surrounding the giant flying creatures. Bleath and the other four elders saw that they came without weapons and still had their fear. Their bravery was admirable.
Bleath looked into the sky and gave a long quivering scream and suddenly thousands of Zord began landing in the branches of the giant trees overhead. Many more landed and walked up surrounding the two communities sitting in the clearing.
Bleath looked at Jing and said, “We could kill all of you if we choose.”
Jing said, “Then you would be no better than those that took you from your home. You would be without honor. It is my sense that your species, and ours, places honor above all things.”
Bleath just stared at the small two-leg, thinking.
Scotty said, “We can save your babies from the Torg.”
Bleath looked at him so fast no one saw his head move. “What do you mean?”
“I saw in Vring’s thoughts how the Torg attack your hatchlings because they are forced to stay on the ground in their nests. We can kill the Torg on the ground. We can protect your nests.”
Every Human and Cainth felt the combined thoughts of the gathered Zord. They held a huge sense of loss for those babies that had died in the teeth of the Torg.
“Vring told me you offered to help us and I didn’t believe him. Why would you offer to help us when we kill you?”
“I’m not helping you; I’m helping those babies that you can’t adequately protect. They cannot defend themselves. One of our most important principles is to do exactly that. Even if you choose to continue your attacks on us, if you will grant a truce during your nesting time we will come and protect your new babies.”
Bleath looked at the thoughts of the two-leg and sensed his honesty. He also saw that many sitting around the circle agreed with his statement. He sensed that many were still frightened. Bleath could hear the amazement of all the gathered Zord. These creatures were not what they thought they were. He looked at the other four elders and they deferred to his decision. Bleath looked down on the small two-leg and said, “We will no longer attack your communities.”
Every Human and Cainth stood and cheered the Zord’s statement. The Zord in the trees also screamed their approval.
Jing held up his arms and after a few moments the gathering became silent. “Why have you decided in our favor?”
“I was actually planning to attack you with my flocks tonight, but one of my warriors saw what you did to those that would not agree to your oath. I wondered if it was possible that you possessed honor. I called off the attack to see.”
Jing stared at the giant Zord and Bleath said, “I can sense you are honorable beings. We are more alike than different.” Bleath looked at Scotty and said, “You will come with me and see if you can help us protect our young.”
Jingo stood and said, “If he goes, I go with him.”
Jesa jumped up and said, “No, Jingo, no! Don’t leave me!”
Jingo looked at her, took her hands, and smiled, “Would you have me forget my oath?”
She stared at him, lowered her head, and said quietly, “No.”
Bleath slowly shook his head. Now he knew for certain. “You may also join us.”
Scotty looked up at the giant and said, “We need to bring our weapons, and how are we going to go with you?”
Bleath screeched and two giant warriors came down from the trees. “You will tie a binding around my warrior’s necks and use it to hold on. You will fly with us.”
Jing asked, “Can your warriors carry their weight?”
Bleath smiled showing his teeth, “We can carry a full grown Torg in our talons. Your weight will be nothing.”
Jingo looked at one of the warriors and said, “Just give me a moment to gather my things.”
The entire gathering laughed. Jingo turned and said, “What’s so funny?”
Jesa came up and kissed him. “Come back to me.”
Jingo hugged her, “You know my heart stays here.”
“Just don’t take stupid risks, Jingo. Promise me; please.”
“I won’t,” and he turned and ran to gather his bowguns.
While Scotty and Jingo left to gather their weapons and a pouch of food. Samuel said, “You’ll take care of them?”
Bleath said, “Absolutely, however, we will be going into Torg-infested territory.”
“I’m not worried about the Torg. It’s the flying part that worries me.”
Bleath started laughing and the four elders joined him. Bleath said through his laughter, “You need not worry about flying. Even if they fall, they will not fall far.”
Samuel said, “The fair-haired one means a lot to our community. His heart is our heart. He is his mother’s child. We would all suffer if he came to harm.”
Bleath felt the emotions of the gathered two-legs and knew that something great had begun this night. He looked up at the two full moons and wondered, “Where is this strange alliance going to take us?”
Chapter Four
Scotty and Jingo lifted with the Zord and gained altitude quickly. The two Zord warriors carrying them circled the gathered community below and they saw the gathered assembly praying for their safety with lowered heads. Scotty heard the Zord he was riding say in his mind, “They think highly of you.”
Scotty held the binding tightly, trying not to give in to his fear, and said, “Why do you say that?”
The Zord sent the thoughts of the community to Scotty and he was humbled, “I never knew they felt that way.”
“Such veneration is a great gift, Little One.”
“I know. I just hope I can live up to their belief in me.”
The Zord didn’t want to like this small creature, but couldn’t help himself. ‘My name is Zreeg, and I’ll be responsible for your safe arrival. I sense your fear but even if you fall, I’ll not allow you to come to harm. Relax and feel the motion of my wings. It will be easier if you look around and not straight down.”
Scotty closed his eyes and felt the Zord’s muscled wings flapping and gliding in the wind currents. He was right. He moved with the fluid motion of the flight and felt his stiffness disappear. He looked over at Jingo flying on the other warrior next to him and saw that he wasn’t holding the binding with two of his hands. Jingo appeared to love flying. He was a natural. “Tell me about the attacks on your nests. I would think that your full grown warriors could take on any Torg.”
“We can kill the Torg out in the open, but our nests must be under the cover of trees. It is too dense for us to fly. On the ground, even our largest warriors are in danger of the Torg herds. We can handle two or three, but they attack with huge numbers.”
“Why don’t you build the nests out in the open?”
“Our newborn’s skins cannot tolerate direct sunlight until they harden and start shifting color. That normally takes four weeks. The sun would kill them if they are left in the open.”
“Couldn’t you have an adult over them to keep them in a shadow?”
The Zord thought and said, “It still wouldn’t work. The Torg would attack in huge numbers and the adult would have to lift off the ground to use talons and teeth. The direct rays of the sun would blind the babies for life. They must remain is darkness for one moon. We have tried everything and the Torg seem to know our weaknesses. We rule the air, but they control the ground. We even tried to build the nests in trees but the babies can’t fly, and just as many died from falling when the Torg charged the trees to shake them.”
Scotty thought and didn’t want to ask but had to know, “How many survive?”
The Zord sighed mentally and said, “We were once lucky if a hundred out of the thousands live. Now, none survive.”
