THE HUNTED
Chapter 11 Marco
Rachel had kicked my butt. Seriously well, too. The Yeerk hadn't had that much practice flying or fighting as I bird. I had never been in air combat like that before, either. But Rachel, with her general blood thirst, her anger and her extra experience flying - she goes flying with Tobias now and then - won easily.
I was gloating about that to the Yeerk, who was very miserable. His mission had been to keep Rachel away. He had failed. Visser Three, and Jake's Yeerk, which seemed to be in charge of this "Animorphs trapping procedure", would be very unhappy about that. Very, very unhappy.
See why I was feeling so happy?
Don't be so up for this, the Yeerk warned me. If Visser Three kills me, you'll go too.
I laughed at him.
I thought you could read my every thought. Anything is better than being a host, even death. And, no, I don't think so. I'm too valuable as a host to be wasted killing dirt like you.
The Yeerk demorphed. I had a wing that was broken on several places, and my feathers were pulled out of their places. My beak had a crack in it, from when I crashed into a tree. I was one tattered, messy, bloody, beaten owl.
And I was very pleased about that.
Rachel kicked your bu-utt, Rachel kicked your bu-utt, I sang. Rachel kicked…
Shut up! the Sub-Visser ordered. Shut up, slave!
No waaay, I laughed. This is WAY to fun.
Then I started singing again, very pleased to annoy him.
I couldn't kill him, or even hurt him, but I sure could drive him nuts… and that was my new objective in life.
You see what happens? You see that? My objective has fallen from saving the world to annoying a simple Sub-Visser.
That can't be good.
But anyway, just when I was back to my own stunning self again, a Hork-Bajir came running towards me. He had probably used his ears to find me, because Hork-Bajir see almost nothing in dark places. And it was about midnight by then, I'd guess.
"Sub-Visser geerash medla wolf…" the Hork-Bajir said. "Cjanda…"
I just nodded at him. Or the Yeerk did it. I was still enjoying my performance at the I've-got-a-Yeerk-to-annoy Stage. No need to say that the Yeerk didn't enjoy the show.
What is it, Sub-Visser? I said tauntingly. Having problems with your host? Can't make him shut up?
You'll break down like the rest of them, he told me. You'll lose hope, and then you'll be quiet. They all do, in the end. Just wait and see.
I was afraid that he was right. But right then, I hadn't broken down yet. And… the show must go on.
I started singing.
There once was a Sub-Visser
Who was a real hisser
But he just couldn't succeed
And when he went to the pool to feed
Visser Three was nuts
So he ate Sub-Visser's guts!
Hahahahaha!
The Yeerk didn't enjoy it at all. I could feel irritation practically flowing and steaming from him.
You've got no sense of humour, have you? I commented, and quickly made another verse.
The Yeerk started morphing again. I recognized the shape; wolf. For hunting, I guessed. One of my friends would be prey. Rachel, or Cassie.
I was right.
As soon as I was wolf, I smelled the other wolf. Not far away, but very scared.
Probably Cassie, since she loved the wolf shape.
And the Yeerk started going after her. Not directly towards her position, but more on a course to intercept hers. Cassie, or maybe Rachel, was going to be locked in a trap.
Let's see how cocky you feel after you've played a role in trapping one of your friends…
She must have smelled me coming. But her path didn't change. Neither did mine.
At last the Yeerk stopped. My wolf body wasn't tired, but the tension of just running was tearing at me. Just running and doing nothing. Waiting to see if I would trap Cassie or Rachel. Waiting. And hoping to fail.
I could smell the wolf approaching. The Hork-Bajir had spread out like a crescent-shaped net behind her, and to her sides. She only had one way to run, and I was right on that path. She would have been able to outrun the Hork-Bajir, but she hadn't done that yet.
And now it was too late.
Well, well, well… the Yeerk said with my thought-speak as the wolf came closer. What have we here? An Animorph bandit, most likely…
The wolf, wet from the rain as I was, bared her teeth and snarled at me.
"Gggrrrrrrrrrr!"
I did the same.
"Gggrrrrrrrrrr!"
It didn't matter if it was Cassie or Rachel. I had acquired the same wolf female as both of them. Jake had acquired the male, but we didn't want the two of us to fight for dominance. So I was going to face a wolf with the exact DNA that I had, which meant a pretty even fight.
Marco, Cassie's voice said, with a touch of sadness. You're in my way. Move.
No, I don't think so, the Yeerk said. You're not going to get past me.
Cassie didn't hesitate. She is the soft-minded person in our group, but maybe fear and necessity made her look past that.
She attacked.
The Yeerk let the wolf instincts surface, and the fight was on. Biting and ripping, twisting and pushing, and snarling and growling, and so on…
It was a really serious fight. All at warp factor nine. Cassie was fighting for her life. Her freedom. The things we've been fighting for all along.
The Yeerk was fighting for his life too, in a way. If he failed, he'd have a good chance of being killed by Visser Three.
Super speed. Super teeth. Super cruel. No mercy. Attack! Attack! Attack!
I wasn't winning. But I wasn't losing, either. I wanted to lose. Oh, I wanted to lose.
We had the same speed, the same agility, the same size, the same endurance and the same teeth and so on. That makes it pretty hard to win. We were identical. No advantages, no disadvantages.
Oh. Except one; Cassie had lots of experience as a wolf. She knew its strengths, she knew it's limits. She uses the wolf morph on almost every mission. Her favourite morph is wolf. Mine is gorilla, and a wolf is a long way from a gorilla.
The Yeerk let the wolf instincts fight this battle. He let them judge and rule.
Cassie used both. I know that. Because certain moves she used weren't in the book, and all of them surprised the wolf.
The Hork-Bajir were closing in, tightening their circle around us. My wolf mind registered their presence, but ignored it because there were more important things to do.
Then suddenly, Cassie folded away from the fight. All so suddenly, she just wasn't there any more. My attack missed. It took the wolf a thousandth of a second to realise that Cassie had moved, and to adapt the landing on ground after it. In that time, Cassie had grabbed my hind leg.
"Aaaaaooul!" I whined.
The wolf didn't like this. Neither did the Yeerk. I did.
Cassie tore at my leg. There is a very important ligament in a wolf hind leg, which lies over the "knee" (which actually is the wolf version of our heel). Cassie was chewing that off.
I twisted. I struggled. I tried to break free. I tried to turn to face her. But with every twist I did, Cassie did one to keep behind me.
"Aaaaaaooul!"
Finally, her strong wolf teeth ripped the ligament off. My wolf leg collapsed. Now I had three legs to run on.
That couldn't be good.
Oh, what a happy day…
Hallelujah, I laughed at the Yeerk. My, my, my… aren't we the losing type? Cassie beat you in a fair fight? Cassie, who you said wasn't a problem?
Shut up! the Yeerk hissed.
Cassie kicked your bu-utt…
I'm not beaten yet!
Sorry, Marco, Cassie said. But you'll understand.
I snarled, and tried to turn to face her. She instantly grabbed my other hind leg. This time, she chewed more efficiently, since I twisted and turned less. That ligament was soon out of function too.
And I was laughing with joy. Cassie might still have a chance to escape.
As soon as I thought the thought, the Yeerk sniffed the air with that excellent wolf nose. No, no escape now. We were surrounded by Hork-Bajir. It was the Yeerk's turn to laugh.
So you've beaten me, the Yeerk hissed. Why don't you kill me? Can't kill a friend, can you? Even though he's a Controller.
You know nothing, do you, Yeerk? Cassie replied. Wolves never kill pack members. Marco may be a Controller, but he's still counted as part of the pack.
Oh, please, I thought dryly. End my misery.
Maybe I'll tell her you said that, the Yeerk suggested.
You don't have the guts, I replied. You're just another coward.
That's when Jake came along in his tiger body. He was panting, and tired from running - obviously. He was followed by a polar bear that had to be Ax.
Polar bear? Talk about the wrong climate. But then again, polar bear was a very powerful morph. Useful.
Cassie, Jake's voice said. Give up. You're surrounded.
Cassie bared her teeth. That might have been a bad move. Now Jake knew which one of us was Cassie. He couldn't have known before.
Surrounded, yes, I know, she replied. But you can't make me demorph.
Oh, well, Ax said with a weirdly cruel laugh. We can't make you demorph. But the wolf brain is a fairly large place. There should be enough room for one of us.
You've morphed a Yeerk, my Yeerk added. Do a quick estimate.
You; shut up, Jake hissed at me. The Visser will hear about your failures.
I delayed this one long enough for you to catch it, my Yeerk reminded him.
So you did something right? Amazing. Very well, you're off the hook. For now. But you better demorph.
The Sub-Visser did. I demorphed slowly. As soon as I was human, he made me walk away from Cassie to join the Hork-Bajir circle. I had my back turned to Cassie. She didn't attack me. I didn't know if I was supposed to laugh or cry.
Demorph, Jake said.
No. Cassie replied.
Very well. Then we'll burn the barn.
Cassie hesitated. The barn is really the Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic. It's where Cassie's dad works. It's his life. It's also where Cassie helps out.
All her little wounded wild darlings are in there, in cages. Everything from rats to wolves to skunks. And of course, her horses.
And the house, Ax added. Your parents are both home. They won't be given a chance to escape.
Cassie hesitated again.
No… please, no…
And, of course, Jake added musingly. There's the bird. We'll kill it.
Tobias? Or Rachel? Cassie asked bitterly.
Does it matter?
"Will you demorph or not?" I asked.
Cassie looked around. Even with her wolf face, you could see her sorrow. Her determination. She wasn't doing this to save herself. She was trying to keep her very important secret of the Morphing Cube's whereabouts hidden. And she was hoping to escape to help Rachel save the rest of us. If Rachel was still free or not, she didn't know. No.
Very well, Jake said. But you know it doesn't matter. You won't get out of this one, wolfie. We'll infest you as a wolf if we have to. But then the barn, your house, your parents, and the bird goes.
No. Cassie repeated, her voice low and sad.
"You will win nothing from refusing," I told her.
And, oh, Ax added. There is one more thing we can do. The polar bear glanced at the tiger. The tiger nodded. Marco's Yeerk will, also, be demoted. So we have no use for Jake. He'll die. Choose.
Demoted? my Yeerk asked himself.
It's just a trick, so don't worry, Jake's voice said privately in my head. The Yeerk calmed down.
"There are your options," I told her. "Demorph. Or the barn, your parents, the house, the bird, and your boyfriend here, will go for a ride. Choose."
No, Cassie whispered with a weak voice. No…
She's going to go with us, my Yeerk said to me triumphantly. She'll never hold. I must admit, though, I'd thought she would go for the barn alone.
Don't underestimate Cassie… I muttered. If I was her, I'd have fallen for the demands. But Cassie has a way of seeing people. Maybe she'd see it was a fake - at least the Jake part. C'mon, Cassie…Please…
But her features were changing. She was soon human again, dressed in her morphing outfit. Barefoot. Out of place. Unprotected. No natural weapons. And looking terrified.
Hork-Bajir, Jake said, thinking he had won. Grab her.
They walked forwards. Two of them.
Cassie spun around and dove between them. Then she landed on all fours, struggled to get up and ran for all she was worth. She got caught, of course. But she struggled.
My, my… rebellious, are we? Ax said. I thought you had fallen to the demands.
"I agreed to demorph," Cassie snarled. "I didn't promise to cooperate."
Chapter 12 Jake
Cassie was very brave. She showed a side that I didn't know much about. She acted a bit like Rachel.
Rachel who still was free.
The Yeerk was right. I could feel it happening. I was breaking down. Especially now. It was all my fault. My fault that Tobias was in a box. And that Ax, Marco, and especially Cassie, were going to spend the rest of their lives as involuntary Controllers.
My conscience was gnawing at me. My guilt, too. And the Yeerk was constantly reminding me that without me, this would never have happened.
One of the Hork-Bajir had picked up the box with the Yeerk that I had placed on the ground when I morphed. So the box was here. So was Cassie.
I think you can figure out the rest by yourselves.
The Sub-Visser in my head made me demorph. He took the Yeerk in his hand, and walked forwards to Cassie.
I kept screaming, louder for every step. But only the Yeerk heard. And he ignored me. but he seemed very pleased with himself. He was glad over my misery.
I could hear Marco's voice humming a funeral tune for all to hear.
Ax's Yeerk laughed in thought-speak as hard as he could.
The Yeerk grabbed her hair. That was a bad idea. You see, he tried to hold her head still by pulling her hair. But Cassie has very short hair. So she got loose and instantly sank her teeth deep into my hand.
"Aarrgh!" I screamed.
She didn't let my hand go. She bit in deeper every time I tried to pull loose. Marco came forwards and after some time managed to force open her mouth again so that I could pull out my by then very bloody hand.
Someone once said that a human's bite is about as dangerous - in a way - as a dog's. I guess that's true. But I can just morph almost all my wounds away, so my Yeerk didn't worry about it.
A Hork-Bajir hand closed around Cassie's head. Hork-Bajir have very large hands. He turned the ear towards me, and I let the Yeerk slither into it.
That was the end of my breaking down, I guess. I didn't say more than a few words to the Yeerk after that.
The days after were a nightmare. During the days, our Yeerks played our parts. Cassie worked in the barn and walked around in T-shirts and poop-stained jeans that didn't fit. Marco and I went to the mall to play videogames and fritter away quarters. Marco kept sleeping away lessons. I kept writing sloppy notes that needed professionals to translate. Ax was kept hidden well, of course. But no longer in the forest. Tobias was in a black box down in the Yeerk Pool network. He spent his time screaming and cursing everybody who was within thought-speak range.
At night, we were all out in the forest, hunting the last Animorph.
We also sent highly trained police dogs, and police. Rachel had been officially reported missing. Her father was a reporter, and he came on every day on the news asking people to please, please, please, find his daughter. There was a reward for whoever had any information on her whereabouts. The entire community searched the forests and all other places she might be. Her picture was in the newspaper, on TV, and in the airport and train stations and in all the shops and on signs and everywhere else where a picture could be put.
The part that the community didn't know about was that we also used Taxxons, Hork-Bajir, our own morphs and Bug fighters and highly advanced technology to find her during the night.
But Rachel wasn't found. She had simply dissolved into thin air.
I was happy that at least one of us was still free. Even if there wasn't much hope for that person. That was about the only thing I was happy about.
But sneaking out every night to hunt for Rachel made me very tired. After three days, when I spent the night at the Yeerk pool, I collapsed from exhaustion, making no attempts to escape.
Not that I could have. They had built a special cage for us. Near the pool. With great big signs saying "The Animorphs" in big neon letters, and under it "- the Andalite Bandits -". And between the bars were force fields, to keep us from morphing flies and flying out. The entrance and the sides were guarded by Hork-Bajir warriors. They had placed Tobias in there, too. He wasn't in that horrible box anymore. Now if they had thought that'd shut him up, they were wrong.
But when he got company in the cage, he shut up. For my sake, I guess. So that I wouldn't get another headache.
Controllers walked past whenever one of us was in the cage, taunting us and insulting us. I felt like a hated animal in a horrible zoo.
When I had been asleep for some time, I don't know how long, I was woken by a gentle hand on my forehead. It was Cassie.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"No, I'm not okay," I said, sitting up properly. "I caused this. It's my fault."
Nobody blames you, Tobias said. He was sitting on the floor of the cage. He had pulled half his feathers out and looked very unhappy. His intense hawk stare was even more fierce than before.
"I do," I whispered. "I blame me."
"Don't," Cassie ordered. "It could have happened to any one of us."
"But it happened to me."
Let that go, Jake, Tobias said. Then he added, with only simplicity in his voice; Rachel is still out there.
"Yes, she is," Cassie agreed. "And she'll lift this place up and shake it to get us out if she has to."
I smiled bitterly. Yes, my cousin had a preference - even fondness - of drastic measures when they were needed - and when they were not needed.
Marco's on his way, Tobias informed us.
We turned towards the direction of his gaze. Marco was sauntering in through an entrance with a big, silly grin on his face. He walked towards the pool itself and stood in the line to the pier where his Yeerk would slither into the stinking, slimy water of the pool. Out of Marco's ear. But not permanently.
We watched as Hork-Bajir grabbed his arms and twisted them up behind his back, and how he kneeled. Only Tobias, with his raptor eyes, actually saw the Yeerk crawl out of his ear. But as soon as it had, Marco started kicking and fighting. He was growing black fur, and growing quickly.
He was morphing his gorilla.
But not quickly enough. A total of four Hork-Bajir dragged him towards our cage, and he was pushed in. As soon as he was in and the door closed he calmed down. He reversed the morph back to human.
"Damn it," he commented. He held a straight face for about two seconds. Then he sank down to his knees and buried his face in his hands.
Chapter 13 Ax
On the third day after our defeat I was taken to the Yeerk pool. My - I'll ever get used to saying that - filthy Yeerk needed to feed from Kandrona rays. I suggested to him to pass, but he did not think that was a good idea. I had not believed he would, but I was unable to do much else than talk to or scream at him.
I had kept screaming for two days. After that, I had come to my senses and realised that screaming did not aid me in any way. So I kept quiet for a few hours, and cried to myself.
The Yeerk kept insulting me. Reminding me that I was the second wrong of the universe. Reminding me that I was a disgrace to my family, and my entire species. Not one single time did I reply, or argue.
He was right. I was an Andalite-Controller. I was an Abomination.
I walked up to the pier, but not before I had stopped by the large cage near the pool to insult my friends. Cassie, Prince Jake and Marco were there. And of course Tobias. Cassie was trying to tend to his feathers, smoothing what remained of them out. Tobias must have refused to preen them himself.
At the pier, they tied my weak Andalite arms behind my back. They put a special sheath over my tail-blade, and tied it down to my hands. They also put a collar and a leash on me, of the type humans use on large dogs. And shackled my legs so that I had to walk with very short steps. When the Yeerk had left my ear, I had no hope of escaping. Or ending my own misery, as any noble Andalite with half a chance would do if captured.
They brought me to the cage. They let me in - or they forced me to enter, since I had no other alternative - and as they did they took the shackles from my hooves, one by one.
I was tired. I lay down to rest in a corner of the cage. The others came over. I said nothing to them. They asked me to talk. They begged me to talk. I remained silent, not even looking at them. Then Prince Jake insisted that I would reply.
I turned one stalk eye to look at him. His human face looked, what I believe, concerned. Also troubled by heavy guilt.
Please. Remove the sheath, I asked. I wish to end this.
"Kill yourself?" Marco said. "Oh, no you don't. Me first."
I do not know if that was a human example of humour, or if Marco was serious. He looked serious. But Marco is often described as "funny".
"Ax…" Cassie said. "Don't. Just… please don't."
Why not? There is nothing left but dishonour and pain and…
"Don't," Cassie repeated. But her hands were working nimbly on the ropes.
"Hey!" a Controller cried form outside the cage. "They're freeing the Andalite's tail-blade!"
And our Hork-Bajir guards made sure that Cassie was not able to finish taking the sheath off. They re-tied it all, this time securing it with a coded security system.
"Ax," Prince Jake said seriously. "You call me your Prince. So here comes an order; you can't kill yourself. Not when Rachel is still out there."
Marco eyed the ceiling briefly. I have no clue as to the reason for that behaviour. "Oh. Great. Our hope lies with a lunatic shop-oholic."
Prince Jake gave him a harsh stare. Then he continued; "When Rachel is caught, or killed, we'll all find a way to go, I guess. From depression, on Tobias part. He's already started." He paused to glance at Tobias. "But while there is still hope, no matter how small, you WILL NOT 'end your misery'. None of us will."
Jake gave each of us a hard look. We all avoided that look. "Is that understood?"
Cassie nodded first.
Nodding is a human way to show that you agree to whatever has been said.
Marco nodded second, but after a short hesitation.
I planned to object, but Prince Jake is my Prince. So I said; Yes, Prince Jake.
"Don't call me Prince, " Prince Jake objected, out of unstoppable habit. He sighed sadly. "I'm not worthy of that."
Yes, Prince Jake, I replied. Also a habit. And no, Prince Jake. Every leader makes his mistakes.
Prince Jake then looked at the hawk in the centre of the cage. "Tobias?"
Tobias didn't reply.
"Tobias?" Prince Jake repeated.
"Leave him alone," Cassie advised. "Don't stress him." She scoped up the bird into her arms and cradled him gently.
I know from Animal Planet, which is a TV channel, that sad birds have a tendency to remove their own feathers. Tobias was doing that. He had about half of them left. And he refused to preen - clean and organize - them. Also, he was thin. It seemed he had refused to eat. There was more proof of that; the dead mouse that was lying on the floor hadn't been touched.
The mouse, Cassie, I said. I assume Tobias needs to eat, whether he wants to or not.
Cassie nodded. With a I-know-what-I'm-doing-don't-you-dare-object-look, she handed Tobias to Marco, who looked a little surprised. But he did not say anything. He sat down with Tobias lying motionless in his lap.
Cassie lifted up the mouse and held it out for Tobias to eat.
Tobias looked at it, but didn't open his beak.
"Eat it," Cassie said. "There's a good bird…"
Tobias didn't reply.
"Eat the mouse, Tobias," Cassie repeated.
Tobias turned his beak away.
"Eat the mouse," Cassie ordered. "Now. Or I'll force you to eat it, as with any other bird."
I'm not hungry, Tobias said.
"Oh, yes you are," Marco said. "You're thin as a rake. Even for being a bird."
"C'mon, Tobias," Prince Jake said. "What would Rachel say?"
I believe Rachel would bend his beak up and push the mouse down his throat, I said. And all the time she would be accusing him of stupidity and generally expressing worry by insulting him.
Tobias stared at me. Ax, he said. You're here, too?
Yes, I am. I assured him. But even I can see that you are not feeling well. And I know that Rachel, if that is of any importance, would disapprove of this nonsensical behaviour. Please, Tobias, consume the mouse.
No, I don't want to eat. I've got no appetite.
"Too bad," Cassie said with a tone in her voice that more would have fitted Rachel. "Neither do dead birds. So eat the mouse."
"Eat the mouse," Jake agreed.
"Do us this favour, old pal," Marco said. "Otherwise I may find to my horror that I'm eating the mouse myself. I am hungry, you know."
Tobias looked around. Then he looked at the mouse in Cassie's hand.
I'm not a baby, he stated. I can eat by myself.
Then do so, I told him.
Tobias is my closest friend here. He is my shorm. "Shorm" is an Andalite term for very close friend. Someone you'd trust to put his tail-blade against your throat. Only remember, that Tobias has no tail-blade.
Marco put Tobias down on the floor of the cage. Cassie put the mouse down in front of him.
Yuck, Tobias commented. Then he bent down to eat the mouse.
Obviously he had been hungry. For he ate it rather quickly.
That mouse must have been self-dead. It tasted horrible.
"Okay, here's the deal about this place," Marco said clapping his hands together. "Lousy accommodation. Lousy service. Lousy food. And the sound isolation isn't worth even insulting."
In fact there was no sound isolation. So the screams and cries of the other caged hosts filled the air.
"Can I get some water in here?!" Marco cried to nobody. "I'm thirsty!"
A Hork-Bajir guard glanced at him.
"Yeah, that's right. Waiter, get me water! Now!"
The Hork-Bajir blinked.
"A soda would be fine, too," Marco said. "Now move it!"
The Hork-Bajir began laughing.
"I'm sorry I have nothing to throw at him," Marco muttered with a dark face. "Even though the force field would catch it." He sat down in a corner, arms crossed.
"I'm tired," Cassie said. "I think I'll get some sleep."
Jake sat down, leaning against the force field and the bars of the cage. Cassie sat down close beside to him and closed her eyes. Soon her breathing became regular. But her face didn't look calm. She must have dreamt nightmares.
I think I fell asleep, too.
And I know I dreamt nightmares.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Author's Note;
Hey, where's my cliffie? *frowns* I'll have to look into that...
I'll put the next one up later. Until then, you know what to do.... REVIEW THIS ONE!!! *broad grin*
Chapter 11 Marco
Rachel had kicked my butt. Seriously well, too. The Yeerk hadn't had that much practice flying or fighting as I bird. I had never been in air combat like that before, either. But Rachel, with her general blood thirst, her anger and her extra experience flying - she goes flying with Tobias now and then - won easily.
I was gloating about that to the Yeerk, who was very miserable. His mission had been to keep Rachel away. He had failed. Visser Three, and Jake's Yeerk, which seemed to be in charge of this "Animorphs trapping procedure", would be very unhappy about that. Very, very unhappy.
See why I was feeling so happy?
Don't be so up for this, the Yeerk warned me. If Visser Three kills me, you'll go too.
I laughed at him.
I thought you could read my every thought. Anything is better than being a host, even death. And, no, I don't think so. I'm too valuable as a host to be wasted killing dirt like you.
The Yeerk demorphed. I had a wing that was broken on several places, and my feathers were pulled out of their places. My beak had a crack in it, from when I crashed into a tree. I was one tattered, messy, bloody, beaten owl.
And I was very pleased about that.
Rachel kicked your bu-utt, Rachel kicked your bu-utt, I sang. Rachel kicked…
Shut up! the Sub-Visser ordered. Shut up, slave!
No waaay, I laughed. This is WAY to fun.
Then I started singing again, very pleased to annoy him.
I couldn't kill him, or even hurt him, but I sure could drive him nuts… and that was my new objective in life.
You see what happens? You see that? My objective has fallen from saving the world to annoying a simple Sub-Visser.
That can't be good.
But anyway, just when I was back to my own stunning self again, a Hork-Bajir came running towards me. He had probably used his ears to find me, because Hork-Bajir see almost nothing in dark places. And it was about midnight by then, I'd guess.
"Sub-Visser geerash medla wolf…" the Hork-Bajir said. "Cjanda…"
I just nodded at him. Or the Yeerk did it. I was still enjoying my performance at the I've-got-a-Yeerk-to-annoy Stage. No need to say that the Yeerk didn't enjoy the show.
What is it, Sub-Visser? I said tauntingly. Having problems with your host? Can't make him shut up?
You'll break down like the rest of them, he told me. You'll lose hope, and then you'll be quiet. They all do, in the end. Just wait and see.
I was afraid that he was right. But right then, I hadn't broken down yet. And… the show must go on.
I started singing.
There once was a Sub-Visser
Who was a real hisser
But he just couldn't succeed
And when he went to the pool to feed
Visser Three was nuts
So he ate Sub-Visser's guts!
Hahahahaha!
The Yeerk didn't enjoy it at all. I could feel irritation practically flowing and steaming from him.
You've got no sense of humour, have you? I commented, and quickly made another verse.
The Yeerk started morphing again. I recognized the shape; wolf. For hunting, I guessed. One of my friends would be prey. Rachel, or Cassie.
I was right.
As soon as I was wolf, I smelled the other wolf. Not far away, but very scared.
Probably Cassie, since she loved the wolf shape.
And the Yeerk started going after her. Not directly towards her position, but more on a course to intercept hers. Cassie, or maybe Rachel, was going to be locked in a trap.
Let's see how cocky you feel after you've played a role in trapping one of your friends…
She must have smelled me coming. But her path didn't change. Neither did mine.
At last the Yeerk stopped. My wolf body wasn't tired, but the tension of just running was tearing at me. Just running and doing nothing. Waiting to see if I would trap Cassie or Rachel. Waiting. And hoping to fail.
I could smell the wolf approaching. The Hork-Bajir had spread out like a crescent-shaped net behind her, and to her sides. She only had one way to run, and I was right on that path. She would have been able to outrun the Hork-Bajir, but she hadn't done that yet.
And now it was too late.
Well, well, well… the Yeerk said with my thought-speak as the wolf came closer. What have we here? An Animorph bandit, most likely…
The wolf, wet from the rain as I was, bared her teeth and snarled at me.
"Gggrrrrrrrrrr!"
I did the same.
"Gggrrrrrrrrrr!"
It didn't matter if it was Cassie or Rachel. I had acquired the same wolf female as both of them. Jake had acquired the male, but we didn't want the two of us to fight for dominance. So I was going to face a wolf with the exact DNA that I had, which meant a pretty even fight.
Marco, Cassie's voice said, with a touch of sadness. You're in my way. Move.
No, I don't think so, the Yeerk said. You're not going to get past me.
Cassie didn't hesitate. She is the soft-minded person in our group, but maybe fear and necessity made her look past that.
She attacked.
The Yeerk let the wolf instincts surface, and the fight was on. Biting and ripping, twisting and pushing, and snarling and growling, and so on…
It was a really serious fight. All at warp factor nine. Cassie was fighting for her life. Her freedom. The things we've been fighting for all along.
The Yeerk was fighting for his life too, in a way. If he failed, he'd have a good chance of being killed by Visser Three.
Super speed. Super teeth. Super cruel. No mercy. Attack! Attack! Attack!
I wasn't winning. But I wasn't losing, either. I wanted to lose. Oh, I wanted to lose.
We had the same speed, the same agility, the same size, the same endurance and the same teeth and so on. That makes it pretty hard to win. We were identical. No advantages, no disadvantages.
Oh. Except one; Cassie had lots of experience as a wolf. She knew its strengths, she knew it's limits. She uses the wolf morph on almost every mission. Her favourite morph is wolf. Mine is gorilla, and a wolf is a long way from a gorilla.
The Yeerk let the wolf instincts fight this battle. He let them judge and rule.
Cassie used both. I know that. Because certain moves she used weren't in the book, and all of them surprised the wolf.
The Hork-Bajir were closing in, tightening their circle around us. My wolf mind registered their presence, but ignored it because there were more important things to do.
Then suddenly, Cassie folded away from the fight. All so suddenly, she just wasn't there any more. My attack missed. It took the wolf a thousandth of a second to realise that Cassie had moved, and to adapt the landing on ground after it. In that time, Cassie had grabbed my hind leg.
"Aaaaaooul!" I whined.
The wolf didn't like this. Neither did the Yeerk. I did.
Cassie tore at my leg. There is a very important ligament in a wolf hind leg, which lies over the "knee" (which actually is the wolf version of our heel). Cassie was chewing that off.
I twisted. I struggled. I tried to break free. I tried to turn to face her. But with every twist I did, Cassie did one to keep behind me.
"Aaaaaaooul!"
Finally, her strong wolf teeth ripped the ligament off. My wolf leg collapsed. Now I had three legs to run on.
That couldn't be good.
Oh, what a happy day…
Hallelujah, I laughed at the Yeerk. My, my, my… aren't we the losing type? Cassie beat you in a fair fight? Cassie, who you said wasn't a problem?
Shut up! the Yeerk hissed.
Cassie kicked your bu-utt…
I'm not beaten yet!
Sorry, Marco, Cassie said. But you'll understand.
I snarled, and tried to turn to face her. She instantly grabbed my other hind leg. This time, she chewed more efficiently, since I twisted and turned less. That ligament was soon out of function too.
And I was laughing with joy. Cassie might still have a chance to escape.
As soon as I thought the thought, the Yeerk sniffed the air with that excellent wolf nose. No, no escape now. We were surrounded by Hork-Bajir. It was the Yeerk's turn to laugh.
So you've beaten me, the Yeerk hissed. Why don't you kill me? Can't kill a friend, can you? Even though he's a Controller.
You know nothing, do you, Yeerk? Cassie replied. Wolves never kill pack members. Marco may be a Controller, but he's still counted as part of the pack.
Oh, please, I thought dryly. End my misery.
Maybe I'll tell her you said that, the Yeerk suggested.
You don't have the guts, I replied. You're just another coward.
That's when Jake came along in his tiger body. He was panting, and tired from running - obviously. He was followed by a polar bear that had to be Ax.
Polar bear? Talk about the wrong climate. But then again, polar bear was a very powerful morph. Useful.
Cassie, Jake's voice said. Give up. You're surrounded.
Cassie bared her teeth. That might have been a bad move. Now Jake knew which one of us was Cassie. He couldn't have known before.
Surrounded, yes, I know, she replied. But you can't make me demorph.
Oh, well, Ax said with a weirdly cruel laugh. We can't make you demorph. But the wolf brain is a fairly large place. There should be enough room for one of us.
You've morphed a Yeerk, my Yeerk added. Do a quick estimate.
You; shut up, Jake hissed at me. The Visser will hear about your failures.
I delayed this one long enough for you to catch it, my Yeerk reminded him.
So you did something right? Amazing. Very well, you're off the hook. For now. But you better demorph.
The Sub-Visser did. I demorphed slowly. As soon as I was human, he made me walk away from Cassie to join the Hork-Bajir circle. I had my back turned to Cassie. She didn't attack me. I didn't know if I was supposed to laugh or cry.
Demorph, Jake said.
No. Cassie replied.
Very well. Then we'll burn the barn.
Cassie hesitated. The barn is really the Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic. It's where Cassie's dad works. It's his life. It's also where Cassie helps out.
All her little wounded wild darlings are in there, in cages. Everything from rats to wolves to skunks. And of course, her horses.
And the house, Ax added. Your parents are both home. They won't be given a chance to escape.
Cassie hesitated again.
No… please, no…
And, of course, Jake added musingly. There's the bird. We'll kill it.
Tobias? Or Rachel? Cassie asked bitterly.
Does it matter?
"Will you demorph or not?" I asked.
Cassie looked around. Even with her wolf face, you could see her sorrow. Her determination. She wasn't doing this to save herself. She was trying to keep her very important secret of the Morphing Cube's whereabouts hidden. And she was hoping to escape to help Rachel save the rest of us. If Rachel was still free or not, she didn't know. No.
Very well, Jake said. But you know it doesn't matter. You won't get out of this one, wolfie. We'll infest you as a wolf if we have to. But then the barn, your house, your parents, and the bird goes.
No. Cassie repeated, her voice low and sad.
"You will win nothing from refusing," I told her.
And, oh, Ax added. There is one more thing we can do. The polar bear glanced at the tiger. The tiger nodded. Marco's Yeerk will, also, be demoted. So we have no use for Jake. He'll die. Choose.
Demoted? my Yeerk asked himself.
It's just a trick, so don't worry, Jake's voice said privately in my head. The Yeerk calmed down.
"There are your options," I told her. "Demorph. Or the barn, your parents, the house, the bird, and your boyfriend here, will go for a ride. Choose."
No, Cassie whispered with a weak voice. No…
She's going to go with us, my Yeerk said to me triumphantly. She'll never hold. I must admit, though, I'd thought she would go for the barn alone.
Don't underestimate Cassie… I muttered. If I was her, I'd have fallen for the demands. But Cassie has a way of seeing people. Maybe she'd see it was a fake - at least the Jake part. C'mon, Cassie…Please…
But her features were changing. She was soon human again, dressed in her morphing outfit. Barefoot. Out of place. Unprotected. No natural weapons. And looking terrified.
Hork-Bajir, Jake said, thinking he had won. Grab her.
They walked forwards. Two of them.
Cassie spun around and dove between them. Then she landed on all fours, struggled to get up and ran for all she was worth. She got caught, of course. But she struggled.
My, my… rebellious, are we? Ax said. I thought you had fallen to the demands.
"I agreed to demorph," Cassie snarled. "I didn't promise to cooperate."
Chapter 12 Jake
Cassie was very brave. She showed a side that I didn't know much about. She acted a bit like Rachel.
Rachel who still was free.
The Yeerk was right. I could feel it happening. I was breaking down. Especially now. It was all my fault. My fault that Tobias was in a box. And that Ax, Marco, and especially Cassie, were going to spend the rest of their lives as involuntary Controllers.
My conscience was gnawing at me. My guilt, too. And the Yeerk was constantly reminding me that without me, this would never have happened.
One of the Hork-Bajir had picked up the box with the Yeerk that I had placed on the ground when I morphed. So the box was here. So was Cassie.
I think you can figure out the rest by yourselves.
The Sub-Visser in my head made me demorph. He took the Yeerk in his hand, and walked forwards to Cassie.
I kept screaming, louder for every step. But only the Yeerk heard. And he ignored me. but he seemed very pleased with himself. He was glad over my misery.
I could hear Marco's voice humming a funeral tune for all to hear.
Ax's Yeerk laughed in thought-speak as hard as he could.
The Yeerk grabbed her hair. That was a bad idea. You see, he tried to hold her head still by pulling her hair. But Cassie has very short hair. So she got loose and instantly sank her teeth deep into my hand.
"Aarrgh!" I screamed.
She didn't let my hand go. She bit in deeper every time I tried to pull loose. Marco came forwards and after some time managed to force open her mouth again so that I could pull out my by then very bloody hand.
Someone once said that a human's bite is about as dangerous - in a way - as a dog's. I guess that's true. But I can just morph almost all my wounds away, so my Yeerk didn't worry about it.
A Hork-Bajir hand closed around Cassie's head. Hork-Bajir have very large hands. He turned the ear towards me, and I let the Yeerk slither into it.
That was the end of my breaking down, I guess. I didn't say more than a few words to the Yeerk after that.
The days after were a nightmare. During the days, our Yeerks played our parts. Cassie worked in the barn and walked around in T-shirts and poop-stained jeans that didn't fit. Marco and I went to the mall to play videogames and fritter away quarters. Marco kept sleeping away lessons. I kept writing sloppy notes that needed professionals to translate. Ax was kept hidden well, of course. But no longer in the forest. Tobias was in a black box down in the Yeerk Pool network. He spent his time screaming and cursing everybody who was within thought-speak range.
At night, we were all out in the forest, hunting the last Animorph.
We also sent highly trained police dogs, and police. Rachel had been officially reported missing. Her father was a reporter, and he came on every day on the news asking people to please, please, please, find his daughter. There was a reward for whoever had any information on her whereabouts. The entire community searched the forests and all other places she might be. Her picture was in the newspaper, on TV, and in the airport and train stations and in all the shops and on signs and everywhere else where a picture could be put.
The part that the community didn't know about was that we also used Taxxons, Hork-Bajir, our own morphs and Bug fighters and highly advanced technology to find her during the night.
But Rachel wasn't found. She had simply dissolved into thin air.
I was happy that at least one of us was still free. Even if there wasn't much hope for that person. That was about the only thing I was happy about.
But sneaking out every night to hunt for Rachel made me very tired. After three days, when I spent the night at the Yeerk pool, I collapsed from exhaustion, making no attempts to escape.
Not that I could have. They had built a special cage for us. Near the pool. With great big signs saying "The Animorphs" in big neon letters, and under it "- the Andalite Bandits -". And between the bars were force fields, to keep us from morphing flies and flying out. The entrance and the sides were guarded by Hork-Bajir warriors. They had placed Tobias in there, too. He wasn't in that horrible box anymore. Now if they had thought that'd shut him up, they were wrong.
But when he got company in the cage, he shut up. For my sake, I guess. So that I wouldn't get another headache.
Controllers walked past whenever one of us was in the cage, taunting us and insulting us. I felt like a hated animal in a horrible zoo.
When I had been asleep for some time, I don't know how long, I was woken by a gentle hand on my forehead. It was Cassie.
"Are you okay?" she asked.
"No, I'm not okay," I said, sitting up properly. "I caused this. It's my fault."
Nobody blames you, Tobias said. He was sitting on the floor of the cage. He had pulled half his feathers out and looked very unhappy. His intense hawk stare was even more fierce than before.
"I do," I whispered. "I blame me."
"Don't," Cassie ordered. "It could have happened to any one of us."
"But it happened to me."
Let that go, Jake, Tobias said. Then he added, with only simplicity in his voice; Rachel is still out there.
"Yes, she is," Cassie agreed. "And she'll lift this place up and shake it to get us out if she has to."
I smiled bitterly. Yes, my cousin had a preference - even fondness - of drastic measures when they were needed - and when they were not needed.
Marco's on his way, Tobias informed us.
We turned towards the direction of his gaze. Marco was sauntering in through an entrance with a big, silly grin on his face. He walked towards the pool itself and stood in the line to the pier where his Yeerk would slither into the stinking, slimy water of the pool. Out of Marco's ear. But not permanently.
We watched as Hork-Bajir grabbed his arms and twisted them up behind his back, and how he kneeled. Only Tobias, with his raptor eyes, actually saw the Yeerk crawl out of his ear. But as soon as it had, Marco started kicking and fighting. He was growing black fur, and growing quickly.
He was morphing his gorilla.
But not quickly enough. A total of four Hork-Bajir dragged him towards our cage, and he was pushed in. As soon as he was in and the door closed he calmed down. He reversed the morph back to human.
"Damn it," he commented. He held a straight face for about two seconds. Then he sank down to his knees and buried his face in his hands.
Chapter 13 Ax
On the third day after our defeat I was taken to the Yeerk pool. My - I'll ever get used to saying that - filthy Yeerk needed to feed from Kandrona rays. I suggested to him to pass, but he did not think that was a good idea. I had not believed he would, but I was unable to do much else than talk to or scream at him.
I had kept screaming for two days. After that, I had come to my senses and realised that screaming did not aid me in any way. So I kept quiet for a few hours, and cried to myself.
The Yeerk kept insulting me. Reminding me that I was the second wrong of the universe. Reminding me that I was a disgrace to my family, and my entire species. Not one single time did I reply, or argue.
He was right. I was an Andalite-Controller. I was an Abomination.
I walked up to the pier, but not before I had stopped by the large cage near the pool to insult my friends. Cassie, Prince Jake and Marco were there. And of course Tobias. Cassie was trying to tend to his feathers, smoothing what remained of them out. Tobias must have refused to preen them himself.
At the pier, they tied my weak Andalite arms behind my back. They put a special sheath over my tail-blade, and tied it down to my hands. They also put a collar and a leash on me, of the type humans use on large dogs. And shackled my legs so that I had to walk with very short steps. When the Yeerk had left my ear, I had no hope of escaping. Or ending my own misery, as any noble Andalite with half a chance would do if captured.
They brought me to the cage. They let me in - or they forced me to enter, since I had no other alternative - and as they did they took the shackles from my hooves, one by one.
I was tired. I lay down to rest in a corner of the cage. The others came over. I said nothing to them. They asked me to talk. They begged me to talk. I remained silent, not even looking at them. Then Prince Jake insisted that I would reply.
I turned one stalk eye to look at him. His human face looked, what I believe, concerned. Also troubled by heavy guilt.
Please. Remove the sheath, I asked. I wish to end this.
"Kill yourself?" Marco said. "Oh, no you don't. Me first."
I do not know if that was a human example of humour, or if Marco was serious. He looked serious. But Marco is often described as "funny".
"Ax…" Cassie said. "Don't. Just… please don't."
Why not? There is nothing left but dishonour and pain and…
"Don't," Cassie repeated. But her hands were working nimbly on the ropes.
"Hey!" a Controller cried form outside the cage. "They're freeing the Andalite's tail-blade!"
And our Hork-Bajir guards made sure that Cassie was not able to finish taking the sheath off. They re-tied it all, this time securing it with a coded security system.
"Ax," Prince Jake said seriously. "You call me your Prince. So here comes an order; you can't kill yourself. Not when Rachel is still out there."
Marco eyed the ceiling briefly. I have no clue as to the reason for that behaviour. "Oh. Great. Our hope lies with a lunatic shop-oholic."
Prince Jake gave him a harsh stare. Then he continued; "When Rachel is caught, or killed, we'll all find a way to go, I guess. From depression, on Tobias part. He's already started." He paused to glance at Tobias. "But while there is still hope, no matter how small, you WILL NOT 'end your misery'. None of us will."
Jake gave each of us a hard look. We all avoided that look. "Is that understood?"
Cassie nodded first.
Nodding is a human way to show that you agree to whatever has been said.
Marco nodded second, but after a short hesitation.
I planned to object, but Prince Jake is my Prince. So I said; Yes, Prince Jake.
"Don't call me Prince, " Prince Jake objected, out of unstoppable habit. He sighed sadly. "I'm not worthy of that."
Yes, Prince Jake, I replied. Also a habit. And no, Prince Jake. Every leader makes his mistakes.
Prince Jake then looked at the hawk in the centre of the cage. "Tobias?"
Tobias didn't reply.
"Tobias?" Prince Jake repeated.
"Leave him alone," Cassie advised. "Don't stress him." She scoped up the bird into her arms and cradled him gently.
I know from Animal Planet, which is a TV channel, that sad birds have a tendency to remove their own feathers. Tobias was doing that. He had about half of them left. And he refused to preen - clean and organize - them. Also, he was thin. It seemed he had refused to eat. There was more proof of that; the dead mouse that was lying on the floor hadn't been touched.
The mouse, Cassie, I said. I assume Tobias needs to eat, whether he wants to or not.
Cassie nodded. With a I-know-what-I'm-doing-don't-you-dare-object-look, she handed Tobias to Marco, who looked a little surprised. But he did not say anything. He sat down with Tobias lying motionless in his lap.
Cassie lifted up the mouse and held it out for Tobias to eat.
Tobias looked at it, but didn't open his beak.
"Eat it," Cassie said. "There's a good bird…"
Tobias didn't reply.
"Eat the mouse, Tobias," Cassie repeated.
Tobias turned his beak away.
"Eat the mouse," Cassie ordered. "Now. Or I'll force you to eat it, as with any other bird."
I'm not hungry, Tobias said.
"Oh, yes you are," Marco said. "You're thin as a rake. Even for being a bird."
"C'mon, Tobias," Prince Jake said. "What would Rachel say?"
I believe Rachel would bend his beak up and push the mouse down his throat, I said. And all the time she would be accusing him of stupidity and generally expressing worry by insulting him.
Tobias stared at me. Ax, he said. You're here, too?
Yes, I am. I assured him. But even I can see that you are not feeling well. And I know that Rachel, if that is of any importance, would disapprove of this nonsensical behaviour. Please, Tobias, consume the mouse.
No, I don't want to eat. I've got no appetite.
"Too bad," Cassie said with a tone in her voice that more would have fitted Rachel. "Neither do dead birds. So eat the mouse."
"Eat the mouse," Jake agreed.
"Do us this favour, old pal," Marco said. "Otherwise I may find to my horror that I'm eating the mouse myself. I am hungry, you know."
Tobias looked around. Then he looked at the mouse in Cassie's hand.
I'm not a baby, he stated. I can eat by myself.
Then do so, I told him.
Tobias is my closest friend here. He is my shorm. "Shorm" is an Andalite term for very close friend. Someone you'd trust to put his tail-blade against your throat. Only remember, that Tobias has no tail-blade.
Marco put Tobias down on the floor of the cage. Cassie put the mouse down in front of him.
Yuck, Tobias commented. Then he bent down to eat the mouse.
Obviously he had been hungry. For he ate it rather quickly.
That mouse must have been self-dead. It tasted horrible.
"Okay, here's the deal about this place," Marco said clapping his hands together. "Lousy accommodation. Lousy service. Lousy food. And the sound isolation isn't worth even insulting."
In fact there was no sound isolation. So the screams and cries of the other caged hosts filled the air.
"Can I get some water in here?!" Marco cried to nobody. "I'm thirsty!"
A Hork-Bajir guard glanced at him.
"Yeah, that's right. Waiter, get me water! Now!"
The Hork-Bajir blinked.
"A soda would be fine, too," Marco said. "Now move it!"
The Hork-Bajir began laughing.
"I'm sorry I have nothing to throw at him," Marco muttered with a dark face. "Even though the force field would catch it." He sat down in a corner, arms crossed.
"I'm tired," Cassie said. "I think I'll get some sleep."
Jake sat down, leaning against the force field and the bars of the cage. Cassie sat down close beside to him and closed her eyes. Soon her breathing became regular. But her face didn't look calm. She must have dreamt nightmares.
I think I fell asleep, too.
And I know I dreamt nightmares.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Author's Note;
Hey, where's my cliffie? *frowns* I'll have to look into that...
I'll put the next one up later. Until then, you know what to do.... REVIEW THIS ONE!!! *broad grin*
