Karl nodded, but as he started the air car moving, Lionheart bleeked loudly and pounded at the window with his hands.
When Stephanie-who had been about to make a call on her uni-link-looked down at him, Lionheart very gently moved his paw to press the latch that operated the door. Ever since the treecat had learned how to open them, they’d routinely kept the doors locked from the master control. Stephanie frowned. She didn’t want him to go out there, but…
“Karl,” she said, “unlock the door so Lionheart can get out. I think he wants to get closer to those treecats. Maybe he can tell them that we’re going to do our best to help and not to be afraid.”
Karl bit his lip. “Steph, I’ve been checking and the fire has definitely crossed east of us. He’s not going to be safe out there.”
Stephanie felt her heart twist, as if someone had taken it in two hands and wrung it. Then she looked at Lionheart.
“It’s dangerous out there,” she said. “Are you sure?”
Lionheart bleeked and touched the door latch again.
“Let him go out,” Stephanie said. “He’s a person and deserves that chance to make his own decisions…”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she opened the door so the treecat- her treecat, no matter what she said to others, her best friend-could go out. Air thick with smoke set them all coughing. Lionheart sneezed.
“Be careful,” Stephanie said. “Please, be careful.”
The treecat nodded once, as if he understood every word. Then he stood up and made the “wait” gesture.
“He wants us to wait,” Stephanie said. “So he’s not going to run off.”
Relief washed over her as Lionheart raced to where the ’cats up in the branches were watching uneasily.
Behind her, Stephanie thought she heard Jessica sniffle as if suppressing a sob.
It’s a good thing I can code in without seeing the pad, Stephanie thought miserably as she finished pulling the contact information from her uni-link.
“Chet,” she said. “Where are you all?”
“We’ve just gotten our gear,” he said, “and we’re heading toward my truck to go to the fire line. Christine and I are going out to help, but Toby’s been told he has to stay back in a safe zone and pour drinks.”
“Creeps,” came Toby’s voice from the background.
“Listen,” Stephanie said. “I’ve got an offer for you. It’s a heck of a lot more dangerous, though, so I want you to think carefully.”
“Go ahead,” Chet said. Stephanie had the impression he was angling his uni-link so Christine and Toby could hear.
“We’ve just discovered-as in like five minutes ago-a clan of treecats on the move from the southern fire. We’re going to try to help them get out, ’cause from what I’m seeing here, I don’t think they can move fast enough on their own. Would you come and help? Bring the gear you were issued, especially any bladder bags and shelters. Were you given fire-suits?”
“All of us,” Chet said, “but Toby only got the suit, none of the other stuff.”
“Still, that’s enough to work with,” Stephanie said. “Can you come-and can you sort of ‘forget in the excitement’ that you didn’t tell anyone of your change in assignment?”
Chet’s expression showed that he was aware Stephanie was acting without orders.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked.
“I am,” Stephanie said. She thought about a night three years ago when she had ventured out into a thunderstorm, knowing her parents would not quite approve. “Sometimes it’s better not to ask; that way, no one told you that you couldn’t do it.”
There was a murmur of voices, then Chet was back on. “We’re coming. Christine insists on leaving a delayed message for her folks, but they won’t get it unless she isn’t back by midnight tonight to deactivate it. That’s okay?”
“Fine,” Stephanie agreed. “One way or another, this is going to be over long before nightfall.”
The smoke was thick, even near the ground, but it was choking when Climbs Quickly scampered up the trunk of the tree to join the People who huddled there.
They were younglings, he saw, not kittens, but not much older than a full season’s turning. Knowing how his own Bright Water Clan dealt with such evacuations, he guessed that these had been sent out ahead of the main body of their clan-considered too young to help with evacuating the slower ones, young enough that they might be a danger to themselves as well as to others.
Certainly their behavior showed that assessment had been perfectly accurate. Looking apprehensively over at the air car, they stayed huddled in the choking smoke, blinking green eyes at him as if he were a death fang or snow hunter.
‹ Get down closer to the ground,› Climbs Quickly ordered. ‹ The air is less smoky. What are you doing up there anyhow? Surely your parents taught you better.›
He knew the edge in his mind-voice was unkind, but the tension and worry in Death Fang’s Bane’s mind-glow didn’t help. Three of the younglings obeyed, but the fourth-a dainty female who carried her tail as if she was much prized by all around her-blinked her large eyes at him.
‹ You are Climbs Quickly,› she said, beginning her descent from the tree only after making clear that she was doing it because she wanted to, not because he had given any sort of order. ‹ My father says you are a disgrace.›
‹ Little Witness!› One of the males spoke up, embarrassment shading his voice. ‹ Our mother says Climbs Quickly is a hero. And you have no manners.›
Little Witness, for so this sassy female must be called, only flirted her tail in reply and scampered along. Her name explained much. It was likely that-like Climbs Quickly’s own sister, Sings Truly-Little Witness already showed promise of a strong mind-voice, perhaps even of being a memory singer some day. In some clans, especially those where a memory singer valued herself very highly, those with promise gave themselves airs.
And, strong-voiced or not, in any case, Little Witness was a very cute youngling and evidently knew it.
‹ I am Springer,› the young male introduced himself shyly. ‹ We went up the tree only when we heard that flying thing coming. It felt like a person, but not like a person. We didn’t know what to do.›
Climbs Quickly stroked his whiskers. ‹ Are you far ahead of the rest of your clan?›
Springer’s reply was troubled. ‹ Not very. Most of the clan has not yet left where we were denning. The fire caught us unawares. The elders and the kittens cannot move quickly. I wanted to stay and help, but we were told we would only slow them further. We came this way to see if our net-wood bridge across the river is still intact.›
‹ I fear it is not,› Climbs Quickly said. ‹ From what we saw, the fire is using it now.›
‹ Then what will our clan do?› Springer asked. ‹ The fire may eat all this island.›
‹ I will hurry to them, › Climbs Quickly assured Springer, ‹ and do what I can to help. My two-legs will also help, be sure of it. Your clan may yet be saved. Turn around and hurry to rejoin them. Go!›
He would have liked to try and convince them to get into the car, but he knew that Little Witness, at least, would have been stubborn, and time was not to be wasted. From images he had gleaned from Springer, they were not far from the clan’s central nesting place.
Turning from the four younglings, Climbs Quickly bunched his muscles and ran as rapidly as he could back to the air car. Inside, the air was sweet and clear, but even as he filled his lungs with it, he began pointing-this time in the direction where the Damp Ground Clan was battling against time and encroaching fire.
Chapter Twelve
