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Picking up my backpack, I started back the way we came, not looking at her.
Tamerin spoke, his voice echoing down the rocky walls. “He’s mad, and he has a right to be. Let’s discuss this when we get back. Here, I’ll carry your prize so the rocks won’t tear it up any more than it already has been.”
Their footsteps were soft behind me, but I didn’t look back. My raven settled in my mind, watching for the spiders I had mentioned before. Only once did it direct me away from a spot where a giant spider's leg reached out to grab unsuspecting prey. It missed and retreated empty-handed, getting ready for the next opportunity.
Tamerin inhaled as he twisted to avoid the spider, following me. Lexi padded in the rear, her head held low. She snapped at the appendage and it retracted back with a jerk as she passed it. She uttered a disgruntled huff towards the dark enclosure where it hid.
Slipping into our current home—one much better than that first cave we had lived in, I dropped my backpack on my sleeping bag and walked over to the small stream that ran through the rock here. Splashing the cold water on my face, I listened as the other two entered, not hiding their movements.
Lexi went to her pack and pulled out clothes, shifting before getting dressed once more.
I dried off my face and turned to stare at her.
“What?” She looked at me, confused, her eyes clear.
Exhaling, I realized she didn’t understand. Not that it made it any better, but ignorance played a part in what happened today.
“They were monogamous, Lexi.” I walked towards her, only looking at her. I wasn’t sure where Tamerin was or what he was doing, but I couldn’t worry about that. This was more important.
“They were?” She frowned, her eyes dropping to the ground, her mind reviewing the scene.
I nodded as I got closer to her. “Yes, they were. I'm uncertain if they mate for life, but they were in set pairs. You disrupted a couple and the other will grieve.”
Lexi inhaled before flopping onto her sleeping bag. “I didn’t realize that, Soren.” She gazed up at me, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “I didn’t know.”
Not able to forgive her yet, I retorted, “You didn’t think. If you had led with your head instead of your stomach, you would have taken time to observe the way they worked together. How they interacted. And then you would have chosen an unmated one. But you didn’t take the time.”
Tamerin came back in, carrying the now gutted carcass and laid it on a flat stone. “Enough, boy. She now understands she has to look for such things before leaping. But it's in the past. It happened. We can’t bring the bird back to life, but we can use it to keep on living.” His tone was mild, but the anger behind his words was clear.
Except he wasn't angry at Lexi. He was talking to me. He wanted me to let this go and move on.
I took a step away from my sister. “He’s right. We can’t change the past. Please study the situation before jumping in with both feet, in the future.”
She sniffed and nodded. “We okay?” Her voice sounded small.
She was missing Lark. He was a steadying force for her. I put out my arms, and she rushed into them.
“I miss Lily, too. I didn’t think about how hard this was going to be, Lexi,” I whispered into her hair, holding her tight.
Her shoulders trembled, the tears finally falling. We were here, alone. Well, we had Tamerin, and he was a god-send. Still, we were not with our pack. Or our mates. And it was lonely.
“Let me tell you about my book.” The old man busied himself, feeding the fire before getting a long stick to roast the bird on.
Lexi pulled back and wiped her tears from her face. She then patted the wet spot on my shirt while giving me a trembling smile. Smiling back, I kissed her cheek before letting her go. We moved closer to the fire, sitting on massive stones we used as chairs.
I had wondered about that book. He kept it safe and hidden most of the time, only taking it out some evenings.
He studied me, his gray eyes piercing. “I am only telling you because of what happened today.”
Lexi blushed. “Me changing into my wolf? I'm sorry we hid that from you, Tamerin.”
He shook his head, the end of his long braid flicking with the movement. “No, not that. I suspected you had two souls, and you only confirmed it. What you did, Soren, is the real reason for this discussion.”
What I did? I thought back over what had occurred and couldn’t determine what he was talking about.
My raven fluttered his wings, uneasy with the question, before putting its beak under one wing.
Oh.
