Page 69 of Wind Rider

Mari smiled at Nik and raised her voice to project throughout the Pack. “It’s a miracle born from the joining of Tribe and Clan!”

“It is!” The Pack turned as one to look at Dove. She was standing before the campfire, silhouetted in its orange light, her long hair lifting in the warm eddies of air.

“What do you know of it?” Nik asked, his voice hard.

“I know that in speaking I have offended. I apologize.” Dove bowed her head slightly to Nik and reached out for Lily to lead her away.

Mari motioned for Lily to wait. “You may speak freely here, Dove.”

“Freely and truthfully,” Sora added.

“I have given you my oath to only tell the truth, and I will not break it,” Dove said. “Mari, as you were questioning Jaxom I felt the answer rise within me, only it did not come from me. The answer seemed to come from the earth beneath me, and the forest around me. The Great Goddess has a hand in this. I cannot tell you how I know it, but I believe it with every fiber of my being.”

“Did you not lie about being an oracle of the—” Nik began, but Dove raised her hand, cutting him off.

“Yes. I did lie before. I had no choice. I had to survive. I have a choice now, and I choose to live a truthful life. This change that has happened to Jaxom and Sora—it is a gift from the Goddess. I know it. Believe or do not believe, but I have not lied to any of you—nor will I.”

“Dove tells the truth!” Davis called from his place at Mason’s side. “I feel the rightness of it as well. It is a miracle gifted to us by the Great Earth Mother in partnership with the sun. It is like our Pack—a joining that makes everything better.”

“I choose to believe,” Sora said. “Think of it! Someday in the future there is a chance that none of us will ever suffer from Moon Fever again.”

“And that means none of our children will suffer, either.” Nik put his arm around Mari. “Because we have the Mother Plant to swaddle them.”

“And canine Companions to love them,” Mari added.

“Yes!” Nik cried.

“Yes!” the Pack echoed.

“But until then, your Moon Women will Wash you,” Sora said. “Ready, Mari?”

“I am. Isabel and Danita, please join us in Washing our Pack,” Mari said. “Pack, ready yourselves for your Moon Women!”

And as the Pack arranged themselves into a circle around the campfire, Mari whispered to Nik, “I think we’re going to need a lot more puppies.”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. It’ll take a little time, but where there are boy and girl canines, therewillbe puppies, and right now we don’t need to limit the breedings. So we’re going to have puppies—lotsof puppies.”

***

Mari and Sora stood side by side before the campfire. Danita was on Mari’s left, and Isabel took position on Sora’s right, their Pack circled around them.

As one, Mari and Sora lifted their arms high to the night sky, facing the rising moon. Mari began the invocation.

“Moon Woman I proclaim myself to be!”

Sora continued,“Greatly gifted, I bare myself to thee. Earth Mother, aid me with your magick sight. Lend me strength on this Third Night.”

Mari took up the call with,“Come, silver light—fill us to overflow, so those in our care your healing touch will know.”

Together, the two Moon Women finished the invocation.

“By right of blood and birth channel through me

The Goddess gift that is my destiny!”

Mari turned first to Danita as Sora faced Isabel. Both young women were on their knees, their heads bowed. Mari and Sora placed their hands on each girl’s head, saying, “I Wash you free of all sadness and gift you with the love of our Great Earth Mother.”

Then, Washed and whole once more, Danita stood and linked her hand with Mari’s while Sora and Isabel joined hands, too. Then the Moon Women separated, each with their willing apprentice, and began to move around the circle Washing the Pack.