Page 140 of Mikoto and the Reaver Village
“He has the ear of Argent Mettlebright,” Salali was saying.
Ginkgo fluttered his anew. “Both ears, actually. Familyresemblance.”
Salali went on. “And his enclave will be receiving aScattering in the months ahead.”
“And…?” demanded the stallion.
Ginkgo’s ears pricked. They were getting down to it, now.Real reasons.
With a stubborn posture, Salali said, “Linlu’s lyricsmention a person between.”
Unimpressed, the stallion pointed out, “Everyreaveris a Betweener.”
“A reaver stands between two cultures. A crosser brings themtogether.”
Hannick gazed off into the sky, then nodded. “I canappreciate that kind of balance. And … heisthe stuff of songs.”
“And you’re too polite to enjoy such novelties?” Salali gaveGinkgo a little push forward.
Ginkgo braced himself for the usual formalities, but thestallion kept it simple. “I’m Hannick. A healer.”
Finally,finally, his gaze drifted to the top of Ginkgo’shead.
Thiswas familiar territory. “Am I your firstcrosser?”
“Strictly speaking.” Fingers twitched, and Hannick gave into the inevitable. “May I make a brief examination?”
Ginkgo grinned. “I was hoping you’d ask.”
The stallion’s expression lapsed into gentle wonderment ashe carefully tugged and scratched Ginkgo’s ear. He eased closer and angled hishead, making a display of his trust while they chatted about the mares atStately House, some of whom were Alpenglows.
“Since I am sure it was Salali’s true purpose, allow me tointroduce you to some friends.”
Ginkgo suspected his own delight was showing as Hannick tookhim around what amounted to a small village populated by tree-kin. Salalilagged behind while his apprentice was kissed and petted by tree twins. Ginkgowelcomed their curiosity and unloaded plenty of his own, quizzing their humancounterparts on the contents of their gardens. Enough healers were hangingabout to give the whole place the ambiance of a hush-hush hospice, with asecondary business being the preservation and packaging of medicinal herbs,teas, and pollen.
By the time he’d chatted with everyone, Ginkgo’s pocketswere bulging with seed packets.
“You would do well here,” remarked Hannick.
Ginkgo shrugged that off. “I like people. Especially kids.”
Salali casually interjected, “We could probably push forours to go to him.”
“Is that so?” Hannick led the way to a small building withcolored glass set into its windows. Rapping on a door left open to catch the flower-scentedbreezes, he said, “I apologize for interrupting your lesson, Mare Anella, but Ibring a visiting professor. He is a leading expert on crossers.”
Eighteen children stared at Ginkgo with widening eyes. Halfof them were human. The others looked to be Alpenglow colts and fillies.
Hannick said, “Ginkgo is our guest because his enclave willreceive a Scattering.”
“How many?” asked a teenage girl with a toddler propped onone hip.
Salali said, “If he takes a liking to you, he’ll have nochoice but to take the lot of you.”
“We can stay together?” asked a surly boy of nine or ten who’dbeen clinging to a shyer friend’s hand ever since Ginkgo stepped inside. “Allof us?”
“What about us?” whispered a filly cradling a sleeping baby.
Nothing like being put on the spot. Ginkgo thought he’d sizedup the situation, but he wanted to be clear. “Are you all tree-kin?”
