Chapter 255: Chapter 255: You horrible, horrible female!
"I know."
His silver eyes narrowed painfully.
"Then you understand why I’m angry."
Swanly wiped his cheek with her thumb.
"Yes."
He caught her wrist.
Held it against his face.
For a long moment, he simply looked at her.
Then whispered:
"I cannot lose you."
Swanly’s throat tightened.
She leaned up and kissed him.
Softly.
He didn’t respond at first.
Then one hand slid behind her head, and he kissed her back.
Not possessively.
Not to tease her.
Just to reassure himself that she was really there.
Alive.
Warm.
His.
When they separated, Swanly rested her forehead against his.
"I’m here now."
Soren breathed slowly.
Then again.
Finally, his tail loosened around her legs.
Only slightly.
Swanly smiled through her tears.
"Are you going to let me walk?"
"No."
She almost laughed.
"Soren."
"No."
He bent down, slid one arm beneath her knees, and lifted her against his chest.
Swanly squeaked.
"Hey!"
"You have walked enough."
"Soren, I can..."
"I know."
He adjusted his hold.
"You are still not walking."
She sighed.
Then wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Fine."
He started toward Ironwood.
After several steps, Swanly looked back over his shoulder.
Toward the arrow.
Toward the trees.
The forest was still empty.
"System," she whispered.
The fairy appeared briefly.
I HAVE RECORDED THE ATTACK LOCATION AND PROJECTILE SIGNATURE.
"Good."
Swanly stared into the darkness a moment longer.
Then turned back toward her mate.
She would deal with that later.
Right now, she wanted her children.
The first thing Swanly noticed when they reached Ironwood was the smell.
Burned wood.
Bitter resin.
Blood.
So much blood.
The settlement looked nothing like the home she had left.
One watch platform had collapsed. Several shelters stood with their walls ripped open. Wooden beams lay scattered across the paths, and thick lines of ash surrounded every damaged section.
Somewhere, someone was crying.
Not screaming anymore.
Just crying.
A wounded male sat beside a covered body, holding one limp hand beneath the edge of a hide.
He didn’t even look up when Soren passed.
Swanly’s smile faded.
"How many?"
Soren knew what she meant.
"We’re still counting."
Her stomach tightened.
"Oh."
A group of survivors noticed them near the treatment shelter.
Someone stopped walking.
Then a female gasped.
"Swanly?"
Heads turned.
"She’s back!"
Another voice.
"Swanly came back!"
People began rising from the platforms.
A wounded guard actually started laughing.
"She’s alive!"
Swanly blinked as dozens of faces turned toward her.
Some looked relieved.
Others began crying.
Tovan stood beside a damaged beam, his flat beaver tail hanging heavily behind him.
He stared for several seconds before dropping his tools.
"Thank the ancestors."
Beside the treatment shelter, Sari lifted her bloodstained hands toward her mouth.
Nahla looked up from a patient.
Her gray otter ears shot upright.
Then flattened.
"Oh, that stupid fox."
Soren continued walking.
Swanly spotted Tilla first.
The mink female was sitting on a raised platform with Tavi asleep against her side.
Her eyes widened.
"Swanly?"
Swanly lifted one hand.
"Hi."
Tilla stared.
Then her expression crumpled.
"You..."
She stood so quickly she nearly knocked over a bowl.
"You horrible, horrible female!"
Swanly winced.
"Fair."
Tilla hurried toward her.
Then stopped when she saw Soren’s arms locked around Swanly.
"Put her down!"
"No."
Tilla glared.
"She is my friend!"
"She is my mate."
"I KNOW THAT!"
Swanly laughed weakly.
"Tilla..."
The mink female grabbed her hand.
For a second, Swanly expected another scolding.
Instead, Tilla squeezed it.
Hard.
Her eyes filled.
"I thought you were dead."
Swanly’s smile disappeared.
Tilla looked away.
"When the ground stopped moving, nobody could find you."
She swallowed.
"And the boys kept asking..."
Her voice broke.
Swanly tightened her fingers around Tilla’s.
"I’m sorry."
Tilla nodded quickly.
Then wiped her eyes with her sleeve.
"Good. You should be."
She sniffed.
"And you smell terrible."
Swanly blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"Like something died inside your clothes."
"Several things did."
Tilla stared at her.
Then made a strange sound between a sob and a laugh.
"You are impossible."
Before Swanly could respond, a familiar voice thundered from behind them.
"SWANLY!"
She turned.
Nahla was coming.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
Her old legs were exhausted, and she leaned heavily on a wooden walking stick.
Swanly smiled immediately.
"Nahla!"
The old otter stopped in front of her.
Looked her up and down.
Torn clothes.
Blood.
Dirt.
Scratches.
Then raised her stick.
THWACK!
"Ow!"
Swanly jerked in Soren’s arms.
The stick had struck her thigh.
Not hard enough to injure.
More than hard enough to insult.
"Nahla!"
"You foolish little fox!"
Swanly stared.
"You HIT me!"
"And I’ll do it again!"
The old healer’s whiskers trembled.
"Do you know how many people I had to stop from running after you?"
Swanly blinked.
"What?"
"Your males! That deer! Half the guards!"
Nahla jabbed the stick against the ground.
"And those five children..."
Her voice suddenly changed.
Swanly went still.
Nahla looked away.
"Those children..."
The old female’s eyes filled.
For a moment, she seemed unable to continue.
Then she wiped her face angrily.
"Don’t make them cry like that again."
Swanly’s chest hurt.
"Nahla..."
"Don’t."
Nahla pointed her stick.
"If you apologize, I might actually start crying, and I am far too old for that nonsense."
Swanly leaned out of Soren’s arms enough to hug her.
Nahla stiffened.
Then one small, weathered hand settled against Swanly’s back.
"Stupid child," she whispered.
Swanly closed her eyes.
"I know."
A voice shouted from across the shelter.
"MAMA!"
Swanly’s head snapped up.
Three little black panther cubs were running toward her.
Kairo first.
Nilo behind him.
Miko practically falling over his own feet.
And behind them?
Kael.
Holding Eira and Sira.
Swanly’s heart nearly burst.
"My babies!"
Kairo reached her first.
He threw himself against Soren’s leg.
"Mama!"
Soren finally lowered Swanly.
The moment her feet touched the platform, Kairo crashed into her.
Swanly caught him.
Then Nilo.
Then Miko.
All three wrapped their arms around her.
"Mama!"
...
Please can i have golden ticketss, thank you??