Page 37 of Wind Rider

“And you found that way. Death will defeat what is left of the Tribe of the Trees,” Mari said. “Why did you not stay with your God and enjoy your victory?”

“Enjoy it?” Dove looked as if she’d eaten sour berries. “No. There is no ‘joy’ left among our People. There is only Death and His needs and desires. It was when I realized this that Lily and I turned to the Goddess of Life, who I believe is the same as your Great Earth Mother. She heard my prayer and led me to you.”

“But you said that you pretended to be an oracle for your Reaper God. What makes you think the Earth Mother heard you, or even acknowledges you? It seems much more likely that it is just a coincidence that your path crossed ours,” Nik said, his voice still bitter.

“The dream,” Sora said. “Mari’s dream.”

“Dream?” Nik asked.

Mari nodded. “I dreamed that a dove came to me looking for sanctuary. My mother’s voice told me to grant her it, but only if she swore to tell a Moon Woman the truth.”

“Yes, the dream. I am grateful for it, but there is more than that,” Dove said. “Death’s plan is to awaken His consort within me—to have the Goddess of Life absorb me as Death did my Dead Eye—but as I listened carefully to the God, I began to realize that the Goddess might not be in agreement with His plan. So, I fled. Hoping that, perhaps, I could serve the Goddess in another way.”

“As a false oracle?” Nik said.

Dove lifted her head then and turned her eyeless face toward Nik. “No. Never. I will never pretend again.” She shifted to face Lily and held out her hand. Her friend hesitated, then grasped it. “Forgive me, Lily. I will never again lie to you, or to anyone else, from this moment until my last.”

“I forgive you, Mistress,” Lily said in a voice that broke with emotion.

“For the rest of us it will not be so easy. Especially for the rest of us who were once part of the Tribe of the Trees,” Nik said. He leaned over to kiss Mari softly. “I am going to check on the canines and help Antreas set to order the first shift of lookouts.” Without another word, Nik strode away.

“You should be prepared,” Sora said. “Nik’s reaction will probably be mirrored in many of the Pack when they learn your story.”

“I am prepared. I am also prepared to win the trust of your Pack, Moon Woman Sora.”

“I don’t think you’ll be able to win it,” Mari said. “You’ll have to earn it.”

CHAPTER 8

The Pack settled in for the remainder of the short night. Arranged in a circle around the well-tended fire, close together with canines settled comfortably by their Companions’ sides, those who did not have first watch slept. Mari found Nik easily. He’d created a space for them across the circle from where Dove and Lily were already sleeping. Mari unwrapped her cloak from around her shoulders and placed it on the pallet he’d made. Then she sat beside Nik as Rigel curled against her side and yawned mightily. Laru was lying on the other side of Nik, looking like he was sound asleep, but as Mari sat, he slitted his eyes and thumped his tail. She reached across Nik to caress his wide, soft head.

“Hey there, Laru. Go back to sleep. You deserve it after the day you’ve had,” she said.

“So do you.” Nik extended his arm as Mari sat so that she could lean into him. He’d placed their pallet in front of a big piece of driftwood, which they used as a backrest. “I told Antreas I’d take first watch, and like you said, we should do that in pairs, but if you’re too tired I can sit watch with O’Bryan and Sheena.”

“I’d rather stay awake and be with you. But do we have to move from here? It’s so cozy.”

Nik kissed the top of her head. “No, look.” He pointed out at the darkwater, which lapped only a few yards from where Nik had positioned their pallet. “I chose to put us here so that we could look out across the water. Antreas has everyone watching outward. He says lookouts need to focus on the river, as that’s where the danger would come from.”

Mari relaxed against Nik and gazed out at the black expanse of water. The clouds were hiding the moon again, so it was impossible to see the far bank, as it was just darkness against more darkness. She breathed deeply.

“I like the way the river smells. It’s earth diluted with water plants mixed with trees and rocks to make a special scent all its own.”

“Rocks smell like something?”

“Of course! They smell like rocks… well, and moss and pine needles and such.”

“You’re a strange one, Moon Woman.”

“Thank you.” Mari grinned. “So, you still hate the river?”

“Definitely.” They laughed lightly, then Nik continued. “Mari, I want to ask you to be careful with what you say to Dove and Lily—especially Dove. I know you and Sora want to trust her, but you haven’t dealt with Skin Stealers. The Tribe has. They’re awful—barely human.”

Mari considered her answer carefully. She knew that how she responded to Nik now would set the tone for the future, especially as they would be encountering many different peoples during, and at the end of, their journey.

“I understand why you’re worried. I truly do. And I acknowledge your concern. But there’s something my mama said that I’ve been thinking a lot about lately. She told me many times that we all must choose whether we live our lives based on love or fear. I know now why she repeated that over and over to me—because I lived most of my life based on fear. I didn’t realize it, but my anger at the Clan for not accepting me was fear-based. My resentment at Mama for devoting so much of her time to caring for the Clan was fear-based. The way I used to view the Clansmen as nuisances who should stay on the fringe of the Clan was fear-based. It took losing Mama, and almost losing myself, for me to understand what she meant. Nik, now I choose to live my life based onlove, and if that means I make the mistake of trusting someone who hurts me, then so be it. Can you understand that?”

“I don’t know. I hear what you’re saying, but I still want you to be careful.”