21

Orion was there for two months, and they were months that passed all too quickly. He liked it at Hintracrii's home, and was well treated. He was treated as a child, even a friend, not a slave.

They went to the park a few more times, and a couple of them he even met the jackals he had made
friends with. And each time the rat encouraged Orion to go a little deeper into the water.

"Look, Orion," the rat said gently. "Look how far in you are."

The young cat was in the water up to his neck. Hintracrii had distracted him a little, playing splashing
a little bit as Orion stepped out and now he was neck deep. She did not think she would ever get him to go
underwater, but she was happy he was not so terrified of it.

But this had been the wrong thing to say. Orion realized how far in he was, and his first thought was of
the horrible box Blackmoor liked ot use as punishment. He whimpered, and scrambled back towards the shore,
and panicked when he couldn't run out. He was not used to how water worked, and all it seemed to to was push him farther back!

Seeing this, and feeling bad for inadvertently making him react like that, the rat gently pushed him
forward, so he could get out of the water. Orion did not even notice, only ran as far from the lake as he could.

The concerned lady looked around for him and found him huddling in a little grove of trees. He was
crying. "P-please don't be mad at me," the little cat said.

The poor child looked so miserable. Hintracrii got on her knees. "Easy, little one. I'm not mad at you, I
promise. I would never be mad at you for something like that, for trying your best. I am proud you got that far.
Come on, let's go on back home."

Relived, but still shaken, Orion finally stood and let her take him home
.
Orion surprised Hintracrii. one time at the lake, on what ended up being the last warm day of autumn,
he did what she had not expected him to. He went underwater...kind of. Orion ahd not wanted to really, but his
desire to please the one that had been so kind to him overpowered his fear, and he went in again. This time,
when he was submerged to his neck, he didn't panic...although he shook. But...he could move freely, and Hintracrii was right there in case he slipped or something.

What amazed her was that when she coaxed him to come into deeper water with her holding him, he
agreed. He clung to her tightly, almost enough to hurt...but he didn't fight to get free. The poor thing looked
like a frightened infant, she thought. Another thing that amazed her was that when she suggested he try and dog
paddle, he agreed. While she held him by the waist, he performed the actions she had shown him, and not too
badly, either. He'd said he did not like the water splashing in his face, but he even managed to keep that to a
minimum.

Gently, without Orion even knowing it, Hintracrii let go of the child. He paddled away, a couple of feet,
before realizing that no one was holding him. Seeing the expression on his face, the lady rat caught him before
he could panic, and gave him a broad grin. "You did it!"

Panting, and shaking hard, Orion stared at her for a moment. then he realized she was right. He had
done it! He grinned weakly as she carried him to the shore.

That had been on their third to last day together.

On the last day, both were very reluctant. Hintracrii remembered having wanted a different choice in
helpers because this one was too skittish, but now she was reluctant to let him go. The day before, not having
told Orion in case it did not turn out, she had contacted Blackmoor and offered a generous sum to buy the child slave. But no matter what she said, the offer was refused.

And so in the morning, she and Orion said good-bye. The cub had left his clothing there, knowing that
Blackmoor would just take it some time when he was angry at him or something, and he didn't like the thought
of him having something the kind rat Mutant had given him. The couple of toys she had bought he left as well.

She told him that when they saw each other again they would be waiting.

As they were uncomfortably trying to say goodbye, Blackmoor's hovered rolled up. Involuntarily,
Orion backed up a step or two, remembering to keep his eyes to the ground. He bit his lip as he felt Blackmoor's
unforgiving gaze on him for several moments. He could sense Hintracrii in turn giving Blackmoor a cold look.
"He caused no trouble?" Blackmoor finally said.

"No," the lady replied with cool politeness. "He was an excellent help, model behavior. Next year I
would ask that he be allowed to assist me again.

Looking somewhat surprised, Blackmoor finally nodded. "We'll see. Depends on how well the slave
behaves. In the cart, Orion. Hurry it up."

"Yes, master,' Orion whispered. he risked a glance back to the rat and waved good-bye. And then he
crept into the cart.

When the jackal was finished receiving his fee form teh rat, he got into the cart with Orion. this was a
bigger one, and closed in. and Blackmoor growled at Orion to get on the floor on the other side of the cart. "I
don't want to sit next to a flea-ridden feline," he said. Orion had obeyed with quiet subservience. He was thinking of the kind rat and her gentle personality, and found himself wishing he was still there.

"So you didn't cause her any trouble at all?"

"N-no, master."

"None?" Again the quiet reply. Blackmoor snorted. "It's a miracle. just why do you behave for her
and not me, wretch?"

There's one reason there, Orion thought bitterly. She doens't insult me and call me names. but of course
he never said it aloud. Not sure how to answer, he finally answered, "I-I like her..."

Blackmoor raised a brow. "And you don't like me?"

Uh-oh... Well now he'd done it! And Blackmoor knew when he was lying too. "N-n-no, M-master..."
he waited to see if he'd be struck or not.

But the jackal only laughed. "Miserable wretch. Good, you don't have to like me. Just so you obey
me."

"Yes, Master."

They rode the rest of the way in silence. Orion's thoughts were those of anger. Blackmoor wasn't fair.

Orion had acted no differently for the lady. It was just that things Blackmoor would see as disobedience, the
lady did not see it as such. and that was not fair!

Frustrated at not being able to voice his frustrations, the cub closed hi eyes and waited out the ride.

When they returned, Blackmoor wasted no time getting Orion back to work. He was not harsh with the
boy, as he had pleased one of their best customers. The boy was put to work in the new hangar's junkyard, again only in his breeches and collar. he was nearly pounced on by Hyder and Tamarin.

"Orion! Orion, you're back!" the young hyena grinned widely and grabbed the younger slave in a bear
hug.

Orion laughed and ut up with it. "Yeah, lucky you, huh?"

Hyder snorted. "Yeah, right."

Tamarin clapped him on the shoulder. "So tell us about it, Mr. Bigshot." They caught a taskmaster
giving them the evil eye, and the teenaged simian hastily amended, "While we work."

So as the three friends began their usual scavenger hunt, Orion told them all about his time with the lady
rat. He told them about the park and how she treated him like a person, not a slave. He told them everything he
could remember, and had a proud grin on his face as he related going into the water.

"You actually went IN water?" Hyder said in amazement.

Orion's grin widened, if that was possible. "Yep! And I dog paddled! Only a second though...i-it was
pretty scary." His grin faltered, but only for a moment. "But I did it!"

Tamarin had been looking somewhat jealous...and he was. But he laughed, knowing it was stupid to
feel like that. "I'm glad you had some fun. You really needed it the way Buttmore smacks you around all the
time."

Orion nodded solemnly. "Yeah...I wish I was still there. She tried to buy me, but Blackmoor wouldn't
let her." He had been listening. not really on purpose. but he had heard his name as he passed the door and so
had listened. but he hadn't told Hintracrii. He didn't want her to feel bad.

Hyder snorted. "He wanted you around to take his frustration out on, the coward."

Orion scowled. "Yeah..." But then he shrugged. "At least she gave him a really good report so he's not
mad at me or anything.

Hyder nodded. "That's good."

Chapter 22

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