Ghost frowned and stared at Roscoe. "He does have a point, though. Why haven't we been sneezed on? We've been around him way longer."
Fiona raised her eyes to the sky. "How did I get saddled with morons?"
Ghost slung an arm around her shoulder. "Guess you were just lucky."
Warin paid no attention to them, striding toward a clump of Lion Clan members in the distance.
"I fear I'll never understand people," Eva told Caden as he joined her.
Eva tore her gaze from Warin to focus on Caden. Her cheeks reddened at the realization that he was still naked. During the fight and the confrontation immediately afterward, his state of undress hadn't really registered as she'd had more important things to focus on.
Now, however, she could barely bring herself to look away from all that flesh on display. The chiseled muscles and perfect form.
Caden gave her a wicked smile as he took in her flaming cheeks. "See something you like?"
Eva didn't know it was possible, but her face got hotter as her blush deepened.
Fiona whistled. "Looking good, commander. I see you haven't let yourself go."
"No, I've got to keep the interest of our Caller after all," Caden drawled.
"Go put on clothes," Eva hissed in embarrassment.
Caden's chuckle was low as he winked at her before striding toward the wreckage of her tent and the clothes lying somewhere under it all.
Fiona barked a laugh. "Embarrassed?"
"Aren't you?" Eva asked.
"Naw. This is actually pretty common. Before we were united, clans used to conduct night raids on their rivals pretty often. You fought in what you had on. Sometimes that's nothing." Fiona lifted a shoulder. "Besides, all bodies pretty much have the same parts, if you know what I mean."
Eva ignored her wink.
She'd known the Trateri weren't as modest or body conscious as those in the Lowland village where she'd grown up, but she hadn't realized the extent.
Eva's curiosity got the better of her embarrassment momentarily. "Isn't it hard for men to fight with their personal part flapping about like that?"
Silence reined for a brief moment.
Fiona cackled as Roscoe choked, his shoulders shaking.
Ghost was the only one to respond. He nodded, looking serious. "Indeed. It leaves a man feeling vulnerable to have his jewels and rod out in the open, asking to be trimmed. It's why I always sleep with my pants on."
Fiona and Roscoe stared at Ghost with their mouths open.
"What about when you're fucking?" Roscoe asked.
Fiona slapped him on the arm.
"What?" Roscoe asked. "I'm curious."
Fiona gestured at Eva. "I don't think she wants to know that."
Except Eva kind of did.
Ghost gave them a sly smile. "You don't have to take your pants all the way off to fuck."
Fiona sighed. "That's not something to be proud of. I pity your nightly dalliances."
Caden rejoined them, this time wearing pants as he shrugged into his shirt. "How is the perimeter?"
Van and Gawain moved closer, their faces intent.
A grim expression spread across Fiona's face. "One death, several injured. They tried to stop the red back and when that failed sent up a warning."
"If the army is anywhere close, that warning would have signaled our position," Gawain said.
Caden nodded.
"That's not your only problem," Reece said, stomping over the wreckage of Eva's tent with an irritated expression on his face.
"Look who finally showed up," Van muttered.
Reece gave him a cool look. "You had it handled. My skills were best put to use elsewhere."
"Where's that?" Gawain asked.
Reece lifted the bag he was carrying and grabbed the bottom. Without a word, he dumped its contents at their feet. The severed paws of a red back brought a hush to the group.
Roscoe and Buck squatted next to them to get a better look.
"You want to know the reason why the red back left her territory to travel here. Why she targeted Eva's tent despite many others being more accessible." Reece met each of their gazes, finally stopping on Caden's. "You're looking at it."
eleven
Ghost nudged a paw with his foot. "You're telling me these caused all this?"
Fiona knocked him away from the dismembered remains.
"What?" Ghost complained.
"Don't touch the cursed things. What if you get the red back's scent on you and draw other nasty things?"
"The mate's dead. I hardly think it'll be a problem now."
Buck and the others stared at Ghost like he was an idiot.
"You haven't hung around Shea enough if you think that. Woman has stories that will make your hair gray," Buck muttered.
Witt nodded seriously.
"Pathfinders learn quick that only idiots go around being all touchy feely." Reece gave Ghost a sharp smile. "Sometimes our trainers don't even tell us what to be wary of. They just let us go off and figure it out on our own. Their methods are pretty good at weeding out the undesirables."
"I'm beginning to think pathfinders are far more brutal than the clans could ever hope to be," Roscoe observed.
Van and Gawain's faces remained emotionless, but Eva didn't think she was imagining their agreement.
"Where did you find them?" Caden asked.
Reece met Eva's eyes. "Buried right outside the back of her tent."
Buck cursed, the faces of the rest echoing his sentiments.
Eva felt numb as the implications of Reece's words hit. She'd known change didn't come easy, and that there were some who thought she didn't deserve the position she had—especially with her not being Trateri.
Still, she hadn't thought they would go so far as to scheme a way to hurt—or more likely kill—her.
Fiona and Caden shared a look.
"You know what this means," Fiona said.
Caden inclined his chin. "I do."
Sensing the rising hostility and the reasons behind it, Van held up his hand. "Wait, let's not jump ahead of ourselves."
"The jump has already been made," Roscoe told him. "We have a traitor among us."
Ghost moved closer, his gaze scrutinizing as he stared at the two clan leaders. "And we're pretty sure we know where that person came from."
Van seemed incredulous at the accusation. "Come on. You know Lion Clan wouldn't stoop so low."
Eva found it telling that he didn't include Rain in that statement. Almost like he was trying to infer blame without having to go into specifics.
Gawain's expression darkened as he caught Van's meaning. "Be very careful what you say next, Lion."
"He's right," Roscoe said, flanking Gawain on one side as Ghost did the same on the other. "Your clan has a bit of a reputation."
"How dare you," the woman at Gawain's back said. "Why is it that your sort always points fingers at us first?"
Ghost's expression was mild. "I believe we pointed our fingers at Lion first."
The woman sneered.
"Also, this is the reaction you get when your clan is comprised mainly of exiled members of other clans," Roscoe pointed out.