Earth called, p.23
Earth Called, page 23
“Exactly,” said River grimly.
Dawn saluted her daughter by fisting her hand over her heart. “Lead Mare Rider, I ask that Echo and I be allowed to lead those Riders.”
River’s stomach felt hollow. “Mother, are you sure? It is most likely that Clayton and his Herd will have to be put down. Even done stealthily with merciful quickness it will be a horrendous thing to witness.”
“I know that, but I would ask to be there. I will pray to the Great Mother Mare for their souls and, should any linger, I will be there to provide comfort as they transition from this world to the next.”
River blew out a long breath. She wanted to save her mother from something so heartbreaking and horrible, but River could easily see the logic—and the compassion—in allowing this spectacular Rider and her mare to oversee the gruesome death sentence. I cannot treat my mother with bias. “You have my permission to lead the team to Clayton.”
“Thank you.” Dawn bowed respectfully to her. “I have one more favor to ask.”
“If I can grant it, I will,” said River.
“Rand showed Skye and Scout, Anjo and me, the respect we deserved. He treated us with kindness and care. He admitted he made a terrible mistake in following Clayton, and the only reason he remained behind is because he desperately wants to change Clayton’s mind. I ask that you allow me to show him mercy.”
“Granted. The death sentence is lifted from Rand and his Merlin. I do not know if Herd Cinnabar will accept him back, so I can only speak for Magenti, but if he returns with you and fights honorably against Death then I will allow him to wear the purple,” said River.
“And what of the others?” Dove asked. “What if they ask for mercy?”
River turned to Dawn. “Mother? What are your thoughts on that?”
“My thoughts are sad, but resigned, my daughter. I spoke to the entire Herd. The others had the opportunity to come to me—or to simply show me the respect I am due as a Lead Mare Rider. None did. Not even when Clayton and those closest to him slipped away before sunrise on the morning we left. Rand was the only Rider to show remorse.”
Mari spoke softly. “Clayton has poisoned them as surely as Death poisoned so many members of the Tribe of the Trees. I saw what that kind of hatred and arrogance can do. It destroys.”
Dove nodded. “And it is contagious.”
“We cannot fight ourselves and Death’s army,” said River. “Rand and Merlin may be granted mercy. The others need to be put down swiftly and as painlessly as possible. Use arrows tipped in Flyer poison. That is the only mercy they deserve. It is agreed?”
“It is agreed,” said Morgana.
“Then it has been said,” River finished. She looked from Mari to Sora. “I want you to know how rare it is that a Lead Mare Rider passes a sentence of death on Herdmembers. We are peaceful people. We honor life. It sickens me that Clayton has forced us into this position.”
“We understand,” said Mari. “Nik has told me that even his father, who was Sun Priest of the Tribe of the Trees, looked away and allowed anger and entitlement to flourish and spread—which, ultimately, brought about their destruction.”
“What you are doing is going to make sure that doesn’t happen to the Wind Riders,” said Sora.
Morgana’s aged voice was filled with sadness. “I have lived longer than any other Council Member, and during my life there has never been a death sentence like this passed. River is correct to be sickened. It should sicken us all. Our Herds are led by wisdom and compassion and tradition that have allowed us to prosper for more than five centuries. Let us all work to be sure Clayton’s sedition never happens again.”
“From your lips to the ears of the Great Mother Mare,” said April.
“For my part I will work to be sure no Stallion Rider ever feels unheard again,” said River. “That is my pledge. Now, we must get the Herd moving. April, would you see to that?”
“Of course.” April’s Deinos took a knee so her Rider could mount, and then she galloped back to where the Herd waited.
“I will rejoin the Herd as well,” said Morgana. “My soul feels heavy, and I need to be surrounded by Magenti.”
“We will return with you, Morgana,” said Dawn.
Morgana nodded and then stiffly Ramoth knelt, and River moved quickly to aid the old woman astride. River patted the mare’s soft side before Ramoth turned and, much more slowly, with Dawn and Echo beside them, they followed April and Deinos.
“River, is there anything Sora and I can do to help you?” Mari asked.
River brushed a braided strand of long dark hair from her face. “There is. I know yesterday was a Third Night, but I would ask that tonight you draw down the moon and Wash my mother. I know she does not look it, but what she has done—and most likely will do—causes her terrible grief. Can your moon magick help ease that?”
“It cannot ease grief, but it can fill her with strength,” said Mari.
“And we can also Wash Echo. It will help her be strong for her Rider,” Sora added.
“Thank you, my new friends.” River’s smile did not reach her sad, dark eyes.
Quietly, Mari and Sora—with Rigel and little Chloe by their sides—headed back to the Herd. Which left River and Anjo alone with Dove and Tulpar. Without speaking, Dove slid from her stallion’s golden back and closed the few steps that separated her from River.
“I know I had to do it—to agree to carry out the death sentence on Clayton and his followers—but I hate it. If there was a way I could change it without putting the rest of us in danger, I would gladly rescind the order and—and just let whatever is going to happen to Clayton happen to him.” River’s shoulders bowed and she stared woodenly at the distant line of horses and people who waited for her return to continue their journey.
Dove reached out and found River’s shoulder. She slid her hand down her arm until she could press her palm to River’s and weave their fingers together. “One mean, selfish man enabled Death to swallow the Tribe of the Trees. You gave Clayton a choice. It is not your fault that he is too blinded by his own desires to choose wisely. What you are doing is ensuring what happened to the Tribe does not happen to our Herd.”
“Do you think I will be damned for this?” River whispered. “Will the Great Mother Mare reject me?”
Before Dove could answer, Anjo was there, pressing her muzzle to her Rider’s face and sending waves of love to her. Then Tulpar was there on the other side of River. He stood close to her and nuzzled her gently, nickering soft reassurance.
“I cannot speak for the Great Mother Mare, but I believe She could very well be the same deity as the Goddess of Life, Who does speak through me. And I can say that I feel strongly that the Goddess loves you and absolutely will not damn you for doing everything you can to save the Wind Riders from Death,” said Dove.
“Do you promise?” River’s voice trembled.
“I will never lie to you, my River.” And then gently she pulled River into her arms so that the Lead Mare Rider could sob her grief into Dove’s shoulder while their Companions supported and loved them both.
CHAPTER 20
That night Mari and Sora held an intimate Washing ceremony, calling down the moon to empower Dawn and Echo. They decided to include Skye and Scout as well because Mari had noticed that Skye appeared so frail it seemed she might have been on the verge of tumbling from Scout before River called a halt for the night.
Mari had just settled down beside Nik, Sora, and O’Bryan with a haunch of rabbit and a steaming bowl of something delicious April had told her was baked prairie turnips when River and Dove suddenly appeared. Dove’s hand was wrapped intimately through River’s arm. Sora’s foot quickly tapped Mari’s. Their eyes met, and Sora waggled her brows knowingly, which had Mari looking with new eyes at the pair. Huh, there’s definitely something going on between River and Dove.
“I hope I’m not interrupting your dinner,” River said.
“Of course not,” Mari said. “Join us. There’s plenty.”
“We ate while you were Washing Dawn and Echo, Skye and Scout,” said Dove. Then she smiled. “But I will be glad when we have reached the Valley of Vapors so that Sora is able to bake her cloud-like bread again.”
“We will all be happy about that,” said Nik as he grinned at Sora.
Mari noticed Dove seemed much more at ease than River—who looked thin and tired. “River, be sure you present yourself for Washing tomorrow. I have not led this many people, but even our small Pack can be exhausting, and that’s during the best of times.”
“Hey, we try not to be too awful,” O’Bryan said playfully.
“I think ‘try’ is the key word there, Cuz,” Nik joked back.
River nodded. “Third Night is tomorrow, is that correct?”
“It is,” Sora said.
“I will remember to present myself and Anjo. Thank you.” Then River cleared her throat before continuing. “Mari, Sora, Dove tells me that your people are exceptional shots with the crossbow, and that some of you—like Nik—are even expert archers.”
“Dove is correct, right, Nik?” Mari said.
“The Tribe of the Trees long prided themselves on accuracy with crossbows,” said Nik.
“And my cousin here is the best of the best,” added O’Bryan.
“Then I have a difficult request. It is something I wish I did not have to ask of you, and please know I would not ask it if I did not believe it was completely necessary,” said River. “You all know that the Rider, Clayton, who attempted to kill Tulpar and me during the Stallion Run has been sentenced to death, along with his followers, if they do not join us to fight Death and His army.”
Somberly, Sora nodded. “Yes, we all know.”
“It seems most likely that Clayton will not choose to join us,” said River.
Dove spoke grimly. “Which means Clayton and his followers must be put to death, or we risk a repeat of what happened with Thaddeus and the Tribe of the Trees.”
Nik nodded somberly. “You cannot allow Death to use Clayton or his people to spread disease and hatred as Death did with Thaddeus and my old tribe. Your sentence is wise and just.”
Mari realized then why River had come to them. “You want Nik to go with the Riders to carry out the death sentence. You’re worried what will happen to your people if they kill fellow Riders.”
“Yes, Mari. I am afraid the Herdmembers will not recover from such a thing. I am sorry to ask it of you, but none of your people know these Riders. It is my hope that it will not devastate them the way it would those who grew up with Clayton and his followers. So I came to you to humbly ask that the best archer you have join my Riders. The sentence will be carried out quickly and as mercifully as possible. My plan is to dip arrows in Flyer poison; it works swiftly. Flyer poison first paralyzes and then stops the heart, so that an expert archer could be effective without having to get close. So, yes, if Nik is the best I would ask that he join the Riders and put down Clayton before the God of Death takes control of him and his Herd,” said River. “With Mari’s permission, of course.”
“You have my permission, but whether Nik goes or not is solely his decision,” said Mari.
“River, I believe you are being wise,” said Nik. “When he was a young man, my father was tasked to carry out a death sentence on a Tribesman and his Companion. It haunted him for his entire life.” Mari reached over and covered Nik’s hand with her own, lending him the support of her touch, her understanding, her forgiveness. Nik held her hand tightly as he continued. “I will gladly help you, but will I not slow your Riders down? I know from what I have learned from your Herd already that a horse being ridden double is much slower than those with one Rider.” At his side, Laru whined pitifully. Nik automatically reached out and stroked the big Shepherd. “And as fast and strong as Laru is, he is no match for your horses. He could not keep up.”
River frowned and pushed her hair back from her face. “You have seen the small, light carts that can be easily pulled by one horse?”
“Yes, but there isn’t room in one of those for a driver, me, and my Laru,” said Nik.
“That is true. There is no room for your big, beautiful Laru, and I must be honest with you. It is very likely that you would be parted from him for a week or more,” said River.
Mari could feel the waves of anxiety radiating from Laru. He’d stopped whining, but he was staring up at Nik as if he was drowning and his Companion held his only lifeline. She spoke quickly. “River, normally it would only be uncomfortable for one of us to be separated from our Companion for that amount of time, but Nik and Laru are different. You already know that Laru was Nik’s father’s Companion and that he Chose Nik at Sol’s death. They have been parted only once since Laru’s Choosing, and during that time Nik came very close to dying.” Mari’s gaze went to Laru, who met her eyes and flooded her with fear and dread. “Yes, sweet boy, I know. I’m telling River now.” She turned her gaze from Laru to River. “I do not believe Laru can bear to be parted from Nik again.”
“River, I want to help you, but I’m afraid even if Laru could bear it I cannot guarantee that my worry for him wouldn’t affect my aim,” said Nik as he continued to stroke Laru. Then Nik sat up straighter and smiled. “But I do have a solution for you.” He reached across Laru and slapped his cousin’s shoulder. “My cousin has no Companion—yet—and his aim is second only to mine.”
“Cuz!” O’Bryan blinked in surprise. “My aim isn’t as good as yours.”
“I said second only to me.”
“But what of Wilkes? Or Sheena? They’re actual Warriors,” O’Bryan said.
“You’re an actual Warrior,” Sora said.
O’Bryan shook his head. “No, to be a Warrior I have to be Chosen by a Shepherd.”
“No,” Mari said emphatically. “Those were the rules of the Tribe of the Trees—not our Pack. You have proven yourself to be as much a Warrior as Wilkes or Sheena or Nik.”
“And I’ve been watching you,” said Nik. “You rarely miss.”
“You bring me more game than Davis or Rose, and their Companions are Hunters,” said Sora.
“Well. Huh.” O’Bryan looked up at River. “I will join you and carry out your death sentence, but someone must spend extra time with Cubby while I’m gone.”
“Chloe and I will take care of your Cubby,” Sora said, and Chloe yipped in sleepy agreement from where she was curled up on Sora’s feet.
“It is a gruesome thing I ask of you,” said River. “But I do thank you.”
O’Bryan nodded. “I hate even the thought of killing Riders and their incredible Companions, but what would be more tragic is to allow Clayton and his people to be used by Death. I lost an entire Tribe because Thaddeus wasn’t stopped before Death could manipulate him. I cannot imagine the Wind Rider Plains poisoned by His sickness and destroyed as He did the Tribe of the Trees. I will go with your Riders and do what must be done.” He turned to Mari. “I only ask that when I’m back you and Sora Wash me, whether it’s a Third Night or not. I hope that will help to take some of the sadness from my spirit.”
“Of course,” said Mari.
“We will willingly Wash you every night until your spirit recovers,” added Sora.
“Then I will be ready to leave when your Riders are,” O’Bryan told River.
“Thank you. As soon as you break your fast after first light, Tulpar will come for you,” said River.
“He’s going to draw the cart?” O’Bryan looked from River to Dove.
“Oh, no,” said Dove. “Tulpar must remain with Herd Magenti. He is in charge of getting us safely to the Valley of Vapors, but he has carefully chosen the Riders who will go with you on your journey.”
“I will be ready in the morning.” O’Bryan wiped his hands on his pants and stood. “But now I need to be with my Cubby.”
“I’ll go with you.” Sora picked up sleepy Chloe and kissed her nose. “If Chloe and I are going to take care of Cubby while you’re gone, I’d like to see him now and get to know him a little better while you’re still here”
“I would appreciate that,” said O’Bryan.
Formally, with great respect, River fisted her hand over her heart and bowed to O’Bryan. “I will not forget this great and terrible deed you do for us. Our Herd will never forget.”
O’Bryan turned to Mari. “Would you come with Sora and me to see my Cubby? I know you can hear Companions who are not yours, and I would like you to try to speak with Cub and tell him why I will be gone.”
“Of course.” Mari patted Rigel on his head. Stay here with Laru. He still feels worried.
Rigel flooded her with warmth. Tail wagging with energetic enthusiasm, Rigel trotted to his sire and licked his face before he lay close beside him. Mari smiled at her young Companion and blew him a grateful kiss before she followed O’Bryan from their little group.
* * *
A ball of furry blond enthusiasm trotted out from the snug travel tent that held Davis, Claudia, their Companions, and the litter of pups—plus one very young wolverine baby.
“Cammyman! It’s good to see you.” Mari knelt and petted the sweet Terrier as he huffed and jumped up to greet her with very wet kisses.
“Oh, Cammy, I forget how happy you make everyone around you.” Sora bent and kissed the little Terrier’s blond head. Chloe yipped insistently and Sora put her down so that she, too, could greet Cammy. “I should come see you more often.”
“Cammy, are you bothering—” Davis began as he ducked out of the tent; then he grinned at his visitors. “Never mind! Looks like you’re greeting guests instead of bothering Riders.”
“Cammy bothers Riders?” Mari shook her head as she petted the happy Terrier. “I can’t imagine that.”
“Well, he is a little obsessed with horses.” Davis smiled warmly at his Terrier. “He’s decided the way to get close to them is to make every Rider in Herd Magenti fall in love with him. I assumed he was out here loudly wooing a Rider who got too close to our tent.”
“Sounds like Cammy has a plan,” said O’Bryan. “A wise plan.”
