Page 174 of Sun Warrior

“How do you know anything happened?” Mari felt her cheeks heating, so she turned her face away, pretending to study the small group that was packing the last of the herbs from the burrow’s lush garden.

“Because I’m smart. And because Sheena told me how cozy you two were this morning when they met you at your burrow. So, spill it. I want to know every tiny detail.”

“No,” Mari said, trying to hide her smile.

“Yes,” Sora insisted. “Come with me to check on the rabbit cages. Spencer is almost done making the changes to them that you sketched for her. I really like that idea of yours—to make the litters into rafts that can be tied to the boats. It’ll take up a lot less room and—”

“Mari! Get Mari!”

Mari’s head snapped around at the shout that came from across the clearing. Little Chloe whined softly, and beside Mari, Rigel barked sharply—not in anger, but more in a surprised greeting.

And then two adult Shepherds rushed into the clearing, followed by little Cammy—and Mari’s stomach instantly began to feel sick.

“Rigel! With me!” she called, and sprinted toward the canines, but before she’d reached them she was surrounded—Captain was there, solid and strong, Fala beside him, and out of nowhere the stealthy Bast appeared, eyes slitted dangerously, black-tipped tail twitching. Not far behind them came their Companions and O’Bryan, Jaxom, Mason, and every Earth Walker within calling distance.

“There’s no danger!”

Mari looked up to see Davis standing at the top of the stone stairs, his arms wrapped around two very sick Companions.

“Wilkes? Claudia?” O’Bryan called as he jogged up to the group surrounding Mari.

Mari glanced down at the two new Shepherds, recognizing them more easily than she did their Companions. “Odin and Mariah?” she murmured as the two canines filled her with a sense of worry and urgency. Mari ran up the stairs, reaching Davis just as Claudia’s legs gave way and she collapsed. “What’s happened?”

“Nik and I found them at Crawfish Creek,” Davis began, but Wilkes interrupted.

“The Tribe is infected.” His knees gave way, too, and Mari knelt beside him. “We escaped,” he gasped, and then dissolved into a coughing fit that ended with him spitting out blood and rancid phlegm.

“Oh, Goddess!” Sora said, kneeling beside Mari to hold aside Claudia’s hair as she fell to the ground, dry heaving painfully. “It’s the Skin Stealer disease.”

“Get them into the burrow,” Mari said. She looked around, quickly finding Danita, who was standing behind Antreas. “Danita! Start boiling the goldenseal.”

“Will do!” Danita sprinted off.

“I’ll get the poultice that I used for Jaxom and Mason,” Sora said. “And I’ll start brewing the poppy tea.”

“Make it strong,” Davis said. “They’re in a lot of pain, and moonrise is half a day away.”

Mari nodded in quick agreement before she called out, “O’Bryan, Jaxom, Mason, help Davis get these two into the burrow.” Then Mari drew a breath and looked behind Davis.

She didn’t see Nik.

She didn’t feel Laru.

She turned to Davis. “Where is he?”

“It’s bad, Mari, but he said you’d understand. The whole Tribe is infected. The Council is dead. Wilkes has been betrayed by the Warriors. Thaddeus and his thugs are in charge.”

“Where is he?”Mari grabbed Davis’s shoulder, shaking him.

“He went to the Tribe. He had to. And he told me to tell you that we have to leave now—today—not the day after tomorrow.”

“What? That’s impossible!” Sora cried.

“Why? Why can’t we stick to our original plan?” Mari asked.

Claudia raised her head. Her body trembled and her voice shook, but she met Mari’s gaze unblinkingly. “It’s because of us. When Thaddeus realizes Wilkes and I are gone he’s going to come after us, and when he does he’ll find you. All of you. Odysseus died, and Thaddeus has gonecompletely mad.” Her red eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry. We didn’t mean to do this to you, but Nik said we could join your Pack. Please don’t send us away!”

Mari touched the young woman’s feverish face. “Claudia, we won’t send you away. And it isn’t your fault Thaddeus is filled with hate.”