by KM Fortune
CHAPTER 7
Sitting in the corner of the shed, Hector watched Raven sleep. She was curled up in a ball and occasionally muttered something unintelligible as if talking to someone in a dream. He wondered for a moment what her dreams were like if she was truly from a time over one hundred years ago. The world as she described it to him earlier over the fire sounded incredible. If she’s telling the truth, he thought. But why would she lie? Hector could see no reason for her to tell him a tale in such detail. It was not like it would convince him to let her go. In fact, her uniqueness only made it more likely he would keep her with him. Even though she was not a witch like the Patrols were convinced, she did have knowledge and skills, unlike anyone he had ever met. He only hoped her specialness would show through when he arrived back home. Arriving empty handed after being away for so long would make him a laughingstock. Hector growled low in his throat as he thought of his brother and how he would react to Hector's return. The younger beast would take any opportunity to embarrass Hector. Their reunion would not be cordial.
But what of my father? Hector wondered. A mixture of emotions washed over him as he thought of the man who sired him and raised him to be his heir. As king of the cat mutant population, he was a proud and regal creature, but to Hector, who knew him behind closed doors, he was stubborn and cold. Demanding beyond imagination. All his life, Hector had strived to win his father’s approval. Always he fell short. Even though he was the biggest, fastest, and most skilled fighter of the entire settlement, it was never enough. The same was not true for Hector’s baby brother. As youngest, the beast was allowed to create all sorts of mischief, often at Hector’s expense. No rules applied to him and because of it, the two brothers grew to hate each other.
Only their mother, the gentle queen, was able to maintain any level of peace in the family. Her love and kindness were enough to overcome all the bitterness in Hector's heart. When he was frustrated and hurt from another rebuff from his father or trickery by his brother, Hector would go to her, and her smile would comfort him. If she had lived, my life would have taken such a different path, he thought. He knew he would have married the female they picked out for him, even though he did not love her, and eventually, when his father was ready to pass along the crown, Hector would have been king. All of that had changed in the blink of an eye, and Hector felt an old ache of sadness in his heart.
Knock it off! Hector thought and angrily swiped a paw down his face to banish the memories. The last thing he needed was to let the past distract him. His focus had to be on the present. There was business to take care of, and it was long overdue. Tomorrow they would reach the tunnel. It had been all he could do to not keep going and try to pass through it tonight, but Raven was too slow. He knew they would not arrive until well after nightfall and if there was one thing he did not want to do, it was to go through the passage in the dark.
Kit was moving carefully toward the exit to the last of the passenger train’s cars when her torch sputtered out and died at last. Now she stood in the pitch black darkness and stilled her breathing. She was not afraid. She knew the dark was not her enemy and there were no threats around her. Before the light went out she had been able to see the size and shape of the space where she stood. The wrecked train’s passenger car was empty. Stripped clean of anything worth salvaging. Exactly like the others she passed through previously. It was disappointing. The only question which remained was who had taken the time to clean out the cars. Kit was guessing whatever was at the end of the tunnel had something to do with it. Now it was time to find out.
With arms outstretched and sliding her feet along the floor, Kit moved forward in the direction she knew was the way out. There was no sound but her nearly silent steps and her breathing. Even the noise of the water dripping was muffled by the walls of the car. Another twenty steps and I will be close to the open doorway out, she thought. And then what? The idea of continuing along the tunnel in complete darkness was not appetizing. Even though she was confident moving in the night, not being able to see at all was dangerous. There was no way to know what was ahead and the last thing she wanted was to trip or walk headlong into something. Continuing to move, Kit contemplated her options. If she stayed in the train car, she could wait and hope the end of the tunnel would be visible when the sun rose. Unfortunately, there was no way to know if the passage was clear or blocked with more obstructions like the crashed train. She might find herself in complete darkness no matter what time of day. I could turn back, she thought. The path in the direction she came was familiar now and Kit was confident she could find her way out easily. It would only be a matter of going back along the train and listening for the water dripping. In the dark, Kit nodded. Going back was the right decision.
As she made up her mind, her hand brushed the rim of the exit at the end of the car and she took one more step. There was a small tug against her shin and Kit frowned one moment before she realized what she had done. Tripwire! Flinging herself backward, she nearly cleared the net which snapped up from the floor around her. She was not fast enough and in another second she was yanked from the exit and hoisted up into the air. Instinct took over, and Kit whipped out her sharpest knife from under her cloak and attacked the thick ropes encasing her. As she swung slowly back and forth in the net at the end of a tether attached to the tunnel’s ceiling, Kit sawed quickly. Her blade made almost no progress and after another minute, she stopped and explored the netting with her fingertips. Each rope was wrapped around a cable of metal. There would be no way to cut through it.
Never in her life had Willow thought she would see something so frightening yet magical as what Matthew accomplished with the young mother and her baby. Once Emilia made her decree that the clan would allow the scientist to continue, things had moved quickly. Matthew made it clear time was of essence and once the items he asked for were delivered, he went immediately to work. When he asked Willow to help, she at first balked. "I have no idea how to deliver a baby," she told him. His response was a steely look, which caught Willow slightly off-guard. The normally gentle faced man now looked full of serious determination. It was evident he was not asking her to help but instead telling her to help. Willow had nodded and followed him into the now crowded tent area. Dawn and Blaze were also there, as was Andres. Willow had no idea why so many people were required to help, but she decided not to argue. This was Matthew's show now.
Matthew knelt between the woman's legs and dug into his pocket, pulling out the tube of ointment he used on her and Dawn's ankle back in the emergency outpost. He rubbed it over his hands and then over the mother's lower abdomen. Once he looked satisfied, he handed it to Willow. "Rub your hands with it. It is an antibacterial agent among other things and will help us lessen the chance of infection," he said. Willow obliged and then handed it to Dawn who followed suit. Finally, Blaze used it and they all knelt beside the woman who was struggling with her unproductive labor. Everyone paused as Matthew raised the knife provided for him. It was a thin bladed, razor sharp knife used for filleting fish. The man who reluctantly handed it over said it was the sharpest knife in the clan and had been boiled for ten minutes just like Matthew insisted. Willow watched as Matthew's mouth murmured something too faint to hear, and then he cut a six-inch line into the woman.
The mother only moaned, now too tired to do anything else, and a sliver of blood appeared. Matthew pulled back a fold of skin and cut again below the initial surface. Quickly he set the knife aside and slipped his hand into the gap he had made. Seeming satisfied, he waved the others forward. "Now I need you to help me," he explained. "Each of you slip two fingers over the lip of this incision and pull back." Willow blinked at him. This is insane, she thought. Seeing her hesitate, Matthew looked at her. "Do it now," he nearly snapped. "We need to spread this hole enough for me to reach inside and slide out the baby." Again, Willow paused. Then Dawn acted and reached for the opening. She put her fingers inside.
“When do I pull?” she asked.
"Everyone will pull together. Willow, Blaze, I need you to act. If you do not, she will die," Matthew responded. Snapping out of her daze, Willow reached forward. Blaze did the same and all three of them prepared to pull. "On my count," Matthew said. "Not so hard we tear the opening, but enough for me to get my hand through. One, two, three!" Willow pulled and was surprised at the resistance. The muscles of the woman's abdomen where strong. This time the mother did scream and Willow saw out of the corner of her eye that Andres leaped to his feet.
“Stop!” he yelled, but Matthew ignored him and slipped his hands inside the opening. With a grunt, he pulled and Willow’s eyes widened as she saw the head of the baby appear.
"Pull harder," Matthew commanded. The three of them did, and Matthew carefully drew the human free from its mother's body. At first, Willow was sure it was dead. The skin was bloody and red and it made no sound. A look of concern crossed Matthew's face. Oh no, Willow thought. We are too late. Then Matthew slipped a finger into the baby’s mouth to clear it of fluid and the action was enough. The newborn opened its tiny mouth and let out a wail.
CHAPTER 8
Raven opened her eyes and saw a faint light peeking in through the door of the shed where she and Hector had slept for the night. She felt another nudge at her foot and looked to see the cat mutant standing over her. “Good,” Hector said. “You're awake. Let's go.” Raven sat up and yawned.
"Hold your horses," she said. "Give me a second to wake up." She watched Hector grind his teeth with frustration, but he waited without comment. Appreciating his restraint considering the sense of anxiety coming from him, Raven stood up and stretched her tired back. Sleeping on the bare wooden boards did not make for much comfort. She rubbed her eyes and then nodded. "Okay, I'm ready," she said. Hector immediately spun on his heel and left the small building. Raven followed and yawned again. "I don't suppose this place we are going has coffee, does it?" she asked.
Hector paused. “What’s coffee?” he said.
Raven sighed. “Just something I used to drink every morning. Lots of people did,” she replied. “Pretty amazing stuff.” Hector shook his head and started walking again.
“Never heard of it. Some people drink tea, but I never acquired a taste for it,” Hector said.
"Well tea is better than nothing. I look forward to it. What else will there be to drink? Or is this not a social kind of visit?" Raven asked sincerely hoping the cat mutant would open up to her about where they were going. Apprehension over what might lay ahead sat like a ball in the pit of her stomach. While they had been walking yesterday, she had been strategizing things she could do or say which would make an impact on whoever Hector so much wanted to impress. There was not much to work with, especially considering she did not know how advanced the place Hector called home would be. The fact he was a prince clued her in there was more of a population than she found with the human nomads. If there is a ruling hierarchy, they are definitely more advanced socially, she thought. And if they have negotiated some sort of peace with the Patrols, then they can get Mouse back for us.
Suddenly, Hector stopped and turned back to her and Raven paused in her walking. "I don't suppose I can talk you into riding on my back again, can I? We would go much faster." Hector had asked this before, and Raven always declined. Being carried along piggyback like a four-year-old was not appealing. She knew he could have slung her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes a long time ago. Thankfully, he had not. Now however his patience looked very thin. Maybe I can use this to my advantage, she thought smiled at the beast who was slowly turning into an odd friend of sorts.
“I’ll agree. On the condition you make me a promise,” she said.
“What?” Hector said looking unhappy with her stubbornness.
“That you will answer a couple questions while we travel along,” she replied.
Hector rolled his eyes. “About my home and all that business I am guessing,” he said.
“Yes,” Raven said. “I want to know what I am getting into. It’s only reasonable you give me at least some background.”
"Fine," he said and stepped toward her before dropping to one knee so she could climb onto his back. Raven wrapped her arms around his neck and clung to his hips with her legs. It was a bit awkward, and Raven started to reconsider her agreeing, but then he was up and off at a fast lope along the tracks.
“You better keep your promise,” she said in his pointed feline ear. Hector grunted and said nothing. “I mean it,” Raven insisted.
“All right then. What do you want to know?” Hector asked.
“Well for starters, if this place is your home and your father lives there, why are you out wandering the high desert causing trouble?” she asked.
Hector laughed. “Out causing trouble, am I?” he said.
"From what I saw, absolutely. But don't try to change the subject. Tell me why you don't live wherever we are going." Hector was quiet, and for a minute Raven thought he was going to refuse to answer. Finally, he growled out a reply from low in his throat.
“I ran,” he said. Raven did not like the sound of that answer. Does this mean we are not welcome in the place we are going? she thought.
“Why did you run?” she asked with hesitation.
Raven could feel Hector’s muscles flex under her hands and she knew him well enough by now to know if she could see his face, anger would be in his eyes. “Because,” he replied. “I tried to kill my brother.”
Food had never tasted so good. Matthew was not accustomed to fish as it was not something raised in the colony. Once it was explained to him, he could grasp the concept around the creatures living in water, even frigid water, and being caught with string and lures. It was all rather ingenious in his opinion, and the scientist part of him hoped he could actually witness the procedure in action. I better not get my expectations up, he thought and swallowed another bite of the fish stew. I should just be grateful they are letting me eat.
In fact, the clan's residents were much more cordial after the long night of his delivering the healthy baby and taking care of the mother. Once the newborn was clear of the womb and its umbilical cord taken care of, Matthew had used the thinnest filament of organic fishing line available to sew up the mother's cut. Everything went well, beyond his greatest expectations even, but he had stayed up with the new family the rest of the night in case anything happened. Nothing had. Everyone was excited that the baby was a boy, which Matthew did not quite understand. Fertile females were much more valuable to the population, yet the father Andres repeatedly bragged to the few visitors that now he had a son. Matthew chalked his own lack of understanding up to the fact he could never have natural offspring of his own. As a clone, he was sterile. As such, genetically, the paternal link did not exist in him and yet, for a fleeting moment, he wondered if an emotional connection could ever develop. Before he could pursue the thought more, Emilia had entered the tent with the midwife. The older woman's previous reluctance to help with the birth appeared to have dissipated. "Mara will take over so you can rest," Emilia had told him. Matthew had taken her up on it and caught a few hours rest. The sleep, added to the food he now ate, made him feel like a new man.
As he finished his meal, Willow approached with a bundle of clothes in her arms. He smiled at her and knew she was instrumental in saving him so far. “You’re looking better,” she said and sat down on a blanket. Matthew nodded and set the bowl aside.
“Much,” he replied. “And I know I have you to thank. I’d be dead already if you had not stepped forward and let me speak.”
"Probably," Willow said. "But you are the one who performed what the people are now calling a miracle. Saving the baby boy and having the mother still live was incredible." Willow glanced around to see if anyone was near and listening before she continued. "And I have talked more to Emilia. She is going to announce to the clan in a little while you are to be welcomed by the group. I'm not sure how everyone will take it, but you have enough supporters now I am confident yo
u are safe."
Matthew breathed a deep sigh of relief. “I was wondering what would happen next,” he said. “What should I do while I wait? Can I check on the mother and child?”
“I’m sure you can,” Willow answered as she pushed the bundle of cloth and animal skins toward him. “Although I suggest you change clothes first. Lose the black and gray, Matthew.”
Samuel burst into Gabriel’s office unannounced. The man was clearly not happy. I really need to start locking that door, Gabriel thought as he leaned back in his chair. “Can I help you, Samuel?”
“I just read in the day’s report the wastling girl tried to escape last night,” he snarled. “Any reason why you did not alert me of this immediately?”
Gabriel scratched the side of his head thoughtfully before he formed his answer. There were a lot of things he wanted to say but held his tongue. He was on thin ice as of late with the failure to find the witch, and he knew it. "Well," he said with forced patience. "I contained the matter and figured since nothing came of it, it could wait for the daily report." Samuel looked about to explode at the answer. Gabriel tried hard not to smile. He was taking a lot more pleasure out of pushing Samuel's buttons than he imagined he would. Not alerting the man of what happened was not originally meant to irritate him, but now Gabriel was doubly pleased with his decision not to call attention to the event. After a minute, Samuel, still red faced, puffed out an angry breath and glared at Gabriel.
“In the future, I expect to be informed immediately. Is that clear?” Samuel asked.
“I will make sure,” Gabriel said with a nod. “Is there anything else?”
“Where is the girl now?” Samuel asked in reply. “I’m hoping you have her locked up somewhere.”
