Leap of the Lion (The Wild Hunt Legacy #4)(74)

“I bet he does.” Shay was not only a natural leader, but also the kind of person who took care of everyone around them. Setting her tray down, Darcy looked around.

The three other females sat on blankets strategically positioned out of splashing range. Emma wore her golden hair in a long braid. In jeans and a tank top, a slender redhead in her early twenties was talking to her. Bonnie apparently had monitor duty—her gaze stayed on the children.

“Look, it’s Darcy!” Smiling, Emma pushed to her feet and tossed her braid over her shoulder.

Bonnie looked up and waved.

At the table, Emma pulled Darcy into a big hug. Yes, the female was totally a bear. “I hoped you’d come.”

The sincerity in her voice made Darcy blink quickly.

“Hey, Bree!” A cub with wavy golden-brown hair, dashed up from the bank. “Bree!”

After some happy hugs, Bree said, “Darcy, this is Minette who belongs to Emma, Ben, and Ryder.”

The cubling had beautiful hazel eyes, fair skin, round cheeks.

“Hi, Minette. It’s nice to meet you.” Darcy glanced at Emma. “I don’t think I know Ben or Ryder.”

As Emma poured iced tea for the females and handed the glasses out, she said, “I don’t think you were introduced, but Ben said he met you here one day. On the patio.”

“He’s a cahir—a grizzly—and simply huge,” Bree added.

On the patio, huge cahir. Darcy gave an embarrassed huff. “I remember. He was there when I got in trouble for being in cougar form too close to the lodge.”

Emma gave her a sympathetic smile. “I’ve been on the receiving end of a cahir scolding; I know the pain. But Ben feels awful that he upset you.”

Darcy snorted. “I upset myself. I hate doing stupid things.”

Coming up to accept a glass, the redheaded female laughed. “Oh, I know!” She took a cookie from Bree and continued, “I’m Nia. Bonnie and I are the wolf cub-watchers today.”

“They look like they’ll keep you busy.”

Nia rolled her eyes. “I’m rethinking ever having cubs.”

“You’ll change your mind when you find the right mates,” Bree told her.

“The right mates? Not happening.” Nia dropped down onto the blanket. “Bonnie, it’s my turn to watch. Get yourself a cookie.”

Once on her feet, Bonnie called, “Luke, Tyler, come and meet Darcy.

Two young boys about four ran over.

Bonnie beamed and turned to Darcy. “These are my two cubs, Tyler and Luke.”

Aww. All bright eyes and bounce. “They’re adorable.”

“I think so.” Grinning, Bonnie put an arm around each tiny body. “Cubs, this is Darcy who fixed your computer, so say thank you.”

“T’ank you!” said one. The other gave her a hug.

So, so cute. She crouched down to their size and whispered, “Did you see what’s watching you from the big tree?”

They turned and after a second, spotted the pixie swinging on the end of a branch, as if she was trying to get closer to the fun.

Their open delight in seeing her made the pixie do a fancy swing—and another when they cheered in glee.

“Sprites and cubs—they enjoy the same things, have you noticed?” Emma said, grinning.

“Everything is more fun with pixies and cublings,” Darcy agreed. “I miss the tiny ones.” The littlest in the prìosan were now teenagers.

“Oh, girl, you’re welcome to come and cub-watch anytime your heart desires,” Bonnie said. She shook her head as one of her cubs jumped up onto a boulder—an amazing leap for someone so tiny—and pounced on his brother.

Bonnie grinned at Bree. “Shay taught him that leap.”

“Shay loves to teach,” Bree said. “And it’s nice that they’re learning some of those skills early.”

Darcy scowled at the ground, remembering how she was still messing up her own jumps. She had to do better. When the shifter-soldier forest camp was located, she’d have to sneak past the guards to contact the males. And, if she had to take to the trees, she’d probably fall off a branch and get caught.

Or if the shifter-soldiers caught her scent, who knew how they’d react? She’d need to disguise her presence until she was close enough to speak with them.

Picking up a twig, she twirled it between her fingers. When the time came, she had to be ready to act—skillfully. It was time to work her tail off and master the skills she needed.

She looked up to see Nia nibbling on a cookie and studying her. The redhead said, “You must not be a wolf or you’d have joined us on the last pack run. So are you a bear? Or a mountain lion or panther or whatever term you felines are using these days?”

Emma laughed. “It’s not fair, is it? A wolf is a wolf is a wolf, whereas cats are mountain lions or panthers or cougars or puma or…really, you guys have a dozen different names that all mean panther.”

“Exactly!” Huffing, Nia pointed her finger at Emma and scowled. “I was trying to say that I don’t want to know all those names. Bards, sheesh.” She looked at Darcy. “So, what name of cat do you prefer?”

Such an indignant expression.

Darcy grinned. “I love how mountain lion sounds. Only when I’m in a hurry, two words are one too many, so I use cougar mostly, only the humans use that now to mean an older woman hooking up with a younger man, so I use panther now, too.”