Page 165 of Wind Rider

“Yes! Yes! That baby needs milk and comfort right away!” said Claudia.

O’Bryan quickly guided the kit to an empty nipple in the middle of the pile of Mariah’s fat, sleepy puppies—who mewed and complained and then fell immediately back to sleep.

The kit sniffed at the nipple, and it looked for a moment like it was going to refuse. Then Mariah took over. She pushed O’Bryan’s hands away and nuzzled the kit, licking it and whining softly to the baby. The kit responded quickly and began rooting around her stomach untilfinallyit latched on and began suckling with enthusiasm and kneading Mariah’s soft belly fur. The mother sighed and lay back as Cammy huffed and wagged.

“He does understand that’s not his kit, right?” Nik asked Davis.

“Oh, make no mistake, Cammy has claimed the baby just as surely as O’Bryan and Mariah,” said Davis. Then he added in a reverent voice, “Thank you, Great Earth Mother! Thank you for this small, special life and the heroes who are saving it.”

O’Bryan petted Mariah. “Thank you! What a good, good girl you are. Thank you so much.” Then he stood and faced Mari and Sora—and the rest of the Pack. “And I give my word that I will take full responsibility for this kit. If he, or she—I’m not even sure which it is.”

“He,” Claudia spoke up. “Mariah says it is a little boy.”

“Well, he then! Ifhecauses problems, it will be me who solves those problems, even if it means bringing him back to these mountains and releasing him.”

Dove pushed through the crowd with Lily. She was still cradling Dash, but the little Terrier had gone silent. His eyes were closed and his head was tucked against Lily’s neck.

Dove stopped beside O’Bryan and reached out to touch his face. She smiled radiantly, and Mari thought—not for the first time—how delicately beautiful she was.

“You will not have to release him. He will be the second greatest love ofyour life.”Dove spoke with the singsong tone that signified her words came from the Goddess.“You will be greatly blessed for this act of kindness—we all will be.”

O’Bryan put his hand over hers. “Thank you, Dove.”

She shook her head, still smiling kindly. “Do not thank me, O’Bryan. Thank our benevolent Goddess.”

“But I worship the Sun God,” said O’Bryan.

“Is there not room in your heart to love more than one God?” Dove asked.

O’Bryan blinked in surprise. “I’ve never thought of it like that before. Yes! Yes, my heart is big enough to love more than one God.”

“When we stop for the night I was planning on leaving an offering for the Great Earth Mother to thank her for putting this little life in our path. You may join me if you’d like,” said Davis.

“I would. I would like that very much,” said O’Bryan.

As the Pack crowded around Mariah’s unusual family, Mari set and wrapped Dash’s leg, and then, after conferring with Rose, she made a tincture of horsetail for healing and a quick broth from deer jerky and a healthy dose of dried devil’s claw to control his pain.

“That should hold him until we camp and I draw down the moon,” said Mari, caressing Dash’s silky fur as the pup slept soundly in Lily’s arms.

“Lily, you and Dash can ride on our litter,” said Antreas. “It’s not far to our campsite.”

“Yeah, and you and little Dash don’t weigh much,” added Danita, touching the pup gently. “And congratulations, Companion.”

Lily turned her happy, tearstained face up to smile her relief to Antreas and Danita. “Oh, thank you so much. I would like to ride. I’m feeling a little odd.”

“That’s normal,” Antreas said. “When our Companions are hurt or stressed, it affects us. But on the positive side, it also affects us when they’re happy, which they usually are.” He reached down and ruffled Bast’s scruff as the big feline purred.

Just before the Pack moved out, Laru padded ahead and barkedsharply, calling to attention every canine in the group. Nik nodded to Laru and then went to Lily where she was resting comfortably on Antreas and Danita’s litter, her sleeping puppy in her arms.

“Lily, do you accept and vow to love and care for Dash until fate parts you by death?” Nik asked her formally.

“Oh, yes! Yes I do!”

“May the Sun bless your union with Dash.” Nik spoke ceremonially, his voice deep and filled with joy.

Lily’s smile was radiant. “Thank you, Sun Priest.”

Then Laru raised his muzzle and howled, the traditional greeting for a newly made Companion bond, and every canine in the Pack—even Mariah’s young litter, minus the kit, who was still nursing, with increasing strength—raised their muzzles and joined their Alpha in welcoming Lily and her precious Companion, Dash.