“But we’re breaking with tradition anyway, so I didn’t think this would be such a big deal.” Isabel was talking earnestly to Sora as Mari and Rigel made their way past clusters of women, busy with everything from weaving travel cocoons to gently packing seeds and roots and pods into woven containers, to the entrance to the birthing burrow. She’d been on a quest to find more storage containers so she and Nik could continue to pack up her burrow.
“Oh, good! Mari can decide,” Sora said.
“I can decide what?” she asked, stepping into the relative quiet of the burrow.
“Sora says tonight Isabel is going to dance her name for the moon and then tomorrow it’s my turn,” Jenna explained, closing the door against the outside noises of a Pack frantically preparing to move. “Well, Isabel says she wants me to dance with her.”
“And I said that was breaking with tradition. That it would be traditional for a Moon Woman to dance with her apprentice, so you or I could join her. But for two apprentices to introduce themselves together?” Sora shook her head. “It’s not done.”
“Isabel, why do you want Jenna to join you?” Mari asked.
“Jenna and I aren’t traditional Moon Woman apprentices. Danita wants to draw down the moon. We don’t. We just want to be Healers. And since we’re different, I thought it would be nice if we introduced ourselves to the Goddess together.”
Jenna dimpled. “Isabel and I make a good team. Someday I hope she can draw enough moon magick to help with our healing and I’ll be an expert on tinctures and salves.”
“And it doesn’t bother you that Jenna might be drawing some of the Goddess’s attention away from you tonight?” Mari asked Isabel.
The young woman looked honestly surprised. “No! I never even thought of it that way. I just thought that since Jenna and I are a team, it made sense to dance our names as a team. And I think the Goddess has enough attention to split between us, don’t you?”
Mari met Sora’s gaze. The other Moon Woman shrugged. “You make the decision.”
“Then I think it would be lovely if the two of you introduced yourself together as Healer apprentices,” Mari said.
“Oh yea!” Jenna clapped her hands as Isabel beamed.
“Okay, go to the clearing downstream. Danita’s waiting for you there. She’ll help you practice the steps of your naming dance. I’ll be by later to check in with you,” Sora said.
The girls scampered out of the burrow to meet with Danita, joining the wash of Pack noise that was, thankfully, cut off when the door closed behind them.
“Since when are you a stickler for tradition?” Mari asked Sora.
“I’m not. Not really. But I don’t want us to lose everything that made us a Clan.”
“Sora, the people made us a Clan, not the traditions. And now we’ll make our group a Pack, with a unique mix of new and old traditions, like we’re a unique mix of people. But you know that. What’s going on with you? What’s wrong?”
Sora brushed back a thick length of dark hair and blew at a braided strand of flowers that was flapping in her face. “I’m just not ready to leave!” she blurted. “Are you? We have one more full day, and then the next is the fifth day, and we’re supposed to be leaving the very next dawn.” Sora gazed around the birthing burrow fondly. “I was just getting settled—just finding my place here. And I love it. I love this women’s burrow that’s suddenly filled with all sorts of people and creatures. What are we doing leaving all of this?”
“Come on. Let me make you some tea.”
“I’ll make the tea,” Sora grumbled, moving with Mari and Rigel to the rear of the burrow. “I feel bad enough without being subjected to your questionable tea-brewing skills.”
“See, you’re sounding more like yourself already. Where’s Chloe? She’ll make you feel better.”
“She’s eating. Rose said she’d bring her to me when she’s done.”
“Okay, look, you’re scared. I am, too. But leaving is the right thing to do. Are you honestly having second thoughts?” Mari didn’t even want to consider what it would be like to leave Sora behind, but she ignored the hollowness in the pit of her stomach and continued. “Stay if you feel you have to. Thaddeus will come after Nik and me. Once he realizes we’re gone the Tribe might be satisfied by going back to how things were. They’ll capture enough Earth Walkers to tend their crops, and let the rest of you live in peace until they need more of you. Just like they’ve been doing for generations.”
“You don’t really believe that, though, do you?”
“No, I don’t. I’ve met Thaddeus. I’ve seen the attitude of the Leader of their so-called Elder Council. They’re narrow-minded men stuck in the mud of their own outdated beliefs. I think they’ll come after all Earth Walkers. They blame us for the forest fire.”
Sora came to Mari, offering her one of the two steaming mugs of tea. She blew out a long breath. “I’m not going to stay. I know leaving is the right thing to do. I’ve been excited, happy even, about it. But…” Her words faded as she stared into her tea.
“But it is scary, especially the closer we get to leaving,” Mari finished for her.
“Yeah, it is.”
“Change is scary. I was scared when you first came to live with me.”
“Seriously? I would never have guessed that. It just seemed like you were mad at me. A lot.”
“I hid my fear in anger. I was afraid of everything! Of living without Mama. Of what you would think of me because I’m part Companion. Of what might happen to Rigel if I couldn’t figure out how to take proper care of him. And mostly of what our Clan would do to me when they found out my secret. I wasn’t angry; I was terrified.”
“Yeah,” Sora said softly. “I’m not having second thoughts. I’m terrified.”
“But you’re not alone. You’re part of a Pack. We’re in this together. We have your back, Sora.”
The sounds of the busy Pack filtered through the burrow again, and Mari looked up to see Nik and Laru standing just inside the entrance. “You two okay in here? I ran into Isabel and Jenna. They said I should check on you.”
“We’re okay,” Mari said. “Sora’s just feeling stressed about the move. Nik, would you mind if I—”
“Hey, say no more. Laru and I will make another run back to your burrow. I’ll load the rest of your medicines. We should be back here about dusk—just in time for Third Night.”
“There are more satchels and medicine carriers just inside the rear pantry. I don’t know where Jenna keeps finding them. The girl is a born scavenger,” Sora said. “That’s what you were looking for when you came in, isn’t it, Mari?”
“Yeah, thanks. Hang on just a second, Nik.” Mari hurried into the pantry and came back with several satchels slung over her shoulder, which she handed to Nik. “Thanks again.” She tiptoed to kiss him, adding quietly, “Sora needs me.”
“I get it,” Nik said. “Take care of your friend. Want Rigel to come with us? I’ll bet he’s up for some boy time.”
Mari glanced down at Rigel, who was sending her an openmouthed grin, tail wagging manically.
“That would be a big yes from Rigel, and a smaller yes from me.” Mari crouched in front of her Shepherd. “Stay close to Laru and listen to Nik. I love you, sweet boy.” She kissed him on his nose and he licked her in return. Laughing, she turned to Laru, who was waiting a lot more patiently beside Nik. “Watch our boy. He likes to get into things.”
Laru woofed softly, and when she bent to kiss him, too, he flooded her face with licks. Sputtering and laughing, Mari straightened to grin at Nik, who pulled her into his arms and kissed her thoroughly.
“Ugh,” she said when he let her go. “I’m covered in Shepherd slobber. I’m sure you got some of it on you.”
“You know it’s my favorite. Well, besides Moon Woman slobber.” He waggled his eyebrows at her before calling, “See ya, Sora.”
“Not if I see you first,” Sora quipped as the two Shepherds bounded out of the burrow with Nik following close behind.
“There. Now we should have some peace.” Mari returned to her spot beside Sora and picked up her tea. “Tell me what I can do to help.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Okay, you asked for it. I don’t even have half of the pantry loaded up. And there are so many clothes to go through. What about all of these sleeping pallets? What are we going to do with them? And the weaving supplies? We’ll need to impress the Wind Riders, so we need all of the looms and the hemp. The women have been gathering roots and shoots and seeds, but what about live plants? We have to bring some of them. Do Wind Riders have blueberries? Well, they should. What about that? All of that?”
Sora finally took a breath and Mari was able to speak. “First, you need to add some lavender to your tea. Not enough to make you sleepy. Just enough to help you relax a little.”
“Enough to make me think things aren’t as stressful as they really are,” Sora said sardonically.
“Yes and no. You’re building up a lot of stress in your mind, Sora. Like the pallets. Each person will pack their own. And I talked with Nik when we were packing my burrow this morning about using litters to carry a lot of these supplies to the boats. He agreed. So, let’s start by taking apart the bed frames and using them to make litters. There’s nothing wrong with moving the pallets to the floor. We can strap the looms and weaving materials to the litters, as well as live plants, and then transfer them to their own boats. Nik said we can lash boats together. That’s what we’ll do.”
“But what about when we leave the river and have to carry all this stuff?”
“We will have eaten a lot of this stuff by then. And if we have too much to carry, we leave it beside the river. We’ll make that decision then. No need to worry about it now.”
“I just want to do this right, and that seemed so easy when we were talking about it, but making it happen is a whole other thing,” Sora said.
“But you’re not alone. I owe you an apology. I’ve been distracted by packing up my burrow. I should have been here for you,” Mari said.
“You don’t owe me anything. I should be able to handle this on my own. You’re handling it just fine.”
Mari laughed. “Oh no, no, no! I’m faking it! I’m just as scared as you are. But I’m used to living day-to-day, afraid of being found out. I’ve learned to keep my feelings hidden.”
“Strangely enough, that’s a comfort to me.”
“So, you want to add lavender to that tea, and then you and I are going to go through that pantry back there and get it packed up. All of it,” Mari said.
“Yes. And thank you,” Sora said.
“No problem.”
Sora touched her arm. “No, really. Thank you. And thank you for being my friend.”
“You didn’t give me much choice,” Mari said.
“Sure I did. You could have been my friend or let Rigel eat me,” Sora said, grinning at Mari.
“Rigel said he was afraid you’d be too fatty to eat, and you know he doesn’t like fat.”
“He did not say that!” Sora gasped.
Mari giggled. “No, he didn’t. But it’s funny.”
“For whom?”
“Rigel and me, of course. Now, let’s get to work. It’ll be dusk before you know it, and it’s a Third Night.”
“Do you think Jaxom will return?” Sora asked.
“For his sake, I hope he does,” Mari said.
“I don’t know, Mari. For his sake, I hope he doesn’t.”
“What does that mean?” Mari asked, pausing at the entrance to the back pantry of the large burrow.
“It means I don’t think he’ll find peace in this lifetime. Not after what he’s done. It might be better if he returned to the Goddess and came back around again,” Sora said.
“Try to forgive him. If not for him—for yourself,” Mari said.
Sora looked surprised. “Mari, I said it before—I’ve forgiven him. But I know him. I’ve been his friend, and more, for most of our lives. I don’t think he’ll ever be able to forgive himself.”
* * *
The day passed quickly, but Mari and Sora managed to get the birthing burrow’s pantries—medical and eatable—completely packed. O’Bryan and Sheena had all of the pallet frames taken apart and moved to the clearing by the stream, where they were being lashed together to form transportable litters. Antreas had even proclaimed that if the women could weave mats or webbing quickly enough the litters could be floated behind the boats and could carry many of their supplies.
Davis and Cammy had been what Davis laughingly called binge hunting. They’d managed to trap several live rabbits to add to the small warren Mari had started for Rigel, as well as a few turkeys and a magnificent young deer. The scent of roasting and smoking meat hung fragrantly over the campsite, lifting everyone’s harried spirits. Like Davis often said, it’s hard to be too stressed if there is plenty to eat.
“Isabel, Jenna, you two look perfect, if I say so myself.” Sora stepped back from the girls, walking around them, tucking in a curl here and there.
“It amazes me how fast you can braid decorations into hair,” Mari said.
“You think that’s a skill Wind Riders will value?” Sora asked.
“Antreas said they’re a matriarchy,” Isabel said. “So, I think it’s a skill they’re going to love.”
“We sure do!” Jenna twirled around, making her long hazelnut-colored hair fly out in an arch around her as the shells and beads Sora had decorated it with made music.
“Isabel, Jenna, you two are gorgeous,” Mari said. “Are you ready?”
“Yes!” Jenna said.
“Nervous, but yes,” Isabel said.
“Just focus on the joy of the moment and the Goddess,” Mari told them. “Forget everything else.”
“But know that your Moon Women support you,” Sora added.
“That we do,” Mari agreed. “Okay, you have an eager Pack waiting in the clearing. Like we talked about earlier, as you begin dancing Sora and I will draw down the moon and Wash the Pack.”
Jenna held out her arm, with a small grimace. “The sun’s setting. I can feel it.”
The smooth skin of Jenna’s arm had taken on a sickly gray tinge. Mari glanced at Isabel and Sora. Their skin, too, was beginning to turn, though Mari’s wouldn’t. Her mixed blood made her immune to the Night Fever that plagued Earth Walkers.
“How about this?” Mari said. “You two will be the first Sora and I Wash; then you can begin your dance and not have to worry about the pain of Night Fever.”
“That’s a good idea,” Sora said. “A break from tradition that I like. There’s no need for any of us to suffer from Night Fever, not with more than one Moon Woman in our Pack.”
“That’s awesome, Mari!” Jenna said.
“We’d appreciate that,” Isabel agreed.
“And I also like this new tradition of baring our legs, especially when we dance our names,” Sora added, smoothing the side of Isabel’s tunic that was embroidered with lovely red flowers.
“The males in our Pack will certainly like it,” Jenna said with a cheeky grin.
Mari gave her a sharp look, wondering if there was a particular male she was thinking of—Davis? O’Bryan? Maybe Jaxom, if he returned?
“Mari? Hello? Are you coming?”
Mari blinked and came back to herself. “Oh, sorry. Yeah.”
She caught up quickly with the three young women, and together they moved down the wide stone stairs. The evening had been cloudy, and dusk had fallen quickly. The Pack had lit all of the bonfires, and the night was filled with scents of burning pinewood mixed with the aromas of roasting meat and the lavender and salt water that always circled a Gathering. As Danita spotted them and raised the greeting of “Moon Women! Our Moon Women are here!” Mari felt as if her heart might burst with the sense of belonging that rushed through her. I wish you were here, Mama. I wish you could see that I have a place with these people. I finally belong! She searched for Nik among the smiling, upturned faces, even though she already knew he hadn’t returned from her burrow yet because Rigel wasn’t leaping around her, drowning her with slobbery kisses.
“Ready?” Sora asked her.
“Absolutely,” Mari said.
The four of them descended into the heart of their Pack.
“Blessed Third Night to our Pack!” Mari called, tweaking her mama’s traditional Third Night greeting just a little. “Tonight we have much to celebrate. We have two new apprentices who have chosen to dance their introduction to the moon together. Sora and I have agreed to it because we believe in mixing new traditions with old.”
“Like how we’ve mixed Clan and Tribe to form a new Pack,” Sora added.
“Exactly!” Mari agreed. She nodded to Sora, and they moved forward to approach the idol of the Great Earth Mother that seemed to emerge from the center of the clearing. The light of the fires had flickering shadows playing across her beautiful skin of moss. The breeze stirred, brushing through her hair of verdant ferns, giving the impression that she was in motion, rising to greet her people.
Mari and Sora had already decided to open the Third Night by keeping much of it traditional, out of respect for the Great Goddess and for the gathered women who had, for their entire lives until just recently, been part of a Clan steeped in tradition.
Sora had asked Mari if she would begin, and Mari had easily agreed. Sora’s connection to the Goddess was strong—maybe even stronger than Mari’s. She had never heard the Goddess’s voice, but Sora seemed to chat with her frequently.
“I greet you, Great Mother, with the love and gratitude and respect of your newly formed Pack.” Sora spoke directly to the image of the Goddess.
Mari watched Sora bow reverently to the living sculpture and was then surprised to see her pull a beautiful bead from her hair and tie it into a frond of the Goddess’s hair. Mari heard Sora say, “This is my favorite bead. Keep it here, with you. I know you’ll come with us to the Plains of the Wind Riders, as you are everywhere, but part of you will remain here, in our homeland. And I want you to have it.” Then Sora brushed away tears that were glistening on her cheeks and rejoined Mari.
It was Mari’s turn. She was supposed to announce the ancient call for the men of Clan Weaver to present themselves to be Washed, but as there were no Earth Walker men present, Mari took the opportunity to approach the Goddess.
Mari gazed up into the smooth river stone flecked with sparkles of crystal that had, generations before, been carved into a likeness of the Goddess’s face. From her hair Mari disentangled the perfectly blue feather of a jay. She reached up and placed it snugly within the fern that was the Goddess’s hair.
“Keep this with you,” Mari said softly to the Goddess. “Blue was Mama’s favorite color, so I think you’ll like it, too.” Then Mari stepped back and faced the watching Tribe, pronouncing the words she’d heard her mama speak uncounted times. “Men of Clan Weaver, present yourself to me!”
The silence that filled the clearing was pregnant with anticipation. Mari searched the crowd until she spotted O’Bryan, Sheena, and Davis. They were turned outward, watching the surrounding forest with the sharp eyes of protectors.
Nothing happened. No one moved.
Mari breathed an almost inaudible sigh of relief and was turning to Sora to begin the invocation of the moon when the night erupted into chaos.
First, Rigel rushed to Mari, flooding her with emotions that ranged from relief to anger and worry.
“It’s okay, sweet boy!” Mari crouched beside him, trying to soothe him with her touch. “Where are Laru and Nik?”
Rigel’s head swung around, pointing into the darkness outside the cheery fires that encircled the Pack.
“Moon Woman!” Jaxom’s voice was tortured as he staggered into the clearing.
“Mari, help us!” Nik shouted at the same time, and Laru burst through the circle, running to stand beside her and Rigel.
The gathered Pack gasped, parting to allow Nik and Jaxom through. Between them, they dragged an Earth Walker male. His hands were bound. His head was lifted; his eyes were completely red. He bared his teeth, sweeping the crowd with his scarlet gaze.
“Moon Woman!” he rasped in a voice that was barely human. “Need Moon Woman!”
“Oh, Goddess!” Sora said, backing into Mari. Her eyes were wide and glassy with panic when she looked at Mari. “I can’t! I just can’t, Mari!”
“You don’t need to. I’ll Wash him. Keep Jenna and Isabel behind you.” Mari’s gaze swept the crowd, quickly finding Danita, whose eyes were wide with fear. Antreas was sprinting to her side, though, and Mari was sure Bast had to be close by, too. Danita is fine, she thought with relief. “Rigel! With me!”
It wasn’t just Rigel who responded. Laru remained at her side, and then, within a heartbeat or two, Sheena’s Captain was there, and Davis’s Cammy, as well as the little mama, Fala, and Bast, too. The canines and Lynx surrounded Mari. Each had their ears and hackles raised, growling deep in their chests, their focus poised as one on the red-eyed Earth Walker who was being dragged toward her.
Mari’s hand found Rigel’s head. As she touched him, she opened herself and a wave of strength flooded into her. Mari felt a jolt of shock as she realized the strength she was being flooded with was coming from all of the Companions, not just Rigel!
Focus! Let them help you ground and then call down the moon and Wash that Clansman back to sanity! Her mama’s voice was strong and clear within Mari’s mind.
Mari moved fast. She stood directly in front of Jaxom and Nik and the struggling Night Fever–filled Clansman. His head was lolling, and Mari could see through the tatters of clothing that remained on his body that his arms and legs were covered with oozing pustules. Then he raised his face again, blinking blindly around him, and Mari got a second shock.
It’s Mason! Jaxom’s younger brother! He is barely sixteen winters old!
With no more hesitation Mari lifted her arms as if she would cradle the not yet visible moon between the open palms of her hands. She closed her eyes and concentrated with all of her will, sketching within her mind a huge, silver moon and thick ropes of radiant power falling from it down, down, down, to wrap, glowing, around her. When she felt the cold power beginning to flow, she opened her eyes and recited:
“Moon Woman I proclaim myself to be!
Greatly gifted, I offer myself to thee.
By right of blood and birth channel through me
The Goddess gift that is my destiny!”
Mari reached forward at the same moment she imagined the ropes of silver moonlight power emptying into her, using her as a conduit, and pouring into Mason. She placed both hands on his head and murmured, “Mason, I Wash you free of all anger and sickness and gift you with the love of our Great Earth Mother.”
The cold cascaded through Mari’s body with such intensity it caused her teeth to chatter and her body to tremble. But she didn’t take her hands from Mason’s head. She didn’t allow her concentration to be broken. She kept the moonlight washing through her and into Mason, illuminating him with a light that made it appear as if his skin had turned silver, until finally the young man lifted his head and met her gaze.
His eyes were a healthy brown, though he looked more than a little confused. He blinked several times, smiled shyly, and in a voice that was raspy and weak replied with the traditional response, “Thank you, Moon Woman.”
Mari nodded in acknowledgment of Mason’s response and then swallowed several times, refocusing her energy. She turned to Jaxom, who was standing beside his brother, still supporting him, though she could see that Jaxom’s eyes were beginning to glow red and his skin was fully flushed with gray. Seeing her attention had shifted, he bowed his head to her. Mari placed her hands on him and focused on channeling more of the lifesaving moonlight.
“I Wash you free of all anger and sickness and gift you with the love of our Great Earth Mother,” she said.
Jaxom lifted his head immediately. His smile was radiant. “Thank you, Moon Woman! Thank you!”
Mari turned to Nik then. He was watching her with eyes filled with love. Mason was standing on his own by then, so Nik stepped toward Mari and knelt, bowing his head in the traditional manner of a Clansman waiting to be Washed by his Moon Woman.
Gently, Mari placed her hands on his head, thinking of how much she was coming to love and respect this unique man. She imagined the moon flooding him with health and healing as she intoned, “I Wash you free of all pain and infection and gift you with the love of our Great Earth Mother.”
His body glowed silver briefly, and then he lifted his head, his smile beaming up at her. “Thank you, my Moon Woman, my love!”
Mari meant to turn gracefully and move back to stand beside Sora so that they could continue Washing the Pack together, but her legs refused to cooperate. Her graceful turn became a staggering near fall, and she was saved from ending up on her butt and being embarrassed in front of her new Pack by Rigel and Laru. They were there, pressing into her from each side, supporting her, filling her with love and strength. And Fala was there, too, as well as Cammy, lending their love and support. She could even feel Bast’s presence. Her feline energy felt completely different from the canines—wilder and more reminiscent of moon power with its cool strength.
Then Sora was in front of Mari, taking her hands and forcing her to look into her eyes. After Mari’s gaze focused on her, she said, “Bow your head.”
Too exhausted to argue, Mari did as her friend requested.
Sora released Mari’s hands and raised her own, cupping the unseen moon in her palms. In a voice strong and sure, she recited Leda’s invocation, word for word:
“Moon Woman I proclaim myself to be!
Greatly gifted, I bare myself to thee.
Earth Mother, aid me with your magick sight.
Lend me strength on this moonlit night.
Come, silver light—fill me to overflow
So those in my care your healing will know.
By right of blood and birth channel through me
The Goddess gift that is my destiny!”
Sora placed her hands on her friend’s head, and Mari felt a wonderful coolness flow into her body. It wasn’t the flood of power that she’d channeled into Mason and Jaxom and Nik. It was sweet and soothing, and it chased away the weakness within her. Mari stopped trembling. Her stomach, which had felt as if it were trying to turn itself inside out, calmed. She drew a deep, thankful breath and lifted her head, grinning at her friend.
“Thank you, Moon Woman!”
Sora touched her cheek gently. “Thank you for doing what I couldn’t.”
“You didn’t have to. There are two of us now,” Mari said.
“Three,” Danita said, stepping up beside Sora.
“Four,” Isabel said, moving to Sora’s other side
“Five, if you count a Healer.” Jenna dimpled at Mari.
“You count. You all count!” Mari said. “Now Sora will Wash you, and then you can dance your names to the moon.”
“Are you not feeling okay now?” Sora asked, studying Mari more closely.
“I am, but Mason has wounds that have to be cleaned and dressed. I thought I’d do that while you Wash the rest of the Pack.”
“No, Moon Woman. You stay. Wash your people with Sora. With your permission, I’ll take my brother into the burrow and begin cleaning his wounds,” Jaxom said. “He’s himself again, thanks to you.”
“I’ll go with him.” Rose had stepped from the silently watching crowd. “My wounds are healing well, so I don’t need to be Washed, and I’ve been helping with Lydia’s and Sarah’s dressing changes. I know where the goldenseal is, and how to clean wounds with it. I’d be happy to help.”
Mari opened her mouth to insist that she could handle it—she should handle it. She was the Moon Woman. But she was stuck by the realization that this was exactly what she used to complain to Leda about—the fact that she insisted on doing everything herself. She took on the pain and fear, love and losses, of the Clan, and it made her old before her time and, too often, filled her with sadness Mari couldn’t touch.
“Thank you, Rose,” Mari said. “That would be very helpful.”
“I’ll come help you after I’ve danced my name,” Jenna said.
“So will I,” Isabel added.
Mari wanted to throw her arms around them all and tell them how spectacular they were, but her throat closed with emotion and all she could do was nod and smile at them while blinking tears from her eyes.
When Jaxom and Rose moved off with Mason walking unsteadily, but without being supported, between them, Sora turned to Mari.
“So, Moon Woman. Ready to proceed?”
Mari went to her friend and hugged her, right there in front of the Pack, surprising everyone with her show of affection—including Sora, whose eyes began to fill.
“With my Pack beside me I am ready for anything!”