Free the North! (Free Trader Series Book 5)

by Craig Martelle

  Karma didn’t understand who it was dealing with, clearly.

  ‘Come along, Fea. Let’s meet the others. They’re waiting at the bottom. You’ll get to meet a Wolfoid–that will be a real treat, for Bounder, that is.’

  G-War surreptitiously tried to count the number of ‘cats, but stopped when he hit thirty because they kept weaving around each other and he kept losing track.

  Braden and the others were waiting patiently when G-War arrived at the head of a substantial parade of Hillcats. Braden didn’t laugh as the logistical challenge of travelling with such a group weighed on him.

  “What did you do, G?’ Braden asked.

  ‘I was myself. Don’t act so surprised,’ G-War responded smugly, trying to reassert some control over his situation. ‘Let me introduce Fealona. Fea, meet my human.’

  Braden’s mouth dropped open at the rude introduction.

  ‘My mate has told me much about you. I am pleased to meet you, Braden, and look forward to traveling with you and Ax,’ she purred sweetly. The other ‘cats stayed inside the tree line, waiting to be called out by their matriarch.

  “You don’t deserve her, G,” Braden said as he scratched behind her ears. She was all white, with black spots splattered randomly around her body. The largest encircled one eye, making it almost look like she wore an eyepatch. “Well, aren’t you a beauty! I suspect you will work wonders on our lifelong bachelor. He’ll be a new ‘cat in no time.” Braden smiled and smirked, trying not to laugh.

  Bounder moved forward to introduce himself. Fea flattened her ears against her head and her eyes narrowed to mere slits while the rest of her body attempted to project calm. Hissing came from the trees as the kittens felt her anxiety. G-War had too much respect for Bounder to let his new extended family show any fear or hatred toward him, so the Golden Warrior rubbed his body on the Wolfoid and stood with him, scolding the kittens for treating his friend like that. He told them to come out and make a proper greeting.

  They still waited for a nod from Fea before they moved. ‘That needs to change,’ he said definitively. She looked at his resolve, then agreed, telling the kittens that they needed to follow orders from Prince Axial De’atesh as if they were hers. The older ‘cats and the mob of kittens approached tentatively, stopping and crouching as if to attack before continuing their approach. Bounder laid on the ground so he was more at their level, and that broke the ice. He was completely enveloped in ‘cats rubbing on him and climbing on him until he sneezed, then hackles raised and backs arched as the little ones were ready to battle.

  “Did he tell you that he named my children? Yup. Ax and ‘Tesh. I can’t tell you how much it means to us that you have decided to join with G-War for this journey through life. I can’t tell you how lonely he’s been, spending his life waiting for the right one to come along and look at this, here you are.” Braden looked earnestly into her eyes while she looked through his and deep into his mind, pleased with what she saw.

  Brandt introduced himself and Skirill, too. Skirill had to dissuade the kittens from seeking a ride once they learned from Uncle Ax that he’d done it.

  They slept as they could that night, but thirty-seven ‘cats make noise, even though they were as silent as death when alone. With the sunrise, Braden climbed onto Brandt’s back, unsure how all the ‘cats were going to fit, but when properly motivated, they made themselves quite small. They steadied themselves by holding on with their claws.

  ‘You, my small orange friend, are going to pay for this,’ was the extent that Brandt would complain about pinches and needle pricks seemingly all over his body. G-War and Fea crouched together on the King’s head with five or six of the smallest kittens. Two kittens rode on Bounder’s back while he ran on all fours and one kitten had the distinct honor of riding on Skirill. To keep the ‘cats from fighting, Skirill chose one based on size and disposition. In other words, he randomly picked one of the smaller ones.

  Braden had no intention of stopping, until the hunger cries became so intense he couldn’t take it anymore.

  G-War pointed. ‘That way,’ he told Braden, and the human went hunting. The larger ‘cats joined him, hoping to be blooded with their first kill. Braden didn’t give them the chance, shooting the deer before the noisy ‘cats scared it away.

  ‘You have a lot to teach them, G,’ Braden said over the mindlink.

  They spent one night on the plain and arrived back at Cameron with little fanfare. Micah wasn’t surprised and was instantly smitten by Fea. While traveling through Cameron, they lost three ‘cats who bonded with random humans.

  “Look at that, G! You’re already leaving your mark,” Braden quipped. Fea was fine as long as her own were taken care of. She reserved the right for disapproval, but hadn’t had to exercise it since the ‘cats had chosen quality humans for bonding. Braden and Micah were pleased that the Hillcats would have a larger presence in the world. She couldn’t imagine what their lives would have been like without the Golden Warrior. It was he who told Braden that there was a world on the other side of the Great Desert.

  When they finally finished their parade through town, they found that they’d gotten two horses in addition to fifty-five head of water buffalo. The owners guessed that at least ten percent of the herd would be lost during the move and didn’t want Braden’s caravan to show up short of his desired number.

  And they still had gold and platinum left over. That earned Micah a long kiss. G-War and Fea rode on the King’s head. Braden and Micah rode the horses while Zeller stayed with the wagon, piled full with Hillcats and two sneezing Wolfoids, who quickly excused themselves, saying they preferred to run with the herd.

  They started the water buffalo moving south on the plains west of the forest that bordered the ancients’ road. Braden had forgotten how agonizingly slowly water buffalo moved.

  Some Personal Business

  They squeezed a two-turn trip into five turns as they traveled to Whitehorse. Braden did the math in his head and then conferred with Holly. The water buffalo could not carry enough water to make it to Oasis 03. This revelation made Braden descend into a deep pit of darkness. They’d press on, but they had to find a way to speed up the herd.

  They settled the livestock in the plains, leaving the Aurochs, Bounder, Gray Strider, and some of the young adult ‘cats to watch over it and make sure the animals stayed close together. Skirill and Zyena offered to help. They left the wagon and Braden, Micah, and Zeller rode the two horses to Whitehorse, accompanied by G-War and Fea.

  They found that the barricade had been removed and there were signs that at least a couple wagons had traveled back and forth on the road to Cameron. They hurried into town as Zeller was eager to see the blacksmith

  The large man had somehow gotten word of their arrival as he waited impatiently, wiping his hands profusely on his work apron. As they drove up, he reached into the wagon and lifted Zeller out as if she were a child, hugging her extensively before putting her on the ground.

  “I never got your name, Master Blacksmith,” Braden said.

  “My name is Tomas, but everyone just calls me Tom,” he answered.

  “No!” Braden blurted out. “Tom the blacksmith. But we already have one of those!” Tom didn’t understand.

  “Tomas and I will be in his shop if you need us,” Zeller said, taking his large hand in hers and leading him away.

  “Is there any reason we’d need to go to his shop?” Braden asked.

  “None,” Micah said firmly.

  Fea watched everything with great interest. She’d never been outside of her own community before she met G-War and the companions. Now she was one of the most well-traveled of Hillcats. She enjoyed that and her new human, too. Micah absently stroked her fur as they traveled. Unlike G-War, Fea couldn’t get enough of the petting that the humans found so comforting. It worked for her, too. G-War sat on Braden’s lap, sympathizing with the human as he’d never done before.

  To make G-War feel better, Braden offered a look in
to a possible future. “I don’t think you’ll have any more problems with Klytus and Shauna’s mother.”

  G-War thought about it and agreed. He looked forward to the meeting, but he’d have to teach Fea how to fight first. He’d have to teach all of them how to fight.

  Braden looked at Micah. “What are we doing here?” he asked, not understanding why they were delayed. He felt like the water buffalo needed his attention.

  G-War and Fea excused themselves to return to the wagon as they had no interest in trading or waiting in the sun.

  “Zeller wanted to see her man and we need to do some shopping,” she said happily. Braden looked at the meager offerings before hanging his head. Another exercise in building up hope. It pained him to watch bad deals, but this time he smiled, nodded, and carried the purchases while the vendors beamed at their newfound wealth.

  Braden wrapped the goods in a huge blanket that he draped over his horse.

  Tom and Zeller had not yet reappeared. Micah hesitated to knock, but they’d delayed as long as they were comfortable. The ‘cats were just outside town, and Braden assumed that they would start making trouble soon. He understood innately what it was like trying to get a ‘cat to do something and getting thirty-four of them to do the same thing seemed impossible. His only hope was to keep them going in one direction once they started moving.

  Which they weren’t at present. Micah knocked a second time on the door to the blacksmith’s shop and walked in without waiting for an answer. She found Tom and Zeller carrying a couple bags each while Tom was shaking hands with a very young man and scrawny young woman, both filthy from working with the forge.

  Micah held her hands up, asking Zeller what was going on.

  “Tom’s coming with us,” she said as she handed Micah one of the smaller bags, and they all walked out. Braden took the bag from his partner and heartily welcomed young Tom as he thought he’d call him. They tied the bags onto the horses with the rough and thick rope from the north. They’d given or traded all of their Amazonian rope away. Braden missed it, knowing that if a trade route developed between the north and the south, the item in greatest demand would be that rope. Zeller already knew that she’d probably be the first one to do it as one of the most experienced in crossing the Great Desert.

  Braden knew that it wouldn’t be him.

  They walked the loaded horses out of town and through the nearby woods where they encountered Hillcats climbing trees, chasing each other, and generally being everywhere other than at the wagon.

  The only two at the wagon were G-War and Fea, who were playing some kind of ‘cat cuddles game.

  ‘You’re back early,’ G-War said with surprise.

  “No. No, we’re not, and you didn’t sense us coming?” Braden asked, wondering if his best friend was losing his edge.

  ‘Yes, no, well, I knew there wasn’t anything dangerous. We have an army of ‘cats protecting us now!’ he said with great emphasis and pride. Braden walked two steps and plucked the tiniest of kittens from a tree branch, getting a long thin scratch on his arm for his efforts, and deposited her in the wagon.

  “You mean like her? An army of ‘cats?” Braden said, pointing, as if they didn’t know he was talking about the kitten batting at his hand. Micah stifled a laugh. Zeller and Tom didn’t seem to notice as she was showing him “her” wagon.

  “Bounder!” Braden yelled and walked away, hoping the Wolfoids had kept the herd together.

  What Braden failed to realize was that Fea ruled with an iron paw. When she told the ‘cats to return, they came, some slower than others, but all of them returned without anyone having to chase an errant kitten. Braden thanked Fea profusely while giving G-War the hairy eyeball.

  ‘Oh, stop it,’ G-War prodded lightly. ‘You were worse when you were courting.’

  “I don’t believe I was. We were in the middle of opening up free trade across the south. That took a great deal of effort and attention. We fought a few battles along the way as well. No. You’re worse.”

  ‘We shall agree to disagree. Onward, humans. Take us to our new home,’ the ‘cat commanded with a flick of his furry orange paw.

  Arnie pulled the wagon, while Brandt, Bounder, Gray Strider, with Braden and Micah riding the horses, moved the herd. The grazing was good and the water buffalo were reluctant to get started. Brandt turned out to be the secret weapon. The water buffalo looked on him as if he were one of them, but an order of magnitude larger. He charged them, lowering his great horns, which turned them from a slow-moving group to an all-out stampede.

  They ran in every direction except the one intended. Bounder and Gray Strider bolted for their lives when they saw the fear in the eyes of the water buffalo. Braden and Micah rode hard and wide to turn the heads of the quickest animals. It took them far longer than planned to get the animals going generally in the direction of the pond and the way south.

  “Any ideas, Brandt? Anyone? If we try this through the desert, we’re going to have to abandon the animals. If we do that, we condemn them all to death. We have to get them to move more quickly in a straighter line.” Brandt tried leading, then he tried following so he could push them. The Wolfoids ran alongside, encouraging the water buffalo with the tips of their spears, but the livestock would run a few steps then slow to graze, meandering as they went.

  Skirill and Zyena had to be bored out of their minds at the slow pace, but they took to hunting ground squirrels, dropping their prey into the back of the wagon as they killed it. But the kittens were making a mess and Zeller was having none of that in her wagon. She made them eat while hanging on the tailgate to minimize the blood and guts in the padded interior.

  They didn’t stop for lunch or at any point during the daylight as they wanted to keep the livestock moving. As night started to fall, they’d made it halfway across the plain. Braden and Micah opened their neural implants, overlaid their location on the maps, let Holly calculate the distances, and they still came up short. Like Braden had done on his first trip across the Great Desert, he decided that they’d push the herd in and let them figure out the necessity of moving with a greater sense of urgency. There wouldn’t be any distractions of grass to graze on. They’d lose weight, but as long as they arrived in the south alive, the caravan’s journey would have been a success.

  As Braden looked at it, hope was a lousy plan, and it was the only one he had.

  They camped in the open plain, while the water buffalo grazed around them. They slept in, on, or under the wagon after an ungratifying meal of smoked meat and some vegetables they’d purchased. The ‘cats weren’t amused, even after G-War told them what their life would be like on the road and in the south. There would be suffering, which they were fine with until the suffering started.

  Most of them were kittens of various ages. There were seven or eight young adults and Fea. There were two other adult males and G-War put them in their place in a hurry. The heavily scarred G-War was intimidating to the Hillcats who’d been raised with less of an edge. Exasperated, he gave up and turned the young adults over to Fea, who empathized with them while calming them down. G-War had to train the ‘cats how to be good Hillcats and Fea learned that she needed to train her Prince.

  That reminded Micah of a saying that she heard once. Men chase women just until she catches him.

  When the sun started to rise, they drank heartily from the wagon’s stocks while the water buffalo licked the dew from the grass. The ‘cats jumped from the wagon, one by one, to take care of personal ‘cat business. One of the older kittens thought chasing a water buffalo would be fun, but then ventured a jump onto its back. He’d seen G-War and Fea riding on Brandt and knew that’s how he wanted to travel. Once on the water buffalo, he dug in his claws and hung on as the beast kicked and snorted. It soon settled down and the kitten found that he could give it basic directions. Pleased with himself, he brought the water buffalo to the wagon and declared that he had his ride for the daylight. The beast turned and headed in the direction of t
he pond.

  Braden looked at Micah with a huge grin. “The ‘cats can drive the water buffalo,” he said as the revelation swept over him.

  “Hey! You, what’s your name, how did you do that?” Braden yelled. Micah pointed to her own head. “What?”

  ‘Thought voice, lover. No need to yell. You are scaring the children,’ she laughed.

  ‘Come back here, Treetis,’ Fea jumped in. She questioned him on how he did it, then shared his thoughts with the rest of the ‘cats and one by one, they were each assigned a water buffalo. Even the smallest kittens were unafraid, but Fea expected they’d have to bring them into the wagon at regular intervals to rest.

  With the ‘cats situated and the water buffalo settled down, they started off with Brandt setting the pace. Although it was slow for him, the water buffalo had to trot every few steps to keep up. They continued that way until the sun was high in the sky and the pond was near. They took a break, let the smallest kittens rest, and continued with only half the herd carrying riders. When they arrived at the pond, the water buffalo waded in, fouling the water for the rest to drink. They headed upstream to drink from the clear flowing fresh water. Then they started filling the saddle bags that each water buffalo would carry.

  The Wolfoids had to use their spears to dissuade more adventurous water buffalo from getting upstream, but in the end, it all worked out.

  G-War took the older ‘cats hunting, but once again, it was an arrow from Braden’s bow that guaranteed their dinner.

  After passing out the raw bits and quite a bit of flesh to the ‘cats, the humans settled in to cook the rest.

  “What made you decide to join us?” Braden asked, looking to find out more about their new addition. By riding the horses, Braden and Micah didn’t get to talk with Zeller and Tom as they traveled.

  “That’s your question?” Micah interrupted, which led to a short back-and-forth between her and Braden regarding small talk.