Page 76 of Moon Chosen

“To the left here, and then we go down five paces, turn right, up five paces, and we’re at the mouth of the burrow,” Mari said.

“Finally! I’m exhausted and starving,” Sora said. Then she almost bumped into Mari as she stared, openmouthed, at the entry of the burrow. Sora moved around Mari, careful not to let any of the thorns snag her, and approached the carving of the Goddess that seemed to hold up the thick wooden door. Reverently, she touched the image, reminding Mari for the space of a heartbeat, of Leda.

“She’s so beautiful.” Sora’s voice was hushed. “Who created her?”

“The mother of my mother’s mother. She was an artist,” Mari said.

“It would make me very happy if the Earth Mother protected my burrow, too,” Sora said. She looked over her shoulder at Mari. “Can you do this?”

Mari blinked in surprise at the question. “I don’t know. I’ve never tried. I, um. I draw things.”

Sora turned to face her. “Then you’re an artist, too?”

“Yes. I suppose I am.”

“Why didn’t anyone in the Clan know that?” Sora asked.

“Jenna did.”

“Jenna’s a child. Why didn’t anyone who was important know?”

“Mama knew. No one was more important than her,” Mari said.

Sora looked at her for a long moment without speaking. Finally, she said, “The two of you kept many secrets.”

“Because we had to,” Mari said.

“I know the Law, but do you really believe two Moon Women would have been banished and shunned, especially for something that happened so long ago?”

“Leda didn’t want to take the chance that I would be the one sent away from the Clan,” Mari said.

“Leda was our only Moon Woman. She wouldn’t have been shunned,” Sora said matter-of-factly. “And had you shown that you were valuable to the Clan, you probably wouldn’t have been shunned either.” She paused and her gaze flicked to Rigel. “I can’t say the same for him.”

Mari lifted her chin. “The secrets Mama kept were to protect me. I’ll protect Rigel the same way.”

“How long are you going to carry him to and from your burrow?”

“As long as he breathes,” Mari said without hesitation.

“And how much bigger is he going to get?”

“I don’t know, but that doesn’t matter. I’ll still carry him.”

Sora shook her head sadly. “You’ve chosen a hard life, Mari.”

“I didn’t choose it. I was born to it.” Mari pushed past Sora. “Come in and I’ll show you where you’ll be sleeping for the short amount of time you’ll be here. Oh, and you can leave that fern outside the door.”

“I don’t understand why you made me carry that thing all the way here.”

“You will,” Mari said tiredly. “Now, pretend to be a good apprentice and come in here so we can eat and get this evening over with.”

“You’re not a very nice mentor,” Sora said with a whine that grated on Mari’s nerves. Mari glanced down at Rigel, who looked up at her. They sighed in tandem, and she whispered to her pup, “Not surprising since I never planned on being a mentor at all…”

***

“Your burrow is lovelyandclean. I can’t believe you drew these. They are so good!”

Mari scowled at Sora. “The way you say it doesn’t make it a compliment.”