Black Water

EELONG

(CONTINUED)

“I’m not a killer,”Kasha said as they hurried along the sky bridge back to Leeandra. “If that’s your plan to stop Saint Dane, get another plan.”

“Give me a break. I’m not a killer either,” Bobby assured her. “Even if I was, killing Saint Dane wouldn’t stop him.”

“Explain that, please,” Kasha said.

“Uncle Press told me that killing Saint Dane’s body wouldn’t kill his spirit. He’d just show up in another form. I don’t know how that’s possible, but I believe it. You’ve seen the way he can transform himself. He isn’t human, I mean, gar.”

“That I believe,” Kasha said.

“The thing is,” Bobby continued, “when Saint Dane targets a territory, he doesn’t do the dirty work himself. He tricks the people of a territory to do things that’ll bring about their own ruin.”

“And you think he’s going to convince the Council of Klee to use the poison on Black Water?”

“Exactly,” was Bobby’s answer. “So if we want to beat Saint Dane, we’ve got to beat him at his own game.”

“Okay, how?”

“What’s the name of that viceroy guy?”

“Ranjin?”

“Right, Ranjin,”Bobby repeated. “He’s the boss. We’ve got to convince Ranjin it would be disaster for Eelong if they attacked Black Water.”

“So let me understand,” Kasha said. “You want us to sneak into Leeandra-where we’re both fugitives-get an audience with the viceroy, tell him that one of his trusted inner circle is a shapeshifting gar demon who travels through time and space, and convince him that repealing Edict Forty-six and attacking Black Water would be the downfall of Eelong? That’s your big plan?”

“Everything but the demon part,” Bobby said. “I don’t think he’d understand that.”

“I don’t think he’d understand any of it!” Kasha snarled. “We need a better plan.”

“But that’s the way Saint Dane operates,” Bobby argued. “We’ve got to start thinking like him.”

“I am thinking like him,” Kasha shot back. “He thinks he’s beaten us, and if that’s the only plan you’ve got, I’m thinking he’s right.”

“You have a better idea?” Bobby asked.

Kasha thought, then said, “My plan is to hope the others get the antidote to Black Water because we sure aren’t going to be any help stopping the attack.”

While Bobby and Kasha hurried toward Leeandra, the others took a different route back to the city in the trees.

“We’ll enter Leeandra through the wippen stadium,” Boon explained. “There are no games tonight, it will be quiet.”

The whole way back, Mark and Courtney barely said a word. Once again they were seeing the pages of Bobby’s journals come to life around them. Their journey across the sky bridges was lit by thousands of multicolored fireflies that drifted on the breeze, making the jungle sparkle with life.

“Am I dreaming?” Mark asked Courtney.

“If you are, then we’re having the same dream,” Courtney answered.

The trip went quickly, and they arrived at a tree that looked down on a large, grassy field that was mostly surrounded by a tall fence. One side of the fence was much taller than the rest. It was part of the wall that surrounded Leeandra.

“What’s wippen?” Spader asked.

“It’s a game played on zenzens,” Boon explained. “Two teams. Each player has a stick with a net on the end. You have to scoop up a ball and get it in your opponent’s net.”

“Sounds like lacrosse on horseback,” Courtney said.

“It’s tricky because there are also gars on the field,” Boon explained. “They can steal the ball and toss it to their team. Or block the other team.”

“Or get trampled by zenzens,” Gunny pointed out.

“It’s dangerous for gars, yes,” Boon said somberly. “Sometimes deadly.”

“Let’s not play wippen, okay?” Mark said.

Boon cracked open a large, corral-style door, took a peek inside to see if there were any klees around, then led the group inside and across the playing field. They kept close to the fence, trying not to be seen by any klees that might be out for some evening air, or tangs who might be out for an evening snack. They arrived at the corral gate that led into Leeandra.

“Wait for me here,” Boon instructed. “I’ll bring out five zenzens.”

“What about weapons?” Gunny asked. “If we’re lucky, nobody will hear us and we can go to the forager area and pick those up next,” Boon answered.

“We’re in your hands,” Spader said. “Or whatever it is you call those furry things on the ends of your arms.”

Boon opened the corral gate and crept inside. The others waited outside, trying to be invisible.

“I’ve got a problem,” Mark whispered to Courtney.

Courtney rolled her eyes and said, “If you gotta go, go.”

“No, I don’t have to go to the bathroom,” Mark whispered. “I’ve never ridden a horse.”

Courtney gave him a surprised look. “You’re kidding, right? Never?”

“Not unless you count getting my picture taken on a pony at my fifth birthday party…and I fell off. And now that you mention it, Idohave to go to the bathroom.”

“Guys,” Courtney whispered to the others. “Mark can’t ride.”

Gunny and Spader shot Mark a look. Mark shrugged. If there were more light, they would have seen his face was red with embarrassment.

Spader asked, “You can’t, or you think you don’t know how?”

“What’s the difference?” Courtney asked.

“Well, I’ve never ridden a zenzen, but I’m sure I can do it,” Spader said with confidence.

“And why’s that?” Courtney challenged.

“It can’t be any harder than playing spinney-do on Cloral,” Spader answered. “If I can ride a wild fish, I can ride a trained zenzen.”

“Let’s hope so,” Courtney said. “But what about Mark? I don’t think he’s been doing any wild-fish-riding lately.”

They were interrupted by what sounded like a loud, snarling, catfight inside the gate. But it was louder and angrier than any catfight heard on Second Earth. Something was happening inside, and it wasn’t good. Someone shouted, “Stop! Right there!” An alarm horn tore through the quiet night. The sound of pounding hooves could be heard coming toward the fence. The time for secrecy was over. “Open the gates!” Gunny ordered.

Spader and Courtney threw the gates wide open as four zenzens with saddles on their backs came charging out to the wippen field. Behind them was Boon riding a zenzen, herding the animals like a cowboy.

“Mount up!” he shouted.

Spader instantly caught a zenzen and mounted it as easily as a spinney fish.

“Open the far gate!” Boon ordered Spader.

Spader kicked his zenzen and took off to the far side of the arena. The other zenzens tried to follow, but Boon expertly headed them off and brought them back around so the others could reach them. Courtney was about to grab the reins of one when she felt a sharp slap on her back, along with a metallicclang. Falling at her feet was an arrow. The tank of antidote on her back had saved her life.

“They’re shooting at us!” Courtney yelled.

Standing on top of the fence were several klees with bows and arrows. More arrows hit the ground, sticking into the grass. One klee yelled, “Don’t shoot. You’ll hit the zenzens!”

Courtney took advantage of the cease-fire and jumped for a zenzen. She grabbed the reins and climbed aboard. She wasn’t an expert rider, but she had been on horses enough to know what to do. Boon stopped another zenzen and Gunny quickly took the reins. Being an older guy, he wasn’t as agile as the others, but he was still able to swing his long legs up and over to take control. He took a quick look back at the gate to the corral to see that a group of klees were running toward them, swinging ropes over their heads to lasso the zenzens.

“Here they come!” Gunny shouted.

Mark was still on foot. He was too far away from Gunny to jump up with him, so he made the snap decision to try and ride. Boon corralled the last zenzen and held it for Mark.

“Let’s go, hurry!” he shouted.

Mark grabbed the saddle and hoisted himself up. He got his chest on top and was about to swing his leg over when a klee threw his lasso. The rope hit the zenzen in the head. The loop missed, but the surprised animal panicked and bolted…with Mark half over the saddle. The zenzen charged across the wippen field, with Mark clinging on for his life.

“Heeeelp!” he shouted as he bounced along, barely hanging on.

Spader had opened the gate to the jungle. Mark’s zenzen ran for it. The only thing that kept Mark holding on was the fear of broken bones. Gunny, Boon, and Courtney trailed behind, helpless. Mark’s zenzen charged out of the gate without slowing down. Spader kicked his zenzen forward and galloped up next to Mark.

“I’ve got you, mate,” Spader said as he maneuvered his zenzen alongside. He reached out with one hand and grabbed Mark by the back of his pants. “Hang on tight,” Spader ordered.

“Like… I… haven’t… been… already?” Mark yelled back.

Spader reined his own zenzen in, slowing them both down. The two zenzens came to a stop, but Mark didn’t let go. “I think my hands are fused to the saddle,” he said.

“Unfuse them,” Spader ordered. “We’ve got to go.”

Mark let go and slid off as the other three charged up and stopped.

“What about the weapons?” Courtney asked. “You want to go back there?” Boon asked. They all looked back at the wippen arena to see the klees running for them, pulling out arrows, ready to shoot again.

“We’ll take our chances without them,” Gunny said.

“Up we go, Mark,” Spader said. He held out his hand, Mark took it, and Spader hoisted him up behind him.

An arrow shot by, slicing the air between Gunny and Courtney.

“Can we go now?” Courtney asked.

In answer, Boon kicked his zenzen and charged off. The others followed, barely staying ahead of the wave of arrows.

It wasn’t the smooth start they had hoped for, but they were on their way to Black Water.

Bobby and Kasha climbed down the last tree before the city and approached the tall gates on the jungle floor. “How do we get in?” Bobby asked.

“I don’t know,” Kasha answered. “This is your plan, remember?”

“Don’t you have some secret way we can slip in without anybody seeing us?”

“No.”

“You’re not helping.”

“What can I say? I’ve never had to do this before.”

Their argument was interrupted by the sound of an approaching wagon. Bobby and Kasha saw that a group of foragers was returning with their day’s bounty. A single zenzen pulled a rickety wagon that was half full of fruit-a pitiful haul. The famine on Eelong was getting worse. Two klees led the wagon on foot. Two more followed. Bringing up the rear was a straggly pack of exhausted gars.

“Walk with the gars. Keep your head down,” she ordered, and sprang into the bushes.

“Hey!” Bobby yelled.

Too late. She was gone. Bobby didn’t have time to think. If he didn’t move right away, the opportunity would be gone. He quickly and quietly ran up behind the group of gars and nudged his way into the center. None of the gars looked at him. They were too tired. Bobby put his head down and shuffled along, pretending to be as exhausted as the others. He peeked forward to see the giant gates to Leeandra opening up. As long as none of the klee guards recognized him as Kasha’s gar, he’d be in. Bobby held his breath as they trudged through the gates. He expected an alarm to sound, or a rough paw on his shoulder pulling him back. But neither happened. The klee guards were too busy scanning the jungle in case a tang tried to rush the open gate.

Bobby kept walking with the gars until he heard the giant doors slam shut behind him. After a quick glance to the klee foragers to make sure they weren’t watching him, he leaped away from the group and hid behind a thick, flowering bush. He was in.

“Okay, now what?” he whispered to himself.

His answer came instantly. A dark shadow leaped in front of him, hitting the ground and nearly making him scream in surprise.

“That was easy,” Kasha declared.

“I thought you didn’t have a secret way in?”

“I didn’t,” replied the cat. “I crawled up the outside of the fence and climbed over.”

“And I couldn’t have done that?” Bobby asked.

Kasha held out her hand, showing her very sharp claws. “Not unless you’ve got a set of these.”

“Good point. Where can we find Ranjin?”

“It’s late. He should be in his home. He lives in the viceroy’s residence, above the Circle of Klee.”

The two of them made their way cautiously through Leeandra, keeping to the shadows.

“This is odd,” Kasha said. “The city is empty, even for this late hour.”

As they drew closer to the tree that held the Circle of Klee, the answer to why the city was so quiet, became clear. They heard the sounds of a noisy crowd coming from inside the tree.

“They’re having another meeting,” Bobby said. “Is there a way to listen in without being seen?

“Maybe,” Kasha answered.

They avoided the elevator. Instead they climbed a stairway inside the tree that led to a room behind the stage.

“This is where they dress in their robes before meetings,” Kasha explained.

“Are you serious?” Bobby exclaimed. “We’re in the lion’s den… for real.”

“Anywhere else we’d be seen,” Kasha said. She crept across the room and cautiously peered out a small window that looked onto the circle. Bobby joined her and saw they were quite close to the stage. The big room was once again full of klees. Onstage was the red-robed Council of Klee sitting in their chairs. On one side sat Ranjin in his deep blue tunic, clutching the wooden staff with the carved cat’s head on top. Standing at the edge of the stage, addressing the crowd, was Saint Dane in the form of Timber, the cat with dark brown fur, black spots and a long, perfectly combed mane.

“I’ve seen the truth,” Timber announced to the crowd with passion. “Black Water is not a fable concocted by desperate gars. It is real. And as sure as I stand before you today, the beasts who inhabit this secret lair have plans to change the future of Eelong.”

The crowd erupted angrily.

“He’s not lying,” Bobby whispered to Kasha. “The gars could change the future of Eelong. They could save it.”

“That’s not the way Timber made it sound.”

“Exactly,” Bobby said. “That’s how Saint Dane works.”

“Ending this problem would be simple,” Timber continued.

“I’m not suggesting a war, or to put klees in harm’s way. It would take only two klees to deliver the toxic gas to Black Water while the rest of us remain here in the safety of Leeandra. The brave klees would be out and back in a single afternoon, and our way of life would be preserved.”

The crowd murmured in agreement.

“This isn’t going so hot,” Bobby said nervously.

Ranjin, the viceroy, stood and quieted the crowd. “Explain to me how you came upon this poison gas, Timber,” he said.

“It was developed as a fertilizer,” was Timber’s answer. “The fact that it mutated into a poison was purely by accident… a fortunate accident that can mean the difference between life and death.”

“Again, the truth,” Bobby said. “Except that it mutated on Cloral. He left out that little nugget of information.”

“And using it would be the death of Eelong,” Kasha added. “He is very clever.”

“Forgive me for sounding like a weak old klee, but I have trouble ordering the extermination of so many gars,” Ranjin continued somberly.

“Do you have equal trouble allowing the destruction of the klee race as we know it?” Timber countered. “The gars are planning a revolution. If we don’t act quickly, we may soon see an animal on the Council of Klee wearing the blue robe of viceroy.”

The klees in the crowd erupted with howls and shouts of anger.

“He really is a demon, isn’t he?” Kasha gasped.

“The time is coming!” Timber shouted to the crowd. “We can rid ourselves of the gar menace with a single strike. If we take this positive action, our children will never again be hungry, or live in fear.”

The crowd screamed its approval. Timber turned his back to them and looked to Ranjin, expecting a response. Ranjin took a few steps toward the edge of the stage and looked out on the frenzied crowd as they chanted, “Lee-an-dra! Lee-an-dra!” Ranjin lifted his wooden staff and the crowd quieted.

“I have ruled the Council of Klee proudly for longer than any other viceroy in the history of Leeandra,” Ranjin began. “I am proud of the work I’ve done, and I am grateful for the confidence you’ve had in me. However, I cannot give my blessing to this course of action.”

The crowd murmured its disapproval.

Ranjin continued, “I feel that the mass slaying of living creatures, no matter how low a life-form, goes against the very nature of a civilized society. But it is clear to me from your reaction here today, my opinion is not a popular one. It makes me feel that perhaps I’ve grown too old to make the difficult decisions necessary to lead the klees. Times are changing, and I’m afraid I cannot change with them. That is why I am stepping down from the position of viceroy.”

Bobby and Kasha exchanged nervous looks.

Ranjin held out his long wooden staff, the staff that represented the power of the Council of Klee…and handed it to Timber, saying, “I am passing it to the next generation of leaders, and to Timber. I can only wish that the course you choose is the wise one.”

The crowd went berserk, cheering and screaming its approval. Timber took the staff, barely able to contain a smile. He grasped the staff with both hands and held it over his head in victory. The crowd was in a frenzy.

“No!” Bobby hissed and moved to jump out onto the stage.

Kasha held him back. “Don’t be foolish,” she whispered. “They’ll tear you apart.”

Bobby pulled away from her and said, “Don’t you realize what happened? Ranjin just handed Saint Dane his next territory!”

Kasha pulled Bobby away from the window. “We’ve got to go,” she ordered. “Before the Council of Klee comes back here and-” She turned for the door and walked straight into… Durgen.

“I’m speechless, Kasha,” Durgen said. “I was told you were seen coming in here, but I didn’t believe you would be so foolish. Imagine my surprise to find it was true. And with your pet gar as well.”

“Durgen, please listen to me,” Kasha pleaded. “Timber must be stopped. The gars of Black Water are civilized. They have the ability to end our famine.”

Durgen stared at Kasha, dumbfounded. He laughed, “You can’t expect me to believe that.”

“You’ve known me forever,” Kasha continued with passion. “We’ve fought side by side more times than I can count. I’m begging you, forget what happened the last few days and listen to me. Timber is evil. If he goes through with his plan to destroy Black Water, it’ll be disaster for the klees and all of Eelong. He must not be allowed to rule the Council.”

Durgen shook his head sadly and said, “I used to know you, Kasha. It pains me to see how you’ve been duped by these revolutionary gars.”

“Revolutionary gars!” Bobby shouted. “Wake up! If Timber wipes out the gar population, the klees will be next!”

“Security!” Durgen yelled.

Instantly four klees pounced into the room. Kasha tried to bolt for the door, but three of them caught her and held her down. It only took one to hold Bobby.

“I know how impatient you are, Kasha,” Durgen said. “Your trial will be quick.”

“Don’t do this!” Kasha shouted.

“You have such sympathy for these animals,” Durgen said with a touch of venom. “I think it’s only fitting that you spend your last days among them.”

He nodded to the security force. They dragged Bobby and Kasha out of the room.

“Please, Durgen,” Kasha begged. “Timber isn’t who he claims to be. It’s going to be a disaster.”

“If it is,” Durgen replied, “you won’t be around to see it.”

Bobby didn’t argue. He knew it was useless. The security force dragged them out of the tree, across the jungle floor of Leeandra, and brought them to the absolute last place on Eelong where Bobby wanted to be.

The gar stable where he had been held prisoner.

He and Kasha were thrown in among several dirty gars who huddled in the corners. For Bobby, being back in this putrid prison slashed open all the emotional wounds from his previous stay. He fell to his knees in defeat.

“Welcome back, Pendragon!” came a voice from above.

Kasha and Bobby looked up to see a dark brown cat with black spots looking down on them through the grid. It was Timber. It was Saint Dane. It was a nightmare.

“It seems as though revealing my plans to you made no difference,” Saint Dane chuckled. “The only question now is what will happen first? The destruction of Black Water, or your execution?”