"Kit," Dr. Sinian said, "you should try to understand that Feral is upset about losing his ship to the pirates."
Jake called Kit over and told how he and the others escaped the Iron Vulture. "It was right after you and Molly were kidnapped," he said. "We knew that we were outnumbered by the pirates, but we had a back up plan."
"And what was that?" Kit asked.
Jake smiled. "We used the escape pods on the other side of the Iron Vulture. I was the first one out of the command deck, but the pirates were waiting for us."
Kit was amazed that Jake had not been killed the minute he stepped out of the safety of the command deck.
"I drew my pistol and laid down suppressing fire, so that the others could get out," Jake said. "Chance then drew his rifle and killed two of the pirates that were above us. When I saw my chance, I ran to the hangar to catch up with the others."
"What happened then?" Molly asked, taking a seat next to Kit. "Did you see Baloo fly by or something?"
"We did," Jake said. "He somehow found away to open the Vulture's beak, fly his plane into the hangar, and draw the fire of the pirates. By the time we got to the escape pod bay, I took a bullet in the leg. Dill saw me go down and rushed to my aid."
Both kids could see the sadness in Jake's eyes, but he went on with his story. "Dill had a knife with him and rushed two pirates who came through the open door. He dealt with the first one with a quick slash to the throat. The second one tried to cut him in two with a battle ax, but Dill dodged his attack by slashing the back of his knees," he said proudly. "Then he plunged his knife into the pirate's chest. That was when Mad Dog came in with a shotgun and shot Dill. Shere Khan was able to make Mad Dog fall back with a few blasts from his Beretta 92. That gave Hotspur enough time to get Dill into the escape pod, and we ejected out of the Iron Vulture," Jake said. "Baloo flew ahead of us so we could follow him in, because he knew this island. Then we landed and you and Molly showed up."
After Jake had finished his story, the group had a funeral for their fallen comrade, Dill. Not many words were said because they had to get ready for Karnage and his pirates. The captain called everyone together and divided them into watches: Dr. Sinian, Baloo, and Kit were the first watch, Shere Khan, Jake, and Myra the second. Hotspur and Chance would get firewood for cooking, while Rebecca and Molly were to bring water from the well outside. Kit was put on sentry at the door, and Feral moved among them all, keeping their spirits up and lending a hand.
From time to time Dr. Sinian came to the door for a little air, and when she did, she would ask Kit about Baloo's past.
"Baloo is either a good liar, or a changed man. And when I say that, it means a lot," she said.
Another time Molly told Dr. Sinian and Baloo about Wildcat and Clementine. Sinain explained that most who were marooned did not survive.
That night, Feral speculated upon their chances of survival. Dr. Sinian figured that rum and the climate would be working against the pirates. Baloo remembered that Lotta's village was mostly female and would distract Karnage and his crew. The captain hoped that the pirates would eventually give up, return to the ship, and leave.
Kit kept watch all the next day, and he could hear the pirates in the village far away. It worried him because that meant a chance for battle. Still, he didn't forget what Wildcat said about staying close to Baloo if Karnage came looking for trouble.
When the evening came, Kit was dead tired, and drifted off to sleep rather quickly. In his dream he saw a battle raging in the fort-Hacksaw was still alive, trying to kill Baloo, Captain Feral was lying in a pool of his own blood, Karnage laughing as he watched him die. He awoke with such a fright, that it woke up Baloo.
"What's wrong, Kit?" he asked putting his arm around the whimpering cub.
Kit looked at him with tears in his eyes. "Do you ever regret being a pirate?" Baloo could tell that Kit had experienced a nightmare, so he pulled him into a hug.
"Yes," he said, "every day I wish I could go back and fix what I did wrong." Baloo was also struggling with nightmares. "I did things that haunt me to this day. Now I'm a changed man."
Baloo, Rebecca, and Molly were helping heal Kit's heart over the death of his parents. The young cub had come to realize that they would always be there for him. And soon Kit fell back to sleep in the arms of his future father, Baloo.
Kit was awakened by the early sun and the sound of someone shouting:
"Flag of truce!"