When rain falls
The Touched came forwards, steadily, in perfect lines, each ready for battle.
Jake glanced around. No ways out. The Touched lines were seven Kelbrid deep; which meant that in any direction, there were seven Kelbird blocking the route to freedom. Even if you passed them, you would have their neighbours after you.
They would be slaughtered!
At least he'd die fangs bared and claws extended. He gathered his legs under him and prepared to leap, preparing for the battle.
But there was no battle. A Hork-Bajir pushed angrily past the Kelbird, joining the Kelbrid leader. A human-Controller followed him.
"No!" he said, in heavily accented English. "They won't be killed! These are the same cursed rebels who fought us on Earth. We shall break their spirits, crush them beneath our will, make them scream for mercy! And when they do, we shall use them as hosts!"
The human-Controller translated into a sloppy version of the Kelbrid language which made Rachel sneer with contempt. The Kelbrid Touched shook his head, horns whipping, and spoke; again the human-Controller translated; "No – a prisoner alive is a prisoner that might escape. Kill them all." Then he paused, hesitating, noticing KEdi'ir. "Although the child, of course, is to be released."
The Hork-Bajir took an ominous step towards the Kelbrid, his bladed arms raised. "The One has himself requested the leader, the tiger, to be captured alive!"
Jake let out another snarl and bared his teeth even further. They could forget that!
The Kelbrid thought that over. "The Whole has given no specific instructions."
"Specific instructions, my ass!" roared the Hork-Bajir. "Do you wish to face the One's rage?"
The Kelbrid raised his horns. "What interest could the Whole have in these creatures? You Yeerks think of nothing but where your next victim comes from –" he paused, ears twitching outwards as if he was trying to hide a smile as he watched the outraged look on the Hork-Bajir's face. He added coldly; "pardon me. I meant 'next host'." He lowered his face in a scornful impression of a human's bow.
Even the human-Controller looked angered.
Straightening again, the Kelbird continued; "I do not fear the One; the worst he can bring me is pain and death. I refuse to risk these prisoners escaping – instead, I will risk His rage. Will you risk mine?"
The Hork-Bajir's determined anger wavered, seeing how the Kelbrid had formed a circle around him and the very nervous human-Controller. A hand stretched unconsciously for the dracon carried at his hip. A horn whipped it away. He glared with baleful eyes at the Kelbird leader, a touch of fear in his gaze, and then turned with a displeased grunt to stride hurriedly away. The human-Controller followed.
The Touched turned back towards their prisoners, set to carry out their leader's orders.
And this, Marco muttered, taking a place next to Jake, Is just great. Whose brilliant plan was this, really?
Mine, Jake muttered. Although 'brilliant' could be discussed.
Got that right. Any ideas?
There was a loud, exasperated sigh from behind them and Rachel came up, wearing a slightly annoyed expression. She called out a few words in Kelbrid and waited. Tobias, who was right behind her, must have sent her a picture because as soon as the Kelbrid leader turned – surprised to hear a human speak his language so well, but eyes still gleaming a dangerous, arrogant green and horns well raised – Rachel spoke again.
The Kelbrid's ears leaned outwards in a smile and he made a rumbling sound in his throat that might have been a laugh.
What are you doing, Rachel? Jake asked.
"Negotiating."
What did you say?
"I told him to let us go. He didn't agree."
Why am I not surprised? Santorelli wondered.
Rachel raised her voice and almost spat a sentence in the Kelbrid tongue, voice shrill. Her words wiped the smile of the Touched's face and made him take an involuntary step forwards, fists clenched and horns madly whipping above him.
What did you say this time? Marco demanded.
Menderash, pale and cradling his wounded and badly bleeding arm, stared at Rachel. She called him a honour-less, weak-horned coward, he whispered, unknowingly dropping back to his natural way of speech – by thought.
Silence.
So now he's pissed? Marco guessed finally in a very resigned manner.
"Oh, yes," Rachel agreed. "He's pissed."
Marco? Remind me never to have Rachel negotiate, Jake said. And Rachel? Do you know what 'subtle' means?
"Yes. Now excuse me one moment…" she took a deep breath and said something further in Kelbird.
Menderash?
She told him to… to let us go or she'll have him ripped open.
I may have to define 'subtle'… Jake muttered.
The Kelbrid all let out that rumbling sound, possibly laughter, from deep in their throats. But right then Rachel smiled broadly. "About time," she said. And added, louder; "Tom! Get over here!"
There was a cry of surprise and fear from behind them and sudden sounds of battle. Obviously backup had arrived.
"Tom'll clear a path, but we'll have to fight out and we'll have to do it quickly," Rachel informed them sharply.
Jake caught on immediately. Okay, you heard her, and we go in pairs, he yelled. Marco, you first – and Rachel, tell KEdi'ir to go with him. Santorelli, with me, and Jeanne, you get to look after Menderash. Tobias, take care of Rachel, and that's an order I know you'll follow. Back to where we stopped earlier by the first guard, make sure you're not followed, get there before nightfall or we won't wait, and keep an eye on the trees! Go go go!
They split into the ordered pairs and met a sudden onslaught from the Kelbrid. Their leader wasn't an idiot – he realised they were going to try to get away. He didn't like it.
Something which made Jake very impressed was that even though the Kelbrid had been more or less disorganized by the sudden turn of events, they were back in formation almost instantly, and only a second or so later they had regrouped to meet the attack from both Tom and from his own group. It worried him for a moment, and then he realised that instead of worrying he should start fighting. With a roar, he did so.
Santorelli simply lowered his rhino head and stormed right through the Kelbird lines, not bothered by the horns that whipped, trying to hinder him. He headed slightly to the side, in order to flatten – yes, flatten, because that's a fairly decent summary of what he did – as many Kelbird as possible. Tom was almost inside the circle, leaving a trail of dead or wounded Touched where he passed. Together with Jake and Marco, the two reshaped the circle into more of a half-moon. But Jake and Marco were not as well adapted for rummaging through the Kelbird as Santorelli was, finding that if enough horns wrapped around their necks, arms or legs, they would be slowed, even stopped, and cut by flashing wrist-blades and striking claws. So as soon as the route to freedom was properly opened they began retreating. KEdi'ir kept close to Marco, trying to keep out of the worst of the battle – which was easy, since the Touched mostly ignored him.
The Kelbird Rachel had spoken to had launched his horns forwards to grab her. One horn managed to seize her by the throat and had yanked her off her feet. Tobias was trying to help her, but his tail was locked in place by another set of horns – horns whose owner must have handled Andalites before, considering how easily he evaded the kicks Tobias aimed at him with his back hooves.
But Menderash suddenly came up behind the Kelbrid who held Tobias trapped. He grabbed the Touched's arm, twisted it, and stabbed the wrist-blade into the Kelbird's upper back and lungs – all without using his own left arm, which hung limply by his side.
The Touched stumbled, swivelling in surprise towards Menderash, but then his legs folded under him and he fell. But Tobias's tail was still trapped by tightly curled horns that refused to let go even after their owner's death. His tail-blade was pulled down low and useless. He couldn't help Rachel. Neither could Menderash, who suddenly faced an attack from another Kelbrid Touched.
Fortunately, Jeanne had just gotten away from her own assailant. After a quick decision she turned from Menderash, from Tobias, and to Rachel and the Kelbird whose horns held her trapped.
Rachel was struggling to free herself from those same horns, nimble and accustomed fingers searching for the weakness in the Kelbrid's hold. Just as Jeanne leaped she finally found it and her face lit up in triumph.
Jeanne flew towards the Touched's face, teeth bared and claws outstretched.
The next second she was roughly shoved aside and found herself sprawled on the muddy ground, rolling back to her feet. Tom had arrived, and he seemed to take the assault on Rachel as a personal insult. His dagger-like claws dug deep into the Kelbird's chest, and a snap of his jaws ended the Kelbrid's life – and ripped his head and left arm clear from the rest of him.
"Can't say I didn't warn him," Rachel said. Her kii-raja nudged at her with his cold nose, as if inquiring if she was okay.
Jeanne turned away to help Menderash. Jake had told her to look after the former Andalite, after all.
Rachel got rid of the horn, rose to her feet, and came to help Tobias. With Tom at her side, no Kelbird seemed eager to attack her any more.
"Look," she said, grabbing Tobias's tail in one hand and the horn in the other. "A locked grip – the end is tucked in." she fingered it carefully, and then pointed at a certain patch of horn. "See this? This won't let go for anything. Except if you free the end, and simply curl it away."
She yanked the tip of the horn free from under the coils she'd pointed at and twisted it towards itself. It came free with surprising ease.
"Always pull at the tip," she advised, suddenly reaching up with a hand to stroke Tobias's face. "Or you might as well save your energy."
I'll remember it, he replied, returning the gesture. Then looked around. Jeanne, don't you think it's time we left?
Jeanne's panther head bobbed in a nod. Come on, she said to Menderash, and he followed wearily as she turned to run.
The Kelbrid stormed forwards. At a gesture from Rachel, Tom leaped from her side to keep them back.
"We need to go, too," Rachel said.
I know. Tobias pranced a few steps. Up on my back. I'll carry you.
"I can run!" Rachel protested, eyes flashing.
And I can run faster! Now up!
Rachel muttered something but realised it wasn't the time to argue. She swung herself up on Tobias's back with all the agility of a gymnast. The unfamiliar weight made Tobias feel clumsy at first, until Rachel had arranged herself and he could distribute the weight on all four instead of only on his front hooves.
Don't fall off, he said, not sure if it was a piece of advice, a plea or an order. As he sprang away in a speedy Andalite gallop, he felt her arms and legs grip more tightly around him.
The feeling was not uncomfortable.
Tom stayed for a few minutes to keep the Kelbrid back, but even his superior speed and strength were unable to keep that many in line for very long. They just tried to go past him at his sides. His impeccable kii-raja loyalty urged him to go after Rachel, so finally, after slashing across a last Touched's face with his knife-like claws, he turned to follow the others.
Jake and Santorelli were the first to reach the place that had been chosen as a meeting point. Jake was, by then, more than a little annoyed at the constant rain, which again seemed to have increased. The mud beneath was slippery and heavy to run in. The sound, a ceaseless, droning smatter, drowned out every other sound. Everything beyond a dozen meters was a foggy grey mist, dark by the approaching night and impossible to see through. And neither Santorelli's rhino or Jake's tiger could detect the slightest wisp of scent – other than the sour smell of rain, mud, and general wetness.
They waited for the others to arrive, taking turns to demorph and remorph, counting the minutes.
Finally Marco stamped into view, KEdi'ir following closely behind him.
Have you seen any of the others? Jake asked, as he watched KEdi'ir leap up to a branch in a nearby tree and settle himself there, keeping lookout.
Marco shook his gorilla head. I have not seen anything except rain, rain, rain, and more rain. I have, though, a strong wish for an umbrella.
Might be hard to find an umbrella large enough for your gorilla, Santorelli commented.
Marco shrugged nonchalantly. I'm a millionaire. I'll have one specially designed.
Jake ignored his friend and peered into the rain. He'd said they'd leave at nightfall. He didn't see the sun, but from the way it was growing distinctly darker, night was falling.
The others had better hurry.
Tobias ran until his legs were aching, perfectly aware – since Rachel had told him – that the Kelbird could easily pursue and outrun them both, if they wanted to. And to make it worse, the cursed mud was almost impossible to run in. But finally, shaking with weariness, he halted.
"Tired?" Rachel guessed.
He nodded, turning half a step so he could look past her with his stalks, glance in amongst the trees behind them. He saw nothing except rain. Rachel sat with her head to the side, ears sharpened. Tobias tried listening for sounds as well, but he heard nothing more than he saw. The thought of what or who might be stalking them – watching them, hidden by the rain, just waiting for the right moment to strike – made him feel cold.
Rachel swung one leg over his back and slid down to the ground. She kept one hand gently resting on his arm. Once again it was very obvious that she was blind, and Tobias felt a sudden urge to look after her; protect her.
Silly thought, he at once corrected himself. Rachel would hate to be thought someone who couldn't look after herself.
But she couldn't, now could she?
She was not morphable. Her body was that of a nineteen-twenty year old girl, devoid of any natural weapons – although perhaps stronger than she looked, he admitted, remembering how she'd fought the Kelbird Touched. And she was completely blind.
Rachel would never admit it herself, of course, but in the dangerous life she led she was dependant on those around her. She, who hated to be dependant on something, someone, anyone or anything, was now completely reliant on… on her kii-raja, Tom. He was her eyes, to make up for her blindness; her claws and teeth to make up for those she could no longer morph to.
My two hours are almost up, he said suddenly, and realised it was true.
"Then demorph," Rachel replied, shrugging.
But if I demorph, we'd be easy prey, he reminded her… and at once realised his mistake.
Her eyes flashed dangerously, bitterly. But to his surprise, she said nothing. Instead she simply nodded, resignation flashing across her perfect features. "How much time?"
A couple of minutes, Tobias said.
Another nod. "Tom'll be here by then, so it'll be safe." Changing the subject, she asked; "How dark is it?"
Growing darker, I suppose. he peered out into the rain, stalks turning skyways; he saw grey rain and grey sky. Nothing more or less; but he was pretty sure it was growing darker. Why?
"Jake said be there before nightfall, or they won't wait."
Tobias nodded, and only after that realised that she was unable to see the gesture. He couldn't help again feeling that wave of protectiveness. But when he decided to speak up and turned a stalk to watch Rachel, she had a distant expression on her face, as if listening.
Tom's coming? he guessed.
"Yep. It's safe to demorph."
Tobias did so, just as Rachel reported: "Tom says there are Kelbrid near. And a kii-raja. He passed them on his way here."
Do you think it's anything to worry about?
"This is a Kelbrid planet, and Tom isn't the only kii-raja in the universe, so no surprise, and no; nothing to worry about. If they come too close, he'll let us know. But this rain is not exactly helping his senses, either."
Not long after Tom trotted into view from the same direction they themselves had come. The kii-raja didn't as much as glance at the demorphing hawk-Andalite (a sight which usually would have drawn eyes like a magnet) but went straight to Rachel. He looked almost relieved when he took his usual place by her side, and only then acknowledged that perhaps Tobias existed, too. He did this by glaring suspiciously.
Sight and kii-raja regained, Rachel sighed with relief. She turned to Tobias and, when he was fully hawk, motioned towards her shoulder. He fluttered up to settle there, fluffing his feathers as best he could and burrowing his head down lower, almost between his wings.
I hate rain, he muttered. Hate it. I get my feathers drenched, I get cold, and, worst of all, I can't fly properly.
Rachel let out a merry laugh. "Then morph human, silly, if it bothers you. Tom's all the ears and eyes and nose we need."
And freeze as human instead?
She stroked his chest gently with her fingers and said in a very suggestive tone; "I'm sure we'll be able to think of some way to keep warm…"
He turned an eternally-fierce hawk eye to watch her. Orders were to directly go and meet the others.
Rachel shrugged her free shoulder, indifferent.
They might be worried. But he was already on the ground, beginning to morph.
"Why do you care, anyway?"
Guess what? Tobias said, coming out of his hawk shape at the same time he kept a cautious eye at Tom – who looked as if his lunch had just jumped out of the refrigerator, gotten into a cab and was leaving. "I don't."
He was relieved when the last of his features melted to human. Taking a step forwards, he closed his arms around Rachel and lowered his face towards hers. "Not at all." He kissed her gently, and, feeling how she responded by leaning against him, hands gripping the fabric of his old morphing suit, he couldn't stop a sudden smile.
"What's so funny?" Rachel asked, pulling away just enough to slip her arms around his neck. Her eyes were as usual staring into empty space, unable to focus, but she'd felt the smile against her lips.
"Nothing's funny at all," he assured her, planting a kiss on her forehead.
Another who thought nothing was funny at all was Tom. To let the world know, he let out a loud but slightly confused growl. Tobias's head jerked up. Turning his head, his gaze was met by the beast's golden glare.
Rachel leaned her head back as she suddenly remembered her kii-raja. "It's okay, Tom," she said in a soothing voice. "He won't hurt me."
Tom did not look convinced. If anything, he looked even more confused. He whined, sounding neglected, stretching up to push Rachel's hand off Tobias's shoulder so he could press his nose into it. Tobias narrowly avoided taking a step back in alarm at the sudden movement from the very formidable beast – who usually looked at him as if he was lunch. Such looks from such creatures tended to make people – and hawks – nervous.
Rachel encouragingly stroked her beast's head with the freed hand. "Don't worry, I'm not giving you up so easily. Just… go hunting or something for a few minutes."
Tom thought that over, but as always ended up doing as he was told. (He did not seem to be very big on initiatives at all, Tobias noted suddenly.) The kii-raja pressed his nose into Rachel's hand, gave Tobias an evaluating look, but then turned with a whisk of his tail and loped away.
"You know, we might have needed him around to keep an eye out for dangers," Tobias said. "Especially with those Kelbird you mentioned."
"He'll go hunting – he won't go far. He never does."
Tobias accepted that with a nod. Rachel had replaced her freed hand on his shoulder and he felt her fingers massaging the back of his neck in an dreamy, thoughtful manner. Then something Rachel had said struck him. "A few minutes?" he repeated, and it was almost a complaint.
Rachel laughed, grew serious, and then her lips searched for his as she mumbled; "Tom can't count, anyway."
Tobias again lowered his face so she could find it more easily and tightened his arms around her, returning the kiss.
Then thing happened quickly. In fact, he was not sure what, exactly, happened until afterwards. Rachel had stiffened in his grip, face suddenly alert, and she had been about to say something, when suddenly strong hands had seized his shoulders and tore him away from her. He was thrown back and rolled several times before he had any chance at getting back up.
Through vision that was still spinning, Tobias saw a Kelbird standing over him, watching him with gleaming, green eyes, and slowly raising a wrist-blade. One was further away, silently advancing on Rachel, who had no idea what was around her.
Then Tom was there was well, desperately trying to get to Rachel. But he was pursued and hindered by another kii-raja, who was furiously attacking the side of his neck, attempting to stop him. The other kii-raja had a coat shaded in silver, was more slender and slightly taller. Tobias was not sure of exactly how, but he at once knew it was a female.
Tom was quicker than the other beast, but she held the advantage in size, weight and reach. Finally Tom found himself forced to turn and fight face to face, and their motions – already barely visible – sped up even more, making it impossible for anyone with human eyes to understand what was happening.
Tobias threw himself past the Kelbird. Scrambling up to his feet, he thought he might actually get away, when suddenly he felt a horn wrapping around his leg and sweeping his feet out from under him, making him fall heavily forwards. He managed to twist when the Kelbrid came closer, and with some trouble avoided a wrist-blade that had flashed down towards him. The wrist blade overshot, stabbed down into the mud, and before the Touched had time to pull it away, Tobias had grabbed the arm by the elbows and tugged the Kelbird off his feet.
He was, somehow, quicker than his opponent and before the Kelbrid had a chance at getting up he was running towards Rachel and threw himself at the Touched that was advancing on her. He locked his arms around the Kelbird's shoulders and momentum threw them both to the ground.
"Tobias!" Rachel cried, hoping he was close by. "Where's Tom? He's not speaking to me!"
Tobias pulled away from the Kelbird enough to swing a fist at the side of his head and then flew back to his feet. He took a gentle hold of Rachel's arm. Her hand gripped his shoulder.
"Tom's busy," he informed her. "Another kii-raja."
Rachel gave a curt nod, worry appearing in her eyes. "He told me something attacked him, but then –"
Tobias felt the horn strike his arm, curl around it, and rip him away. The first Kelbird was after him again. He was violently thrown through the air, against a tree, and landed and rolled. This time, feeling as if he'd taken a ride in a washing machine, and horns whipping at him for every motion, he didn't get up as easily as before. His mind was unfocused, spinning.
He twisted enough to see the Kelbird turn away from him and say a sharp word. The female kii-raja backed away from Tom, snarling, rejoining her master. Tom went directly to Rachel, pressing a nose into her hand and coming to stand just beside her. Both beasts were battered and bleeding. The Kelbird examined his pet with a quick glance, scowled as if angered, and looked up towards Rachel, horns whipping madly.
"Ku'u-fach garek!" spat the Kelbird shrilly. "Ky'y i'art ikalth! "
Rachel's face flushed with rage, eyes flashing, and she raised a hand for Tom to pay attention – and then remembered the other kii-raja. Her hand – shaking with anger – was lowered, expression twisted as she fought to keep herself back.
There was clearly deadlock, which became even more obvious when one noted the way the two kii-rajas were glaring at each other. That was, in it's own way, to Rachel's disadvantage, since Kelbird backup was likely to arrive before Animorph backup did.
Tobias had an idea at how to correct matters. He pulled himself to his feet, forcing his aching body to obey him, grabbing a stone he had found in the mud next to him.
"Fa'arich!" continued the Kelbrid.
That was his last word. Tobias raised the stone in his hand, being perfectly silent, and slammed it onto the Touched's head. There was a gurgling sound as the alien collapsed. Tobias fell to his knees, relieved, head still spinning from having been tossed into the tree.
At first, he felt only surprise as the Kelbird's wrist blade struck him, cutting into his chest. Then he felt the pain, and in an rush of adrenaline he beat the stone against the Kelbrid's head again, stopping the wrist-blade half-way through a slash. The stone, forgotten, fell out of his hand. Only after that, and after falling back, came the realisation that he was bleeding. Badly.
Demorph, Tobias, you have to demorph… he told himself. He saw two golden eyes on a confused silver face stare down at him as his head fell back on the mud. He knew it was the kii-raja, but was too dizzy to notice the confusion, and the urgent chant in his head of "demorph" was replaced by the thought "that thing is going to kill me."
He had no time to think any more before he blacked out.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Author's note;
*rubs hands* An excellent little cliff-hanger, if I may say so myself.
For those who are curious… the translation to the sentences in Kelbird above:
Ku'u-fach (a general insult, no direct meaning) ---- garek (a non-Kelbird) ---- Ky'y (it) ---- i'art (be not/is not) ---- ikalth (trained) ---- Fa'arich (idiot/incompetent)Obviously, someone claiming her kii-raja was not trained would automatically end up on Rachel's bad side. *could have added long, boring essay on the principles of kii-raja training here, but wisely decided not to*
The next part will be up later. Hope you enjoy the wait. *evil laughter*