Treecat Wars - читать бесплатно онлайн полную версию книги автора David Weber (ч. 4)

<I cannot say,> Swift Striker replied. <But I think he will understand if we show him your desire. Mind-blind he may be, but he has understanding that bridges the silence.>

* * *

The humans spent much of the evening discussing the possible relocation of the Skinny ’Cat Clan.

“We’re going to need to bring the SFS in on this at some point,” Scott concluded. “Stephanie and Karl’s return home may be the perfect excuse for a private meeting—one that won’t alert the x-a’s that something’s up.”

“I don’t expect to hear from Steph today,” Anders said. “It’s already evening in Landing, and tonight’s when she’s giving her big talk to the Adair Foundation. I’ll message her and time delivery so there’s no chance she’ll get it until that’s over. Knowing Steph, she’ll be eager to help.”

He hoped so, especially given what he’d be telling her as soon as he could. What if she got in a snit and refused to have anything to do with them? No. He wouldn’t believe that. Stephanie had always been an advocate for treecats. If she got upset, she’d probably just channel it into finding a solution.

He hoped.

The next morning, he found a message from Stephanie waiting. He opened it, expecting tales of triumph, and met with a shock. As soon as he had the details, he went tearing downstairs where Irina and Jessica were chatting over tea. Scott emerged from where he’d been checking over Survivor’s wounds just as he arrived.

“Someone tried to kidnap Lionheart!” Anders said, and quickly gave them the details.

“Wow!” Jessica said. “If I believed in astrology, I’d say the stars must’ve been out of alignment. We tangle with the Attack Cat. Stephanie and the rest face ’catnappers.”

“But everyone’s all right?” Scott pressed. “No serious injuries?”

“None,” Anders assured him. “Stephanie even went in and gave her talk, just like planned. She says the Earl seems like a good sort, even nicer than his cousin, and she seems to like this Gwendolyn a lot, too.”

“I bet Richard and Marjorie are relieved they’d already made plans to come home early,” Irina said. “When do they get back?”

“Three days,” Anders said.

Scott nodded. “Right. I’m going to talk with Frank, if I can catch him alone. I think our presentation to Chief Ranger Shelton would go better if we can suggest a couple of possible locations. I think I could talk Frank into giving us a few suggestions without letting his boss know.”

“Wait!” Anders said. “My dad and his team have been working out a program that models the sorts of areas that would best suit treecats. They’ve gone beyond the simple things like the need for picketwood, into plants and other materials the ’cats seem to use. They’ve even included things like preferred prey animals. That would help identify possible relocation sites, wouldn’t it?”

“Would he give you a copy?”

“Sure. I have one already. When I’ve had time, I’ve been helping with data entry. I get automatic updates.”

Jessica grinned. “We can overlay that onto the Crown lands, add in where we already know treecats are, and plug in human holdings.”

“I like it,” Scott agreed. “Ever since that bit with Tennessee Bolgeo, the SFS has been really guarded about confirming anything to do with where treecats are currently living. This way Steph and Karl can go in, make suggestions, and Shelton can tell them whether or not those locations will work.”

“And if he refuses to let them be moved?” Irina asked.

Jessica’s grin faded. “He won’t. But if he did, well, I’ve got some images cached that would go straight to where they’d do us the most good.” Her expression brightened again. “But he won’t. He’s not the sort of man to let even a bunch of chipmunks starve to death if he could help. He’ll find a way to make it work. He’d better.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Stephanie’s heart beat rapidly as the shuttle touched down. So much had happened in the last three months—and so much was about to happen. Already the demands of her coursework seemed unreal, especially in the face of the challenges to come.

When debarking began, Stephanie was immediately aware of the change in gravity. For a moment, she thought about switching on her counter-grav unit, but she resisted. From his carrier, Lionheart gave a heartfelt “bleek” and waved his true-hand to show that he, too, felt the changes.

Karl and Stephanie’s parents were chattering, bags were being gathered, general motion began towards the exit. On some level, Stephanie took part in all of it, but most of her was focused on what would happen in just a few moments. Anders had promised he’d be there to meet her, yet she felt suddenly nervous. What if he wasn’t there?

But Anders was there, tall and lean, his wheat-colored hair pulled back in its usual ponytail, his dark-blue eyes intent. His smile flashed when he spotted her in the queue. He loped forward.

“Steph! Welcome home!”

Anders hugged her, then turned and greeted the senior Harringtons. Karl was being hugged by his parents and various siblings, so the young men settled for clasping hands over the assorted dark heads.

“Your dad and I can wait for the luggage, Stephanie,” Marjorie Harrington said playfully. “If Anders wants to give you and Lionheart a ride home, you can leave now.”

Without waiting for Stephanie to answer, Anders grabbed her carry-on from her father, leaving Lionheart’s carrier to her. “Thanks!”

Stephanie considered letting Lionheart out right away, but the treecat would certainly attract attention. Better wait until they were outside. She waved to Karl.

“Later!”

Karl was now wearing some sort of homemade paper crown. He gave her a sheepish smile. “Later…”

Outside, the air was crisp, sharp with autumn in a way it hadn’t been when Stephanie left for Manticore. Or was the change she felt just the contrast between the planets? Lionheart certainly felt it. When she let him out of his carrier, he wrapped his tail around himself, then jumped into the air car.

“He did lose a lot of fur,” she said thoughtfully, talking to cover her sudden nervousness. It was one thing to message a guy just about every day. It was another to finally be alone with him. “I wonder if I should get him a sweater?”

Anders laughed. “If you do, don’t let Dr. Hidalgo see him in it.”

“Right!” Stephanie joined the laughter; both he and Jessica had messaged her about Dr. Hidalgo’s devotion to pristine cultures. “I’m all for letting the treecats live treecat lives, but not to the point where Lionheart gets sick.” She slid into the passenger seat. “How did Survivor do when you took him home? He’d lost a lot of fur, too, hadn’t he?”

“Scott and Irina felt pretty much the way you do,” Anders said. “They sent him home with a couple of jackets they’d cobbled together. All the fastenings can be undone by a treecat, so Survivor can wear them or not as he pleases.”

“That’s good. Maybe I should com for the pattern and make a couple of jackets for Lionheart.”

Anders nodded agreement, but Stephanie felt a throb of apprehension. There was something tight about his features. She couldn’t help but notice that his hand didn’t reach for hers as it would have before. Her sense that something wasn’t quite right wasn’t helped when Lionheart jumped onto the back of the seat and wrapped his tail around her neck instead of bleeking for the window to be opened the way he usually did.

“Steph,” Anders said, biting down on his lower lip. “There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m going to just be honest. I’m…I’m in love with someone else.”

“Jessica.” The answer was so obvious that Stephanie didn’t even need to guess. A sick feeling flooded the pit of her stomach, followed by a flash of anger. How could they betray her? She’d loved them both, though in different ways. She’d trusted them…Then, as soon as her back was turned, they’d gone against her!

“I don’t know,” Anders went on stiffly, “if Jessica loves me. I know she likes me but…She’s been keeping her distance ever since I told her how I felt. That was after the Attack ’Cat went for her.”

The air car was on autopilot, but Anders had been staring at the HUD as if he were piloting through a storm. Now he hung his head. “I feel like an utter blackhole, telling you this when you haven’t even gotten your planet legs back, but I thought holding out, acting like nothing had changed, would be worse.”

To Stephanie’s surprise, Lionheart stretched to pat Anders on one arm. For a moment, she felt a flare of jealousy. Then she understood. Lionheart could feel Anders’ emotions—and that meant the pain she saw on his face was genuine. He wasn’t acting. He really did feel terrible.

“I don’t…” she managed. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Yeah,” he said, shrugging in mute understanding. “Listen, don’t blame Jessica. She didn’t encourage me or anything. We haven’t been dating or anything…I’d been keeping my feelings to myself…Then, there she was, all covered in blood, her eye nearly slashed out…You’ve talked about how you felt when Lionheart was being attacked…I…I couldn’t lie to myself anymore. And I’d never lie to you.”

Stephanie reached into herself, wondering if this extraordinary calm she felt was Lionheart’s doing, but she didn’t think so. She could feel him there, watchful, attentive, ready to intervene if she needed him, but the treecat seemed to have learned that there were things she had to deal with without the comfort he so easily offered.

“I…Talk to me…I’m confused.”

“Me, too. What do you want me to talk about?”

“Is there something wrong with me? Are you still my friend? Is Jessica? I…I feel like the universe’s gone through a blender and everything is all different shapes. I guess I’m glad you were honest. I know I am, but I can’t…” She felt hot, fat tears running down her cheeks. “Just talk to me.”

He did. Slowly at first, then with greater detail. Eventually, she started talking, too. Back and forth, back and forth. He still thought she was great. So did Jessica. Both of them were torn up….

Was there a point when Lionheart intervened, letting Stephanie feel just how lost and confused Anders felt? She didn’t know, but throughout it all the ’cat stayed close, wrapping her within the fluffy length of his tail.

* * *

Climbs Quickly did not need to understand mouth noises to figure out the reason for the emotional storms he was caught between. The next day, when he and Death Fang’s Bane went to the two-legs’ gathering place and met with Windswept and Dirt Grubber, his friend filled him in on the details he could not gather from Death Fang’s Bane’s mind-glow.

After showing him how Swimmer’s Scourge had assaulted Windswept and Nimble Fingers, Dirt Grubber said, <I had been aware that both Windswept and Bleached Fur had feelings for each other beyond what they were admitting. I had no idea how matters would be resolved. I know that none of those involved are completely happy right now, and the two-legs are certainly very different from the People when it comes to knowing their own feelings, far less anyone else’s. But I cannot help feeling this will all be for the best in the end.>

Climbs Quickly chewed thoughtfully on the cluster stalk he had been served. Maybe it was just being home, but it tasted so much better than it had in the Hot Lands.

As methodically as he would have set one of his gardens in place, Dirt Grubber began with the finding of the body he now knew to have been Red Cliff’s and his first sensing of Keen Eyes. He interwove what he had later learned from Keen Eyes and Nimble Fingers, so that by the time Climbs Quickly had taken it all in, he actually had a better understanding of events than had any of those who had been more immediately involved.

<I will certainly speak with Sings Truly about all of this,> Climbs Quickly said. <And she will just as certainly insist on helping. And Death Fang’s Bane took me to examine her flying thing last night, which is how she tells me when she intends to take me to visit Bright Water. I believe she wanted me to understand that we will fly there tomorrow.>

<I have already spoken with Brilliant Images,> Dirt Grubber said. <Windswept has wanted to avoid Bleached Fur—I think she wishes to understand her own feelings better before seeing him again—so we made a long visit to my clan, and I used the opportunity to arrange matters. Now we need to see if the two-legs will take action as we expect.>

<If they do not,> Climbs Quickly said with confidence, <then we will find a way to make them take action. But I do not think we will need to go that far. I cannot speak with Death Fang’s Bane as I can with a Person, but I can taste when she is planning and plotting. Even in her grief, those sensations are present.>

He reached for another piece of cluster stalk, expecting Death Fang’s Bane to take it from him because he had already eaten over a hand of them, but she remained intent on her conversation with Windswept. He could only hope that some of it was about starving People and not all about one young two-leg with bright hair.

* * *

“Jessica commed me,” Karl said when he picked Stephanie up for their meeting with Chief Ranger Shelton. “So you don’t have to tell me anything. She said she talked to you, too.”

“She did,” Stephanie agreed. “We had shakes at the Red Letter Café a couple of days ago. We decided not to let a guy get in the way of our friendship. I mean, she’s not to blame for Anders’ feelings changing.”

Karl sighed. “Steph, I’ve never really told you about Sumiko, have I?”

Stephanie blinked, startled by the change of subject. “Well, I know a few things. She lived with your family, right? Some things Irina’s said…I think she was your girlfriend. And she…she died in an accident.”

Karl nodded. “Those are the basics. But I’m going to tell you something no one else knows—no one, not my mom or my dad or anybody.”

From the thin trickle of emotion flowing into her through Lionheart, Stephanie could tell this was very important to Karl, so she didn’t say any of the usual things, “If you really want to” or “I don’t want to pry”—all those “kind” things people say when what they’re really saying is, “Don’t take me into your pain.”

“Go on. I’m listening.”

“Sumiko came to live with us after all her family died in the Plague. My folks legally adopted her. Sumi and I were pretty close in age. I was just a few months older. Since our families’ freeholds shared a border, we’d known each other all our lives. For a while, it was just like having another sister, but as we got older….”

He paused and made an unnecessary adjustment on the air car’s panel. Stephanie held her breath, not wanting to break the moment.

“I’m not sure who started thinking we’d get married when we got older. I think it started with adults joking around the way they do when they think kids are too young to really take them seriously. The thing is, we did take them seriously. We’d talk about it when we were alone. Whether we’d live in the house her family had built or build one of our own, stuff like that….”

Karl swallowed hard. “When I turned fifteen, Sumi started getting really serious. Maybe it’s because girls mature faster than guys or something. I don’t know. She wanted us to get engaged or at least betrothed. I wasn’t against it. I mean, marrying Sumiko was as much a part of my future life as going to Landing for college. But I did want to go to college, and I didn’t want to get married and start a family before I was done.”

“Oh…”

Karl rushed on. “On the day Sumi and I took the kids sledding, we’d been fighting. She’d been hinting that she thought I’d be giving her a betrothal ring for her fifteenth birthday. I just told her flat out I wasn’t, that I thought eighteen would be better—we’d both be legal adults then. It wouldn’t be kids’ games.

“Sumiko was furious with me, said what she felt wasn’t kids’ games, that she loved me, and if I didn’t love her enough to give her a stupid promise ring, then…”

Karl’s fists were clenched tight, but the words came rushing out. “Normally, we’d probably have figured out a way to go off on our own, cool off. Then we would’ve made up. But we’d promised the kids, and so, still really mad, we went out. Looking back, we probably shouldn’t have. The tree branches were heavy with snow and we weren’t too young to know conditions were dangerous. But, well, if we’d backed off, it would have been like one of us was giving ground.

“It’s probably because I was so pissed that I didn’t see that one of the branches of the crown oak my sister Larissa was sledding under was weak. Sumi did, though. She screamed a warning and ran all out, knocking Larissa out of danger…Sumiko didn’t get clear, though. The branch hit her from over a hundred meters up.”

Stephanie could see it all in her imagination, the crown oak limb tearing free, the fragile black-haired girl smashed. She knew all too well how hard things could fall in heavy gravity.

Karl went on, his voice stiff. “I hollered for someone to call for help. I ran and hauled that tree limb off, but there was nothing I could do. Sumiko’s chest had been crushed, her lungs punctured. There was blood on her lips. She said something about our having at least six kids, that she loved me, and then…she died.”

Karl was crying now, his calm, stiff tone a frightening contrast to the tears that rolled down his cheeks. “She was dead and I’d killed her. Killed her because I wouldn’t give her a stupid ring that would have made her happy.”

“Karl…you didn’t! It wasn’t your fault….”

Karl gave her a twisted grin. “Yeah. Except it felt like it. It still feels like it. There’s not a day I don’t think about it, don’t wonder how things might have worked out. When I turned eighteen, I realized this would’ve been the year I gave Sumiko her ring…And I also realized that maybe I wouldn’t have. I mean, people change a lot. Three years? Would kids’ dreams have lasted that long? I don’t know.”

Stephanie fought back tears. “Kids’ dreams? That’s why you’re telling me this? Because of Anders?”

“Some.” Karl looked directly at her. “Maybe other reasons. Maybe because I’m beginning to be ready to let go of the ghost. Look, I don’t think what you felt—feel—for Anders isn’t real, but the fact is that most people don’t end up settling down with the first person they fall in love with. Even if they do, not all those relationships work out. I’m finally accepting that even if Sumi and I had gotten married, maybe it wouldn’t have been as perfect as we dreamed.”

“And maybe,” Stephanie said slowly, “if Anders hadn’t fallen for Jessica, something else would’ve come along to break us up. Still, there have got to be easier ways to get dumped than having your guy fall for your best friend.”

Karl poked her with one long finger. “Yours?’ They don’t really belong just to you, you know. And you don’t belong just to them. No matter what words you use, Jess and Anders have lives beyond how they relate to you…And you wouldn’t have gotten involved with them if you hadn’t thought both of them were pretty great people, right? Imagine how you’d feel if Anders had dumped you for Trudy!”

Stephanie actually found herself giggling. “I see what you mean. Okay.” She grew suddenly somber. “And, hey, Karl…Thanks. I won’t tell anyone.”

Karl nodded his appreciation. “Actually, I’m thinking it’s time I told my family. Maybe I’ll start with Irina. She’s pretty understanding. It’s time I stopped carrying this shadow on my heart. Sumiko deserves more than to be remembered for her last few hours.”

Stephanie nodded. “I think so. I think, you know, she’d probably like that a lot.”

* * *

“So, essentially,” Chief Ranger Shelton said, “you want to move an entire clan of treecats. You’re just giving the SFS a chance to pick where.”

Stephanie felt as if this was another test—and one where a lot more than the final mark rested on her answer.

“Well, sir, it’s sort of complicated. First of all, there is precedent—SFS relocated the remnants of the clan the Stray came from.”

“Ah, but in that case,” Shelton said, “the treecats were endangered by human actions. In this case, the fires were completely natural.”

Karl pointed to the holo map they’d brought with them. “Sir, humans are involved here, too. Not by causing the fires, but indirectly. Look at how many possible areas are blocked by human settlement.”

“Point taken,” Shelton said. “Still, why should the SFS get involved?”

Stephanie drew in a deep breath. “Well, sir, like I said, it’s complicated. If the treecats are animals, then this particular clan is living on Crown Lands, which makes them Crown property. If we just move them, say to a space on the Harrington freehold or on Karl’s family’s lands, then we’d be stealing. We don’t want to do that.”

“I am vastly relieved. Continue.”

“If, however, as a lot of people—”

“Including some members of the Adair Foundation,” Karl inserted helpfully, with an innocence that didn’t fool anyone.

Stephanie glared at him. “If, as some people seem to think, the treecats are sentient, then they should have the right to move wherever they want as long as where they go doesn’t get in the way of other people’s claims. I mean, if the ’cats are people, not property, then they can’t be stolen. If, say, Chet parked his truck and a bunch of ’cats got on, and then he gave them a lift, that wouldn’t be theft, right?”

“Perhaps letting you take those law courses wasn’t a good idea after all, Ms. Harrington. You have the makings of a bedroll lawyer.” Chief Ranger Shelton steepled his fingers and peered thoughtfully at his two provisional rangers. “Still, that’s an interesting point. I’ve been reading the interim reports from both Dr. Whitaker’s expedition and Dr. Radzinsky’s team. Certainly the balance seems to be tipping in favor of ruling the tree cats as at least marginally sentient.”

Karl nodded. “We’ve been looking at those, too. I must say, sir, with all due respect, that I think the question of sentience is settled. The level, now—that’s quite different. Dr. Whitaker’s in favor of a higher ranking. Dr. Radzinsky’s arguing for a lower one, especially since there’s no evidence the treecats have any form of writing or even a complex spoken language.”

“I expect,” Shelton said, “the debates will continue for a long while to come. And even when the scientists have submitted their papers, the question of the treecats’ legal status will take even longer to settle.”

He sat in thoughtful silence for long enough that only Lionheart’s calming presence stopped Stephanie from fidgeting.

“Still, I think it would be all for the best if in this instance we erred on the side of protectiveness,” he said finally. “We don’t want future generations to judge us for knowingly letting an entire group of ‘people’—no matter how unsophisticated—freeze and starve through our inaction.”

He sighed. “I mean, we drop hay for near-deer and prong bucks. The only thing that makes this different is that problem of interference—”

“—with a pristine indigenous population,” Stephanie and Karl chorused, made a bit giddy by relief.

“Yes. For that reason, I think that, other than suggesting a location, it would be better if the SFS didn’t take an official role. From the images Anders and Jessica sent, this Skinny ’Cat Clan is fairly small. Could you arrange for, say, Chet’s truck and a few other vehicles to be in the area on a day to be named later? I’ll make certain neither of you are on the duty roster that particular day. In fact, it might be a good time to arrange a field trip for all our anthropologists to some distant location….”

“Yes, sir!”

“Anders won’t mention any of this to his father?”

“He hasn’t so far, sir,” Stephanie said, “and he and Jessica have known about this the longest of anyone. By the way, in case you didn’t know, they took Survivor back to his clan yesterday.”

“I’d heard. Very well, start making arrangements. These maps narrow possible relocation areas, but we’ll need to make sure prospective locations are indeed uninhabited. Recruit Jessica Pheriss and Scott MacDallan to help with that—we’ll need Fisher and Valiant to help scout, since treecats are so good at hiding from humans. I’ll be in touch. For now, you’re dismissed.”

Stephanie shot to her feet. She was halfway to the door when she turned and blurted out impulsively. “Thank you, sir. I hope I can be half as good a ranger as you.”

Chief Ranger Shelton smiled. “Go. We’ve got a job to do.”

* * *

Keen Eyes had expected the strange sense of dislocation he had felt since he had been wounded by Swimmer’s Scourge to fade once he was home again with his clan, but he found that it persisted. Even when he learned that he had not been abandoned, that his hopelessly calling mind-voice had been heard and a group had been on their way to get him when the flying thing had landed, he still felt isolated. He had spent time with the mind healers and that always helped, but when he was alone, he found himself remembering the twisted violence that had been Swimmer’s Scourge. And the violence it had evoked within him, as well.

He reassured himself that all would be well when they moved to their new territory. That the two-legs planned to help the clan was certain now. For the last few days, the clan had been visited by those People who had bonded with two-legs and their partners. Each of the People had carried with him a scout’s report of places the two-legs hoped would serve the clan’s need. Even Sour Belly’s attitude had softened when he realized how hard the two-legs were working to assure the Landless Clan would be landless no more.

The two-legs had also shown the clan images of all those places—images that moved and made sounds. Marvelous though they were, they told less than the mind pictures of the People who had also seen them, but Keen Eyes and his clan mates had realized the reason the two-legs had shown the images to them. They had tasted the question and the desire in the two-leg mind-glows and known the two-legs wanted them to choose from among all the possible ranges and indicate which they preferred.

In the end, the clan had chosen a place where swaying fronds grew tall in the shade of the netwood trees, for this reminded them of their former home. The area was well watered, and possessed both flint for tools and some hard red clay that shaped well. The new land was less high in the mountains than their former range had been, and untouched by the ravages of the past fire season. Storing supplies away for winter would not be impossible.

Keen Eyes was sitting high in a golden-leaf when he heard Nimble Fingers calling out to him. <I would like to come and say farewell. Also, my clan has a gift for yours. May I bring it to your central nesting place?>

<Come and welcome.>

When Nimble Fingers arrived, Keen Eyes saw the other had recovered well from his wounds. Except for some patchiness to his fur and the tattered state of his damaged ear, he looked much as he had when Keen Eyes had first met him. Nimble Fingers had with them a female Person of considerable presence. For a moment, Keen Eyes thought Nimble Fingers had brought his mate, but the female’s mind-glow was so powerful that he immediately knew her for what she was.

<This is Perfect Recollection,> Nimble Fingers said. <She is the first junior to our senior memory singer, Pleasant Singer.>

Perfect Recollection spoke to all the clan. <I would very much like to come with you to your new home. Since our clans shared a border, I know some of your lore. I could also teach your promising young so that your clan would not be without future memory singers.>

Her mind-glow was so vibrant and her passion to provide help was so strong that there was no need for discussion. Tiny Choir scampered forward and embraced Perfect Recollection, twining her tail around the other’s in spontaneous joy.

Keen Eyes found himself purring. A clan needed a memory singer to be truly a clan. He groomed his whiskers and reached to pat Nimble Fingers in thanks.

The sound of one of the two-legs’ flying things broke into the celebration. Perfect Recollection announced, <I taste Climbs Quickly. He is chuckling over something.>

<That one is a prankster,> Sour Belly said indulgently. <But there is no harm in him. It will be good to learn what has him so pleased.>

When the flying thing touched down a few moments later, they discovered that Climbs Quickly was not the only Person it had carried to them.

Song Spinner, a dignified female of some years, spoke for herself. <Since Sings Truly proved herself the best senior memory singer for our clan, I have been hoping to make myself useful. May I join your clan in its journeys? I know a great deal about the two-legs. Also, the songs of our clan may not be too strange to yours, since we are all mountain Peoples. I would be very happy to teach them to you.>

Perfect Recollection spoke for the clan. <Accepting not just one new memory singer but two is an enormous change. When we take your songs and make them our own, we will become a new clan. Yet, with all we have been through, perhaps this is the best choice. There is a time to hold onto the past, but there is also a time to move forward.>

A ripple of understanding flowed among the clan members, but there could be no doubt that all the Swaying Fronds Clan were thrilled by this second promising omen for their future.

<We are happy to have you,> Perfect Recollection said to Song Spinner. <Let neither of us be senior or junior, for what we have to share differs in substance but not in value.>

Song Spinner flirted her tail in happy acceptance. <Yes. Let us be sisters, bonded by our desire to make our new clan strong.>

Joy washed over the gathered People. Tiny Choir bounced, her mind-glow alight with pleasure mingled with brilliant streaks of relief. Keen Eyes knew the kitten would have tried her best to serve as memory singer, but that role was a huge responsibility even for an adult, which was why most clans had more than one. Now she could grow and learn as a kitten should. Keen Eyes had no doubt that someday Tiny Choir would be a legend among the People.

Looking over his rejoicing clan, Keen Eyes noticed that Death Fang’s Bane stood near the flying thing. The darkness of tension that had shadowed her mind-glow was fading away as it became very obvious that the people of Swaying Fronds were welcoming their new members. Behind her stood Shadowed Sunlight. The tall, dark young male always seemed to vanish behind the brilliance of Death Fang’s Bane’s powerful mind-glow, but today—

Keen Eyes shook his head so hard his ears flapped. Nimble Fingers said something to him, but though they stood close enough to touch, Keen Eyes felt as if a sudden, unexpected brilliance was making him blind to the other’s contact.

He raced forward, leaping from limb to limb until he stood in the netwood closest to Shadowed Sunlight. But this was a Shadowed Sunlight he had never seen, never tasted before. His mind-glow held subtle hues that reached and touched Keen Eyes, fitting into place as to pieces of a broken pot fit together.

Shadowed Sunlight was turning, turning, his mind-glow brightening as he realized the source of the feelings flooding into him. Again Keen Eyes was impressed by the strength of this young two-leg. Death Fang’s Bane was the flash of light on water, of sunlight blazing against the sky, unmistakably brilliant, but Shadowed Sunlight was the force that held the trees tall, the rock that carried the weight of all the land.

Keen Eyes dropped from the netwood branch and landed, carefully keeping his claws sheathed, trusting the other to catch him. He laid a true-hand on his new partner’s cheek.

“Bleek!” he said.

And he felt Shadowed Sunlight laugh, the shadows vanishing from his heart forever.

Chapter Twenty-Two

On the day of the Big Move, Anders drove the air van. His dad’s entire crew, plus Dr. Radzinsky x-a’s, were all on a special field trip hosted by none other than Chief Ranger Shelton himself, with with Senior Rangers Ainsley Jedrusinski and Frank Lethbridge as support. The SFS had even supplied vehicles, officially because they would be going into some rough terrain.

The real reason, of course, was that this way there was no chance any nosy x-a—Duff DeWitt immediately sprang to mind—would slip away and show up where he wasn’t wanted.

A lot had happened over the last few days. Anders’ breaking up with Stephanie had been superseded by the amazing news that Karl had bonded with Survivor. When Anders commed to congratulate him, Karl had shaken his head in obvious wonder.

“I get the feeling Survivor had been through too much. I know what that’s like, really. So I guess we’re both survivors, but we’re survivors looking into the future, not back at the past.”

The Skinny ’Cat Clan took the invasion of air vehicles with composure. Chet was there with his truck. Christine, for once, didn’t ride with him, but came in her family’s flatbed. Karl had arrived in one of his family’s heavier farm vehicles. Toby had borrowed a van used by his church. Stephanie had the bulky vehicle her mom used for moving plants. And Jessica was flying her family’s battered sedan.

Mostly the humans stood around waiting and keeping out of the way. Loading was arranged by the treecats themselves.

“Now I know what it’s like to be a chauffeur,” Stephanie laughed. “Remember everybody, when we leave we’re staying below the tree line.”

Chet’s laughter shook the air. “We’ve filed the flight plan, ma’am. We’ll follow orders.” In a softer voice, he said to Anders, “That girl is wasted as a forest ranger. She should be commanding battle fleets.”

“You going to tell her that?” Anders grinned.

“Oh, no. I like Stephanie a lot, but I’d never try to tell her anything.” Chet looked appreciatively over to where Christine was tying down a net over a heap of treecat luggage. “Actually, I wouldn’t try to tell Christine anything, either. That’s the secret to a happy relationship. No one is boss….”

He clapped Anders on the shoulder, sympathy guy-fashion, and hurried off to pull away an inquisitive group of kittens who apparently thought they could fly his truck.

Given all the advanced planning, it should have been no surprise that the relocation went smoothly. At last, Anders unloaded a heap of handmade cord that his father would have loved to have for his collection, wondering vaguely if treecats had something like ropewalks. Then he stepped back.

“I guess we’re done,” he said.

Karl nodded. “I’m still learning how to read Survivor, but I think what I’m getting is ‘Thanks so much, folks, but we’re fine,’ from his family. They need to settle in without us around.”

Jessica came up, Valiant riding on her shoulder. “I’m getting the same feeling. Should we clear out?”

Stephanie nodded. “Let’s. My folks said everyone was welcome back at our place for a picnic and some hang-gliding.”

“We’ll be there,” Christine said, “after we drop off my parents’ truck and grab our rigs.”

“Me, too,” Toby agreed. “I don’t want to keep the church’s van, though. Can someone give me a ride?”

“Sure,” Chet said. “No problem.”

“I can come straight out to your place, Steph,” Jessica said quickly. “I’ve got my gear in the trunk.”

Anders hesitated. These days, he wasn’t sure how welcome he was. Jessica was still keeping her distance, and Stephanie…. He wasn’t sure how much the general invitation had been good manners. Neither of the girls’ expressions helped much, but Karl gave him a lopsided grin.

“Come on. You know what good cooks Dr.Marjorie and Dr. Richard are. And there are always spare gliders.”

“All right….”

The picnic would only have been called a picnic by the Harringtons. Anyone else would have called it a banquet. Anders had slipped over to the buffet for another slice of tanapple pie when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

It was Stephanie.

“Hey, Anders….”

She motioned for him to follow her onto the back porch, where she sat down on a swing. He sat down next to her, realizing with a shock that this was the first time he’d been alone with her since that fateful drive back from the shuttleport.

“I just want you to know,” she said, “that I think I’m okay now. I needed time to think, but flying around, checking stuff out for the treecats—that gave me the time.”

Anders nodded. “Okay? Maybe you don’t hate me?”

“I don’t hate you.” She managed a grin. “I think I still even like you. I’m not saying I’m ready to dance at your wedding….”

He shrugged. “I’m not ready to dance at my wedding. And I’m beginning to think that the girl…I mean, I don’t know what I think anymore.”

“I think,” Stephanie said deliberately, “that Jessica likes you a lot. But, you know, she’s had a lot dropped on her at once. She knows she was one of my first ‘real’ friends, so she doesn’t want to hurt me. She’s also got a lot of defenses up…No offense, Anders Whitaker, but you seem to be the sort who falls in and out of love pretty fast.”

“I’m really not that way,” he protested.

Stephanie put a light hand on his arm. “Actually, I know that. That’s one of the problems of my bond with Lionheart. He’s pretty polite about not sharing what other people are feeling, but if he thinks I need to know, he’s also pretty ruthless. I wanted to be angry at you. I wanted to be completely furious—cast you as the handsome heartbreaker from a distant world….”

“But Lionheart?”

“Wouldn’t let me sit around buried in self-pity. He made sure I knew you were really hurting. That sort of ruins the fantasy.”

“I guess…” He laughed. “What’s wrong with me that I keep falling for girls who bond with treecats? I’m not really into having my heart paraded for public display.”

“It’s not like that,” she assured him. “I mean, the ’cats may know, but the human side of the partnership’s only in on what the ’cat shares.”

She leaned forward. “Valiant likes you. He’s not going to make Jessica like you, but it does mean you have, well, an advocate.”

Anders’ heart had wings.

“Stephanie Harrington, you really are the best.”

“Friends?” she suggested.

“You bet!”

* * *

Up against the crisp blue sky, the young two-legs soared like birds. For once, Climbs Quickly had chosen not to go with Death Fang’s Bane. He had stayed on the ground so he could talk with his friends.

He liked Keen Eyes—and this was a very good thing. Given the close friendship and shared interests of Death Fang’s Bane and the newly named Shining Sunlight, they were certain to spend a great deal of time together.

Dirt Grubber was thinking about plants with blue leaves. <I wonder if they would grow here? Maybe in one of the plant places. I would like to see some for myself. You do not look at plants as carefully as I do.>

<From what you have been telling us about the changing shape of Windswept’s mind-glow,> Climbs Quickly said <I think it very likely will see such trees yourself. Windswept seems hungry for learning, and as best I could gather, the reason we went to the Hot Land was because that is the central nesting place for those among the two-legs who have a great deal of learning. They are not memory singers, precisely, but I think they serve much the same purpose for the two-legs.>

Keen Eyes bleeked with laughter. He had cheered up a great deal in the last few days. Clearly, his new bond gave him what he needed to clear from his spirit the guilt he felt for having been part of violence between People.

<I would like to see those places, too, and I taste that hunger for learning in Shining Sunlight, as well. I he will return to the Hot Lands, and I will go with him.>

Climbs Quickly agreed. More and more, the People’s lives were becoming intertwined with the lives of the two-legs. That meant scouts such as he and Keen Eyes would need to take careful note of all they saw, so that the memory singers could teach the People about their changing world.

He twitched his whiskers, amused at the image that came to him that moment. <Yes, Keen Eyes. Who would have thought the lights in our night skies were other worlds, each as vast and wonder-filled as our own? But they are, and they have many surprises, the two-legs who move between them. I think it will be a long, long time before we even begin to truly understand them all. But we will understand, and it will be scouts like you and me who leap from light to light all across the two-legs’ netwood and bring that understanding back to the People.>

Notes:

Ante Diaspora — the notation Ante Diaspora (or AD) indicates the T-year counting backwards from 2103 CE, Year One of the Diaspora. That is, the year 2102 CE would be the T-year 01 AD.

bark-chewer — treecat term for wood rat.

burrow runner — treecat name for a Sphinxian chipmunk.

cluster stalk — treecat name for terrestrial celery.

condor owl — a nocturnal flying predator of the planet Sphinx. An average adult condor owl’s body is 1.4 meters (4.5 feet) long, with a wingspan of 2.9 meters (9.5 feet) and a body weight of 5.4 to 6.35 kilos (12-14 pounds). Despite the name assigned to it by the Sphinxian colonists, it is actually mammalian and is covered with fine down, not feathers. It has very acute vision and is fully capable of taking even an adult treecat if it can surprise it. Indeed, it has been known to take considerably larger game and is considered a dangerous threat even to humans. Unlike Sphinxian “birds,” it has only a single set of wings but four sturdy legs, each ending in a set of powerful talons.

crown oak — a deciduous, hardwood tree which looks much like a

really

big white oak but has large, arrowhead-shaped leaves. It also sheds its leaves

twice

in the course of a planetary year, once shortly after the end of spring and again at the end of autumn. The summer-autumn foliage turns a bright, deep gold, rather like terrestrial maples, before falling, hence the treecat name for it. The spring-summer foliage does

not

change colors before it falls. Average height of a mature crown oak is 80 meters (263 feet), although some as tall as 102 meters (335 feet) have been reported.

death fang — treecat name for hexapuma.

death gleaner — treecat name for peak vulture.

death-wing — treecat term for condor owl.

Diaspora — humanity’s expansion to the stars, dated from September 30, 2103 C.E. and the departure of the first manned interstellar vessel from the Sol System. 2103 thus became officially Year One of the Diaspora.

fox bear — a species native to the Beowulf System. Fox bears are collie-sized, ground-going marsupials whose vaguely bear-like bodyform and tall, mobile ears gave rise to their name. They have powerful, otter-like hands and are considerably more intelligent than dogs, though still short of full sapience, and have been trained as service animals for centuries.

golden ear — treecat name for range barley.

golden-leaf — treecat name for crown oak.

grass runner — treecat name or a Sphinxian range bunny.

gray-bark — treecat name for red spruce.

green-needle — treecat name for near-pine.

ground runner — a generic treecat term for small, non-arboreal prey animals.

Gryphon — Manticore B-V, the fifth planet of Manticore B, a G2-class star which is the secondary component of the Manticore Binary System. The planet of Gryphon is the sole habitable planet of Manticore B and has an orbital radius of 11.37 LM and a gravity of 1.19 Old Earth standard gravities.

hexapuma — a six-limbed Sphinxian predator. Hexapumas are very quick for something their size and extremely territorial. There are several subspecies of hexapuma, which vary in coloration depending on the season and the climatic zone in which they are found. The largest species are located in Sphinx’s temperate zones, and adults of those species can be as much as five meters (16.4 feet) long with tails 250 centimeters (8.2 feet) long and weigh as much as 800 kilograms (1,763 pounds), more than most terrestrial horses.

horn blade — treecat term for prong buck.

ice potatoes — a Sphinxian tuber, about twice the size of a terrestrial Irish potato, edible by humans. It is a winter-growing root with a rather nuttier taste than potatoes.

lace leaf — treecat name for near-lettuce.

lace willow — a willow-like tree found mainly along waterways or in marshy territory. It is relatively low growing and bushy, with very long, streamer-like leaves. The leaves have a pierced look, because they form insect-trapping openings (thus the name “lace willow”).

lake builders — treecat name for near-beavers.

Lowland vulture — a winged Sphinxian scavenger. Lowland vultures average approximately 90 centimeters (3 feet) in length with an average wingspan of 2 meters (6.5 feet) have been verified, with two pairs of wings and powerful talons. Lowland vultures are found primarily in coastal and lowland areas (as the name implies) but are closely related to the much larger peak vulture.

Manticore — Manticore A-III, the third planet of Manticore A, a G0-class star which is the primary component of the Manticore Binary System. The planet of Manticore is the inner habitable planet of Manticore A (orbital radius of 11.4 LM) and the capital world of the Star Kingdom of Manticore. Manticore has a gravity of 1.01 Old Earth standard gravities.

Manticore Binary System — the home star system of the Star Kingdom of Manticore, consisting of Manticore A, the GO primary component of the system, and Manticore B, its G2-class companion star.

moss-drying — treecat name for south.

moss-growing — treecat name for north.

mountain eagle — a bird analogue of the planet Sphinx. It was two sets of wings and a single pair of powerful, talon-tipped legs. An average adult mountain eagle’s body is 1.0 meters (3.2 feet) in length, with a wingspan of 2.4 meters (7.9 feet) and a body weight of 4.1-5 kilos (9-11 pounds). The mountain eagle is a very efficient hunter, but prefers small prey and seldom attacks treecats.

near-beavers — a Sphinxian mammal approximately 51 centimeters (20 inches) long. Although the colonists have named it the near-

beaver

, it is actually closer to a six-legged otter in basic body form. Unlike terrestrial otters, however, the near-beaver is an industrious dam-builder. Various species of near-beaver are found in virtually every Sphinxian climate zone except the high arctic.

near-lettuce — a native Sphinxian plant very similar in size and shape to terrestrial head lettuce, although its leaves are perforated in a lacey pattern. It is edible by humans and is quite popular in salads, with a flavor which combines that of terrestrial lettuce and onions.

near-otter — a Sphinxian mammal approximately the same size as a treecat. Although they look very similar to the Sphinxian near-beaver, they have clearly carnivore teeth without the tree-gnawing incisors which gave the near-beaver its name. They do not build dams, but they are very fast, strong swimmers and skilled hunters and fishers.

near-pine — an evergreen tree with tough “hairy” seedpods and a rough, deeply furrowed bark. The seeds are about the size of peanuts and have a strong, nutty flavor. They can also be crushed for oil. Average height of a fully mature near-pine is 62 meters (203 feet) although at least one specimen 76 meters (249 feet) has been recorded. After the crown oak, near-pine is the tallest Sphinxian tree. Mature trees are branchless for the lowermost third of their height.

net-wood — treecat name for picket wood.

peak bear — a six-limbed omnivore found primarily in mountainous territory. It stands about a meter (3.3 feet) tall at the shoulder and can be up to 2.5 meters (8.2 feet) in length and weighs up to 550 kilograms (1,212 pounds). Although not as territorial as the hexapuma and not a pure carnivore, the peak bear is a ferocious hunter and is considered the second most dangerous land animal of Sphinx.

peak vulture — a large, winged Sphinxian scavenger. Peak vultures may be as much as 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) in length and wingspans of up to 3.5 meters (11.5 feet) have been verified. They have two pairs of wings and very powerful talons, and it is not uncommon for them to kill small game rather than relying solely on carrion. Peak vultures are found primarily among mountains (as the name implies) but are closely related to the much smaller lowland vulture.

peak-wing — treecat term for Sphinxian mountain eagle.

picket wood — a deciduous tree which spreads by sending down runners from its lower branches. Each runner eventually becomes its own nodal trunk, sending out branches of its own to form huge, extensive networks of branches and trunks which are all technically the same tree. Picket wood has very straight, very rough-barked trunks which are a deep gray and black. Leaves are long and splayed, with four distinct lobes. They turn a deep, rich red before falling at the end of the year. The average height of a mature tree is 35-45 meters (114-148 feet)

Post Diaspora — the notation Post Diaspora (or PD) indicates the T-year counting from 2103 CE, Year One of the Diaspora. That is, Year 2103 CE is considered Year 01 PD.

prong-buck — a vaguely deer-like Sphinxian herbivore with a powerful, elongated neck and a single, branching horn growing from the center of its forehead. They range between 2.5 and 3.4 meters (8 to 11.2 feet) in length and stand between 90 and 124 centimeters (2.9 to 4.1 feet) at the shoulder. They are found in virtually all Sphinxian climate zones, although the mountain-dwelling species tend to be larger than their lowland cousins, and prefer to browse on the foliage of trees rather than grass. The prong buck’s horn is sharp edged and quite capable of dealing with any predator much smaller than a hexapuma or peak bear.

purple thorn — the treecat name for a low, densely growing, thorned plant which is nearly impenetrable and almost impossible to eradicate. It has small, very bitter-tasting berries, but it is a necessary component of treecat diets, since the berries provide critical trace elements required for full development of their empathic abilities.

quick heal — a family of therapies which accelerate healing and recovery times. It reduces tissue healing times by a factor of four but is only about half that efficient at speeding the knitting of broken bones.

range barley — a native Sphinxian grain. Range barley is an alpine grass with a bearded head. While edible by humans, it has a rather astringent taste which is not widely popular. It can be ground into flour and baked or be more coarsely ground and made into a porridge.

range bunny — human name for a small, ground dwelling Sphinxian animal, approximately two thirds the size of a treecat. It runs with a distinctive “two-stage” leaping motion, hence the name, despite the fact that it doesn’t really look very much like a terrestrial rabbit.

red spruce — another evergreen, this one with scaled, very dark blue-green leaves and a pyramidal form. Its seedpods are smoother than the near-pine’s, but the seeds themselves are bitter tasting (to humans, at least; Sphinxian critters like them just fine). It is called “red spruce” more because of the almost russet color of its wood, which is prized for decorative woodwork. Average height of a mature red spruce is about 17 meters (56 feet).

ribbon-leaf — treecat name for lace willow.

rock raven — a cliff-nesting Sphinxian bird analog.

rock tree — a Sphinxian hardwood, so called because of the extreme hardness and density of its wood. A mature rock tree stands about 13 meters (42 feet) in height. It has long, slender, sword-shaped leaves of a particularly rich, bright green which turn dark purple in the fall. It is noted for its very straight trunk. The brown rock tree is the most common species, named for its light-brown, rather rough bark. The next most common species is the yellow rock tree, named for the deep, golden yellow natural color of its timber. Various species of rock tree can be found in almost every Sphinxian climate zone, although it does not like mountains.

rockfur — treecat term for moss growing on rocks.

snow hunter — treecat name for peak bear.

Sphinx — Manticore A-IV, the fourth planet of Manticore A, a G0-class star which is the primary component of the Manticore Binary System. The planet of Sphinx is the outer habitable planet of Manticore A (orbital radius of 21.15 LM) and has a gravity of 1.35 Old Earth standard gravities.

Sphinx Forestry Service – The Sphinx Forestry Service (SFS) is a Sphinxian planetary agency charged with the combined functions of wildlife and natural resources protection, exploration, environmental conservancy, and law enforcement. It is an arm of the planetary government, not the Crown, and consists of a very small cadre of fulltime professional Rangers assisted by a larger force of part-time sworn volunteers.

spike thorn — a native Sphinxian flowering shrub which fills much the same niche as azaleas or laurels, attaining a maximum height of about 3.6 meters (12 feet). Its leaves are dark green and spade shaped, and it produces very sharp thorns up to 10 centimeters (4 inches) in length. Its blossoms, which come in many different colors, are vaguely tulip shaped and are prized for the flavor their pollen gives to honey produced by imported terrestrial honey bees.

stag horn fern — a Sphinxian fern-like plant which actually greatly resembles the Old Earth plants of the same name but is found almost exclusively in highland locations. Sphinxian stag horn fern grows a bit taller, reaching heights of up to 2 meters (6.5 feet). It is a seasonal plant, dying back in late fall and winter, but is far more cold-hardy than its Old Earth namesake. It prefers shady growing conditions and is often found in association with picketwood.

Star Kingdom of Manticore — a star nation consisting of the three habitable planets of the Manticore Binary System. Those planets are Manticore (the capital world) and Sphinx, which both orbit the primary stellar component of the Manticore System; and Gryphon, the sole habitable planet orbiting the secondary component of the star system.

sun-rising — treecat term for east.

sun-setting — treecat term for west.

swaying frond — tree cat term for Sphinxian stag horn fern.

tanapple — a native Sphinxian fruit, so named because it looks very much like a bright green, somewhat outsized terrestrial apple with a thick, easily peeled skin rather like a terrestrial tangerine. It is sweet tasting but tart.

T-Day — Terrestrial-Day; the standard day used to keep track of all dates fir interstellar purposes.

T-Month — Terrestrial- Month; the standard month used to keep track of all dates for interstellar purposes.

tongue-leaf — treecat name for rock tree.

T-Week — Terrestrial-Week; the standard week used to keep track of all dates for interstellar purposes.

T-Year — Terrestrial-Year; the standard year used to keep track of all dates for interstellar purposes. It is one Old Earth year in length. Because the Star Kingdom of Manticore has three separate planets, each with its own local year, Manticorans tend to use T-years in all of their dating conventions. The planet Manticore’s year is the “official” year of the Star Kingdom but is seldom used (except by a handful of diehard purists) outside purely official documents.

uni-link — an all-purpose, multi-function device. It combines the functions of timepiece, communicator, GPS navigator, data net interface, data storage device, and emergency locator beacon. Although it is commonly worn as a wrist bracelet, it also comes in pocket versions, which tend to be larger and even more capable.

wave-crester — Silver and brown bird analogs on the planet Manticore. The equivalent of Old Earth’s seagulls.

white root— treecat name for ice potatoes.

Wildlife Management Service (WMS) — Meyerdahl equivalent of the Sphinx Forestry Service.

wood rat — a Sphinxian rodent-like, marsupial arboreal, about a third the size of a treecat. They are small and fast-moving creatures which live primarily on the bark and leaves of the crown oak, although they also infest other types of trees when no crown oak is available. They are also very fond of finished timber products, such as lawn furniture or wooden paneling. Enough of them can do significant damage to or even kill any tree, but such concentrated infestations are rare.

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven