Wild Country (The World of the Others #2)- Anne Bishop Page 0,122
time to find homes and figure out where we’re working. How much faster can we do this?”
“You were selected and approved by trusted terra indigene before you arrived in Bennett,” Tolya said. “The ones who have been swarming into town the past few days were not.” Did she not understand the difference—and the danger?
“You object to people like Kenneth and Evan?”
Virgil growled at her. Tolya pulled back his lips for just a moment, showing Jana his fangs in warning.
“They have a purpose, and that is the point,” Tolya snapped. “Every human who wants to live here has to fill a position. And when those positions are filled, no more humans will be allowed to settle here. When the houses within the boundaries are filled—and not packed in like families of mice—there can be no more settlers. Humans will look at the houses beyond the boundaries and complain that there is room for them, but there is no room. The houses on the other side of the boundaries can be claimed by the terra indigene or not claimed at all, but they cannot be claimed by humans.”
“The humans already outnumber those of us they can see,” Virgil said. “If they start causing trouble, the Elders will thin the human herds more vigorously than the last time.”
Jana shuddered. With effort, she straightened her shoulders, but she looked pale. “What if the Werners and I find some occupations that might be better suited for terra indigene?”
They all looked at her in surprise.
Tolya said, “By all means, indicate those, and we’ll do our best to find terra indigene to fill those positions.”
She nodded. “The picture of the man Melanie Dixon saw at her house yesterday. I think it should be cropped to remove Abigail Burch and then sent to all the train and way stations we can contact.”
“You can do this cropping?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Then alter the picture and e-mail it to Nicolai. As station master, he will send it on to as many stations and way stations as he can.”
“Anything else?”
“Not today.”
Jana bolted from the room.
Virgil huffed out a breath. “Yesterday’s fight was her first kill.”
“Ah.” All the Sanguinati breathed out the sound. First kill wouldn’t have distressed any of them—being able to feed on one’s own was a sign of maturity—but they indicated sympathy because they appreciated Jana’s ability to articulate a human perception of what was needed without displaying aggression.
Except with Virgil. And now, perhaps with him.
Tolya rolled up the maps and returned to his office. He had hoped the Elders would have given them all more time for the town and the people to find their balance. Maybe they would have been content to observe if the Dixon ranch hadn’t been attacked, reminding Namid’s teeth and claws that humans were, for the most part, enemies who were not only prey but preyed on their own kind.
More humans were arriving every day, looking for opportunities—or looking to steal things from the empty houses. Every human who hadn’t already been approved by the terra indigene represented potential danger. The Sanguinati knew that. So did Virgil. He hoped Jana understood that as well.
For now, he would do what he could. And the first thing he would do was send Jesse Walker the picture Hope Wolfsong had made so that the residents of Prairie Gold would recognize an enemy if he came among them.
* * *
* * *
“Walker’s General Store, Jesse speaking.”
“Jesse Walker, this is Tolya Sanguinati.”
She heard the puppy yapping. Cory was in an enclosed pen and should be safe, but … “Is there something I can do for you, Tolya?”
“I have sent you an e-mail with the picture of a potential enemy. Your people need to be wary of this man and any humans who are with him.”
“He’s dangerous?”
“He stole from a ranch, but a human with him tried to forcibly mate with the rancher’s daughter.”
Feeling her body tighten in response to what Tolya was saying, Jesse looked at the rifle she kept near her desk when she was working in her office area.
Yap yap yap. I am brave. I am brave. Mom!
“Tolya, I have to go. I’ll check my e-mail in a few minutes.” She almost hung up, then thought of one last thing. “Did you tell Tobias?”
“Virgil will tell him.”
“I’ll call after I look at the picture.” Jesse hung up. She almost grabbed the rifle on her way to the back door but instead snatched the broom that was leaning near the door because she had a feeling that the broom