The Cascaders

by Glenn, L. M.

  Desiree made an effort to avoid any eye contact with the others who were making it obviously known they were not happy she and Jayden were invading their territory.

  “We have not been very welcoming. I am sorry.” Genèva said. “We have only seen one other human besides our queen mother, a long time ago. Please do not be scared. We will not hurt you. I will take you to the cage. Again I am sorry, it is not my choice, but you will be safe. I will not let any harm come to you. I will speak to my brother about your situation.” Genèva walked with a graceful stride, her tail brushing up a cloud of dust. “Please do not try to escape until we figure this out. It’s for your own safety.”

  She would agree to anything right now if it meant a way out of this nightmare. But should she trust her? After all, Genèva was an animal who was agreeing to put them in a cage. She grabbed Jayden’s hand.

  They turned to the left and followed a dirt path then turned again through some brush and came upon a clearing with six large wooden cages in a half circle. Each cage was about twelve by twelve feet. Two were occupied. They stopped in front of the first one and one of the lions came forward to open the gate and then pushed them both in, quickly latching it behind them. The dirt floor was cool to the feet, strange considering the heat wave.

  Desiree should have been screaming, but for some reason, she believed this was still a nightmare, and when she woke up, they would be safe in their beds. It had to be a dream considering there were no such thing as were-cats or were-lions or tigers and surely not panthers.

  “W-W-Wait.” Desiree grabbed the bars of her cage and called out to Genèva as they turned away. But they didn’t hear her or decided to ignore her—she wasn’t sure which.

  She heard weeping behind her, and turning, she swallowed her agitation as she saw Jayden sitting back on his legs and crying. “I’m scared. What if they eat us?”

  She sat down cross-legged, too weary to answer. She wondered how they had ended up in this situation. If Jayden would have just listened to her for once. She glanced over at the other cages and made eye contact with one of the other occupants. This one had beady orange eyes. From the nose up, it was a lion, more rounded in the face than the others were, with no tail. It roared and bared its teeth at them. She shook her head and looked over at the other one. This one was a female half cheetah, beautiful and young. Neither of them spoke.

  It wasn’t long before darkness descended. Maybe it was a good thing they were in the cage. If they couldn’t get out, that meant nothing could get in. She heard voices in the distance and suddenly fires popped up around them casting the area in a soft glow.

  She and Jayden jumped up and grabbed the bars. Two were-cats brought them some water. They escorted Jayden out so he could use the facilities. When they brought him back, they grabbed her. She was led to a wooden shed, an outhouse and then back to the cage.

  She was afraid to sleep. What if this wasn’t a dream? She choked back the terror and tried to focus on something else. Jayden had fallen asleep a while ago wrapped in a ball. He couldn’t be comfortable like that on the hard wooden surface. She leaned back against the bars and pulled him up so his head rested on her lap. The other two prisoners had the same thing in mind as they both were curled up in slumber. She closed her eyes

  Chapter 9

  The dim light cast shadows of branches reaching out as if to snatch a body up. A slight breeze fluttered her hair. She blinked bringing her surroundings in focus. Jayden was standing by the gate speaking with Nigel in whispers. She must have dozed off for a while, but it was still dark out.

  “Hey, what are you two whispering about?”

  Jayden looked up at her over his shoulder. “Nigel says his dad is going to let us out.”

  She stood and walked over to them. “Is that so?”

  “He’s coming soon; I better get back before I am caught.” Nigel cast his eyes down avoiding looking at her.

  “Nigel, why d-d-did you come and tell us?” she asked, a bit harsher then she had intended, but what did they expect. She was in a cage.

  “I didn’t want you to worry. He won’t hurt you.” With a hurt look on his face, he ran off.

  For some reason, that didn’t make her feel any less afraid. These cat people threw them in a cage like they were the animals. What was wrong with this picture?

  “Nigel is sorry. He’s nice, Dez, and I believe him.” Jayden glared up at her daring her to argue.

  She shook her head. “Whatever, Jay. They are not to be trusted. Do you see where we are? Uh? We are in a cage just in case you have forgotten. They threw us in a cage,” she repeated, balling up her fists.

  “My father was concerned for our safety.”

  Desiree swung her head around and stared into the eyes of Nigel’s father standing on the other side of her prison, cast in shadows. Her heart beat erratically upon seeing him again.

  She unclenched her jaw. “Your safety? What could we have possible done to you? We have no weapons or no fighting skills.” She opened up her mouth wide and then snapped her mouth closed. “Nor do we have fangs, and come to think of it, we haven’t done anything to deserve this.”

  Mihael sighed deeply. “You are correct and this is why I am letting you out.” He walked to the gate and opened it. “We will escort you back to where you first encountered Nigel.”

  As they swept past him, she had the strongest urge to kick him, but with regret, she thought it best not to rile the furry creature. Genèva and three others made their appearance. Genèva smiled and informed them she would be accompanying the other cats as they escorted us.

  From half a step behind, Desiree stopped. She wanted nothing more than to go back, but they still had a problem. How would they reach the top of that tunnel? When she explained the height to Genèva, she didn’t seem to think it was a problem and had a solution.

  “We will leave at first light,” she said quietly.

  “First light? It was already bright enough out for them. “Why not now?”

  “It will stay dark a while, and no one can travel at night.”

  “But … I thought cats can see in the dark.”

  She smiled. “Yes, we can although the Morgs come out at dark, and the cats will not be safe as well as you.”

  “Morgs?” A sudden vision of an old movie, Land of the Lost, flashed before her eyes.

  “They live in the magma pools and crawl upon the land at dark to feed. We have lost many to them. But don’t fear. Perceforest is well lit at night. They will not come here.”

  So the Morgs were not a friendly lot.

  They stopped in front of a tent. “This is where your brother can sleep for tonight.” She leaned down and asked Jayden if he would mind sleeping in the same tent as Nigel and if this would be acceptable with her. “Desiree can sleep in my tent right across the way.” She pointed to a tent that was directly across from this one.

  Desiree would rather have Jayden with her, but upon hearing Nigel’s name, he seemed eager to stay here. She nodded. They needed sleep. Both of them were tired. The short nap they had taken in the cage was just enough to make her eyes gritty. They entered the tent, and there were two cots, one on each side, piled high with furs.

  She helped Jay to get comfortable on the cot before she left.

  Desiree gave him a tight hug and kissed him on the cheek, which he tolerated, barely. “Goodnight, Jay. If you get scared, come get me,” Desiree said as she left the room. She hoped he did for she was the one scared this time.

  When she followed Genèva to the other tent, it was already dark. She noticed there were no stars in the sky, just two bright moons.

  “Here you can get rest. No harm will come to you. I give you my word. Your brother will be fine. You rest. I will wake you at first light.”

  Desiree smiled her thanks and lay down on one of the cots. She was tired, and maybe if she closed her eyes, this dream or nightmare would dissipate by morning and she would be back in her own bed. Sounds of the night filled her as she lay on th
e cot; all it did was fill her with nightmares after she finally succumbed to sleep.

  Chapter 10

  The smell of something delicious woke her. She and Jayden hadn’t eaten anything since yesterday at lunch. Rubbing her sleep-heavy eyes, she sat up. Desiree could hear laughter and voices outside her tent. Running her hands through her hair, she walked into the bright light. A large pot hung from a beam over a fire, which must be where that delicious smell was coming from. Her stomach growled in appreciation. Genèva and another one of her kind were in a deep discussion. She didn’t want to intrude, so instead she went in search of Jayden knowing his knack for getting into trouble.

  She was searching the village when she spotted him with a group of small children if one could call them that. They were chasing each other and throwing a ball back and forth. She stopped and watched them. These animals didn’t seem to be ferocious as she first thought. They were almost like them. They giggled and ran tossing a ball up in the air.

  “Did you have a good rest?” She jumped startled. Nigel’s father had come up behind her. He too was watching them play.

  “Um, yes, thank you.” She stiffened ready to bolt.

  “I want to apologize to you for my rudeness last eve. You must understand we are all that is left of our kind. If you found us, so can others. We have been hidden for many years, but now? We are in danger. My father was concerned others had followed you here.”

  “I understand and just so we are on the same page? I don’t want to be here either.” His apology surprised her.

  His brows furrowed. “Then you can help us. Leave, and tell no one of what you have seen.”

  I’m trying, she thought but instead just nodded. No one would believe them anyway.

  “There you are.” Genèva walked up and bowed her head to Mihael. “Good morn, brother.”

  He smiled and kissed her on her forehead.

  She then turned to Desiree. “Come, I have nourishment ready. You must be hungry?”

  Desiree nodded her head as she called out to Jayden. He ran up to them eyes sparkling and face flushed from excitement. “Are you hungry?”

  “Yes, I’m starving!” Jayden answered out of breath.

  Genèva laughed. “Then come.”

  Desiree took Jayden’s hand, and they followed her leaving Mihael behind. She glanced back toward him and quickly looked away. His icy stare followed them.

  Genèva ladled a large spoonful of what looked like stew into two large wooden bowls and handed her and Jayden both one. Without thinking too hard about what was in it, she dug in, and before she realized it, she had eaten every drop. It had tasted as good as it smelled.

  Jayden handed his bowl back to Genèva. “I’m going to go back and play,” he said and then disappeared behind the tent.

  “No, Jayden, you can’t. We’re leaving soon!” Desiree called out. “We are going back home.”

  His head peeked around from the back side of the tent he had just disappeared from. “Now?” he asked as if he had lost his favorite bat.

  “Genèva is going to help us get out.” The forlorn look on his face surprised her. “Don’t you want to get home, Jayden? Mom and Dad are probably worried sick about us.”

  “Yes, but I just wanted to play a little while longer.”

  “No, Jay, we need to get home.” The sooner the better. The looks directed her way were anything but friendly.

  “Can we come back?” He wanted to know although coming back through those tunnels didn’t appeal to him much.

  “No, Jay, I’m sorry but if we came back, we might bring danger to them.”

  Genèva stood and smiled at them. “Come, we must go before it darkens.”

  Desiree frowned. Darkens? She just woke up and it hadn’t been that far, an hour’s walk at the most. She followed behind Jayden who was dragging his feet. Soon Nigel joined him.

  Genèva stopped in front of a group of cats and turned to Desiree. “They will guide us, come.”

  They trailed behind, and she noticed Mihael was in the lead. Nigel talked non-stop and pointed at different things explaining what they were and what not to eat. She noticed the cats all laughed and joked with each other. Mihael was actually kind of cute when he laughed. For some odd reason she couldn’t explain, her eyes were drawn to him. He wasn’t as ferocious as he first appeared.

  Soon they had reached their destination. They were right back where she and Jayden had come out at the lake.

  “There, father!” Nigel pointed to the opening of a tunnel. “That is where they came out of.”

  Mihael frowned.” Are you sure?”

  Desiree stepped up next to him. “Yes, th-that’s it.”

  “That is the way to the magma pools.” He bent down and patted Nigel on the head. “Stay close.”

  “We d-didn’t see any pools, just a t-t-tunnel.” She noticed the worried look on his features.

  He stuck his head into the tunnel and held the lamp up high.

  “W-W-What is it?” Desiree asked seeing his hesitation.

  Turning back, he grabbed her arm biting into her skin. “Are you sure this is where you came out?”

  “You’re h-h-hurting me.” She pulled her arm back and rubbed the tender spot. “Yes, I’m sure.”

  Her motioned for the larger cats to go in first. Each had a bow and arrows. One carried a crude makeshift ladder—boards between a long rope.

  “We must hurry.” He pushed Jayden, Nigel, and me ahead of him, and he brought up the rear. It was hot inside the tunnel, hotter than she remembered. Moisture beaded her forehead. The cats held lanterns up high so they all could see. When they reached a “T” in the tunnel, she pointed to the one on the right. She felt Mihael’s hand on her back guiding her ahead of him. His touch caused sensations she didn’t want to think about.

  It wasn’t long at all when they came to the very spot where they had rested. Desiree pointed up. “That’s where we f-f-fell from.” But there was nothing there. No hole, no pipe leading up. Where did it go? This was the spot; she was sure of it.

  “B-B-But that’s it, I’m sure. We stopped here and r-r-rested, Mihael. I know this is it!” She wrapped her arms around her middle. Jayden turned in circles. A break in the pipe led to four different directions. How was that possible. There had only been two.

  “What happened to the hole, Desiree?” Jayden’s quivering voice penetrated her brain.

  Maybe this wasn’t the spot. Spinning around, she shook her head, but she knew it was. Their footprints were there for all to see. Someone or something had closed off the tunnel. But how? How could they have taken the pipe? How was it possible for tunnels to magically appear?

  “Are you sure this is where you came out at?” Mihael demanded, his eyes sparking fire at her.

  Desire back up against the wall of the tunnel. “Yes, I’m s-s-sure.” He didn’t believe her. She could see it in his eyes.

  “We must go back. It will be dark soon.” He turned and walked away without another word leaving her and Jayden standing in the same spot they had started from. Go back? But how are they going to get home? Would they ever find way out or were they stuck here forever? Dread filled her making her nauseous.

  Nigel grabbed Jayden’s arm. “Come on, we must leave.”

  “W-Wait!” She ran to catch up with Mihael. She had to make him understand this wasn’t her fault. She wanted to go home as much as he wanted her gone.

  He turned and hissed at her.

  “Will we ever be able to g-g-go back home?” she demanded, grabbing his arm when he was about to walk away from her again.

  His eyes glittered dangerously. He leaned in and hissed. “I am not the one who brought you here in the first place. You found your way in and brought danger with you. Now you can find your way out!”

  “You said you would help!”

  “No, what I said was you could help us.”

  “I’m t-t-trying …” A sob slipped passed her lips. “Why are you being this way? I don’t know what to do.
I don’t want to stay here. I want to go h-h-home. We haven’t brought any danger with us!”

  His face softened and he shook his head. “We will go back to the village and think this through some more. We cannot stay any longer here. The Morgs will come. He stood back as she walked ahead. His closeness was making her sweat even more than she was already.

  Were they forever trapped in this nightmare? There had to be another way out. She blinked the moisture away that had pooled in her eyes.

  She wanted to know more about the Morgs, whom the cats feared. She would ask Genèva later. Now she just wanted to get out of the tunnels.

  Chapter 11

  Back at the village, she was seated in front of Genèva’s hut watching the children play. She was amazed at how the female cats took turns watching over their kittens.

  She wanted nothing more than a bath and a change of clothes. There were no mirrors here, but she knew she must look a mess. She also needed to brush her teeth. So far all the huts she had entered only held cots and tables. No personal effects. How did they take care of their personal hygiene?

  Mihael must have read her thoughts because no sooner had she thought than it he was in front of her asking if she would like to bathe. She nodded eagerly. He motioned for her to follow him. He led her down a deserted path into some trees, and then they came out into a valley. A beautiful crystal clear pond came into view. Rocks and boulders lined the pond, and rock steps led down into the water. Steam rose.

  “It’s heated?” she asked.

  He nodded his head. He handed her a piece of woven cloth.

  “Um.” She felt her face heat. “Thank you. She stood silent waiting for him to leave so she could bathe in private.

  A minute passed and then he shook his head with amusement. There was no way she was going to bathe in front of him. She didn’t care what the others did here, but she wasn’t going to.

  When he turned and walked away, she glanced around to make sure no one was watching, quickly shed her clothes, and slid into the warm water. It felt wonderful and soothing to her tired muscles. She wasn’t to be alone long, however. Soon the pond was filled with she-cats splashing and laughing. They bathed together? None of them seemed aware of her undressed state although a few watched her under their lashes. She dunked her head and rinsed out her hair.