Read Online The Feral Sentence (Book 1, Part 2) by G. C. Julien - Free Book Online Page B

further notice. There’s fish in some of the
fresh water around here.”
    No one
countered her argument, and all that could be heard was the
waterfall’s heavy drop at the entrance of the cavern.
    Murk slowly
stood and met Trim’s side. “How many Battle Women do we have?”
    Trim stiffened
up with both hands on either side of her body. “Twenty, at
most.”
    Murk scratched
her chin. “And how many Archers?”
    “ Two.
Three, if you include Brone,” Trim said.
    “ I want
six Archers at all times on our territory,” Murk
ordered.
    “ And
where do you propose we find these Archers?” Trim asked.
    “ I’ll
let you handle that,” Murk said. “No need for another Assessment.
It’ll only worry the women.” Trim responded with a quick
nod.
    “ From
now on,” Murk announced, her voice suddenly loudening, “no hunt is
to be executed without proper caution, and no hunt is to be
mentioned to anyone other than myself.” She crossed both arms over
her chest and parted her legs at shoulder’s width. “If we’re
strategic about this, we’ll never have to attack the Northers on
their turf. Let them come to us… We’ll be ready for
them.”
    “ And
when they attack?” Trim asked.
    Murk formed a
slow-crushing fist below her chin. “Destroy them.”
    * * *
    “ How
many Northers you think they got?” Biggie asked, rushing to Trim’s
side.
    Trim walked
briskly away from the waterfall with dozens of eyes following her.
It was apparent trouble was lurking by the way Trim moved, and the
women of the Village could sense it.
    “ I don’t
know...” she said. Rainer took half our village when she left, and
who knows how many drops she’s taken from us.”
    “ So
equal or greater than our population,” Fisher said
matter-of-factly.
    Trim didn’t
respond.
    “ Yeah,”
Flander added, “but what you’re all forgettin’ is that Rainer don’t
do civilization. She never believed in it. Which means all of ’er
people are trained in battle. That’s what she recruits ’em
for.”
    Rocket hopped
sideways, keeping up with Trim’s pace. “This would be so much
easier if we could burn their fucking homes to the ground.”
    “ Agreed,” Biggie said.
    “ Enough,” Trim said. “You’re all dismissed.” Everyone stopped
following her.
    “ Give
’er time,” Flander said. “She needs ’er space.”
    Fisher’s
eyebrows came together as she watched her leader exit the Working
Grounds. “The last thing any of us needs right now is fucking
space. We need to stick together.”
    “ Yeah,
well, that ship’s sailed,” Biggie said. She used her forearm to
wipe sweat away from her chin then turned around and made her way
toward the water.
    “ I’m
with Biggie,” Rocket said. “Need me some water time.”
    Fisher
released a sigh—a growl, almost—and walked in the opposite
direction. I stood awkwardly by Flander’s side, pondering whether
or not to also walk away.
    “ Looks
like ya got the day off, kid.” Flander stretched her back, cracked
her fingers, then said, “I’m goin’ to take a nap.”
    I suddenly
caught Savia’s eyes—the woman who’d been supposed to train me as
Needle Woman. She was sitting underneath the shadow of a tree with
a dry piece of leather in one hand and carved wood in the other. A
pile of arrows lay beside her, and I could tell by the solemn look
in her eyes that she knew exactly what was coming. I tried to
smile, but my lips didn’t move. So instead, I left the Working
Grounds and made my way toward the Village.
    I’d been about
to enter my tent, when I heard Ellie’s voice, “Hey, right on
time.”
    I glanced
back.
    “ I’m
doing my rounds,” she said. “Here.” She offered a closed fist, so I
placed an open palm underneath it and caught five
pearls.
    “ Payday,” she said.
    “ Oh, um…
thanks,” I said.
    She stared at
me for a moment, her almond eyes narrowing. “You okay? Looks like
you’ve had a long day.”
    A long day was
an understatement. I’d nearly