The Unwilling Queen

Somewhere in my memory

Pike watched the flap of the tent door close in his face, stunned with himself that he left Avery alone and vulnerable surrounded by enemies. Nothing good had ever come of sapiens working with humans and the list of crimes made Pike sick to his stomach.

He didn't know what else to do. He trusted Skye with his life, having witnessed the man pull off healing miracles in the field. That same man didn't know what was eating Avery's body. Skye seemed to trust the sapien surgeons immediately, but perhaps he was desperate. The sapiens might kill their princess, but she would certainly die without them.

At least Hazel was still in the tent. She could probably take them out. He had given her Avery's poisonous hemlock dagger. Skye could clearly take care of himself, but Robin was never much of a fighter. Aside from Juniper Pike had no idea how the other ]medics would fare in a fight. What kind of training had they received at Tree Tops? Enough to beat up a prisoner.

With a tight jaw and clenched fists Pike turned from the tent door to find Birch or Thistle or someone else he could beat up. He hadn't slept in three days since he set out to find a sapien surgeon, but the fatigue only confused him, slowed his decisions. Instead of finding the two most-hated men in camp, his eyes settled on the trio of sapiens. One sapien, two faunids. Half-faunids. Monsters.

They were discussing something, too quiet for his ears. The Myotes shook out his wings and rolled his shoulders then gave up his weapons to the female. The beta prime of Corinth. Avery had said she worked for the alpha pack but it was evident she was more than just an employee. Niamh asked the Ursid something and he considered then also gave up his blades.

Roedin moved to a patch of grass in the shade of a tree and lowered himself to his knees. His back was straight, his hands relaxed and resting on his thighs. He closed his eyes.

Meditating.

This ferocious killer was open to attack, no weapons, little armour, and now entering into a reflective trance in the middle of a human camp. Pike looked around at the other humans watching the faunids. Some had blatant expressions of disgust, others were just curious. One man even nodded in appreciation. The animal was just sitting there, waiting for slaughter. Pike's hand moved to his own blade.

But back in the tent Roedin hadn't been a vicious animal. When he saw Avery's pale body covered in blackness he was more like a terrified boy. The Ursid had been crying. Weeping. Now Arctos found a bucket of water beside one of the tents and splashed his face. Then he leaned against the tree beside Roedin, eyeing up anyone who walked past. He was guarding his friend while he meditated. A Myotes and an Ursid and the beta-prime of Corinth. All came running for a dying human.

A horse starting screaming from the camp paddock. With no idea what else to do Pike followed the sound of neighing and thrashing, people shouting at each other and the horse. A large man with closely shaved brown hair was reaching for the horse's halter, trying to calm it. The horse reared and kicked out, the man diving out of the way of the sharp hooves. Trimming tools sat on a stump to the side.

"Fine then!" the horsemaster shouted as it galloped away. "Stubborn mule!"

"Isn't that the River-Avery's horse?" Pike asked, offering a hand up.

"Or something," he growled. "I'm not letting the princess ride that thing. It's half-wild. Run off three times but never goes far. Just hovers on that ridge up there biting anyone who tries to put a saddle on it."

"It knelt for Avery."

"What?"

"When I got here she tried to esc -- There was a misunderstanding. When she ran out of the tent the horse came right up to her and then knelt so she could get on."