Friends (2013) - Adams, Robert

“Are you well, Big Brother?” Djoh asked.

“Yes, but my blood is boiling. Oh, for a good fight against these stupid two-legs!”

Djoh almost heard a thump as his thoughts fell into place. “Iron Claw, the bad two-legs are preparing to rush the den. Can you help stop them?”

“Am I a kitten? They are many, but their hearts are small. Only give the word.”

“1 will, Iron Claw.”

Djoh told Iron Claw where to go and wait, then watched as the last boatloads of pirates joined the flanking movement. The townsmen didn’t seem to be noticing it. The sheds and warehouses on the waterfront probably hid the pirates.

On the other hand, the pirates had thinned out their men on the two streets. Also, the ones on the flank were getting very close to the forest. Once they had all their attention on the enemy to their front . . .

The pirate horns blared. The pirates surged forward, meeting the desperate resistance of the townsmen. Voices and weapons made an appalling din. Djoh forced himself to wait until he was sure the pirates had no eyes for anything to their rear, then mindspoke:

“Now, Iron Claw!”

Marthuh stared as the big cat came storming out of the trees. “What is that ?”

“A friend. The one I was seeing so many nights.”

The big prairiecat reached a flank guard, who seemed too paralyzed by surprise or fear to move. The man flew into the air as if he were a straw doll, then Iron Claw tore his way into the pirates' flank. They fell before him like wheat before a scythe. The ones who had room and a moment’s grace started to scatter, tripping, colliding, screaming in terror as they fought to get away from this nightmare creature who seemed to have sprung from the earth.

The townsmen on the flank saw what was happening and charged. Some of the pirates rallied, while others kept on running, now heading for their boats. Word must also have reached the townsmen holding the streets. Djoh saw the two pirate bands there wavering, then thrust violently backward on to the waterfront. Townsmen poured out of the streets after them, just as the pirates on the flank broke for once and for all.

The townsmen swept in on the right and left of the pirates, catching them like grain between two millstones. Djoh saw

Iron Claw still in the middle of the pirates, a ring of bodies around him.

Then a churning mass of pirates and townsmen swept over and around him and he vanished from Djoh’s sight.

Djoh wanted to dash into town and rescue his friend, but now the pirates who weren’t taking to their boats were running along the bank, hoping to be picked up. If he left Marthuh alone, some of the fugitives might still spot her and carry her off.

Reluctantly he led Marthuh back into the shelter of the forest. His last sight of the fight was a handful of pirates rallying for a final stand on the town wharf. Archers were already climbing onto the roofs of waterfront buildings, to shoot them down or send a few parting arrows after the pirate boats.

As the boats started passing Djoh, he saw that few of them had all their oars at work. Most carried dead men, and some of the oarsmen were bleeding as they thrashed their way along.

It would be a long time before pirates raided Blue Springs again. It would be even longer before this band of pirates raided anybody at all.

HalfwaV back to the Shrine, Djoh had to stop to rest his leg. It was aching as if he’d been hard at work since before dawn. He took Marthuh in his arms, then tried to mindspeak Iron Claw. He’d almost given up when the answer came, very faintly:

“Little Brother, are you and your mate-to-be well?”

“Yes, cat-brother. I watched you send the bad two-legs running. I was proud.”

A long mental sigh of relief, pain, and weariness. “Little Brother, it is my time to go to Wind. May Sun shine on you, may your kittens be many and strong ...”

A long pause. Djoh was glad he was mindspeaking, because he couldn’t have forced any words past the stone caught in his throat. Then:

“Do not grieve, Little Brother. I had a long time, and the end was—a most glorious fight. I thank you for it. . .

This time the silence in Djoh’s mind went on, until he knew that it would last forever.

He tried to squeeze his eyes shut so that the tears wouldn’t overflow, then gave up and clung to Marthuh as they streamed down his face.

“Djoh, what is it? You’re hurting me.”

“I’m sorry, Marthuh. I’m just glad you’re all right.”

“You won’t be, if we stay here. Maybe now we can take one of these boats.”

“The river won’t be safe until that band’s run all the way back to wherever they came from. Besides, I don’t think we’ll need to leave Blue Springs now.”

“But my father!”

“He’s not going to be able to chase me out of town with his lies anymore. The chief Caterpillar just about told him so. Besides, I’ve learned a lot about fighting today. I’m not afraid of your father anymore.”

He took Marthuh’s arm and started downhill again, toward the town. He wanted to be there when they found Iron Claw’s body. No matter how many questions the people asked, he wasn’t going to let Iron Claw be treated as just another dead animal!

He knew there would be no answer, but he still sent a final thought:

“Goodbye, Nightfriend. You taught me well.”