I yelled loudly so that my voice could carry across the entire space. “We will make room. The Paladins don’t depend on grocery stores to feed them and construction companies to build their houses. We will widen the village and build more houses. We can extend the farm crops too.Everyonewill have an equal part sharing jobs. And then when I get back with Sawyer, we will get Wolf City back too.”
That brought a chorus of cheers from each side. I didn’t know what they had been through in my absence, but I could see their faces now held something I was proud to give them.
Hope.
I looked at Rab and lowered my voice. “I need Eugene and you, and any other leaders, in a room for war council briefing. But first I want to shower.”
He nodded and we left the room as they were still cheering. I’d been stuck in the woods for a year and they’d been stuck down here. It was very much the same type of situation, and I was about to liberate them and bring them home.
Then I was focusing all of my energy on getting Sawyer and Walsh out of prison.
We exited the mess hall, and my mom and Raven were there holding and cooing at Creek. I slowed my approach and my mom held him out to me. Taking him in my arms, I gave him a little snuggle and kissed the top of his head. He craned his neck into my chest, searching for my boobs. My boobs hurt; they felt rock hard, full of milk, and I knew nothing about how to dry them out, but I did know that I was raised on formula and I turned out okay. If I wanted to go after Sawyer and be fighting a war to regain Wolf City, I was going to have to take trips away from my baby and stop breastfeeding.
“Mommy has to go plan a big escape. Can you stay with Grandma and Auntie Raven a little longer?” I asked Creek.
“Of course!” my mom and Raven said simultaneously.
I looked up at mom. “Mom, how do I … dry out the girls? Assuming we have enough formula in stock?” I pointed to my chest.
She nodded in understanding, cheeks reddening as Rab and Arrow suddenly turned their backs on us to give us privacy.
“We have more than enough, and I know it’s a tough decision, but I think given your situation, it might be best. You just stop. It will be painful, and you can hand express to get a little relief, but naturally you will dry up.”
My throat tightened in emotion at the thought of just stopping breastfeeding; it had become so natural to me. Definitely freaked me out in the beginning, but then it was this amazing thing that kept my kid alive.
I nodded, kissing Creek’s head, and handed him back to her.
“It’s best if someone else bottle feeds him until you dry out so he doesn’t smell your milk. Is it okay if I take over the feedings?” my mom asked.
Emotion welled up inside of me, a deep sadness that Creek wouldn’t need me as much for survival anymore, but I knew this was for the best given our current situation.
I just nodded. “Thanks, Mom,” I croaked. “Thanks, Raven,” I added, and pulled my bestie in for a hug.
She squeezed me hard. “I love you, but you smell.”
I burst into laughter and pulled back with a smile.
“Please tell me we have hot water here,” Sage called out behind me.
Rab nodded. “This way. I’ll show you the lavatories.”
* * *
Thirty minutes later,every square inch of my body had been scrubbed with a coconut vanilla, yummy-smelling soap and I’d shaved off all of my body hair. I scrubbed my scalp so hard it hurt, massaging my hand all the way to the ends with the sudsy soap. The conditioner was heaven; my hair had never felt so smooth.
“Holy crap, that was…” Sage looked at me wide-eyed with her bright red hair tied up into a damp knot. She was wearing some military-issued black fatigues, same as me, and we stood in the locker room style shower staring at each other with our newfound cleanness.
“Pretty amazing.” I grinned.
Sage smiled, but then her face fell a little. “I mean … not as pretty as hearing the bubbling creek after you stepped out of the shower and looking onto the thick forest.”
We both stared at the concrete walls with dismay.
“No. It’s not,” I agreed. I would always have a love-hate relationship with the Dark Woods. They made me realize I needed nature, but also kept me from those that I loved. We brushed our teeth and flossed, and then stepped out to find Arrow waiting for us.
“Meeting is this way. We’ve got Rab, Eugene, and then Star. She’s the leader of the defector witches. And also Rick. He’s the representative of the Independent Society of Werewolves.”
I stopped and stared at Arrow with my mouth hung open. “The what?”
