Fall

Piper

Reine jumped off her quarry, and rushed at her mirror image. The two collided over Piper in a series of snarls and slashes.

As she watched, however, Piper noticed that the two were not identical. The new leopard had a larger frame, filled with pure muscle and power. For the first time, Reine seemed outmatched. She had to revert to speed, the one thing she held over the newcomer, to dart in quick attacks.

Their spots were also different. Where Reine had tight rosettes, the other leopard had a broader design, with its spots stretched to their extent over its pelt.

Mesmerized by their fight, Piper nearly forgot her own. She heard the brush rustle behind her, and had her alea open before the leopard’s human had a chance to return to his senses.

He stared at the crossbow she aimed at his face. His nose was flattened under a vitrum arrow. “I failed to check for a fera. My mistake.” He cleared his throat. “But if you let me go, Taft won’t hurt your friend.”

Piper gave a long blink to see through Reine’s eyes. Her fera was disabled, while the other leopard kept her pinned. They were both as still as death.

“What do you want,” Piper ground out.

The stranger counted off on his hand, “Food, coin, any useful trinkets that can be sold. Your crossbow would fetch a high price, let me tell you that. I would appraise it at—“

Pushing his nose harder with her crossbow, Piper growled, “Go away, and don’t come back.”

The thief grew serious. “Go ahead, kill me. Taft will slice your fera open as soon as our bond is gone. Probably you too. He was wild before me, and he’ll be murderous without me.”

Reine’s breath was shallow under Taft. I think he speaks the truth. A sliver of fear, so faint Piper barely noticed it, slipped through their link.

What can we do? Piper asked franticly.

Well, you can’t give him the alea. Reine showed her fangs to Taft. We owe the North that much. Give him our coins.

But we need that for supplies, Piper protested.

We need our lives too, Reine argued, and I don’t think these thieves will let us go without one of those things.

The thief’s eyes grew bright as Piper lifted the crossbow from his face, but still within shooting range. “You’ve considered my offer.”

“Your ransom,” Piper clarified.

“I don’t care what you call it. What will you give me, girl?” The thief said.

Piper regarded him for a moment. He wore a shirt of sackcloth, and pants that had a rainbow of patch repairs. Like her and Finch, a pack seemed to hold all his earthly belongings. His toes poked out of his shoes. Surely he would have better clothes if he were an experienced criminal.

“How often do you rob people?” Piper said slowly.

“None of your concern. What will you give me?” The thief repeated.

“Am I your first robbery?” Piper pressed.

“None of your concern!” The thief snapped. “Choose your next words wisely, and Taft will leave your fera alive. What will you give me?”

Her finger rested on the trigger.

Do it, Reine said.

Piper took a deep breath, then shot the crossbow.

The thief screamed and rolled to the side, clutching his face. The vitrum arrow lay a hairsbreadth from where he had been.

“Life!” the thief cried, “By Life she’s going to kill me!”

Taft was off Reine and by his human in a heartbeat. Piper now had them both under the crossbow’s range.

Reine bolted to her feet, and began to circle the thieves.

“Tell me your name,” Piper said.

The thief glared at her. “Tennyson.”

“Tennyson, Taft. Leave and don’t come back.”

“I don’t think so. You may have the upper hand now, girl, but we will wait here.” He showed his yellow teeth in full. “And we will wait for you to tire.”

He appeared to carry no other weapon than his fera, which was enough force in itself. Coming to a quick kneel, Piper kept the crossbow aimed at the man and leopard. “I can wait, too.”

“But you can’t sleep,” Tennyson crowed. “Or eat, or relieve yourself again!”

“We’ll see.” Piper smiled. With one hand, she kept the crossbow aimed, while the other snaked to a side pocket on her pack. She took out a dried strip of meat, and chewed it with relish in front of the thief.

Tennyson scowled. “You’re pathetic.”

“Am I?” she said.

When she finished her snack, Piper continued the stalemate with Tennyson for a length of time. The cold sun inched across the sky, while the clouds ran across their sapphire field, hurrying to an unknown destination. Reine’s patience thinned, while Piper multitasked between staying alert and keeping her fera from breaking the fragile peace.

Where is that bird-brain? Reine hissed. She paced back and forth around the thieves. I will make a cape out of his finch’s feathers.

That would be a small cape, Piper said.

No matter! The satisfaction would be in the task. The grass moved beside them, and Reine’s ears swiveled to the sound.

Finch appeared with Chip. He swore. “What’s this?”

“Finch, meet Tennyson and Taft. Tennyson and Taft, Finch.” Piper waved her hand from one party to the other.

“Oh lovely, company,” Tennyson grumbled.

“Why are they here?” Finch demanded. “Were you attacked?”

“Yes, we were. And they won’t leave.” Piper frowned. “So we’ve been waiting for you.”

“Are there any more young travelers we should meet?” Tennyson said. “I’m starting to be concerned we’ll be outnumbered.”

“Have you shot him yet?” Finch asked.

“She has,” Tennyson said before Piper. “And I want that weapon. I know a trader who would pay a year’s rent for that.”

Piper lowered her voice for Finch’s ears only. “He wants my alea, and we can’t get them to leave.”

“Have you thought about shooting him again?” Finch whispered.

“The leopard will get in the way. He’s already proven to be stronger than Reine.”

“Well it’s an Eastern leopard, what do you expect? You would need a larger cat to beat it. Smart thief.” Finch worked his thumbs. “How can we get rid of them?”

This last part was spoken loud enough for the thieves to hear. “Give me the weapon!” Tennyson said.

Piper played with the crossbow’s trigger. “You really want it?”

Tennyson narrowed his eyes. “Don’t shoot me again.”

“Then leave,” Finch said.

“No.”

“Okay,” Finch cracked his knuckles. “You’ve forced my hand.” He pulled a small, thin tube from his jacket pocket. Piper recognized it from her readings, and scrambled backwards.

Get out of range, she told Reine.

“Ha! You’re a fool if you think that will hel—“ Tennyson was cut off by a dart in his stomach. He winced, and pulled it out before an identical dart hit Taft. The thief’s eyes widened, then were hidden under heavy lids. He collapsed in a graceless heap, Taft falling beside him.

Stuffing the tube back in his pocket, Finch said, “Would you believe me if I said that was the first time I’ve used these?”

“Good aim,” Piper said as she did a quick sweep of their camp. All of their belongings seemed accounted for, including her alea secured in her belt.

“I’ve always wanted to use it.” Finch grimaced. “We have two hours tops before the stuff wears off. How’s your running?”

Why don’t we just remove them from the equation now, Reine thought.

We’re not going to kill them. But… “Can you shoot them again?”

“I don’t think that will give us much more time.” Finch brought the dart gun to his lips, and spat two feathered missiles into the thieves. “However, let’s hope it makes them groggy.”

Piper looked at Tennyson and Taft once more, somewhat mystified by the new leopard, and nodded in farewell.

Then they ran.