Savage Wild
Hope Gordon
Copyright © 2024 by Hope Gordon
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Contents
I. Of-the-Wilds
1. Thieves
2. The Other Side
3. Up the Mountain
4. At The Summit
5. Glow
6. Unseen
II. Savage Dark
7. Crackle and Scar
8. Gold and Ivory
9. Creation and Death
10. Little Badger
11. Magic Meadow Blue
12. The Memory
13. Into the Palace
14. The Goddess and the Reaper
15. Ghosts and Goodbyes
Untitled
About the Author
This first book is dedicated to the students who helped me see the possibility of a better world. This one is for you, kids.
A special thanks to my loving partner, my family, my editor, and my designer. I couldn’t have done it without you.
Part One
Of-the-Wilds
The wind takes the little Badger
By the tail into the trees
And little creatures
Scatter round
To little destinies
Chapter One
Thieves
On the day of the heist, I tasted death.
It was the first Fireday of the month, and the booths of Pantmawr’s bustling downtown market were crowded with overpriced jewels, lush embroidery, and decadent food from across the Valley. A blazing sun augmented the smell of fresh bread, strong spices, and rich cheeses. It was full of so much life and vibrancy that no one would notice four troublemakers.
A statue of a misshapen trout spitting water from its mouth marked the entrance of the town where I grew up and served as a place to meet with my fellow agents of mischief. Leaning back against the stone, singing to himself, was my best friend Willow, a mountain nomad from the distant north. His hair was the color of a cloud brightened by a yellow sun, and the blue scarves wrapped around his arms could have been cut from the sky.
The sun flashed in his eyes when he noticed my curly head bobbing down the street.
“There’s my fellow criminal!” He leapt high and floated on an invisible breeze, attracting the attention of everyone in the pavilion. Like many northerners, his natural power allowed him to move like a feather in the wind, and he was more than happy to show off.
When he landed next to me, my arm lurched around his neck. “You can’t escape me!” I declared, ruffling his coiffed hair. “Surrender or face the consequences!”
He tugged at my arms to no avail. “NEVER! Rotten Valley-boy! Ratcatcher!” He made a noisy show of choking and fainting. I let him go, and he toppled to the ground, laughing.
“How’s the view from down there?” I asked, leaning forward with a self-satisfied smirk.
He popped up and brushed dirt from the front of his tight black shirt. “I prefer the view from up high. I’m not surprised to see you here first, Badger. If you’re not ten minutes early, you’re late!”
“I have standards,” I said, straightening the ornamental pins on my satchel handle. “Now cut to the chase. What is this great heist you mentioned yesterday?”
His ocean-dark eyes glistened. Willow jumped on the nearest breeze and floated away, above the crowd that grew with the dawn. I jogged after him, but not before cursing under my breath. My friend had a nasty habit of leaving me in suspense.
