Read Online Beloved by C.K. Bryant - Free Book Online

wound.
    Nigel held up his hand. Dangerous.
    For the next few minutes, Kira went from watching Nigel shredding the bottom portion of his tunic for bandages, to keeping an eye on the mutts. She was sure they’d eventually give up, but there was no sign of it yet.
    Mahli climbed down to the same branch as Kira, which made holding on and having any hope of being comfortable impossible. Even though the branches were several inches wide and her feet were planted firmly on a lower branch, it still felt like she was balancing on bicycle handlebars. She had to readjust her position to keep her butt and legs from going to sleep.
    After Nigel’s wound was bandaged, he climbed higher into the tree and began stripping off smaller twigs. She tried to watch him, but looking up made her dizzy and made her neck ache, so she gave up. It was pitch black by the time he returned. She had to summon her night vision to see him motion for her to follow him. Not an easy task with Mahli in the way. She was way too big to be a lap cub.
    She lifted Mahli to sit beside her, then took her chubby face in her hands and gave her the sternest look she could manage considering the pitiful blue eyes staring back at her. “You did a bad thing, little girl.”
    Mahli blinked slowly, reminding Kira of the special connection she’d had with Toran. “You understand me, don’t you? I mean really understand my words?” Kira looked more intently into her eyes as Mahli blinked again, this time with a slight nod. Kira dropped her hands and leaned her back against the tree trunk. Deep down she knew she had a special connection with animals, but for them to actually understand her words and the meaning of them was a little unnerving.
    She glanced down at the few mutts that remained, some licking the blood from their paws and jowls. Others still snarled and scratched at the tree. If this was any indication of how they’d spend the rest of their lives, she had to do everything she could to make sure Mahli was safe, even if that meant giving her a good scolding. She turned back to Mahli and took her face back in her hands, this time more firmly.
    “I do not own you. You are free to go if you want, but if you stay with me, I have some rules.” She sat up and put her face closer to the cubs, her voice low and stern. “You will not leave my side without my permission—no wandering off. And if I tell you to do something, you do it immediately. You could have been killed and I need to know I can count on you to be there for me.”
    Mahli broke free and gave Kira a rough, slobbery kiss, taking all seriousness out of the situation. Kira laughed, then gave her friend a hug. “I’ll take that as a yes. Now get up there and see what Nigel has done.”
    Mahli leapt to the next branch, then the next and was past Nigel before Kira could follow. She half expected Nigel to take her hand and help her climb the rest of the way up, but he didn’t. Instead he pointed to where she should put each foot or which branch she should grab. By the time she reached the spot where he’d been working, the muscles in her legs and arms burned. She’d spent way too much time on Althros the past few days when she should have been keeping her strength up.
    Kira pulled herself up so she stood even with Nigel, him on one branch and her on another. He pointed to where he’d woven twigs between two parallel branches—all fastened together with thick vines.
    Nigel pointed to the makeshift hammock. Sleep.
    Kira tested its strength by slowly crawling out onto the bed. It creaked and sagged, but held her weight, so she stretched out and made herself comfortable. Mahli snuggled up next to her and did the same.
    She looked up a Nigel, who still watched her. “This is great, thanks. But where will you sleep?”
    He smiled, then swiftly climbed to a spot a little higher up where another hammock had been made, this one much larger, its twigs and vines void of leaves and pine needles. He’d obviously