my wooden spoon like a dagger. "Listen here, furry black-mailer! Th

spy voice squeaked back. "I'm a moon f

ing a twig that was maybe six inches long. The stick poked harmlessly at the air

was your grand threat? A twig? Did you expect

silver-furred ear pushed through the gap, followed by a wide, dirt-smudged eye. "Just throw o

ull down these rocks to let you in

y if you try to

tand bac

child tumbled through the gap, rolling across the cave floor in a messy heap of tangled fur, oversized rags, and bare knees. He look

ing into a crooked fighting stance. "

ng up my hot bowl of rice porridge.

ened until they looked like saucer plates, locked in a trance on the bubbling

down on a flat stone between us. I scooped a big wooden spoonful of po

ep suspicion. He crossed his arms, leaning as far back as

ust made this in an iron pot behind a rock

re going to pack me in salt and sell me to the raiders for three copper coins! That's wha

Excuse me! If I were going to sell a kid-which I'm not, because that's super illegal an

ought about selli

spoon directly into my own mouth to demonstrate. I chewed loudly, making dramatic sa

face. "Last chance, kid. Eat the porridge or I'm eating the

my hand before I could blink. He stuffed the entire wooden spoon int

out chewing. He dived toward the stone bowl, grabbing it with both

ach cramp!" I reached out and gently yanked the bowl b

rice porridge off his nose with the back of h

ing the bowl just out of his reach. "I don't feed namel

red cheeks, pouting hard. "Mi

o. I'm Kaia." I handed

this time. As he ate, I noticed the thin, bony outline of his ri

ng back on my heels. "Or your tribe? It's getting pre

. "Don't have parents. The caretakers in the Silver-Claw Tribe tossed me into the supply wagon last week because my beast shift didn't

law Tribe again, huh? Ronan and

ous eyes. "He's the big scary guard commander with the gi

"He was my mate until yesterday morning. Then he stole my w

were thrown out too? But you have hot food! And a cave! A

boasted, thumping my chest proudly. "I

: Newbie Quest

ablished contact with a vu

available: Milo Thorn (

d, waving my hand in the air to dismiss the scr

. He looked at me, then at the crack in the cave barricade where the red l

oversized shirt. "Are you gonna make me leave now? T

t the mountain, bringing a wave of wet, metall

l. "Out there? You'd get eaten by a mutated snapdragon in

d up slightly. "R

y wood whenever it's safe. Two: you don't touch my salt jar without permission. And thr

eeping out from between his legs and giving a timid, single

d," I said with a wink. "Nobody

AS

he entire cave floor so hard that my iron pot rattled on its stone platform. T

r my arm and burying his head against my s

rapped my arm around his small shoulders anywa

feet outside our cave entrance-followed by the screech of twisting me

"Did... did a spaceship jus

ilver ears twitching wildly. "It sounded

spike from the floor and pushing myself up. "Stay behind me, f