The Island by Teri Hall Page A

thing—Nipper—won’t tear someone apart? We have children here.”
    Nandy knelt next to the cage and called to Nipper. The Woolly came directly to her, purring loudly. He nuzzled her hand through the cage bars. “He’s not going to hurt anyone.”
    Filina looked doubtful, but she gave Ronald a signal to go ahead. He approached the cage door with key in hand, trying not to look nervous. Nipper growled, as though he was an exonerated king admonishing an errant jailer. Ronald fumbled with the lock and finally clicked it open. He did not open the door to the cage. Instead, he stepped back, picked up his pointed stick and nodded to Nandy.
    The minute the cage door opened, Nipper leapt out and wrapped his front legs around Nandy’s neck. She almost toppled from his enthusiasm. Ronald, misunderstanding the display, raised his stick, and immediately Nipper was facing him, claws out and roaring. Nandy jumped up and put herself between Ronald and Nipper, doing her best to calm the Woolly.
    Pathik joined Nandy in front of Nipper. “Put your spear down!”
    “I thought he was attacking the woman.” Ronald lowered his weapon very slowly.
    “Like I said, he won’t hurt anyone—as long as they don’t try to hurt him. Or anyone he thinks of as his family.” Nandy spoke the words loudly, so that the rest of the crowd that had gathered could hear them. She turned and stroked Nipper’s head, making soothing noises.
    One of the people in the crowd, a woman, stepped forward. “They’ll be staying, then?” Rachel recognized her as the second woman of the group that had kidnapped her. She could see the woman in her mind, just as she had been at that moment on the path—her eyes closed, her face focused. Rachel thought the woman had had something to do with her not being able to make any noise when she tried to scream.
    “They will.” Filina pasted a smile on a millisecond too late. “They’ve come to live in peace, as we do.”
    “Will they be taking part in Celebration?” The woman didn’t look happy.
    “Not this one, surely, Liza. It’s too soon. They need time to settle in.”
    Liza said nothing.
    “Well then.” Filina turned to look at the people who had gathered around the cage. “All of you have preparations to make, don’t you? As Liza has reminded us, Celebration is in less than two days. I’d suggest we all get back to work.” She took a deep breath, closed her eyes for a moment.
    People began to wander away, back to whatever they had been doing, some in groups, some alone. There were some whispers, some backward glances, but for the most part they all did as Filina asked.
    “Celebration?” Pathik asked the question all of them were thinking. “What’s that?”
    Filina just smiled. “Time enough for explanations later. All of you must be tired. We’ll get you settled in quarters and let you rest.” She crinkled her brow. “I’m afraid our largest available family quarters may be a bit small for your whole group.”
    “We could split into two—Rachel, Daniel and myself, and Malgam, Nandy and Pathik.” Vivian looked at the others questioningly.
    “If the rooms are close to each other.” Malgam scowled.
    “Of course.” Filina noticed Hannah and Tom standing near. “Hannah. You can show them their rooms—the two empty units on the west wall. Tom, you can get bedding, whatever they might need.”
    Tom left at a trot. Hannah stepped closer to Rachel, but she kept her eyes on Nipper, as though he might leap on her at any moment.
    “He really won’t hurt you,” Rachel whispered.
    Hannah didn’t look so certain. “He’s so scary-looking.”
    “I know—I was scared the first time I met him, too.”
    “Hannah.” Filina looked less than pleased. “Take them along now, and then get back to help Sarah with the preparations.”
    “We’d better go.” Hannah waited until she was sure everyone in the group was together. “Just follow me—it’s not too far.” She practically skipped along,