Page 204 of Phoenix's Fire

I grinned at Drozel and Xav as I removed the leash. "Okay, watch this. Holly, disarm!"

She immediately went on alert, checking everyone around us. I pointed in Zasen's direction, helping her out, and she took off. Beside Xav, Demon wanted to follow, but Xav was holding him back. Weaving through the mass of people gathered around for practice, Holly made a sweeping arc, checking people as she passed until she spotted Zasen holding the gun.

Immediately, she changed directions to get around behind him. Then, like she had in our backyard, she jumped, slamming her feet into his ribs, grabbing the weapon in her mouth, and wrenching it away. Zasen twisted sideways, falling to the ground and Holly ran back just as fast as she could.

"Good girl!" I praised, bending to retrieve the gun when she finally dropped it at my feet.

"Yep, I need to teach Demon how to do that," Xav agreed.

"I just taught her what a gun was," I explained, "then how to fetch it, and how to take it from their hands. When she had that, I would stop her if she went at him head-on, and praise her if she came from the side or back. Now, she's doing it consistently."

"In a few days?" Drozel asked.

I shrugged. "I play with her a lot."

"Train," Kanik corrected as he came to join us. "And give me that rifle, Ayla. I'll put it with our stuff."

"Okay." I passed it over. "Both Kanik and Zasen have been helping," I told the men. "See, a Mole without a gun is going to be easy to kill. He might run away, or get distracted trying to find one on the ground. Either way, it takes him out of the fight. I mean, I said this was an arms race, but they don't seem to be running out of guns to bring, so maybe if we take the ones they have up here before they can shoot us?"

"I like it," Drozel said. "Xav, think you can teach Demon that?"

"I'm willing to try," Xav agreed.

"Okay," he said. "Then you go work on hitting consistently with the bow and getting your dog used to that." Drozel looked at me next. "And you? Is your guy going to be there? The Mole?"

"Maybe?" I asked. "The hunters used to alternate who went out. That was so the injured men had time to heal between their duty. Now? I don't know. We've killed so many."

"Yeah, we have," Drozel said proudly. "But I want to make sure everyone knows about him. Zasen said we're not supposed to kill him."

"Please don't. He's the only way I can get a message to Callah so we can get her out."

So Drozel lifted his hands and whistled loudly like the mayor did at the city meetings. "Pull in!" he bellowed. "As close as you can."

There was some grumbling and shuffling as everyone made a circle around me and Drozel. I tried to move over by Kanik, but Drozel caught my arm, keeping me beside him. Thankfully, Zasen joined us a moment later, clasping my shoulder reassuringly on the other side just as Drozel began to speak.

"Okay, we know when the Moles will be back because of this woman right here. This is Ayla, the Phoenix. Yes, she has a dog now, which will make her even more terrifying out there. Trust me, do not try to keep up with her. Seems she has a little anger to take out on these men."

I opened my mouth to explain, but Zasen just rubbed my shoulder. When I looked over at him, he shook his head and mouthed, "It's fine."

"But thanks to this woman," Drozel went on, "we now have an informant in their ranks. Ayla, how do we know this man to keep from killing him?"

All eyes turned to me, and my throat pinched up with anxiety.

"He's tall," Zasen said for me. "The man could easily look me in the eyes, and that makes sense because he is Jerlis's nephew. Probably the biggest Mole you will see. Also, he will be wearing yellow and blue fletching from his belt. Hanging like a trophy, so we can identify him. If you find yourself facing this man, try to get him to us."

"But he only speaks English," I added, finally finding my voice. "His name is Tobias, and he knows my name and Zasen's. We told him to say 'Zasen' as a password."

"Avoidshootinghim!" Zasen ordered. "If you can get him out of the fight, three sharp whistles will let us know where you are. We will come to you, but you need to get him away from the fight without his people realizing what is happening. Subdue him. Shit, hit him if you want. I don't care, butdo not kill him."

Around us, almost everyone nodded to show they understood.

"It is our hope," Zasen explained, "that he will help us get inside their compound. When that happens, we will need volunteers to go in with me. It is dark down there. The women will need to be rescued, but may fight back."

"Mostly panic," I corrected. "They don't know how to fight at all."

"But if we want to do that," Zasen said, "we need this man first. Then, I will need volunteers for that, so think about it."

"Which means," Drozel added, "practicing your English is a good idea. Most of us are horrible at it, but we have enough now who can help us say it the way the Moles do. If we understand their words, we can know what their orders are, which way they're going, and when they're retreating!"