Page 49 of Sun Warrior

Danita was at the door to the back room when she turned and met Antreas’s eyes. “I’mnota child.” Then, with her hand resting on Bast’s head, the two of them slipped through the woven dividing curtain.

Mari blew out a long sigh. “Sorry, I should have realized Danita might be here. I handled that poorly.”

“Hey, that’s okay. Bast picked up the slack,” Antreas said, looking around the burrow with open curiosity.

“Yeah, why did she do that?” Davis asked as Cammy followed Rigel and Laru to the drinking dish and lapped thirstily at the freshwater. “That was really weird. I mean, she actually hissed at you, too!”

Antreas chuckled softly. “Oh, she’d never hurt me, or even you for that matter. Well, unless you attacked me.”

“Which I wouldn’t do,” Davis said quickly.

“Of course not,” Nik added. “We’re allies here.”

“Right, we’re all in agreement about that,” Antreas said. “Bast isn’t mean. She was simply putting on a show for the child, er, girl.” He corrected himself with a glance at the closed curtain. “Letting Danita know she was safe, even in a den that must feel full of scary males.”

“But it was more than that,” Mari said. “Bast knew right away that Danita needed help. She comforted her—actually stopped her hysteria.”

Antreas shrugged evasively. “There’s no predicting who Bast will take to.”

“Cammy would have let her pet him,” Davis said, sounding defensive. “He isn’t mean, either.”

“Didn’t say he was, but he’s not as intuitive as Bast—at least where strangers are concerned.”

“What the hell does that mean? My canine is every bit as intuitive as yourcat!” Davis seemed to puff up, planting his feet and looking like he’d enjoy nothing more than knocking the smug look off the Lynx man’s face.

“Do not call Bast acat.” Antreas’s hands balled into fists.

“Un-uh!” Mari stepped between the two young men, anger temporarily chasing away exhaustion. “You willnotfight in my home. Ever. Is that clear?”

Antreas and Davis deflated, sending her chagrined looks of apology.

“Yeah, it’s clear. Sorry, Antreas,” Davis said. “I was out of line.”

“It’s clear to me, too. And I didn’t mean to insult Cammy,” Antreas said. “He’s a nice little canine.”

Cammy sneezed at him, and Davis chuckled.

“We’re all tired and hungry. Let’s eat and then regroup,” Nik said. “Mari, is that Sora’s bread I see in that shelf above the hearth?” Before she could answer, Nik was stirring the cauldron and sniffing happily at it, saying, “And please tell me this is her rabbit stew, too.”

“Smells like the answer is a yes to both,” Mari said. She started for the hearth and the carved wooden dishes tucked into cunningly built shelves surrounding it, but her legs didn’t seem to want to mind her. She stumbled and would have fallen had Rigel not been there for her to grab on to. “Goddess! I can’t seem to move without falling. I feel helpless as a newborn.”

“Hey, it’s only temporary. Why don’t you take a seat and let us take care of you for a change?” Nik helped her to the pallet Danita had so recently vacated. “I think I can remember where you keep the dishes, and Davis is pretty good at making stew.”

“Yes, I am!” Davis grinned at her, and Cammy huffed happily. “Hunters learn to cook whatever they catch. Cammy has a knack for snagging rabbits, so my rabbit stew is excellent.” He blew on the wooden stirring spoon and took a taste of the steamy stew. His eyes widened in pleasure. “But I admit not this excellent! Nowthisis stew.”

“If you think her stew is good, wait till you taste Sora’s bread. She told me once that the inside is light as clouds. I didn’t believe her, but I was wrong,” Mari said, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

“Who is this Sora person?” Antreas reached for the spoon, but Davis nimbly put it back in the cauldron and kept stirring.

“I think it’s best if you just meet her. Describing her is kinda difficult,” Nik said, sharing a look with Mari.

“I can’t wait to hear what she says about Bast,” Mari said. “She still calls Rigel the creature.”

“Is she mad?” Antreas asked.

“No,” Mari said.

“Probably,” Nik said at the same time.