Page 64 of Sun Warrior

“Well, I only know more because of what he did to Thaddeus. He got mean and mad.”

“Thaddeus was always mean and mad,” Nik said.

“No, before the stag he wasn’talwayslike that. Sure, he used to get defensive and he spoke his mind, even when what was on his mind shouldn’t have been spoken aloud, but he treated me with respect, so I figured he and I could have some fun along with our canines. Then that Hunt happened, and within just a day or two he began to change. He was filled with anger all the time. I started avoiding him. Actually, that’s why he had to admit to me that something had happened. I saw him coming to my nest and Fala and I hid above it. I watched Thaddeus without him knowing it, and he couldn’t stop scratching at his arms. Later, he found me and confronted me, wanted to know why I’d been so distant—accusing me of avoiding him. I told him he was right; I had been avoiding him. That I knew something was wrong. Told him I’d noticed him scratching at his arms and heard him coughing and seen him throwing up blood.”

Mari glanced at Sora as she tried to stifle another cough. The young Moon Woman was staring at Rose, absorbing every word she was saying. A terrible foreboding skittered down Mari’s spine.

“He admitted that he was sick, and he even showed me the blisters that were forming on his skin. He said he wasn’t worried because it’s obvious it wasn’t the blight, but that it was an annoyance, like he’d gotten into a bad strain of poison oak, and it was making him irritable. I said I understood, but even after that I avoided him. Like I said before, Thaddeus isn’t what I wanted in a mate, and after Fala’s lustwas gone I wasn’t interested in him—especially in a sick, angry version of him.”

“And he just stayed away from you after that?” Mari asked. The Thaddeus she knew didn’t seem like the type of man who would stop pursuing a woman if he thought she should belong to him.

“Actually,Istayed away fromhim. And then the foraging mission happened, and he changed again.”

“How?” Nik said.

“I was only alone with him once after that. It was right after he and Odysseus returned to the Tribe. Remember how Odysseus had strips of his skin cut from his body?”

“I didn’t see it, but I heard that the Skin Stealers flayed the Terrier’s flesh and it was because the little guy fought so hard that Thaddeus was able to escape,” Nik said.

“I don’t know what really happened, but it was something strange—something Thaddeus didn’t tell anyone. When he returned his skin was healing. He was real excited, which is why he showed me. It was—it was…”—Rose paused and shuddered—“awful. I could see that his flesh was healingaround long strips of other flesh.”

“Bloody beetle balls! The Skin Stealers packed Odysseus’s flesh into his!” Nik said.

“Oh, Goddess! Like they were doing with that boar.” Mari felt sick remembering the disturbing scene she, Nik, Antreas, and Davis had been silent witness to earlier that day. “Did you notice anything else, Rose? Anything at all that changed about Thaddeus after his skin healed?”

“His anger didn’t go away, but it got colder, more calculating. He threatened to hurt Fala if I told anyone about his sickness, and I knew he would do it. He’d gotten so strong and so fast, I knew he’d figure out a way to hurt her without anyone knowing, so Fala and I stayed away from him, which wasn’t hard because he completely ignored me. Odysseus changed, too.”

“Odysseus? How so?”

“Well, he always tended to be aggressive, though he hid it pretty well.”

“Some of the Terriers can be kinda snappy,” Nik said. “You’d think it’d be the Shepherds—they’re a lot bigger and have more powerful jaws—but it’s rare that a Shepherd is actively aggressive.”

“Kinda snappy—that’s a good way to describe how Odysseus used to be. Ask your friend Davis about him. All the Hunters know if one of the young Terriers gets stuck with Odysseus as a mentor that canine will come home with bites that are too deep and happen too often to be simple corrections. After he and Thaddeus came back from being taken by the Skin Stealers, Odysseus was just plain mean. Fala refused to let him around her pups.” Rose raised her eyes to meet Nik’s. “I’m sorry. I should have gone to Sol or Cyril or someone, but I just wanted to avoid Thaddeus and forget about the whole ugly thing. Nik, is it true that Thaddeus killed Sol?”

“Yes. He was trying to shoot Mari, but Father stepped in front of her, taking the arrow instead.”

Rose bowed her head. “My fault—my fault. I should have said something. I should have told someone.”

“You couldn’t have known what he was going to do.” Nik rested a hand on Rose’s shoulder. “It’s not your fault. Thaddeus is to blame—none other.”

“Rose, here’s some more poppy for the tea. There’s enough for Sarah and Lydia, and for you. Drink a big mug of it. Your burns are going to start aching again soon; you’ll need it.” Sora handed Rose a small, tightly woven basket filled with dried poppy pods.

Rose wiped her face. “Thank you. You’ve been kind—much kinder than I deserve.” Clutching the basket to her chest, she hurried from the burrow.

“Well, that’s the most bizarre story I’ve ever heard, which is saying something, because I’ve heard some weird stuff lately,” Sora said.

Mari just stared at her.

“How are you feeling?” Nik asked in a loaded voice.

Sora looked annoyed. “Like I said just a few minutes ago—I am fine.” She coughed and scratched at her arm.

“You seemed irritated,” Mari said.

“Of course I’m irritated,” she snapped. “You’d be irritated, too, if you’d had to deal with wounded strangers who were enemies up until, I don’t know,yesterday, as well as Clanswomen who are also hurt and frightened and confused.” Sora glared at Mari as she dug at her wrists.

“Sora, look at me.” Mari took her friend’s hand, holding it so that she couldn’t keep scratching her skin. “Listen carefully—the stag was infected with something. It infected Thaddeus and some of our Clansmen—Jaxom for sure.”