only have a limited amount of time I can handle drawing down the moon before it gets to be too much for me. So, I want to give it all to the Pack.”