Robbin

16. Wolves

Anxious voices wafted in through the doorway, reaching Terra's sleeping ears.

"People are scared."

"We'll figure it out."

"The patrols don't know what to do."

"Send back up until I can get everyone else organized."

"That's what Townsend said to do, but then there were arguments—no one listened."

"Well, tell them they need to do that, this isn't something that can wait."

"They won't listen to me—"

"Tell them I told you to tell them." That was Robbin's voice.

There was a pause. "That might work, but everyone's panicking. Are you—"

"I'll be out in a minute."

A sudden gush of wind collapsed against the door.

She heard two voices still mumbling outside, but could no longer make out the words discussed.

Terra lie frozen in the homemade mattress atop straw. Her initial confusion as to her whereabouts was over.

She turned in the mattress and planted her feet on the ground, looking to the stone door Robbin had exited just a few hours before. Her floral print flats were dirtier than they had been two days ago, on the porch with Sarah.

She pushed the thought away and stood, inching her way to the slab door easily. A green plant glowed luminescent beside it.

A draft blew from the open cave hallway as she heaved it open, and two pairs of eyes turned to look at her, one green and the other rather cat-like. The mumbling immediately stopped.

"Was there another man out here?" Terra asked.

"He left," Hunt answered blatantly. The answer didn't offer much enlightenment.

"What was he here for?" she pressed.

This sent Hunt and Robbin off in another series of mumbles something like, "Are you sure that works?" "It's the only way;" "Will you be okay alone?" "There's no other choice, they need you;" "She won't be safe here, there's too much resistance by the others;" "She'll have to go, I'm not staying here."

"What's going on?" Terra attempted to break up their frantic conversation. Both eyes again turned to her.

"You're going to have to put up with sticking around me for a little while again," Hunt grumbled.

Terra looked to Robbin. "Where are you going?"

Robbin looked pained. "Hunt is going to have to explain." He glanced at Hunt.

"Don't worry about it, buddy." Hunt slapped him on the back.

"Keep her safe, will you?"

"I think everyone's a little preoccupied with a lot more than causing a dormension trouble just now. Go."

Robbin was gone just like that. Terra alighted, startled at the inhuman speed. She frowned. What was so urgent?

Hunt answered her question without her asking. "Wolves have come to the clearing demanding to speak to a representative of the nomads—and asking for you."

He couldn't have dropped the bombshell any harder.

Terra was unsure of how to react. She thought to ask, 'what kind of wolves?' but she felt certain the answer wouldn't help her as she knew of no wolf at all who could be asking for much of anything, let alone her flesh. She had the sense they were the worst kind of threat she could imagine. She found she couldn't respond with any words at all.