Page 144 of Sun Warrior

“Are you eating her?” Sora demanded, snatching Chloe from Rigel, who moved immediately to Mari’s side, sending waves of confusion to his Companion.

“Sora, that’s how pups are carried around the Tribe. Nik told me. And you know Rigel would never hurt Chloe,” Mari said.

Sora instantly stopped her nearly hysterical inspection of Chloe, lifting the whining pup so that she could look into her eyes. “Is that true? Is that the way pups are carried in the Tribe?”

Chloe stopped whining and licked Sora’s nose.

Sora sighed and turned to Rigel. “I apologize, Rigel. Chloe was being overly dramatic. I don’t know where she gets that.”

“It’s a mystery to me,” Mari muttered sarcastically.

Danita covered her laughter with her hand.

“Well, I thank you, Rigel, for bringing Chloe to me.”

“So do I.” Mari bent and kissed the half-grown Shepherd on the nose, thinking that this time she didn’t have to bend so far to reach him.Wow! He’s growing so fast!

“Okay, Chloe is situated.” Sora patted the front of her tunic where the pup’s head poked out, black eyes shining with excitement.

“Perfect. Moon Women, let’s go!” Mari said.

They moved ahead together as if they were one—Earth Walkers and their canines. The central bonfire was blazing and the scent of the trout O’Bryan had spent all day catching, as well as roasted garlic, hung heavy and succulent over the hungry people, canines, and feline.

“Moon Women! Our Moon Women are here!”

Mari recognized Jenna’s happy shout. She waved and grinned at her friend, pleased to see Sora following her lead and waving and calling hellos to members of the Pack. Danita called one hello—it was to Bast, though when Mari glanced at her she seemed to be smiling at Antreas as well as his feline. Mari even saw the cat man touch his own hair and then give Danita a big smile and a thumbs-up, as if he was commenting on the feathers Sora had dressed her hair with—which made Mari wonder where exactly the feathers had come from.…

“Greetings, Pack!” Sora shouted.

“Greetings, Moon Women!” they shouted as one in reply.

“Tonight, as Mari and I call down the moon and Wash those of you who are injured, the first of your new Moon Woman apprentices, Danita, will dance her name into the earth, formally introducing herself to our Great Goddess, as well as the moon,” Sora said.

“As tradition dictates, Danita will dance her name by herself, until she has spelled it out once, in its entirety. Then the Pack may join her,” Mari said.

“And please do!” Danita blurted. “I’ll be nervous enough out there by myself.”

Laughter trickled through the Pack as Mari and Sora raised their arms and began the invocation:

“Moon Woman I proclaim myself to be.

Greatly gifted, I bare myself to thee.”

Mari faced one side of the loose circle the Pack had naturally formed and Sora the other. While Danita danced her name across the earth, proclaiming herself a Moon Woman apprentice, those who were injured approached either Mari or Sora, kneeling and bowing their heads for the Washing of moon magick.

Nik was there, kneeling before Mari. He smiled at her before bowing his head, and she rested her hand on his soft blond hair. She spoke lovingly, letting her hand linger.

“I wash you free of injury and sadness and gift you with the love of our Great Earth Mother,” she murmured the traditional blessing, tweaked slightly because he didn’t actually need Washing—he needed healing. But Mari found the feeling was the same. Companion or Earth Walker, when she invoked moon magick she was filled with a cool, silver power that cascaded through her body, engulfing the recipient in the healing embrace of a mother—compassionate, kind, and loving.

“Thank you, Moon Woman.” Nik spoke formally, but the expression in his eyes was anything but formal.

Mari moved through the Pack, keeping in time with Sora. They were done quickly, perfectly timed with the last letter in Danita’s name. The Moon Woman apprentice grinned at her mentors. “I did it!”

“Yes, you did!” Sora said.

“And now, Pack, please join Danita in dance while we accompany her with music, feasting, and song!” Mari cried. With a whoop of excitement, the Pack descended on the food as drums and flutes began to play.

Nik and Laru finally wove their way through the crowd to her. Nik had two wooden plates in his hands balancing a mug filled with something that smelled suspiciously like spring mead.