Hayden shifted in his chair as they sat around the war table discussing the attack. No one had been taken, though it was unclear if any of the raiders had escaped. Discussion now centered around identifying the attacking territory and retaliation.
"It was a mixture of species! Where did they come from?" a captain asked.
"Mercenaries? Why would they want younglings? Females, I can understand, but are they training them young now?" another asked.
The conversation went around in circles again and Hayden pinched the bridge of his nose controlling a sigh. He caught movement at the door of the tent and saw a fledgling subtly trying to get his attention. It was the messenger he had requested come find him when Avery woke. Hayden glanced over to see if Roedin had noticed, but the Whisperer was scowling down at the map on the table, clearly not paying any more attention to the aimless debate than he was.
Hayden rose discreetly and slipped out the back. The warriors were so bent on revenge they didn't even notice their Alpha Prime leave the discussion. Hayden mulled it over as he followed the fledgling through the town of resurrected tents and smoldering piles of rubble.
People were milling about the space surrounding the tent where Avery slept. Females spoke in hushed voices and males tried to look inconspicuous. Some younglings chased each other in a game until a father reached down and grabbed one by the tail, shushing it sternly. Several female novices scanned the crowd carefully. They were guarding the tent, Hayden realised.
He acknowledged them with a small nod and stepped through the tent flap. A female Sorex faunid was helping Avery drink some tea. She was only as tall as the cot itself but her strong digging hands were able to hold Avery's head still while she drank. The Sorex gently laid Avery back and scurried around the alpha prime's legs as she left the tent.
Avery's pale face shook as she struggled to control the shivering. Hayden lowered himself onto a stool next to the cot and gave her a reassuring smile.
"S-s-s-so cold," she whispered.
Hayden nodded. "The magic took a lot out of you. But you can rest now, they're all gone."
He dared take her hand to squeeze her fingers in reassurance. She didn't pull away but had no strength to grip his hand. He pulled the blankets up under her chin.
"Can't stop...the Papilio, she has magic...she did the spell and taught me the words." Avery gulped, her eyes wide and searching. "She left us. She left us to draw them away. I held the spell, but she's coming back."
Hayden brought the cup of tea to her lips again. Avery gulped it down, hardly breathing between swallows. Her head fell back and she closed her eyes, panting lightly.
"She knows something. She was angry with me. Angry for putting myself in danger. You can make her tell me," Avery insisted.
Hayden brushed some hair off her face. "Just sleep now and recover from the magic. We can talk about it tomorrow."
He didn't want to tell her that the Papilio was dead, her knowledge lost. Avery rocked her head back and forth as though the weight of the blankets was holding her down.
"Can't sleep...it's too much...too many words..." She looked at him in desperation. "Please..."
Hayden nodded and placed a hand on her forehead reaching out with his magic and pulling her down into a deep rest. Her face relaxed and she stopped shivering. The alpha prime rose and found the Sorex camp-mother outside.
"More heatrocks and warming blankets, if you can. Keep this place as quiet as possible and let her sleep deeply."
Hayden looked up and saw he was being watched. Conversations had stopped as people leaned in to hear an update on the human inside. A mother with a fawn on her hip approached tentatively.
"Excuse me, Alpha Prime. We came to say thank you to the mortal-Avery. She carried my son through the woods. I owe her everything," she pleaded.
Hayden blinked at her and then glanced around at the lineup of parents wishing to pay their respects. A human girl had saved the lives of more than a dozen younglings by leading them away from camp and holding that spell.
"Avery needs to rest. Humans don't have the same stamina as us. I'm sure she'll be happy to talk with each of you in a few days."
There some grumbling about 'a few days' but most groups went back to rebuilding their lives. Hayden passed one of the female novices unofficially standing guard and muttered, "No one but the alpha pack enters the tent."
************
Roedin walked through the camp in the dark hours before dawn. Adelyn had been up all night organising scouts and spies to send out and uncover the identities of the attackers. Hayden would be awake soon to help with the funeral that would happen today, honouring those who had fallen in the raid. They had lost nine females and four younglings. But so many had been saved because of Niamh and Adelyn, and the determination of the novices. It would not be long before they were granted warrior status.
Unsurprisingly Roedin found himself nearing the small tent where Avery slept. Another cot had been set up inside for Niamh, both in case the human woke in the night and to keep her many admirers away. The parents of the younglings she had protected in the cave were painfully grateful. They brought food and blankets, offered services, and lit candles outside in thanks. Each was acknowledged but firmly turned away as the mortal lay recovering.
The sentries stiffened when Roedin stepped out of the ice fog. They technically weren't guards. They kept a respectful distance from the tent, talking in low voices, sharpening blades and pretending like they weren't watching whoever came down the path. With Niamh inside the risk of an unwanted visitor was low, but that seemed to only strengthen their resolve. Niamh had taught them, fought with them, and now lay vulnerable in a deep sleep of exhaustion in the same tent as the girl who had saved their offspring.
Roedin nodded his thanks to them as he wandered by. Through the walls of the tent he picked up the heavy breathing of Niamh's deep sleep and -- nothing else. He strained his ears to hear Avery's even breaths and steady heartbeat but only silence greeted him. He whirled and walked back to the tent so quickly, a sentry down the path leapt to her feet, a hand going to her sword. Roedin tried to calm his breathing and control his impulse to rip the tent door off. He drew it back gently and peered inside, eyes adjusting to the darkness. Niamh lay sprawled on the cot closest to the door but on the far side of the tent the blankets were peeled back and the cot was empty.
Roedin's heart raced as he ran all the possibilities through his mind. Where could she have gone? He was wound so tight a tap on the shoulder startled him and he spun, drawing his sword in one motion. Hayden was behind him with his hands raised in surrender, his expression equally surprised. Roedin started to explain himself but Hayden put a finger to his lips and pointed to Niamh's sleeping figure beside them.
The males retreated from the tent several paces before speaking.
"When did she wake? How come no one told me?" Roedin accused.
"I don't know and because you are not her mother, so don't take it out on me," Hayden responded.
Roedin snarled at him but kept walking.
"I just mean...what if she needs something," Roedin tried to clarify as he stomped through the snow.
"I know exactly what you mean. And I know it's made worse by the pheromones at this camp. I'm trying to help you find balance, not keep her from you. We all are."
Roedin huffed and ground his teeth. "Is someone with her now? She's so weak...if something happened..."
He paused and tried to reach down the bond. But he wasn't a dreamwalker and couldn't pick up on specifics like Hayden and Sari could. The mating bond whispered her deepest emotions to him even though she was unaware of it. Sometimes he felt guilty for reading her heart. But mostly he thanked the Ancestors for being able to hear it.
A flash of anger trickled down Roedin's spine. He moved his legs and followed the tug through camp. They arrived at a tent set off to one side, candles and pine boughs lining the entrance. Roedin swore softly and ran his hand down his face. She was inside the tent where the bodies of the dead lay in preparation for the funeral pyres. How she had known about it or found it in the dark, he had no idea.
They stepped through the door and saw several figures sitting next to the bodies of their loved ones. Candles burned in silent vigil next to them, the light sparkling off of hoarfrost in the tent. Mothers and daughters, sisters and mates lay in a neat row. Roedin couldn't remember if he had ever seen so many females lined up at once. On the battlefield they were collected individually or lined up between male soldiers as they fell. Seeing so many together at once seemed to have a greater impact.
Hayden spoke the words Roedin was thinking. "They should have all been trained."
"Then they would have at least stood a chance," Roedin added.
It was arrogance that left them defenseless.
Two male younglings were among the ranks. Barely more than toddlers, one had caught an arrow in the chest and the other's wings had been hacked off and he bled out. Hayden had stayed up most of the night, sewing the wings back on to carry him to the afterlife.
At the far end of the row, a figure stood bundled in a heavy coat with her hood drawn in tight against the chill. She wasn't a small person but seemed petite compared to the faunids around her. Her arms were crossed and she stared down at a body.
The brothers approached carefully so as to not startle her. She didn't look up or acknowledge their presence but continued her hard gaze as though she could will the body of the crone back to life.
"What was her name?" Avery croaked through dry lips, offering them no other greeting.
"Sosia," Roedin answered gently. "No one knew how old she was." Avery nodded, keeping her eyes on Sosia's face, so Roedin went on. "She was a bit of nomad. Travelled between habitats selling potions and charms, settling here and there for a century at a time before moving on."
"She said I was dead. Said I shouldn't be here."
Hayden furrowed his brows as he looked down at Sosia's body as well. "You shouldn't read into it too much. Everyone says that her mind was gone. That she spoke nonsense."
Avery huffed lightly. "That would explain why she said the spell was ruined by a mate. Whatever that means."
Roedin's head shot up and he looked at Avery's pained face and then away quickly. He tried to speak but found a cough in his throat instead.
"Where did she come from?" Avery asked.
"She showed up about two or three hundred years ago and was...eccentric back then. Kept to herself and spoke to few until Arctos met her last week. People left her alone mostly," Hayden explained.
Avery slowly turned her head to face the alpha prime. "Arctos spoke to her last week?" She pinned him with a glare. "You knew she was here?"
Hayden shifted uncomfortably. "We only just found out. It was one of the reasons I thought we should all come--"
"You knew and didn't seek her out, didn't talk to her?" Avery's voice rose slightly.
Roedin stepped in to explain. "We did when we got here but she wasn't around. Then there were meetings and--"
"And drinking, and sparring, and male hormone driven war games."
"Lots of things happ--"
"I've been here for a week teaching physics and play fighting, when the only lead we've ever had was sitting next door!"
Roedin looked to Hayden for assistance and brought his hands up in defense. Hayden took a step closer to intervene but Avery backed away.
"When did you think we should talk to her? When did you decide it would be good to tell me? After your meetings? Your battle? In case you've forgotten, I don't have forever to work this out! I've already spent half my life rotting in a prison and she was the only person who's ever shown any clue of knowing who I am!" she screamed at Hayden.
Roedin stepped closer and kept his voice low. "You are--"
"Mortal? Human? Avery? I don't even know where that name came from! She gave me a spell and I held it for hours. Hours! I held it until I thought I would die under the weight of it, but once again I didn't! Can I even die? What am I?!"
Hayden glanced around the tent and gestured for her to stay calm. "Avery, you should keep you voice down in here--"
"Or what? Do you think they're going to wake up? They're dead! All of them! Those girls are dead because of male faunids! Stupid males and their damned arrogance and traditions! Because of male blood-lust and savagery! They're dead and I'm not! I'm alive with no idea why!"
The males glanced at each other and around the tent to see if anyone was listening. Rage and pain passed across her face as she pushed by them to exit the tent. It was still dark outside though dawn was creeping on the horizon. They followed Avery at a respectful distance as she stomped her way through the camp. Her pace slowed as her anger drained her small reserve of energy. She stumbled down the path, visibly struggling to continue but refusing to turn and ask for help.
She came around the last corner before her tent and her knees buckle. Hayden and Roedin simultaneously lunged but it was a sleepy-eyed Niamh who caught her before she hit the ground. Niamh looked down at her flushed cheeks and sweaty brow in concern then questioningly to the males. Roedin made a gesture that said 'I'll explain later' and backed off reluctantly while Niamh helped his mate the last few feet to the tent.