Having to take care of Wendy meant my plans to explore the island further had to be postponed for a while. Luckily she grew up fast and I was able to teach her how to hunt with me. When we found prey she would sneak up around them and chase them my way where I could shoot it with my bow or skewer it on the short spear I had made.
First time we stood triumphantly over our dead deer.., thing, I felt like a Neanderthal hunter. To think I flew a fighter pod and handled sub machine guns not too long ago. I kind of miss the compact power tool for killing.
Eventually it became time to go and I packed the few things I'd need in a backpack I had made from the hides of our kills.
'Ready, girl?' I asked Wendy.
She looked up at me and barked. Cags don't bark as low as dogs, but at a higher pitch which fits more with the feline side of her species.
'All right then.' I said and headed for the nearest hilltop and the hopefully first good look at the whole island.
***
As I expected, the jungle slowed down our progress and it took us two days to reach the hill top. The sun was halfway down the horizon and it became time to find a place to camp for the night. I spotted a clear patch in the tree cover and headed that way.
What I saw surprised me. There was a stone floor here. Overgrown partially, but in good shape without grass or anything growing through cracks. I bend down and felt the surface. Smooth, but not so much like it had been made with a precision machine. The material looked like it was made by processing the ground found around here. From a distance it wouldn't look like there was a separate flat surface here.
'I think we'll stay here for the night, girl.' I said to Wendy and unpacked the backpack to make a fire.
Wendy assumed her role of guardian and inspected the floor area. After getting a fire going I started roasting the three rodents we bagged during the day and gathered big leaves to serve as bed and plates for our meal.
During the meal I wondered if I'd find more proof of an ancient civilisation on this island. Maybe I'd get lucky and find weapons or other items I could use.
It was almost dark when we had finished eating and I propped up my backpack to serve as a pillow and Wendy crawled up to me. I wrapped my arm around her and she gave me a soft lick on my mouth, making me chuckle and give her a goodnight kiss back. Between the warm climate and her warm and soft body I needed no blanket to sleep comfortable at night.
'Good night, sweet Wendy.' I whispered and listened to the sounds around us for a while before sleep took over.
***
The next morning I checked the area around the floor but found no more evidence of whoever build it. I did get a better view of the island and saw it had a slight bend to it and there were three main tops to the ridge formed by the hills. With any luck I'd find more at one or both of the other tops.
The trek to the middle took two more days which were pretty uneventful, apart from encountering Wendy's kind twice. The first time I wondered what she would do when four cags threatened to attack us, and was pleasantly surprised to see her take my side and chase them away with more voracity than I could have imagined from her size. The second time I noticed she did make sure I was behind her before she snarled and lashed out at a group of three cags. She could be brave, but I did have to be close.
'Good girl.' I said each time, scratching her behind her ears and down her back, which made her body and tail shiver.
***
I was pondering about setting camp for the night or try to reach the top when I heard Wendy bark a warning. I walked up to her and saw she had found a crevice hidden between the trees and bushes, deep and wide enough to not come back up once you fall down there.
'Careful, girl.' I said, peering into it, then step back before the urge to jump in started.
'It would be safer to set up camp.' I told her and she agreed with a bark.
I spotted a small clearing in the tree cover and headed that way. I just stepped into the clearing when the Silth appeared. I heard the double tap from a gun while I ducked sideways. The first bullet missed me. The second hit my shoulder.
I avoided hitting my shoulder when I fell and only had a split second to react to one of them jumping me. Twisting my body, I caught it with my feet and send it flying. A crack told me it had landed very badly on something. The second one came at me the moment I got on my feet and slashed me with its claws as I weaved and hit it aside. It recovered quickly and went for me again. Before it reached me Wendy jumped at it with a snarl. It stumbled, I grabbed it and swung it hard into a clump of trees. It rotated with a yelp of pain, then saw it go down the edge of the crevice.
'OKAA!' I heard the first Silth yell and dive at the second's arm, who had grabbed onto a bush. Just as the first one grabbed the second's wrist, the bush uprooted and the second dangled into the crevice.
'OKAA!' the first one yelled again and it had sent another chill down my spine, just like the first time I heard her yell that word, reminding me of a moment I my past I never wanted to experience again.
I had learned enough of their language to know the second one was the first's mother. The first one tried desperately to pull up its mother, but I saw the pain in its face and the way it squirmed. It must have broken a rib or two when I kicked her away. It wouldn't be able to save her on her own.
'DAMMIT!' I shouted in my frustration and moved to the Silth. I laid down, reaching my good arm out to the mother. 'Grab on to me!'
Her blue eyes met mine in stunned surprise.
'I said grab on to me!'
She looked at her child who was in pain, then let go with one hand to grab my wrist. Pain shot through my wound as I pulled with all my strength.
My heart was still beating fast and I panted while I sat back against a tree and Wendy licked my face in concern. I let out a weak chuckle and stroked her head.
'I'm all right, girl.' I whispered, happy to see how much she cared. 'I'm all right.'
The mother Silth spoke to its child, then looked back at me. I was in too much pain to wonder if they still wanted to kill me. She moved towards me and I wouldn't be surprised if she tried to finish the job. I would still fight, but I didn't show I was ready.
She sat down on her knees before me and she reminded me of a black panther I had seen in a video. The Silth had smaller muzzles and noses though, more like a house cat, as were their ears, only those were bigger in proportion. And their tails were like normal felines at the base, then grew thick and fluffy with a short point at the end. She wore the standard military green sleeveless jacket and cargo pants and her black fur was dusty from our fight.
'Why you save me?' she asked.
I knew their kind would have learned our language, just as we did for the advantage in war, but I was still surprised to actually hear one speak. She did have a slight lisp, which I suspected they'd all have when speaking. It would make communication easier, but I wouldn't reveal my knowledge of their language just yet.
'Guilty conscience.' I grimaced.
She looked puzzled at me.
'It's not something I'd like to talk about.'
She pondered for a moment, then nodded. She leaned forward but Wendy growled and she sat back.
'Your wound..'
'I'll live.' I said, not quite ready to have her touch me and gestured at her child. 'Go check on..?'
She glanced at her child. 'Naylee.' she said. 'My daughter.'
'It looks like she has broken ribs. Make sure she doesn't have a punctured lung.'
She nodded at me. 'I'm Tashee.' she said and went back to her daughter.
I sighed and watched a discussion between the two while Tashee checked Naylee. Naylee was angry, but Tashee scolded her and she kept quiet. Tashee pulled a small box out of one of her pockets and made her swallow a pill with some water. Then she came back to me.
'Do you have bandage kit?'
'Not really.' I said, then looked around for my backpack. 'Wendy, fetch?' I said, pointing at it and she dragged it back to me.
Tashee looked with interest at her. 'You trained it?'
'Another story for another time.' I said and pulled out the rolls of cloth I had cut from my shirt.
I checked my wound and was glad to see the bullet had went right through. I draped one of the rolls over my shoulder, then winced as I tried to grab the other side.
'Let me.' Tashee said, reaching out for me.
Wendy growled again and Tashee sat back.
I knew I didn't have much of a choice. 'It's okay girl, sit.' I said to Wendy with a scratch on her head and she sat down.
Tashee reached out carefully to me and bandaged my shoulder for me while Wendy kept an eye on her.
'Thanks..' I said as Tashee sat back.
She shook her head. 'You save my life. I owe you.'
'Just try not to kill me, okay? That's the only thing I ask for.' I said and pushed myself up from the tree. 'It's getting late and I need to set up camp.'
She looked up at the sky and nodded. 'Need to make camp too. Is it okay to join you?' she asked, looking up at me. 'I will help you change bandage later.'
I don't know if it was me, but I saw an innocent look in her eyes that asked me to give her a chance. 'I guess.' I said, trying not to sound too easily in giving in.
'A moment.' she said and went back to help Naylee up.
They followed Wendy and me to the clearing I had seen earlier and found a large piece of fairly flat rock. I made up a bed for me and Wendy while Naylee used the same method to make a bed for her and Tashee while Tashee set up a fire in the middle of the rock.
I untied the rodents Wendy and I had caught earlier from the backpack, laid them in front of me and sighed. With just one good arm it'll be a chore to roast them.
Tashee had seen my dilemma and moved closer. 'Let me?'
She gestured at the rodents they had caught and I felt amused at how much we were alike in our survival.
I nodded gratefully. 'Please.'
I admired the ease with which she gutted the rodents and prepared them for roasting. Maybe it was the way they were used to cooking. When the roast was done she offered small roots with it.
'These are a little spicy.' she said and bit on one. 'Good with meat.'
I nibbled on one and it was mildly spicy, enough to add taste to the rather plain taste of rodent meat. I nodded my thanks and shared my meal with Wendy.
Tashee and Naylee were talking low between the two, and I saw Naylee glancing at me a couple of times. She most have gotten the yellow eyes from her father.
Tashee moved closer to me again on her knees. 'May we know your name?'
Ah, I hadn't even thought about that. 'Rafe.' I said. 'I'm sorry, I totally forgot with all the things going on.'
She gave me a gentle smile. 'Is okay. We're sorry for all that happened.'
'Same here. But I don't blame you, we're not quite on friendly terms right now.'
She looked a little puzzled.
'I mean, our two species aren't friends.'
Her face lit up in comprehension, then looked sad. 'True.'
I didn't like to see her sad. It just felt wrong, even if I hardly knew them. 'Doesn't mean we can't be friendly.' I offered.
She smiled again and nodded. 'Please.'
I smiled back. 'I can't be mad at someone who can roast so well.'
She chuckled and went back to Naylee, who glanced at me again with a look of disbelieve.
Tiredness caught up with me and I needed to sleep for recovery. 'I'm going to sleep.' I said. 'You have a good night.'
'Sleep well.' Tashee said.
Wendy crawled up to me and her familiar warmth and smell relaxed me enough to fall asleep in moments.
***
We all awoke with a start when we heard a long roar. Naylee grabbed her gun while Tashee and I both grabbed our knives. Wendy bared her fangs but kept quiet while she sniffed the air. The fire was burning enough to spread some dim light and we watched our surroundings carefully, heart beating fast in combat mode.
'Rafe,' Tashee whispered. 'you know?'
'First time for me.' I whispered back.
A second roar sounded more distant.
'I'll take watch.' I said.
'No.' Tashee said. 'Rest important for you. I'll watch, not much night left anyway.'
'Sure?' I asked, glancing at her, her eyes fully alert and shining in the dim light.
'Sure.' she said and I knew she was.