‘Wherever you go, we go, Braden. Wherever Prince Axial De’atesh goes, we go. There will be dangers, no?’ Bounder passed over their mindlink.
“Possibly, but we want to make the trade without any violence. Your presence may be disconcerting for some of the other humans, although everyone loves dogs,” Braden offered.
‘Then we will leave our spears in the wagon and act like our innocent cousins, walking at your side as your faithful companions.’ Bounder and Gray Strider chuckled together.
“Walking at our side as equals,” Braden countered, “doing your best to look like man’s best friend. Can you let your tongue fall out the side of your mouth and pant happily?” Micah punched Braden in the arm, but the Wolfoids saw both the humor and the wisdom of the human’s statement. They needed to draw as little attention as possible while Braden filled his role as the Free Trader, working to deliver the livestock that would help feed the growing population of the south. But they’d be close to him in case the humans became hostile. Braden’s stories of his departure from the north suggested they might not be welcome in Whitehorse or Cameron at the least. They also expected that all eyes would be on the King of the Aurochs. He made everyone and everything look small by comparison.
Looking inconspicuous was becoming less and less likely. They’d have all the turns crossing the Great Desert to figure out how they wanted to approach the humans of the north.
Braden, Micah, the twins, and the others were gorged after the feast. They even had enough greens and vegetables for the Rabbits. The group stayed the night to sleep off the excesses of the daylight’s activities. Ax, ‘Tesh, and their ‘cats slept on Bounder and Gray Strider, who readily welcomed the children of their friends. The Wolfoids never had a problem sleeping in a pile.
The twins and their bonded ‘cats seemed to prefer it, seeking any creature, Rabbit, Wolfoid, or Aurochs and snuggling close. Braden and Micah watched as the pile shifted like the ocean as one or another moved.
The contentment that their children radiated brought them peace and sleep came readily.
Heading North
Holly didn’t want to leave anything to chance, so he had a special wagon constructed to help the companions on their journey while at the same time keeping the President safe. The vehicle was almost fully enclosed with a top that would absorb energy from the sun to provide additional power to the wheels, making the wagon easier to pull. The horses wouldn’t pull it, though. Despite Braden’s best efforts to talk the King of the Aurochs out of it, he insisted on assuming the beast of burden’s role so they could cross Devanney’s Barren more quickly. He added that there was no way Braden was undertaking a journey like that without him.
The Wolfoids had already made their statement about joining the group going north. The Hawkoids were coming so they could try to sway some of their people to join them in the south, but Skirill expected they’d get no takers, and he didn’t care, either. He had everything he wanted, including hatchlings that were making their own way in the world.
The Golden Warrior and two of his children had no choice at all. Wherever their humans went, the ‘cats were obligated to go, especially on a journey of such distance. G-War and Braden had found that they could be apart for a certain time, as long as the distance wasn’t too great. That was between two mature adults. G-War knew the children wouldn’t survive such a separation.
Aadi was excited to go as the regular gathering of the four Tortoids that made up the Tortoise Consortium was coming up. He didn’t know how he knew, but he did, and he was drawn to it. It wouldn’t be far out of their way from Oasis 03.
The two Rabbits, Heloysis and Luciana, would remain behind at Livestel to help the Wolfoids take over the fields from the Development Units. The twins were disappointed, but the Rabbits weren’t well suited to life in the desert.
Micah suggested none of them were. Braden had to agree. For the fifteenth time, she made him tell the story aloud of his last trip through the Great Desert. Each time, he’d remember a different detail, how the companions supported each other, making the group stronger than the sum of its individual parts. He recounted the trials of building and sleeping under the shelter. This time, the wagon would provide all the shelter they needed, including special storage compartments for water.
Holly also provided an Old Tech shovel in case Braden had to dig. He thought that was a nice touch. For the return trip, Holly outdid himself. The factory produced a woven tent, lightweight with carbon fiber telescoping poles. They practiced setting it up and figured they could use it to provide shade for fifty head of water buffalo. Holly also provided fifty small fabric saddle bags that could be filled with water for each of the animals to carry during the return trip. Having the beasts carry their own water was the only way they could make the return trip work.
Dr. Johns showed up before sunrise to see them off. He always seemed fascinated with how Braden and Micah talked with all the intelligent animals. The leader of the Cygnus VI survivors hadn’t gotten used to that yet, but he accepted the descendants of the ancients’ engineered creatures as equals. The original intent was to give the creatures intelligence to help the humans survive. From a scientific perspective, Dr. Johns considered the ancients’ efforts to be successful beyond their wildest dreams.
From Braden and Micah’s perspective, they didn’t care how they got there, but that they all arrived together. Thanks to G-War, they were able to talk with the creatures, understand how truly intelligent they were and know that considering them as anything less than equals would be a disservice to the human race, threatening the whole of Planet Vii as factions would have fought instead of talked and traded.
They waited for the Wolfoids to take one last drink from the lake. Skirill and Zyena were awake and itching to fly. Everyone else was loaded up.
Braden and Micah smiled at each other as they thought how far the south had come in the short cycles they’d been together. As they sat in the front of the wagon, he took her hand and intertwined their fingers. Braden leaned his head against Micah’s, nuzzling her and kissing her ear. She playfully pushed him away. He released her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, feeling the strength in her body. She was every bit as muscled and lean as when they first met.
‘Stop that,’ she cooed in her thought voice. ‘The children can hear you!’
“What?” Braden asked innocently, more comfortable speaking aloud while the rest of his family conversed most easily over the mindlink.
‘Why, your lusty thoughts Master Braden!’ Micah replied.
“I appreciate what I have, without taking it for granted, Master President.” Braden bowed as much as he could while seated.
“On that, I never apologized for getting angry with you when you made me the President. I have to admit that I kind of like it,” she said, looking sheepishly at her mate. He nodded briefly. She excelled at the things he wasn’t good at.
“You shot that Android on the ship and boy, was Holly miffed!” Braden exclaimed, changing the subject. “Master President…”
“That probably wasn’t the most presidential thing I’ve done.” She chuckled to herself. She couldn’t let Holly think that he controlled the humans, so surprises were a good thing in her mind.
Bounder and Gray Strider walked up, muzzles still wet from the cool morning lake water. Without waiting further, the King of the Aurochs leaned forward and the wagon responded soundlessly. He walked, then soon ran, the wagon seemingly chasing after him, until he felt like he was running from it and not pulling it.
‘I’m not sure I like this wagon,’ Brandt said in his booming thought voice. ‘It doesn’t seem to weigh anything. I feel like I’m going to get run over if I stop.’
‘Give it a try, my friend. I think you’ll be surprised,’ Micah suggested.
Brandt started to slow and the wagon responded. The King slowed to a stop, then began sauntering forward. Whatever he did, the wagon matched his pace. ‘I like this wagon,’ he said, having changed hi
s mind. The humans shook their heads and laughed. Brandt started running as if he were tearing through a field, free from all burdens. The ride was smooth enough as they raced due east toward the rising sun.
They were headed toward the coast, where Micah wanted to visit her parents. Since Micah’s reconciliation, Mattie couldn’t get enough of her grandchildren. Of course, G-War wanted to visit Cornwall as often as possible and he made his wishes known at all times of the day and night. Skirill and Zyena looked forward to reuniting with their two hatchlings who had relocated to Trent, enjoying the fruits of the fishing trade.
‘Brandt, my large friend, could you stop for a bit so we can get into the wagon? You have run us into the ground yet again,’ Bounder panted over the mindlink. Brandt pulled up quickly. The Wolfoids usually would have jumped in, but they were spent. Braden gave them a leg up. The interior of the wagon was padded and to the Wolfoids, it felt like a couch. ‘Had I known this, we wouldn’t have wasted all that time running.’
Brandt easily reached the eastern road before sunset. They didn’t set up a tent as everyone slept inside the wagon. The sides dropped down to become two extra beds hanging over the sides.
Braden and Micah lay in one of the fold-down beds, talking quietly before falling asleep. Micah looked troubled.
“What’s wrong, lover?” Braden was concerned.
“The Old Tech. Look at us! We’ve embraced it and are enjoying the use of it,” she rasped in a whisper.
“But why are we using it?” Braden asked the question, leading Micah somewhere. She looked at him, until he answered the question himself. “We’re using it to bring livestock south to help feed and grow the population. We’re using it for the good of all intelligent creatures. We have to travel through the Great Desert, twice. The Old Tech will make it possible for us to survive the trips.” Braden closed his eyes and relaxed, thinking about the next turn’s travel. Maybe he’d be able to hunt. It had been a while since he bagged anything with his bow.
“For the good of humanity, we carry the burden that others can’t be trusted with,” Micah whispered. She closed her eyes, but sleep did not come easily.
Villages on the Ocean
As Cornwall sprang into view, everyone could feel G-War’s tension. The Hillcat vibrated with expectancy. Brandt slowed down to taunt his small, orange friend. No longer able to take it, the ‘cat leapt from the King’s head and sped through the grass toward the village.
Everyone laughed, but Braden and Micah quickly tensed, expecting to be soon overwhelmed by the intensity of a G-War engagement.
A cat’s screech pierced the peace of the afternoon. Brandt sped up as he sensed something was wrong. Braden prepared his bow, nocking an arrow, and Micah followed suit. She was the better shot now that Braden lacked two fingers on his left hand. The twins stood in the back, peering past their parents. Klytus and Shauna vaulted to the bench with Braden and Micah, and made to leap past them and out of the wagon, but the humans caught the small half-Hillcats and stopped them. With a ‘cat in one hand, their bows remained useless in the other.
The Golden Warrior ran full speed toward the wagon, putting some distance between him and two domestic cats who were giving it their all as they tried to catch him. Micah squinted. ‘Isn’t that your mother? And her best friend?’ she asked the two young ‘cats over the mindlink.
‘Yup,’ Shauna responded simply as she relaxed and sat down. Klytus was still anxious and watched closely, ready to go to his father’s aid. Brandt started dancing from one hoof to the other as the ‘cat approached. When G-War tried to vault onto the King’s head, Brandt dodged. The ‘cat bounced off, landing deftly on his feet, before bolting in another direction.
The brief exchange was all the two domestic cats needed. They launched their small bodies at the scarred side of the Golden Warrior, knocking him into the grass. The three rolled, fur and paws, heads over tails. The two domestic females were getting the better of it as G-War refused to fight back. He looked miserable as he tried to protect himself from their relentless attacks.
They stopped slashing at him and settled for snarling in his face, yowling and meowing. G-War’s ears were back and flat against his head.
“Girl problems, G?” Braden asked, trying not to laugh.
“A little friction on the home front?” Micah added, snickering.
‘Very funny, humans. Brandt, what are you waiting for? We’re leaving! I’ve had enough of Cornwall for this trip.’ G-War’s thought voice sounded exasperated. Klytus escaped from Braden and ran to his father’s side. His mother, a mid-sized black cat, rubbed against him before yowling in his face and slapping his head with a well-practiced motion. Klytus fell backward. His mother stood over him, giving her son a big hairy what-for.
G-War started to slink away, but the small gray female jumped in front and started meowing loudly at him. He backed up, his hackles starting to rise as he reached the limit of his tolerance for the berating the female friends thought he deserved.
“What the hell did you do, G?” Braden asked, assuming the ‘cat would dodge the question.
‘A little calico that has been playing hard to get. Seems she’s the sister of this one.’ G-War nodded to the mother of his children, currently “yelling” at her son.
Micah couldn’t contain herself anymore. Braden had to hold his stomach he laughed so hard. Brandt tossed his great horns as he slowly pulled the wagon away from the village. G-War hissed at the small female, driving her backward. He ran toward his son, bouncing the black cat to the side as both of the orange cats ran for the safety of the wagon.
And freedom.
The Golden Warrior was in a foul mood until they reached Trent where he made it his personal mission to give the broom lady a heart attack.
“Does that woman always have her broom?” Braden asked.
“It appears so, and I think she’s gotten better using it on that pesky ‘cat,” Micah responded as G-War ran circles around the old lady, who anticipated his antics, swinging the broom ahead of him. He barely avoided a beating, quitting after dashing between the old lady’s legs and knocking her down. She reached out a gnarled old hand, latching onto his tail as he strutted away. With a snarl, he turned, paw raised.
“G!” Braden shouted. The ‘cat retracted his claws as he rolled to his back and batted at her hand with his paws. Quick as lightning, the old lady reached her other hand in and started rubbing his belly.
She got to her feet and dusted herself off while a bewildered G-War watched her. “Go on, you mangy creature, before I give it to you all over again.” She made a cursory swing at him with her broom before heading back to the fish cleaning table.
“I’m not sure what just happened,” Braden stated the obvious. G-War shook the dust from his coat as he followed the old woman, rubbing against her legs while she worked on the last batch of fish stinking up the village square.
Before anyone could catch them, Klytus and Shauna vaulted from the wagon, landing lightly, and ran toward Mattie and Caleb’s hut. Micah’s mother waved from the doorway. The boats were at sea, so they’d see Caleb later, when he returned from the day’s fishing.
Two Hawkoids soared in from the hills to the west. Skirill and Zyena rose to meet them. The four flew an intricate pattern of greeting before heading away from the village for some private time.
Ax and ‘Tesh squealed to be lifted out of the wagon. Other villagers arrived and with a nod from Micah, they turned the children loose. Braden unhooked Brandt who strolled casually from the square while the villagers rubbed his sides as he passed. If an Aurochs could wear a smug expression, that’s what was on the King’s face as he headed for better grazing beyond the village’s huts.
The delightful peals of laughter and shouts of joy from the children soon followed as they found their way to their grandmother. Their ‘cats were already there and received sufficient petting. Klytus earned a swat after scratching Mattie’s arm when he determined he’d been manhandled enough.
&nbs
p; “You need to get your ‘cat under control!” Mattie warned Ax.
‘It doesn’t work that way, Grandma!’ Ax corrected in his tiny thought voice. ‘He’s his own person.’ She looked down at him and he gave her a snarly meow in return, while Shauna rubbed her long-haired body against Mattie’s leg. Klytus launched himself onto his sister, who rolled over to bring all four clawed paws to bear on the exposed underbelly of her larger brother. The humans walked around the two ‘cats as they did their thing.
They arranged themselves in the hut as they usually did, in the same seats that they always took. A couple out of breath Rabbits burst through the door shortly thereafter. They still hadn’t grasped the concept of knocking. Patrice and Delavigne had relocated to Micah’s village to help establish fields that would support Trent. When they saw Brandt and learned the other companions had arrived, they came from the fields straightaway.
Once the Rabbits learned that the companions were heading north, they insisted on coming along. They immediately left to get their laser pistols and turn over gardening duties to their numerous children, seventeen at last count. Braden and Micah looked at each other, shaking their heads and smiling.
Mattie understood. With Braden and G-War’s influence, her daughter was perfectly comfortable attracting all sorts of creatures and embracing each of them. As Ax and ‘Tesh grew, Mattie expected they’d probably spend more time with the furred, feathered, and lizard-skinned creatures of Vii and less with humanity. Who was she to deny those two, as long as they visited often? She also committed Caleb to teaching them how to sail and how to fish. Too soon, the twins would find themselves on a fishing boat, plying the seas to help their family. Micah told her mother in no uncertain terms that her children would never go to sea without her or Braden as she expected they’d jump in the ocean and try to talk with a whale.
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