Page 76 of Phoenix's Fire

"Your mother says - " Lansin paused as a small group began to walk up the hill towards us. He and Zasen looked over at them, then Lansin continued as if the crowd heading this way was expected. "Apparently Dragons now know when the Moles come?"

Zasen gestured to me. "Ayla taught us they have different calendars. They serve meat ontheirholidays, and come here to get it."

Lansin just nodded. "Yeah, well, we have some things to buy, which will take time to make. Naomi's worried we won't make it back before they're on the road, so we're staying to help. Irrik insists, and it's his cart, so yeah."

"Good," Zasen said. "You can use the dogs to help run messages."

"I heard you're going to meet them head-on."

"That's the plan," Zasen agreed.

"These are trained in protection," Lansin said. "Irrik knows how to use them too, so let us help?"

Zasen nodded, but before he could reply, a shrill voice called out my name. "Ayla!" I turned to see a flash of teal hurrying towards me.

"Tamin!" I called back, crouching down to his level.

But just as he was about to smash into me with his arms open, his mother's voice stopped him. "Do not hurt her, Tamin. They killed a bear!"

Tamin stopped just in front of me with his lower lip hanging out. "Mama!"

"How about a gentle hug?" I asked. "I have an owwie on my shoulder."

"Yeah?" he asked, looking from arm to arm.

"This one," I said, pointing to the front side of where I'd been hit. "So hug that side." Then I pulled him in and squeezed.

Tamin giggled. "Aunt Ayla's the toughest Dragon." But his attention was short. "You killed a bear?"

"Mhm," I agreed, pointing at it. "And we pulled it back."

"What were you thinking?" Saveah demanded, but her words weren't for me. "Zasen, that's too much for her!" She continued marching up the hill, holding the baby on her hip, not stopping until she was beside him.

"She's the one who wanted to bring it back," he told my sister. "Clearly, the stubborn streak runs in the family."

Saveah ducked her head and chuckled. "Good point, but still." Then she looked up and let out a heavy sigh. "Now you get to explain to Tamin that bears aren't pets."

"Holly, kiss," Lansin said, pointing at the boy.

The brown-striped dog rushed forward to start licking Tamin's face and head, mostly because it was head-high for her. The boy squealed in delight, then tossed his arms around the dog's neck. That only made the dog wiggle harder, that tail of its whipping from side to side like it was happy.

"Don't let it hurt him!" I insisted.

"Dog, sit!" Saveah snapped.

Immediately, the brown dog sat - but so did the black one. Lansin looked at my sister and nodded in approval.

"I've got a couple kids of my own," Lansin told her. "They know better than to get too pushy."

"Tamin doesn't," she said, then looked back at Zasen. "And Ayla's hurt? You're sitting here talking about dogs when she's been injured?"

"So was he," I pointed out. "The bear hit his side."

Thrusting her daughter towards Lansin, Saveah forcefully turned Zasen to inspect his injury. "How long ago did this happen?"

"Last night," I said. "Not long after the sun set."

The look Saveah gave Zasen mademewant to cringe. "That's going to get infected if you don't clean it. Ayla's too. So go sell your bear, then take care of her, because if I have to do it..."