Page 12 (1/2)

When Vhyper was done, he handed the blade to Maxilea if the new Feral meant to throw the knife at him Instead, he cut hiar shoved his fist into the air, and the others followed

"Kara," Lyon said softly

Kara unzipped the hoodie and tossed it aside, then lifted her aran to gloith the light of the sun

Lyon turned to Maxim "Remain where you are If you touch her without an armband, the radiance will kill you"

Maxim dipped his head but continued to stare at Kara, clearly intrigued by the glooht would fascinate anyone who hadn’t grown up with it

The eight stepped forward, closing around Kara As Hawke’s fingers curled around one slender wrist, power surged into hiripped one of Kara’s hands, her other wrist, or knelt to grasp one of her ankles Lyon stood behind her, stroking her slender throat before pressing his palar released Kara first and turned to Maxi up the rear Kougar pressed his bloodied palar’s, Paenther’s atop Lyon’s One by one they added their blood until only Hawke reaze met Maxim’s Hatred arced between the both ways Deep inside, his hawk gave a cry of anger, a cry not directed at him The bird didn’t like the new feral any better than the ar began to chant, switching to English as the others joined in "Spirits rise and join Empower the beasts beneath this moon Goddess, reveal your warrior!"

Thunder ruic Beneath Hawke’s feet, the rock tre of the newest fox

Maxi over his features as he disappeared in a flash of colorful, sparkling lights, shifting into his anie creature standing within their circle was no fox

"Holy shit," Jag breathed

Hawke’s jaw dropped as he stared at the cat in their an to hah far thicker, probably weighing close to that Lyon would in his anis were stocky and e twin fangs like seven-inch blades

The lances, uncertain what had just happened

"A saber-toothed cat," Hawke said out loud, his voice rough with awe and confusion

"One of the seventeen" Kougar’s voice was triumphant "Ariana must have accidentally freed the ani arced across the group like a jolt of electricity Raw excitement filled the mystic circle as the full ireat cat, its natural cousin long extinct, swung his ht into Hawke’s face, threat in his eyes Hawke pulled his knives The red haze began to lick at the edges of his vision and rise, showing no sign of stopping Whatever force sometimes seemed to help him keep it at bay was absent

Lyon stepped between them, his voice deadly calm "Shift back, Maxiht back the anger, the cat began to shimmer Once more, Maxiant face as he turned to the others

"Not a fox," he said sioddess," Jag said "Maybe this is just the beginning Maybe they all escaped that trap"

Kougar shook his head "It’s too soon to know" But his eyes gleamed like diamonds

Around the circle, his brothers’ faces shone with joy, relief, wreathed in grin after grin Hawke got it - this was the break they’d needed, thefor - but it still annoyed the hell out of him that Maxi

Beside hi caught in that hell" His gazehis features He reached for hi to Hawke’s shoulder "You okay?"

The physical contact helped Hawke pull it together "Yes"

Tighe nodded, but he kept his hand on Hawke’s shoulder, his sht, that thethe out "Henceforth, you will be known a asked

Jubilation had shot the ritualistic atrinned "Fang"

Vhyper snorted "Bob"

Jag shot the snake a co look "Bob?"

"For his bobbed tail"

Jag groaned, then snorted "Glad to have you back, Snake Man, oddball sense of humor and all"

"You’re one to talk" But even Vhyper’s tone held laughter

Lyon eyed Vhyper with a nod of satisfaction, then pulled Kara back against him as the circle dissolved into backslaps and handshakes, euphoric roars echoing over the rocks They were nine again, and once the new fox showed up, ten Maybe more Maybe, ultimately, twenty-six

It was a day for celebration And wary caution His rival had just gained a strength Hawke could never hope to match

Thewith bubbly chane or whiskey Paenther had called Feral House the moment the ceremony was over to share the news, and they’d returned to a full-fledged celebration

Still in the foyer, Tighe thrust his glass into the air "To the full return of the seventeen May we be twenty-six once more!"

A loud cheer erupted as the Ferals and theirhis glass into the air "To the sabertooth!" With his free hand, he pulled Faith against his side, nuzzling her neck, leahe said quietly beside hi back half his whiskey He couldn’t let Maxi him into his animal doesn’t seem to have improved his , he’s evena lifeti him paw FaithDammit, this was his own fault If he’d hidden his interest in her, as he should have, Maxi to provoke hirab the stack of T-shirts on the hall table, all black, all XXL As she handed thelasses and pulled theht be half animals, but they ate their meals with shirts on And the celebration feast would soon be served

"Why are Feral celebrations sota the T-shirt Delaney offered with a look of distaste "We need music, revelry!"

Hawke forced himself to look elsewhere because if he looked at Maxim, he’d just see Faith