by P. C. Cast
“No need to bother either of our Moon Women. I will happily allow you to fix me.”
Danita unwrapped the bandage and carefully dunked his thumb in the mug of goldenseal, swishing it around.
“I like that it’s stopped bleeding. Are you going to be okay to paddle tomorrow?”
“Of course! It’s really not bad—just sore.”
“Here, the aloe will help with the pain. Do you want me to brew you some poppy tea to help you sleep?”
“No, I wouldn’t waste that tea for something so minor. Plus, I’m exhausted and won’t have any problem sleeping.”
Danita finished dressing his thumb and then she lifted it to her lips and kissed it, quickly and gently.
His eyes widened with surprise. “What was that for?”
“Extra healing.”
Bast chirped and curled up at Danita’s feet, purring loudly.
“She says kisses work for healing,” Antreas said. “Maybe we should do more of them.”
Danita’s brows went up. “Bast said we should kiss more?”
“Well, not exactly. But she said it works. I, uh, added the part about doing more kissing.”
Danita studied him, and then she slowly leaned into him until she gently pressed her lips against his. When she sat back, her cheeks were burning.
“That is a very nice start,” Antreas said. “Makes me wish I’d hurt myself here, here, and here.” He pointed to each of his cheeks and then his lips.
“Don’t talk like that!” Danita said, only half kidding. “I don’t even like to think about you or Bast getting hurt.”
“Oh, don’t worry, Dani. Bast and I are practically indestructible—especially now that we have a family to live for.”
“A family?” she asked softly.
He nodded. “This Pack is a family. Bast and I like belonging to it. And, if it’s okay with you, we like belonging to you, too. A lot.”
“It’s okay with me,” she said.
And then they said at the same time:
“I wanted to ask you if—”
“I wanted to ask you if—”
They grinned at each other. “You first,” Antreas said.
“Okay.” Danita cleared her throat, feeling unexpectedly nervous. “I wanted to ask you if I could sleep with you.”
Antreas cocked his head to the side. “Isn’t that what you did last night?”
“No. I slept near you last night. Bast slept between us. Tonight I’d like to sleep beside you—with you. But I’m not ready to do more than sleep. I mean, I know you want more, and I do like kissing you. I just can’t think about anything more yet without—”
“Hey, ssh. It’s okay.” He touched her face and brushed back her hair. “I would love nothing more tonight than for you to sleep with me, beside me—as close to me as you’d like. And, here’s a little secret.” Antreas make a show of looking around, before lowering his voice to a whisper. “I’m too tired to do more than sleep. Even kissing, as much as I like kissing you, would be better another night. Tonight sleep, with you, is perfect.”
Danita visibly relaxed. “Your turn,” she said. “What did you want to ask me?”
Antreas sat up straighter. He reached into his pocket and took out a long, delicate silver chain. From the center of it hung a smallish, white thing with a pointed end. The top of the object had been beautifully wrapped in silver, so that it glinted, catching the campfire, which was close enough to lend light to their pallet.
“That’s really pretty. What is it?”
“I hope it’s yours,” Antreas said. He met her gaze, and within his eyes Danita saw a new world open before her—one filled with love and understanding and perhaps even restoration and passion. Bast had moved from being curled up at Danita’s feet to sitting beside her as Antreas held the necklace out, offering it to Danita. “Dani, I would like to officially court you. Please accept this gift.” Bast coughed and Antreas added, “Oh, yeah, this is one of Bast’s baby teeth. I’ve kept it all these years—carried it like a talisman. It’s what took me so long in the village today. I had to persuade Father John to let me trade with a jeweler. She made this for you. Bast and I hope you like it and will wear it—for us—for the three of us.”
Danita’s hand trembled as she took the necklace from Antreas. It was warm from his body. She looked closely at it, marveling at the way the jeweler had wrapped the silver around the top of the tooth.
“This is wonderful! I love it so, so much.” Danita threw her arms around Bast, hugging her close. Then she turned to Antreas. “I accept your courting gift.”
His face came alive. “Really? That means I’m officially courting you now?”
“Yes. That’s exactly what I mean. Oh, Antreas, it is the perfect, perfect gift.” She lifted it, putting it over her head so that it hung between her breasts. She touched it gently. “Thank you, Antreas.”
“You’re welcome,” he said. Then he fist-pumped the air. “We did it, Bast! She likes it! And she likes us!”
“Ssssh, silly!” Danita giggled and shifted so that she could snuggle beside him as she studied her necklace. “This is an amazingly big baby tooth. Bast, you have some very sharp teeth.”
“You think that’s big? Show her, Bast,” Antreas said.
The Lynx complied, baring her teeth in a mock snarl, and Danita pretended fear as she clutched her heart and fell back against Antreas, which had Bast padding to her and rubbing against her while purring manically. Then the feline settled next to Danita, so that she was securely sandwiched between Lynx and Lynx Companion.
Danita sighed happily and put her head on Antreas’s shoulder. “Hey, how did you talk Father John into letting you trade? He was really mad when he basically kicked us out of the village.”
Antreas shrugged. “It was no big thing.”
Danita turned so that she could look up into his face. “But how did you do it?”
Antreas’s gaze slid away from hers, making her sit up and stare at him. “Antreas?”
“I traded the jeweler some more of those jay feathers. You know, like the ones Bast gathered for you. The Saleesh love anything blue. Hard to believe I got all that silver for a few blue feathers, huh?”
“Antreas. Why are you avoiding my question? How did you persuade Father John to let you trade with the jeweler? You didn’t hurt him, did you?”
Antreas looked shocked. “Of course not!”
“Well then?”
Antreas sighed. “I just gave him something I knew he wanted. A lot. And he led me to the jeweler. Not hospitably, mind you.”
“Antreas! Stop avoiding my question.”
“Okay. Sorry. I gave him my claw.”
Danita felt sick. “Great Goddess! You cut off your finger for this!” She started to pull the necklace over her head, but Antreas’s hand stopped her.
“Please don’t. Please keep it. Dani, I didn’t cut off my finger. I just cut off a claw—more like the tip of my finger.”
“That’s horrible!”
“No, it’s not. I did it willingly.”
“Antreas, do not ever do something like that again. I will not have you hurting yourself for me. Ever. Promise?”
“I promise,” he said. “Will you wear it? For Bast and me?”
“Yes, but only because you promised.” She let the necklace settle around her neck again.
Then he lay down and opened his arms to her. Danita lay beside him, within the embrace of his arms, her head resting on his muscular chest and the warm, soft length of Bast pressed against her back. That night, for the first time since Danita had been raped and nearly beaten to death, she slept soundly, without one nightmare.
* * *
The morning dawned clear and cool, with a brisk breeze that would, thankfully, be at their backs. Mari splashed water on her face, shivering and gasping with the cold, and then brushed her teeth with a willow stick. Beside her, Nik did the same. They were at the edge of the river, where they’d moved after they’d reluctantly left t
he privacy of their hidden ledge, though the intimacy they’d shared the night before clung to them.
Nik dried his face with his shirt and sniffed the air. “Is that eggs? Gull eggs?”
“Oh, Goddess, I hope so! Antreas said egg season is short, but I hope that doesn’t mean it’s over yet. Let’s go see.”
As she turned to hurry back to the campfire, Nik snagged her wrist, pulling her against him. “Last night was perfect,” he said after he’d kissed her thoroughly.
“Yes, it was.” Mari leaned into him, thinking how much she loved being close to him.
Laru ran past them, carrying a huge stick, with Rigel on his heels, barking like a crazy creature as they threw sand on their Companions.
When Mari opened her mouth to tell them to behave, Nik pressed his finger to her lips, and then kissed her again quickly.
“Let them play. They need to burn off energy. They’ll be lying on those ballasts all day. It must get old for them.”
“I hadn’t thought about that,” Mari said as she and Nik made their way to the campfire, hand in hand. “But you’re right. The canines do need to keep up with their exercise. Do you think they might do some swimming beside the boats?”
“That’s a good idea. After we greet the sun, I’ll talk to Antreas about it. In spots where the current is placid and there are no ruins, I think it would be a great way for them to exercise.”
Nik and Mari joined the Pack where they were circled around the campfire. Sora was poking some wapato roots that were cooking in the glowing coals, and Mari was thrilled to see a large pile of gull eggs sitting beside the cauldron.
“Oh, good! There you two are,” Sora said. “I didn’t want to start the eggs until after we greeted the sun. They’re best steaming hot.”
“Just talking about it is making my mouth water!” Jenna said, clapping happily around one of Fala’s pups that she’d snuggled in her arms.
“Is everyone here?” Nik asked, looking around to be sure all the Companions were present.
“I don’t see Davis or Cammy,” Mari said. “Oh, wait, here they come.”
“Yeah, with Claudia and Mariah,” Sora added, winking surreptitiously at Mari.
Surprised by Sora’s wink, Mari watched closely as Davis and Claudia approached from up the beach. They walked so closely that their hands and arms brushed against one another. They were talking, their heads tilted together. Mari’s eyes widened as Claudia laughed flirtatiously and touched Davis with easy intimacy. Behind them, Cammy and Mariah walked side by side, as close together as their Companions. Mari thought Cammy’s tail might possibly wag off his body, and Mariah’s mouth was open in a very pleased-looking canine grin.
“When did that happen?” Mari whispered to Sora.
“Recently,” Sora whispered back.
“What happened? When?” Nik said.
“Nothing!” Mari and Sora answered together.
“We’re all here now,” Wilkes said as Davis and Claudia joined the rest of the Pack.
“Then let us greet this beautiful morning!” Nik led the ritual, and Mari loved hearing the joy in his voice as he welcomed the sun into his body, his Companion’s body, and the body of the Pack.
Then, as the Pack turned eagerly to the campfire and Sora moved to prepare the gull eggs, Davis and Claudia approached Mari and Nik.
Davis cleared his throat. Mari thought he looked nervous, but there was also a very real sense of excitement surrounding him.
“Sun Priest and Moon Women—and Pack.” Davis raised his voice, drawing everyone’s attention. “Claudia and I have something we must tell you—tell all of you.”
“Okay, go ahead. We’re listening,” Mari said, smiling encouragement at the nervous young man.
“Last night Mariah and Cameron mated.”
The sentence dropped like a stone in a still pond, sending ripples of gasps throughout the Pack, especially throughout the members of the Pack who used to call themselves the Tribe of the Trees.
Laru immediately padded over to Mariah. The two canines greeted each other, and then the big Alpha male sniffed the smaller, younger female Shepherd before returning to Nik’s side.
It was evidence of Laru’s surprise that Mari caught the image he transmitted to Nik.
“Puppies!” Mari blurted, causing the Pack to erupt in sound.
Nik raised his hand, and the people went silent. He stared at Davis and Mariah, and it seemed to Mari that he was struggling to find the right words.
Claudia spoke into the silence. “Well, it happened more than once, so, yes, I would expect puppies.”
She shared a very intimate look with Davis, whose cheeks flushed pink, but who also looked inordinately pleased with himself—so pleased that Mari realized Claudia wasn’t just talking about Cammy and Mariah!
“Wait, say that again,” Wilkes said, stepping up beside Nik.
Davis met the older man’s gaze and spoke slowly and distinctly. “So there is no misunderstanding I will repeat myself. Mariah, the Shepherd, and Cameron, the Terrier, mated last night. Several times. I believe Laru’s sense of smell, as well as the lack of reaction from Rigel and Odin, tells us Mariah is pregnant.” Davis shifted his attention from Wilkes to Nik. “Claudia and I did not mean to overstep. The truth is we were surprised.”
“Yes, I can usually tell when Mariah is coming into estrus, but I completely missed the signs. It could be because I’ve been so sick, or because we’re traveling, but I do apologize, Nik. I would’ve come to you had I known.”
“But she didn’t. Well, she didn’t until it was obvious, and then it was too late,” Davis added. “I am sorry, too, Nik.”
“Why are you sorry?” Sora asked. “Puppies are a good thing. We were just talking about that yesterday—about how wonderful it would be if everyone in our Pack was a Companion to a canine and no one would have to worry about Moon Fever again.”
“Yeah, why aren’t we congratulating them?” Mari asked Nik as several other Earth Walkers murmured agreement.
Nik looked uncomfortable, but he nodded and drew a deep breath. “Okay, Pack, I’ll explain. In the Tribe all canine breedings are approved by the Alpha and his Companion.”
“That sounds awfully controlling,” Jenna said.
Mari remained silent, waiting for Nik’s answer, though her first thought was to agree with Jenna.
“It is controlling, but think about what would happen if every female canine who came into estrus mated with whomever she desired, whenever she desired. Canine litters usually range from about five to ten puppies. Canines would overpopulate. And then there’s inbreeding to worry about. You see how healthy and strong all of our canines are?” Nik gestured to Laru, Rigel, and several other canines while the Pack nodded. “They aren’t that way accidentally. The Tribe had an excellent breeding program. My father spent long hours in discussion with the Elder Council deciding which male should breed with which female to bring out the best traits from both.”
“That does make sense,” Mari said. “But we have a lot fewer canines here, and we would like a lot more—so breeding is a good thing.”
“It is,” Nik said. He ran his fingers through his hair, looking increasingly uncomfortable.
“I’ll help Nik,” Davis said. “He’s having such a problem knowing what to say because never in the history of our Tribe have a Shepherd and a Terrier been allowed to breed. There have never been mixed puppies in the Tribe. Ever.”
Mari’s gaze swept her Pack. Those who used to be Tribe of the Trees looked as uncomfortable as Nik—well, except for Davis and Claudia. They looked stoic and kept sharing glances that were easily read. They knew they were in trouble, but didn’t appear sorry. The Earth Walkers were watching the proceedings with open curiosity.
Mari decided right then that she’d had enough.
She moved to Nik’s side and in a voice that carried throughout the beach said, “Isn’t it about time they did mix? How is that any different than us? Than me?” She looked up at Nik. �
�Than our children?” She made a gesture that took in the whole Pack. “We’re a mixture of Tribe and Clan and Chain, and even Skin Stealer. We’re making this journey so that we don’t have to be bound by the archaic, narrow-minded rules of the past. Don’t you agree, Nik?”
Nik stared at her, and Mari saw the struggle in his eyes—she understood it, too. It was difficult to let go of the beliefs and taboos, but necessary. So, so necessary. And she knew if Nik could not accept this surprise, if he could not move past it and open himself completely to a new way of life, she could not continue to open herself to him. It would break her heart, but Mari would not love a man who wasn’t able to leave behind toxic beliefs that had damaged all of them—and would continue to do so if they allowed it.
Nik’s expression suddenly cleared. He put his arms around Mari and hugged her tightly. “Thank you for being a voice of reason,” he spoke softly into her ear. Then he strode to Davis and Claudia. “I agree with Mari. May the Sun bless this mating and the incredible puppies that will come from it!” As the Pack cheered, Nik embraced Davis and then Claudia, who was wiping her eyes and crying happy tears.
Mari went to little Cammyman, who was sitting quietly beside Mariah. She knelt before the two canines. “Let me be the first to congratulate you two. Puppies are a blessing.” She laughed as Cammy licked her face and Mariah swept the sandy beach with her thick tail. Then Mari stood and repeated with a shout, “Puppies are a blessing!”
But Davis wasn’t done with surprises for the day. He held up his hand, calling for silence.
“Thank you, Sun Priest. And thank you, Moon Women, for blessing our unusual, but happy news. I have one more thing to say, and I’d like to follow Clan tradition with this, because I believe it is a good thing.” While the Pack watched, Davis went to Claudia. Cammy rushed to his side, acting much more serious than was his norm. Davis went to his knees and Cammy mimicked him, lying down. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a crystal shaped like a heart, which he held out to Claudia. It sparkled, catching the morning sun beautifully. “I keep finding rocks and crystals shaped like hearts, and I keep leaving them as offerings to the Goddess, but this morning I realized the Goddess was gifting them to me for a reason. Claudia, you are that reason. Before the Pack I would like to ask that you accept my proposal to formally court you. It is tradition that this be completely your choice. It is also tradition that you be given a gift. This one is from the Goddess and Cammy and me. I hope you accept us, because no person on this earth has ever made me feel as alive as you do, and I want that feeling for the rest of our lives.”
