Chapter Five
“You can’t tell anyone.” Alicia pulled the soft blanket up to cover Marco to his chin then picked up the lit lantern from beside him. Kneeling beside him, she watched him take breaths laced with pain.
“I said I wouldn’t.” Derek stood in part shadow, near the doorway to the cave room.
Another lantern flickered near the cave wall, casting a dim light and long shadows through the rocky alcove. Coupled with the sprinkles of phosphorescent bacteria that grew on the walls in this area of the caves, there was enough dim light to see by. The remote area of the cave wasn’t an ideal place to bring the lion, but it was better than leaving him in the forest to die. He’d be less likely to be found in the deep tunnels.
A lion was in the bear den.
Alicia held the lantern up. “I mean it, Derek. No one. Not even Bria. If anyone finds out he’s here, we’re both in trouble.”
“I gave you my word. As long as he isn’t a threat, I won’t tell anyone.”
“Thank you.”
“I hope you’re doing the right thing. This situation raises my hackles.” Derek stepped closer. “I don’t like it at all.”
“I know. But I have to help him.”
Alicia laid her hand on Marco’s chest and tingles raced up her arms, raising the fine hairs to attention. His body quaked with tremors even with the warm blanket over him. She brushed a lock of his dark hair aside and placed the back of her hand across his forehead. Hot. If infection was setting in already, she had less time than she thought.
“He’s feverish.” She glanced up at Derek. “We’ve got to hurry and get this bullet out, or there’s a good chance we’ll lose him.”
With Derek’s help, she might be able to save Marco, but the clock was ticking and the situation kept worsening. A wave of fear fluttered through her, settling in her gut. If she couldn’t save Marco, would the lions think she’d killed him? Or would they believe that she tried to save him?
Not the time to worry about it. Focus.
“Maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing.” Derek stood, arms crossed, several feet away.
“You don’t really mean that or you wouldn’t have carried him here. Besides, my duty is to heal all creatures, not just the ones you or anyone else deem worthy.” She set the lantern down and scooted closer to the lion.
“I get that, Alicia.” Derek moved closer and peered down at Marco. “I still think bringing him here was a bad idea. The only reason I helped was because you asked. After what happened yesterday... Elijah will hit the cave roof if he finds out.”
“I know. And I appreciate your help. You’re a good friend.”
“You better hope he’s out of here before anyone discovers him.”
“Yes.” She watched Marco breathe. The decision to help the lion could be one that ended her relationship with the bears. Yet Marco was a leader in the lion pride. Healing him could facilitate the beginning of a new peace in Deep Creek.
“What are you thinking? I see your wheels spinning.” Derek squatted beside her.
“Options. Paths. The many ways this could play out.” Right now, she didn’t have time to worry about the bigger picture. She had a sick lion on her hands. “I have to help him. I promised Grandmother. I can’t discriminate.”
“I don’t think this is the type of situation she was talking about.”
“This is exactly what she meant.” She traced Marco’s jawline with her finger then jerked her hand away, embarrassed. Why was she so drawn to touch him? Derek didn’t notice, or at least pretended he didn’t.
“Healing one of the leaders of a rival shifter group is a pretty major step in your education.”
“I can handle it, with your help. I’ll need you to run interference. Meanwhile, I’ll work quickly to get the bullet out and treat any infection. Get him back on his feet and out of here.”
Derek nodded. “As soon as possible.”
“Yes.”
Marco needed pain medication and antibiotics or he might not make it till sunrise. Moving him from the forest to the cave had taken a toll on his strength. If he didn’t have accelerated shifter healing powers, he’d already be dead. No human would have survived what Marco had been through and shifter healing powers couldn’t fight off human infections as well as human antibiotics could, so it was going to take a combination of things to give him a chance.
Marco was the biggest medical challenge Alicia had ever faced.
“Can I count on you, Derek?” She looked up at him.
“I said I’m not going to tell anyone. At least not yet. But I’m worried you’re in over your head. Everything about this feels wrong.”
“But here we are. Let’s focus on one thing at a time. Get his meds, get the bullet out, get him out of the cave.”
“What if he wakes up while we’re gone? What if he wanders into the main cave and the bears see him? What then?”
“He’s in too much pain to move, much less go spelunking. That’s obvious, isn’t it?” Alicia stood and brushed off her shorts, then picked up one of the lanterns.
“For both our sakes, I hope you’re right.”
Nervousness wafted off Derek like static, and Alicia took a deep breath to steady her own anxiety. She understood Derek’s fears. She shared many of them. Still, Marco was here and she would take the bullet out. What happened next was up to the fates.
She turned to Derek and smiled. “This may turn out to be a good thing. Maybe helping Marco will bring good things to the bears.”
“Doubtful. The lions don’t care.” Derek shook his head. “Well, they care about themselves and their own agenda.”
“Grandmother will guide me.”
“You’re as stubborn as Bria. Maybe more so. I won’t sleep well till there’s no lion in the bear den.”
Alicia nodded. “Agreed. Thank you for getting the blankets and lanterns. He might already be dead without the warmth they’re providing.” She lifted the lantern, letting it cast its yellow beam throughout the alcove. A poor substitute for a ray of sunshine, but it would have to do. Hope was critical, and she needed all the help she could get.
“You’re welcome.” Derek stood.
“I hate to leave him here with only one lantern, but I’ve got to get those meds and we need light too. His fever is making him cold.”
“The lantern wouldn’t provide heat. We need to get back now or we’ll miss Elijah’s ceremony. He’ll get suspicious if we aren’t there to see the souls recognized.”
She nodded. Derek reached for the lantern. She handed it to him, giving Marco a last glance. If only she had as much faith in herself as Derek and Tawodi did. Sure, she’d had a lot of training, but she didn’t feel like a seasoned healer. Some days, she felt like a charlatan, going through the motions but not really having an effect.
Healing Marco would be proof that she was truly a healer. It would be a miracle, and one she wouldn’t be able to share with Elijah. He called the wolves down for saying she was a witch, but she wasn’t sure how much stock he put in her faith healing either.
“Elijah will know,” she murmured. “Let’s get moving.”
Elijah had a keen sense of what was going on in the bear world at all times. He’d notice in a flash if she and Derek were missing. How they’d keep Marco a secret from the cave full of bears remained to be seen. If Elijah decided to go on a walk, which he often did to think through things, he’d smell Marco from quite a distance away. Not much could be done to prevent it. Hopefully, Elijah would be busy handling the families of the deceased and not wandering around the cave.
If they were lucky, Marco would be gone in a few days. If they were extremely lucky, he’d be alive.
“Come on, Alicia.” Derek’s voice was filled with exasperation.
“I am.” She took a deep breath and blew out the stress. “Thank you. This is way beyond what anyone should expect a friend to do.”
“After Ria, I made a promise that I’d protect you. And I will. Right now, I’m going to have to drag you out of here by your ponytail if you don’t come on.”
She flashed him a grin. He’d not yanked on her hair since they were young cubs.
Marco moaned but didn’t move, other than the shivering from his fever, and she bent to adjust the blanket around his neck, tucking it under his chin to keep it in place while they were gone. She didn’t want to leave him, but the compulsion to remain by his side stumped her. He was a lion, not a friend.
She shook her head. She must be more tired than she realized. She’d never felt the need to be so close to someone she was healing. It was always a job, no more. But Marco’s essence pulled her to him on a deep level. One she couldn’t explain.
One she didn’t have time to explore.
“Now?” Derek asked, his voice strained, his face drawn tight in the lantern light. “I mean it. I’ll drag you out of here.”
“I’m coming.”
Marco let out a low groan and whipped his head back and forth. Alicia’s heartbeat quickened, and the urge to comfort him overpowered her thoughts.
“He’s not going to feel better until you get that bullet out. There’s nothing you can do for him now.” The impatience in Derek’s voice seemed to echo in the small chamber.
“I know.” She sighed.
“The sooner we leave, the sooner you get back here. I’m going.”
Derek headed into the tunnel and Alicia rushed to catch up. He was right. Get the meds and get back. Pray to the gods that Marco was still alive when she returned.
The small entrance led into the vast tunnels deep in the mountain far from where the bears gathered to lay their dead to rest.
The remote section of the cave had been used by native tribes for ritual and shelter. Warmer than the large area of the cave where the lake was, this deeper section held a few hot springs that bubbled away with minerals and salt.
Some bears semi-hibernated in the distant tunnels inside the mountains. The starry glow of the cave bacteria added to the mystique of this part of the cave, and bears used to spend time meditating and soaking in the pools. It had been a long time since she’d heard of anyone visiting. Since the lions had encroached, there hadn’t been a lot of time to lie around.
She took a deep cleansing breath, imagining the ionized air clearing her lungs, her thoughts, her breath. Peace, calm, love and light. Tawodi had impressed on her how important it was to stay centered.
She followed Derek through the semi-darkness. She scented his concern and resolve. His normally quiet aura pulsed with stress, and she hated that she’d had to bring him into the situation, but he was her closest friend. He had always supported her in her pursuit of the old ways of healing and he truly believed in her.
Not everyone had a friend like Derek.
Believing in herself was one of the most important things toward successful healing. Self-doubt happened, but she had to learn to push it far away and trust herself.
A molten-hot rush of determination bloomed in her gut and spread outward to her limbs and finally to her fingertips and toes. If there was anywhere Marco would heal quickly, it was deep in the cave, with her help. Grandmother had been wise to show them how to get him here.
The gods had placed Marco in her hands, and she would do her best to honor them and her grandmother.
“It’s beautiful.” Her voice seemed detached, like it came from someone standing beside her. She was moving into the healing flow, where she could focus. It was time to gather her supplies and reach for help in the ether.
“Yes, it is. And it will be beautiful tomorrow.” Derek’s voice strained. “When the lion is gone.”
She paused and ran her hand over ancient drawings of bears and wolves and lions that lined the rocky walls of the cavern. Slick green and brown stalactites dripped limestone from the cave’s ceiling in domed areas in the distance, like a mouth full of mossy teeth. Elijah had a bunker somewhere deep in this part of the cave, but few bears knew where. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be heading to it anytime soon.
“Quit lingering.” Derek turned and frowned.
“Sorry.” She smiled at Derek. Her anxiety had settled into a little white ball, hard and small in her stomach and no longer consuming her every breath. Marco might be the key to peace in Deep Creek.
“Trying to get to the lake before we’re missed.” He took off, lantern swinging in time with his long strides.
“You do know what you need to get?” He didn’t stop or look back to hear her answer, keeping his pace steady.
“Slow down a bit.” She hurried to keep up. “Yes. I need enough sedatives to help him rest, and something stronger to knock him out so I can remove the bullet. Antibiotics, basic wound dressing, suture kit, surgical supplies. Fine tweezers. I wish I had my healer’s bag, but it’s at Tawodi’s house.”
Derek slowed. “If you get caught...”
“Elijah isn’t going to find out, I’m not going to get caught, and I trust Grandmother with every bit of my essence. She knows things we don’t, sees beyond the veil into Shoshannah’s realm. As soon as I get the bullet out and Marco is stitched up and able to move, we’ll take him to where the lions can retrieve him.” She ran her hand along the cool, damp wall as she walked.
It was hard to imagine that Marco was one of the most feared lions in Deep Creek. Was that part even true or merely a children’s story?
Derek held the lantern high and maneuvered around a narrowing in the passage. “I trust Tawodi too. But we need to be careful. Marco’s a lion, not a bunny rabbit.”
“I know. This is the scariest thing I’ve ever done.” Alicia followed Derek through the tight area. Circumstances had changed. “I’ve been angry with the lions since Ria, you know that. I’ve never forgiven them, but it’s time for me to let my resentment go. Taking care of Marco, healing him, might be exactly what I need to be able to move on with my life. Do I let this chance escape because I’m afraid?”
“I hope you’re right. I’d love to see some good come from this war. I don’t think it’s over.”
“It’s not over. It’s only beginning. Unless we can do something to stop it, we’re in for a long fight.”
He sighed. “Though I don’t agree with the risks you’re taking, I support you as I always have. If we’d only been able to save—”
“We weren’t able to save Ria. But the current fighting has to stop and maybe we can help by taking care of Marco. It’d be the perfect way to honor Ria’s sacrifice.”
“I guess there’s no immediate risk since he can’t get around on his own.” Derek glanced back. “Not like he’s going to be on a killing spree in the shape he’s in.”
“Exactly.”
“Not at this moment anyway, but he’s a shifter and that makes him shifty. He could heal without you being aware. I want to know what’s happening at all times in case he gets feisty. I don’t trust him.”
“I can handle feisty.”
“I still want to know.”
“Oh, you’ll be involved.” She laughed and the echo filled the tunnel. “Besides, I’ll need your help to move him when the time comes.”
“That, I can do. There’s nothing I want more than to get this lion out of our cave. Well, nothing more than peace in Deep Creek.”
“Maybe it’s coming.”
“Maybe.” He nodded, his face taut in the flickering lantern light.
Rocky projections from the cave walls cast a grim shadow throughout the winding tunnel. Alicia drew in a deep breath of the humid air. A few bits of the phosphorescent bacteria floated down like snowfall from the cave’s ceiling, knocked loose by the sound vibrations of the conversation. Alicia watched it flutter to the cave floor. She’d always thought it was one of the prettiest features in a cave system full of surprises.
“Let’s hope no one finds out.” A bitter cocktail swirled in her stomach. Elijah could stop her from healing Marco.
She’d never known Elijah to be cruel, but with the number of bears lost in battle, there was no telling what he’d do to Marco if he got ahold of him.
“This way.” Derek turned left into a narrower passage. “It’s quicker.” The ambient temperature was comfortable, but Derek’s face shone with humid perspiration in the lantern light. He turned and moved effortlessly through the small tunnel.
Bria was fortunate to have Derek, and Alicia was happy that Derek had finally found his mate. Though she didn’t know Bria well, Alicia sensed the deep connection between the human and Derek. She’d known Derek all his life, and though girls had flocked to the good-looking woodworker, he’d never really shown much interest in them.
A pang of sadness pierced her heart. She followed Derek, sending up swirls of dust in her wake.
What would it be like to have a mate? She didn’t often consider the possibility. With all her studies and field training, she hadn’t had time, really. It was only when her friends found their mates that it hit home.
She might never have a mate.
She lowered her voice. “You and Bria are lucky.” Fated mates were always the best choice. You didn’t have to be with your fated mate, but you set yourself up for misery if you mated with someone else. At least that’s what she’d been told.
Would she ever find her fated mate? No sign of him so far. Did he even exist, and did she want him if he did? Did she even have time for a mate, or cubs? Being a healer was a very busy job—one that took a lot out of her.
“Yes, we are. I don’t know what I’d do without her.” Derek turned into another tunnel and she followed. Many paths led to the lake, but she trusted he knew the quickest one. He’d explored much more of the cave system than she had.
It seemed her duty was to remain unencumbered by a mate and wander freely as a healer in the forests of Deep Creek as her grandmother Tawodi had always done.
Alone.
Was that the expectation?
Tawodi had never married, taking the role of adoptive grandmother and sponsor of young healers who showed promise, always surrounded by at least one young person wanting to learn the ancient ways. Sometimes several people bathed in her knowledge at the same time.
Elijah never interfered with her teachings, but allowed her to practice alongside the bears. Tawodi was mother to the land and all the animals that roamed the forest, sky and river. As a hawk shifter, she could get from one end of the forest to the other quickly, and be ready to help an injured cub or wounded wolf much faster than any other creature. No one was against her willingness to help.
Well, perhaps a few selfish wolves had been, but as a whole, Tawodi was respected.
And Grandmother Hawk had said many times that she had no time for a mate. That her duty was to the forest and all who occupied it.
Perhaps that had become Alicia’s destiny.
Derek looked back and whispered, “You okay?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Trying to keep up.”
Alicia scanned the long, dark tunnel ahead. Maybe she should follow Tawodi’s mateless path. Devote herself entirely to healing and the old ways of protecting the spirits of Deep Creek. It wasn’t like her own mate had shown up on her doorstep like everyone else’s in Deep Creek seemed to have done.
She grinned at Derek. Bria had appeared to him like a birthday cake. And Griff’s mate had driven up from another state and rented his house. It wasn’t fair.
Maybe one day Shoshannah would speak out and guide her. Not today. Today, Alicia had a concrete problem that didn’t require mates or love. Today, she needed to heal a lion.
Derek picked up his pace. “Try to walk quietly. We’re getting close.”
“Okay.” She tiptoed through the maze of corridors. A slow trickle of water ran on the far side of the cavern, glistening wet in the lantern light.
“I know where we are. Don’t worry.” Derek’s footsteps shuffled ahead. “All you need to do is walk along the stream to the lake. It’s a fairly straight shot, so you’ll easily find your way back as long as you know which stream to trace.”
Alicia nodded. “I can do this.”
He picked up his pace. “I hope we aren’t late.”
Alicia kept up, though every muscle ached. The swinging of the lantern cast odd shadows of light and dark on the cave walls, and she watched the dark patches morph into lions and bear and wolves. Sometimes fighting, sometimes talking, the shapes billowing and changing in the shadowy recesses of the rocky world.
They walked in silence and the sounds of the cave came alive. Tiny splashes of water against ancient rock, the yawn of a bat, the tumble of a pebble down a stony slope. And the irrepressible feeling of weight on her from being underground. She shuddered. She’d never liked being deep in the cave for very long. She much preferred to run in the warm sunshine aboveground, not shiver in the shadows of the cold rocks.
“Derek?” She closed the distance between them.
He didn’t stop walking but slowed his pace. “Yeah?”
She steeled herself against the answer that was sure to be contentious. “Why can’t we take Marco to the lake for Shoshannah to heal?”
Derek stopped and held up the lantern, his eyes wide in disbelief. “Are you serious?”
She nodded and rubbed her hands together, trying to warm her fingers.
“Well, first off, we’d never get to the lake dragging that lion. Everyone would see us.”
“We could try to get everyone to leave the cave. At least for a while. We could come up with a reason.”
“Pull a fire alarm?” Derek grinned. “Like back in high school?”
She scowled. “No, of course not. But something. Wouldn’t it be worth the chance to try and heal him fully?”
Derek began walking again, the loose gravel crunching underfoot. “Even if we did, we don’t know if Shoshannah would heal Marco. She’s very particular, and right now, she manifests as bear. What makes you think she’d help a lion? If she didn’t help him, we’d have taken all that risk for nothing.”
“She helped Claude. And he’s a wolf. The wolves weren’t in charge of the cave then. We were.”
“That’s a completely different situation.”
Anger burned inside her. “How? A wolf isn’t the chosen animal of the cave, and Shoshannah healed him when we took him into the lake. Sounds like the same problem we have on our hands. An injured enemy needs help. Maybe she would help. How will we know if we don’t even try?”
“That situation sounds nothing like our problem.” Derek picked up his pace. “In the first place, Claude was a child who’d been wounded, and not by one of us. Number two, Elijah pleaded for Shoshannah to heal him. Our leader asked. I don’t think you’ll get Elijah begging the ancestral spirit to save a vicious lion.”
“He’s not vicious. He can barely move.”
“Not at the moment. But he’s a killer. He’s one of the most brutal lions left in Deep Creek. You know if he were able, he’d kill both of us.”
“Maybe.”
“There’s no maybe about it. It’s fact.”
Alicia sighed. “Maybe Shoshannah would heal him without Elijah’s request.” She tugged her hair back and ducked under a low cave ceiling. “Maybe she’d pity him.”
“Shoshannah has a mind of her own, but she’s always deferred to the shifter that has possession of the cave. That means bears, not lions.”
“That’s stupid.” If Shoshannah healed Marco, the whole mess would be over and he could go home. Why didn’t Derek see it as a viable option? Sure, it meant risking everything to get Marco to the lake, but they’d gotten him into the cave without being spotted. At least it seemed so.
“You may think it’s stupid, but these have been the ways of our people for millennia.”
“It’s time for those ways to change. It’s time we all learn to get along. And it wasn’t so long ago that we did all get along and live together.”
Derek ran his fingers through his beard. “Maybe so. Maybe that’s a childhood allegory we were all told. All I know is that it isn’t the case tonight. Tonight we treat this lion and get him out of our cave. It’s bad luck to have him here.”
Alicia ran her hand along the rocky outcroppings of the cave wall. With the stream on the other side, she’d be able to find Marco again without Derek. “Since when do you believe in luck? Bad or good?”
“I’ve got a mate to protect. I can’t put her at risk because you want to play doctor.”
She bit back a retort. Having Derek mad at her wasn’t going to solve anything, and she needed his help, as much as she hated to admit it.
“I hope no one follows me.”
“Be careful and you’ll be fine. Everyone is still so shell-shocked from the battle; no one is going to be exploring the cave or doing much of anything except recuperating.”
“True.” She was glad Derek had come in search of her in the forest as she’d about given up on what to do with Marco. Derek had had no trouble carrying him, and with Tawodi’s instruction, the path to the cave had been uneventful.
They walked in silence, Alicia a few feet behind Derek as he slipped through tunnels to follow the stream. The lantern cast circles of bouncing yellow light on areas of the cave she’d not seen in a long time, or maybe ever. The cave system was such a maze of tunnels, and there were several ways to get to the hot springs and other faraway areas.
In the distance, the echo of people talking buzzed like bees swarming a new hive. The bears had gathered at the lake.
The voices hummed louder and a faint red glow shone in the corridor’s distance.
Derek stopped and turned to her. “Before we go into the lake room, I’ve something to tell you. I should’ve told you earlier.”
“I’m listening.” Alicia leaned against the cool stone wall.
“I didn’t want you to freak out. Promise me you’ll stay calm.”
“Since when do I freak out?” She put her hands on her hips. What the hell was he talking about? “What is it?”
Derek stared at the floor, the tips of his hair highlighted by lantern light. “You can’t tell Bria.”
“Okay, I won’t tell her.”
He shot her a serious glance then took a deep breath. “She’s the one who shot Marco.”
Alicia swallowed as her mouth went completely dry. Had she heard him correctly? She moved away from Derek. How was that possible? Bria wasn’t supposed to be fighting, much less shooting lions. To be the one that shot Marco, what were the odds?
Derek held the lantern high. “Marco would’ve killed me if she hadn’t. She had the gun trained on him, and when he lunged at me, she pulled the trigger. She’s still talking about how she should’ve aimed to kill him.”
Alicia covered her mouth with her hand. Not Derek! Lifelong friends, she couldn’t bear to think of losing him. If Marco had... “If he’d killed you...”
“It could be my soul the bears are celebrating tonight. Bria could be alone.”
“Oh gods, you should have told me.”
“Would it have changed your stance on healing him?”
“Yes. No,” Alicia sputtered. “I don’t know. I guess not, but if I lost you...”
“I’m telling you this so that you understand why I’m not going to let Bria know we’re helping him. It would upset her too much. She’s shaken about the whole situation.”
“I agree, you can’t tell her.”
“I love her. I can’t stomach the thought of her stressing any more over Marco and the lions. Not after what she went through yesterday.”
“I agree.”
“I’m helping you because you’re my friend and I’m sworn to protect you. But if this ever becomes about having to make a choice...”
“I understand.” She walked, careful to keep her stance steady. “I can handle myself, Derek. I’ll figure out when to sneak away to the storage area and grab what I need. Get this lion out of here before he creates a problem neither of us needs.”
“If anyone can do it, you can.”
“Hope so.”
“I’ve got to find Bria. She’s probably worried sick. I’ve been gone a long time.” Derek’s face glowed in oranges from the reflection of the fires on the lake, but his tension was still evident in his brow. “You’ll be okay?”
“Of course.” Alicia nodded. “Go. I’m sure she needs you.”
“Let me know if anything changes, and I mean anything.” He leaned forward and kissed her on the top of the head. “I don’t trust that lion.”
“I’ll let you know.”
He nodded then turned and began making his way down toward the lake. His hair, pulled back, stuck out in an unkempt mess. Bria was sure to have questions about what he’d been up to. He wouldn’t lie to her if she asked him.
I’ll have to hope she doesn’t ask.
She watched Derek head toward the crowd of bears gathered on the shore. They parted to allow him through, many moving more slowly than normal, some hunched and limping. Exhaustion and grief had taken a toll.
And injury. The air was thick with the scent of wounds and bruises and pain. Even a bit of hopelessness wove through the air like a counterpoint to a melody.
Something had to be done. A war was the last thing the bears needed.
From her perspective high on the bank, the crowd looked smaller than a normal gathering, less imposing than the bear council meetings. Though the air was smoky from the fires, the smoke rose and exited through holes in the cave ceiling, keeping the air clean at the lower levels near the lake. She watched the smoky ribbons dance toward the high, rocky dome like undulating snakes on a warm summer evening. Only this wasn’t a normal summer’s eve.
Tonight, the shadow of much sorrow and death blanketed the bears. Many tears had been shed.
Alicia felt like a traitor. A wolf in bear clothing.
She protected one of the guilty who had caused so much death and despair. A lion who’d personally done his share of damage to her clan. Maybe Derek was right. Maybe she shouldn’t try to help Marco.
But Tawodi’s words slipped through her consciousness like a melody. Healing. Her gift. Her call in life—to help others, no matter their affiliation. She didn’t get to choose. Any and all deserved to be honored.
Her heart skipped a beat and a burst of adrenaline pumped through her. She would finish what she’d started.
The way to improving the current climate was to do good. One deed at a time. It might not seem like one thing would make a difference, but all the little things added up, and who knew what would be the impetus for real change?
She had to do her part.
The lake burned with the reflections of molten drops from fire pits on the rafts and boats. Alight on its placid surface, each vehicle carried a contained fire or two on deck to represent a bear that had passed from this life into the starry darkness of the next. Seeing the number of bears that had given everything so that Deep Creek would remain theirs humbled her.
Each fire, a soul. Each soul, a fire.
So many. Too many to count.
The physical bodies had already been buried, but tonight Elijah would recognize the losses and speak to the future of the Deep Creek bears. Were war and loss ever worth it?
How could it be?
What could a leader possibly say in a situation so grim? An optimistic outlook was much more complicated.
Sobs and moans echoed off the high dome of the stone ceiling and reverberated throughout the cavern like crying rain. Alicia’s heart ached as she sensed the pain reaching its tendrils out to her, through her, clenching her heart in a binding that would never ease.
Brothers and sisters who’d never see each other again. Fathers who’d never open the door to a room full of family. Mothers who’d never cook another meal for their children or chastise them for playing outside and forgetting to do their chores. Grandparents who outlived grandchildren.
All gone.
The river of stars was full tonight. Maybe it would be some comfort to know that the bears were with their ancestors now.
So many fires.
She’d known the numbers were high, but seeing all the fires burning at once made an impact more than any written number of lives lost could.
All for a war that was pointless at best.
The pall of death slid through the air like a sickness shimmying over the top of the misty water, the fire’s red-orange reflecting like blood spilled on the water.
Was it worth it? Was Shoshannah?
Was Marco?
Time would tell, but the price was great no matter the outcome.
Alicia headed toward the lake. Around her, her people. The people she’d vowed to protect and heal. Their presence, like a single soul, reached for her and pulled her in close. She was bear.
Family.
Sobs filled her and she stretched to steady herself, her hand landing on a firm arm.
Griff.
She looked up at the massive bear. His cropped hair and strong jawline did nothing to soften his intense personality. His face fit him. To be honest, she’d always been a little afraid of his gruffness. If he and Derek hadn’t been such good friends, she’d have steered clear of him.
Amy stood at his side, her face hollow and drawn.
“Where’ve you been?” Griff frowned. “I went looking for you but lost your scent near the creek. I smelled lion.”
Amy dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. “We were worried something had happened to you. We just saw Derek and he said you were up here.”
“I... I...” Alicia stuttered. “I’m okay.”
“He told us you went out looking for survivors.” Griff set his mouth in a line. “Do you know how dangerous that was?” He pointed at the lake. “One of those fires could been burning for you.”
Alicia sighed. “I know. I was doing my job. No different than you.” She immediately regretted her words.
Griff growled.
Amy placed her hand on Alicia’s arm and squeezed it. “It’s okay, honey. We were worried. Griff isn’t the best at showing concern. Isn’t that right, dear? You aren’t mad. You’re worried.” She turned back to Alicia. “We’re working on his teddy bear attitude.”
Griff harrumphed and turned away.
Alicia smiled. Griff and Amy were such a cute couple. With Amy now selling her paintings at Elijah’s general store in town, and with Griff’s ranger salary, it wouldn’t surprise her if they held an official wedding soon and maybe started a family. Well, maybe once things settled down in Deep Creek.
Life would go on after the war. One way or another.
“Find any?” Griff grunted, arms crossed.
“Any what?” Alicia raised her eyebrows. Derek wouldn’t have told him...would he?
“Wounded bears.”
“No.” She shook her head and stared down at the small flotilla of boats. They’d mostly floated to the center of the lake, forming an oblong ring of fire, the light wavering and reflecting off the water. “Not a single one.” That wasn’t lying, now was it? She hadn’t found any bears.
She’d found a wounded and very sexy lion. One who could completely upset her place in her own clan if she didn’t get him on his way soon.
“Pity. We lost too many friends in this pointless battle. Would’ve been good news to hear of a rescue.” Griff looked to Amy. “We’d better get back down to the lake before Elijah starts. I want to know what his plan for retaliation is. We’ve got to take care of those left.”
Alicia’s heart sped. “You think Elijah will want to attack the lions?”
“I hope so.” Griff’s eyes flashed with hatred.
Alicia nodded. The lions had attacked without obvious cause. Of course the bears were upset. Elijah was patient, but he’d been tested by the attack, and he’d lost so many. Retaliation was fair, right?
No, it’s got to stop. Someone has to be first.
“I’m glad you’re safe, Alicia. We really were worried.” Amy patted her arm.
“Thank you.” Alicia gazed at the boats, now forming a perfect circle of fire.
“We should go.” Griff blew out a long breath.
“I dread it.” Amy grimaced. “It’s not going to be easy for Elijah tonight.”
“He can handle this. He’s the best leader we’ve ever had.” Griff growled. “Never doubt his strength, Amy. He’s led the bears through many rough times and this is no different. Are you coming, Alicia?”
“I’ll join you shortly. I need a few minutes to gather my thoughts before I have to face everyone.” She redid her hair tie, sliding the ponytail closer to her head. “I’ll be there in a few. I promise.”
“You know where we’ll be.” Griff took Amy by the hand and led her down the rocky path toward the beach.
As they were walking, Amy turned and waved, shooting Alicia a genuine smile that seemed to radiate a happiness that came from deep inside, even though her face was puffed with sadness. Alicia smiled back. If she could trust anyone besides Derek with the information about Marco, it’d be Amy. She’d help her with anything she needed. The human had blended in with the clan more easily than anyone would have ever imagined.
It was like she was destined to be part of Deep Creek, and in a way, she was. As Griff’s fated mate, no one should be surprised at how well she’d adapted, once she accepted the bears. Griff had been the biggest hurdle.
Of course.
And telling Griff the truth was not an option. Even Derek agreed.
Alicia watched the couple walk away, a short pang of envy slicing through her.
Things were changing in Deep Creek. It wasn’t that long ago that a human among the bears, living and being a mate, wasn’t really considered. Now, who knew what the future held? Was it possible that the lions and bears would one day share the cave and live in peace, as Tawodi predicted?
After the fierce battle, Alicia wasn’t so sure. Still, she’d heard tales all her life about the unification of shifters. Could it be possible?
We don’t seem anywhere close.
Alicia leaned against the cave wall. Exhaustion nearly overcame her, but giving up wasn’t an option. Tawodi was counting on her.
Tawodi told stories that Shoshannah had once led all the shifters as one community. Were the stories true? Everyone knew Shoshannah could take on the form of any shifter she wished, and she always took care of the dead. Maybe it wasn’t a reach to think she’d try to unite the shifters again, this time under different circumstances and a modern life.
Alicia sighed and headed toward the lakeshore. For now, at least, bears and lions remained enemies. Too many fires burned in memories tonight and that wouldn’t change anytime soon. It would be a long time before the bears or lions forgot solstice and the battle that had taken so many, including the leader of the Sen Pal.
Right now, she had a very real problem on her hands.