Page 44 of Sun Warrior

“What? I don’t understand. Gone where?”

“Scratcher territory.”

Ralina was shaking her head back and forth, back and forth, mired in disbelief, when the shouts started. Wilkes turned toward the sound in time to see Argos, the Leader of the Council’s old Shepherd, run into the clearing.

Odin and Bear began to whine in unison, which brought Ralina to her feet. She shared a look with Wilkes, and then they were sprinting to Argos, their Shepherds beside them.

Wilkes reached him first. “Hey, big guy, are you okay?” He dropped beside the canine, running his hands along Argos’s body. The old canine’s face was completely gray. As Wilkes examined him, thoughts cascaded through his mind—that he had known forty-two winters and could not think of a time when Argos hadn’t been by Cyril’s side. Argos was the oldest Shepherd in the Tribe and greatly revered by everyone. “Nothing’s broken. His fur is singed, but he seems okay,” Wilkes told Ralina as Odin and Bear sniffed the old canine, whining in concern.

Then Argos barked sharply and turned to sprint back the way he’d come. The canine stopped, though, to look at Wilkes, barking desperately again.

“It’s Cyril. It has to be,” Ralina said. “He must not have been able to make it back, so he sent Argos. I’ll get a medical pack together and follow him.”

“I’ll come with you. You’ll need help getting him back here.” Ralina nodded, and she and Bear hurried back to the platform. “Argos! We understand! We’re coming. Hang on, big guy.” Odin went to the old Shepherd, touching noses with him and licking him comfortingly while Wilkes paced and tried to think positive thoughts.Cyril must still be alive, or Argos would never have left him.

Ralina was sprinting back to them when more shouts were heard. Atfirst Wilkes couldn’t make out what was being shouted—he could only hear screaming sobs, with words jumbled beneath the cries. When the cries grew closer, he began to understand.

“Oh, sunfire! No!”

“It can’t be!”

“Oh, Gods! No!”

Wilkes’s stomach had already begun to roil with foreboding when Argos’s demeanor changed. The big canine began to whine fretfully. The force of his whines grew, changing to a strangled, keening howl that had chills skittering up and down Wilkes’s spine. Then, right before them, Thaddeus staggered from the forest carrying a body cradled in his arms like a sleeping child.

Argos reacted instantly. He raced to Thaddeus and then froze just before him, as if the canine had been turned to stone.

Thaddeus went to his knees and placed Cyril’s body oh, so gently on the mossy ground. Companions and canines poured from the meditation platform and the forest around them, forming a desperate circle around the old canine and the body of their fallen Lead Councilman.

Argos staggered to his Companion. When he reached Cyril, the Shepherd slowly lay down beside him, stretching his gray muzzle up to tuck it into the crook of the old man’s shoulder. Wilkes saw the Shepherd’s body snuggle against Cyril and then completely relax. Argos closed his eyes, drew a last, long breath, and then he released it with a sigh and the loyal old Shepherd joined his beloved Companion in eternity.

Every canine in the clearing raised his or her muzzle to the sky and howled their sadness to the sun as the Tribe of the Trees wept.

CHAPTER 11

Rigel’s excited barking woke Mari—or, rather, brought her fully conscious. “What’s happening? Rigel? Where’s Rigel?” Her mouth tasted terrible—dry and disgusting. Her head ached, and she felt like it’d been days since she’d eaten.

“He’s here, Mari. Everything is fine. He’s just telling you that you’re home.” Nik relaxed his grip on Mari, and it was then that she realized he’d been carrying her.

“How long have I been unconscious?” Mari asked, rubbing her face and blinking her vision clear, though she was so dizzy that her head felt as if it were filled with smoke.

“You’ve been in and out of consciousness since we got to the lowlands,” Nik said, wiping sweat from his face.

Mari touched his damp cheek. “Oh, Nik, I’m sorry! Let me see your back. You shouldn’t be carrying anyone. Your wound isn’t even fully healed. And your hands! They’re bleeding through the bandages!” She tried to lift his hands to examine them more closely, but dizziness overwhelmed her and she would have fallen had it not been for Nik’s strong arms keeping her upright.

“How about we get inside your burrow and you tell me which one of Sora’s vile teas I can brew to make you feel better?” Nik said.

“Actually, the vile teas are mine. Sora brews delicious tea.” Marihated the worried expression on his face and made an effort to smile reassuringly up at Nik.

Nik bent and kissed her softly.

“Um, I hate to break up this nice little scene, but the pup has come to a halt sitting in front of that huge nettle thicket. Maybe Mari’s exhaustion has affected him, too?” Antreas said.

Nik grinned at Antreas. “Nope, Rigel has it right. Watch and learn, cat man; watch and learn.”

“So, he’s calling me cat man now, huh?” Antreas grumbled in Bast’s general direction. The big feline looked up from licking herself with an expression that was so long-suffering that had Mari had the energy she would have burst into laughter.

But, having no energy, she called to Rigel, “Bring me my walking stick, sweet boy!” As always, Rigel did exactly as Mari asked, half dragging, half carrying the long, sturdy stick to her. “Thanks, Rigel. And good job getting us home!” With an effort, she crouched and kissed his nose, petting the soft, thick fur at his neck while the young Shepherd wagged with happy relief that she was conscious again. Mari looked at Nik. “There should be another walking stick, a lot like this, hidden under the brambles where Rigel found mine. You’ll need it to help me be sure Davis and Antreas don’t get cut on the way in.”