Page 62 of Wind Rider

“I know I will. I’m not going to let violence and hatred win. This is how I look at it—if what happened to me stops me from opening myself to the love of a mate, then all that was terrible about that day wins.”

“Danita, you have to give yourself time to heal,” Mari said.

“But my body feels so much better,” she said.

“It isn’t just your body that needs to heal. It’s your mind, too,” Mari said gently.

“But how do I heal my mind?”

“By talking. By letting us help you. By being kind to yourself and not pushing for too much too fast.”

“Sora’s right. If you keep all your fears and anger inside and don’t share them, they’ll get bigger and bigger,” Mari said. “I haven’t been attacked like the two of you have, but I do know about what happens when you keep sadness and anger and fears inside. They eat away at you. I did that after Mama died. I disappeared into my grief. Thankfully, Rigel and Sora wouldn’t leave me alone. They forced me to open up and rejoin the world. Danita, I give you my word as a Moon Woman that I willnotleave you alone.”

“You have my word as well,” Sora said. “We’re going to help you heal—mind and body.”

“Do you really think there’s a chance I can be normal again? That I can be intimate with Antreas?”

“Yes,” Sora said.

“Absolutely,” Mari said.

Danita quickly wiped away her tears. “Thank you, Moon Women. Thank you so much.”

Making her unusual coughing sounds, Bast padded up to Danita, sniffing her wet face and rubbing against her while she sent Mari and Sora yellow-eyed looks that said she was blaming them for the girl’s tears.

“I’m fine. No, everything is okay.” Danita caressed the big feline, kissing her nose and rubbing her face in Bast’s soft ruff.

“What’s happened?” Antreas jogged up, brow furrowed and breathing hard. “Bast took off. Told me Danita’s upset.”

“I’m fine. I was just talking with Mari and Sora about, um, my problem,” Danita said without making eye contact with Antreas.

“Hey.” Antreas crouched before Danita. “It’s not a problem. Nothing about you is a problem.”

“That’s pretty much what we’ve been saying, too,” Sora said.

“Moon Women are wise. I think you should listen to them,” Antreas said.

“I’m listening. And I’ll keep listening.” Danita took Bast’s face between her hands and gently chided, “And you shouldn’t worry him like that.”

The Lynx coughed and then settled down to groom herself beside Danita.

“For those of you who do not understand Lynx-speak, let me translate,” Antreas said. “Bast is definitely not done worrying me about Danita.”

“I got that. How ’bout you, Mari?” Sora teased.

“Loud and clear,” Mari said.

“Hey, I found something for you. Hold out your hand,” Antreas said to Danita.

She held out her hand. The Lynx Companion reached into his pocket and then plopped a dappled gull egg in the middle of her palm.

Danita gasped happily. “You found a gull egg!”

“Thankfully, I found a lot more than one,” Antreas said. “They’re in nests that cover the side of Rooster Rock. It’ll take a little climbing, but there are enough for the entire Pack to have them for breakfast.”

“I told you that feline knows things,” Sora said.

“Antreas, you just made me look forward to the morning,” Mari said.