Shea’s mother gave the man a crooked grin.“It’s never too early to start. Huh, sweet pea?”
Shea was engrossed in studying the paw printher mother had pointed out and her little forehead puckered as sheconcentrated.
The man slung an arm around Lainey’s chest,pulling her firmly against him as he settled his chin on herhead.
“I see you’re determined to have her followin your footsteps.”
Shea’s head shot up, and she frowned at him.“I’m not going to be like Mommy. I’m going to be a gatherer and goon many adventures where I learn things nobody else knows.”
“Are you now?” Shea’s mother asked.
Shea nodded once, firmly.
Both her mother and father laughed. Herfather leaned down and scooped her small body up.
“I guess you’d better soak up everything yourmom has to teach you, then. It’s even harder to become a gathererthan it is a pathfinder.”
The world froze before twisting and burstinginto a starburst of bright light.
“Pick up the pace,” Shea barked, looking backat the rear. “We need to find cover before nightfall.”
A chorus of weary groans answered. Sheallowed herself a brief moment as she looked over her group oftwenty travelers. They, like her, were exhausted.
The journey’s stress and the constant worryof being in the Badlands were taking their toll.
Already, ten in their party had fallen.Mostly to beasts, three to the mist that fell while they’dnavigated the border between the Highlands and Badlands.
A small part of her was beginning to thinkthe elders had been right. Highlanders were simply not meant toexplore this desolate land of dust and death.
“Eagle!” shouted through the ranks, as eachman on the line repeated it until the shout resounded over theplateau.
Terror struck deep as a large shadow fellover them.
A draft of wind passed right over her and shetripped and fell. Brown wings trimmed in white spread wide,blocking out the sun as its owner brushed past. Screams pierced thequiet and the eagle dipped and then rose again, two men clutched inits claws.
Something inside Shea shriveled as the beastwinged its way higher and higher. That same something witheredfurther when two more eagles dropped out of the sky to claim moreof her men. She’d never seen so many of them. Shea watched,motionless and helpless, as her dreams died all around her.
Her arrogance had gotten them killed.
She could do nothing but wait for herturn.
Light burst all around her and then the worldwent dark.
Shea opened her eyes slowly to stare up at anight sky marred by the warm glow of the fire next to her. The lowmurmur of voices was accompanied by the crackle and snap of theburning logs.
Her body felt as if it had been wrung dry.She swallowed, feeling like sand had been poured in her mouth.
“I see you’re finally back.” Fallon’s voicecame from the dark on her left.
She turned her head, slowly, so slowly. Itfelt like it weighed three times what it did normally. “Did I gosomewhere?”
That rough, scratchy noise didn’t sound likeher voice. A cool cup of water was passed to her and a large handon her back helped her sit. She gulped the water down gratefully,not even minding when some of it missed her lips and spilled downher front.
Fallon tilted the cup away from her.“Easy.”
When he let her drink again, she forcedherself to go slow even though it felt like the water evaporated assoon as it touched her parched tongue. She was numb, as if all theemotion had been stripped from her and the only thing left was apervasive nothingness.
“What was in the fire?” Shea asked. Shedidn’t really care if he answered, it was just that questions hadbeen a part of her life for so long they rose without thought.
