Free The Heir of Mistmantle by M. I. McAllister Page A

clusters of it everywhere. The woods around Falls Cliffs appear to have the most cases. But not one animal living in the tower, nor the ones who work here and live elsewhere.”
    Every animal in the room was silent. Each one thought of some friend or relative. Urchin’s foster mother, Apple, lived in Anemone Wood, and so did Needle’s family and the friends they had grown up with. Damson lived near Falls Cliffs. Lugg’s two married daughters, Wing and Wren, and their families lived not far from the north shore. Above all, they thought of Catkin. The Heart alone knew where she was now.
    Urchin glanced nervously up at the queen, not wanting to intrude on her grief. Her paws were clenched tightly, but she looked as she did when they were in danger on Whitewings. She was very still, concentrating, planning the next step. The same expression was on Crispin’s face, too, and tension in his voice.
    “How serious will it become, Brother Fir?” he asked.
    “That,” said Fir, “is something we have yet to find out. It’s many years since we had a violent epidemic of anything. For that reason, I fear this one might take us badly. We haven’t been building up our resistance to contagion, you see. Usually with these things, those who are generally fit and healthy recover. But those who have less to fight with—those who are already unwell, the very old and the very young—they are in greatest danger.”
    “I have seen something similar on Whitewings,” said Cedar. “May the Heart keep Catkin and Linty. All my skill as a healer is at your service.” In the silence that followed, Urchin wanted to kneel at her paws, stunned by her calm strength. Crispin stood up, and those animals who were seated—all except Queen Cedar—rose too.
    “Animals are to stay in their home areas except by permission of a member of the Circle,” ordered Crispin. “The Circle will be assigned different areas of the island, their own areas as far as possible. They are to help the healers, send messengers when healing is needed, comfort those in need, and keep animals from traveling to areas of infection. They may grant animals permission to leave their home areas only when there is the greatest reason or the lowest risk. Those Circle animals who have young children are excused from this service. You mustn’t bring disease back to them.”
    “Otters don’t catch it, Your Majesty,” Padra pointed out.
    “Otters haven’t caught it up to now,” corrected Crispin. “You can continue to lead the search for Catkin. Urchin, Needle, and Sepia can help you.”
    “Thank you, Your Majesty!” said Urchin, with Needle and Sepia joining in. “But,” added Urchin, “we’ll have to leave the tower to do that, and we mustn’t bring infection back.”
    “I’ll show you how to use a mixture of herbs and vinegar to keep disease away,” said the queen. “You must rub it into your fur, every time you go out and come in.”
    “Juniper,” said Crispin, “your orders will be from Brother Fir, not from me.”
    Juniper did not respond. A shudder shook him from ears to claw tips.
    “Juniper!” said Crispin. “If you’re ill, it’s most important that you tell us!”
    “I’m perfectly well,” replied Juniper, his voice shaking. “I’m just anxious, and it…”
    “We understand, Juniper,” said the queen. Urchin caught her eye and gave a twitch of his ears. There was something Juniper needed to tell, but perhaps he’d tell it later to Urchin, when they were alone.
    “And Whittle must learn and memorize every detail of this disease,” said Tay. “The symptoms, the duration, the various treatments, and the result. And he must commit all the names of the dead to memory.”
    Whittle nodded earnestly. He had memorized the symptoms of fouldrought as soon as Fir listed them, and looked forward to learning every single remedy.
    “Cedar,” said Crispin, “please gather the healers together and get them to work, but not Mother Huggen, nor Moth.