Sixteen Moons | Shelha Series 3 | ✔

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"Her clothing?"

"Rags. The Orion scouts can't even tell what it's made of, let alone what village it's from."

"Will she be—"

"Could all those who aren't healers please leave!"

Brush herded the room clear. Creatures coagulated outside as he shut the door.

On the tree-cave's other side, Nova's head healer Lapwing was washing the Watermouse's wrists with a gentleness that belied her fierce reputation. The creature was leaned against a pillow, her eyes fixed on something past the opposite wall. She had said and done nothing since the incident in the forest.

Brush joined Lapwing by the bed. "Anything?"

"Not a twitch. There's severe trauma to her ankles and wrists, and evidence that she was subjected to a collar and chain in the past. Multiple whiplashes, and two kinds of bite scar... here. Tell me what you think."

Brush's delicate fingers parted the fur where Lapwing indicated. "Looks like Coppertail. Leslander? And I don't know the other one."

"Neither do I."

Brush flicked his tail at the Watermouse's broken ankles. Lapwing handed him the splints and moved aside.

Sethral put her head down. The healers had wanted her in the room to compare any new behaviours to those she had already seen, but both Brush and Lapwing had since confirmed the Watermouse's vegetative state.

Lapwing's assistant, Fern, jumped as someone tapped on the door. Talin stuck his head in when she opened it. He beckoned to Sethral, who joined him outside. He sighed when he saw her expression.

They found an isolated platform. Sethral sat down to keep herself from stamping like a child. "You've been hiding things. I found a collar scar on Ryatzi last night, and I think you know why he's been acting so nervous."

"A collar scar? I figured as much. And was he okay when you touched it?"

"He was fast asleep. Talin, is Radar in the Lowlands again?"

Talin put his face in his claws.

"I'm a freaking renegade," said Sethral. "I need to know these things."

"Sethral."

Sethral shut her mouth, tears pricking her eyes. She hated having an enemy she had never seen, and she hated even more having an enemy that made it dangerous for her to speak in her own home territory.

"We couldn't tell you until we were sure," said Talin. "You're the first creature besides the leaders and deputies to hear about it. How has Ryatzi been?"

"He's starting to not talk to me again when I ask him what's wrong."

"So getting worse?"

"Well, he was already uneasy when he got here. How long has Radar been back?"

"Orion's patrols got wind of the first disappearances shortly after Ryatzi arrived. If he was already on edge then, though, I imagine it's been longer."

"Who's been disappearing?"

Talin shook his head. "Rivrit and Watermice. Fit creatures. Strong ones. Skilled healers, craftscreatures, foragers..."

"So they're probably going to Winter."

The fact that nobody had seen Winter since she had been taken by a Draygon fifteen moons before hadn't convinced anyone in PAON that she was gone. Sethral was glad she had never had to fight her clan on that.