31

The next day, There were reluctant good-byes to be made. It had been a close call, and Orion understood
the danger that he was putting the kind rat in...and he was unwilling to do so any longer. nothing that Hintracrii
said would make him change his mind, although he was so very tempted.

But it could not be.

Hintracrii got a sturdy, waterproof back sack, and put the clothing she had gotten for him in it, along with
some food and tools better than those he had been able to snitch from the complex. She also gave him a good,
sturdy dagger in case of trouble with man or beast.

It was the middle of the night when they had decided Orion should go...less chance of being seen,
especially since there had been periodic checks by Blackmoor's people and even the authorities by her place.

Orion was crying, and not making any move to hide it. He hugged the woman tight for a long time.

Also with tears in her eyes, Hintracrii returned the young cat's embrace. "Good luck, little one," she said
to him. "I hope that I will see you again."

Orion bit his lip and nodded. "I-I hope so too," he whispered.

"Go on," she whispered finally, letting go of him. "Reptin has left the gate on the south side open a
little bit for you to slip out." She grasped his arms and looked at him. "Please don't get yourself caught, little
one." He had told her about his last escape attempt, and she had been horrified by it. "Keep yourself safe."

Orion nodded, looking down at the floor. "I-I will," he whispered.

The rat nodded, wiping her eyes. "Go on, little one. Go on."

If he did not go now, Orion knew he wouldn't be able to make himself. He turned form her and ran out
of the house, out towards the south gate. he ran as fast as he could, from the comforting familiarity of the rat's
home and estate. Once he was out of the vast yard, he still ran, until he could run no more, then collapsed in
the grass, a good distance away. He stayed there for a long time, feeling as if he had lost his family a second
time.

It was a good deal later when Orion found himself waking up. He cursed himself for falling asleep in
the open. That was a good way to get himself caught and killed. ut as it was, there was no one around in the
early morning, and he resumed his journey. Plundaar was a big place, he knew that, and he really did not know
his way aorund. In fact, he realized with some alarm, if he was heading straight back towards Blackmoor's, he
wouldn't even realize it until it was too late. "Well that's a great thought," he muttered to himself as he
began to walk.

A few hours later, he sat down to eat. he supposed that he would have to learn to hunt sometime... he
didn't really like it, as he liked animals, but he could not risk going into town often enough to steal what he
needed. As he pawed through the pack, he stopped short...and brought out something he had not known
Hintracrii had slipped in there. It was his favorite book from the library, the one that he always enjoyed looking
at the pictures in. There was, within the pages, a picture of her, with writing on the back he could only catch a
word of here and there in Plundaarian. Sniffing, he held the picture to him for a moment, then put it carefully
back and ate his lunch.

Orion walked through the forest for a long time, stopping to rest here and there. When he stopped to
sleep at nightfall, he was miles away from Hintracrii, and although he did not know it, even farther from Blackmoor. he had been going in the right direction.

The young cat traveled like this for several days, and was enjoying the freedom. He was not awakened
every day by a heartless taskmaster to be put to work in the brutal conditions. he didn't have to worry about
being beaten when he screwed up, or even for no reason at all. he could do whatever he wanted, and there was
no one to tell him else wise.

The only thing that was there was fear. Often when he was asleep, or while hs traveled, a noise would
make him turn and look behind him. The threat of being caught was was enough to put a damper on his enjoyment. Although even with that fear, he was pretty happy. Freedom is a powerful thing.

He need not have worried, at least not for the first couple of weeks. his travels were quiet, and the
supplies Hintracrii had given him were lasting. He had managed to steal some food from houses on the
outskirts of town too, and so he did not go hungry. In fact, although he ate sparingly so that he did not run out,
he ate better than he ever had at Blackmoor's.

But one day, Orion ran into trouble. He heard the baying of a hound, a noise that could make a grown
man's blood run cold. He turned and listened, and began to shake. He was not sure why, but his inborn instincts were screaming warnings.

Orion scrambled up a tree to look around and was horrified to see the familiar taskmasters from the
complex heading his way. They must have tracked him there somehow...maybe someone in one of the towns
had seen him. he could not stay up there, they would have scanners.

The young escapee scrambled down the tree and ran on all fours, the pack on his back thumping slightly
against him,. He knew he could not run forever, but it was the only choice until he figured out what to do...
He changed his direction a few times as he heard a shout here and there telling the others they saw him
on the scanners, or they knew where he had gone. But still he was running blind so to speak. And he had heard him; Blackmoor was with them.

When he thought that he could not run anymore, he stopped short, nearly tumbling head over heels.

Water. A river. Right in his path. And behind him the spread-out fan of Blackmoor's taskmasters. Orion was
trapped! he swallowed hard, and fumbled in his pack for his dagger. he knew he did not stand a chance in a
fight, but he had vowed to himself he would not be taken alive. but his shaking fingers could not even open the
bag. Could he really take his own life? he wondered.

But then it occurred to him—he did not have to. He turned his head to gaze into the turbulent waters of
the river. No. no, he couldn't do it, he'd never make it! he couldn't swim, and the most horrible way he could
think of to die was to drown, better to die quickly by the knife. but still, did he want to die at Blackmoor's
hand? he knew that's probably how he'd kill the young slave anyway. And swimming he at least had a chance.

Orion gulped, fighting down waves of panic...and stepped into the river. Paddle, he thought, remember
what Hintracrii told you. but the river was so fast! It flowed faster than he could run, he was sure of it. But still, he had no choice, did he?

He took another step, forcing himself not to freeze up. The water was cold, even in the hot day, and
deepening rapidly. He fought to stay standing as he waded in, but soon the water was too high, and he had to
either let go now or be caught.

He made his decision.

At first the young cat panicked, and was nearly swept under in the current. his outcry of alarm as he
took in water was drowned out by the rushing water. but he forced himself to clear his thoughts, an effort that
took all of his concentration as he was whisked downstream. He paddled, rather than flailed his arms, and slowly managed to surface. but dog paddling was exhausting, and he couldn't keep it up for long. And the river was wide...

Paddle...paddle, paddle, paddle, he told himself. Keep your head above water. kick your feet, it helps
you stay afloat! he was trying desperately to remember everything that rat had told him when teaching him to
dog-paddle in the lake. And he had done it, he remembered that.

He screamed as a rush of water doused him, sweeping him under for a moment, and he ahd to fight to
get above the surface again. he was crying in fear, but didn't even notice, as he kept up his exhausting routine.

Slowly, Orion made progress. Although he was a good deal farther downstream from where he had
started, he was painstakingly making his way across the river. he had made it halfway across, and could feel the
thin burn of an approaching cramp beginning in his legs and arms. Oh no, he thought, please not now. If his muscles seized up now, he'd drown.

Orion wasn't even concerned with Blackmoor's men now, they would not even be able to find him this
far away. Now his enemy was the water. So much of it! He forced himself not to think of it. if he did, he'd
lose it completely.

it seemed like an eternity. The young Thunderian was paddling as hard as he could, and it seemed like
the river would never end. The far bank seemed never to get closer, and he even screamed for help when he
thought he wouldn't make it...but there was no one around.

A branch! A branch, if he could make it there in time! Orion renewed his efforts and strained to reach
the branch in the middle of the river...in the middle? No...no! It was in the shallower waters of the other side!

Orion reached out with his exhausted arms to snag the branch, and managed to clamp his fingers around it. it
was actually a tree, he saw, fallen from the bank. Laughing almost hysterically, he climbed through the fallen
tree to the other side of the river. he staggered out of the shallow water onto the muddy bank and collapsed
there.


Chapter 32

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