Saxon Andrew: Juliette's dream

Scotty looked back at the damaged wing and cut the limb to a smooth, six-foot long shaft. He then sat down and took the fishing wire from his pouch. He cut five, six-foot long strands and tied hooks to each end. He then laid the sword down, picked up the shaft and wire strands, and walked toward the Zord.

The Zord stared at Scotty but allowed him to come closer without snarling. Scotty said, “If you don’t get this wing repaired, you’ll die.” Scotty then held the shaft up against the bone that had been broken on the leading edge of the Zord’s wing and sized it against the opening. Scotty put the five wires in his mouth and put the shaft up against the break in the wing and pushed the two broken bones together. The Zord snarled its pain and Scotty quickly took the strands and pulled the shaft tight against the broken bone. The Zord’s skin was so thick, the hooks penetrated and held without penetrating too deeply. Scotty stepped away from the Zord and slowly backed up the hill. The Zord stared at him with its yellow eyes and watched him pick up his weapons and leave.

Later that afternoon, Scotty came back to see the Zord had consumed chunks of the dead Torg. He couldn’t see the Zord but knew it was there. The Zord watched him approach and snarled. Scotty put his weapons on the ground and carried two buckets of water he had brought from the river. He placed them in front of the injured flying beast, backed away, and left. The Zord watched him go and then drank both buckets. For the next two weeks, Scotty returned with buckets of water and replaced the ones he had brought the day before.

On the fifteenth day, something remarkable happened. As he approached with the buckets he saw the Zord flapping its wings. He put the buckets down and watched as the Zord looked at its wing, then at him. Scotty knew what it wanted. He went back to his pouch and returned with a small pair of hook removers. He walked slowly up to huge animal and took the hooks out of the Zord’s wing. When the final hook was removed, the shaft holding the broken bones together fell to the ground. Scotty backed away, picked up the two empty buckets along with his weapons, and turned to leave.

“Why did you not kill me?”

Scotty stopped dead still, shocked at the Zord’s question. He didn’t hear that question. It was in his mind. He slowly turned and looked at the Zord and said, “I couldn’t just let you die. You’re young and have your whole life in front of you. Killing a being that is defenseless is wrong. Not trying to help one that is injured is also wrong.”

“Were you not afraid I would kill you?”

“Yes, but I had to try. You would have warned me my efforts were doomed to failure if you tried to harm me when I lifted the branch.”

“What would you have done if I did?”

“Your injured wing wouldn’t allow you to move quickly enough to catch me. If I couldn’t help you, I would have ended your suffering with my weapon. I couldn’t let you die in a Torg’s jaws.”

The giant creature stared at Scotty and said, “I have always considered your kind no different than the Torg. You have given me things to consider. Maybe you aren’t as dangerous to my people as the Torg.”

“Are the Torg a real danger to you? Your natural weapons are formidable.”

“Yes, they are very dangerous. We must nest on the ground, and they cause massive loss of life.”

Scotty thought about that and said, “I can come and help you remove them from your nesting grounds. Our weapons are effective at killing them.”

“I’ve seen that demonstrated.” The Zord lowered its head and said, “I don’t think my leaders would accept your help.”

“Why not?”

“Your kind invade our territory and kill the food we prey on. We cannot see you as anything but invaders.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Our choice was simple, come here or die.” Scotty stared at the Zord as the silence continued and said, “I never knew your species were able to communicate.”

“We do not normally communicate with anyone but our people. You are the first since my ancestors were captured and imprisoned on this planet. It was your species that kidnapped us from our home world. I had to know why you saved me. If our roles were reversed I would have killed you.”

Scotty stared at the Zord and said, “I can understand your hatred. You are justified in feeling as you do. However, I wish you a long life and many hatchlings.” Scotty turned and walked up the hill.

The Zord watched him leave and didn’t want to believe what it had witnessed. The being he had just communicated with was a gentle spirit, and was not what he thought him to be. It had listened to Scotty’s thoughts and wondered why the small two-leg was helping. The Zord shook its head, flared its wings, and lifted into the afternoon sky. It was troubled for a long time after it returned home to his worried family. After six months, the communities noticed that they had not been attacked by Zord for weeks. Scotty didn’t offer a reason why that was happening, but guessed the one he helped must have had a wing in it.

Scotty had turned seventeen three weeks earlier and was stretched out on his favorite hill with Jingo staring at the stars. “Jingo, what do you think about the Zord?”

“I think the zookeeper that originally set all the animals free just before the Searcher destroyed his city should have been shot.”

“Jingo, he died with the city.”

“Then he should have been shot before he died. Releasing those fifty nesting pairs and the herd of Torg was unforgivable.”

“I’ve looked up information in the learning center and discovered that the Zord were captured on a planet that was not a member of the Holy Stars Realm. They were actually brought here illegally.”

“What does that matter? Those flying monstrosities should have never been released.”

“Jingo, we were the only planet to ever have any in captivity. The Duke wanted his planet to be the greatest in everything. The Holy Realm stopped all capture of the Zord after El Prado caged theirs.”

“So?”

“There had to be a reason.”

“They were too flipping dangerous to keep. That’s a no brainer.”

Suddenly, Scotty heard, “I wish to communicate.”

Scotty said, “Where?”

Jingo said, “Where what?”

“At the bottom of the hill you’re on.”

“I have a friend with me. May I bring him with me?”

“Scotty what are you talking about?”

“I am also bringing a friend. Your friend may come, but do not bring your weapons.”

Scotty turned to Jingo, “Jingo, I am going to talk with a friend. I would like you to come with me, but I need you to do one thing.”

Jingo looked at Scotty and said, “What?”

“Leave all your weapons here.”

“Are you out of your blooming Human mind?!”

“Jingo, you must do as I ask. This is important.” Scott began removing his quiver and swords, laying them on the ground next to his bowgun.

Jingo turned small circles as he called Scotty names. Finally he said, “You can’t do this.”

“Jingo, are you going with me?”

The small Cainth swore and began removing his belt, “Can I carry one sword?”

“No.”

Jingo put them down and Scotty said, “That includes the one in the scabbard on your back.”

Jingo swore louder, but pulled it out of his shirt and put it on the pile with his other weapons. “Are you satisfied?”

Scotty smiled and said, “Follow me.”

Scotty started walking down the hill and Jingo started a running commentary, “Who are you meeting down here. Is it a girl? Are you in love? Scotty’s in love! Wait a minute. Why would a female be here without weapons? This doesn’t make sense. Why would you ever leave your weapons behind? You know how dangerous it is without them. Are you losing your mind? You know I’ve been worried about you lately. All you do is stare at stars. Why do you do that?”