Page 58 of Sun Warrior

Below in the clearing bisected by the nourishing stream, Sora had assembled what was left of the Clan and, bizarrely, the refugees from the Tribe of the Trees. As the Clanswomen raised their voices inharmonious sound that mixed beautifully with drums and flutes—not yet making any distinguishable words but instead creating a magical blending of melody and music, Mari saw that the two wounded girls, Sarah and Lydia, were reclining on pallets, with Rose sitting beside them. Fala and her pups slept nearby. Mari searched quickly for O’Bryan and Sheena. The female Companion was easy to find, as her big Shepherd was a fixture by her side. Mari saw that she was carrying a torch and holding a long, dangerous-looking knife as she walked the perimeter campfires set up in a rough circle around the site, her sharp eyes focused outside the circle of light at the dark, quiet forest. Then Mari noticed O’Bryan was doing the same thing—minus a Shepherd Companion, of course. He carried a torch and Mari saw firelight glint off the equally dangerous-looking knife he carried.

“Wow, looks like a party’s going on down there,” Nik said.

“They’re drinking something. Do you think it’s mead?” Davis asked.

Before Mari could say she hoped so, the tempo of the wordless song changed, became more rhythmic, more familiar. Mari’s breath hitched, and Sora stepped to the middle of the circle, standing before the center bonfire. Mari thought she truly looked the part of a Moon Woman. Her skin still glistened with the silver sheen that lingered after she’d Washed the Clan, making her appear as if she was a fairy come alive from one of her mama’s ancient stories. Sora’s thick, dark hair fell loose, reaching to the curve of her supple waist. She’d braided parts of it with flowers and feathers and vines, shells and beads. She was wearing a tunic top that was undecorated except for simple embroidery, but it was all she was wearing and her naked legs and feet were lovely and drew attention to the graceful way she moved.

Sora raised her arms, as if to embrace the night, and the music went silent. Then, in a clear, strong voice, she called, “Some would say we haven’t much to celebrate, but I disagree. We have the return of our Clanswomen, many of whom haven’t taken a free breath for years. We have made new friends, opening our burrows and our Clan to aid them. Some Clanswomen who have chosen to go their own way—the old way—say that we should reject all Companions and let them live or dieby their own means. I thought like that before—before your other Moon Woman, Mari, showed me a different way. A way filled with compassion and understanding, like the Great Earth Mother herself. Aren’t we all, at one time or another in our lives, refugees—whether from our families, who may want us to choose a different path than we desire to walk, or from a discarded mate who disappoints us, or even from a new Clan, if our life skills take us to live in a stranger’s burrow?”

The Clanswomen murmured agreement, several of them nodding their heads.

“And now two Companions walk the perimeter of our Gathering, watching for danger, keeping us safe.”

More murmuring came from the Clanswomen, and Mari was pleased to note that they seemed to be in accord with Sora.

From beside her, Antreas said, “Who is that woman?”

“That’s Sora—the other Moon Woman Mari talks about,” Nik answered for her.

“She’s magnificent,” Antreas said.

Mari gave him a sharp look. A quick movement from the corner of her eye had her noticing that Bast was doing the same. Then Mari’s attention was pulled back to the scene below them as Jenna and Danita joined the Gathering. They rushed to Sora, bowing respectfully before her. When they finished greeting her, they whispered excitedly to the Moon Woman, pointing to where Mari stood, surrounded by Companions and their life-bonded animals.

Mari held her breath. As one, the Clan turned to stare up at her.

Mari’s first desire was to duck and hide. She’d spent her life keeping the secret of who she truly was, and that was a hard habit to break, even though all of the Clan gathered below already knew the secret. But their eyes felt hard and judgmental—as if Mari hadn’t just been stripped of the physical disguise that had kept her identity secret, her matted, dyed hair, her dirtied skin, her thickened features—but she’d also been stripped of her emotional defenses and was standing there alone and naked before them all.

Then Rigel’s warm body pressed against her side. He was staring upat her with a doggy grin, wagging his tail and beaming such love and pride for her that the frantic thoughts that were creating negative stories within her imagination began to quiet.

“Mari! Moon Woman, join us!” Sora called joyously.

“It’s Mari! Mari’s back!” Mari recognized Isabel’s voice, and then several other women took up the call.

“Your people want you, Moon Woman. Lead, and we will follow,” Nik said, bowing low and respectfully to her—and in full view of the Clan. Davis and Antreas did the same, and Mari was shocked and amused to see Rigel, Laru, and even Bast bow their heads and take to their knees before her.

Mari lifted her chin and breathed a small, silent, heartfelt prayer to her mother:Mama, help me be the Moon Woman you always believed I could be.And then, with Rigel walking proudly at her side and Nik and Laru, Davis and Cammy, Antreas and Bast flanking her, Mari joined the first Gathering she had ever attendedas her true self.

She stopped in front of Sora and began the traditional greeting to a Moon Woman, head bowed, arms spread low, palms up and open, but Sora caught her in a hug, saying, “I’m so glad you’re back! I was worried when the sun set. Goddess, I hate to think about what could be crawling out there tonight.”

Mari hugged her friend back, struggling to contain her emotions. There was no jealousy in Sora’s expression or her voice, only honest concern and relief.How much we’ve changed!Mari thought.Just a few weeks ago I thought Sora was a selfish bitch and she thought I was a sickly, good-for-nothing brat. And now I wouldn’t want to even imagine my life without her as my friend.

Mari gave Sora one more squeeze, then turned to stand beside her friend and fellow Moon Woman, facing Nik, the Companions, and her Clan.

“Blessed Beltane!” she said, hearing the echo of her mother’s voice in her own as the answering call from the Clan lifted around them in the circle.

“Beltane Blessings to you, Moon Woman!”

“I want to introduce my friends to you. This is Nik, and his Companion, the Shepherd Laru, who is my Rigel’s sire.” Nik dipped his head to the gathered Clan and Laru looked dignified, even as he eyed the Gathered Clan with curiosity. “This is Davis, and his Companion, the Terrier Cameron.” Davis was nodding to the Clan as Nik had when Cameron yipped and jumped against Mari’s leg, making her laugh and add, “Well, his name is Cameron, but everyone calls him Cammy.”

“Unless he’s in trouble; then I call himCam-er-on!” Davis added, emphasizing the three syllables, which made a few Clanswomen standing closest to them laugh and then cover their mouths as if they were shocked a Companion would make a joke.

“And this is Antreas. He isn’t part of the Tribe of the Trees. He’s from the mountains far east of here. His Companion is the Lynx Bast.”

Antreas waved at the Clan while Bast padded the few feet to Danita to sit beside the girl and groom herself.

Antreas gave an exaggerated sigh. “It seems one of your Clan has already won over my Lynx. Does that make me an honorary member?” He slanted a look at Mari.

“Almost,” Mari said, laughing as Danita stroked the feline attached to her side.