The Wildcat's Claw

by Varian Johnson

  Only a handful of Oathbound had made it out of the cave and over the waterfall. Conor and Meilin had been ready for a fight, but without their numbers or their leader behind them, the mercenaries had retreated into the trees.

  Which was probably for the best. The battle had taken a wretched toll on their entire team. Everyone was covered in cuts and bruises, some worse than others. But their physical scars paled in comparison to the loss of Worthy.

  Before they left, the Greencloaks chanced a trip back to the waterfall, hoping to find some way back into the cave, but it was completely sealed off. Abeke suggested using the Heart of the Land to dig through, but Meilin slowly shook her head.

  “It’s too powerful and imprecise. With a collapse like this, we’d probably end up causing even more cave-ins farther inside.”

  Finally, they collected their packs, bid farewell to their friend, and found a safe place to bed down for the night.

  They started a fire. A roasted fish sat on the flames, but no one seemed particularly interested in eating. Or in talking. They just sat there, stewing in their own thoughts.

  Finally, after hours of staring at the flames, Rollan cleared his throat. “I’ve been thinking … you know, once the cave started collapsing, I bet there were a bunch of other cave openings that popped up,” he said. “He’s a small guy. He could have found a fissure to squeeze through.”

  Meilin reached out and took Rollan’s hand. “Rollan, don’t torture yourself.…”

  “I know it sounds crazy, but hear me out,” he continued. “All he had to do was get back to the big cavern, right? If he got there, then he had a chance to survive.” Rollan looked around, waiting for someone to buy into his theory. “Right?” he asked, his voice softer.

  “And the Wildcat’s Claw is pretty powerful,” Conor said. “He could probably cut his way out.” Conor hugged Briggan as he spoke. “If that blade can cut through a solid stone statue, it can easily carve through a few fallen boulders.”

  Meilin sat up, being careful not to uncover the bandage on her leg. “Knowing Worthy, he’s probably already out, hiding in the trees. Just waiting for the perfect opportunity to reveal himself.”

  “That’s Worthy for you,” Abeke added. “Always wanting to be the hero.” Her voice caught as she spoke the words.

  No one spoke again for a few minutes. The tears flowed freely down her friends’ faces now, as well as her own. Abeke couldn’t see Anka, but she was sure that she was crying, too.

  “We have to find the next gift,” Abeke said.

  “What’s the point?” Rollan asked. “We lost the sword. We were supposed to collect all the gifts, remember?”

  Anka shook her head, the movement revealing the older Greencloak’s position. “There’s more to the gifts than we realized. They aren’t just symbols; the bond tokens have real power. Olvan sent you after them for a reason. We’ve got no choice but to continue.”

  Meilin nodded. “We have to finish the mission. For Erdas. For Worthy.”

  “But where do we start?” Abeke asked. “Nilo and Zhong are huge regions. The gifts could be anywhere.”

  “Yes, I was thinking about that,” Anka said. “We know the names of the other two items: Stormspeaker and the Dragon’s Eye. So we need a library. Somewhere with a recorded history of the legends of Erdas,” she said. “Any clues where that would be?”

  “Greenhaven Castle comes to mind,” Meilin said. “But since that’s off-limits, the only other library I can think of is at the emperor’s palace in Zhong. Which obviously is out of the question, too.”

  “I know of a place in Nilo that’s filled with ancient books and records,” Conor said. “As well as someone who’s as old as the spirit animal bond itself.”

  Meilin groaned. “Don’t say it,” she warned. “Don’t say it!”

  As Conor smiled, Abeke realized that he looked a little like Worthy. “I think we need to see Takoda at the monastery,” Conor continued. “He and the monks have an extensive library. Plus, there’s someone ancient and clever we could also try talking to.”

  “And who is that?” Anka asked.

  “Kovo,” Meilin muttered, staring into the flames. “Kovo, the Great Betrayer.”

  Varian Johnson is the author of eight novels for children and young adults, including the middle-grade capers The Great Greene Heist and To Catch a Cheat. A former structural engineer, he now lives outside of Austin, Texas, with his family.

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  A sneak peek of the next

  Book Seven

  Stormspeaker

  By Christina Diaz Gonzalez

  ABEKE TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND HELD IT FOR AN EXTRA second before slowly exhaling. From the deck of the ship, in the minutes before daybreak, she could already sense a change in the air. It felt familiar. Even though they were still far away from the savannahs where she’d been raised, the breeze carried the scent, the warmth, the feel of her homeland. Nilo was on the horizon and it couldn’t come soon enough.

  The five Greencloaks—Abeke, Conor, Meilin, Rollan, and Anka—had been aboard the small ship for several days, and they still had a ways to travel before reaching their final destination in southern Nilo. Abeke was beginning to believe that Uraza’s aversion to water was rubbing off on her. All she wanted to do was step foot on solid land … but they had to press on. Their priority was to hopefully find a clue about the bond tokens in the library of Takoda’s former monastery.

  But that hope carried an unwanted partner … someone Abeke and the rest of the team despised. Someone who had also returned to the monastery and who might have a few answers for them.

  Kovo.

  Even the thought of the Great Ape made Abeke’s stomach turn. The gorilla had masterminded both the First and Second Devourer Wars, killing thousands, including Meilin’s father. That was something that couldn’t simply be forgotten, even if the new version of Kovo had recently helped them defeat the Wyrm.

  The rising sun now streaked the sky with pink and purple rays of light, adding to the beauty of the horizon. Soon Abeke would be seeing Kovo, and she’d have to put aside all her feelings about him.

  Abeke stared down into the deep blue water.

  Was her anger toward Kovo similar to how people felt about the Greencloaks?

  No. She shook away the comparison. It was a different situation. The Greencloaks hadn’t acted willingly with the Wyrm … they’d been infected by its parasites. And the Greencloaks had been framed for the assassination of the Emperor of Zhong. Kovo, on the other hand, had done all those terrible things himself. He had taken the world to the brink of human extinction.

  Twice.

  The thought of Kovo and his conniving ways sent a cold shiver down Abeke’s back, causing her to shudder. She had to keep her guard up around that Great Beast.

  “Couldn’t sleep?” Rollan asked, joining Abeke on the deck. “Or just enjoying the sunrise?”

  “Neither.” Abeke sighed. “Just thinking.”

  “Yeah, me too.” Rollan leaned his back on the rail. “This rickety old ship hasn’t been treating us too bad. Then again, it still has another week to go.”

  Abeke smiled. The Greencloaks had been lucky that Dawson, after hearing about his brother, had insisted on helping them get out of Eura. Thanks to him they had supplies, weapons, a ship, and a two-man crew of old fishermen, Milo and Keane.

  “I was actually thinking about Kovo,” Abeke admitted. “Not looking forward to seeing him again.”

  “Can you imagine how Conor feels? Last time he was in the waters around Takoda’s monastery was when he became infected with the Wyrm’s parasite. This really can’t be easy for him.”

  “You’re right. I hadn’t even …” Abeke sighed. She’d been so wrap
ped up in returning to Nilo that she hadn’t stopped to think about Conor. “Have you talked to him? Is he okay?”

  “He’ll be fine,” Meilin said, walking toward them from the bow of the ship. “He’s a Hero of Erdas. He’s a survivor.”

  “I was thinking …” Anka suddenly appeared next to them. Her chameleon-like abilities still made Abeke uneasy. Abeke had always prided herself in her hunting skills, but this diminutive Greencloak seemed to confound her senses. “If the library doesn’t have any information on the bond tokens, will Kovo tell us if he knows anything? I mean, he helped you with the Wyrm, but that was because the whole world was in peril. He’s not a fan of humans … or Greencloaks.”

  “Maybe being bonded to Takoda has changed him,” Rollan said. “Given him a different perspective.” He glanced up at Essix circling above the ship. “Our spirit animals have changed us. And I’d like to think we’ve changed them, too.”

  Just as Rollan finished, Essix screeched and dove past the port side, buzzing right over the top of Rollan’s head as if in protest. Essix was stubborn and headstrong, but there was no denying she had a soft spot for Rollan. They worked well together, each one fiercely independent yet always loyal.

  Meilin snickered. “You’ve really changed her.”

  “Very funny, Essix!” Rollan shouted. “Way to support my point.”

  Essix flew around the ship one more time before coming to rest at the top of the mast.

  “Maybe Essix saw something.” Conor emerged from belowdecks, a concerned look on his face. He stepped closer to the railing and looked out at the horizon. “In fact, I was coming up to tell you that maybe we shouldn’t go to the monastery at all.”

  Meilin placed a hand on Conor’s shoulder. “Conor, it might be difficult for you, after what happened with the Wyrm—”

  “That’s not it,” he interrupted. Conor took a step back and looked at the rest of the group. “I had a vision. It was brief, not a full one like I’ve had before with the big wave, but I think we have to go somewhere else.”

  “Where?” Abeke asked, quietly pleased at the thought of avoiding Kovo. “What did you see?”

  “It was an enormous hole, or maybe a deep crater, and it had three land bridges … one on top of the other.” Conor closed his eyes for a moment. “It also had a waterfall flowing from the top, past the three bridges, and into a pool at the bottom.”

  “And a token was there?” Anka inquired. “Like with the Wildcat’s Claw, where it was hidden behind the waterfall?”

  Conor shook his head. “I don’t think so, but it’s the first step in finding them. I’m certain of that. And it felt like we weren’t too far away.”

  “Sounds like you’re describing the sinkhole of the Taabara Chasm,” Abeke said. “It’s not too far from here in the northern part of Nilo.”

  “Northern Nilo … I like the sound of that!” Rollan grinned broadly. “Less time being seasick always sounds good to me.”

  “Well, at least you’ve been with your spirit animal,” Meilin pointed out. “None of us have had ours during the voyage. It’ll be good to bring them out.”

  “Maybe we should split up,” Conor said, just as Essix shrieked and took flight again. “A few of us go to the sinkhole while the rest continue on to see Takoda.” Conor frowned. “Just in case my vision is wrong.”

  “I don’t know,” Anka replied. “I think staying together is a better idea.”

  “Me too.” Abeke reached over and gave Conor’s forearm a squeeze. They had been through so much together, and she trusted his instincts. “I believe in your visions.… They haven’t been wrong yet.”

  “Plus, sticking together might prevent a repeat of what happened with …” Rollan didn’t finish the sentence. He had almost broken their unspoken rule.

  A hush fell over the group. The experience of having lost Worthy in the cave-in was still raw for everyone. It was all they’d discussed during the first days, but then one morning, without anyone saying a word on the matter, they had stopped talking about it. It wasn’t that they weren’t thinking of him; they just had to place their full attention on the task at hand. Their survival depended on it.

  From that point forward there was no more wondering if they had done the right thing in leaving, no more worrying whether Worthy had made it out alive, no more fearing that the Wildcat’s Claw had been found by the Oathbound. The focus was on their mission. They had to find the two remaining bond tokens, Stormspeaker and the Dragon’s Eye.

  Anka broke the silence. “Abeke, do you know how long it’ll take to get to the Taabara Chasm?”

  Abeke shrugged. “Not long, but I’d have to check the map. Hold on.”

  Abeke sprinted belowdecks, grabbed the map of Nilo, and hurried back to her friends.

  “Look.” She opened it up and pointed to a spot in the ocean near the northern coast of the continent. “We’re somewhere in this area. We can tell Milo and Keane to change course and go toward this river.” She ran her fingers down the coastline to the mouth of a river, traced its path inland, and stopped at a place close to some mountains. “Once we dock we can make our way across the savannah, past this hilly area, and the Taabara Chasm should be right there. We might even make it there by tonight or tomorrow morning.” She paused for a moment. “Maybe. I think.”

  “Then it’s set.” Rollan thrust his finger toward the sea and grinned. “Onward! To Taabara Chasm!”

  “Um, yeah …” Meilin rolled her eyes at Rollan’s over-the-top rally call, but she couldn’t help smiling. “How about I simply go tell Milo and Keane that we’ve had a change of plans?”

  “Just remember …” Conor hesitated, rubbing the faint mark the Wyrm had left on his forehead. “Taabara may only be the beginning, and not the end. I have a feeling that the bond tokens won’t be easy to find.”

  “Well, since when have things been easy for us?” Abeke gave Conor a wink. “We like a challenge.”

  “Yeah, I guess.” Conor turned to face the coastline, lost in his own thoughts.

  The sun was directly overhead when they climbed into the small rowboat. There were no ports in the area, so Milo had anchored the ship in the middle of the river and Keane would now row with them to shore.

  “So, how long should we wait for you to return?” Keane asked as they approached the riverbank lined with papyrus reeds.

  Abeke bit her lip. She wanted to have access to the ship, but it didn’t seem fair to leave the two old men stuck in the middle of nowhere. “The thing is … we aren’t sure how long we’ll be away.”

  “Well, Dawson paid us for two weeks of travel,” Keane replied. “And we’ve got about a week’s worth of food left, so it’s your call.”

  “Could you wait here for a couple of days and then head somewhere back along the coast?” Rollan suggested as the boat drifted closer to the river’s edge.

  “Sure.” Keane nodded. “I have a sister in Badir; it’s a small port town not too far away. We could meet up there. I’ll give you two more weeks, as Dawson paid us … That’s about all I can take of my sister anyway.”

  “Badir sounds good.” Meilin threw a backpack filled with supplies over her shoulder as the rowboat hit the first of the papyrus reeds. “We’ll meet you there if we don’t make it back here in time.”

  “Good luck!” Keane called out. The five Greencloaks jumped out of the boat and into water that was about two feet deep.

  Abeke sloshed through the river, pushing aside reeds while her feet sank in the sand and silt with every step she took. Finally the ground became firmer and she climbed up on dry land. Once she was out of the reeds and onto the grass of the savannah, Abeke took a deep breath, relishing the hot sun that beat down on her.

  She was home.

  And only one thing was missing from the scene.

  Abeke pushed aside her cloak and held out her arm. “Join me, Uraza.”

  The leopard appeared in a flash of light and raised her head to face the sun. The large cat’s nostrils twitched
as she took in the Niloan air and softly let out a contented purr.

  “I know.” Abeke stroked Uraza’s arched back as they took in their surroundings. “I did the same thing. It’s good to be home.” The tall golden grass of the savannah rippled with the soft breeze. The rocky hills they’d have to cross loomed not too far in the distance.

  Uraza stretched her legs. Abeke knew what the leopard wanted. “Go,” she whispered.

  Uraza immediately jumped through the tall grass, then raced across the savannah toward the hills at full speed. Abeke knew the joy Uraza felt at being free. How fun it would be to race along with her, to hunt for their next meal and savor the midday sun that was baking her shoulders. But now was not the time. They had a mission.

  “Uraza’s as happy as I am not to be on that ship anymore,” Rollan observed. The tall grass moved with the leopard, rustling as she sprinted back and forth. “Aren’t you bringing out Briggan, Conor?”

  Conor wiped the back of his neck and looked up at the cloudless blue sky. “Think I’ll wait until the day isn’t quite so hot.”

  “This is Nilo,” Abeke warned. “If it’s daytime, it’s going to be hot.”

  Essix circled the group, screeched to establish her presence in the sky, then flew away once more.

  “Yeah, yeah, we’re moving,” Rollan responded to the falcon’s cry. He adjusted his green cloak, backpack, and canteen. “Everyone have their stuff?” Rollan asked.

  “Since when are you the responsible one?” Meilin teased.

  Rollan smiled. “Since I realized that I’d have to share my water if someone forgot theirs.”

  “Really?” Conor could barely hide his smile. “You mean to say you wouldn’t share with Meilin?”

  Abeke heard Anka giggle, even though she could no longer be seen.

  They were all aware of the feelings between Rollan and Meilin, but no one usually said anything. It was only confirmed by the occasional reddening of Meilin’s cheeks and Rollan’s quick interest in changing the topic of conversation.