Shifters Alliance

by Shaun L Griffiths

  ‘Yeah, and this little girl... ‘

  ‘The mean one,’ added Vin.

  ‘Yeah, she’s gone to rescue the others. All the passes will be unguarded!’

  ‘Crikey, we gotta get this news to the Big Boss.’

  ‘That’s right, boss, we were waiting for you.’

  ‘Good thinking, you two. We gotta move, straight away.’

  ‘Naz, Vin, you come with me. Caldo, Fonz, you two stay here, and don’t let any cats pass by,’ he said, looking at the replacements.

  ‘Shouldn’t we wait till morning? It’s really dark out there.’ said Vin.

  ‘No time to lose, we gotta get back and tell the Big Boss.’

  As they set off back through the boulder field, the boss prodded them for more details.

  ‘So what was a cat doing with them?’

  ‘Well,’ said Naz. ‘It seems he was helping the Southerner get his kids back. He kept saying he wasn’t a cat but I could see he was.’

  ‘Yeah, you can’t trust those cats,’ added Vin.

  ‘He was showing him how to use the gateways. Seems they’ve never used ‘um before.

  ‘You’re joking! Never used a gateway? What d’they do with themselves down there?’

  ‘Someone told me they do a lot of fishing,’ threw in Vin.

  ‘Is that right?’ they both asked.

  ‘But the best part is, this cat is really the son of that thieving Duma.’

  ‘What!’

  ‘Yeah, I thought you’d like that one, boss.’

  ‘So where’s he now then?’

  ‘He’s helping them get back through the gateway, of course.’

  ‘Oh yeah, of course. Listen, you two, this puts a different light on things. We’ll need a change of plan. Vin, you get back to the Big Boss, and tell him everything that happened...’

  ‘What? Everything!’

  ‘Yeah, everything. It’s important, Vin.’

  ‘Including the part about the girl being really mean?’

  ‘Well, no. You don’t have to tell him she was mean. But make sure you tell him the passes are open, and that me and Naz are going after the son of that rotten scoundrel Duma.’

  ‘Okay. Can I go home then, boss?’

  ‘How long y’ been here now, Vin?’

  ‘Nearly a week.’

  ‘Well, if the Big Boss got nothing for you, tell him your boss said you can go home.’

  ‘Okay, I’ll get the pies warmed up.’

  ‘Good thinking, Vin.’

  As Vin happily made his way northwards, Naz and Jojo went south in search of Sonny.

  ‘What you gonna do with him when we find him?’ said Naz. ‘You gonna torture him to find out where the box is?’

  ‘I hadn’t thought of that,’ said Jojo.

  ‘We could start by pulling his whiskers off, they hate that.’

  ‘Yeah, that would be good,’ agreed Jojo.

  ‘Then we could drop him off the plateau on his back. See if he lands on his feet.’

  ‘No, better not. We catch him and take him back to the Big Boss. We could hold him for ransom. In exchange for the box.’

  ‘Yeah, good thinking, boss.’

  ‘Then we could all go home.’

  ‘How long you been here, boss?’

  ‘Too long. I’m getting too old for all this running around.’ They descended in silence for a while, scrambling over the rocks, before Jojo asked. ‘So how did Vin get that lump on his head?’

  ‘Well, it was kinda like this, boss... hold on... what’s that light over there?’

  ‘That’s a fire! Someone’s starting a fire down there!’

  ‘Whoa, look at it go. Who’d wanna do that?’

  ‘Dunno, but if they’re not careful, they’ll have the forest alight.’ They both looked at each other with a sinking feeling in their stomachs.

  ‘We better get down there, boss.’

  They moved as quickly as they could over the scree slope. The morning sun had risen over the eastern peaks before they finally reached the foothills. This part had been saved from the destruction of the fire by the sudden change in wind direction. But they were shocked to see the rising plume far to the east where the forest had finally succumbed to the falling cinders, still glowing, being carried by the wind into the upper branches of the pines.

  They continued on to the valley floor, in the direction of the southern border, where in the distance, they saw movement.

  ‘It’s a Southerner,’ said Naz. ‘And he’s coming this way.’

  ‘Is this the one who came through here yesterday?’

  ‘No, this one looks much bigger.’

  ‘What’s another one doing here now, then?’

  ‘Dunno, but be careful boss, he’s got a stick.’

  They approached each other warily.

  From a distance, Jojo called out, ‘What do you want here, Southerner?’

  Casey stopped short, never really expecting a bear to talk to him in a language he would understand.

  The bears approached Casey warily.

  ‘You must change into some hound, the size of you.’ observed Jojo. ‘He’s as big as you, Naz.’

  ‘I don’t change,’ said Casey.

  ‘Then what are you doing here? You’re a bit old for coming through a gateway.’

  ‘I’m looking for someone, my family, a young girl.’

  ‘A girl with a big stick?’ said Naz.

  ‘Yes. She carries a staff, like this.’ Casey replied.

  ‘She wasn’t carrying it the last time I saw her, she was swinging it around her head.’

  ‘Did you upset her?’

  ‘The other way around,’ said Naz.

  ‘Are you going to tell me what happened?’ said Casey.

  Naz looked to the boss, who nodded to Naz to tell what he knew.

  ‘She came through here a couple of days ago, with a man named Sam and a cat. The man Sam returned without her, he said she was in the High Passes looking for children that had been kidnapped.’

  ‘That’s her, that’s Kerri’

  ‘Yes, the man Sam said her name was Kerri.’

  ‘So you spoke with Sam.’

  ‘Yes, he invited me to visit him.’

  ‘Are you Naz?’

  ‘That’s me,’ said Naz, surprised.

  ‘Sam told me you’d spoken. He returned through the gateway, but it collapsed before Kerri get out. I’m here to take her and the other children home.’’

  ‘We’ve not seen her since she went north.’

  ‘Have you seen another one, called Sonny?’

  There was an uncomfortable silence.

  ‘That’s the cat, boss,’ Naz said.

  Jojo asked, ‘Is this a friend of yours?’

  ‘He may know where Kerri is. He was supposed to have waited at the gateway for her,’ said Casey.

  ‘We’re looking for him too.’

  There was another silence as both Casey and Jojo wondered how to deal with this news.

  ‘Is he a friend of yours?’ Jojo asked again.

  ‘Anyone who can help me find Kerri, I’ll look upon as a friend, including you.’

  ‘Do you know what’s going on here?’ asked Jojo.

  ‘I know these cats have something belonging to you, and I know our children were lied to in order to get them to stop you from coming to this land.’

  ‘It seems you know a very little part of a very big story. D’you see there?’ said Jojo pointing to the smoke billowing to the east. ‘‘D’you know the significance of that?’

  ‘It’s a forest fire. Dangerous for everyone,’ said Casey.

  ‘I thought not,’ said Jojo. ‘You’ve been insular for far too long, Southerner. The time’s coming when you’ll need our help, and not only to find your children.’

  ‘Why would we need your help? We’re capable of taking care of ourselves.’

  ‘In the coming days, I think not.’

  ‘Do you always talk in riddles?’ said Casey.
<
br />   ‘Only when I’m trying to find out what you know.’

  ‘I know it’s time for our children to go home. That’s the only thing I need to know.’

  ‘You’re wrong. You should know that your land and your people are in danger. Not from us,’ said Jojo. ‘But from the creatures that were locked in the forest.’

  ‘What creatures? Will you tell me about them?’ said Casey.

  Jojo thought about this. ‘It’s not my place to tell of such things, but I don’t think you’ll survive a journey to talk with the Big Boss. It should be him that tells you, but you’ll be old and tired before you can return to your land and tell your leader.’

  ‘If there’s a danger to my people, I need to know.’ Casey could see Jojo debating with himself.

  ‘I could tell you, but you must give me something.’

  ‘I carry nothing, what is it you want?’

  ‘Your promise, that if we find the cat named Sonny, you’ll not stop us taking him.’

  ‘Can you help me return with Kerri?’

  ‘I think it’s essential that we do that.’

  ‘More riddles?’ said Casey.

  ‘You must return to your land as quickly as possible, to tell your leader there is evil coming your way and you must prepare to defend yourselves,’ said Jojo.

  He walked towards the rising ground to the west of the now burnt grasslands and waved Casey to follow.

  ‘I’ll explain everything to you, but first, we must find your Kerri and the cat named Sonny. If they were near the border when the fire started, there’s only one place they can be now: in the foothills. They didn’t climb to the plateau or we would have seen them, and they’re not behind you, so they must have gone there to escape the fire.’

  ‘If we are going to travel together, could I know your name?’ said Casey.

  ‘I’m Jojo. And this, as you already know, is Naz, the one your friend Sam spoke of.’

  ‘I’m Casey.’

  ‘Naz, you lead, follow the ridge to the west. If they are there, we’ll come up on them from behind.’

  ‘You seem to know this land very well,’ Casey said.

  ‘I’m a professional guard. It’s my job to know my enemies’ land well. I’ve studied the maps.’

  ‘Why are these people your enemies?’ asked Casey.

  ‘I’ll explain everything later. Now time is our enemy. We must capture the cat and get back to the boss, or that burning forest will be the end of us all.’

  They climbed the lower hills, watching each step to make as little noise as they could. They stopped at the highest point and very slowly looked over into the foothills below. As they hoped, there on a ledge, sat a cat with a hound sleeping beside him.

  ‘That must be them,’ Jojo whispered.

  ‘But that’s a dog!’ said Casey.

  ‘Believe me, that is one of your hounds. If it’s not her, it’s one of your other children.’

  ‘If it’s them, they should know me. I can walk in and distract them while you get closer. It’ll stop them from running. If it’s Sonny, I’ll give a nod in your direction,’ said Casey.

  ‘Okay, we’ll circle around and come in from the north.’ Jojo pointed to where the ridge line changed course and came closer to the ledge. ‘Give us five minutes to get over there.’

  Casey ducked down again to wait. He saw the bears get to the north side, and then slowly and quietly made his way over the ridge, descending to the ledge below. He slid part of the way down and the sudden movement alerted Sonny and Kerri on the ledge. She became immediately awake, sniffing the air, her senses telling her somebody was approaching. She turned in the direction of Casey and bolted upright to see him.

  ‘Casey!’ she shouted ‘I knew you’d come!’

  She ran towards him, nearly knocking him off his feet.

  ‘I wasn’t sure it was you, I haven’t seen you in that coat before! Will you change back and let me see you again?’’

  ‘You better give me your blanket,’ she said.

  Casey wrapped it around her and within moments she stood before him, wrapping her arms around him.

  ‘Casey, I knew you’d come,’ she said again.

  He squeezed her tight, his happiness lighting up his face.

  ‘Did you find the others, Holly and Carter?’

  Kerri looked at him and Casey saw the grief in her eyes. He squeezed her tight against his chest and he heard the sobs come. He felt her shaking with the release of her locked-up emotions as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

  ‘Holly died, she’s still in the pass, all alone, there was a storm, a terrible storm, Casey, and I lost Carter last night and...’ It all came tumbling out.

  Casey gave her another squeeze. ‘It’s okay. I’ve come to take you home.’

  The tears died away at last and she finally caught her breath. ‘Are Sam and Lulu back safe?’

  ‘Yes. Sam wanted to come back for you, but I stopped him. Is that Sonny?’ said Casey.

  ‘Yes, he was waiting when we got to the border.’

  Casey looked to the northern ridge and nodded.

  ‘Who’s there, Casey?’ she asked.

  ‘Friendly bears. I think you know one.’

  ‘Why are you bringing bears here?’

  ‘They helped me find you, and they have information we need to listen to.’

  Sonny approached them and said, ‘It’s good to see you, Mister Casey. Does this mean you have another gateway open?’

  ‘It does, Sonny. It looks like an awful lot has happened here since Sam left.’

  ‘Yes, I waited all day, but Kerri didn’t get back until last night and then...’

  ‘Last night? Sam said you weren’t back before he left,’ Casey said to Kerri.

  ‘That was last night after Sam left. There’s an odd delay when you pass through from one place to another. An hour on one side can be a whole day on the other. Everything slows down,’ said Sonny

  ‘Two bears have been looking for you,’ said Casey.

  ‘Why are they looking for me?’

  ‘Ask them, they’re here.’ Casey nodded towards Naz and Jojo.

  ‘Because you’re the son of Duma,’ said Jojo.

  Duma watched the cinders being blown from the grass when the wind changed. The branches and needles were tinder dry after a long, dry summer. The forest erupted when the still-glowing cinders landed in the upper branches. The trees exploded into an inferno that leaped from tree to tree in moments. Duma stood watching in disbelief at what he’d ordered done. He was now very much aware that he was losing control of himself as well as the box. He’d also seen the glowing eyes in the forest watching him. They seemed to be screaming with joy as the fire started, before disappearing as it reached towards the forest. He suddenly felt afraid. There was too much going on that he couldn’t understand and couldn’t control. He called to his brother-in-law, Dray, who he now used as his personal protector.

  ‘Has there been any sign of Sonny or the children?’

  ‘None yet.’

  ‘We’ve wasted enough time here,’ Duma said, pacing impatiently. ‘Call everyone in. We’re going back, now!’

  Carter had retreated north, away from the fire, but knew at some time he’d have to find a way back to the border.

  The only way seemed to be through the forest, but there was something very uninviting about the idea, something scarier than invading bears. Because he didn’t know what was in there, his imagination was running wild with the possibilities. The smoke was thick around him, stinging his eyes and burning his throat. His only chance now seemed to be to double back and get around the fire and the cats. And that meant entering the forest.

  With no other option, Carter made up his mind. Moving closer to the trees, the fear was like a physical wall holding him back. With a deep breath, he dived between two trees, and lay on the ground gasping for air, steadying his nerve.

  So far so good, he thought.

  He lay just inside the forest, wanting to stay
close to the edge for a quick escape if needed. Carter moved from tree to tree, back towards the border, moving slowly, giving himself time to spot danger ahead.

  CRACK, CRACK, CRACK, the noise of the forest being destroyed thundered around him.

  He could see nothing through the smoke, but with a sickening feeling in his stomach, he realised the forest was now alight.

  The trees and branches exploded with the heat. He couldn’t go forward any further. There was a narrow gap between the grasslands and the forest that the fire had jumped across. He could try to get through the gap, but he knew the cats were somewhere on the other side, blocking the way south. He’d have to go back. He could see the fire was now getting close to him, the forest making tortured screams as each next tree caught alight. He had to move now or be engulfed.

  He rose to back away and caught sight of a cat, racing through the gap in the fire. He ducked down quickly, watching intently what it would do next. Carter lay on the forest’s edge, afraid to move, waiting for the cat to move on. He was very aware of the fire getting much closer, the heat becoming fierce on his skin.

  Move, he thought, please, move! If I run now, I’ll be seen.

  But the cat just stood there, waiting. Carter was becoming desperate, no longer sure of what to do. He could feel the wind rushing through his hair as the inferno sucked the winds inward to feed itself, the heat becoming intense.

  Then there was more movement. Carter saw another cat quickly dash through the gap, then another and another. He watched, pleading in his mind for them to hurry. The fire was getting dangerously close; he could feel his face getting very hot. He looked again. The cats were standing together, watching the fire spread. Finally, they moved, heading northward away from him at a run.

  Carter couldn’t wait any longer. They were still in sight, but had their backs to him. He rushed from the forest and through the gap the cats had just used. If he was quick he wouldn’t get his tail burnt, but he could feel his fur singeing in the intense heat. The sickly smell of burning fur mixing with the acrid smoke of scorched grass and pines. He was through at last, and would no longer be seen behind the blanket of smoke engulfing the valley. His way to the border was clear.

  He ran along the edge of the smoldering grassland to where he’d last seen Kerri. He knew she’d been following the three stars pointing towards the horizon. The gateway must be close to here. Kerri was certain of that, and he trusted her completely.