Welcome back, gang. As I conclude this chapter I must say that I keep considering doing a story called "Tales of the Evabon" as more or less a means to show how they've been treated during the centuries. Enjoy.
So Strange
Cheetara starred at the evabon. They were so strange to her, so alien, not unlike the first encounter between cats and evabon. Their language was so hard for her to understand. Jaga could understand it and yet she couldn't. Was this some sort of skill that older clerics came to have?
"What are they saying?" Cheetara looked at the old jaguar.
"Listen with your heart, Cheetara, that is the greatest key to translation." Jaga was wise yet Cheetara couldn't master that so quickly. "If that doesn't work I'll explain later."
At one point, Cheetara heard Gladius say "Gard." So it seemed that these strange creatures knew about that monster. Neither Gladius nor Kalaharia looked any better with the scars on their bodies. Little Zantar alone was free of scars. Cheetara walked towards the evabon family, huddled in a corner as they spoke. Gladius paid her no mind. Kalaharia on the other hand held Zantar close to her. She did not trust this cheetah. In truth she did not trust anyone but her husband. She was being protective of her baby. Maybe over protective but her race was treated cruelly by the other races. She had a reason.
Cheetara extended a hand to touch the baby. Kalaharia, rather angrily, bared her teeth and turned her back on Cheetara. Cheetara watched as Gladius slammed a fist on the ground. Cheetara understood and walked back to Jaga.
"What are we going to do with them?" Cheetara looked at the evabon, trying to keep each other safe. They looked so frightened.
"I will take them to a friend who can guide them far from here." Cheetara found that when morning came, the evabon were gone and so was Jaga. He had taken them to that friend of his.
Gard stood on a rock overlooking the plains. A part of the wilderness where he would forever live, he starred as Jaga led a family of evabon. The couple pointed at Gard in awe.
"Was astral projection really necessary?" Gard looked down at Jaga. The old jaguar smiled at his friend.
"There are some things that only I know and it was the only way to reach you so quickly." Gard did not smile. "Don't you learn a lot when you live for centuries?" Jaga wasn't as old as Gard but he was old, old enough to have defeated the ancestor of Ratar-O in his youth. "Will you guide these three through the wilderness." Gard nodded. "I know I'm the only cat you trust but I must ask you this. Will you ever trust any other cats?"
"No, of all the other races I've been hunted by cats the most." Gard sighed. "I am doomed to remain here till the end of time." Jaga shook his head.
"Alright then." Gard watched as Jaga walked away. Not knowing this would be the last time he ever saw the jaguar. Gard looked at the family before him. He hopped down from the rock and waved for them to come closer.
"Bentan!" The family followed Gard. They understood the language of the evabon better than they did the 'trade language.' They would be safe with Gard.
The End
Next week a new story will involve Panthro and Grune so until then read and review.