Page 48 of Sun Warrior

The big feline sat on her haunches before Danita and cocked her head, watching the girl. Danita stopped her hysterical keening, her wide gray gaze trapped by the Lynx.

Beside Mari, Nik grew still—as did Davis and the orchestra of barking canines. Everyone was watching what was happening between the girl and the feline.

Then Bast did something that completely surprised Mari. The feline began to make soft, sweet chirping noises, as if she was speaking directly to Danita. The girl stopped sobbing, all of her attention focused on the Lynx. Bast moved closer to Danita, interspersing a rolling purr between the chirps. She lowered her head, leaning forward to sniff delicately at the girl. Danita became a statue. Mari didn’t think she was even breathing. Bast sniffed the girl’s hand, then her chest, then her cheek. And then, very delicately, the big feline rubbed her head against Danita, in what seemed an almost maternal gesture, as if to soothe away her fear.

Danita laughed!

It was just a small sound, barely audible. It only lasted an instant, but it changed everything.

Danita’s gaze found Mari’s. “Wh-what is she?” the girl asked in a hushed voice, as if she was afraid if she spoke too loudly the feline would disappear.

“She’s a Lynx,” Antreas answered for Mari. “Her name is Bast, and she is my Companion. My name is Antreas.” He gave Danita a small bow with a flourish.

Danita looked away from him quickly, her eyes sliding back to the purring feline at her side.

“May I touch her?” Danita spoke so softly Mari had to strain to hear her.

“Of course,” Antreas said. “She especially likes to be scratched under her chin.”

Slowly, Danita lifted her hand to stroke the feline, who stretched out her neck and lifted her chin, inviting further petting.

“Do you think Bast would go into the back room with Danita?” Mari whispered to Antreas. “Danita was attacked just days ago by a group of males. It’s still hard for her to be around men.”

“Absolutely,” Antreas answered quietly.

Then he took a step toward Danita’s pallet but stopped when the girl cringed away from him. Bast was on her feet instantly, stepping so that she straddled the girl’s lap, facing Antreas. The big feline arched her spine and hissed a long, low warning directly at her Companion!

Mari stared at Antreas, wondering what was happening, and she saw the Lynx and her Companion share a look. Bast’s yellow-eyed gaze was firm and bright. Mari thought Antreas looked surprised, shocked even, and she saw him shake his head, just slightly.

The Lynx responded with a low growl and a twitch of her short black-tipped tail.

Antreas shrugged. “Yeah, I do hear you, but I’mnotagreeing to anything,” he said to his feline before turning to Mari and the rest of the group. “Well, it seems Bast has decided to be this child’s protector.”

“Protector?” Davis said. “Is that normal?”

Antreas gave a little bark of laughter. “Nothing is particularlynormalwith Bast. But once she’s made up her mind, not much can change it.” He grinned at Davis. “Start walking toward the child.”

Davis glanced at Mari, who moved her shoulders and nodded, unable to help her curiosity.

Davis took a step toward Danita and Bast. Danita cowered back and Bast turned into a demon. The feline’s black-tufted ears flattened to her skull, her back arched, and she bared sharp, white teeth as she hissed a long, low warning followed by a hair-raising yowl.

“Bloody beetle balls! I wasn’t going to hurt the girl!” Davis said, backing quickly away while Cammy stuck to his side, whimpering.

Bast yawned and lay down completely across Danita’s lap while the girl stroked her and watched Davis thoughtfully and, Mari noted, with no fear in her eyes.

Mari thought it was an improvement. Danita wasn’t crying hysterically anymore.Seems like a good time to give her a job to do.

“Danita, do you think you could go into the storage room and gather some sun-dried tomatoes, potatoes, onions, mushrooms, and anything else you can find that might stretch that stew for us? We’ve traveled a long way today, and we need food and rest.”

“Of course, Moon Woman,” Danita said automatically. Then she glanced at Antreas and added, “Will—will she come with me?”

“Bast has a mind of her own, but I’m pretty sure she will,” Antreas said. His big Lynx looked at him and gave a little chirp, which made her Companion chuckle. “She thinks it’s her idea that you two go in the other room. She smells rabbits back there.”

“Come on, Bast,” Danita said softly as she got off the pallet and started toward the entrance to the rear room of the burrow. The feline followed her so closely that her shoulder brushed the girl’s leg.

“Hey, don’t let her eat the live rabbits,” Mari said. “I’ve got breeding pairs back there.”

“She’ll only eat what she hunts for, or what you agree to feed her,” Antreas assured Mari. “Besides, right now what’s on her mind is this frightened child.”