Pax gave the messenger boy a confused look. “What did you need me for?”

  The boy let out an exasperated huff. “You told us to save all the captured beasts that could become mounts so you could look them over before anyone else tries to Tame them. Well, we’ve got a lot of them now. Crafter Deepforge and his crew have marked the ones they think are the best fits, but you have to make the final decision. There are some pretty impatient candidates waiting for you to make up your mind and free up their choices. Maybe you could come and look? Like, right now?”

  It took Pax a half-beat to realize Crafter Deepforge was Tomis. He’d hardly used the kid’s last name, but apparently heading up a crew and being a known associate of Pax meant messengers would use his full title now.

  Pax grinned and searched for his friends, who had hopped up from their seats at the messenger’s words. “I’ve finally got a new companion slot, so who’s ready to pick out a matching set of new companions to carry us into war?”

  Titus groaned and waved at Astra, who’d settled on the larger perch Tyrodon had built for her and Eris to share. “I love Astra, but someone please Tame a beast big enough to carry double so you don’t leave me, Crissum and Eldan behind. Oh, and Incedis, since he can’t seem to find a beast that fits his stringent requirements.”

  Langley snorted. “We’re not the ones who used our only companion slots on a beast that couldn’t carry us during wartime.”

  An ominous buzzing came from the far side of the tent and a multi-legged shadow moved across the tent ceiling in their direction.

  Langley’s brows rose, and he quickly added, “But all of you made very intelligent choices with companions who are excellent battle comrades, scouts and healers.”

  “Nice save,” Titus said, elbowing Langley before he turned to Pax. “So, you haven’t achieved enough this morning? You’re really planning to Tame enough mounts for everyone who needs one?”

  “That’s the plan.” Pax’s grin was as wide as Titus’.

  He sighed. “So, we might finally be ready to join the fighting and now you’re going to race circles around me?”

  Pax grinned and backhanded his brother’s chestplate. “Titus, I’ve been able to do that for a long time now.”

  “Ouch.” Crissim nudged Titus as they all trooped out of the tent, the rest of his crew also giving their captain grief.

  Their trip back to the wall was much faster than the earlier one. There were fewer people, and the platoon members had something exciting waiting for them.

  ***

  Not this one. We need fast and never gets tired. Talpa turned up his tentacled nose at the mountain of a beast pounding weakly against the bars of its cage to break free.

  “No?” Bryn gave Pax pleading eyes that were hard to resist. “But just imagine riding this gal into battle. If we all got one, we’d be unstoppable in formation.”

  Before Pax could object, Tasar spoke up. “Consider how much they need to eat and rest.” Tasar’s words were pragmatic and accurate.

  Bryn snuck a last wishful look at the cages holding the massive beasts.

  “Weren’t you the one who’s been insisting we wait to Tame our mounts until we could get a selection of ones that were similar, if not identical?” Pax raised one brow.

  “Part of that was to let the others Tame their first companions. All of our crew already has one, or, in your case, two.” Bryn glanced back again. “And she would be so amazing to ride on the front line into battle.”

  Pax opened his mouth to reassure her, but she cut him off.

  “I know. You’re right, and I was right back then.” She put on a resolute expression. “We need to move fast if we want to avoid any precarious positions or traps we stumble into.”

  Pax gave her an apologetic shrug. “Don’t worry. Those beauties will go to warriors in the new heavy crews the rebellion is forming for frontline operations.”

  “And just think of how amazing our platoon will be when we’re all mounted on agile creatures who can outmaneuver everything the empire or the rebellion can field.” Langley aimed a grin over his shoulder before his gaze turned back to scan the array of cages further ahead on the wall.

  Bryn perked up and, with a smile, matched the fast pace of everyone hurrying to see what their next choices were. Up ahead, someone waved at them from the far end of the next row of cages.

  “Pax! Over here.” It was Tomis surrounded by his gaggle of littles, many of whom were ogling various beasts with proprietary gazes.

  They’re not littles anymore, Pax reminded himself. They’d turned into a promising group of fledgling class holders and a fighting crew during the last two weeks of travel and training. Desperately eager to get their own companions, they were working hard to get their first mana skills to give themselves the best chances of earning the Tamer skill when they Tamed their companions.

  “What took you so long? Where have you been?” Tomis called out, shifting impatiently from foot to foot as they walked up.

  “Please tell me you found us some excellent possibilities.” Pax looked past Tomis at the row of cages that they’d shifted in close to each other, almost touching. Pax couldn’t believe how many beasts they’d captured in a single night. Of course, considering they’d hidden their camp in between two hills, right in the middle of a relatively populated area only a day and a half from Brightgate, it wasn’t surprising their population had quickly attracted beast waves at night.

  “Wait until you see these.” Tomis’ face lit up with a mix of excitement and jealousy as he stepped back and waved at the row of cages behind him with a flourish. “They’re perfect.”

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  Pax’s initial response was disappointment. The row of similar beasts stood on four long, slender, but muscular legs. That would usually ensure they’d be able to run fast and for long periods of time.

  But when Pax had thought about his next companion, he’d envisioned something more powerful, close to the ground perhaps, with claws or maybe the ability to chomp down on any enemy that got too close.

  “These look like they’d be fast,” Pax said slowly, starting with the positive and hoping Tomis wouldn’t be upset when he confessed that he’d like to keep looking.

  Instead of being upset, Tomis just grinned. “You’re thinking the same thing I thought until we faced off against a few of these last night. There’s a lot more to them than you’re thinking. They’re air beasts called Thunderhoof Chargers.”

  Pax took a second look at the caged beasts, taking Tomis’ recommendation seriously. The chargers were sleek, muscular creatures with a streamlined frame that looked tailor-built for speed and endurance. Their powerful limbs and broad chests suggested they had the strength needed for war mounts.

  Their elongated necks and sharply branching antlers evoked an otherworldly beauty that had been partially to blame for Pax dismissing it earlier. He had been looking for dangerous, not beautiful.

  Covered in a short, silver-gray coat that shimmered faintly in the late morning light, the beasts vibrated with agitation. Now that he was looking for it, Pax saw a predatory grace that suggested it had more ways to stay alive in the dangerous Wilds than was obvious at first.

  “Watch this,” Tomis said, a gleam in his eye. He reached into a box at his feet and, with a flick of his hand, tossed a bloody hunk of meat into the cage.

  What happened next made everyone watching flinch back in surprise. The charger, initially still, lunged forward with shocking speed. Its antlers swept through the air like a blurring sword and cut through the meat in a flash. But it wasn’t just the antlers that caught their attention.

  As the charger reached the still-airborne meat, a set of retractable teeth shot out from the edges of its mouth. Long, curved, and glinting with dangerous precision, the teeth tore into the meat as it snapped its jaws down on it. It exhibited a powerful brutality as it tore through the meat with raw strength and agility that was anything but passive.

  Pax watched, stunned. The creature’s eyes, wide and alert, locked onto the observers as it chewed, making it very clear that without the cage, they’d be its next targets.

  There was a predatory calculation in how it moved. In a few violent gulps, it had consumed the meat. A moment later, it returned to its poised stance, teeth hidden again, as if nothing had happened.

  Everyone stood frozen for a moment. The demonstration made Pax’s earlier hesitation evaporate. The Thunderhoof Charger wasn’t just a mount, it was a deadly and agile fighting beast, exactly what he and his crew were looking for.

  “See what I mean?” Tomis’ grin said he knew exactly how the demonstration had changed Pax’s mind.

  “How many of these did we capture?” Pax turned and looked along the row of cages.

  “There better be at least eight, since it’s obvious you’ll be taking the first seven.” Langley muttered as he turned and hurried along the row of cages, counting as he went.

  Tomis’ grin widened, and he laughed in delight. “Don’t worry, we have fifteen of them,” he called after Langley.

  The captain didn’t turn around, but Pax saw the tension in his shoulders visibly ease. Langley had been patiently searching for the perfect mount ever since they left the base and obviously recognized how perfect the chargers were.

  Pax turned around to the rest of his crew, along with the array of their very interested companions who were moving to do their own investigation of the new prospects. “Well, what does everyone think? Are you ready to welcome another seven Thunderhoof Chargers to our crew?”

  Instead of answering, his friends began pulling out all their Taming equipment with quick efficiency.

  These are good. Very good. When Talpa moved up close to the bars, Pax was startled to see that his new growth had pushed him to be almost as tall as one of the charger’s shoulders. It wouldn’t be long before Talpa would be eye level with Pax. A vivid memory of holding a baby Talpa cupped in both hands suddenly popped into Pax’s mind, making him reminisce about how much he’d changed.

  You’re a full-grown adult now, aren’t you, Talpa? Pax couldn’t help the admiration in his tone as he looked over the changes in his friend that had happened so gradually, he almost hadn’t noticed.

  I’m big now. Stronger, too. Talpa preened, his star-nosed snout flaring slightly as the tendrils swayed in the air. His tail flicked behind him with barely contained energy, and his sharp claws dug into the packed earthen floor of the wall. I’ll show you my new abilities next time we train and fight.

  Pax’s eyes widened at Talpa’s words as he realized the latest level had also improved Talpa’s communication. He couldn’t wait to see what he could do. Well, friend, I just leveled and got stronger, too. And just in time for us to go to war together.

  Me, too. Both of us will keep you safer now and destroy more enemies. Whisk’s tone was just as excited as his buddy’s. Wait until you see what else I can do, too. We’re even more amazing friends now, much stronger than that charger thing. Whisk paused in the middle of his stream of words. Will it be a new friend, though? A nice one? But fourth, right? After Talpa, me, and Ember?

  Pax chuckled as he finished setting up his own preparations for the long series of Tamings they had ahead of them for the day. You, Talpa, and Ember are my good friends, and we watch out for each other. I’m sure our new charger will be a great friend, too. You’ll just need to teach them how to do that, alright?

  Oh! I can do that. I am an excellent teacher, right Talpa? I am, Pax.

  Talpa sent a patient pulse of agreement.

  You’re an incredible friend, Whisk, Pax agreed. Now it’s time for me to get to work.

  Pax’s lips quirked into a half-smile as Whisk sent a pulse of happy energy along their connection after echoing the word “incredible” a few times before falling silent. Pax refocused on the task at hand and stood, looking to see how Bryn was organizing for the upcoming marathon of Taming.

  “We’ve got a mount assigned for everyone left in our platoon who wants one.” Bryn looked up from her notebook when he approached. “We’re taking all the chargers along with a handful of beasts as similar to them as we could find. That’ll give everyone in our platoon a mount except for the three without an open companion slot, and Incedis. But the chargers should be more than capable of carrying double. I also reserved five extra beasts in case we lose a few.”

  “Five?” he asked, surprised.

  “Just in case. I figured that was more than enough, considering we’ve got the most experienced Tamers doing this. If you’re good with that, then I’ll let the other Tamers know that the remaining beasts are available for the candidates who’ve been waiting all morning.”

  “Sounds good to me.” Pax turned to give the rest of his crew a confident glance. “Though I doubt we’ll need the five backups. With the new Tamer levels we all just earned, we’re the most experienced people doing this in the entire empire.”

  Bryn quickly sent off the two messenger kids who’d been hanging around her, waiting. She looked back at Pax and gave him a cheerful smile. “Then let’s do this. We’ve all grown a lot stronger, and now our entire platoon will be mobile. Extremely agile and mobile.”

  Titus came up behind Pax and clapped him on the back before giving him a serious look brimming with determination. “I think we’re finally there. With these mounts, they won’t be able to keep us out of the fighting.”

  Pax’s stomach twisted with a mix of anticipation and trepidation. It had been both stifling and reassuring to have the others protect them from anything too dangerous over the last two weeks. But they were only a few hours’ travel from Brightgate, and everyone knew they’d need every rebel to pitch in to have any hope of ripping the city out of the empire’s grasp.

  Pax pushed those concerns aside for the future and focused on the task at hand. He was finally getting a new companion.