by Smith, S. E.
He stopped when the juvenile Pactor picked up the branch and held it out to him again. He automatically reached out and accepted the gift. With bemusement, he watched the small herd mosey away along the bank of the river.
Shaking his head, he watched them disappear around the bend before he turned to look back at the orb where it hovered just inside the tree line. He lifted his arm and wiped his face with a wet shirtsleeve. He tightly gripped the branch in his hand and strode forward. The orb moved deeper and deeper into the forest.
The mist changed the farther he traveled away from the rebel camp. When he had first set out, he could barely see his hand in front of his face. Even with the contact lenses, he’d had to move with caution. The mist thinned out even more the deeper he went into the forest. Now, the veil rose to the top of the trees as if it were creating a protective shield over the forest.
Walkyr followed the orb for several more hours. His cat hissed out to him several times that it sensed danger. In his peripheral vision, he caught glimpses of something moving, but whatever was there always remained hidden.
As he covered more ground, Walkyr became concerned about being able to find his way back. Without the markers, he had nothing to guide him but his innate sense of direction. In the mist, that was almost impossible to trust—but there was also… something different about the forest. It felt—alive.
Several times he had turned to study the path he had traversed, only to find thick trees covering the path he was sure had just followed. His unease grew the farther he went. At one point, he had tried to mark the path by slicing deep gouges in a tree. No sooner had he sliced through the bark than a loud moan filled the air and the ground trembled beneath his feet.
Cursed, his cat hissed.
Walkyr agreed. He could feel the hair on the back of his neck rise, and a shiver ran through him. This was not normal. Trees were alive, but they did not move or feel emotions.
Stay alert, Walkyr ordered.
An hour later, he looked down at the last remains of the broken branch in his hands. He dropped the piece to the ground. He had picked up anything he could find, sometimes even drawing an arrow in the soil to mark the path.
He was about to pick up another branch when he looked up. The roots of the trees nearby were elevated and twined together into an archway. Walkyr brushed his hands together and walked forward. The opening glowed with the orb’s golden light, and he could see that the tunnel passed completely through the trunk of a massive tree that rose well over a hundred feet into the air.
Walkyr cautiously moved forward. He reached out and touched the knotted vines that ran along the opening. He was shocked when warmth pulsed from the vines in the otherwise cool interior. Looking down at the ground, he noticed that the path had changed from moist dirt to smooth rock. The sound of his boots on the stone paving echoed in the dark corridor.
Wonder filled him when he saw the intricate carvings along the interior walls. He stepped closer and paused. Lifting his hand, he was about to trace his fingers along the raised designs when his cat hissed a warning.
Not alone.
I saw it, he replied.
There had been a flash of movement out of the corner of his eye. The movement swept past the far opening at the end of the corridor. Turning, he began to stride to the exit but paused to scan the area ahead. He didn’t sense any danger, so he continued forward.
Walkyr cautiously stepped out of the tunnel and stared in awe at the scene before him. A large village lay nestled among the thick trees. He swept an astonished gaze from the base of the tree upward to the towering canopy above. The incredible architecture of each home was breathtaking. Some hung from the thick tree branches like huge hives, linked together by bridges made of woven vines. Behind colorful window curtains, he could see the soft glow of lights shining from the huts.
Looking down again, Walkyr studied the structures in front of him. Storefronts had been built in a semi-circle contouring the base of the trees. He frowned when he saw a curtain move in the window of the nearest shop. He took a step toward the building when he heard the soft sound of movement behind.
He swiftly turned and instinctively moved his hand to the blade at his waist. He observed the shadows for a moment. There was no doubt in his mind that he wasn’t alone, but, for some reason, whoever lived here did not want to be seen.
The golden orb that was still hovering nearby brightened, drawing his attention. He began walking again. In the trees above and below, shadows followed him. The path ahead of him opened, and he could see lush ferns shimmering in the moonlight.
Walkyr paused at the edge and stared at the largest tree he had ever seen in his life. The scroll that Viper had found described a magnificent tree and stone palace, but Walkyr had never imagined that he would find anything like this. This structure—in fact the entire village—was unlike any other on the planet. There was no doubt in his mind that he had found the home of the Forest Kingdom. The description in the scroll had not done justice to what he had found.
A soft snarl pulled his attention away from the central palace. He narrowed his eyes when he saw several large cats emerge from the darkness. He could hear others behind him.
There are too many to fight, his cat warned.
Then I suggest we don’t, Walkyr warily replied.
He turned in a tight circle, gazing at the large array of cats that emerged from the shadows, then he glanced up. For as far as he could see, there were cats’ eyes staring at him, each set was intensely suspicious, eerily reflecting the light.
“I am Prince Walkyr d’Rojah of the Royal House of Sarafin,” he announced in a loud, commanding voice as he turned and looked at the two large gray leopards that were taking the lead.
The leopards paused in their tracks. The cat on the right lifted his head, shimmered, and changed into a man. Walkyr found himself staring into the eyes of an old, scarred warrior. He raised an eyebrow when the warrior didn’t say anything.
A movement by the scarred warrior’s shoulder caught his attention, and Walkyr watched as the orb hovered between them. He narrowed his eyes when it began to expand, and a golden mist spread outward from it, slowly becoming a person. The warrior sank to one knee and bowed his head. Walkyr watched as all the cats did the same. A moment later he understood why.
In front of him, a beautiful Goddess stood serenely watching him. Her body was slender, and she looked like the golden symbiots that the Valdier had by their sides. With a wave of her hand, her appearance changed to that of a Sarafin maiden—only her eyes remained an intense gold color.
He unconsciously took a step forward, drawn by the swirling colors in the golden depths. Mesmerized, he stopped a mere foot in front of her. He swore he could see a reflection of the universe in the depths of her eyes.
“Walk with me, Walkyr,” the Goddess quietly commanded.
Walkyr glanced at the cats as they rose to their feet. The old warrior stepped to the side. The Goddess bowed her head to the warrior as she glided past him.
“You are…,” Walkyr started to say before he swallowed.
The woman smiled at him. “Yes. I am Aikaterina,” she replied.
Walkyr walked beside her, taking in every detail of his surroundings and his companion as they entered the interior of the magnificent tree. In the center was a stone staircase that wound upward. Narrow bridges forked off from the staircase at intervals leading to other sections of the tree. Rivers of green veins that he suspected were the lifeblood of the tree lined the interior. He frowned when he saw the evidence of black scars as if there had once been a massive fire.
“What is going on?” he finally demanded in a harsher tone than he had intended.
Aikaterina paused as she stepped onto the staircase. She slid her hand across the polished banister, caressing the wood. He followed the movement with his eyes.
Thick vine spindles spiraled downward to the natural stone and wrapped around the steps, holding them suspended in the air. Both the woman and
the staircase gave the appearance that they were floating and added to the illusion that he was caught in a magical realm instead of a missing kingdom on his world. He shook his head and refocused his gaze on her face.
“You have come searching for the Heart of the Cat, have you not?” she asked.
Walkyr’s mouth tightened before he nodded his head. If he hadn’t seen the Goddess’ transformation and the reverence of the Forest people with his own eyes, he would have refused to respond, but she had led him this far.
“Yes,” he answered.
“To find it, you must understand that what you seek is not what you think it is,” Aikaterina stated.
Walkyr frowned when she turned away from him and began climbing the staircase. He followed her.
A ghostly warrior ran down the stairs and he startled when the figure ran through him. Turning on the step, he crouched with his hand on the blade at his side.
“What is going on?” he muttered.
He followed the warrior with his gaze. Soon, the area below him was filled with a ghostly battle. His cat clawed at him when a group of spectral Curizan and Valdier surged forward. What infuriated him was the sight of Sarafin warriors attacking their own people. The fighting brought back memories of a battle long ago.
“What you are seeing are memories of what happened here,” she replied in a tone laced with sadness.
“Why are you showing me this?” Walkyr demanded with a wave of his hand.
“The past has caught up with the present. It will be up to you to prevent what happens now,” Aikaterina said in a calm quiet voice.
A ghostly young woman ran past Walkyr. Tears streaked her grief-stricken face, and she looked fearfully over her shoulder. She was dressed in a long gown. Her dark, curly hair swirled like storm-tossed waves when she turned her head from side to side, searching for a place to hide. Her hand moved down to her rounded stomach.
Walkyr watched as she slipped into an alcove. A moment later, several warriors ran down the corridor. His cat hissed when the men passed through him. He turned when he saw the men come to a stop by a set of large, double doors.
“What happened to her?” Walkyr asked in frustration, wishing he could hear what the men were saying.
“Take my hand, and I will show you,” Aikaterina requested.
Her hand no longer looked like it belonged to a Sarafin maiden. She was a Goddess undisguised, and her skin hummed with power beyond anything he had encountered before.
He’d heard tales of the Goddess appearing before others, including close family members. It had been difficult for him to wrap his head around all of the legends and the detailed descriptions in the scroll. In fact, he had been skeptical that the legend of the Heart of the Cat was real—until now.
He turned his thoughts back to the tales told about his people. The stories that were passed down claimed that shortly after the Goddess gave the Heart of the Cat to them, the four brothers had hidden the Heart away to protect it. Many centuries later, the Goddess supposedly revealed the location of the Heart of the Cat to the Queen of the Forest Kingdom’s young daughter. The Princess had kept the secret of the gem, but she was betrayed.
Walkyr lifted his hand and placed his palm against Aikaterina’s. A wave of disorientation swept through him. He felt like he had transported down from a warship. Shaking his head, he blinked several times to clear his vision. Deep inside, his cat groaned in displeasure.
His eyes widened when he saw that they were in some kind of underground chamber. In the center was a pedestal. Concern washed through him when he saw that the princess was injured. Blood covered her hands and streaked her gown. It took him a moment to realize that she was holding a newly born infant against her bosom.
Nearby, the image shifted. He saw the outline of a man with part of his arm missing staring intently at the woman. His gaze jerked back to the woman and he saw her lips moving, but he couldn’t decipher what she was saying. She lifted a red stone above her head. Seconds later, the same shimmering golden light that had guided him through the forest covered the woman and infant. When the light disappeared, the woman and baby were gone.
“You helped her,” he stated, staring at the pedestal.
“Yes, but…,” Aikaterina said, her voice fading.
Walkyr turned to the Goddess. He frowned when he saw an expression of sadness on her face. The woman had been wounded. Did she and the infant perish? If so, what became of the Heart of the Cat?
“But?” he pressed.
Aikaterina looked at him. Once again, he felt like he was falling into the depths of her eyes. He frowned and took a step closer. He saw… a world. His lips parted when he saw a blue and white planet with a single moon and sun.
“The Heart is in danger. Those that search for the Heart have found where I sent her. You must bring the Heart of the Cat back to your people before it is too late,” Aikaterina explained.
“How will I know…?” Walkyr asked, his voice slurring as his mind grew hazy. “What is… happening to me?”
“Find her and bring her home, warrior. They know where she is now. Follow the hunters, and you will find her, but you must get to her first. She has been gone far too long and she needs you,” Aikaterina softly murmured.
Walkyr felt the gentle brush of fingers against his furrowed brow. Her? She? The Heart of the Cat isn’t a… her. The Heart of the Cat is a gem. The legend and the scroll….
The Heart of the Cat is so much more, Aikaterina’s soothing voice whispered through his mind.
Walkyr closed his eyes as the words washed through him. For a brief moment, he saw a glimpse of a woman’s face before it disappeared. His cat jerked and roared, trying to pull the image back, but it was gone. He swayed, and his mind became foggy. No matter how hard he tried to open his eyes and clear the fog in his brain, he could not. He started to fall, but everything went dark before he hit the ground.
* * *
“Walkyr, wake up,” Pallu’s deep voice pulled at his consciousness.
Walkyr’s eyes popped open and he stared at his brother. Pallu was kneeling on one knee in front of him. With a confused frown, Walkyr turned his head and gazed around before focusing on his brother again.
“Where am I?” he asked in a gruff tone.
Pallu rose to his feet and extended his hand. Walkyr grabbed it, and together they brought him to his feet. His mind was beginning to clear, but his confusion remained. Where was he and how the hell had he gotten here?
“You are near the perimeter of the rebel camp,” Pallu answered in a voice laced with confusion.
His brother’s bewildered tone told him that he would have no answers to any of Walkyr’s questions. Walkyr tensed when he noticed a shadowy movement behind his brother. He relaxed when he recognized the Curizan warrior nicknamed Arrow. He rubbed his temple and looked around again. The thick fog made it impossible to see more than a couple of feet in front of him.
“How did I get here?” he suddenly asked.
Pallu’s eyes widened in surprise, and he frowned. “You don’t remember how you got here?” he probed in a cautious tone.
Arrow stepped forward and ran a scanner over him. He turned to look at the Curizan as Arrow paused near his neck. Walkyr touched the spot on his throat where he felt a slight vibration.
“The tracker is still attached and working like it should,” Arrow muttered in a perplexed voice.
Pallu placed his hand on Walkyr’s shoulder. “What do you remember? Did you find the Heart of the Cat?” he asked.
The fog suddenly cleared from his mind, and he remembered everything. Walkyr opened his mouth to respond when he heard Vox call out. The three of them turned toward the tent opening when his oldest brother appeared. Walkyr immediately knew something was wrong from the grim expression on Vox’s face.
“What is it?” Walkyr demanded.
Vox looked at him. “I hope you found the Heart. If not, we have problems,” he stated.
“What’s going on?” Pallu wante
d to know.
Vox looked at Pallu. “The transport carrying the prisoner you saved from poisoning disappeared on the way back to the city,” he explained.
Arrow whistled. “That is pretty ballsy,” he replied.
“Ballsy?” Vox muttered with a frown. “Have you been chatting with my mate again?”
Arrow grinned. “I will never confess, but I will say that I like some of the Earth terminology. It is very colorful. Not that I’m admitting anything, but Riley, Tina, and Pearl are much more talkative than Ha’ven’s mate, Emma. She can become more vocal if you tease her, though,” he replied with a pleased grin before it faded, and he became serious again. “Do you have any information on what happened to the transport?”
Vox nodded. “Viper debriefed the medical technician who escaped. He said that the pilot and co-pilot attacked him and briefly disabled him. He was able to activate the transport’s tracking device when he regained consciousness. He then fought with the co-pilot and managed to jump from the transport as it passed over a lake. He’s lucky he didn’t break his neck. It took him several hours to reach a village where he was able to contact us. The transport had vanished by then, but thanks to his quick-thinking, we can follow. A freighter arriving on the planet also reported a close encounter with a departing ship that was not authorized to leave. Gable and Qadir are preparing a warship to go after them. Were you successful in retrieving the Heart of the Cat?” he repeated.
Walkyr shook his head. ‘Follow the hunters, and you will find her,’ the Goddess had said. “No, but I think the prisoner knows where I can find it,” he quietly responded.
Vox’s eyes narrowed. “Prepare to join Gable and Qadir, Walkyr. Find the Heart and bring it back,” he ordered.
Walkyr nodded. “I’ll leave right away,” he said.
Pallu silently held out a communicator to him. Walkyr nodded his thanks and took it. The sooner he left, the faster they could intercept the ship.
“Transport on my signal,” he instructed.