"We followed their tracks into this basin. Then they came at us from every direction. The ground's been trampled to hell."
Black came to stand beside her.
"Della, could you three go over the details with him? You know these lands and people better than I do."
"Of course, my lord."
She answered before she could worry about whether she was qualified. He had watched her fight, listened when she pointed out the path, and now he was asking for her judgment while his family waited.
Warm pride filled her chest. There were people here who could smash their way through an army, yet he had turned to her. She wanted desperately to be worthy of that trust.
Then she remembered the girls waiting for help somewhere in these hills.
Turning to Blossom, she asked, "Could you follow these creatures back to their lair?"
"Blossom's already on it!"
