Page 143 of Moon Chosen

“No! A canine and his Companion should never be parted. Mari, did it not occur to you that I know if I find Rigel I’ll find you again, too, and I might want to find you again?”

Mari’s forehead scrunched. “No, that didn’t occur to me.”

“I thought we were becoming friends. I don’t put my friends in danger, or at least I try not to. I’d never lead the Tribe into your territory to try to find you.”

Mari fidgeted. “I believe you, Nik. Or I guess what I really believe is that you’re telling me the truth right now, but after you’re back with your own people, the truth could easily change.”

“I promise I will never do anything that would cause you and Rigel to be separated. No matter where I am or who I’m with I will keep that promise.”

“Even after you return and show everyone that your blight has been healed by a Scratcher woman?” Mari said.

“They’re called Earth Walkers, not Scratchers,” Nik said and grinned cheekily at her, then he sobered and added, “Mari, please share with me the recipe for the poultice and the tea you used to cure me. It would saves lives and drastically change my entire Tribe.”

“Absolutely, but only after all of the Earth Walkers you keep as slaves are released and your Tribe agrees never to hunt us again.”

“I can’t promise that I can make that happen. That’s something the Elders and the Sun Priest must decide.”

“Then I will keep the cure for the blight to myself. When you can make that promise to me or, better yet, when I see the captive Clanswomen returning to their burrows, then I’ll reconsider sharing with you and your Tribe,” Mari said. “So, say bye to Rigel inside because I’m not going to let him follow us.”

Nik was sitting in the chair by the desk. “Rigel, come here, little man.” Rigel looked at Mari, who nodded, and then he trotted to Nik. He bent, petting him and staring into the young canine’s eyes. “I’m so glad I found you alive and well. I never forgot you—I never will forget you. Take care of your girl. She seems to need a lot of care. And it would be nice if you bit Sora, just a little, for me.”

Nik hugged Rigel and ruffled his thick scruff. She could see that tears were tracking down Nik’s cheeks and she looked away while he wiped his eyes and collected himself.

“Okay, I’m ready.”

She went to him and wrapped the blindfold around his head, completely covering his eyes before she led him out of the burrow. She was pleased to see that he was able to walk by himself, though he leaned heavily on one of the walking sticks. Mari had told him to follow close behind her, reminding him about the brambles. With a hand resting on her shoulder, Nik limped slowly after her.

Once they were free of the bramble thicket, Mari put his arm around her shoulder, helping to take some of the weight from his injured leg. It was slow going, and they were both sweating and breathing heavily by the time they were far enough away from the burrow for Mari to turn Nik around and around, completely disorienting him, before taking off his blindfold.

He wiped the sweat from his face and blinked against the light. “Good, we’re not under the canopy yet. This will be easier out here.” Nik glanced up at the sky, and then turned so that he was facing the sun. “You should do this with me. You’ll probably need the energy to doctor the wounded girl. I can’t imagine you’ve been getting much sleep.”

“What am I doing with you?”

“Soaking up the power of the sun, of course,” Nik said. “Have you never done that?”

Mari moved her shoulders. “I’m not sure.”

“But you set the forest on fire with the power of the sun,” he said.

“I didn’t mean to,” Mari said. “Can you set the forest on fire?” she asked tentatively.

He laughed, and then grimaced at the pain in his back. “No. I can’t. Not many of the Tribe can actually call down sunfire. My father can. A few of the Elders can. But that’s it. If we had more time I could help you—show you how Father does it.”

“I wish we did, but we don’t have more time. Actually, we don’t haveanytime,” Mari said. “So, do what you need to do quickly. Your wounds are still too fresh for you to be safe, and if you get caught out in the forest after dark the swarm will find you quickly, and all of my healing will have been for nothing.”

“Okay, I hear you. This is all I need to do.” Nik tilted back his head and spread wide his arms. “Fill me, blessed Sun. Lend me your strength so that I can return safely to the Tribe.”

Entranced, Mari watched Nik’s eyes begin to change color, shifting from a deep, moss green to a shining amber that reminded her of Rigel. Then, starting on his palms, which were lifted and opened to the sunlight, a delicate and familiar pattern began to rise to the surface, glowing golden.

And suddenly Nik didn’t look like a wan, wounded stranger. He looked strong and tall, and surprisingly handsome. Disconcerted by the sudden change in her perception of him, Mari forced her gaze from Nik, glancing down at her bare arms where the same filigree pattern was beginning to glow.

“You do it, too, Mari! You, too!”

Feeling strangely shy, Mari couldn’t meet Nik’s eyes. “I don’t know how.”

“It’s the easiest thing ever. Just open your arms and accept the gift that is your right to claim through your blood.”

Tentatively, Mari opened her arms. They were glowing faintly, but nothing else happened, and she didn’t feel anything except the warmth of the sun.