"You stick out like a city girl," Neda informed her in a flat voice. "What happened to all those lessons you picked up in Morwea Woods?"
Connie felt miserable. This was the second week of playing ranger games and she was not able to concentrate. She caught a cold and was feeling achy.
"It's gone along with my clear head. All I can think of is bed and sleep with no interruptions."
"You're that ill?"
"I wasn't until that last swim in the river."
"You're supposed to carry a change of clothes."
"You stole my pack."
"You shouldn't have laid it down."
"I don't want to play anymore. I'm going to bed."
Neda made a noise in her throat and followed a wet miserable and noisy ranger back to their cabin. The soggy sound of feet in wet boots nearly had Neda feeling sorry for her.
Connie stopped abruptly with Neda running into her.
"Hey," Neda complained.
"Shush," Connie said softly. "Did you hear that?"
Neda listened intently. "Where?"
"Who's in the forest besides us?"
"Maybe some early recruits. What did you hear?"
"Voices. I thought it was an argument. That way."
Both moved toward the voices, Neda heading right while Connie to the left. Never trust that you're safe in familiar territory, Neda had taught Connie.
Connie stopped short of a clearance that had a campfire circle. Looking up in the trees she sought a branch she could safely roost on. Of course there would be well used branches for posting guards, since the area was part of the training ground for rangers. Connie stepped back when she caught movement in one place that would have a guard.
She made a chitterling sound, much like some of the wild critters that were around. Her misery forgot, she pressed her medicine bag that would help her blend in with her environment. Patiently she waited.
An arm's length from her a person slowly moved past her, not seeing her. They were dressed in ranger clothing. The person moved so slowly that when she stopped, Connie had a hard time keeping her in sight. Like the chameleon, she blended in with the forest background.
For an hour the new trainees played hide and seek with their two new officers. An end was called when Major Pili rang a bell and called everyone in. The new rangers lined up in front of the cabin. Connie was wishing she could spend two undisturbed days in bed in the very cabin they mustered in front of. They went through the long introduction phase of Pili giving a reading of the rules and his expectations. Mercifully, Pili and Neda took the trainees to their barracks, while Connie was given a gentle nudge by Pili to get some rest.
Before she went to bed, Connie dug into her belongings for herbs that would clear her head and chest of the cold. It would also knock her out for hours, which she normally would not have trusted herself to be out that long.
Looking out in the early morning darkness, Connie was able to see the difference between trees and the trainee barracks. The ground was not as easily discernable. Carefully she placed her feet on the slippery ground, covered with fallen debris. Her curiosity was drawing her to the river edge. As she drew closer, she heard voices, they were excited about something. With her hands out in front of her she warded off damp branches that may knock her hat off that was keeping the rain out of her eyes. Stopping, just short of the bridge ramp she stared out where the noise of rushing water was coming from. Even above the roar, she could hear the voices urgently calling for her help.
Focusing on the bridge Connie could hear a cry for help.
"What are you doing out here!" Neda shouted above the noise of the river. "You just got better."
"Someone is out there. I need a rope," Connie shouted back.
"I'll go get one!"
Connie put one foot on the bridge and could feel the structure tremble as water and debris rushed against the supports. Passing branches too high slammed against the bottom of the bridge, shaking the entire bridge. It would not be long before the bridge would be swept away. The need to take action was becoming more intense. Connie looked back to the barracks sensing Neda's return.
Neda and their squad were prepared with roped and pulleys. Two lightly ran across the bridge past her. They tied a rope across the river, securing it around a tree far enough from the river bank that it would not be washed away, then tested it by flying back across the river. Neda attached a harness to Connie.
"Be careful you don't entangle the rope," Neda shouted in her ear. "Only you can see what is out there calling you so we won't know when to pull you back until you give us a sign."
I'll let you know.
Good.
Her gloved hands gripped the bridge railing, testing the surface before climbing over. The bridge trembled when something solid in the rushing water slammed against the bridge pylons. She could feel the bridge shift.
The others quickly moved off the bridge to the river's edge. The slack on her safety line firmed up. Connie slid down the side of the bridge, banging against the structure from the wind. A tug on the rope gave her more slack to drop her lower under the bridge. Her gloved hands grappled for a hold on one of the broken supports only to have it further crumble under fingers. It seemed a long time before she gave up on a hand support and settled for secure footing. Once she was still she looked for what had called her. It was amazing that the wheeled vehicle was upright, but it was pinned against the underside of the bridge from the very thing that held it upright, preventing it from being swept clear of the bridge pillars.
Oh, gods. There's a vehicle from the Queen's Orphanage down here. There are six infants in the back. I need something to carry them in.
I'll send packs,
Gale, Sven and Mac dropped down with packs.
"Where do you want these, Lieutenant?" Sven shouted to be heard above the roar of water.
"I'll put the babies in them and hand them back to you," she yelled back. "The vehicle is unstable." Connie willed the vehicle to remain fast as she balanced on it to gain a clear drop into the back seat. Mac dangled over the vehicle, using one hand to prevent him from being blown around and the other hand he stretched out to get the first baby. It they were crying, they could not be heard above the noise around them.
By the sixth baby Connie's arms and legs were aching from the cold. Tiredly she moved to check the rest of the carrier however the pale figure signaled her to go. Nodding, she turned and balanced on the remains of the vehicle that was being torn apart by the rivers current. She waved the others to leave. Hand over hand she moved up the splintered remains of the bridge. It was not possible to get back on the bridge since it was now resting on its side. A ripping sound and a crash tore away the bridge and what was left of the vehicle. The impact left her feet tingling and dangling from the rope. Something hit her hard, carrying her over to the other side of the riverbank. She was dropped with a thud into the mud. Neda dropped a few feet further up.
Connie blocked her eyes from the rain, trying to see Neda's face as stumbled over to her.
"Are you all right?"
"I don't want to get another cold," Connie told her.
"Then get up and we'll use the rope to get to the other side." Neda reached down and pulled her up.
Connie peered through the rain to see the other side of the river and could not.
Neda reattached her line to the tether and used another line in her pack to attach Connie. "Come on. You first. I want to make sure it can still hold our weight."
"Why do I go first?"
"Because I outrank you and you're the one with the streak of luck."
Once on the other side the two rangers that remained behind escorted them back to their cabin before running back through the mud and rain to their barracks.
Connie's teeth were chattering as she peeled her wet clothes off in front of the fire and exchanged them for dry. "Where are the babies?" Connie asked as she dried her hair.
"Pili will take care of it. Half our trainees would rather stay warm and dry and care for those babies and the other half would rather be out in this weather than change diapers."
"What did Pili have planned for today?"
Neda grinned. "You'll love it. But first, lunch. How do you feel?"
"Tired but fine. I could use a nap," Connie admitted. Now that she was not moving she felt exhausted.
"Lay down and rest while I make lunch. You've missed breakfast. We're lucky that Pili had this place stocked up with supplies. On my first outing the team leader thought someone else was going to do it and we were stuck with old staples and whatever we could find in the wilds. On one level it was a good lesson in survival and never taking for granted that the other person is going to think of it, but I would have liked fresh vegetables and fruit."
She set a tray on the table that had soup and sandwiches. Connie sniffed appreciatively. Anything she cooked was tasteless.
When they finished their meal they sat in front of the fire, warming their feet.
"So what made you go out to the river?" Neda asked.
"Voices," Connie replied.
"Do you hear voices often?"
"They used to be whispers. I've heard them for as long as I can remember."
"When did the whispers change?"
"Morwea Woods. They still sound like they're coming from far away, but the words are distinct." As a child the whispers were comforting to her in the isolation she felt at the Brethren Compound. Looking back now, she understood why her mother had isolated her, hoping that she would find these inner guides which no one could take away, and nurtured correctly would protect her for the rest of her life.
"My mother called her voices the Elders," Neda said. "So, your voice told you there was a problem?"
"If you asked me exactly what they said I wouldn't be able to tell you. Once I was at the river, it was a spirit that showed me what was there."
"Do you feel rested?"
"Wide awake and ready to go."
"Then let's get the troops for another foul weather exercise."
Neda opened the closet and handed her gear that was now dry. Connie put emergency rations in her pockets, and then pulled out their packs. Quickly she went through hers, this time more careful of what she wanted in it. "I need some rope."
"We'll stop at the barn. We'll gather our troop there."
As the two stepped out on the covered porch, they could see some milling about around the barracks porch.
"We can look for animals in distress and see if anyone else is in the Sanctuary."
"What about seeing where the cart broke away from the road?"
"In this weather I don't think there's going to be any evidence." Neda looked over at her and realized Connie could probably see what had happened. "We can do that. We might meet up with some rural kinsmen that keep the area free from rift raft. There's some people that really like being out in this weather."
"Is there a castle nearby?" Connie asked.
"No. It wouldn't be practical for around here. Castles are part of the local economy, with people living within and around the castle in supporting industries. The people that live around the Sanctuary are spread out and isolated self-sufficient individuals. Fairs are about the only they gather for, and that's when they do their business. Other than that, they like not seeing any living person for days or weeks other than their immediate family."
"So a stranger wouldn't stand out."
"There you're wrong. They may not socialize in person, but they communicate and keep a good watch on anyone that moves across their stretch of land. They're the Sanctuary's protectors from folks that want to hunt or own a vacation home in the wilds without respecting what they're invading."
By the time Neda and Connie reached the barn, alert ranger trainees, eager to get out in the foul weather were sloshing after them. Neda opened the large doors with just enough space for them to squeeze through one at a time. The interior had plenty of space for rescue equipment, stalls for horses that were empty at this time, an emergency hospital for injured and rescued animals, pens for such creatures and an exercise area for the rangers.
"All right, rangers, gather around for your orders," Captain Neda announced. "We're going out to look for anything that's out of place or needs assistance. Remember that not everyone that needs to be rescued wants to be."
"Partner up!" Connie called. "Pick up your gear and partner spot check."
"Mac, pair up with Lt. Connie. Linnie you're with me. Let me remind everyone, this is not a shock and learn excursion. We don't use abusive or harsh methods to train. We are all learning from each other."
Connie turned to Mac. With a better look at him, she realized he was older than she was. She could feel his energy as he touched her pack and made an adjustment to the shoulder strap. It did change the tight feel on her left shoulder. Connie checked his and found nothing out of place. Her partner was not a beginner in any sense of the word.
"Let's move out." Neda nodded to Connie to lead with her partner. There were four pairs and they headed out in the four directions.
"Mac, I'm interested in looking along the road where the cart may have gone over."
He nodded. "There's a sharp corner about an hour from here. I passed it on my way here. Maybe longer with this weather."
When they found the gash in the brush that separated the road from the river the river was nearly overflowing onto the road. Connie stood in the rain turning slowly to pick up any energy from the crash. A pale figure was standing in the middle of the road. Connie could not tell if this was the same figure that helped her find the children.
"You see it?" Mac asked.
Connie looked back at him. "Is it a ghost or spirit?"
"It's the Lady of Sorrows. That's what she's called here. I spent a few days at the local Inn before I headed up here for duty. I saw her and was asking around about her. They have all sorts of tales about her. Depending on your business, she either guides you to safety or to your death."
"How do you know this is the same spirit they were talking about?"
"She's got something in her hands."
Connie squinted to see if there was anything in her hands and could not see anything.
"What is it?" Connie asked.
"A light, I think. Hard to make out." He sniffed the air. "There's a big snow storm heading our way," Mac said. "We won't have time to get back to camp." His voice sounded concerned.
"There's a cabin about twenty minutes away from here, but it's away from base camp."
"Lead on," Mac said.
The sloshed through the mud back into the forest. Connie abruptly stopped moments before Mac. She heard rustling instead of voices. It sounded like something was caught in a trap. Connie signed to split up.
Connie glanced his way now and again, losing him in the bushes. She stopped when she spotted a rope from a tree holding a wooden cage a few feet off the ground. A boy and girl were striking the bars with clubs. Inside was another person. Connie was curious what they were up to. They were not dressed for the cold temperature that was rapidly dropping and there were no backpacks nearby that had warmer clothing. By what they were wearing, they were from the southern lands.
"It's not working," hissed the girl.
"It's got to work," the girl in the cage whispered back. "I saw it happen this way."
"Maybe we should try it when the moon is up," a young boy's voice said.
"It doesn't matter the time of day or where the moon is!" the girl in the cage said.
"We're going to be in a lot of trouble," the boy said.
"I'm not going back," the girl outside the cage said.
"None of us are going back. They'll send us to Hellgate."
"Do it again," the one in the cage urged.
"That's not the way to change," a soft voice came from the forest.
Connie smiled at hearing Mac's voice.
The two looked like they wanted to run, but they stuck by the person in the cage. They held up their clubs, facing the direction the voice came from while the one in the cage slid out of the cage, dropping beside her friends.
They were not old enough to be drafted but their wariness bespoke of years of being alert.
"Who's there? Show yourself."
"You need to let it come naturally," Mac continued.
Connie could see him leaning against a tree trunk; however, the three could not pick him out due to his clothing. They had to be from a city or large town not near enough to a forest to be familiar with its life.
"I need it now," the girl spoke up bravely. "Can you show me?"
"Why now?"
"We're going to be split up and sent to different orphanages. They think we're a bad influence on each other."
"There's an appeal process."
"What's an appeal process?"
"Our dorm head won't do anything for us. She hates us all."
"So why do you need to change?" Mac asked.
"So we can live here, until we're old enough to be drafted."
"How would that help?"
"I could find safe places for us to hide and food to eat."
"There he is," whispered the boy.
The others turned without the boy having to point.
"Have you ever lived out in the wilderness?"
"No."
"I can help them if you help me change," the older girl said.
"You're all cold and not wearing the best of clothing," Mac pointed out.
Neda, we have 3 run a ways from the orphanage.
Orphanage? Just how old are they? The Queen's Orphanage that's nearby is for toddlers to five years.
These are about twice that. They want to be rangers.
"There's a snow storm heading our way. We're going to setup camp until it passes. Will you be able to follow orders?"
"You're rangers!" the young girl gushed. "We were hoping we could enlist. There's no age limit."
A cold blast rattled the branches overhead and the three shivered all the more.
"Where did this cage come from?" Connie asked.
"It was already here. We saw some poachers use it to trap a changer."
"When was this?"
"A few days ago. You're not going to send us back are you?"
"I doubt you'll be sent back." Mac said it with so much certainty Connie's suspicions that he was more than a mere trainee had her grateful he was along with her.
"I'm Ranger Connie."
"That's Kane and Taylor. I'm Oma."
Mac nodded to the three. "I'm Ranger Mac. To get warmed up you can help break up the cage. We can use the wood and rope."
While the four of them worked on breaking the cage, Connie watched their environment. Poachers this far into the Sanctuary without any rangers being aware meant the poachers knew the schedule of ranger training.
Her attention returned to the three. They had no belongings other than what they were wearing, and by the looks of it, were not meant for being outdoors long. Their feet would be freezing by the time it got dark.
Connie pointed in the direction they were to head. While she led, Connie concentrated on getting a feel for the three. Two were shape shifters though she was sure they were not in control of the gift. Oma was their defender. There was a close connection the three formed. Connie smiled when she realized Oma was in love with Kane and defended Taylor because she did not like to see him picked on.
Connie led them to a wilderness hut that Neda and her had visited their first week in the forest. It was to memorize the location of all emergency shelters.
"A house," whispered Kane. "I hope they have a real bed."
"There's enough supplies for a week," Connie said. The hut was built into the boulder so that it would blend in with the environment. Most people were not aware of the extra space below the floor which was to accommodate a squad of rangers, should they be caught out in the elements. Snow storms came suddenly and rain storms were not something to spend the night out in. They were harsh and only the animals that lived here were aware when the snow fall was due and rain was going to fall. They would find safe places to ride out the weather, if they were not already in hibernation for the winter.
Mac started the fire immediately so the three could dry out.
Connie pulled out blankets from the cabinets. "Remove your wet clothing and wrap up in these. You can sit in front of the fire until your clothes are dried."
She inspected the cabin to make sure no one had been to the cabin since she and Neda had visited and replenished the supplies. She looked over at Mac. "I hope the others will be okay."
Mac nodded. "Maybe I should go out and look for anyone not in a good shelter."
"Good idea. We have plenty of room. It would give our fledglings here a good feeling that they're not alone," she said in an undertone.
Mac nodded. "You felt it too."
"I can feel trouble too, Mac. They said there's poachers around here. Ranger Pili didn't say anything about knowing that. If they can hide that well in these woods, then we're going to have some problems."
"I will find the others." Quietly he slipped out. Snow flakes were already falling in swirls with the wind picking up. Connie shivered as she pushed the door closed.
"When was the last time you three ate? If any of you are good at fixing meals, now is your chance to rescue us all from my cooking." No one volunteered. "Okay. Like me you have other talents."
It wasn't that difficult to fix a meal since the food packs required boiling water and the three were excited with picking from the packs what they wanted. The three scraped every bit of food from the bowls and drank enough water to keep them awake most of the night.
"Normally, I would say you all deserve two deserts, but we're going to be having company and I don't know for how long we'll be here or how many."
"Where is everyone going to fit?" Oma asked.
"There's plenty of room. So just what orphanage did you escape from?"
The three exchanged looks of dread.
"You aren't going back," Connie assured them. "The rules are that if an orphan, whom the Queen is your guardian, asks a ranger to become one, the request is taken seriously. If you're not considered good ranger material, a place is found for you in a related occupation."
"I don't know about all that stuff of the Queen being our guardian. There's plenty of us in Queensland Orphanage with no one caring about us. We're slaves doing anything no one wants to do. I'm not going back no matter what," Oma said. "Besides, we go back and we're dead. Headmaster Wallis will lock us in the cellar and we'll never get out."
"Where is Queensland?" Connie had never heard of such a place.
"It took us a week to get here," Kane said softly. "I counted the nights."
"We took a bus most of the way, but our packs were stolen with our food a few days ago at a rest stop. We couldn't get back on the bus without our tickets."
The three looked exhausted. Oma had defiantly put her elbow on the table and ate holding her head up. Kane was leaning with his head back on the chair back keeping an eye on Connie. Taylor was moving around in her chair to stay awake.
"Since you're falling asleep, let's get you situated in a room and in comfortable beds," Connie said.
The cabin had four rooms above ground with two as sleeping quarters. Depending on who was staying overnight the rooms could be divided between genders, squads or camping teams. In this case, Connie felt the three would want a room together. The fireplace was in the center of the cabin, with all the rooms sharing its warmth. The rooms quartered up to eight people with bunks clearing space for shoes and packs the visitors carried.
Taylor slept on the bottom bunk with Kane preferring to be high. Oma chose high for its position, both to see who came in and for her view of Kane.
Connie returned to the front room and began to prepare hot tea. A mental warning came before a thump on the door. She quickly unlatched the door and let in two rangers, both blue with cold.
"Sit near the fire. I'll grab some blankets."
"Lieutenant, why…"
Connie signaled him to silence. She pointed to the room with the door closed. "The rooms should be warming up, and you might want to stake out your cot now…"
Two more cold and damp rangers came in. Both dusted with snow.
"Any food, Lieutenant?"
"I'll take anything hot. Brrr."
"Weather sure did change quick. Well, hello there."
Connie was filling mugs and peered around the corner. The three were children were peering out of their room no longer looking sleepy.
"Come on out and meet some rangers," Connie encouraged. "Loosen up troops. That's Kane, Oma, and Taylor. They were headed to base camp to enlist as rangers. Any of you have any words of wisdom, feel free to impart. Introduce yourselves. Moe, lend a hand here."
Moe and his partner Cloe looked longingly at the room where they could have been the first to lay claim to cots but they did as Connie asked and began handing out bowls of steaming food packs and hot herbed tea to the other rangers.
"You two will bunk with the three, if you don't mind. You're closer in age and have a lot in common," she told Cloe.
Cloe studied Connie for a moment. "What do we have something in common?"
"Kane was trying to shapeshift. Her method was to use shock or fear as the instigator. Mac suggested they be patient, however, before Kane talks Taylor into something more drastic, some guidance would help."
"It's not talked about much."
"That's a mistake, don't you think?"
Cloe smiled, but it was a sad one. "I wouldn't want to share with someone outside of my friends."
"Oma loves Kane. Young love is so dangerous during transitions of consciousness. She'll need a friend to help her through the parts she can't share with her two friends."
Connie picked up the whistling water kettle and poured more water into cups, fully expecting Mac to bring in all six of the rangers. That left one more team to go. Connie's eyes went to the rangers and the three youngsters that were asking questions in a rush, not giving much time to process the answers before asking another.
She wanted to put a protection spell around the cabin but not before Mac and the others arrived. The reminder that there were poachers operating in this side of the Sanctuary told her that they were vulnerable. They carried no weapons and should some visitors knock on the cabin door, because of the weather, they were obligated to share.
Mac let her know he was arriving with the last two. One was injured.
"Moe, we have an injury. Get the field kit ready."
Connie went out onto the stoop to wait, concerned about the weather that made visibility impossible. How was Mac going to find the cabin? If she lit a fire it would be giving the cabin's location away.
Danger.
Turning back to the cabin she gave a hand signal and then resumed her vigil on the stoop. The cold made her bones ache. Turning she stepped over the threshold and then a club hit her across the back. Collapsed across the door jam she was yanked up and thrown against the wall.
"Well, what have we here," a rough voice jeered. "A ranger no less. Looking for your pals?" He slammed her again into the wall again.
Connie let herself go limp, remembering that most poachers thought themselves smarter than rangers and therefore no real threat. She would play that game, intending on catching all the poachers in this group. If Neda had not mentioned them, then they so far had escaped their detection and it was important to apprehend them now.
"What daya think? She one of those animal changers?"
"Nope. She didn't even know we were watching her. I told you they don't have any smarts or special powers."
"Get her in. She's waiting for someone. Bet that someone is a shapeshifter."
"I can feel the energy. It's around here."
The back of her uniform was grabbed and she was dragged and dumped near the table.
"Hey, she's got some hot water here. Want some…"
"Don't touch anything!"
"All right, all right."
"I told you they put things in their food to make them weird."
"You've been locked up in that head place too long, Mel. They use herbs to heal not get people sick."
"Shut up! You know nothing about this stuff. I'm the one running the show. We pick up a shapeshifter, drop it off at the dumpsite and then go out for the next. We do it my way."
"What do you have against them?"
"I told you to shut up!" Something came down with so much force Connie could feel the floor vibrate.
"Crimey, Mel. I think you killed him."
"He talks too much. Dump him outside. The snow will cover him."
"How are just the two of us going to do all this capturing?"
"I have my ways! Now do it."
Roughly Connie was rolled over and her hands and legs were tied. Around her throat was tied a rag that stank so bad she passed out.
* * *
Connie could hear the voices. They were clear for the first time. Angry voices. There were many. It was cold where she was.
"We need one more. I told you we needed three and you give us a pathetic two. How do we know that they're animal changers?"
"Cause I know."
"Well maybe we should throw you in with the lot and make three."
"I don't have to be one to know one. If any of you had any sense you would be able to pick out the vermin yourselves."
"Hardly vermin. More like wolves," and then he howled.
The others laughed.
Connie wiggled her fingers, relieved to feel the pain of circulation returning.
"What are we gonna do with that one?"
"She's mine. I'm taking her back to catch me some more. She's bait."
The others laughed again.
Are you alright?
Yes. And you, Mac?
I have a headache. He's using herbs and spells to prevent us from defending ourselves.
What can I do?
I have a knife in each sleeve. Take one for yourself.
Connie moved her bound hands feeling for where Mac directed her.
He knocked you out with a chemical they use in the mental institutions to subdue troublesome residents. He's given you several doses on our way here. Since he allowed you to awaken, he's not going to leave you with us.
Their conversation ended when Connie was dragged from the back of the vehicle and tossed to the ground. She heard others jumping up into the back of a truck and laughing as the vehicle pulled away.
Connie was kicked in the side then dragged to her feet. She was surprised to find her feet unbound. A bag was dropped over her head and the tie was pulled tight around her neck and then released. It was suddenly jerked with her throat squeezed nearly shut. With her hands bound behind her back she was unable to free her air passage. Just as suddenly the pressure was released. She did not need to be told that it was a demonstration of who was boss. Still struggling to fill her lungs with air she was prodded forward.
Connie could feel the energy around him. It was chaotic. As they moved out of the shelter of the building the sudden blast of cold hit her. It cut right through her and it was then she took stock of her inadequate clothing. Somehow she had been redressed in something not meant for cold weather. The idea of him touching her was discarded as distracting. She wondered instead if he meant for her to freeze to death or just see what she would do to prevent her own death.
Bait.
How far they were along Connie was unable to determine. What her other senses told her was she was being driven to walk through knee high snow when Mel was walking over a muddy road. She could no longer feel her feet or legs due to the cold. When she fell, she remained where she was, waiting to be beaten to death or freeze.
Voices.
Get up, they were saying. Get up and move.
It was so cold she was out of touch with her body. It took an enormous amount of energy to be aware of her physical condition. She was lying on her side. It was possible to send heat to various body parts, Ramla had taught her.
Her head was still covered and her arms were still be tied behind her. Where was Mel? Was the knife still hidden in her bound hands? It would be too risky to get it out when her hands were too cold to feel.
A mouse was running across the snow, squeaking as if it were being chased.
Connie focused on increasing the circulation to her hands. When she became aware of the feel of the knife she began to saw the ropes. It was pain achingly slow because she did not want to alert Mel, who she felt was near. He was probably expecting her to mentally call for help. By what Connie overheard, she guessed Mel must have been doing this with success in the past. Who were the buyers? Why would someone want shapeshifters?
The rope finally loosened around her wrists. She wanted to remove the bag over her head but that would give too much away. Her ears caught the sound of the small mouse running scurrying across the snow.
Her voices told her help was near. She had to get up so they could see her.
Vermin. He called shapeshifters vermin.
We are near.
He is waiting for you. He shapeshifted into a mouse.
Someone in his youth must have hated mice or rats, and when that was his natural inclination it must have been horrid for him, she thought. She could hear the squeaking mouse near her. It ran across her covered face to frighten her. Connie refused to get up. She wanted him to focus on her and miss the signs of the others arrival. The sudden movement of feet in the snow along with the change of energy around her warned her that he had shifted back to his human form. Instinctively she rolled to her left, knocking his feet out from under him. Her hands went to the rope around her throat that held the bag over her head, but too late he pulled it tight cutting off her air. She grabbed his hands and kneed him, butting her head into his. The linen bag over her head was not padded and it hurt, but she could breathe again. Her hands pulled the rope from around her neck and tugged at the bag. Hands wrapped around her cold ones, helping her. The light was nearly blinding as it reflected off the snow.
"I can't leave you alone for long," Neda complained. "You attract more trouble than Cousin Dylan until he got married."
A warm coat was thrown over her shoulders, and gloves fitted over her hands.
"She needs socks and shoes."
Someone had lifted her and was carrying her as her feet were covered with thick socks. Connie's head rested over someone's heart where she fell asleep.