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THE JOURNEY BACK TO camp was torture. Trinity, Travis and Mirabelle were constantly trying to herd the young Producers back into a tight group. The six kids, all between seven and twelve years old, refused to take the forest seriously.
Trinity grabbed one of the worst offenders by the ear. It wasn’t an easy task since he was already taller than she was. “Listen to me, you little brat. It’s dangerous out here and if you don’t stay with the group you’re going to be gobbled up for dinner.”
“Yeah, right.” He jerked away from her, rolling his eyes at his friends as he sauntered farther ahead. “There ain’t nothing in these woods...”
The young Producer was yanked from his feet, disappearing into the brush. Mirabelle and the kids screamed.
“What? Where?” stammered Travis, looking around.
A slight shimmer in the bushes, like a breeze had passed through, was the only indication that something had happened there.
“Get together, quick.” She pointed at Travis and Mirabelle. “Put the littlest in the center.”
“Aren’t you going to save him?” ask Mirabelle as she and Travis herded the remaining Producers together.
Unbelievable. Mirabelle hadn’t wanted her there. Had said they were fine. Now, Mirabelle wanted her to risk her life to help the kid. She would, but Mirabelle should be embarrassed to ask. “I need to make sure you’re safe first. It could be an ambush. There could be more of whatever took him.”
Laughter came from above where the Producer had disappeared. Mirra sat in the tree, holding the boy in front of her with her large paw over his mouth. “Little One teach but they no listen. Mirra told Little One. They no smart. They no learn.”
She exhaled. He was fine. She hadn’t lost another one. Not yet anyway. “Mirra, let him go and get down here.” She kept her voice upbeat. She hadn’t seen Mirra in weeks. The Tracker had become wilder like the last time the serum had worn off.
Tears ran down the boy’s cheeks and onto Mirra’s paw. The Tracker place her nose near the boy’s neck and licked upward, following the trail of tears and stopping right under his eye. “He taste good. Mirra like.” The Tracker’s tone had changed from amused to something soft and threatening.
“Trinity, do something,” whispered Travis.
She took a deep breath. She needed to stay calm. The Tracker could smell their fear and it excited her. She’d tell the others to calm down, but it’d be a waste of breath. “Quit kidding around, Mirra and let him go. He’s my friend.”
Mirra stroked her other hand along the young Producer’s face and sniffed his neck and hair. “Little One have too many friends. Mirra hungry.”
“Please, Mirra.” Her stomach felt like she’d swallowed an entire loaf of Gaar’s bread without any water. She hoped that Travis and Mirabelle were blocking the kids’ view, just in case.
Mirra sniffed around to the back of his neck and then let go of the boy. He fell out of the tree and hit the ground hard, but he was up in a second and scurried over to the others, his face pale and his eyes wide.
“He move fast. Maybe, he live.” Mirra laughed as she dropped from the tree.
Trinity turned and stared at the Producers. “You’ll listen to me from now on, won’t you?”
“Trinity!” Travis frowned at her. “This is not the time.”
“We can’t coddle them. He was lucky. Lucky it was Mirra”—her eyes met Travis’ and then moved to Mirabelle’s—“and lucky I was here.” Mirra wouldn’t have let him go for the others and they all knew it.
“Little One lucky. Mirra ate Cold Creeper.” Mirra rubbed her large belly, as her eyes roamed the Producers. “Mirra always hungry now.”
She walked over to the Tracker and hugged her. “It’s good to see you.” She pulled back, holding her hand out near Mirra’s belly. “May I?”
Mirra smiled, showing her large sharp teeth and nodded.
The Tracker’s stomach was hard and warm. There was slight movement under her hand. She laughed.
“Babies kick Little One. Babies like Little One.”
“I’m so happy for you.” She stepped back, her hand still warm from the contact.
Mirra petted Trinity’s head. “Why you alone? No safe.”
She wasn’t actually alone but Mirra didn’t consider anyone but herself or Gaar as suitable companions in the forest. “We freed some Producers. We need to get back to camp. Could you mask our scent in case anyone comes looking for us?”
Mirra grunted and the comforting odor of pine and herb wafted around them as they started walking again. They were already late and even with the young Producers no longer running around like mad, the trip would take time. Mirra shortened her long stride to Trinity’s pace and the Producers followed, keeping a decent distance between them and the Tracker. Even Travis and Mirabelle were still nervous around Mirra. To them, Mirra would never be a friend; she’d always be a predator. Trinity touched her tongue to her teeth. Her too. She glanced back, her gaze meeting Travis’. He gave her a questioning look. She was sure he’d seen the sadness in her eyes but she smiled and shook her head as if to say it was nothing. They’d stay friends for a while but once he paired there’d be no room for her in his life. She was pretty sure that his mate wouldn’t allow that.
“Why are you in this part of the forest, Mirra?” The Trackers usually stayed in the deep woods, far away from Almightys.
“Mirra bored. Mirra miss Gaar-Mine. Mirra miss Little One.”
“I missed you too.” She bumped her shoulder into the Tracker’s arm.
Mirra snorted.
“Where’s Nirankan?”
“Hunting.” Mirra turned her head and stared at the Producers for a long moment, a small strand of drool forming on the side of her mouth.
She needed Mirra to focus on her and not the others. “Oh. Is he around here?” Trackers in this part of the forest would be dangerous for everyone.
Mirra shrugged.
She hesitated. Mirra hadn’t had her serum in a long time, but she had to warn her. “The Almightys will be coming this way in force soon. You and the other Trackers shouldn’t be around when that happens.”
“Mirra no fear Almightys. Almightys fear Trackers.”
The Tracker was as stubborn as ever. “We’re leaving this part of the forest. We’re going to Harbor Point. Hugh thinks the one section will make a good camp.”
“Almighty know nothing.”
“He said that with the ocean on the one side and Harbor Point on the other, that only leaves two avenues for attack.”
“Two way in. Two way out,” said Mirra.
“Not, exactly. Gaar said that there are caves in that area where we can hide if we have to.”
“Gaar-Mine say good. It good.”
She envied Mirra’s faith in Gaar. The longer she lived out here the less she trusted anyone completely. Even Gaar and Mirra were loyal to each other first and soon Mirra would have her own family. She kept getting pushed further and further down their list of important people. If she didn’t start her own family soon, she may end up alone with no one to trust but herself.