Children of the Moon 04 - Dragon's Moon

she doubted Eirik, or the eagle shifter, for that matter, were going to be so tolerant.
    The two ravens flew back into formation with the eagle, though she saw no signs of the eagle physically reining them in.
    “They’re young still,” she said to Eirik.
    “They are feeling the freedom of belonging to the clan rather than living in hiding in the forest.”
    “That’s a good thing, right?”
    “When it does not put them, or those they are assigned to guard, at risk.”
    “They will learn. After all, Fidaich is related to you.”
    “Canaul is the son of one of our fiercest warriors.”
    “The eagle flying with them,” she guessed.
    “Aye. Canaul’s mother was a raven; he took after her in the shift.”
    “Was?”
    “She disappeared in the forest.”
    One of the victims of the wolves who believed all Éan had to die. “I am sorry.”
    Eirik shrugged. “You have nothing to apologize for.”
    “I hate it.”
    “What?”
    “That your people were hunted by mine.”
    “It is not over, but Barr and your father have fought hard to clear their clans of those who would continue.”
    “Not the Balmoral?”
    “There were none among his pack that belonged to this secret society of wolves.”
    “I’m surprised there were any among the Sinclair.”
    “So was your father.”
    “He banished them?”
    “The ones he did not kill; they were caught hunting Éan.”
    “And you? Have you killed wolves besides Luag and Galen?”
    “I am protector of my people.”
    It was an answer…of sorts.
    Another caw sounded from above. Ciara made a point of not looking up this time though. She hoped the young ravens’ antics would be less annoying to their prince if she pretended to ignore them.
    The rumble very much like a wolf’s growl that sounded from Eirik’s chest said her hope was in vain.
    “You know, if you were willing to travel by boat, ratherthan as a dragon, we could take our horses with us on the crossing.” The boats that made this possible required a minimum of two rowers, and not one of them a still healing and fragile human woman. “And we would not need a guard, Éan, or otherwise, for our horses.”
    “Birds fly over water. We do not ride boats.”
    Right. Arrogant dragon. “Lais is riding in a boat.”
    “He would trust Mairi’s crossing to no other.”
    “Is she really his mate?” Ciara asked in a whisper, though she doubted the others could have heard her regardless.
    Lais and Mairi lagged behind because the healer insisted the other woman’s horse maintain a slower pace. He was coddling her like she was as broken as she’d been before his sessions healing her. Though it was clear she was much better and well able to ride a horse without trouble.
    It was amusing and really, a little sweet. Though Ciara was sure Lais would not thank her for saying so.
    Eirik looked up at the sky and then at Ciara, his expression giving nothing away. “Only time will tell.”
    “But he’s so protective of her.”
    “He is a healer.”
    “Never mind.” Eirik clearly had no intention of giving her a direct answer.
    Even though it was perfectly obvious from the way he’d spoken the night Ciara had found Mairi that Eirik believed the MacLeod’s daughter and Lais to be mates.
    “Why ask if you do not want an answer?”
    “If I wanted doublespeak, I would go to the English, thank you.”
    Instead of taking offense, Eirik laughed. Loud and full of real mirth, it was such an arresting sound that Ciara felt a strange tightening in her chest. She wanted to hear more.
    Unfortunately, the sound cut off almost immediately. “Quiet,” he ordered.
    She didn’t ask why but did her best to discern his reason for caution. She could hear nothing in the forest that seemed out of place, but she noted the eagle high in the sky was flying far to the left of them rather than directly above. And the two younger ravens were far to the right.
    Suddenly, Lais and Mairi had caught up and Eirik had taken lead while Lais dropped to the back, with Ciara and Mairi’s horses between them. The two men drew their swords at the same time, both their attention fixed to the left, though Ciara still could discern no untoward sound.
    If she didn’t know better, she would think the two warriors were communicating with mindspeak. But only some family and true mates could mindspeak. Though, perhaps among the Éan, this was another difference from the Faol.
    Mairi did not make a sound, but it was clear she was aware something was