Ava's War: Book 3 of 3

Chapter 3

Was that a bunny? A ferret? Ava rubbed her eyes. No, an otter. Two otters. They were darting in and out of the trees. It was strange to see otters so far from a source of water. Ava pushed the thought away, rubbing once more at her eyes.

She ducked under branches and scrambled over roots in pursuit of her furry friends. Intent on her chase, Ava almost collided with a woman. The first thing she noticed was her shoes—she had the most beautiful beaded boots. Finally dragging her eyes away from the ornate pattern of beaded wildflowers, Ava noticed the woman's sheet of dark hair. The cut of her bangs made her large eyes look even larger and more piercing. It was Taylah's friend, Keegitah—the one with the stories. She was sure of it.

"Hello, Ava."

Ava tried to respond but she was mesmerized by the woman's gaze. The older woman stepped to the side and Ava smiled in delight.

"Blackberries!"

The woman nodded, plucking a berry and popping it into her mouth. One of the otters had curled itself around the woman's shin.

Ava rushed forward. She tried a berry and gasped at its sweetness. She ate another and another. Holding her juice-stained hands in front of her, Ava laughed. Taylah's friend joined in. They traded smiles and turned back to the bounty of the blackberry bush. Ava couldn't stop; she felt compelled to keep eating berry after berry. She gasped again, this time in horror. Staring down at her hands she saw not juice there but blood, thick and viscous...

Ava jolted out of sleep, roused by a peal of laughter echoing through the night. The others were really enjoying their nighttime games.

The shout came again and Ava realized it was not a playful call. She cursed and jumped out of bed. Or tried to, but her limbs felt like pudding. Her legs buckled pitifully under her weight. She fell back on the covers.

"Juan," screamed a voice. Juan was the ringleader of the cockatoos—the screams had to be coming from Kira. She shook her head, trying to clear the fog clinging to her senses. She cursed again as she remembered—Taylah had spiked her tea with something.

There was a muffled crash and then a howl of primal fear—Taylah. Kira must be in danger. Ava forced herself forward, driving her limbs as if she were walking through waist-deep snow. She finally made it out of the dark bedroom and found the living room in disarray for the second time that day.

Taylah was struggling against shackles wrought of thick tree roots—Marama's doing? Or Kira's? The roots had burst through the floor next to the older woman. A bleary-eyed Lucas was fumbling towards Taylah while Owen grabbed his gear. Taylah shook her head at her son, and barked, "Leave me! Find Kira!" She pointed towards the door.

Owen and Lucas exchanged a look and sprinted off into the night. Unthinkingly Ava moved to follow, compelled by the force of Taylah's command. But as she reached the door, the resistance leader hissed, "Help me, Ava."

Ava hesitated at the door, thinking about the strangeness of the evening's interaction with Taylah. Had Lucas's mother really spiked her tea?

"Please," Taylah repeated urgently.

Ava turned reluctantly, probing the roots ensnaring Taylah to see what tree they belonged to. The living shackles did not want to release. Ava concentrated, preparing to break the roots' hold, but then stopped. She met the resistance leader's eye. "What's going on?"

"Something has happened to Juan."

Taylah tried to look away, but Ava saw the tears in her eyes. They both knew whatever had befallen Juan was no accident. Someone was attacking them, and Kira was out alone in the night.