Page 152 of Moon Chosen

Nik’s smile was gone. He skewered Thaddeus with a sharp, honest gaze. “The Earth Walkers saved my life. I think to repay that with insult is wrong.”

“But why would they save you?” Cyril spoke quickly before Thaddeus could monopolize the conversation.

“That was one of the first questions I asked the two women,” Nik said. “And the truth is one of them wanted to slit my throat and leave me floating with the river trash where they’d found me.”

“If that is the truth, why didn’t they?” said Rebecca, another of the Elders, who was studying Nik carefully.

“The other Healer, Mari is her name, wouldn’t allow it. Luckily for me, Mari was in charge. She said to kill me would make them as inhumane as the people who make up the Tribe of the Trees.”

The outcry that followed Nik’s words was so great that other members of the Tribe started poking their heads out of nearby nests.

Sol lifted his hands, motioning for silence. “Nikolas simply repeats the words he was told. Shouting will not change the experience. I say we listen to Nik and learn from what has happened to him.”

“You were actually in a Scratcher burrow this past week?” Rebecca asked.

“Earth Walker burrow, and yes, that is where I have been.”

“What was it like?” called one of the young women from the back of the group.

“Are you saying they were actually taking care of themselves?” said someone else from the gatherers.

Nik looked through the growing crowd until he saw who had asked the first question, and addressed her directly when he answered. “Evelyn, the burrow was comfortable and clean, as well as beautiful in a unique way. As to the second question—yes, they were most definitely taking care of themselves, and me as well.”

“Yeah, and your answers prove how delirious you had to have been,” Thaddeus quipped. “Well, at least Nik knows where the burrow is. A Healer or two will be a nice addition to the Farm. Maybe they can keep the other Scratchers from dropping dead so often.”

“I don’t know where the burrow is. The women blindfolded me, but even if I did know, I wouldn’t lead you to them,” Nik said.

“Are you no longer part of the Tribe of the Trees? Are you now anEarth Walker?” Thaddeus asked the question as if he was concerned for Nik’s answer, but his eyes were shining with a shallow, mean victory light and his words were laced with anger.

Nik ignored Thaddeus, turning to Cyril instead. “Those two women saved my life, and all the Earth Walkers asked in return was for me to share my story with the Tribe. So, this is what you should know—the Earth Walkers we keep captive here seem unable to care for themselves, are filled with melancholy, and die early because being caged is deadly to them. Out there, in the wild, they are very different. They are not morbidly depressed. They have families they love. They value loyalty and their Healers. They have an amazing understanding of herbs and how to use them to heal. They appreciate art. They’re smart and interesting. They are as human as are we.

“And that’s the story they wanted me to bring to the Tribe. Now, you’ll have to excuse me. I need to visit my cousin in the infirmary.” Nik hugged his father and then pushed his way through the swiftly forming crowd, bumping Thaddeus with his shoulder. He had to suck in a painful breath as it felt as if he’d run into a stone wall.

“Watch yourself.” Thaddeus’s voice was low and mean. “There’s more to some of us than what can be seen.”

“Obviously, as you somehow managed to escape from a gang of Skin Stealers with the only wounds being sustained by your canine,” Nik said in an equally low voice. Then he turned his back to Thaddeus and walked away.

As he passed the Mercenary where he sat on a carved wooden bench, Nik nodded a greeting to the man. The Mercenary nodded slightly in return, his face as inscrutable as the still, yellow-eyed Lynx at his side.

Behind him the voices of the Tribe, raised in passionate discussion with his father, began to fade, eventually mixing indistinguishably with the susurrus of the night wind through the mighty pines.

“Well,” Nik said to himself. “There’s no going back from that.” And even though he was on his way to see his best friend who was dying, Nik felt as if a great burden had been lifted from his life.

***

The infirmary was a series of simple nests built in a circular fashion and connected by a bridge system that was wide and sturdy enough that the ill and infirm could be easily transported to and from them, even if it meant being carried on a litter. The infirmary was used for humans and canines, with no differentiation between the two, as both were of equal importance, which is why Nik saw Sheena before he found O’Bryan. He’d entered the first nest, meaning to ask the Healer on duty where he could find his cousin, to find the nest empty except for Sheena and Captain.

She’d been humming what Nik recognized as an old lullaby as she gently groomed her big Shepherd, who was lying on his side, front right leg swathed in a massive splint and bandage. Sheena looked up when he entered the nest, and her body went completely still. All color drained from her face.

Nik tried to smile, but was overwhelmed by memories of Crystal—her exuberance on the foraging trip—her kindness and humor—her love for Sheena—and, lastly, the ghastly way she had clutched Grace’s dead body as she had begged him to end her life.

“Nik? Is it really you, or did Captain and I finally die, too?”

“It’s me. And no one else is going to die.” Nik went to her and knelt next to her, locking his gaze with hers. “Can you forgive me?”

Tears filled Sheena’s eyes, but she didn’t look away from him. “Forgiveness is not needed. You did the right thing. Had we listened to you, my Crystal would be here and we would be getting ready for a new litter of puppies.” The tears overflowed, tracking down Sheena’s wan cheeks. Captain stirred restlessly then, and his Companion automatically stroked him, murmuring soothingly. When he’d quieted, Sheena motioned for Nik to follow her to the other side of the nest. “Captain hasn’t been able to sleep, so they drugged him.” Sheena kept her voice low, trying not to wake her canine. “They drugged me, too, but that’s not working so well. Every time I close my eyes I see her pull her knife from her belt and jump into that cesspool after Grace.” A tremor went through her body. “I can’t stop seeing it, and I can’t sleep.”

“She smiled at me right before I shot her.” Nik’s voice shook and he had to force himself to keep meeting Sheena’s tortured gaze. “She was holding Grace. She looked up at me—smiled, nodded, and then when it was done, she and Grace disappeared under the water together.”