Page 140 of Moon Chosen

“What!”

“There are blood and bruises all over her thighs.” Mari started going through the medicine pack she’d brought. “Can you get that fire going? I need boiling water.”

“Yes, of course.” Sora rushed to the hearth.

“I’m not going to try to put a bedframe together. I’ll just pile up these pelts and blankets, and make a quick pallet. Sora, I couldn’t tell if she’s still bleeding.”

Sora looked over her shoulder at Mari. “You can do this. You can help her.”

Mari nodded and finished making the pallet. Then she gave Sora a small bundle of herbs. “Brew this for her. Damnit! I didn’t bring hardly any medicines with us. That pantry is usually filled with them. All I brought are things for nerves and melancholy.”

“What is this?” Sora sniffed the herb pack Mari had given her. “Smells like something you’d give Nik.”

“It has valerian in it. It should calm her.” Mari pawed through her satchel, scowling in frustration at her lack of choices. “Well, maybe there’s something useful left in that mess of a pantry.”

“What do you need? The herb garden is near the stream.”

Mari thought for a moment, and said, “Sage would be great if you can find it. The bigger the leaves, the better. It stops bleeding.”

“I hope I can find it. I hope even more that you don’t need it,” Sora said.

“I’ll coax Danita out here.”

“And I’ll get water and sage,” Sora said.

“Keep that club with you, and I’ll keep my slingshot close. If you even think you hear or see a Clansman, scream. Loudly.”

“Oh, don’t worry. Rigel will probably be able to hear me all the way back at the burrow.”

As Sora hurried outside, Mari drew a deep, calming breath, and then headed back to the pantry.

Danita’s body jerked in terror and she tried to scramble backward again, as if she could make herself disappear into the burrow’s wall while she made small, panicked sounds.

“Danita, it’s just me again, Mari.” She squatted in front of the girl, careful not to get too close too fast. “Sora is going to brew some tea for you and I have a pallet all made up so that you can be more comfortable. Would you come out into the other room with me?”

“What if they come back?”

Mari pulled the slingshot from the front pocket of her tunic. “I will shoot them with this. I’m an excellent shot.”

“Shoot to kill,” Danita said.

Mari swallowed hard. “I will. Sora and I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”

“It already has.”

“Will you let me examine you? I can help.”

“Where’s Leda?”

“Mama is dead,” Mari said.

“That’s what they said, but I didn’t want to believe it—I didn’t want to!” Danita shook her head back and forth, back and forth, and covered her face with her hands, sobbing brokenly. “Then this won’t end.”

Mari moved closer to Danita and gently pried her hands from her face, holding them securely in her own. “Mama trained me. I can help you. I’m training Sora. She can help you, too. It’s going to be all right—I promise. Will you please come into the other room with me?”

“I don’t think I can stand up,” Danita said.

“Then we’ll stand up together.” Mari stood, pulling Danita up by her hands. Then she put her arm tightly around the girl, noting how thin she felt and how cold and clammy her skin was, and helped her walk slowly to the pallet.