by Liss Thomas
Midnight signaled the change in lookout. Vrag stood watch a ways from the camp and listened for intruders. He heard Sir Alastaire well before he saw him.
“You should be resting,” Vrag told him.
“I’ve slept enough,” Alastaire said.
“And, Missy?”
“She sleeps well.”
“Good. Tomorrow we may encounter trouble. I’ve counted at least two hyenas on our tail.”
“Are they close?”
“They’ve camped several miles behind us. They try to keep hidden, but their bark is easy to hear.”
“Do you need me to pinpoint where they’ve camped? I could scout it over and make sure,” Alastaire offered.
“No need. I suspect one of them is with the dragons and the other two will warn them when we get close. New plan, if we encounter the dragon tomorrow, you and Missy make for the tall trees as fast as you can. If the dragon doesn’t take the bait and comes after you, go through the forest of tall trees as fast as that little cabayo can go. Don’t stop until you reach the other side and forget about trying to communicate with the natives,” Vrag said. Sir Alastaire nodded his understanding. He would get Missy to dragon territory no matter what.
Chapter 16
“Egan,” Missy called. “Wake up.” The little cabayo lay belly up and snoring. His head completely covered by a thick blanket.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Charlie commented from her shoulder. Missy pulled a few carrot chunks from her pocket.
“Let’s see if these help.” She walked over to the sleeping caba’s head and dangled carrots around his nose. The snoring gave way to loud sniffing noises. A long tongue emerged from under the blanket and wrapped around the treats before pulling them in. “You have to wake up to get more, Egan,” she told him. Egan rolled over quickly and came to his feet. Missy dropped several treats at his feet. She removed the warm leggings from around his legs as he ate. She collected the blanket and packed them all away, then patted the silky fur on his back, leaving him to breakfast. The group left their camp an hour later.
“The winds are light today; it will make the day warmer,” Sir Alastaire commented from his snug location in Missy’s pack.
“Maybe we can make good time again today,” Missy said.
The cabayos could run nonstop for hours. Egan and Missy took the lead as the little cabayo got his first taste of uninterrupted run time. Missy felt the elation steaming off the animal as he enjoyed the rush of running with abandon. She had to rein him in a few times when he got too far ahead of the pack. She would, however, let him run as fast as he could through open fields, as long as they stayed within sight of the party. Missy now walked beside Egan as he grazed in high grass, waiting for the others to catch up to them. Sir Alastaire popped out of the pack and sniffed the air.
“I hear something, actually I feel it,” Sir Alastaire said. “Stay here. I’m going up to take a look.” He scampered to a tree and quickly ran up the length of it. Vrag and Atian reined in beside Missy.
“What’s Alastaire up to?” Vrag asked.
“He feels something. He went to investigate,” Missy said. She watched as Charlie made his way up the tree as well to consult with Sir Alastaire. Moments later, Charlie came down in a rush, with Sir Alastaire close behind him. The flying squirrel leapt from the tree and glided down, increasing in size as he descended. He landed at his full height.
“Drago is behind us and coming up fast!” Sir Alastaire said.
“Were there any hyenas with him?” Vrag asked as he turned his caba around. He felt the ground shaking now from the dragon’s approach.
“I didn’t see any, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t lurking in the shadows, the mangy beasts,” Sir Alastaire hissed.
“Missy, get out of here before he spots you,” Vrag barked.
She didn’t need a second invitation. Egan sensed the mood change and held his foot up as a step for Missy as she quickly mounted him. Sir Alastaire shrank and jumped behind her. They turned and galloped toward the meadow with Charlie flying ahead to navigate. They headed for a group of towering fir trees at the end of the clearing.
“Are these the tall trees?” Missy asked, keeping her head down to cut wind resistance.
“No. You’ll know them when you see them,” Alastaire said.
They raced without let up for hours as Egan pushed himself to the limit. When they broke through to another clearing, Missy saw it. The Valley of Tall Trees was exactly that. The staggering height of the trees took her breath away. From a distance, she would have mistaken the tall trees for a lush green mountain range. The strange shimmer of the landscape had made no sense until now.
“They’re willows!” Missy said. The Valley of the Tall Trees swayed and undulated with the passing breezes. The elongated leaves flowed almost to the ground creating a green curtain at the entrance of the valley.
“The roots are deep, wide, and immensely strong. The wood itself is semi soft and sways in the wind. There is so much we don’t know about this region,” Alastaire commented.
“Egan, how you doing? You need a rest?” she asked the cabayo. She felt a surge of energy coming off the caba and a single happiness in running. As they neared the Valley, the ground shook violently. Sir Alastaire glanced behind and saw the top of Drago’s head coming from between the trees.
“Drago’s on our tail!” he shouted. Missy didn’t look behind; she just urged her mount to go faster. Egan responded and increased his speed. The dragon roared a hideous sound then took to the air.
“He’s spotted us. Get to the trees quickly!” Alastaire yelled. Charlie moved in close to Missy’s head as he flew beside them.
“I need to find out what happened. I need to check on Vrag and my father!” Missy could hear the fear in his voice and felt the tense emotion radiating from the hawk.
“Go!” Sir Alastaire said. “Check on them. I’ll make sure Missy gets through safely.”
“We’ll be fine, Charlie, don’t worry about us!” Missy said.
Charlie swooped away from them and doubled back to the trees they’d just left. Missy knew Charlie hated to leave her in such a crisis but also knew they needed to know what happened to the others, even more so since Drago was so close behind them now. They soon cleared the first of the tall trees. They didn’t slow as the forest became denser. Missy became aware of the first pursuers of the cat people. They moved so swiftly, she could not see them clearly. Egan sensed them too as he became more nervous the farther in they went.
“Easy, boy,” Missy assured him. “They’re just as afraid of us. Keep focused. We need to get through this forest.”
More of the cat people appeared in Missy’s peripheral view. They ran on the ground, leapt in trees. They appeared in front, in back, and on all sides. Egan darted left as one of the cat people lunged for him. He snorted, and Missy could feel his anger rising. Another jumped for his face. This time Egan snatched the cat from midair and flung him away, without losing stride. Missy hung on as Egan darted sharp left, then right to avoid two more attacking animals.
“Keep low!” Sir Alastaire yelled to Missy. She tried to stay as low as possible but her bulky pack wouldn’t flatten out as she did. They raced through a small gap in the trees. Missy tensed as she saw for the first time the catlike people racing on either side of the cabayo. They appeared mostly spotted like a leopard, but others had the colorings of house cats from her world. They ran much faster than a cheetah and their stamina rivaled the cabas. The other side of the clearing loomed ahead, coming up fast, and she could see several more of the cat people in the trees ahead. Egan bellowed a maddening sound at the attacking beasts. He snorted and bristled his hair, ready to fight. Missy caught a flash out of the corner of her eye and felt the claws gripping her sides before a cat pulled her off the caba. She hit the ground hard and rolled several feet before she realized what had happened. Her grip was so tight on Egan’s mane that he stumbled and crashed to the ground. Missy rolled on the har
d ground, entangled with one of the cat people. It hissed and snarled as they rolled. She felt a claw ripping at her side, her thick coat preventing too much damage. Missy instinctively fought back, while trying to project her message. The cat had the advantage this time, pinning Missy to the ground. Missy was astounded to see it was female.
“We mean you no harm!” Missy shouted at it, hoping her gift would work. “The dragon is behind us. We need to flee!” She tried to project her message to the snarling cat. She ventured a glance at Egan. He hadn’t moved, and Sir Alastaire, at full size, had a staff ready to fight off the growing number of cat people surrounding them. Missy looked back at the female that had her pinned. The cat swiped a paw at her face but Missy caught her wrist. The other hand came next, and Missy caught it as well, holding tightly to both. The panicking cat tried to wrench herself away from Missy. She hissed and bristled her fur in protest. Missy held fast and yelled again at the savage beast.
“We don’t want to hurt you!” There were no words coming from Missy’s lips, only the snarl and hiss of a feral cat. Missy froze as did the cat attacking her. They heard the sound of the hyenas at the same time. With quick reflexes, the attacker pulled free from Missy’s grasp and launched herself up the nearest tree. Missy quickly rolled to her feet and watched as the cat people all ascended to the treetops. She saw the first hyenas come into the clearing. Moving in front of Sir Alastaire and Egan, she pulled out her staff and stood patiently waiting for them.
“How’s Egan?” she asked Alastaire as more hyenas came through the dense green tendrils of the willow leaves.
“Knocked out cold. Hit his head,” Sir Alastaire said.
“Great. Try to revive him. I’ll take care of these,” she said. At least ten hyenas approached; she’d never seen so many in a pack. The leader made his way to the front and stood several feet away from her.
“The dragon is waiting for you at the other end of the forest. If you try to flee us, he will destroy you without hesitation. If you come with us, you may live.”
“What lies have you told the dragon about me, dog?” Missy retorted.
“Only the truth, that you were coming to challenge him.
“What else?” Missy asked.
“Enough talk, make your choice human,” the hyena snarled.
Missy twirled her staff and took a few steps forward. “I’m not afraid of you or your cackling friends. You want me, come get me!” Missy took her stance and waited for the hyenas to attack. She felt Sir Alastaire come up behind her.
“They are stupid. Take them out quickly and don’t be afraid to break bones.”
Missy nodded and focused. Several attacked at once. Missy slammed her staff to the ground and jumped over the charging beasts. She landed behind them and attacked. They fell to the accuracy of her staff. She punched one unfortunate beast in the throat sending him back against a tree, gurgling and gasping for air. More circled but she crippled them with the tremendous blows she rained down on them and soon none remained standing but their leader.
“Had enough, Rover?” Missy taunted. The lead hyena grinned, if that’s what you’d call it, and barked its laughing bark. A new wave of hyenas came through the trees. Missy counted another ten or more. She glanced at the lead hyena.
“Coward,” she called him as she walked out to meet the newcomers. She took her stance against them and waited. Fifteen, seventeen, after twenty she stopped counting. Missy felt a presence coming up behind her. She dared not take her eyes off the hyenas but she knew it wasn’t the squirrel. She ventured a quick glance and saw the cat that had attacked her by her side.
“You must be a friend if you fight the dogs,” the cat said. “I will help you.”
“Thank you,” Missy said, smiling back as the cat took a position behind her. The crowd of hyenas encircled them. The first few to attack met with a flurry of bone crushing blows from Missy and the cat. Then row after row of attacking hyenas came. Very few laid paw or teeth on the two fighters. If one got close to Missy, the cat would knock it away with her wooden mace. The cat, sleek, agile, and swift, jumped the attacking animals only to latch onto their tails and fling them into more attacking hyenas. After only a few minutes, the hyenas turned to flee. Their leader lingered to sneer and laugh at them before he too turned tail back into the forest.
“They will leave our lands and return to their own,” the cat said.
“Thank you,” Missy said. She walked back toward Sir Alastaire, relieved to see Egan on his feet. The little cabayo had a pained look on his face and emotions of failure radiated from him.
“Oh, Egan, you did really well today. It’s not your fault you fell. I didn’t let go of you in time. It’s my fault. You are the bravest cabayo ever,” Missy said as she stroked the animal’s neck. “Are you ok?” she asked him. He bobbed his head before leaning it into Missy’s hands.
“Come. You may stay with us tonight. We will care for your animal also,” the cat said. My name is Calico.”
They followed Calico as she took them to a darker part of the forest. The trees here grew more enormous in width as well as height. The long leaves grew thick and lush and swayed constantly around them. They lightly caressed the skin with their velvety texture. Missy put her hand out and let the soft tendrils brush across her palm. Calico purred softly. Missy glanced up and saw several of the cat people in dwellings high up in the trees. The air increased in warmth, almost as warm as the courtyard in Bullclan territory. Finally, they came to an enclosure where a few animals gathered. An old cabayo whose face had turned white with age came to the fence to inspect Egan with a small group of miniature yaks trailing behind her.
“Your cabayo may stay here. We will make sure he has everything he needs,” Calico said. Missy led Egan into the pen and closed the gate behind him. She slipped a few carrots to him and the other animals before leaving.
“Behave and don’t bite anyone,” she told him. She could feel a hint of mischievousness die away as he blew out a heavy sigh and grunted. Missy and Sir Alastaire followed Calico to one of the trees nearby.
“Can you climb?” she asked Missy.
“I think I can handle this,” Missy said.
With one leap, the cat bounded up the tree with incredible speed. Missy hooked her arm around a strong vine and pulled herself up at a much slower pace. Sir Alastaire laughed.
“Climb on, or we’ll be out here all night.”
Missy rolled her eyes before climbing onto the back of Sir Alastaire. Even with her weighing him down, he climbed quickly and caught up with the cat in minutes. She led them to a series of attached huts near the middle of the tall trees. Walkways and bridges linked several trees between the community of cats. Calico led them to the largest hut and went inside. A large crowd of the cat people assembled there. Calico sat them in front of the clan and then sat opposite Missy.
“We are the Oceclan. We’ve dwelled in these trees for many millennia. You are the second tribe we have trusted in our lands. We trusted the dragons first. They protect our northern border from the hyenas and jackals. They are keepers of the blue light that connects the worlds, a noble clan. The dogs have attacked and killed our people for as long as we can remember.
“Are you the leader?” Missy asked.
“My mother used to be the leader of our people and also a healer. She disappeared, taken by the hyenas several moon cycles ago. I took over as leader, but I do not have her gift,” Calico answered.
“I’m sorry about your mother. Do you think she is still alive?” Missy asked.
“I hope, but I don’t know.”
“Why have you never trusted the Bullclan before?” Missy asked.
“They are a fierce looking tribe. We feared them,” Calico said.
“The Bullclan will not hurt you. They are also keepers of the blue light and they protect this world from harm. I live among them,” Missy told her. “The hyenas and jackals have turned the dragons against us. We know there is a problem in dragon country, but we don’t know
what it is. My quest was to find out and help them.”
“The dragon babies are sick,” Calico said.
“Sick? What’s wrong with them?” Missy asked.
“Drago had three young ones. One disappeared and the other two have lost their wings.”
“Lost? How can they lose their wings?”
“No one knows how. Drago is searching, trying to find the answer.”
Missy fell silent. Her mind raced with this new information. Three babies, three sets of wings.
“Oh, God. Sir Alastaire, the winged hyenas.”
“My thoughts exactly,” he said. Missy turned back to Calico.
“When I first started my quests, I encountered three hyenas with wings. I thought it was normal for this world but after today, I realize it’s not.” Missy thought about this for a few minutes before a notion occurred to her. “Calico, tell me more about your Mother’s power.”
“She uses it mostly for healing; she could pull a sickness, fever, or other malady out of the body. I’ve even seen her remove an infected area completely from the body. She would have passed on the power to me when she stepped down as leader, but now…” Calico trailed off.
Missy looked up. “I think your mother is alive, Calico. I think the hyenas are channeling your mother’s power to take the wings from the dragons. Do you think that is possible?”
“It would be possible for my mother, yes. But how could they make her do it against her will. She would not willingly cooperate with such madness.”
“I agree. But that’s the only conclusion I can come up with. Although, even if they have the one missing baby dragon. It doesn’t explain why all three are missing their wings” Missy continued.
“Actually it does,” Calico said. Drina had three babies but only one egg.”
“Triplets of that sort are very rare,” Sir Alastaire said.
“Yes, but because they were joined in birth, they have a special link with one another. It is conceivable that if you take the wings of one, the other two will lose their wings also. After Drina has weaned them, they will all have to choose the same world to enter,” Calico said.