Page 139 of Moon Chosen

“Don’t know,” Mari whispered back. “Wish Rigel was here, though.”

“I never thought I’d say it, but I wish he was here, too.” Sora stepped aside and let Mari go before her.

Mari had been to the birthing burrow many times with Leda. It was basically one huge, cavernous room with a large hearth and many comfortable pallets. The burrow was usually filled with the sounds of women and infants, but all was silent and still within. Like all Earth Walkers, Mari’s eyes quickly adapted to the dim light inside. She saw that the hearth fire was unlit, then she cast her eyes around the room. The entire place was a disaster. Beds had been thrown against the curved walls of the burrow so that their splintered wooden frames littered the floor along with the thick pelts and blankets that should be cradling birthing women.

“I don’t see anyone. Do you?” Sora whispered from several feet behind her.

“No, but there’s a large pantry back there. I need to check it.”

“Not alone you’re not.” Sora strode forward, pausing only to pick up the broken leg of a bedframe, which she brandished like a club.

Together the two women walked through the devastation of the burrow until they came to the rear of the room. The best artisans of the Clan had woven the tapestry that was used as a curtain to divide the main room from the pantry. It had depicted a scene that showed a group of Clanswomen circled around an exquisite, fertile Earth Mother idol that was rising from the mossy ground, bedecked in flowers and ferns. All of the women were smiling and holding healthy, happy infants. Now the tapestry clung to the wooden rod by a few strands of cloth—its lovely woven scene had been ripped and shredded. Mari brushed aside the ruined cloth.

“No, please, don’t hurt me. I’ll do anything you want, just don’t hurt me!”

“Oh, Goddess,” Sora said in a hushed voice. “It’s Danita.”

Mari stared at the girl, hardly recognizing her as the young woman her mama had so recently called before the Clan as a candidate for Moon Woman apprentice. But she looked up at them with gray eyes, glassy with shock, proving she was, indeed, that same young woman.

Sora pushed past Mari to go to the girl, who was cowering in the far corner of the pantry, wedged between broken, empty shelves and the rubble that violence and theft leaves in its wake.

“No! No!” The girl screamed, covering her face with her arms and curling into a tight little ball.

“Sssh, Danita, it’s me, Sora. And Mari’s with me. You’re safe. Everything is going to be okay now.” Sora knelt by her. The girl peeked up through her arms at Sora. She started to drop her arms from her face, but her frantic gaze found Mari and she began to cry in little panting sobs, scrambling back, attempting to wedge herself farther into the corner.

“Hey, it’s just Mari!” Sora said, touching the girl’s trembling shoulder gently. “I cut her hair for her—that’s why it’s short. And she washed it and herself. Finally. Remember how dirty she used to be?”

Mari frowned down at Sora, but didn’t say anything because Danita had stopped sobbing and was gazing up at her with big, frightened eyes.

“I—I remember,” Danita said, her voice trembling.

“Well, when her hair’s clean, it’s a strange color.” Sora caught Mari’s frown and hastily added, “Not strange. I didn’t mean strange. I meant different—and different isn’t anything for you to be afraid of, right?”

“Right,” Danita said tentatively, studying Mari.

“Hi, Danita. See, it’s just me. How about you come out of the pantry and tell us what happened?” Mari said gently.

Danita met Mari’s gaze. “I don’t think I can.” Her gray eyes were awash with tears that were leaking down her cheeks. It was then that Mari noticed the blood that spotted her tunic along with the tracks of her tears.

“Danita, honey, are you hurt?” Mari asked.

The girl’s face crumbled and she nodded. “They hurt me.”

“They?” Sora said.

“Clansmen,” Danita whispered the word, and then she hugged her legs to her chest and began to rock back and forth. As she rocked Mari got a glimpse of the girl’s naked thighs. They were purpled with bruises and smeared with dried blood.

“Danita, are the Clansmen still here?” Mari asked quickly.

“No. I haven’t seen them for days. No one is here.”

“We’re here now,” Sora said, stroking her shoulder. “We’ll take care of you.”

“Sora and I are going to fix a pallet for you and get a fire burning in the hearth.” Mari uncorked her water skin and held it out to Danita. “Why don’t you drink some water and wait here while we do that.”

Danita’s hand was dirty and it shook badly, but she took the water and began to gulp it. Mari motioned for Sora to follow her back to the main room.

“I think she’s been raped,” Mari whispered as soon as they were out of Danita’s range of hearing.