Chapter 28

Commotion

I followed Clyde into the ship where we could get some privacy. He turned the audio on. There was a rumbling, sounds of boxes being shuffled around, chimes an clicks sounded as preparations for take off.

“He’s leaving?”

“Listen to this.” He turned on another bug’s recording. Whispering and voices of thirty Felines filled the speakers.

“With other Felines? When was this?”

“Right now.” He said.

“Did they leave yet?”

“I’m doing what I can to stall the engines, but there’s so much I can do before someone finds the bugs.”

“You can control his ship with those bugs?”

“Only to a degree—.” I cut him off and ran out of there like a shot, on my way to the village.

I ran out of the temple, down the path and into the village. I was there in less than a minute. Running down the street I took a few shortcuts and made it to the village hall and ran in down the hallway.

There was muffled screaming behind one of the doors. It was the Maiden of Truth’s secret room. I opened it and found her tied to a chair with a cloth cinched around her mouth.

I didn’t have time to talk but I cut the ropes and ran out before she could say thank you.

Flying down the rest of the hall I came to the door to the King’s hangar. It was wide open and Feline soldiers were coming in and out. Without waiting, no caution, I ran through the doorway and finally into the hangar.

A couple of mechanics were having an argument about the diagnosis and troubleshooting of the ship’s engines. There seemed to be a problem. Thank Clyde.

Now that I made it I took time to crouch behind some barrels and message Clyde.

Where is the King?

He seems to be in the lounge of the ship, nearest the cockpit.

And the hostages?

In the cargo hold. There’s an entrance I can try to open when you’re ready, I’m sure it’s guarded.

Let me think.

I waited a moment and thought this over. But there didn’t seem to be much to think. I had to get the hostages out silently, and I’d rather not disturb the King.

Open the cargo hold. I’m letting them out.

The door came down, I got up and, as though on normal business, walked around to the door and strode up the walkway.

About thirty guards stared at me in the dimness. I held a finger to my lips and told them to get up and out quickly and without attracting too much attention.

A guard came by shouting, “Who opened the cargo door? Where are you all going?”

I told him, “King’s orders, ship’s not leaving today.”

He seemed to understand and bowed, “Thank you Huntress.”

I was surprised. Maybe I’m just not used to being royalty. But I hope I had him on my side.

All of the hostages made it out and into the hanger. Getting out of the hangar was another problem, but they were already found before too many guards came to stop them.

Suddenly the King ran around the corner, “Who let them out?” He shrieked.

I stood in the open gangway, he saw me and stopped fast. Everyone else seemed to stop. “You’re still alive? But how?”

“You don’t know your very own Huntress.”

I could see he was trying to work things out. But before too long he yelled, “Guards! Capture her!”

I could hear the frenzy in the hangar begin to grow and more guards came to see who he was yelling about.

None came close to me yet, but they started advancing.

I stood low, in position for anything to happen. The guards were wary to take me on. I’m sure some stories have spread.

“Get her!” He ordered again.

An gun was fired and hit me in the arm. My suit took the hit and I felt nothing.

A fair number of guards ran up the gangway to grab me, the others stood there, some in disbelief, some utterly unable to comply to the order to capture the Huntress of the Felines.

The guards who advanced were the unlucky ones.

I told them, “I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I’m not too good at letting my enemies live.” It wasn’t untrue.

They kept advancing slowly.

I put my guard down for a moment to see if they would stop, still they kept advancing. Another couple of shot hit me in the abdomen, I looked to see where they were coming from.

A guard jumped at me, I jumped back, caught him off balance and pushed him off the gangway.

They seemed determined, and all at once they jumped at me. I jumped back once more, then took to the air, jumping over their heads and landed safely on the ground.

The King was having a fit seeing me escape and ordered them again and again, yelling at the next closet guard and trying to hide in terror when I looked at him.

I ignored him, he’ll have to be dealt with later.

I found the exit and ran towards it.

Before I could make it a huge Feline hand grabbed me by the neck and lifted me up.

He was a guard, Feline, but twice the size I’ve ever seen any Feline to be.

The King was clapping gleefully, “Well done Bonzo,” and started towards me, me hanging in the air.

Can you do something?

Just then the guns on the ship came to life with their mechanical hiss and whine, turned and pointed at me.

“Stop!” I yelled. “Put me down!”

The guns fired and I dropped to the floor.

The Huge Feline behind me toppled to the floor.

The King screamed, engineers looked amazed, a pilot came out of the ship confused.

I stood up and pointed a finger at the King. “You’re under arrest.”

He didn’t seem to think so, “Guards, Get her!.”

The mechanical whine of the ship’s guns hissed again and turned on him. I got the clue.

“You’re under arrest.” I said again.

“Ok, stop!” The King squealed, throwing his arms up in a surrender.

The guards stopped. There was a moment of organization: the ones loyal to him went behind the King and the others came to my side. Fortunately my side outnumbered his by a few and I marched him out and into the great hall. The same place where I was knighted and dubbed Huntress publicly some time ago.

I sent one guard to get the Maiden of Truth, obviously sobbing in her room.

A moment later, after an awkward silence of everyone having sat down, the King and I sat at the front surrounded by his guards and around them stood those guards loyal to me.

The Maiden of Truth arrived, shocked. I guess she didn’t know what to think.

The King sat with a smug smile.

What do we do, come to a reconciliation? Did he win and capture me or did I capture him?

I broke the silence. “Thank you for coming Maiden of Truth. We have a dilemma here. Something I don’t think has happened in all of the Felines history.”

People started to move about and whisper things of treachery and defeat.

I continued, “Now that the three of us are here the King will be tried on his accounts.”

The back door leading to the underground swung open again, violently this time, and the Queen marched forward. “I don’t know what you think is going on here. Let the king out of your dirty claws. You have no business here you peasant born mongrel.”

More gasps from the growing crowd.

“I don’t have the King in my claws and you have no say in our jurisdiction as the queen.”

“Enough! Let him go this instant!”

The guards moved, some feeling threatened. Others not under her control tried to stay calm and hold the anxious from doing anything rash. The crowd rose with jeers against the King or I. A civil war nearly broke out until a voice rose above the rest.

“Enough!” The King yelled with such force to sit everyone down. “Let her go on with her ‘accusations’ against me. They can’t be all true, nor anything I can’t pay back. She is folly enough to come into my quarters and interfere with royal business she has no inkling or knowledge of.”

With everyone seated again I continued. “The present King is being accused of slave trade, using his own people to work for other species for unknown reasons at the moment.”

The King chuckled softly, “If this is what you bring up, there is barely anything to be done about it. Selling of one’s own people has been done before by many Kings, it is a way to get even with debts between other Kings, Royal business.”

The crowd jeered at this and threw trash at him.

He closed his eyes a let one particularly well aimed pebble hit him between the eyes. He took a breath and continued, “Besides, clause twenty-seven of the rights of a King allow me to do whatever in my power to bring order to the realm, avoid interracial conflicts between humans, or Xenos.”

More boos and trash. He nearly caused another riot until the guards started an advance to get them to sit once again.

“With that, anyone here who has intimately been a victim of slave trafficking, please quietly stand up.”

About twenty stood up, I recognized most of them as ones I had just saved.

“Anyone whose family members had suddenly disappeared, and likely were kidnapped as part of this scheme?“

Over half of them stood. Shocking.

“So the trafficking has been going on for much longer than we thought.”

“Precisely, it’s not against the rules.” The King said.

“Account number two, and I as witness; taking the Huntress on mission and abandoning her to be taken hostage by a Murid and never followed up on.”

“Also fallacy,” he punched back. “You were taken on mission and failed, how you came back was miraculous I must say, but nonetheless, I can— appreciate your being back.” With the last he glared at me and motioned with his now tied up hands.

“Then could you explain the cut communications as soon as I got to the location?”

“The faulty radios? It was an airport, you couldn’t expect that foreign radios signals not to be blocked.”

“On a hidden wavelength? I thought you said they were hi-tech espionage type radios.”

“That could have been the case, machines fail often. I can’t be held responsible for everything that could go wrong.”

“Then as protocol that should be acceptable, no guards followed or even followed up that the mission was completed, seen that I hadn’t failed or that I had been captured.”

“That shouldn’t have been an issue, you’re the Huntress trained in ways only you and the previous Huntresses know. Such ‘acceptable’ protocol wouldn’t have been necessary if you had taken care of your side of things, as in: not getting captured.”

I looked to the crowd, angry faces glared at the King, some even at me and some even confused as to the detail of my account.

“Fair enough, I have made it back no thanks to you.” I sneered back at him.

I now addressed the crowd, “Any other accounts of treachery on the part of the King?”

Hands flew up in the air.

“Oh my.” The King said, rolling his eyes.

I took up the one closest to me.

A farmer by his clothes and dirty paws. “We were promised land. I had sent in a request but it never came back even after ten so far, every season, no reply. My crops are dried up and getting a healthy crop to grow is near impossible now. Even in the streets I see people starving, families have the money but I have nothing to sell.”

The King replied now, “I have never received your order. Try writing legibly and I might be able to understand it. Otherwise if it is such a big deal why don’t you move land yourself. There’s plenty of it out there.”

The jeers continued and the complaints kept rolling in, hand after hand raised. It continued until dusk.

“That’s enough for the moment,” I said, leaving another ten hands left up. “It’s getting late, I suppose we should vote for his resignation now.”

The King scoffed and whispered something to the Queen before the guards caught her and pulled her back, somewhat hidden while the crowd started clapping and stomping their feet causing the distraction.

“All those in favor of the King raise your hand.”

There’s was two or three in the front corner, standing proudly, making eye contact with no one.

“All those in favor of the current King’s resignation, and for a second temporary King to be named, please raise your hands.”

There was a unanimous swoosh as the entire crowd raised a hand, seconds later they started cheering.

The guards had quite a time getting them to sit down again.

“That’s it! Everyone quiet!”

They sat now, staring and trying to find the voice.

It was the queen. Now holding a massive old book, looking like it was going to crumble in her hands.

“You may vote, but the law states otherwise.”

Many started whispering, I could hear they all asked the same question.

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“Law thirty-eight regards the resignation and or impeachment of a King. And I quote, when the King’s misconduct proves within reasonable doubt that he cannot uphold his duties as a King he can resign with a new King to be appointed by vote of the heads of each section of the village, if he does not resign and the majority of the committee of the village votes against him he shall be impeached. The requirements of such vote must include breaking previous laws more than once with or without being noted and may not be held under plain misdemeanors.”

Nobody in the crowd moved, after a second some whispered to others. “What does that mean?” One villager yelled out.

“It means that he is not impeached and you can all get out and mind your own business. Get back to work! We have a village to run.”

She snatched the King and pulled him into the back hallways, slammed the door shut and locked it three times.

I had quite a time now getting the crowd to settle down again.

“Alright, I guess we should vote for a new King, temporarily.”

About ten came up front and center, we voted and swore in the head of security as the temporary King.

More questions arose about what we will do with the old King, what if he takes physical action against the village?

The new King spoke up, addressing the village, “I don’t have answers for you now, go to sleep and continue working as normal, security and the police force will deal with him for now. I believe you will all be safe and no more kidnapping will take place. Have a good night.”

I felt exhausted and still had to talk with the Maiden of Truth for another hour, listening to her hysterics on the matter. Finally she was pulled away by some guard who saw the two of us, asking if she’d like some dinner. I took my chance to escape.

Time to leave it for tomorrow. They seem to have it under control.

Trudging back back up the hill and into the hangar I found my party of Dryads going to bed.

“Time for bed?” Clyde asked.

“About time isn’t it?”

I let the Dryads go to sleep without much conversation, walking around to make sure they’re doing ok. I told them we would handle most of it in the morning.

I made it to my bedroom in the back and flipped on the bed.

———

“I saw what happened.” Ares told me. She was in my room, standing up against one of the natural stone pillars.

I didn’t have anything to say and she graced over to the side of my bed and sat down.

“You made the laws,” I said, “you and Xeres predicted the future and wrote all those fortune books the Maiden of Truth keeps, down to the last comma.”

“Yes we did.”

“So you knew this was going to happen?”

“In a way, yes.” She didn’t look guilty, she just smiled her usual serene smile.

“So why didn’t you warn me?”

“You don’t need any warnings. You handled it perfectly. You could probably tell me exactly what will happen tomorrow.”

“I know what will happen, the King will try to stay locked up, find a way to keep stealing Felines and the whole village will move out, leaving the village all to himself.” Then it dawned on me, if nobody is left in the village I will be his closest target.

She read my mind. “Then you will have to move quickly, get the army ready and advance the Ancients.”

“I know. We’re going as fast as possible.”

Her serene smile stayed on her face annoyingly. She didn’t have the same emotions I did. Maybe that’s what happens when you’re dead for a few thousand years.

“I do have more certainty in your abilities than you do.”

“Of course you do. You’ve predicted the future this far. Why couldn’t you have predicted what come next. I know the books end this year. No more fortunes and prophecies, I heard it both from the Maiden of Truth and Clyde.”

“You we’re by my side from the beginning.” She said, settling my emotions.

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t you remember, Cora?”

That name sounds familiar. “Where have I heard that name before? Fairytales or history?”

“You don’t have to read a book to know who you were. You’ve been by my side since the beginning. Fighting the Canines, the Ancients, and you grew old and died like the rest of us.”

“From old age.”

“You were always the Huntress.”

I needed some time for this to sink in. Memories exploded in my mind. There was some truth to what she was saying. “What about all the other Huntresses?”

“They were place holders until you came back.”

“That’s why Celentine didn’t have to teach me much, just history and current affairs. I knew how to fight, I knew my enemies.”

“You know a lot. That’s why I have so much faith in you, because you’ve always been our righthand Feline.”

“But I wasn’t like you,” I said. “There were only pairs of Xenos when we first came. He was strong, but I was stronger. Until he was killed by a Canine and you took me under your arm. I was a Feline too. Just a different brand.”

“You were better than us, better than just Felines, but you felt as one of us. Walked with us, hunted with us, killed with us.”

My head was spinning, but spinning straighter than in my whole life. I know what I have to do now more than ever.“Retribution,” I said with gritted teeth.

“That’s not always the answer. There are new enemies now, once the old ones are gone. Life isn’t just about killing, it was only a game, a test even, when we were out here. You know why the Xenos were made.”

“I do know.”

“You can change the future,” she said.

“But you’ve proven that it’s been known for thousands of years already.”

“And a thousand years is a short time. At many moments in time I would have been able to tell you what the next year will be like. Not with you running around, Cora, Dawn. You are powerful, in more ways than one.”

“So you’re saying you don’t know what I’ll do next?”

“Precisely. That’s why you’re Dawn. The Dawn. Because I never know what tomorrow will bring me. The new beginning.”

She let me sit for a moment.

So now I know what I do today will be the turning point of tomorrow. I have a big mission. The weight of the Felines is on my shoulders. The weight of all of Xenobia is on my shoulders.

She finally brought us back to our mission, “The Equine will return tomorrow, the Aves a few days later.”

“Then the hunt begins. I’ll have an army, nothing to stop us.”

“Your warriors know what they’re doing. They’re the best leaders for centuries and on your side, yet you know more than they. You lead them, and lead them to battle.”

“I will.” I told her solemnly and closed my eyes for a second.

I got up and with Ares snuck outside careful not to disturb anyone or anything.

We peacefully walked up to the top of the hill, just as I had always done more times than I remember.

“But there’s still the problem of the King,” I said. “Surely you must have been in touch with him like you are with me.”

“We were, but something happened.”

She was picking at her nails now.

“What happened? He turned on you and then turned on the village?”

“Not exactly. Something got him. We’re still not sure what.” She smiled slyly.

I could tell that she did know and I stared at her with eyes begging her to tell me.

“You already know enough. And I’ll come and visit many more times. Maybe when you finish the Ancients we can get together and fight like we used to. Sisters, together on a battle field, nothing to stop us, pure force and tactics nobody has been able to beat for thousands of years. You and I are one, never to be broken.”

This time I closed my eyes and she was gone. Left somewhere, a little bit closer to my heart. I know she doesn’t leave, she doesn’t leave Xenobia, yet she’s not on Xenobia, not on another planet. She’s with me.

———

“Cora, wake up. They’re here for you.”

It was Ares, younger and alive, yet just as beautiful as ever.

I trudged out from my makeshift room, a den of branches. I felt broken, inside and out. My partner was killed in the fight. Will-be battle scars opened as I walked, eyes puffy from a recent punch in the face from a Equine. But I wasn’t a Xeno, I’m an original. A Feline, not a small orange calico Xeno Feline. I was what they might have mistaken for a jaguar, black, shadow spots, muscles bulking, three times as big as them.

They used to put me in a cage to fight, until I ripped the chain mail fence. Then it was an arena until I made it into the crowd. In the two succeeding years I was locked up, until they found the next arena for me, a new planet. No reason to break out, no crowd to punish for heckling. I might like it here.

I did, until they killed my partner.

“Cora,” a voice yelled out, it was a Canine. “Come out for a peace treaty.”

I didn’t have to answer, I emerged from the den. The morning light hurt my eyes and I squinted.

He started without much formalities, “Thank you for coming. There’s been a slight incompatibility in the game recently. And I acknowledge you, the strongest warrior of us all, all Xenos, more or less combined, and here you are still standing, alone I may add, and alive.”

I cocked my head. A slick mouthed Canine. What does it want?

“We all know why we are here, war for us, fun for them,” he pointed to the sky. “Yet what you may know already is that you’re not like us, you have more experience than any of us. We trained for a year or two, you have too and been in matched fights for more years than we have all been alive. Your physique is magnificent and despite the combined efforts of a few hundred, you have slain more than any can keep count of.”

“Get to the point.” I growled.

The Canine cleared his throat and nervously glanced to the side. I knew he wasn’t alone, but the spokesperson had most of my attention, my attention. I could see it brought tension to his nerves.

“Alright then. We are locking you up until the game has advanced to the end, and as we know you would come out on top already, and in any event, the Xenos would like a piece of the glory as well.” He shut his mouth now and clasped his hand together. “So if you will just come along nicely there will be no fighting, your death will not warranted and the game continues tomorrow.”

“What if I say no?” I know how I felt and how I looked, though I’m sure, with all my battle wounds, he hoped I was really as fatigued as I looked. But I could see that hope fading.

“We are surrounded by Xenos and you are the target if this measure is to be taken care of.”

“How many are left?”

“Still over a hundred.”

“So I have a chance.” I muttered to myself, loud enough for him to hear. And I saw him groan inside.

“First tier, advance!” He yelled. “Hold.”

From behind the trees a number of Xenos came out, holding sticks as weapons, Aves in the trees, mysteriously dangerous. A few more types of Canines, trim Equines, bulky Bovines, a band of Murids tried helplessly to look harmful.

The Canine continued, “If you resist we have no choice, otherwise you come quietly.”

I sized up my opposition some more.

He cleared his throat. “We’ve done the math, if you leave the game now no body can match your kill count.”

“I thought you didn’t know how many I’ve killed.”

“Please.”

There was a long silence while I made eye contact with everyone but that Canine.

An Equine was stupid enough to throw a stick, tactlessly. It hit me like a twig, and luckily in an unbruised inch of my ribs. I looked at the stick, then at the one who threw it.

He twitched. Unarmed, fear struck.

Before I lunged. “I think I’ll lay low for some time, don’t try to find me.” Then I leaped straight at the Equine, his arms flew up to shield himself, and myself, feeling a bit less in the fighting mood, merely shoved him aside and kept running.

“Cora!” The Canine yelled. But I kept running. “Her head is worth the trophy! Open game on Cora!”

———

It was late morning when I awoke. Nothing to do but wait, maybe train more Dryads. They could try the training rooms, but we don’t have enough goggles. Maybe the shooting range, if they can hold a gun. Anything small for me would be huge for them.

I walked out to the hangar to see what they were up to now.

Cedar had them all training, inside the hangar and out. They had dull swords and shields in their hands, very busy hacking and slashing back and forth. Most of them in twos but a few of the bigger ones had two or three against them at the same time.

I found the ones making the swords and shields outside. There was a liveliness in the trees I thought I’d never see, but they were moving back and forth, their trunks twisting around. It was all so weird so I stood there and watched. Finally I found a few of the Dryads up in the top of the trees chanting something, then a yell like, “four!” and a sword came down and stuck in the forest floor. It seems the Hamadryads were producing the swords, pushing them out of their tops. Then the Dryads threw them down.

Cedar came up to me and asked about the Aves and the Equine,“When do you think they’ll come back?” He asked.

I turned unhappily away from the magic going on. “Sorry, what are they doing?”

“Making swords and shields, obviously.”

“That’s how they do it?” I scrunched my face, “I mean, can they even do that?”

“Of course, it’s not like we can just spawn them from mid air. We convince the Hamadryads to grow them, as we ask. The swords come from the tops and the shields from the bark. Takes a lot of energy though.”

I was about to ask, how come I didn’t know about this? But I didn’t really know about Dryads until a few months ago.

“Don’t worry, there’s no harm, just a lot of convincing, and they can only do so much before there’s no more wood left, but there’s lots of Hamadryads around. So, nothing to worry about.”

I picked up one of the swords from the ground. It was weighted very nicely, even. Yet, none of the swords matched another. I touched the edge, it was sharp enough, enough to make a good scratch if swung fast enough. “Is this as sharp as they come?”

“No, but they’re not doing too bad honestly. I sent someone to find a Hamadryad that will give us something very sharp, not very common around these parts. And another to find one with thorns, those will do some real damage if used right.”

“But I would never had guessed Dryads to be the warring type of creatures.”

“We’ve won our peace. That’s why we’re still here. No one can live without fighting something. There hasn’t been a big war for thousands of years. So the Hamadryads are a bit out of practice for making anything. But they’ll do for now.”

He walked under the tree and asked it a question.

“By the way Dawn, do you have a sewage keep? They need lots of nutrients to keep making these.”

I cringed a little and told him I’d have to ask Clyde where that’s kept.

I twirled the miniature sword and threw it into the ground. “To answer your question, I think the Equine should be back today or tomorrow, they like me so they’ll come back soon. The Aves, I have no idea, but if it takes two days to get there and two days back then I can guess it’ll be another week.”

“So we have lots of time to train. Maybe we’ll all be in good shape and ready…” his warring side came to life, “ready to kill the beasts.”

“It’s a big task, I know. But it’s better to get prepared now than the last minute.”

“If this isn’t the last minute already.”

Feeling he had the weapons production under control I decided to check on the status of the village. I figured they’d be alright but you never know what a King will do in tight spaces. “Clyde, keep an eye on the King’s ship and make sure it doesn’t go anywhere.” I said as I walked out. “I’m just checking the politics now.”

I made my way down to the village and found that things weren’t as bad as they could be. The new King had kept everyone working and still had a large line of Felines for immediate remedies to life’s situations.

The Maiden of Truth found me and I braced myself for another flurry of emotion. “Dawn! Everything’s back to normal.” She looked at the new King, “Well, almost. We’re handling the harder parts now and he’ll be making rounds once these are handled to make sure the village is happy. Maybe in a month’s time things will really begin to pick up.”

“Thanks for the news. I am really glad for this. But I do hope things go back to a better normal. Life is tough sometimes but all we can do is continue to live, no matter the circumstances.”

“That’s a good way to put it.”

I realized something about her. The Maiden of Truth, I don’t think there’s anymore prophecies for her to look over. So I had to ask, “How are the prophecies coming along?”

She looked nervously at the floor then at me, her eyes widened. “There’s none left. I—I need help. Come with me.”

She took me to her office, unlocked it with three separate keys this time and took me inside. “I have all these books, I’ve read them through at least three times each, all of the prophecies I know, but nothing tells me what’s going to happen now. All I can predict is big things are changing. The King has been kicked out publicly and I have no idea what he’s up to. You’re off doing things I have no clue about and I hope you’re staying safe. I can’t have much more on my plate. And I know you’ve been up to things but I don’t want to hear about it because I know I’d faint dead on the floor with all this stress already.”

“Don’t worry, I’m as safe as can be.” I told her and smiled, which seemed to have made her day, because she ran off and picked up another few books.

“I think you might like these, if you have some time for reading. They’re fairytales of Xenobia. Some of them originals, as you can see by their age, but they’re wonderful reads.”

I looked at the titles of some of them. The Story of Dacoit; Sleepwalker; Ancient Beasts; Famous Felines; Brotherhood of Xenos; Are They Still Watching?

“I think I’ll have a great time reading some of these.” I told her. Plus, over the next few days I think I could sneak in a book or two before the Aves come back.

We were both smiling, hers more real than mine, but I couldn’t help but cheer her up more. “I think we ought to make you Royalty.”

“But I am royalty.”

“More than The Maiden of Truth.”

“But there’s no openings, and I don’t think I’d want to be Queen, or if the new King would want to marry me.”

“Then we make you more important. There’s Felines that need fixing, as in keeping them alive. Why don’t you give them a good story and keep their morale up. I think you’d do a good job at it. You know history, you know stories and this village needs a facelift. People need to come together and I think you’re the one to do it.”

“You mean you want me to read the village bedtime stories?”

I kept myself from rolling my eyes. “I think you’ve got the idea.”

Our eyes met with smiles again and she said, “Whatever happens to you, I have to make sure you know that I’ll be there to save you.”

I know that was from the bottom of her heart, and the nicest thing she could say, but I doubt she’d really be able to save me. But I kept that secret to myself and told her, “And the same from me to you.”

“Then it’s just us two girls,” she said, “saving the world one village at a time.”

“Thank you, but I must get back to business, first I want you to let me know what the King is up to, and if he comes out of his room. Secondly, I’ll probably need you to plant another bug in front of it, maybe we can hear something. Don’t give him any food or water unless he agrees to be locked up in prison until further notice, meaning that we hold a conference between you, the new King and myself. Third, put a guard or two stationed down here to ensure he doesn’t move and catch him if he tries at all. And fourth, I think, anyone loyal to him, such as the guards who where on his side and the few who raised their hands for him are to also be found and captured, no conference unless it’s with you, the new King and myself.”

“I think I got that.” She said, now looking for a notepad to write it all down.

“Make this place happier, there’s been too much chaos, and I know Felines can survive the elements, we’ve been doing it for thousands of years.”

“Thank you Dawn.” She said with her very sincere smile that I couldn’t quite match that day.

And I picked up the books and left back to the temple.

I got back and Asked Clyde for another bug to put in front of the king’s room. He had already gotten it, and I wondered if he spends much time monitoring everything that I do. Sometimes it comes in handy, but…

I picked up the bug and took it to the King’s room, thankfully unnoticed by the Maiden of Truth, and made my way back.

A message from Clyde had appeared and I took the time to check it out as I walked out of the village.

There seems to be visitors.

Good or bad?

Hopefully good, you asked for warriors and you got warriors.

I looked over to the west, having just emerged from the bushes was herd of Bovines. Not the ones I had met on their island before, not lazy and scared of Felines. These were the tough ones. Horns sharpened and gilded, muscles toned and rope necklaces that looked like trophies of animals or Xenos they had killed. A rough crew, but just what I had ordered.

I ran down the hill and attempted to stop them in their tracks. The one in front snarled and charged at me. I snarled back and jumped as he throttled underneath me.

“Bovines!” I ordered. “You have reached your target. Come inside and feast before the fight!”

They looked at me in wonder. A little Feline, barely an adult? “And who do you think you are?” Another one asked, trying to cool out relations, but not so politely.

“I am the Huntress.”

Their eyes widened at that, but they instantly doubted it soon after.

Another one asked, “Is it true you killed the flying Ancient beast?”

“I have, and it wasn’t easy. That’s why you’re here, to take part in handling the rest of them.”

“I know we’re strong, but we don’t do reckless.”

“It was a feat, but please, come inside, we will gather an army and take them on.”

“It’s never been done before that we know of.”

“That’s why they’re still here bothering us.”

After a little convincing I took them around the hangar doors and led them inside, they were first amazed that I already had an army of Dryads here. Tiny to them, small to me. But warriors, before size.

“There are more coming, Aves and Equine have gone to fetch more warriors. Pisces are on their way to help in whatever way they can.”

“Canines? Lizards?”

“If they do come it’ll be news to me.”

“Don’t you have word with your Ancestors? That’s how we came here, by a message, and truth behold, it was true, a Feline growing an army to save all of Xenobia from the Ancients.”

“I do, but whoever else is coming isn’t known to me at the moment.”

“But I hear that you came to our island, talked to our chief. He gave you a horn of the Ancestor’s, the only one, did you use it? Did our ancestors save your life?” He asked, hoping the stories were true.

“He did save me. In a moment of life or death, I called upon your Ancestor and he helped defeat Dacoit.”

“How?…”

I told them the short version and they sat there in wonder, wishing they could have seen it. Then they talked about my story and other stories of their own until I could walk off without being noticed.

Clyde, what do Bovines eat?

Grass.

Anything in a forest?

Leaves.

Something specific? I can’t have them starve in here.

Why don’t you ask them.

Fine.

“Bovine, I need to know what you eat, so I can help provide you with something. We will be training and coordinating battle tactics for a few days maybe a few weeks.”

“Grass?” The lead replied.

“Anything we might be able to find in a forest?”

A Dryad couldn’t help but overhear. “We can give you some grass, enough to keep you for a few weeks.”

Thank the heavens. “Can you put some grass outside for them?”

“Yeah. And make it grow fast enough for them to have food all day, for days.”

“Of course. That’s what we do.”

The Bovines cheered up and wandered outside to see their magic work.

I decided to have a look at some of those books, some knowledge always comes in handy.