30

Orion spent a few days in the woods outside Blackmoor's city...and he remembered how they had all
been captured in the next But...he remembered the reward posters, and remembered how people there had been
all too happy to turn them in for the money. He could not go there. The young man realized that Blackmoor had
probably sent out the reward posters again this time...but still Orion did not want to go where he had already
been caught. He needed to go somewhere different.

The city. Maybe Orion wouldn't head out of town, maybe his best chance would be to stay in
town where Blackmoor undoubtedly would never expect him to stay. The jackal underestimated Orion's
strength and intelligence. Unfortunately, thanks to him, Orion also underestimated himself. But still, he decided not to run just
yet. He would sneak back into the city.

From a distance, Orion looked at the borders of the city. They did not seem to be patrolled, since Blackmoor thought he was headed the other way. Hopefully he would not have people looking for him here, would not have people with scanners and sensors... He thought about the paring knife he had managed to filch from the kitchen during his days of scrounging around the complex. he had taken it...not so much for a weapon, as it would be nothing against stunners. but...he would slit his own throat before he let them take him back to the compound.

It took a great deal of courage for Orion to approach the city limits. But he did. And maybe he would
be able to find Hyder here! If they had not caught him that was. As he got closer, he began to pass
dwellings of people who lived outside the city limits. Thinking a long time, he debated whether to try and find
an empty house and steal some clothing from it...and after a moment decided to go ahead and do it. he felt bad,
but he needed it more than they would, and they would likely not hesitate to turn him over to Blackmoor if they'd seen him. And so he did not feel too bad.

It took him a while, but the young escapee managed to find a small house that had no one inside, and he
crept inside. those who lived on the very outskirts usually did not lock or bar their doors, and so Orion was able
to simply walk right in.

Although as he did, he discovered that the house was not completely unguarded. He nearly jumped a
mile in the air at a fierce growl from the darkened house. He spun around to find himself face to face with a
beshlan, a species of PLundaarian canine that many people kept as pets. they were large, with long, sharp
teeth. Orion could also see why they made such good watchdogs. No, he thought in his mind. No, I cannot be
caught because of some dog... "E-e-easy..." he stammered, getting down on one of his knees. He held out a
shaking hand to the beast. "I-I'm not gonna hurt anyone...I just need clothes...that's all." he felt bad though.

The dog was only protecting its home, and here he was trying to talk the beast down so he could burglarize the
place. But still...it was a matter of life and death. That was more important...wasn't it?

But the dog did not attack, as Orion thought she would. She sniffed the cat's shaking hand, seeming
puzzled by the unfamiliar scent. But one thing she did recognize was the boy's fear. She sensed it
strongly...and one thing her species was known for was its instincts. Beshlanen knew if a person was a threat or
not simply by being close to them, and they were fiercely protective. Had Orion tired to hurt her master or mistress, or any of their children of the household, she'd have torn Orion apart. But as he was she sensed he meant no harm and only felt protective of him. She stepped forward and licked the boy's face.

Orion blinked, then closed his eyes with a sigh of sheer relief. "Thank you," he whispered to the beast.
He reached out tentatively to pet her, and she let him. Feeling even worse now about his trespassing, Orion
cautiously made his way upstairs. Maybe he could find some clothing that they did not use a lot...maybe in an
attic or a basement. The boy headed for the latter, looking for stairs that would lead to such a place.

There was an attic, and there was what he was looking for: three trunks of old clothing that the family's children had outgrown.

He rooted through the dusty trunks until he found some dark, unnoticable pants, and a shirt with long sleeves and a hood. A little strange for the warm weather, but then again he had seen Mutants that wore odd things. He hoped it was not be noticable.

He turned to see the canine sitting and looking at him. The cat hastily replaced the clothing and closed
the trunks and hoped they did not come up into the attic often. By the looks of the dust, they did not. He knelt
on the floor and pet the beshlan to thank her, then hastily left the house.

Orion donned his new clothing after whapping them against a tree to get the dust out. They fit a little
loosely, but that was all right, that meant they would cover him more. Feeling more scared than he had in a
long time Orion headed into the city.

He was lucky. Very few people paid attention to the young traveller in the hooded clothing. Orion
could see that reward posters had indeed been put up but he saw none of Blackmoor's taskmasters. Maybe he
had been right! Maybe they were looking for him in other cities. He thought of how mad Blackmoor would be
with both smug amusement and fear. If he got way with it, he hoped that Blackmoor got mad as a hornet, but
he also knew that he was caught, that anger would be taken out on him.

But now was not the time to think of things like that. If he did not pay attention to what he was doing,
he would be caught, He could not afford to let his mind wander. He wished the hood covered his face
more...if anyone saw that he was Thunderian, that alone would get him in trouble. There were no free

Thunderians on Plundaar were all slaves or prisoners. He tried not to be too conspicuous as he tugged on
the hood to cover his face a little more.

The young cat need not have worried, at least not that day. None of the Plundaarians on the street
bothered him, although he did manage to catch a few snatches of conversation between two avians. They were
speaking of the escape from Blackmoor's complex across the city, and talking about the reward. "I heard that
the Black Jackal was in the next city looking for them," one said.

"Yes, haaawk, he thinks they headed there. but he hasn't found them yet so far as I know."

The other shook her head. "No. But he's offering a nice reward. I hope that I find the miserable
little feline. I'd not mind having that money."

Her friend nodded. "Me too," he said, then leered at her., "I might even share it with you for a price."

The female snorted and whacked him upside the head. "Not for all the gold in Plundaar."

Orion did not stick around to catch any more of the charming scene, but hurried on. But they had said
them. Did that mean Blackmoor had not found Hyder either? He hoped so...with all his heart.
As night began to fall, Orion wondered where he would sleep. Not in the open, he would never risk
that. But where?

The dilemma was solved just before darkness when he spied a familiar manor. It belonged ti Hintracrii!

He had never forgotten the rat's kindness towards him and he hoped that maybe she could help him. Nervously he approached the gate, looking for guards. There were none. Feeling like a thief, the young Thunderian crept up to the front door, and with a shaking hand pulled the cord that rang the bell. Would she even remember him? Blackmoor had not let Orion go there again after his first attempt at freedom. Would she be angry at him for coming here? Would she turn him in?

He had no more time to think, before the door was opened. A skinny Reptilian looked mildly down on
him, his brow furrowed in curiosity. "Yes?" he said.

Looking down, not wanting the servant to see what he was, Orion gulped. "I-i-is...i-is Lady Hintracrii
h-here?" he managed to stutter.

There was a pause, and then, "She is...may I ask who calls on her?"

Here Orion hesitated for a long time. If he told this man his name...and he turned him in... But then
again Hintracrii was the only adult that he had ever trusted here. The boy swallowed and told the man his name.

The servant raised a brow, but nothing more. "Please wait here," he said, and gently closed the door.

Orion shifted nervously, feeling very exposed. if the servant took too long...he was going to bolt. In fact
the nervous cat was just about to do that when the door opened once more and the servant reappeared...with the
lady in tow. He looked up, and saw a look of concern cross her face. "Orion?" she asked.

Orion bit his lip and nodded, afraid of what her reaction might be.

The rat's reaction was to kneel to the cub's level and draw him into an embrace. he stiffened, and as a
reflex tried to draw back. "I've worried about you, little one," she said.

Her tone was so sincere that Orion burst into tears of relief and put his own arms around her, dropping his
pack to the ground. If there was such a thing as angels, he thought, she was one for sure.

The Reptilian servant had shut the door, and was watching with a great deal of curiosity. "Isss this the
THunderian you told ussss about, Lady?" he asked.

Hintracrii stood and smiled at Orion. "Yes...he is. He has gotten so much taller..."

Orion had grown a few of inches. but as he was a small cat, that did not matter much. But it had been
four or five years.

The servant frowned, and looked him over. "He's so thin...he looks half starved."

Hintracrii frowned. "Reptin, that was very rude."

The reptile turned red. "Sorry, Hintracrii...I didn't mean it to sound like that. It's just...don't they feed
the poor cub?"

"No...I don't think they feed him well, Reptin. Are you hungry, Orion? Come, let me find you something to eat."

Orion dind't really mind being talked about, and had been too conditioned to say anything out of turn.
but when she asked him if he was hungry, he nodded. Hyder's pack had been the one with the food in it..his
had held blankets and some supplies like spoons and a can opener and the like. he'd not eaten anything but a
few fruits since he'd escaped.

The kind rat Mutant led Orion into the kitchen and got him a generous helping of lunch meat, and made
some sandwiches. She gave most of them to him, but did eat a little herself as she sat at the ornate dining room
table. Orion looked around, feeling almost homesick at the familiarity of the place. Hintracrii did not look very
different, either. She was frowning, not with displeasure, but in concern. "Orion...what's happened? How
have you come here?" She added, "Not that I mind! I am very glad to see you although it looks as though you
have had a very rough time of it lately."

Orion bit his lip, and seemed about to reply when he looked up to see Reptin looking at them curiously.

"Its all right, Orion. My servants are very close to me, and I trust them well. You are safe with them."
She was becoming more and more certain of what had happened.

The boy nodded. "A-all right..." he said, and looked down at his plate. "I-I...I escaped..." As if afraid
that she would be angry or disappointed with him, he went on, his words rushed. "I-I tried before...he hurt me
real bad...h-h-he killed my friend." he gulped. "I just..I couldn't do it anymore...he always hurts me, he looks for
reasons...I-I don't...I d-don't want to be a slave my whole life, so I escaped..." He swallowed hard and tried to
hold back his tears. He did not want to cry in front of her...he'd done it once already.

The rat closed her eyes,. Yes, it was as she suspected. He had run away, and she would not let him be
captured again; she had seen how he was treated, and she liked the little cat. She smiled at the boy and put her
hand on his. "It's all right, little one," she said in a low tone. "If it is within my power, you will not go back to
that place again."

Orion looked at her, a rush of sheer gratitude running through his mind. "Thank you," he whispered.

"No...I will not let you be taken there again."

The boy stayed with Hintracrii for three weeks, always staying inside, always cowering when there was
a knock at the door. He felt safer there than he had in a long time, but still he was always uneasy. The rat
Mutant fed him well, treated him well. She had decided that if she ever had children she would want them to be
like the young slave. She had gotten him some clothing once again, the ones from four years ago being too
small now. She bought some warm clothing as well as light sturdy clothes for when it was warm out as it was
now. The kind Mutant told Orion that he could stay there, maybe even make a new life there with her, and he
had agreed. Even if he had to stay inside the manor for the rest of his life, it was better than being caught by
Blackmoor.

But that's not how things worked out.

One day, as Orion was looking at the colorful pictures in a book he could not read, he heard a commotion. "You may certainly not barge in here looking for your escapee!" she cried, indignantly. She had been purposefully loud enough for Orion to hear...and hide.

Orion's head snapped up, and he stood. Putting the book on one of the chairs, he paced back and forth a
few times, not sure where to go. The fear had been too powerful, he couldn't think. Finally he managed to
clear his mind a little and run out of the library...he was headed for the basement. He didn't like it down there,
it was only used for storage, and was a little musty and dark...

It reminded him vaguely of the Pit. but he went down there now and crouched behind a large crate. He made sure there was plenty of room for him to crouch.

He heard two people stomping around the place, apparently searching for him. Hintracrii
followed them arond, giving them a severe piece of her mind, but they ignored her for the most part. While
normally they would likely have roughed her up a bit, she was a well known, influential woman in the city,
and they didn't dare.

Orion was relieved when they did not even come down to the cellar, but he heard one of them growl to
Hintracrii. "Just remember, lady. If you're as much as seen with the brat, Blackmoor has the right to demand
a trial. Harboring escaped slaves is a serious crime." With that, they left.

Orion did not come out for a very long time. If one thing came of his slavery, he learned to stay in
uncomfortable places and positions for long periods, and this was a good reason to do so.

In fact, his friend did not come down to get him for a long time; she was not stupid. She knew they were
likely watching her. But finally she did go down to find him. "Are you down here, little one?" she asked quietly. Orion could hear the worry in her voice.

The young Thunderian stood from where he had hidden, stretching his stiff joints. "I-I can't stay," he
whispered. He knew that the penalty for the crime of harboring escapees could be death...long prison terms at
the least.

Hintracrii closed her eyes and nodded, and held her arms out to embrace him.

Chapter 31

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