Belle and the Prophecy of Bane

Chapter 13

Hours later, Belle woke beside a still sleeping Ares to find Bastet awake on her other side.

"Belle," her friend said suddenly.

"Yes?" Belle replied, stifling a yawn. She tried to look attentive.

"I am unsettled. About your rescuing the rat," said Bastet. Belle gave a start, surprised. But she had it wrong.

"I could not let go of the boat. I would have dived for you, but I could not let go of the boat without everyone falling." Bastet's wings fluttered in distress.

"Of course!" said Belle, sitting up. "Of course you could not. I did not expect you to."

"I did not want you to think, as your bond, that I would not come after you."

"I did not. Do not," said Belle. "You did the only thing you could do, Bast."

Bastet paused, smiled. "Thank you, Belle."

"You are always welcome."

Belle resumed her position next to Ares, and after no more than a few minutes, she was asleep again.

When Belle woke for a second time, she felt a warm body pressed up against her leg. Raising her head carefully, she sat up. In Photos Glow-Glow's light, she could see Twitchtip lying against her. She gave a little start of surprise, and the rat opened her eyes.

Looking embarrassed, Twitchtip scooted away about six inches, which was as far as the confines of the boat would allow. It was by this reaction that Belle knew Twitchtip hadn't just rolled over against her in her sleep. She had, at some point, intentionally curled up against Belle. And this led her to another thought: how hungry for contact must the rat be to lean up against her, a human, whose scent repulsed her? She must have been starved for it. All those years of living alone in the Dead Land had left her desperate to touch any warm being--even Belle.

Belle covered for her. "Oh! I am sorry, Twitchtip. I must have rolled into you while I was sleeping."

"It's hard not to," Twitchtip said. "There's so little room in the boat."

"Yes," Belle agreed. She looked around. Mareth was steering while Andromeda stood guard nearby. Photos Glow-Glow perched in the bow, occasionally shifting the color of his bulb. Everyone else was asleep.

Belle considered joining them, but she felt too alert. Besides, this was a good opportunity to talk to Twitchtip. She tried to think of a way to spark a conversation, but the rat started one herself.

"I know you made them save me," she said.

"Well, I suppose I mostly improvised the whole thing," said Belle. She didn't want Twitchtip to know how readily the others would have let her die, but she knew, anyway.

"Ripred was right about you," she said. "He said I couldn't judge you like I would other humans."

"That is interesting. Vikus once said something similar to me about Ripred," Belle replied. She paused, uncomfortable. "So, how long did you live on your own?" she asked.

"Three or four years," Twitchtip said.

"Why did they drive you out? The other rats, I mean. With your sense of smell, it seems to me as if you should be famous."

"I was, in a way, for some time. Then they realized I could smell their secrets, and nobody wanted me around. I could smell yours, too."

"My secrets? Like what?" Belle asked.

Twitchtip spoke softly. "I know about those visions of yours, and how sometimes you hear the other Overlander's thoughts. And something happens, when you fight."