Page 78 of Phoenix's Fire

Lansin chuckled. "Just east of your Mole base. Maybe half a day's walk? Less for us. Maybe four hours?"

"I didn't know..." I breathed.

"The Moles do," he assured me. "We leave bags of food for them to take. Keeps them from attacking us the way they do the Dragons."

"The gatherers are given the plants?" I asked.

He rocked his head, then it shifted to a nod. "Yeah, close enough. Grains, potatoes, and the harvest we can't use. It's tradition to leave a tribute to them as protection, but they've tried to attack before. I mean, it's been a while. I was a boy the last time that happened, but we pushed them back, and the food keeps them from trying again."

"Another lie," I realized. "In the compound, they taught us the gatherers harvest the plants. We're told to respect the men for the hard work they do, butyoudo it!"

"Well, notme," Lansin admitted. "I'm a dog trainer, so I guard the fields from predators. Other Reapers do the harvesting. Sadly, I didn't inherit a green thumb."

My eyes dropped to his hands, but Saveah saw - and laughed. "It's a saying, Ayla. It means those who have the ability to grow plants well."

"Oh." I nodded. "So they're not really green."

"Not at all," Lansin said.

The whole time, my hands were busy on the dog, but the black one didn't seem to care as much as the brown had. This one simply accepted my attention. The brown one had acted more excited about it.

"Do dogs get used to people as they get older?" I asked.

"They learn to stop bouncing everywhere," Lansin said, "but they still like us. Why?"

"Because the brown one seems happier about it." I glanced over to where Tamin was all but hanging on the other dog's body.

"She's a brindle," Lansin told me. "That's the name for the coloration withthose little lines in it. Holly's technically a red brindle. There are black brindles too, but they have white or tan lines. And she acts like that because she's a silly puppy."

"Just like how Tamin is exuberant because he's a silly boy," Saveah added, raising her voice so her son would hear.

"Mama," Tamin whined. "It's a dog!"

"I know, baby," she agreed. "So pet her lots, because we still have to get diapers." Then she looked back at me. "And you make sure to clean that wound on your shoulder, Ayla. The back of your shirt is caked in blood or mud."

"Probably both," I said. "And I will. Zasen made me promise already." But a little smile took over my face, so I looked at the dog to try and hide it. "But we killed the bear before it killed us."

Saveah just sighed one more time. "I think those men are corrupting you, Ayla."

"Mhm," I agreed, "but I like it." I rubbed at the dog's ears the way the men had. "And I like dogs. Most of all, I like being able to choose for myself."

"Even if it's dangerous," Saveah grumbled.

Twenty-Four

Ayla

One of the restaurant owners bought the beast. A different man bought the hide. Working together, Zasen and I cut it free, making more money because of the effort, or so Zasen assured me. When we finished, he steered me back to the house, counting a wad of paper money. With a sly smile, he handed over half. It was more than I had ever seen in one place.

"I'm rich!"

He laughed and nodded. "Yes. Believe it or not, that's almost enough to buy a small house of your own."

"Really?" I counted the money again. "So if I keep hunting, I probably could?"

His face fell. "Yeah, probably."

"What else can I buy?"

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