Page 81 of Sun Warrior

“Absolutely. It’ll be fun.” O’Bryan grinned. “Just let me know when you’re ready.” He grabbed the other two pups from under Davis’s feet, laughing as they squirmed their way up to lick his face. “Come on, kids! Let’s get some fresh air and let Sora have some peace for a little while.”

In a rush of dog breath–scented air, puppy squeals, and moans from stiff, sore women, people and canines trailed out of the burrow, leaving Sora alone except for one very warm, very sleepy puppy.

Sora breathed a long, slow sigh of relief and debated how bad it would be to make herself a big mug of poppy tea, drink it, and then take the sun-kissed puppy and curl up in the back of the pantry for a quick nap.

“Except I don’t think it would be quick,” Sora told the pup, who opened one dark eye to peer at her before snuggling more firmly against her feet and going back to sleep. “And without a giant batch of this tea, there’s no way I’m going to get any peace at all tonight. So, you rest for me and I’ll keep muddling herbs. Remind me to tell Mari she owes me big when she finally gets out of bed with Nik and shows up here.”

“Do you always talk to yourself like that?”

Sora startled as Antreas and his Lynx seemed to materialize behind her. “Great Earth Mother! Do the two of you never make any noise?”

“We’re not entirely silent; it just seems like we are compared to thenoise of canines, Companions, and Earth Walkers. I mean no offense by that,” Antreas said as he leaned against the curved side of the burrow and watched her work the herbs into the honey mixture for tea.

“No offense taken at all. I was just thinking about how nice silence can be.”

“Oh, well, I apologize for interrupting your silence,” Antreas said as Bast padded up to Sora. The big feline sat on her haunches and studied the Moon Woman, much as Antreas had been doing. “Bast and I will leave you alone.”

“No, it’s fine. You don’t have to leave. And I’m not alone.” She gestured at the ball of fur sleeping on her feet. “She thinks it’s her job to keep my feet warm.”

“Ah, the pup. She likes you. Be careful, Moon Woman; if she tells you her name you’re stuck with her for life.”

Sora’s eyes widened in shock. “Oh no, no, no. That’s not possible.”

“Of course it is.”

Sora shook her head quickly. “No. I’m an Earth Walker. That means I can’t be a Companion.”

Antreas shrugged. “Mari’s an Earth Walker, and Rigel chose her.”

“Mari’s part Companion. I’m not. The pup likes to lie on my feet by the fire. She obviously has more sense than the rest of the litter and is as sick of their noise as I am.” Sora glanced down at the sleeping young one. “Had you ever seen puppies before now?”

“Sure. Yeah. I’ve visited Tribes and have seen Shepherd and Terrier pups often.”

“Were you also surprised by hownothideous they are?”

“They’re not as attractive as Lynx kittens, but I suppose they’ll do,” Antreas said, clearly amused by the conversation.

“They certainly smell a lot better than I thought they would.…” Sora paused, studying Bast. “She’s pretty. Those long tufts on her ears—what are they for?”

“They increase her hearing. Her eyesight is already incredibly sharp—as sharp as a canine’s nose. Bast can see a field mouse two hundred and fifty feet away at night with little to no moon.”

“Wow, that’s impressive.” Bast had moved closer to Sora and was studying her with the same curiosity. “May I touch her?”

“Ask her. Bast makes decisions for herself.” Antreas chuckled. “Actually, she also makes decisions for me.”

Slowly, Sora reached her hand toward the Lynx. Bast moved closer to her, delicately sniffing her hand. After a moment the big feline began purring and rubbed her face against Sora’s wrist.

“She likes to be scratched around her ears and the ruff of fur that frames her face,” Antreas said.

“She’s amazingly soft,” Sora said, gently scratching the Lynx and even, for a moment, touching the tufts of black fur that tipped her ears. “So, when they call you cat man, is that an insult?”

“Depends on who’s calling me that.”

“Okay, say O’Bryan? Is that an insult?”

“Probably not. Those dog guys”—Antreas laughed—“are strange with their insults. For instance—had Nik been in here and heard me calling him a ‘dog guy’ he would definitely have been offended, but he thinks it’s okay to call me cat man. Do you see the double standard I’m dealing with?”

“I might.”