Page 32 of Wind Rider

“Well, you know Jaxom was Chosen by Fortina to be her Companion.”

“Of course! As I said to Nik earlier, I have heard of circumstances where a canine will reject his or her Companion, though it is rare and often the canine wastes away, refusing to eat or to Choose another Companion. Did you want me to talk with Nik about it?”

“Well, yes. You could later, and I’d be interested to hear those stories, too. But I wanted to ask something else of you. When a pup Chooses, doesn’t the whole Tribe rejoice?”

Wilkes blinked in understanding. “We do, indeed. And our new Shepherd Companion should know that rejoicing. Mari, would you help me to my feet?”

“Of course!”

Mari helped Wilkes to stand as Danita gave Claudia a hand. Then, moving slowly and carefully, the four of them, with their Companions, Odin and Mariah, by their sides, made their way to the crackling bonfire.

When they got there, Mari raised her hand, silencing the chattering Pack and calling everyone’s attention. Nik and Laru joined them and Rigel trotted to Mari’s side.

“Jaxom, would you come here, please?” Mari called.

Jaxom stepped out of the shadows by the boats, where he’d been double-checking their moorings with Antreas, Fortina close beside him. He looked nervous and uncomfortable as all eyes focused on him.

“Wilkes has something he’d like to say to you,” Mari said.

Wilkes went slowly to Jaxom. He coughed and then cleared his throat before he bent to rest his hand on Fortina’s soft head.

“Jaxom, this Shepherd has Chosen you as her Companion. It is a great honor and an even greater bond, which you will share for the remainder of your lives. Do you accept her and agree to cherish and care for her for the duration of her life, and beyond should the Sun require it?”

“I do! Though I don’t know much about your Sun God.”

“I will answer any questions you have about our God,” said Nik.

“Thank you,” Jaxom said. “Thank you so much. I never knew there could be a connection like this—not with anyone or anything.”

“We understand,” said Mari, smiling through happy tears.

“Yes, we do,” said Sora.

“And so:Pack, the pup has Chosen!” Wilkes yelled joyfully.

“The pup has Chosen!” shouted every Companion in the Pack as every canine, including the smallest of Fala’s pups, raised its muzzle to the sky and howled with happiness.

“May the Sun bless your union with Fortina!” Nik was the first Companion to step forward and take Jaxom’s hand in congratulations, but he was followed by every Companion in the Pack—and then by each Earth Walker as well.

Mari looked on with pride as her Pack fully accepted Jaxom and his Shepherd.

Oh, Mama, I hope you’re seeing this…

CHAPTER 7

It took Mari longer than she’d anticipated to make her way to where Danita had settled Dove and Lily on the fringe of the circle the Pack had made around what was now a merrily blazing bonfire. As she’d suspected, her hands weren’t the only ones feeling the strain of hours paddling, so with the help of Jenna and Isabel, salve was applied and everyone was instructed to be sure their hands were wrapped the next day and cared for carefully until cracked skin and bloody blisters became protective calluses.

But mostly everyone was in good spirits, especially as the fire burned brightly and Spencer passed around mugs of mead. The susurrus of the contented Pack mixed with the scents of bubbling stew, giving the campsite the illusion of home. Rigel by her side, Mari finally approached Dove and Lily. They were positioned as part of the Pack’s circle, but they also were not. No one was chatting with them. They were sipping mead, so someone had brought that to them—probably Spencer. They were sitting on woven mats and had been given a heavy hemp blanket to share, but other than that they were being ignored.

As Mari approached them, she noticed that Lily whispered to Dove, and Mari realized the girl must serve as Dove’s eyes. Still, she stopped a respectful distance from them, not wanting to startle.

“Hello, Dove and Lily. I’d like to chat with you.”

“Moon Woman Mari, I am pleased you sought me out,” Dove said, smiling and gesturing to the ground beside her.

Sometime while she was tending to Sarah’s and Lydia’s wounds, Nik had wrapped her travel cloak around her shoulders, and Mari was glad of it as she placed it on the rough ground and sat with a sigh, curling the rest of it over her for warmth. Rigel lay beside her, mirroring her exhaustion with a puppyish groan.

“Oh, you have your canine with you!” Dove spoke animatedly, turning her sightless face in Rigel’s direction.