by L. Fergus
Gilles’s eyes were wide with fear.
“Answer me!” Kita screamed.
“None,” he whispered.
“If you’re strong enough to give no quarter, then you had better be strong enough to take no quarter.” Kita dropped him at her feet and picked up his helmet. “It’s very nice. Impeccable construction. It is a true masterpiece.”
Gilles smiled painfully. “It has been in my family for generations. Our standard is the running dog. If I must die here, please take it. Let it go with a true warrior.”
Kita crushed the helmet in her hands and dropped it in front of him. “Goodbye, Lionello Gilles.”
Kita motioned to the cats, and Gilles screamed as they fell on him. Kita spun, her cloak whipping around her as she stormed from the tent. She walked out of the camp and bound up the sides of the cliffs, taking leaps at distances the cats wouldn’t make. Her anger and sadness propelled her down the side of the mountain until she could see Eazor and Norway. She stopped on a high crag that hung over a cliff face.
The pair looked to be playing a game as they made their way down the mountainside. Norway seemed to be taking it in good fun. In a rambunctious move, he knocked Eazor off his back with his tail. This led to a friendly wrestling match in the dirt. Eventually, they started moving again out of sight.
Kita walked to the edge of the crag. A familiar growl came from behind her, and Kita turned to see Sarge looking at her. She blew him a kiss and waved to him, before turning and throwing herself into a swan dive.
Kita let her mind go. The air rushing by her face felt good. How long before I don’t feel anything anymore?
Something hit Kita, and she bounced off the cliff face, skidding to a stop on a ledge. She picked herself up as the scrapes on her hands and arms healed. What in the bloody moons hit me? A gray lump lay motionless not far away. “Snowy!” Kita crawled to her.
Blood splotched Snowy’s white fur, and her arm bent at an odd angle. Kita wasn’t sure what to do for the arm. A message in her head told her to monitor Snowy's heartbeat and breathing. When she went to apply the healing balm, she discovered Snowy’s wounds were healing on their own. The arm straightened itself out. When Snowy looked whole, she still didn’t wake.
Kita cradled Snowy’s head in her lap and absentmindedly stroked her fur. She studied her face, trying to find where the cat ended and the human began. After a while, she realized she didn’t care. Snowy was beautiful, and that was all that mattered.
Sarge came down the cliff face and headbutted Kita hard. She scratched his ears. “I’m sorry, boy. I…don’t know what to say. I didn’t want to leave you. I saw all of your kin lying dead in that camp, and my heart couldn’t take it. I can look at countless dead men and not be bothered, but if I see the innocent injured it makes my heart bleed. I’m sorry for being weak. Please forgive me?” Tears ran down her cheeks.
Sarge licked her tears and nuzzled her. Kita giggled when he batted her in the face with his tail.
“What should we do about her?”
Sarge licked his nose.
“You think?”
He winked.
Kita took a deep breath and kissed Snowy. Trembling, she waited.
Forever seemed to pass before Snowy’s blue eyes fluttered open. “Now that’s a way to wake up. Are you always this impatient?”
Kita blushed, and her mouth felt stupid. “I’m sorry. It works in fairy tales. I thought it might help. I…”
Snowy laughed. “This isn’t a fairy tale, but I say it worked. Meow.” Snowy’s eyes narrowed, and her whiskers stood up. “What was that all about? That is the fastest way down the mountain, but the stop at the bottom will kill you.”
Tears streamed from Kita’s eyes. “I know, I couldn’t help it. I walked through all those dead and dying innocent cats at the camp, and my heart broke. It should be left to those like me who are already evil. I’m so sorry. I don’t mean to put you through my blubbering.” She curled up and cried into her arms.
Snowy held Kita close. “Shh. It’s ok. To the cats and me, you’re our hero. I can’t thank you enough, and I’ll never be able to repay you for freeing us. An evil person wouldn’t care about the innocent. That you’re upset shows that you’re not. Sarge tells me how wonderful you are. You’ve been nothing but warm, caring, and kind to me. You were my angel when I needed one. And now, you need one. Take all the time you need, kitten. I’ll keep you safe.”
Kita looked up through her tears at Snowy’s smile. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for someone to say that to me.”
Kita sat on a rock petting Sarge as Zidin and Cowboy came into view.
“What took you guys so long?” called Kita playfully.
“It’s a big hill,” Zidin said, huffing and puffing when he reached her.
“Oh, quit your whining. I’ve been up and down these cliffs all day.”
“Not all of us are as equipped as you are,” Cowboy growled.
Kita turned serious. “And while you two hiked up here, I uncovered some intel for us. I’ve got good, bad, and ugly news.”
“What’s the bad news?”
“The armies are gone.”
“Did they leave any sign of where they went? They didn’t push into the desert, did they?”
Kita shook her head. “Gone as in wiped out, both the king’s army and the Legion.”
Cowboy’s eyes narrowed. “That’s not good. What evidence did you find at the camp?”
“I haven’t been to the camp. I’ve been waiting for you. I got this from the commander of one of the armies who attacked our armies.”
“How did you get a hold of him?” said Zidin.
“That’s part of the ugly news. I found a slaughterhouse used to feed his army. I tore it apart, and it led me to them.”
“So, you danced right in and asked him sweetly if he knew anything?” said Cowboy condescendingly.
Cowboy’s tone wasn’t going to get Kita down. Snowy was here, and that made everything better. “I had some help, and that’s the good news. I would like to introduce Snowy.”
Snowy came out from behind a boulder. Her whiskers twitched nervously as she stepped next to Kita, her big tail draped over her arm.
“Snowy, this is Zidin, my bodyguard.”
Zidin nodded and mumbled a greeting.
“The man in the mask and hat is Cowboy. He is my Legion advisor.”
Cowboy touched the brim of his hat and offered a greeting, but Kita didn’t miss the odd look between them.
“She’ll be traveling with us from now on.” Kita tried to hide her excitement.
Cowboy glared. “Do you think that's wise? If the camp is gone as you say, we won’t have enough food. We don’t need the extra headache of protecting her in a fight. She has nothing to offer us.”
Snowy’s tail lashed behind her. “I can hunt for myself, and I’m more than capable of holding my own in a fight.” She extended her claws and bared her fangs. “I can climb to places you can't, and I know these mountains better than the snow.”
She also makes wonderful fuzzy therapy.
Cowboy didn’t look convinced. “Your headache, Commander.”
Kita looked at Zidin.
“If she followed you through the mountains, she might make a good scout. Any kills she can bring would be nicer than these things.” Zidin held up a ration bar.
Kita smiled. “Good, it’s settled. She comes with us.”
“Did we have a choice?” said Cowboy.
“No, but your concerns are valid, and I think we’ll be fine. Anyway, we should get moving. Night is coming, and the camp isn’t far up the mountain.”
Kita led off, trying to set a decent pace. Snowy took the mountainside, moving up ahead. Kita smiled when three more tails followed Snowy along the cliff face.
The remnants of the camps were worse than Kita feared. Wreckage of tents, equipment, and bodies lay strewn about, made worse by exposure and being picked over by scavengers.
Kita stopped
next to a rock jutting out of the field. A shallow thumping from the rock caught her attention. She yelled for the others.
“I think this rock has a heartbeat.”
Cowboy coughed. “A heartbeat?”
“Yes, like the one you’ll be missing in a minute.”
“It’s possible there’s a creature inside. Have you tried knocking?” Cowboy knocked on the rock.
The rock shook and dissolved into a human form.
“About time! Where have you been?" the man yelled at Cowboy and Zidin, his back to Kita. "Where are the rest of you, or are you the scouts?”
Kita cleared her throat, and the man turned around. Her heart skipped a beat. The man looked gorgeous. He had a strong jaw and face, but they were mixed with just the right number of boyish features. She was jealous of his hair—not a strand out of place; he looked like he went daily to a Champignon hair salon. His piercing gray eyes made her want to melt. His voice, a pleasant deep and rich baritone, was the kind that she’d do anything to hear more of. So, this is the mythical man you could switch horses for.
The man’s eyes lit when he saw Kita. He bowed deeply over her hand and kissed it. “And who do I have the esteemed pleasure of meeting in an awful place like this?”
Kita gulped. “K-K-Kita L-Logine.”
“Kita Logine? Well, you're a rose among the brambles. I would have never guessed to find someone so—what in the ten thousand blazing suns is that?” he said as Snowy walked up to Kita.
Snowy’s face, whiskers, and tail drooped.
The man’s spell broke for Kita. “Hey, be nice. She’s with me. Who are you?” Kita touched Snowy’s arm to reassure her.
“My apologies. I did not think I would see something as exotic as your cat.” He gave Kita an amazing smile.
“This is Snowy,” Kita said defensively. “She is the queen of the war cats. I am grateful to have her as a traveling companion.”
The man’s face contorted in disgust and anger. “Did you know your traveling companion set her cats upon us? They attacked with the ravagers. She should be killed for what she did. Those cats chased us down like mice and dragged the bodies away to be eaten.”
“That’s not true!” cried Snowy. “The cats were forced to attack you. They didn’t want to. They took the bodies to a slope facing the sun, trying to give the soldiers a proper burial.”
“You knew your cats were involved, and you didn’t say anything earlier?” Cowboy demanded.
Kita stepped between the three parties. “I knew of their involvement. I went with them as they took revenge and earned their redemption. They’re innocent players forced to do something they didn’t want to to protect Snowy.”
“There is no redemption for these vile creatures,” said the man. “We should hunt them to extinction. Starting with that one.” He pointed at Snowy.
Kita's anger exploded. “Listen here, whoever you are!” Zidin and Cowboy stepped back. Snowy took the cue and did the same. “I was with them as they destroyed one of the armies that attacked you. The field was littered with dead and dying war cats. They have earned our forgiveness and trust. You try to hurt her and you’ll have to come through me.”
The man laughed. Kita’s feet went rigid. They were encased in rock. She scowled.
“Let me go. First and only chance.” Kita folded her arms.
The rock receded. “I don’t want to hurt that pretty face. It would be a shame,” the man said with a dazzling smile. “I just thought you should know who you’re dealing with.”
Kita returned a sinister smile. “You would have to be able to hit this pretty face first. Do you have a name?”
“My name is Bartholomew Jackson Van der Hoost the Sixteenth, rock and fire shaper in the service of his majesty, the King of Yorq.” He bowed low to the group.
“Why are you here? Instead of reporting the defeat back to New London?”
“Why, awaiting rescue, of course. I’m no soldier, and these mountains are dangerous.” Bart looked at Snowy. “It’s not my job to report a defeat. I’m not a member of the army. I’m a specialist in the service of the king.”
Kita scoffed. “While you sat waiting for rescue—which may or may not have come—our enemies now have a head start. All you had to do was walk down the mountain.”
“My dear lady, I do as I am paid to do—to use my shaping powers to help the army as needed. I'm not paid to be a messenger. These are not my enemies.”
“These enemies don’t care. They’ll tear you apart because they can. Come on, everyone, let’s go. Keep looking for food, water, or clues about our enemies. We’ll leave this fool to his fate.”
Kita motioned to Snowy to follow, but the cat queen looked distraught. Kita leaned in and whispered, “Don’t worry about him. I think you’re beautiful, and that’s all that matters.”
Snowy’s tail twitched as her ears perked up.
Kita searched the area, looking for a particular banner. She found it broken and lying in the snow. She picked it up and brushed it off.
“What’s that?” said Snowy.
“It’s my father’s banner.”
“Your father was here?”
“No. My brother led my father’s forces. This is the estate banner, but I don’t see my brother’s personal banner. Maybe he survived. He wouldn’t go anywhere without it. He’s vain that way.”
“Maybe he escaped or was out on patrol? He could be waiting for help—like that idiot Bart.” Snowy growled and chuffed. Six war cats came down the steep slope and talked with her. “They say they’ve seen several bands of human soldiers roaming the mountains. I will tell them to pass the word to keep looking. If any humans are found, they’ll let us know.” Snowy gave the orders, and the cats returned to the mountains.
Kita’s mind was exhausted. “Thanks. You didn’t have to send them. I figured Jeffrey was dead when I heard the army was gone.”
Snowy looked at Kita quizzically. “He’s your brother. Don’t you want to know if he’s alive?”
Kita shrugged. “I…I’m not sure. We’re not close. My family life is a mess. It’s a long story, but thank you for looking.”
Snowy hugged Kita. “Don’t worry, that’s what friends are for.”
Kita hugged her back. “Thanks.”
“What did we find?” Kita asked the others.
“This camp was a mess before the attack,” said Zidin. “There are tracks all over: boots, two different sets of paw prints, several hoof prints, and what I would classify as other. It looks like the camp was attacked by four different groups.”
“How many legionnaires did we have in the pass?” said Kita to Cowboy.
He flipped through his notes. “Two thousand, and the king’s forces numbered ten thousand.”
“The army the war cats wiped out I estimated at seven thousand. How many war cats do you think went on this attack, Snowy?”
Shame showed in Snowy’s eyes. “Eleven or twelve thousand.”
“If the other ravager groups numbered as large as the army we defeated, then our side was outnumbered nearly three to one.”
“Even if the forces were equal, they would have failed,” Zidin said with a sour look.
Kita nodded. “Snowy, can you have your cats find and keep tabs on those other armies? I’m sure they’re not done yet.”
“Why not attack them? Let those furballs continue their redemption,” said Bart from behind Kita.
Kita took a deep breath to control her temper. “We don’t have an army. The cats are in no condition to fight. Information is what we need: How big are they? Where are they? Who’s in command? What’s their objective? And, who invited you to this?”
“I thought my insights on being present during the battle would be helpful to you, my lady.”
Kita frowned. “I am not my lady; you’ll address me as Commander.”
“As you wish, Commander Kita Logine,” Bart said with a suave smile.
Snowy glared at Bart, and Kita rolled her eyes. I feel dirty.
“Keeping tabs on our enemies is a good plan," said Cowboy. "I advise we return to Outpost Twenty-four and contact LCom to see what they suggest.”
Kita shook her head. “We’re going into the Unfinished Wastes.”
“We can't go out there. Nothing survives out there.”
“We can if we bring enough food and water. It’s not instantly lethal.”
“What's so important?”
“Omega said it’s one of the sites producing ravagers. This site has been operating at maximum output for several years. If it keeps going, he says it will destroy the ecosystem.”
“The AI told you this?” Cowboy scoffed.
“Yes. We’re headed to another environmental monitoring station. Think of what you can learn from it,” Kita said with a sly grin.
“If this is a red fish, you’re in trouble.”
“Have I been wrong yet?”
“You haven’t had that many chances to be right.”
“Touché.” Kita chuckled. “Let’s get out of here and find a place to camp that isn’t surrounded by the dead.”
“Commander, uhm, what about myself?” said Bart.
“Sorry, I don’t have money to pay you. You’ll have to fend for yourself.” Kita shrugged and walked off.
Bart followed her. “Maybe we can make a deal. I can work for you for the promise of protection…and maybe some company on the cold nights?” His eyes twinkled with a promising grin.
Kita turned and slapped him to the ground. Zidin pursed his lips, Cowboy’s eyes widened, and Snowy covered her face while she laughed.
“I’m not for sale, trade, or anything. I won’t offer you protection because these people have better things to do in a fight. I don’t have enough food for you, and I won’t ask them to sacrifice for you. What I do offer is a chance to get yourself killed and a shot at making it back to somewhere safe when I decide it’s time to go back. How’s that for a deal?”
Bart looked up and grinned. “Fiery. I like that in a woman. It’s a deal. As long as I can enjoy the view.”
Enraged, Kita walked off. Now I really feel dirty.
