The Rainier pack leader, Roger, opened his mouth to object.
Calum’s eyes were turning dark, the mark of the God, and Roger sat back quickly.
Wells made green Xs behind the northern line of Scythe. “Wolves, get behind them. Don’t wait for dark. Night-vision goggles are highly effective, which means the shadowy time before the goggles are useful will be your best choice. With thermal vision, it’s difficult to tell friend from foe, so if they’re carrying that technology, we’ll hope they save it for clean-up.”
“If the wolves take out the attackers, everyone at the festival should be fine.” Pete’s face was pale.
“No, you won’t be fine.” Wells gave the Rainier Cosantir a look that Tynan recognized from his new shifter days—one that said the elder would be surprised if this idiot could find his way out the forest on a wide trail at high noon. “When capture is the objective, forces attack from all sides to prevent any escape.”
“The road,” Zeb muttered.
Wells nodded and drew red Xs along the road to the south. “An almost unused road means they can block it without attracting much attention. As soon as it’s dark, they’ll attack from the road and the north to bracket you.”
Tynan frowned. “Won’t they try to coordinate in some way?”
“Good question. I have a jammer on the Hummer that’ll wipe out any communications tech in the immediate vicinity. I’ll set it off before it gets dark.” Wells gave him a thin smile.
The spymaster had parked his big Hummer on the shoulder of the road…right at the end of the footpath. He’d left only enough room for one person at a time to get past his vehicle.
The human’s paranoia was justified, now wasn’t it?
Wells ran his finger along the depiction of the road. “The south roadside is a steep drop to the river. Very little parking—so they might even disembark troops right on the road.”
Calum frowned. “We need to get younglings away.”
“Yes.” Wells motioned to the left and right of the festival grounds. “Take those too old and too young to fight out of here. East and west. Find hiding places that will block thermal scanning.”
Ben walked up to the map and tapped the northeast section. “Partway around this rise is an exposed cliff with caves. Good hiding for the least mobile shifters.”
Shay rose and pointed to the southwest. “The pack ran that area last night. Looked like it had a landslide a while back. There are uprooted trees, hollowed-out areas, and overhangs. It’s rough terrain, and good hiding for agile youngsters and their protectors.”
Calum studied the map. “All right, then. Pregnant females, new mothers, anyone who can’t move well, and the youngest cubs to the east. Ben, take who you need to get them there along with Donal. Once they’re situated, return with the healer. Go now.”
“Your will, Cosantir,” Ben said.
Calum met Tynan’s gaze.
Tynan nodded agreement. Helping hide the females would keep Donal from the first outbreak of fighting and let him return in time to tend the wounded. Unfortunately, he was the only healer here. Not surprising since healers had an intense sense of duty to their own clans and rarely strayed far from their territories.
A thought occurred to Tynan, and he caught Ben’s attention. “Griz, while you’re getting the females together, have Donal stash medical supplies around the perimeter. Until the battle is over, the healing tent will be a target.”
“Fuck,” Zeb muttered. Then frowned. “Hide the supplies?”
Tynan couldn’t quite manage a smile. “He can mark the locations in the traditional manner—by peeing on the closest bush. Most of us know our healer’s scent.”
No human would notice.
Grins appeared.
“I’ll see it done.” Ben headed out the door.
Calum turned back to the map and pointed to the west side. “Owen, you’re in charge of the cubs and non-fighters who can scramble over rough terrain. Take who you need to get them there. Put Emma in charge, then return. Go now.”
“Your will, Cosantir.” Owen strode out the tent door.
Nodding to Wells, Calum stepped away. “Continue, please.”
“I could’ve used you in the military,” Wells murmured, then addressed the group. “We want the insides of the tents lit up. I’ll set my tablet to play a loud lecture in the dining hall.”
“You’ll make it look as if we’re here. To lure them in.” Alec’s smile was grim.
“Yes, we’ll focus their attention on the tents.” Wells ran his finger around the festival grounds circle. “Hide your fighters in the forest, both close-in and farther out. Go high and low.”
Vicki studied the map. “Give me a weapon. I’ll—”
Two cahirs from out of state spoke at the same time. “The females need to be sent away. All the females.”
North Cascades shifters who knew the Cosantir’s mate braced, knowing what was coming.
Vicki straightened—and set her feet. Fighting stance. Ice filled her low voice.
“‘When Nag the basking cobra hears the careless foot of man,
He will sometimes wriggle sideways and avoid it if he can.
But his mate makes no such motion where she camps beside the trail.
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.’”
She shot Calum a look. “I fight.”
Even as Alec sighed, Calum closed his eyes for a second, then nodded.
Every male shifter in the room felt the two mates’ pain. Females were to be guarded. Protected. Not assigned a place in battle.
Yet a person had the right to determine their own fate.
Vicki scowled at them all. “Shifters, it works like this. If the females want to fight, they will. If they fucking wish to join the fucking noncombatants, they will. It’s. Not. Your. Fucking. Choice.”
The two cahirs stared at her in shock, then—most wisely—nodded. As did the Cosantirs.
“Good.” Vicki ran her hand over the road on the map. “Once I’m armed, I’ll find a spot on the road to the west and deal with incoming vehicles and disembarking troops. I’ll try to direct my fire away from the forest and fighting. Wells?”
“I’ll take the road to the east.”
She nodded and addressed the shifters again. “When setting up positions, consider the road itself as a kill zone and stay the hell off of it.”
As Tynan studied the map for where the wolves would best be useful, an icicle of fear stabbed into his guts.
How long ago had Meggie headed north with Oliver? He’d been grateful she was well out of the fight, but if the Scythe didn’t plan to attack until sunset, they could be positioned miles north.
By the Gods, he’d give anything to have her close where he could protect her. Know she was safe.
But at this point, the farther away she was, the better.
Stay safe, little wolf.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Unclaimed territory - one night before the full moon
On the west side of the meadow, shifters milled around. These were the agile noncombatants, Margery thought, as she helped line up the younglings. Owen’s group had the cubs who were too young to shift, but old enough to traverse bad terrain as well as females and elders who weren’t up to helping with the fighting.