8-1-6

I let out the quietest breath of relief as the Drake stopped simultaneously. However she felt about the breach of etiquette, Thespenia was acting on the information I gave her. Thank goodness. They must be communicating telepathically because Thespenia’s guards moved smoothly to tighten their ring around her as the entire delegation turned to the east, heads cocked to listen, tongues flicking out to taste the scents in the air. The Icanthie around me seemed to relax just a smidge when they observed the now alert Drake delegation, though they still remained attentive and ready as we all strained to figure out what was coming.

We waited, frozen and ready to burst into action as the sounds steadily grew louder, the closer the commotion came. A breeze blew in from the east and I sniffed eagerly, hoping to catch a little more scent or information. It was a musky scent, spicy and oddly nostalgic paired with a dry, warm scent. Saber. I smelt a Saber and unfamiliar Drakes. My eyes snapped open and zeroed in on the coming threat to the east. This was not good. Sabres were fierce predators, not as large as the Slothbears but far more tenacious and manoeuvrable. They also were respected by the Icanthie, as all feline species were, and with good reason. They were lethal.

“It’s a Saber and more Drakes. We need to climb. Now!” I said on a radial telepathic broadcast, just large enough to encompass our party. It was more secure than a general broadcast and I didn’t want to distract the incoming Drakes as they no doubt fought for their lives.

My rather forceful order, though lacking eloquence, seemed to have the desired effect. Almost as one, our entire group quickly and silently began to climb the nearest trees, though I made sure to choose one ideal as a lookout. Thankfully there were good candidates within easy reach, we needed all the warning and information we could get. Climbing was an easy feat considering we had the ability to shift as much or as little as we wanted. Despite the diplomatic agreement to maintain a Resting form, this situation superseded it. We all took on a full Warrior form as we climbed, ready for combat that was evidently imminent.

I watched the Drakes climb. They had a sinuous movement to their ascent that was enhanced by their long, thick tails, a stark contrast to the lithe glide of the Icanthie ascent. Where the drakes used strength to dig their claws into the bark and scale the surface, albeit very quickly, the Icanthie seemed to flow up the trees with occasional leaps, their claws used more for purchase and balance. Once high enough, we found stable perches to occupy and resumed a vigil.

It didn’t take long for the commotion to reach us. A small group of Drakes in uniform burst into the small area below us, swiftly pursued by the Saber. The Drakes quickly formed a defensive wall, activating energy shields as the Saber launched itself at the group but bounced off, tumbling to a stop a short distance away. It recovered quickly and stalked the group, calculating its next move. Saber were smart predators, able to adapt quickly to each encounter. I was a little surprised as the Drakes use of energy shields. Whilst none of the races used technological weapons, preferring to rely on our natural Warrior forms from attack and defence, unlike the humans who had none and had to compensate, the Igidoe and Icanthie preferred to keep technological defenders to the Racial Cities. Personal defensive technology, while useful, was uncommon as most individuals didn’t venture into the wilds. Few invested in it.

Mathias caught my eye and used hand signals to communicate with the Icanthie group. He wanted us to descend and drive off the Saber, avoiding killing it if possible. It would be best if we could keep the Drakes away from the danger, both the delegation and the guards below. I could tell Mathias wanted to keep me up here too but I wouldn’t allow it, and he knew it too. Once we had our instructions, Mathias waved us to begin our descent and sent out a general communication burst.

“Icanthie delegation descending to combat the Saber. Drake delegation, please remain in the trees. Drake guards, continue defence but do not attack.”

Just as he finished his broadcast, we landed between the defensive Drake guards and the prowling Saber. It was a magnificent creature, taller than most of us, except perhaps Mathias and Kaylor, and very intimidating. Eecee and Merrick remained in their Warrior forms to watch our backs as the rest of us shifted to Feline form. It was a risk but the extra strength and size the Feline form afforded us was worth it. Thankfully, the Saber didn’t attack, making me think it was familiar with the changeable nature of the bipeds but still, faced with our increased opposition, it didn’t back off. I studied it closer, trying to gauge how to proceed when I realised, the Saber looked a little thin. Easing just a tad closer, I watched it closely, to make sure it didn’t attack, and sniffed. Milk. It was a female and she was lactating. That meant she had cubs somewhere, probably close by. But no recently queened mother should be that thin.

This was bad. She was a hungry, desperate mum and I suspect the recent flooding will have also caused her some problems, either in moving her young cubs or in dealing with the displaced wildlife coming through her territory. The Drake guards were a tempting prospect for her. We couldn’t just drive her off and we definitely couldn’t kill her. We needed to provide for her needs if we wanted aa amicable resolution.

“She’s recently queened and she’s too thin. We need to get her some easy prey or this isn’t going to go well.” I relayed to the others. The Drakes were a scholarly lot and usually happy to let nature take its course, but when a large predator has been hunting you for goodness knows how long, survival instincts kick in. Hopefully by relaying that this was a desperate mother, the added safety of the Icanthie numbers between them and the threat, they’d let us deal with the Saber in our own way. A non-lethal way.

In truth, a desperate Saber was more lethal than one defending its territory. If we tried to kill her, she’d just fight to the last, probably taking out a few of us with her. But if we could provide access to some much needed food, she’d probably take the easy option and leave, as long as we were inaccessible.

Mathias took charge. “Drake guards, get into the trees and join your people. Eecee, Kaylor, hunt up some prey. Take food from our stores if you have to but hurry. The rest of you, defend but don’t push her. Keep her here but at a safe distance. Go.”

At Mathias’s command, the Drake guards moved swiftly but calmly to the trees, trying to reach their tentative safety without inciting the Saber to chase. At the same time, Eecee, in her Warrior form, and Kaylor, in his Feline form, slunk out of sight to find something to tempt the Saber with. I watched like a hawk to make sure none drew the ire of the desperate mother but she was focused solely of the bigger threat in front of her. Several Icanthie (and one Myath) in their Feline forms was nothing you took your eyes off of.

Everything was going well until something crashed close to us. It sounded like something fell or was dropped but whatever the reason, the female Saber reacted. Snarling a roar she charged the nearest Icanthie, swiping her long claws out intending to end what she saw as a threat. Whoever it was managed to dance aside but it weakened out show of force and the Saber had put herself within our midst. She was surrounded and her fear increased. The guards understood immediately what had happened and were already moving to give the Saber space, leaving a gap for her to escape through if she wanted but the Saber was too far gone to see it. Instead, she crouched and snarled her fear and displeasure at us. But we didn't react. Quiet and still, we just waited for her to see she wasn’t in danger. She could escape if she wanted and we weren’t going to hunt her.

Slowly, so very slowly, the Saber growls and snarls decreased, her shoulders began to unwind and she stared at us through slitted eyes rather than fear induced dilated eyes. We were not her enemies. As fellow felines, though very different from the Saber, we understood her behaviours and actions. We could taste and see her fears and hurts and as she calmed, she began to read us too. Though usually solitary, Saber were intelligent enough to recognise the biped Felines and know we behaved differently from wild animals. There had been times when the Icanthie lived side by sided with small old Feline communities forming understandings and relationships based on trust and I felt the beginning of that here. The Saber was slowly realising that we would not hurt her. An odd atmosphere settled on our small group and, almost as one, we settled into sitting positions, just staring among one another and the Saber.

A rustle from close the the location of the crash startled all of us out of our zen commune and snarls rose from all of us. turning, we searched for the cause and found a Drake guard sprawled in the undergrowth, his expression a bit sheepish and quickly turning alarmed. I was closest to him so I made a snap decision. We had all jumped to our feet so before the Saber could decide to deal with the threat, I moved in. Stalking swiftly forward, I snarled at the poor Drake and pounced.

“Play along!” I sent to him as quickly as I could before swiping as close to him as possible without causing much damage. A little bit of blood from the tiny scratch was a risk, but it should help prove to the Saber that the threat was gone. For added measure, I gently but firmly cupped his neck in my jaws and snarled loudly to hide the fact that I hadn’t actually bitten him. The Drake made a choking sound but seemed to have taken my command to heart because nothing else escaped him as he went limp. I dropped him quickly, not quite expecting it, and turned to rejoin our little group who stared at me wide eyed until they focused properly on the faint sound of the Drakes breathing.

As I sat again and resumed my staring with the Saber, I sent quick telepathic broadcasts out. “Once her attention is back on us, get that guard back in a tree. It doesn’t have to be high up, the Saber is too heavy to climbmost of them, but get him off the ground. Hunting party, how long? We can’t keep her calm forever.”

A deep, unfamiliar voice answered first. “Thank you for your assistance beautiful snow leopard. I am mostly unharmed and can climb whenever you think the time is right. I apologise for my errors.”

It must be the guard. I think I liked him and not just because he called me beautiful. I like those who could admit their wrong, follows instructions and think on their feet. “Thank you and don’t worry about it. I’ll try to alert you to when is a good time but if you see an opportunity, take it. Just get yourself our of the danger zone. Eecee? Kaylor? Where are you?”

Another rustle had us all tensing, though this time we didn’t leap to act. A familiar and welcome voice range in our heads. “We’re here boss. Sorry for the wait but prey is scarce or really big around here. Got a fresh carcass and some of our stores stuffed inside for the new mama.”

I felt the need to sigh in relief and slump but held off for now. It wasn’t over yet. I opened a private line to Eecee, wanting to ask a favour. “Eecee, can you put a tracker in those carcasses? I want to make sure her cubs are okay but we don’t have time now. Hopefully, she’ll bring it back to her den but if not, at least well know the general areas to look.” It was perhaps a little selfish or counter-intuitive but I just needed to know that this little family we’d helped would be okay. From Eecee’s response, I wasn't the only one.

“Way ahead of you boss.” She chirped. I could practically hear the grin in her mental voice. She and her brother appeared dragging what looked like a giant Capaood through the undergrowth. The rotund, hairy rodent was usually found near water and were excellent swimmers so I couldn’t fathom what it was doing here near the mountains but I wasn’t complaining. Despite their large size, coming up to my hip when in Resting form, it wasn’t dangerous to hunt. It looked like Eecee and Kaylor, who was not in his warrior form, had done a quick gutting and stuffed the already fat thing with another catch (was that a Boarlet?) and the camp provision. Hopefully it would temp our Saber mother and she could get it back to her cubs soon. Saber preferred to eat on home turf rather than out in the open.

Now that the food was close, the sight and smell occupied the Saber and she began to show aggression again in the face of her desperate hunger so close to food. As one, we all backed slowly away, never turning away from her but clearly showing we had no interest in the food. A quick glance showed that the Drake guard who had fallen was no long there so he must have managed to shimmy up the tree and out of immediate danger. The Saber watched us closely and, once we were further away, began to edge towards the carcass we’d left for her. The closer she got, the more distracted she became by it but she still managed to keep an eye on our retreat. One by one, we found a tree that we could ascend and, making sure the Saber could see us as we did, we left the forest floor. Left alone, but still aware of us above her, the Saber moved swiftly, securing her meal and, with surprising strength considering her condition, preceded to make off with it into the wilds.

I watched her for as long as I could see her and smiled. She was a strong cat and I had no doubt she’d make it. Still a helping hand couldn’t hurt right?

We waited a while to make absolutely sure that the Saber was long gone but I was sure she wouldn’t return for a while. Not with a good meal to consume and cubs to care for. One last check around from my vantage point, everything looked clear but I still waited for the nod from Mathias and a quiet “Clear” that, never-the-less, carried in the still aftermath. As one, the two delegations and the recently beleaguered Drake guards descended and congregated among the trees that had saved them. The first voice to break the quiet was an angry one.

“How DARE you!”