Page 167 of Sun Warrior

“She was there. In the middle of that blackened mess,” Davis said, pointing.

Wilkes shook his head. “I don’t know what happened here. It was like that when we got here.”

“The Tribe has been infected with the Skin Stealer disease,” Claudia began as Davis helped her to sit beside Wilkes while Laru and Cammy curled up next to the two Shepherds. “We don’t know how. All we know is that Thaddeus had something to do with it, or at the very least heknows some kind of cure, which he’s not sharing with anyone except his handpicked minions.”

“Thaddeus isn’t sick, too?” Davis asked.

“No. But he’s changed. Has been since he got back from our foraging mission,” Wilkes gasped between breaths. “But it’s worse now than ever. Odysseus died.”

Nik felt a jolt of shock. “Wait, how? Not from that dagger wound?”

“Yes. It festered. Got infected. And Thaddeus has gone completely mad. He talks to Odysseus as if he’s still beside him,” Claudia said. “And what he says is crazy.”

“We had to leave. Had to find you and Mari.”

“Where are the other Warriors?” Nik asked.

When Wilkes didn’t answer, Claudia spoke for him. “They turned from Wilkes. All of them. All except me.”

“What the hell are you talking about? How couldanyonechoose Thaddeus to lead over Wilkes? He’s a bully—a terrible leader who threatens and blusters demanding respect instead of earning it. I know! He was my sunfire-be-damned mentor and I hated every moment of it.” Davis sounded incredulous.

Wilkes shook his head sadly. “The people who are following him—they’re all angry, too.”

“Or they believe Thaddeus—that the only way we’re going to survive, going to, in his words,make our Tribe great again,is to do exactly what he demands—track down Mari, drag her back to the Tribe, and force her to heal everyone,” Claudia said, coughing wetly and looking disgusted.

“They’d have to kill me first,” Nik said darkly.

“That’s Thaddeus’s plan,” Wilkes said.

“But Cyril and the Council couldn’t be in agreement with him,” Davis said.

“There is no more Council. They’re all dead,” Wilkes said.

“All of them were killed in the fire except Cyril. Thaddeus killed him,” Claudia said.

“Has the Tribe gone completely mad, too? How could they allow Thaddeus to kill Cyril?” Nik said.

“They don’t know Thaddeus killed him,” Claudia explained. “They think he died in the fire, too. But I heard him talking to Odysseus, even though his Terrier was dead—boastingabout ending Cyril’s life.” Claudia wiped her arm across her sweaty forehead. “You wouldn’t recognize the Tribe, Nik. More than half were killed in the fire, with another five hundred or so more wounded. Then this disease—this terrible sickness—struck us. We escaped at dusk last night, and it had already killed more than half of the wounded.”

“With the Warriors turning from me, Thaddeus and his thugs have taken over,” Wilkes said.

“It makes no sense,” Davis said. “I don’t understand how our people could allow this to happen. Most Companions don’t evenlikeThaddeus, let alone trust or respect him.”

“He’s stronger than everyone else,” Wilkes said. “Especially after the sickness hit us. Anyone who would have stood up to him either became too ill or is so filled with frustration and anger that they’re ready to do anything Thaddeus wants them to do—all in the name of making the Tribe great again.”

“So, we left,” Claudia said. “We came to warn you and Mari. This thing—this disease—it has something to do with Skin Stealers. That’s something else I overheard Thaddeus saying. He also said he knows a cure, but it sounded like it’s not a complete cure—it’s more like a change. And it has something to do with flesh and the canine Companions. I couldn’t figure out exactly what he was talking about, but it sounded disturbingly like the Skin Stealers and their need to fillet flesh from people and merge it with their own.” Claudia paused to cough, and her whole body shuddered. Finally she finished, “I don’t know if Mari can cure us, even if she agrees to help us, but Wilkes and I had to try to find her—find you—and warn you before it’s too late. Don’t go back there. You can’t go back to the Tribe. Not like it is now. Thaddeus will kill you.”

“We know this disease,” Nik said. “It’s affected the Earth Walkers, too. And, you’re right, there is more to it than an infection. If we’re correct, and you’ll have to discuss it with Mari, but from what you’re telling me it seems as if we are, thecureThaddeus has taken has more to do with mutating the infection than actually getting rid of it.”

“You were right to get away. Right to warn us,” Davis said. “And Mari can cure you.”

“But will she?” Wilkes asked.

“Not if you try to drag her back to the Tribe,” Nik said. “And if you plan on trying that, you’re going to have to go through me and an entire Pack of people, canines, and one very tough feline who will fight to protect her.”

“Not that she needs our protection. She’s fierce all on her own,” Davis added.

Wilkes shook his head. “We’re not capable of forcing anyone to do anything.”