Moon's Shadow (Friend or Foe?)
#3 of Moon's Shadow
Both of Shadow's worlds have been taken from him. Two sides are at fault, but perhaps fate will lead him towards one.
Moon's Shadow
===Friend or Foe?===
The sky was filled with a constant roar as airships traveled to and from Ivu. Each one dropped off another group of soldiers. After extinguishing the fires that still burned their task was to exhume any bodies they could find. Each body they found, whether still intact or burnt beyond recognition was brought to a specific area and covered in a white sheet. A medical team stood by to treat any that were still alive, but as more and more of the town was uncovered that seemed to be hopeless.
When a team reached the base they could tell there had been a struggle. Bullet holes were scattered across the walls and various objects. There was no sign of a dead Fur, though there were many signs of blood streaking across the floors.
Not a single gun was found on the base; not in armories or even on the soldiers' bodies. The Furs did a good job stripping the base clean.
The team made their way deeper into the base where the soldiers started to be replaced by scientists. Some had deep cuts while others were riddled with bullets.
They searched every room, but found nothing but more bodies. One door they found was made of steel and locked tight. The door was operated by a keypad nearby, but it was offline. They knocked, but nothing happened. They tried to call out to anyone who might be on the other side. They didn't get an answer. They didn't know if sound couldn't penetrate the door, or if there was no one behind there able to respond.
They called in another team to breach the door. Using blowtorches, they cut through the steel rods that were fastened into the wall. The team stood with their weapons drawn. They slowly opened the door. A burst of cool air escaped from the room. The room appeared to be a refrigerated storage. Various items lined the shelves that ranged from organic to chemical.
What caught the attention of the team was what was lying on the ground. It was a woman; unconscious, but breathing. A stretcher was brought in and carefully carried her out. The soldiers were relieved that they manage to find one survivor. When they returned to the village they learned that another team had found another survivor. This one was male. They discovered him at the bottom of the mountain thanks to one of the airships doing a thermal scan of the area.
Two survivors out of an entire town wasn't a very good statistic, but the soldiers welcomed any good news they got. They needed something to make the cleanup less depressing.
"Please bring me to Ivu!" Zil begged Dr. Jill as she sat at a monitor.
"Stop asking me, 21L." She responded without taking her eyes of the screen. "Reports show that the entire town was burnt to the ground. They haven't found any survivors."
"How long ago did you check?" Zil asked with urgency."
Dr. Jill groaned. "I checked ten minutes ago, 21L."
"Maybe something has changed! Perhaps they found a survivor. Maybe Shadow."
"21L!" Dr. Jill shouted at Zil. "Your constant ranting about that boy has given me a headache. This Shadow person is the one who gave you that wound!" She pointed to Zil's side. "And yet you go on and on about how worried you are about him!?" She laid her head in her hands and sighed. "I just don't get it. You've never shown any interest in any other person. Why start now?"
Zil's ears were down. "I don't know Dr. Jill... I don't even understand it..." a whimper escaped from his muzzle.
Dr. Jill examined Zil's expression. She took a deep breath and sighed. "I'll check the reports one more time." Zil's ears perked slightly.
Dr. Jill went through the records expecting to the same results as last time. She raised a brow when the survivor count was updated. "Two survivors..."
"Really!?" Zil asked with excitement.
Dr. Jill clicked on the number. On the screen a profile came up. "Dr. Julie Tor... I didn't know she was stationed at Ivu."
"Who's the other survivor?" Zil asked anxiously.
Dr. Jill clicked on the next profile. "Identity unknown... no form of identification on body. Will inquire when he wakes up."
"A male survivor? Maybe it's Shadow!"
Dr. Jill ignored Zil's comment as she went back to the previous profile. She had met Dr. Tor years ago. She was considered a genius amongst the scientific community. She was proficient in both genetics and engineering. "I'm going to have a chat with the General."
"What about the survivors?" Zil asked with a pleading look.
"I'm going to convince him to bring both survivors to the capital."
"Why can't we just go to Ivu?" Shadow asked.
"First, 21L, you are supposed to be resting, not traveling. Second, both survivors are in stable condition. Why go all the way to Ivu just to come back? They'll be here sooner or later."
"But..."
"No buts, 21L. You know what I've said about having patience, correct?"
Shadow smiled. "Great things come to those who are willing to wait for them."
"Correct. You'll feel much better after waiting patiently than you would for acting hastily." Dr. Jill added in. She smiled when she realized Zil had finally conceded. It wasn't a matter of 'if' to her but 'when'. When Zil realizes the truth she'd rather have him here than all the way in Ivu. She wasn't sure how he will react once he finds out.
"Besides, 21L, it's not as though that survivor is going anywhere."
Shadow's eyes slowly opened. His vision was cloudy as he stared at the ceiling of the white medical tent. "What!?" Shadow shot up. "Where..." Shadow looked around with his vision still a blur, trying to make sense of where he was. The last thing he remembered was fleeing from Ivu and collapsing in the field.
He felt a hand grasp his shoulder and jumped. He reached for his dagger, but found it missing. As he collided with the ground he let out a moan.
"I'm so sorry!" a feminine voice shrieked. "I didn't mean to startle you!" Shadow looked over his shoulder and noticed a human woman. He looked down at his chest and was relieved that he was still wearing the stone.
"No..." Shadow said as he got to his knees. "I'm just a bit jumpy right now..."
"I understand..." she said as she sat down. She held her hands together tightly, though they still shook. "Last night..." She shook her head. "I haven't been able to think of anything else..." She forced a smile on her face. "Seeing someone I know alive gave me a small sense of ease."
Shadow gave her a confused look. "You must have me mistaken for someone else; I've never met you."
Her hands shook some more. "Well... I guess I we've never met, but I've seen you from time to time when I was shopping. I guess it's just nice to see a familiar face..." she looked at Shadow with the same forced smile, but it didn't hold long. Soon tears started rolling down her face. "I'm sorry... I can't..."
Shadow watched her for a moment before staring at the ground. Sure, he could comfort her; explain how he's lost all he's known as well. But all he could focus on was the noise overhead, the sound of an airship hovering over them. He figured that he must be back in Ivu, and the humans are in control. He couldn't comfort her; he was too enraged right now to show any sympathy. It was her kind that wiped out his people.
"Do you know where my stuff is?" Shadow asked as he stood up.
She took a deep breath and shook her head.
Shadow groaned with frustration. It was bad enough that he left all of his supplies in Lomia, but now he was without his dagger. Right now he didn't feel comfortable without it; it was his only means of defending himself in his human form.
He turned for the entrance. "Please... don't leave" the woman said behind him.
"I have other things to worry about right now." Shadow said as he passed through the tent flaps.
Shadow looked around. All the buildings were charred black; at least the ones that still stood. Images of the town he once knew flashed through his eyes, followed by the images of the entire town on fire from last night. When he blinked everything was back to being charred.
"Excuse me sir." Shadow looked to his right. A human soldier approached him. "You really shouldn't be walking around. Please, go back inside and lie down."
Shadow rubbed his head. I had something on me last night... do you know where it is?"
"Anything we took off you will be in the storage tent. You'll get everything back once a doctor says you're fit to leave."
Shadow looked around. In the distance, closer to the base, was another tent. That must have been the tent he was talking about. Shadow nodded and started to walk back to the tent. He looked over his shoulder and saw the soldier walk away. He glanced around. Nobody was watching. He quickly flipped his stone. He needed to be quick and stealthy right now. As his body was shrouded in fur he let out a sigh of relief. The effects from last night had worn off.
Shadow jumped into the rubble of one of the collapsed buildings. His fur made it easier to blend into the blackened wood. He looked around again. There were a few soldiers patrolling down the streets in pairs. Not that many though. Shadow easily sprinted from one collapsed building to the next.
"That's odd..." Shadow said to himself as he got closer to the tent. "There's no one guarding it?" Shadow approached it slowly. He thought the humans would be more alert after what happened last night. Shadow slowly entered the tent.
Boxes of various shapes, sizes, and material filled the tent. He searched around for anything that could be holding his dagger.
There were boxes filled with ammunition, a variety of foods, medical supplies, and various other things that Shadow had no clue about. "Personal belongings..." Shadow read the label on a small cardboard box. He looked inside. There were various things he didn't recognize; probably belonging to that woman. He dug around and found his sheathed dagger. There was a tag attached to it. There was some number on the tag. He ripped it off. Shadow sighed with relief that he had it back. Now all he had to do was get back to the other tent before anyone noticed he was gone."
Shadow heard multiple footsteps quickly approaching the tent. His ears straightened out as he heard a voice. "Are you positive there's someone inside the storage tent?"
"We're sure. We're looking at its heat signature right now. The shape appears to be Fur-like."
Shadow's eyes widened.
"How the hell did a Fur get back into Ivu!?"
Shadow unsheathed his dagger when he heard a pair of footsteps approaching the entrance. Shadow looked around. The tent was too constricting for him to fight. The fact that every soldier had a gun made it even more foolish to fight them. Shadow dashed for the back of the tent. With one slash he sliced through the material and sprinted away from the tent.
The sound of gunfire soon erupted from behind. Shadow weaved through the streets of Ivu. He cut through the rubble of the buildings and listened as the charred wood shattered around him. He was easily outrunning the soldiers and managing to avoid being shot, but soon he found himself running in the open at the edge of the town. Shadow couldn't believe it. He was running for his life just like last night. And just like last night the only way to escape was to flee to the opposite side.
The only way he could go was to Ruqi.
Shadow could see the path that led down the side of the mountain. As he passed the base he heard less and less gunfire behind him. "They've given up. Thank-" Shadows eyes widened when he felt a sudden burst of pain in his left shoulder. "What the..." Shadow said softly as his body started to fall forward. Suddenly the sound of a single gunshot rang; this one was much louder than the others. "I was shot?" Shadow didn't know how he felt the pain before hearing the shot.
Shadow's body collided with the ground and began tumbling forward; his momentum keeping him rolling. Shadow didn't react to any of this, still in shock from the pain in his shoulder. Shadow's finally reacted when his left shoulder impacted the ground with an even greater force than that he had been receiving earlier. Shadow squinted up and realized he just fell ten feet over the edge of the mountain onto the winding path below.
Having finally stopped tumbling, Shadow stood up and clutched his shoulder. He knew he didn't have time before the soldiers would reach the edge of the mountain and have a clear shot at him. He wanted to enter the cover of the forest below before he got hit again.
Shadow struggled down the mountain. He didn't have time to weave down the mountain by following the path, so instead he jumped anywhere between ten to twenty feet to descend the mountain faster.
As he jumped another ledge he heard the loud bang again. His eyes widened and his body stiffened. Had he been hit again? He didn't feel anything new. After landing he ran as fast as he could for the trees in front of him. As he passed underneath the leaves he heard the bang one more time. He watched as the trunk of a tree next to him split open on one side, and again on the other.
Shadow continued to run as fast as he could through the forest. He had no idea if they were pursuing him. If so, the needed to create as much distance as possible.
For five minutes Shadow ran before he began to slow down. He was still clutching his left shoulder; blood trickled down his arm and dripped off of his claws. The adrenaline in his body had kept him going for so long, but now the blood loss was starting to affect him. His whole body felt fatigued and his breathing became heavy. In a matter of seconds his running had turned to walking.
"Need something to cover my wound..." Shadow huffed as he stopped and looked around. His vision was starting to blur, making it hard for him to distinguish anything he thought could help. Shadow looked down and tore at his shirt; ripping it in half. Carefully he wrapped the shirt around his left shoulder. Unable to use his left arm Shadow used his teeth to help him tighten and tie the cloth. The added pressure to his wounds stung.
Shadow sat down, lying back against a tree just off the path. He knew he needed to get his heart rate down. He thought resting for a bit would ease the pain. It was, but it was also having an unwanted side effect. The blood loss and decreasing heart rate was making his body start to shut down. In moments he would pass out. Only one thing was keeping Shadow awake.
Shadow's ears twitched. He could hear something approaching him. He could see little more than two feet away from his body clearly. His blurry vision mixed with exhaustion was making it impossible for him.
The sound was quiet at first, as though whatever was approaching was trying to be cautious. But soon it became louder, carelessly stepping on anything that would make a noise. Perhaps whoever was approaching could tell Shadow was in no shape to fight.
Shadow chuckled at that thought. His body began to relax. He looked up with heavy eyes. The last thing he saw were two golden eyes staring down at him.
"Do not worry my friend... I will help you..."
In the heart of Lomia's capital, Meluna, Dr. Jill stood adjacent to a landing platform. She watched as the airship carrying the survivors from Ivu descended towards the platform. The belly of the airship opened and lowered to the ground.
Dr. Jill approached the platform, passing various soldiers returning from Ivu. In the back of the crowd was her target. "It's been a long time, Dr. Tor." Dr. Jill said as she approached.
"Dr. Jill!" Julie responded and picked up her pace. "It's been years!"
"Indeed it has." Dr. Jill said as they shook hands. "How are you holding up?"
"Well... I'm fine... but the Doctor said I should seek counseling to relieve the impact it's had on me."
"Nonsense!" Dr. Jill said with a smile. "You look fine enough. I'm sure you'll move on quickly."
"Perhaps..."
"Dr. Jill!" a voice shouted from behind. Dr. Jill turned to see Zil racing towards them.
"Oh please no!" Julie screamed. She started to back up as Zil approached.
"Freeze 21L!" Dr. Jill shouted. Zil immediately stopped in place a few feet behind her. Dr. Jill approached Julie. "Do not be afraid, Dr. Tor. This here is 21L, he means you no harm."
"But he's a Fur!" Julie said as she continued backing up. "What one doing here!?"
"No, no, no." Dr. Jill said shaking her head. "21L is not a Fur, I assure you."
"Then what is he?"
"Answering that question would be difficult right now. Perhaps in time, you'll see for yourself."
"What?" Julie asked, finally stopped moving backwards.
"I'd like you to work for me. I can't see a better successor to my project than you." Julie looked away. "Come now, Dr. Tor. I know this may sound harsh, but you're currently out of a job and with what happened in Ivu I suspect you'd feel a lot more comfortable in the safety of the capital."
"I don't know Dr. Jill... things are just happening so quickly..."
"Take your time, Dr. Tor. Let the soldiers escort you to the med-bay; you should try to get some rest."
"I doubt I'll get any rest... but I would like to lie down. I'll talk to you later, Doctor." As Julie walked past Zil his tail began to wag.
Zil dashed past Dr. Jill towards the platform. He searched around in the small crowd who still remained. He returned moments later. "Where is he?" Shadow asked nervously.
"Oh yes..." Dr. Jill said as she walked towards the platform. She approached a soldier. "Young man, where is the other survivor from Ivu? Is he here?"
"No mam." The soldier responded.
Dr. Jill groaned. "I specifically wanted both survivors on the same airship. Will he be on the next?"
"No mam. The second survivor is missing."
"What do you mean missing?" Zil said with worry.
"21L!" Dr. Jill said. "Return to the lab."
"But..."
"Now!" Dr. Jill shouted. Shadow's ears dropped. He turned around and dashed off. She turned her attention back to the soldier. "What do you mean the second survivor is missing?"
"We don't know how it happened, mam. Ivu was in chaos when it was discovered a Fur managed to infiltrate our supplies."
"I find that very unlikely." Dr. Jill glared at the soldier. I know those airships have sensors that keep track of every heat source below them. There's no way a Fur could have snuck past the radar."
"I don't know what to tell you mam. The operators claim that the number of heat signatures hadn't changed before they realized the Fur was there."
Dr. Jill bit her lip. She didn't like where this was going. "What happened to this Fur?"
"A sniper managed to hit him, but he escaped into the forests of Ruqi."
Dr. Jill turned around and walked away from the soldier. Her eyes were full of anger. How did that werewolf manage to survive!? She wasn't given any details, but she was told that their entire village had been wiped off the map. She didn't know who she was more furious with: the werewolf that managed to survive, or the General who failed to kill the one werewolf she specifically wanted dead.
She wondered if there was a chance if the werewolf died from the bullet wound, but she doubted it. That werewolf is probably at full health with the kind of luck he has.
Then her mind went to Zil. "What am I going to do with 21L?" she asked herself. She doesn't know how he'll react if she tells him that the werewolf is dead, but she does know what will happen if she tells him he's alive. "He won't be able to focus on anything else. All he'll care about is trying to find that damned werewolf." She thought about how much he cared for that creature. She just couldn't understand it. He's become so attached to the werewolf that he might become enraged if he thinks he's dead.
Dr. Jill stopped walking and smiled.
Shadow felt something cold and wet on his head. It felt very relaxing. He slowly opened his eyes. Above him was a wooden ceiling. It brought a small involuntary smile to Shadow's face it reminded him of his house.
Shadow felt something drip down his face. He reached up and realized a damp cloth was sitting on his forehead. As he tried to get up and felt a sharp pain on his left side. He looked over and noticed his left shoulder was bandaged up and in a sling. He pressed down slightly. He felt pain, but he could tell his wound had been sewn up. "Where am I?" Shadow asked softly. He looked around. It was a small house; a bit run down, but it looked sturdy.
He lifted himself up using his right arm. Sitting up, he slowly placed his legs over the edge of the bed and slowly straightened himself up. His legs were shaking; he struggled to stay steady.
As he teetered around he could hear footsteps making the floorboards squeak. "Oh no! You should not be standing, my friend!" Before Shadow could see who had said that he was shifted back into the bed. He looked up and was met with those golden eyes again. Attached to them was a Fur who resembled the foxes he sometimes hunted in the forest. His face was covered with many scars.
"Who are you?" Shadow asked.
"My name is Hari." The fox Fur said as he tried to cover up Shadow. "What is yours my friend?"
"Shadow."
"A pleasure to meet you, Shadow. I'd like to talk to you longer, but you must rest and I must get back to work." Hari said as he brought a blanket up to Shadow's chest. "Please get some rest."
"Wait." Shadow said before Hari could walk away. "Where am I?"
"You're in Koza." Shadow had no idea where Koza exactly was. Hari seemed to pick up on this. "Rest and I'll explain when you wake." Hari left the room. Shadow could hear the sound of a door closing. He had no choice but to rest like Hari said. It would take some time before his body could function normally and even longer for his wound to heal. He figured taking a small nap wouldn't hurt.
The small nap turned into a long slumber as Shadow found himself waking up after sunset. Shadow once again tried to get out of bed. His legs were still unsteady, but not as much as they had been earlier. He slowly walked around the house. There wasn't much furnishing in the house. It almost seemed like no one actually lived here.
Shadow found the door and walked out. A gust of wind blew his way; he could feel the chill of the night and smell smoke in the wind. He could see there were many figures sitting around a fire, having a good time. Shadow slowly walked over.
"Shadow!" a familiar voice called out. One of the figures by the fire stood up and approached Shadow. "You should still be in bed."
"I can only sleep for so long, you know?"
"Yes, but you should be lying down at least."
"I'm fine, Hari." Shadow said as he walked past him. "What's going on here?"
"We're just having ourselves a feast." Hari said as he walked up beside Shadow, making sure he didn't fall.
"A feast?" Shadow asked with surprise.
"Yes." Hari said plainly. "We normally don't get that much food, but last night we got something big." Shadow noticed that Hari's voice was becoming less upbeat and more gloomy.
"Is that the one you were talking about, Captain?" one of the other Furs shouted out as the two got closer.
"Yep." Hari answered as he helped Shadow sit down near the fire. "The doctor did a decent job of patching him up." Shadow examined the others. He realized they were all very similar; all were canine Furs. Shadow could hear Hari saying something under his breath. "Would have felt better if it wasn't a feline doing the job..."
"Well don't be rude, Captain!" another Fur shouted. "Serve him up a portion of the meat! He must be starved!" Shadow didn't even realize he hadn't eaten since the morning he left his village and that had just been a small snack.
Shadow received a plate with a large serving of meat. It wasn't quite the portion size he was used to in his village, but it was good enough. He took a bite. "Hmm... I've never tasted this kind of meat before..." Shadow took another bite. "What kind is it?"
"Horse meat" Hari answered as he took a seat next to Shadow. "You've never eaten horse before?"
Shadow looked at his plate. "Never really thought about it..." Shadow went for another bite.
"Well now you finally get the chance" One of the Furs said. "We picked this one up from Ivu last night."
Shadow's eyes widened.
"Don't give him the details..." Hari said to the Fur, though his voice was too low for anyone to hear.
"But..." Shadow let out. "Isn't Ivu a human town...?" Shadow chose his words carefully.
"Yeah! Last night we raided the whole town!" The Fur said with a proud smile.
"More like slaughtered the entire town" another Fur added in, laughing. "And if one human hadn't abandoned his horse we wouldn't be having this meal today." The Fur huffed. "Damned felines taking all the meat from that butchery; leaving none for us..."
Shadow suddenly felt his stomach churn. As much as he wanted to get the meat out of his system, his body kept it down.
"Hey, at least those cats were taught a lesson." The Furs continued to chatter. "Three of their soldiers were supposedly murdered by that human."
"Enough!" Hari stood up and shouted, silencing the entire group. His eyes were filled with rage, his breathing deep. He looked at each of the canines with those eyes until his gaze met Shadow's. His rage was replaced with sorrow.
Hari grabbed a nearby bucket of water and doused the fire, leaving a faint glow. "It's time to call it a night..." Hari dropped the bucket and walked off.
"Look what you guys did!" A Fur said with an annoyed tone. This was met with a bunch of banter and arguing going back and forth in the group. None of them even noticed Shadow had walked off, leaving the rest of the meat behind.
Shadow hobbled his way towards the house. He wanted to get away from the Furs. As he made his way towards the house his anxiety began to grow. He was in the same town as the Furs who slaughtered everyone in Ivu; almost killing him as well. Shadow's stomach began to churn again. And now he ate something he wished he hadn't.
"You really shouldn't be walking on your own yet, my friend..." Shadow turned to see Hari leaning against the house. His gaze was focused on the sky. Shadow approached the side of the house and sat down on the ground, his back against the house. "You didn't eat much..."
"Didn't really have an appetite..." Shadow responded, trying not to think about it too much.
"My men... they're not usually this chatty." Hari said with a sigh. "They're just trying to push aside their grief." Hari looked at Shadow. "They're doing much better than I am." Hari kneeled down and sat next to Shadow. "We lost thirteen men last night."
Shadow said nothing. He just listened to what Hari had to say.
"It's a horrible feeling... knowing that just yesterday everyone you knew was right there... and now half of them are gone..." Hari closed his eyes and looked down at the ground. "I hope you never experience this feeling, my friend."
Shadow closed his eyes and sighed. "Were you close to any of them?"
"I treat all of my men as family... but..." Hari went silent. "Some are harder to let go than others." Hari wiped his eyes. "Look at me" Hari chuckled. "This is the closest I've gotten to shed a tear."
"Why don't you?" Shadow asked.
"Captains don't cry Shadow. Any sign of vulnerability can be taken as weakness. I can't have my men or anyone see me as weak, especially in front of the felines."
"Why so bitter of the felines?" Shadow asked. When Hari didn't answer Shadow turned his head and noticed why. Hari was looking at him with a look of disbelief.
"Why so bitter? Well besides the fact all felines see themselves as superior and receive greater benefits from the kingdom, it was the felines that made my team take the blunt of the human's defenses. Only when the humans were distracted did the felines join the fight. The felines... they didn't lose a single soldier during the raid... well besides those three." Hari went silent again. "Sorry, friend, you shouldn't have to hear any of this."
"Why do you keep calling me friend, Hari?" Shadow asked, bringing another look of surprise from Hari. "We've known each other less than a day."
"Around here... any canine is a friend." It didn't exactly answer Shadow's question. Shadow wondered if there was something more to it, something that only Furs understood. He didn't question it further; he didn't want Hari to get too suspicious of him.
"So that's why you saved me? Because I'm a canine as well?"
"We help each other, Shadow, especially when we're in feline territory."
"So Koza is a feline town?" Shadow remembered the name from earlier.
"Yes." Hari said as he shifted on the ground. "The entire town acts as a lookout. If the humans ever decide to pass through the mountain to invade, Koza will be the first to know and alert the country. Its citizens aren't as pompous as those in cities, but they still know where they rank."
"Why are you here then?" Shadow asked. "Why are you stationed in a feline town?"
"We aren't" Hari answered. "My team and I were stationed in a 'neutral' town east of here. Yesterday we received orders from the King to proceed to Koza and await further orders. He informed us that the humans had slaughtered one of Ruqi's villages." Hari chuckled. "Must have been a feline village... would explain the urgency... and the task."
"Ivu?" Shadow asked.
"The King wanted recompense. The humans had slaughtered one of Ruqi's villages, and he wanted to return the favor. We were ordered to leave none alive and steal anything of value." Hari smiled. "The felines may have stolen goods from the shops... but my team managed to find something of value inside the base."
"What was it?" Shadow asked.
Hari looked around. "Not here. Let me show you inside." Hari stood up and helped Shadow to his feet. They both walked inside the house. Hari lit a few candles on the floor and laid out various sheets of paper. "These are all blueprints of various things the humans were developing. I have no idea what any of these things are, but odds are one of these things will prove beneficial to Ruqi. Feline or not, when I present these to the King he will reward me and my men."
Shadow sighed as he examined the sheets of paper. "Yesterday must have been a hassle; leaving your town and attacking Ivu in short amount of time..." Shadow couldn't believe how quickly everything happened last night.
"I would not call it short." Hari responded as he picked up the blueprints. "We were called to Koza many hours before we attacked Ivu."
Shadow looked at Hari with confusion. "So it was daytime when you heard one of your villages was attacked?"
"That's right. And as we marched towards Ivu we heard the explosions and saw the sky light up. The humans had finished their assault by bombing the village. We couldn't do that to Ivu, so instead we set it ablaze."
Shadow was replaying the events in his mind over and over again. The sun definitely had set when his village was destroyed, but Hari and the other Furs had received notice of his village's destruction hours prior. How was any of this possible!? Shadow tried to come up with some explanation. His head started to spin and he felt dizzy.
"Are you alright, Shadow?" Hari asked, noticing his ailment.
"Feeling light-headed right now..." Shadow said.
"Let me help you to bed." Hari said as he helped Shadow to his feet.
As Shadow was helped into bed he stopped replaying the events in his head. He had no explanation for how they knew. He needed know how Ruqi's king knew about it hours prior. "Hey Hari. You said you were going to see the King soon, right?"
"Eventually, yes. Tomorrow we'll be heading back to Fenyo, and then we'll head towards the capital. It'll take some time before we arrive though, but the capital is very beautiful; you'll like it."
"I'm looking forward to it..." Shadow said as he dozed off."
General Veo entered the President's office with a folder in his hand. "Sir, I just received a full report of what was being stored in the base's vault." The General handed the folder to President Metis. As the President skimmed through the folder's contents General Veo spoke. "The majority of the vaults contents still remain, but what was taken is of great concern."
"There were blueprints..." President Metis said as he examined the list.
"Yes sir. There were various blueprints for gun prototypes, modifications to existing weapons..."
"What's this one labeled 'Artillery'?" The President asked as he stared at the word on the list.
"I was getting to that... 'Artillery' is a new form of weapon that is capable of firing explosive rounds at targets great distances away."
"What kind of distances are we talking about, General?" President Metis asked he peered at General Veo.
"Initial speculations predict that one stationed at the border, at Ivu's elevation, would be able to hit any city in Ruqi."
"Which means Ruqi could possibly fire upon any of our cities from the border as well."
"It'll take some time before Ruqi is able to build something with that kind of destructive power." General Veo said as he crossed his arms. "It'll take even longer for them to create enough to make an impact."
"Well I hope you aren't suggesting we just stand by and wait for them to make their move." President Metis said with frustration.
"Not at all, sir, I say we take this as a sign to increase our allocation of moonstones."
"The Doctor's yield has been steadily dropping General. Do you have an idea of where they can find more?"
General Veo smirked. "Not only do I know where to find more, I have a way to cause some chaos inside of Ruqi."
"I'm listening..."
"Time to wake up Shadow" Hari said as he shook Shadow slightly.
Shadow's eyes opened lazily. "How long was I out?"
"It's almost dawn, my friend."
"Can't believe I'm able to sleep this much." Shadow said as he sat up in the bed. His left side still ached but the intensity was less severe than it has been.
"It's just your body healing." Hari said as he helped Shadow out of bed. "Are you able to walk?" Shadow lifted his legs and moved and around the room slowly. "Good." Hari said as he walked into another room. "We're getting ready to leave for Fenyo right now." Hari returned with a new shirt and a ragged cloak, similar to the ones he saw the Furs last night wearing. "The felines will be traveling with us until then; we can't let them know we're bringing a civilian along." Hari tossed Shadow the shirt and cloak. "Wear this until we arrive at Fenyo."
Shadow was able to take his arm out of the sling. He put on the new shirt and donned the cloak. Outside, the sun was just peaking over the horizon, illuminating countless Furs gathered around the town. He could see the canine Furs mounted on horses around an old covered wagon. As he and Hari approached the group he noticed a foul stench. It was coming from the wagon. Shadow wondered what could be making that stench. He looked at Hari and noticed his face was somber.
Shadow then realized what the smell was. The cart was filled with multiple figures wrapped in white cloth with red stains scattered about. Hari stood next to him. "Their bodies must wait until we arrive at Fenyo to be buried."
Bury? Shadow had no idea why bodies would be buried. It was custom for his village to burn the bodies of the dead and spread their ashes in the forest. The ashes would increase plant growth; leading to increased game. Shadow needed to remember that Humans and Furs have different traditions than his people.
"Why not bury them here?" Shadow asked.
"It's prohibited; canines can't be buried in a feline village. If we did, they'd just dig them up and ditch them somewhere." Hari looked over at another group of Furs in the distance. "They've buried their three already." Hari pointed at a nearby wagon, it was bigger and much nicer than the one the canines were using. "Inside their wagon are the spoils of last night: weapons, valuables, and food."
Shadow noticed one of the Furs in the distance approaching them on horseback. Shadow turned away. "What an offensive odor..." Shadow heard the voice say. "You and your men shall stay no less than fifty yards behind us. Are we clear... Captain?" The Fur snickered at the last part."
"I think fifty yards is much too close." Hari replied. "I'd say a hundred yards would be much better." Shadow could see Hari smirk in the corner of his eye.
"I'm glad you see sense... or smell it" Shadow heard the sound of the horse trotting away.
"The sooner we arrive at Fenyo the better..." Hari huffed as he turned towards his men.
"How long will it be before we arrive?" Shadow asked as he followed.
"Takes a few hours racing on horseback but..." Hari groaned. "We can only go as fast as that feline Captain goes, and he's going to take his sweet time."
"So you have horses too?" Shadow asked looking around.
"Had..." Hari glared back at the felines. Shadow looked back and realized all of the felines had their own horse to ride. "Their Captain is having the horses stay here..."
"What!? So you have no horses?"
"Besides the two pulling our wagon, just one." Hari said as he patted a horse near the cart. "Mine." Hari turned to Shadow and smiled. "I want you to use my horse."
Shadow shook his head. "You don't have to give me any special treatment Hari; my wound is fine."
"But you're still exhausted." Hari replied as he grabbed Shadow's arm and pulled him closer to the horse. "If you collapsed you'd have to lie down in the wagon, and I don't think you want that." Shadow took a sniff and winced. Shadow nodded his head and conceded.
Hari helped Shadow up onto the horse. "Riding a horse isn't that hard. Let me teach you some... moves." Hari's voice faded as he watched Shadow ride the horse in circles around him and his men.
Shadow stopped the horse next to Hari. "I may have some experience riding a horse..." Shadow smirked.
Hari laughed. "You're full of surprises aren't you?" Hari turned around. "I'm going to make sure my men are ready. We should be leaving in ten minutes."
Shadow's smirk faded as he looked down at the horse beneath him. He felt a sense of guilt from talking about it so lightly.
Half an hour later the group of canine Furs were travelling steadily through the forest behind the feline Captain and the cart. Like Hari had said- the Captain was taking his time. For Hari it was frustrating, but for some of the soldiers it was a relief; they enjoyed the slow pace that contrasted with the chaos the ensued just two nights ago.
For Shadow it was the most boring thing he'd ever encountered. Just sitting down on a slow-moving horse was not his idea of travelling. He wanted to go fast or at least get his legs moving, but Hari walked right alongside him to make sure he stayed sitting. He looked ahead to watch the Fur in front of him. Frustrated, he started to let out an involuntary growl.
"Bear with it, Shadow..." Hari said trying to calm Shadow down, but the tone of his voice conflicted with his words. "and pray something gets him to move faster."
Shadow's growling stopped when he smelt that horrible odor again. He looked back. The cart was in the far back of the group, and he was near the front. Shadow smiled; the wind was shifting and blowing from their backs. He looked ahead and noticed the feline Captain looking back. Steadily he started speeding up, increasing the distance between him and Hari's group.
Hari smirked and turned to his men. "C'mon men, we can't get too far behind!"
Moans of disappointment escaped some of the Furs. Their leisure walk was over. Hari led the charge as he dashed off ahead of the others. Shadow watched as the other Furs dashed past him. He waited until the cart was ahead of him before he got the horse to get going.
Shadow enjoyed the ride for ten minutes before he noticed the smell come back. The wind was shifting again and blowing against his front. Shadow knew this wasn't good, and not just for his nose.
Moments later he noticed the feline starting to slow down. He pulled himself in front of the group and realized the reason they were slowing down. He figured the feline would return to their normal pace, but instead he saw that he came to a complete halt. Shadow could see Hari approaching the feline. He learned from the others that he went on ahead to find out what was going on.
When Hari returned he was fuming. His teeth were bared and his claws were digging into the palm of his paws. "What's wrong?" Shadow asked as he rode up to Hari.
"He wants to take a break." Hari huffed as he took a seat on the ground. "Bunch of bull." Hari looked past Shadow and noticed his men still standing. "Go ahead and rest men, we'll be back on our feet once he's satisfied."
Shadow groaned and looked ahead again. He was starting to hate that Captain.
The rest of the day went by the same way: the Captain would travel slowly, he'd dash off when the wind carried the smell his way, and then he'd take a break once the wind had shifted again. Shadow felt like they spent more time standing still than actually traveling. It only got worse. Once sundown approached the Captain decided to set up camp for the night. Hari said Fenyo wasn't much further, but didn't protest to the feline; he didn't want to waste his breath.
Shadow was relieved that was finally able to stay off the horse instead of the occasional break. Hari was still close to him, keeping an eye in case something happened. His attention was cut short, though, as he needed to figure out how to deal with the rising hunger in the men. Shadow hadn't even noticed his own hunger; too distracted from his previous boredom. Shadow looked around at the Furs. He knew none of them had any bits of food on them; only canteens.
Shadow sniffed the air. He could smell fire and something cooking upwind. The feline had a fire started and was no doubt cooking some of the meat his men took from Ivu. Shadow growled. He wondered how much of the meat they stole was what his friends had caught.
Shadow's ears perked up. He looked behind and noticed Hari was still too busy with his men. Shadow silently left his cloak on the horse and snuck into the forest. Once he had a bit of distance between him the others he stopped. He stretched his arms. His left side was still sore and very sensitive around his wound, but he still able to keep his full range of motion. Shadow smiled as he sniffed the air; he smelt a very familiar tasty treat. He felt good to be able to hunt again.
The sun had nearly set. The canines had managed to start a fire of their own. All of them were huddled around the large fire except for Hari who paced back and forth; wondering where Shadow had gone. "I take my eyes off of him for a moment and..." Hari stopped in his tracks. His face filled with guilt as his gaze slowly wandered to the cart. "Should have stayed with him..."
Hari suddenly heard cheers of excitement from his men. He turned around and saw Shadow dragging a huge buck behind him. He noticed Shadow rubbing his wound. Hari quickly approached him. "Why didn't you tell me where you were going?"
"I didn't want to make you worry." Shadow said as he let go of the buck. It didn't take long for Hari's men to take off with it.
"Well you did." Hari said as he crossed his arms. "What if something happened to you in the forest? It's almost night-time and you could have been stranded with no one knowing where you were."
"Hari... I'm used to hunting in the forest." Shadow said as he walked past Hari.
"I don't care how many times you've hunted in the forest; you are injured. What if your wound had reopened?"
Shadow sighed and faced Hari. "What do you want me to do? Say I'm sorry? I didn't mean to make you worry, but this is how I grew up."
"And your father never taught you restraint?" Hari asked.
"I never knew my father Hari." Shadow said. "He died before I could even remember."
Hari eyes trailed away from Shadow. He let his arms fall to his side. "Oh... I shouldn't have assumed..."
"It's alright." Shadow said with a smile. "I may not have gotten the chance to know him... but he's still a huge part of my life..." Shadow grabbed the moonstone around his neck.
"A gift from him?" Hari asked. Shadow nodded, gazing at the stone. Hari smiled. "Your father must have been some man to have one of those." Shadow looked at Hari. "Why don't you take a seat... I'm going to help my men get the meat ready." Hari looked over at the Furs skinning the buck.
"You know..." Shadow said as he let the stone drop back onto his chest. "I could go get some more meat while that one's cooking."
"You've done enough for today. Sit down and let your body rest; I'll bring you some meat when it's ready." Hari walked off towards the fire as Shadow slowly sat himself down. Shadow gazed at the buck carcass being sliced into pieces. In Sonir he'd just skin and gut the creature before letting its entire body roast over a fire. That'd take hours though. Smaller slices would cook faster, but would lose some of their flavor and moisture. Shadow swallowed as his mouth watered. He was looking forward to eating something he would actually enjoy.
When the first of the meat slices were finished cooking over the fire, skewered by sticks, Shadow was surprised how much meat he had on his. He looked around; none of the others seemed to be upset about it. What was even weirder was that all of the Furs were trying to sit next to him. Shadow had become somewhat of a little celebrity to them for having brought food to their plates. Shadow chuckled; even with how animal-like the Furs are they are just as clueless about hunting as humans are.
As the night carried on Shadow soon found himself alone; the others were turning in for the night. All of them were huddled around the fire that was slowly growing dimmer.
A series of clunks came from behind Shadow. He looked over his shoulder and noticed Hari carrying an armful of branches. He looked down at Hari's feet and noticed some lying there as well. "Just making sure the fire lasts through the night..." Hari said as he walked past Shadow.
Shadow reached over and picked up the fallen branches and followed. "Why didn't you have some of them go collect the wood?"
Hari chuckled. "They were enjoying themselves too much; I didn't want to take them away from that." Hari carefully set down the branches near the fire. "It's important to keep their spirits up..." Hari sighed as he looked up into the sky. "And I owe them for ending their celebration abruptly last night." He looked towards Shadow. "Here, I'll take those." He offered his paw out to Shadow. Shadow gave him the branches and watched as Hari slowly placed them into the fire; rekindling it into a larger flame.
Shadow took a seat near the fire. Hari sat down not too far from him. The two gazed at the flames. From all the fire Shadow had seen recently, he felt the flames in front of him oddly hypnotizing to watch.
As the night went on everyone around Shadow had fallen asleep. Shadow's eyes were tired and sore from watching the fire for so long, but he just couldn't keep his eyes off of the flames.
"Shadow." A voice said. Shadow looked over towards Hari; he hadn't realized he was still awake. When their eyes met Hari chuckled. "I guess you can't sleep either my friend." Hari said as he tossed another branch into the fire. A crackling of sparks flew into the air before fading
"Guess not..." Shadow said under his breath.
"Thinking about something?" Hari asked.
Shadow continued to gaze into the flames. "Home..."
Hari was silent for a moment before speaking again. "Have any family back home?"
"Had a mother." Shadow said.
"Had?" Hari asked, his ears lowering slightly.
"She died recently. She was the only family I had... well... everyone is considered family in my village, but you know what I mean... I've lost my whole family..."
Hari remained silent for a long time before I let out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry if I'm bringing up any sad memories." Hari watched Shadow, his eyes not looking away from the flames. "I remember what it felt like to lose my parents." Shadow looked over at Hari. "I was still in school when it happened. My father was a woodcutter; his jobs ranged from cutting down trees to trimming off branches. That second part doesn't seem like much, but it can actually be more dangerous than cutting down a tree." Hari sighed. "His harness snapped and he fell over forty feet to the ground."
Hari tossed another branch into the fire. "I take comfort in the fact that he died on impact, but... seeing him with his neck snapped was a horrible thing for a kid to see."
"What did you do?" Shadow asked.
"I broke down. I was very close to my father; I was even going to be a woodcutter like him..." Hari picked up another branch. "But he only ever got as far as teaching how to climb a tree." Hari dropped the branch back into the pile. "My mother took his death harder; she became ill and was unable to work. I had two choices... I could take over my father's job, but I didn't have much experience and wouldn't make nearly as much as he did. My other choice was to join the army; I was at the minimum age of sixteen and wouldn't have any problems joining."
Shadow counted in his mind. Sixteen moons? Shadow was 280 moons. There was no way Hari was using the same measurement of time that he was.
"So I dropped out of school and joined the army. The initial advance they gave me was enough to pay for my mother's medicine. After that I sent as much money as I could to her to help her get back onto her feet and back to work, but... I was being too optimistic. Not even a year passed before I received news that my mother had succumbed to her illness."
"The medicine didn't help?" Shadow said.
"I don't know if the medicine helped or not; she didn't take any."
"She took none?" Shadow asked with surprise.
"Perhaps at first she took the medicine... but perhaps she began to realize what her life had become; a sickly woman whose husband is dead and her only child is a member of the army and may never return." Hari sighed. "Maybe she'd still be alive if I had been there for her. Maybe if I had tried to become a woodcutter things might have been different."
"Do you regret it?" Shadow asked.
"Regret joining the army? No. It pains me at what became of my mother, but joining the army did lead to some happy memories including leading this group and..." Hari stared at the sky again. "Well... I just wanted you to know that I do know the pain of losing a close family member." Hari placed his hand on Shadow's shoulder. "When you're ready to talk about it- I'll listen."
"Thank you Hari." Shadow said with his eyes growing heavy. Hari smiled.
"No problem Shadow. Now, you should try to get some sleep."
"What about you?" Shadow asked.
"I need to make sure this fire keeps burning for the night."
"But you need some rest too..." Shadow said as he let out a yawn.
"I'll have time to sleep in Fenyo. Besides, I'm used to doing this." Hari smiled as he grabbed another branch. "Now get some sleep."
Sparks crackled as Shadow lied down on his right side, his back facing the flames. He suddenly felt how dry his eyes were. His eyelids were stamped shut and wouldn't open. The initial stinging kept him up a little longer, but as his eyes moistened he felt himself drifting off to sleep. As he drifted he felt something cover him. His eyes still wouldn't open, but he could feel it. He knew it was the cloak Hari had given him. Shadow let out a sigh as his whole body relaxed.
Early the next morning, before the sun had even risen, Hari had awoken everyone. Ahead of them the feline Captain was preparing to move forward. Everyone quickly got ready. Hari predicted that even if the felines travel at the pace they have been they should reach Fenyo in no more than two hours.
That estimate was quite accurate. The sun was barely over the horizon when both groups of Furs arrived at Fenyo. Shadow looked around. Two large rivers ran through the town.
"Fenyo is a fishing town." Hari said as he walked up next to Shadow. "It's a neutral town owned by neither feline nor canine, but... the felines count on it more than they would like to admit."
"They like fish, huh?" Shadow said as he looked around."
"Of course they like fish! It's their favorite kind of meat." Hari said shaking his head, showing his disgust.
"Why don't the felines own this village then?" Shadow asked.
"As much as they love fish they hate being around water..." Hari smirked. Shadow and Hari watched as the feline entered a nearby building; the town hall thought Shadow. When the feline Captain emerged some time later he mounted his horse again. The feline Fur driving the wagon quickly followed.
"Where's he heading now?" Shadow asked.
"To the Capital." Hari said as he walked ahead of Shadow. "He will be rewarded for participating in the raid, maybe even earn extra for all of the loot he's bringing."
"...Will..." Shadow tried to get the words out. "...will you get an award for... that too?"
"Of course. The King may be feline, but he does treat his soldiers equally... well almost. He might give the felines a bit more, but he does recognize us all."
"Sounds like you have no problem with a feline king" Shadow said smiling, remembering how Hari has talked of felines since yesterday.
"I respect the King." Hari said. "Though however fair he may be when it comes to the military, he is still a feline and puts his kind first."
Shadow looked around at the various Furs roaming the streets. Most of them were bears carrying huge nets full of fish. "What do these people think about a feline king?"
"Those who are not canine or feline usually stand in the middle; they're treated lower than felines, but higher than canines." Hari sighed. He turned around and watched the covered wagon enter the town. The smell of fish hid the smell that emanated from the wagon. "Shadow... head to the inn over there" Hari pointed at a large building in the distance. "As long as you're wearing that cloak they'll give you a room."
"What are you going to do?" Shadow asked as he dismounted the horse.
"To give my men some peace..."
"Perhaps I can..."
"No." Hari said as he looked at Shadow. "This is for me and my men to do; this is personal for us."
Shadow nodded and backed up slightly. Hari led his horse to the wagon. Shadow turned and headed towards the inn.
Shadow lied down on one of the many beds that filled the room. He'd seen bunk beds of two before, but here there were bunks of three beds piled upon each other. The mattresses weren't very comfortable, but it beat sleeping on the ground... if only slightly.
Shadow didn't know what to do; he didn't know how long Hari and the others would take. Perhaps it was best to just wait for them to come back. Shadow shifted his weight on the bed. For now he could catch a little more sleep.
Shadow awoke with a yawn. He looked around; some of the beds were filled with canine Furs he'd been traveling with. He didn't see Hari anywhere. He approached the window and glanced at the sun. Shadow estimated he must have been asleep for about two hours.
Shadow walked outside. The town was more energetic than it had been a couple hours ago. A cool breeze filled the air; mixing the smell of fish with the fragrance of the trees. Hari walked around town. He had never seen rivers this big before. Shadow looked down into the water. Realizing he couldn't see the riverbed, he realized he'd never seen a river this deep either. The rivers near Sonir were shallow; knee-deep. He'd seen fish swim down the river from time to time, but it was only the water that he and his village were interested in. Shadow wondered if that small river was connected to these large ones somewhere.
Shadow continued to explore the town. The people seemed much busier than the people of Koza. He wondered what the felines actually do there...
Shadow couldn't seem to find Hari anywhere he looked. He even went back to the inn to see if they had missed each other, but the innkeeper said he hadn't shown up yet. Shadow asked one of the canines if they knew. They didn't say exactly, but pointed in a direction towards the outskirts of Fenyo.
Shadow crossed over both rivers. This side of the village was less crowded than the other side. He looked over in the distance and noticed the wagon that they had traveled with. It wasn't far from the tree line; standing in a large flat field that was scattered with rocks.
As Shadow approached the cart he noticed someone leaning against it on the other side. Shadow walked around. Standing there was Hari, his gaze locked on the fields in front of him. Shadow knew Hari must have known he was there; he wasn't trying to be sneaky, but Hari didn't acknowledge him.
Shadow looked out into the field. He had no idea why Hari was so transfixed on it. Shadow looked down at one of the rock near his feet and noticed something odd about. There appeared to be writing on the rock. Shadow kneeled down to get a closer look. "A name?" Shadow asked as he read the writing.
It dawned on Shadow. He was standing on the ground where Hari's men had been buried.
"I knew all of their names by heart..." Hari said, catching Shadow off-guard. "Some I've known only for a few weeks, and others for many years..." Hari took a deep breath. "For many of my men... our unit is the only family they have; they have no parents, no wives... no children to return home to. The others may seem like they're carefree, but I know they're hurting; they've taken the loss hard." A smile formed on Hari's face. "I know they're relieved that they've put their friends to rest."
"And what about you?" Shadow asked. "Does burying them bring you any comfort?"
Hari closed his eyes. "I can't feel any comfort until I bury one more..." Hari turned to face the wagon. Shadow looked over and noticed there was one more covered body lying in the wagon. "While most of my soldiers didn't have a family of their own..." Hari placed his hand on the body. "My son; my only family died that night."
Shadow's ears flattened against his head. He gazed down at the body and then looked to Hari. The fur around his eyes had started to mat together as they grew damp.
"I raised him for twenty-two years. I was so proud when he wanted to join the army like me four years ago." Hari breathed out a heavy sigh. "I thought he'd be safe in my unit; with me to watch over him... but I couldn't protect him!" Hari slammed the side of the wagon with his paw causing his son's body to shake slightly. Hari's ears stood up. "I'm sorry Darius..." he said in a calmer tone. "You'll be at peace once we reach the capital... I'm taking you home."
Hari wiped his eyes and took a deep breath. He turned to Shadow. "Thank you."
"For what?" Shadow asked.
"For listening; I've been holding in these feelings since that night." Hari let out a chuckle. "I hope you don't see this Captain as weak after witnessing all of this."
"You're not weak in my eyes, Ha-" Shadow paused. "My friend."
Hari formed a broad smile before letting out a deep yawn. "Holding it in has also made me unable to fall asleep."
"Three nights without sleep, huh?" Shadow asked, feeling guilty for sleeping so much within the past few days."
"Yes, but I think tonight I might be able to break that streak." Hari said as he looked at Shadow. A smile formed on his face. He just looked at Shadow with that smile.
"What's that look for?" Shadow asked.
"I think you and Darius would have gotten along well; you even look the same age as him."
Shadow thought back to the difference between his and Hari's measurement of time. "How old did you say Darius was?"
"Twenty-two."
"Then we are the same age." Shadow lied. He had no idea how to convert his moons to whatever sense of time Furs used.
"I thought so..." Hari closed his eyes. "I'm glad I gave you his cloak..." His body started to lose balance. As he started tipping over Shadow jumped forward and steadied him.
"I think you need some rest now." Shadow said as he steadied Hari against the wagon.
Hari chuckled, his eyes parted slightly. "How's your wound?" Hari asked.
"It's fine Hari; much better than it was days ago."
"That's good..." Hari said. "But you still should get some rest."
"Look who's talking!" Shadow laughed.
"You cannot be serious!" Dr. Jill shouted at General Veo.
"Please be calm, Doctor." General Veo responded.
"Calm!? You want 21L to do something I've tried very hard for him to avoid!"
"We are at war; this is something that should be expected of everyone committed to the effort."
"But 21L is a scout and a collector; not a killer!"
"You and I both know that's not true..." General Veo glared at Dr. Jill. She tried to speak, but her words stammered. "What was that?"
"21L isn't like them..."
"But he does have their potential, and we need any advantage we can get..."
Dr. Jill sighed. "Give him one more week."
"From your reports, his wound as healed sufficiently in these past three days." General Veo said as he gazed at Dr. Jill with impatience.
"It's not for his wound." Dr. Jill countered. "I've been studying his blood... he's about to go through the next phase."
General Veo smiled. "One week then."
Dr. Jill closed her eyes. She was starting to regret what she had told Zil a while ago.
Happy New Years and boy has it been a while since I've been on the site.
I'm at the 50 day mark before joining the Air Force
So what's my New Year's Resolution? I'd like to finish this series before I ship out. And now you check the time gap between chapters and you'll think I'm crazy lol. One of the problems I had with this chapter was Hari and how he'll affect the story. His initial role is vastly different than the one he has now and the one he'll have later.
So other than that, what do you think of this chapter, or the characters (new or old).
I'll try my best to get the series done before Basic Training (because there isn't going to be any computer time while I'm there lol).