Page 176 of Sun Warrior

“Thaddeus underestimates us,” she told Rigel. “That and his arrogance will be his undoing.” Rigel growled deep in his throat. “So, let’s go show him what a pissed-off Moon Woman who can also call down sunfire can do when you mess with her mate, shall we?”

Rigel barked in agreement, and the two of them raced into the forest.

***

“Davis!” Sora’s voice echoed across the empty clearing.

Davis patted Cammy on the head, sighed, and turned, calling over his shoulder, “I’m here, Sora!”

The Moon Woman rushed into the clearing with her usual no-nonsense confidence, joining Davis before the Goddess idol. When Sora reached her, she stretched out her hand, gently touching the moss that made up the idol’s verdant skin.

“The offerings the Pack left are lovely,” Sora said, her gaze sweeping to take in the feathers, beads, and baubles that had been lovingly placed all around the Goddess’s image.

“She appreciates them,” Davis said.

Sora glanced sharply at him. “You really can hear her, can’t you?”

Davis nodded. “I know she’s coming with us, but it breaks my heart to leave her here—all alone.”

“She isn’t alone,” Sora said. “She’s surrounded by the plants she nurtures and the animals she watches over. And there’s a very good chance that Earth Walkers from another Clan will find our burrows once we’re gone. Not today or tomorrow, but in winters to come. They will tend her and revere her.” She rested her hand on his shoulder. “But we have to leave. Now.”

Davis nodded, bowed one more time to the Goddess, and then he and Sora left the abandoned clearing and joined the Pack. They’d waited patiently when Sora had realized Davis and his Cammy were missing, but now they looked restless—restless and sad.

“This isn’t really a good-bye,” Sora said, wishing Mari were there to help her through the leave-taking. “It’s hello to a new life, a new world, and a new adventure. Pack, are we ready?”

“Yes!” they called.

Sora strode the length of the Pack—counting her people to be sure no one was being left behind. When she got to the litters that were carrying Wilkes and Claudia, she paused, surprised to see that Jaxom and Mason were in place to carry one of them while O’Bryan and Sheena were in charge of the other. She met Jaxom’s gaze, but as usual now, the young Earth Walker turned his eyes from her.

“Who told you to carry Claudia’s litter?” Sora asked.

“No one,” Jaxom answered with his gaze lowered from hers to rest on Chloe’s small face, which peeked out from the sling that held her close to Sora’s heart. “Mason and I volunteered.”

Sora studied Jaxom’s brother. “Mason, are you sure you’re strong enough?”

“With Jaxom’s help I am,” Mason said.

Sora looked at Jaxom again, waiting for him to give her some reassurance he was ready, willing, and able to help his brother, but he kept his eyes lowered, head bowed respectfully. She sighed in irritation.“Well, Jaxom, are you okay with helping your brother, even if it means you have to carry more than your share of weight?”

Eyes still on Chloe, Jaxom nodded. “Yes, I am.”

Irritation merged with nerves, and Sora snapped, “Jaxom, I’m trying to have a conversation with you, and the closest you’ll come to looking at me is staring at Chloe. It’s disconcerting and annoying.”

Jaxom raised his warm, familiar brown eyes to meet hers. “Forgive me, Moon Woman, but your Chloe is thesecondmost beautiful thing I have ever seen.”

Sora stared at him. His tone, his eyes, everything about him was the sweet, friendly Jaxom she’d known and been a little in love with for most of her life. But the instant she thought about him touching her—something that used to bring them both so much pleasure—her blood went cold and her mouth filled with bile.

It was her turn to look away. “Good.” She spoke briskly. “Rose will be glad to hear it.”

“Rose?” he asked.

“Yes, Rose.” Then Sora raised her voice, shouting across the column to where the Companion had taken her place between her friends Sarah and Lydia, “Rose! Add Jaxom to your puppy carry list.”

“Will do, Moon Woman!” Rose called back.

“Puppy carry list?” Jaxom asked.

“Yes. You said Chloe is beautiful, so I thought you’d be good at helping Rose carry the other four pups. They’re too small to be able to keep up with the Pack, so we’ve rigged slings like the one I made for Chloe and we’re passing them around to people willing to help. Let Rose know if I was wrong to volunteer you.”