Story and characters are (c) Lars E Hellberg

Exploring the Mainland

13

When Renno woke up, he found that his entire backside was sore. Every movement meant a grating, insistent pain, and he couldn\x92t quite suppress a groan. Immediately, he felt Chaige stirring next to him. Early morning light was seeping in through the canvas, and Renno saw the green fox eyes blink away sleep.
"Up already? Feels like it\x92s very early."
"I think it is," Renno answered. "Everybody else is asleep. I just need to move around a bit."
"Need a hand?"
"Don\x92t know how I\x92ll ever get my pants back on. That anaesthetic must\x92ve worn off."
"Does it hurt much?" There was a lot of concern in Chaige\x92s voice.
"Not really, but it hurts all the time. Every time I try to move."
"Don\x92t move, then. I\x92ll get some water, and clean you up properly."
"You\x92re so good to me."
"Damn right. Now stay! Be a good boy."
"Woof."
Mihio woke up while Chaige was heating water, and she went to open up Katti\x92s tent. Renno had gone back to sleep, but he stirred as he heard her.
"Good morning, Renno." Another moment passed, before the dog started cursing.
"Hell, racoon, must everybody come in to stare at me?"
"I\x92m not staring. You look like hell, you know."
"I\x92m not staring," Renno mocked, and moved to cover himself up. The movement made him wince. "Ngh. I\x92m not going to sit well for weeks!"
"You\x92re lucky to have Chaige waiting on you."
"Tell me! I\x92m going to hug him."
"Do you think you can walk? We must be a couple of km from the coast."
"Three. More or less. Yeah, I can walk. I\x92ll just need help to get dressed, then up, and I\x92ll walk."
"Want me to help?" She tugged at his sleeping bag.
"Get out of here!"
Chuckling, Mihio sat down by the gas heater just as Chaige carried the warm water into the tent. She rummaged through the fox\x92s backpack, and found some sausages. Bringing out the frying pan, she started cooking breakfast, just as Chaige\x92s voice was heard.
"Hey, let go of me. Renno, you\x92re making me spill!"
Laughing, Mihio started frying sausages. It was half past six, and she brought out the radio, ready to hear from Sahir. The smell of food caused stirrings in the other tents, and soon Irhabotu joined her, shortly followed by Rajme and Katti.
They had almost finished eating when Chaige helped a limping Renno out of Katti\x92s tent. Mihio started applauding, and the rest of them joined in. She could see the lioness wince at the sight of Renno\x92s pain, but decided not to pursue the matter. From the look on Rajme\x92s face, the two had already talked this through. Very well, Mihio thought, I\x92ll just have to bug Raj for info on the boat trip. Putting her fork down, she loaded two plates with sausages and eggs for the two boys, then went to pick up the radio. Sahir had wanted her to call before they broke camp, to make sure they didn\x92t need any help. She turned the receiver from stand-by to on, and pressed the send button.
"Mr Sahir, we\x92re ready to break camp now." Strangely, there was no reply. Usually, the wolf answered so quickly she thought he\x92d been waiting, receiver in hand. "Mr Sahir? Can\x92t you hear me? I don\x92t hear you, but if you hear me, we\x92ll start for the coast in a little while. Renno is up and running."
"He isn\x92t answering?" Rajme asked. Mihio shook her head. "Is the battery okay?"
"Battery light\x92s still green. Maybe he\x92s turned it off at his end."
"With Renno hurt?" Chaige said. "There must be some malfunction."
"Great. Precisely the wrong time!"
"Relax, racoon," Renno said. "I told you I can walk."
"Yeah, but we may still have to call him to pick us up. What if we don\x92t reach the coast at the boat?"
"We will," Irhabotu said, "if we go back south."
"I\x92d say we go straight for the coast," Chaige said. "He can pick us up, no need for any further hardships."
While Renno and Chaige finished eating, the fox taking care of dishes, the other broke camp. Katti\x92s tent smelled strongly of dried blood, but she did not complain. When Chaige apologised, she merely shrugged. Seeking Mihio\x92s eyes, he made a quizzical gesture, but she shook her head. Whatever had happened between the lioness and the dog girl, neither was telling, at the moment. She made a mental note to find out more, however. If Renno\x92s injury was anything less than pure accident, Katti would have hell to pay.

The first thing Tailchaser could recall was a burning pain on the side of his head. For a few, stretched-out seconds, that was all he knew. Then a sound crept in through the pain, making him react. Chara. The baby was whimpering, and he could feel her warm body lying on his outstretched arm. Feel? Yes, feel. He realised his eyes were open, but he still could see nothing but the remains of pain-flashes. Sitting up, he eased Chara into his lap, cradling her and doing his best to comfort her. Where the hell were they? Trying to think doubled his torments, and the young dog felt tears run down his cheek. He touched his temple, then sniffed his hand. Fresh blood. Either he had taken a long while to heal, or he hadn't been unconscious more than an hour or two. Now that he allowed himself to feel, he realised that he was bruised all over. His left shoulder hurt, and his right hand might even be broken. No, he decided, biting his lip against the waves of pain that followed a closer examination. Not broken, but badly bruised, and the index finger was disjointed. Steeling himself, he set it straight with a snap. This new high of pain nearly made him faint, but he fought the blackness. I've got to look after Chara! Sobbing, he ran the fingers of his unhurt hand over the baby's body, but he couldn't find any signs of injury. In fact, she giggled as he tickled her. Licking his lips, he deduced that he had probably not been out for very long. I should have been thirsty. Also, Chara was still dry. After checking them both for injuries, Tailchaser decided it was time to find out where they were. Making sure that Chara was lying comfortably in his lap, he started to focus his mind. If he were ever to master sensing, this was the time. Ignoring the pain, he set his thoughts aside, one by one, allowing his senses to fill his mind. Their breaths, their heartbeats, suddenly deafeningly loud, he also set aside. There were other sounds now, distant voices, too far away to be reckoned with, the sound of something moving about and the faint reverberations of his own breaths against the walls of their prison. They were in a small room, maybe three times four metres, with a sturdy wooden door. He could smell the wood and the hinge oil. There was something else, something familiar, but he couldn't place it. Better not think too much, he decided, or the pain might return. Smelling, hearing and feeling, he searched the cell. There was nothing there to eat or drink, just bare rock walls, ceiling and floor. He was hypersensitive now, just the way Renno had taught him, taking in as much as possible. Chara's soft burbling would have hurt him, if he hadn't been able to shut it out. The cell seemed clean, but there was some moss growing on the far wall. There was also a small opening in one corner. A hole barely half a metre wide, but no more than a decimetre high. Maybe, just maybe, he could squeeze through it, but he decided not to try unless he was forced to. He still had Chara to consider. Besides, the hole was where the vaguely familiar smell was coming from. Tailchaser's active mind was more aware of what had happened, and as memories began to make themselves heard, he probed them, trying to discern why he was trapped. The boat... they had been busy, concerned, their minds focused elsewhere. Their thoughts with Renno. Then there had been a fight... Jamir had... Jamir had been killed! And Sahir! Sahir too had been brought down, and Tailchaser didn't know if the wolf could still be alive. They broke his neck... He had fought, too, but not been able to do much against the strong shapes that had attacked them. The figures were still not very clear, but he remembered their scent. Faint reminders of them were on the cell door. They locked us up! He was still hypersensitive when the door was opened, and the room flooded with light, sounds and new smells. Overloaded, he screamed, covering his head with his hands as best he could.
"Oh, you're awake, finally." The strange voice turned concerned at his scream. "What's wrong? Little one, are you in much pain?"
Unable to answer, Tailchaser could only concentrate, trying to force his senses to become less acute. He was half aware that Chara was whimpering, sensing his distress. A cool touch to his forehead helped much, and soon the pain was endurable. Stroking Chara's head, he calmed her down, then he turned to the newcomer. It was a young man, of a species Tailchaser had never seen before. He looked vaguely canine, but there were other traits in him as well. His fur was short, and oddly colourless, and he had a scent to him that Tailchaser didn't recognise. Removing the wetted piece of cloth he had used to cool Tailchaser's head, he leaned over to check on the young dog's wound.
"This doesn't look that bad," he said. "It shouldn't give you this much pain."
"No, it... it was the light. You surprised me. Where are we?"
"The prison. I\x92ve tried to make them move you, so I can help you heal, but they won\x92t hear of it. You\x92ve been unconscious for almost a day."
"A day? B-but my wound...?"
"I\x92m afraid it started bleeding again last time I washed it. I didn\x92t want to bandage it before it was dry. In the meantime, I\x92ve cared for the infant, and fed her."
"Thank you." He bowed slightly, still blinking in the light. "My name is Tailchaser, and this is Chara. Who\x92re you?"
"My name is Tyghe. I\x92m a medician, that\x92s why I was allowed in here. They hardly let me help you at all."
"Who? What is this place?" Tailchaser felt tears stinging in his eyes. "Why did you attack us? My... my friends, they\x92re..."
"Yes." Tyghe lowered his head. "The wolf and the girl, they were killed."
"But why?"
"The wolf\x92s death was proclaimed the last time he was seen, but he left before it was carried out. The scouts had order to kill on sight. However, the girl was a poor decision."
"Poor..." Tears were streaming down Tailchaser\x92s face. "She was sixteen years old. She was in love with my brother."
"I\x92m sorry. It should have been avoided."
"Healer!" A roaring voice filled the room, while a massive figure blocked out almost all light in the doorway. Tailchaser recognised the fair warrior. The very one who had killed his friends. "You were told to stay out of here!"
"Siek, stop yelling!" Tyghe stood up, facing the fair one, even though he barely reached Siek\x92s shoulder. "The boy is hurt, he needs..."
"Needs! The council is about to begin, and for some reason, father wants you there. Maybe to show you how little your word means." He turned to face Tailchaser. "So, you are awake."
"Murderer," Tailchaser hissed. "I\x92ll kill you."
"No doubt you would, given half a chance. Rote will walk with a limp for the rest of his life, Cairl is scarred, and Veya just barely kept his life." Siek leaned closer, his voice brimming with malice. "And your wolf-friend killed Siar. Killed my brother."
"Stop this!" Tyghe shouted, his voice thin next to the warrior\x92s growl. "Siek, he will be judged by the council, not by you. You got your revenge!"
"You know the outcome. Little one, you will be sentenced to death. God willing, I\x92ll be the one to carry it out." Turning, he grabbed Tyghe\x92s arm, pushing the healer ahead of him. "Get moving, you!"
"I\x92ll just leave them some water, and..."
"You heard me! Let them be. Everything you give them will just go to waste."
"Compassion demands..."
"Justice demands!" Siek yelled, shoving Tyghe out the door, turning to Tailchaser. "Enjoy your last night!"
Slamming the door behind him, the warrior left the two children in the same pitch black Tailchaser had woken up in. Still stunned, the young dog reacted automatically when he heard Chara whimpering in his lap. Cradling her, he gently rocked her back and forth, trying to soothe her. Meanwhile, he started crying, himself. Whatever courage had made him face Siek without wincing was now gone, and he wept, quietly, in the dark, large tears flowing down his cheeks, then dripping onto his chest.

The rain clouds were gone, now, but in their place had come strong winds. Leaning into the stern breeze, Renno struggled to keep up with the low pace they had set up. He gritted his teeth against the now constant pain, firmly resolved not to slow them down further. Now that it was as good as clear the outing would be aborted, he just wanted to go home. With his mind\x92s eye, he could see himself lying in the sun, relaxed, with Tailchaser and Chaige taking care of him. Only, he thought then, Chaige won\x92t be there. He will pursue his love. For the first time, Renno felt the end of his childhood drawing near. It was as if he had thought they would always remain pups, playing forever. Suddenly, he felt very small, and utterly alone, and he couldn\x92t stop a slight whimper from escaping his lips. For the time being, though, Chaige was there, a comforting arm around his shoulder, encouraging whispers in his ear. Leaning his head onto the fox\x92s shoulder, Renno once more gathered his strength, pushing onwards against the wind.
The three km to the coast took most of the morning, but as the sun stood at its highest, they arrived to find an empty ocean. They stood there for a while, waiting for Mihio to return. The racoon had kept behind the rest of them, as they followed the game trail, to warn if anything came up to them from behind. Likewise, Katti had scouted ahead, while Rajme and Chaige had helped support Renno, who grew weaker, seemingly with every step. Only his stubborn will kept him to his feet as they waited. Unable to contain herself, Rajme brought out her spare radio, and turned it on.
"Sahir, can you hear me? We\x92ve reached the coast."
"We\x92re about five km north of where we landed," Irhabotu said. "Maybe six."
"Sahir, we\x92re waiting next to some cliffs, half a mile north from our landing. Please answer me!"
"There\x92s still nothing?" Mihio asked, as she sprinted out onto the tiny beach. Rajme shook her head, a nervous look on her face. "Look, we\x92ve got to move, there\x92s a couple of deer on their way here."
"North or south?" Katti asked. "He could have moved the boat."
"South," Chaige said. "Chance is he hasn\x92t."
"I swim faster than you walk," Mihio said, removing her boots. "I\x92ll scout north, you go south."
"Be careful!" Rajme shouted, as the racoon dived in. When she resurfaced, some twenty metres out, she waved at them.
"Always. Now get going!"

They hadn\x92t walked long when Irhabotu spotted the boat. Chaige and Katti were now practically carrying Renno, while Rajme and the cat carried their packs. Sahir\x92s boat was anchored about a hundred metres off the coast, and to Chaige, it felt almost like coming home. Irhabotu tried using one of the radios again, but to no avail.
"Something must be broken," Katti said. "Maybe he\x92s still waiting to hear from us."
"If he hadn\x92t heard, he would have come ashore," Chaige said, shaking his head. "Something isn\x92t right."
"Anybody there!!" Irhabotu yelled, at the top of his lungs, startling the others. "Sahir! Can you hear me? Tailchaser? Anybody?"
Mihio joined them, climbing up onto the rocky shore, and gladly accepting a dry towel from Rajme. Straining her keen eyes, she took a good look at the boat.
"Is that a blood stain? Down the port side?"
"I can\x92t see too clear," Chaige said. "Are you sure?"
"Positive. Brr, this is no good. I\x92ll take a look."
Tossing the towel to Chaige, she dived in again. The fox felt a shiver run down his spine. Blood? What could have happened? Surely, no animal could have swam all the way out there? Somewhere from the back of his troubled mind, he seemed to recall that no larger Mainland species swam very well. Tang? Unconsciously, he ran his hand along his left arm, feeling his scars. Renno put his hand over Chaige\x92s.
"I know what you\x92re thinking, fox-boy. It can\x92t have been tang! Sahir would never miss something like that." The look of pain on the dog\x92s face came not only from his injuries. "Chai, where\x92s my brother?"
"I don\x92t know, Renno." He stroked Renno\x92s chin, trying to calm him down. "But we\x92ll find out."
"Hey!" Mihio shouted. She had climbed aboard, and was now waving frantically. "Hurry! I need help! They\x92ve been attacked!"
"Renno!" Chaige said, sternly. "Stay here. You can\x92t swim, like that. Irhabotu, stay with him!"
"Okay," the cat nodded, his face suddenly pale beneath the grey fur. "I\x92ll watch him, don\x92t worry."
Not even stopping to take his boots off, Chaige jumped into the chilly water, swimming for all he was worth. A thousand thoughts ran through his head, a thousand scenarios played out for his mind\x92s eye. Next to him, he could see Rajme, straining to keep up. Katti was already at the boat, gasping as she climbed the railing. While Rajme, too, dragged herself up, he swam around the boat, to use the aft ladder. With his thick fur, now drenched, he didn\x92t think he\x92d be able to climb. At the ladder, he found an awkward figure, floating in the water, her face nearly submerged. Jamir. A cold dread went through him as he hurried to lift her up. Her skin was cold, but she coughed slightly as he tried to lift her out of the water. Chaige noticed the dark stains on her torn shirt.
"Hey!" he shouted. "I\x92ve got Jamir! Help me get her on board!"
"Coming!"
Katti came to his aid, and together they managed to ease the fennec girl onto the deck. She was coughing, her lithe body shivering wildly with every shallow breath. While Chaige came onboard, Katti brought out blankets, quickly covering the girl.
"She\x92s going into shock. Help me get her clothes off!" For a brief second, Chaige hesitated, and Katti growled at him. "No time to be a prude! Do it!"
Pulling out his pocket knife, Chaige hurried to tear off what was left of Jamir\x92s shirt, then proceeded to cut open her pants. The gaping wound in her chest threw all his thoughts of modesty aside. There was nothing erotic about such an injury. It wasn\x92t bleeding, but he could tell from her ghastly paleness that she had lost much blood already. How long had she been in the water, desperately holding on to the ladder with her failing strength? He felt tears running down his cheeks, but he didn\x92t care. Once he was done, both he and Katti got out of their own clothing, wrapping all three of them up in blankets, lending their body heat to Jamir. Chaige carefully massaged her arms and hands, to try and draw some blood into the ice cold limbs. Meanwhile, Katti tried to make contact, Jamir was stuttering between shivers, as if trying to say something, but they felt her slipping deeper into shock.
"Stay here," Katti said, getting up. "Keep her as warm as you can."
A short while later, she returned with a bottle of medical alcohol, and a glass of water. Mixing some alcohol into the water, she signed to Chaige to hold up Jamir\x92s head. The fennec coughed and spat as the strong liquid made its way into her mouth, but she seemed to have swallowed some. Soon, she relaxed some, and Katti got back under the cover. Slowly, unnervingly so, some warmth returned to Jamir\x92s body, and her breathing levelled out.

As Rajme got over the railing, she froze with terror. There were several blood stains on the deck, and in the stern Mihio and Katti stood, next to Sahir. The wolf lay on the deck like a broken toy, his limbs splayed out in impossible direction.
"I think his neck is broken," Mihio said. The racoon looked as if she might be sick at any time. "He\x92s breathing, but..."
"Calm down, Mihio," Rajme said, touching her shoulder. "Let\x92s see."
"Don\x92t move him!"
"Relax. We have to check on him." Leaning down, Rajme carefully took Sahir\x92s hand, prodding the wrist to find his pulse. "Seems steady. Mihio, go and find a medikit, see if there\x92s something we could use to stabilise him."
"O-okay. I\x92ll see what I can find."
"Katti, get a stretcher. Where\x92s Chaige?"
"I think he\x92s going for the ladder. He\x92s..."
At that time, they all heard the fox\x92s screams for help, and Katti ran off. Deciding to leave Jamir for the other two, Rajme got up to look for a stretcher. Finding nothing useful, she was on her way back to the wolf, when she spotted something else. The boats controls were smashed. Both guidance systems, radio and engine controls had been destroyed. Cursing loudly, she joined Mihio, and they set about to fixate Sahir\x92s neck. The wolf was unconscious, his head badly bruised, and he had a deep cut in his shoulder. But he was breathing steadily, if a bit weakly, and as she checked again, his pulse was still good. Other thoughts tried to sneak into her mind, but she dismissed them. Focus, girl, focus, she told herself. Worry comes later, now we must save Sahir. While Mihio held the wolf\x92s head in place, Rajme set about to stabilise him. She tied a loose board to his back, securing it tightly, the gently eased his head back against the board, tying it fast as carefully as she could. Then she placed two of the sturdy fishing rods on his chest, tying them down as well, securing them against the sides of his head. Once they had made sure Sahir\x92s head was as steady as it would get, they eased him down onto the deck, neither girl really noticing as Katti rummaged through the medikit, taking a bottle of medical alcohol. After checking that the wolf\x92s pulse and breathing was still good, Rajme proceeded to wrap him in blankets, while Mihio swam ashore, to tell the two boys what had happened.

"Mihio\x92s coming back," Irhabotu said. "Renno, do you hear me?"
He was holding Renno tightly, doing his best to keep him calm. Soon after the others had left, the dog boy began to get restless. He wanted nothing more than to follow his friends, but Irhabotu held him back. He had snarled at the cat, hitting him, but his fading strength had been no match for the strong Irhabotu. In the end, Renno had relented, and settled against the cat\x92s shoulder, crying quietly. Now, for the first time in ten minutes, Renno stirred, turning to look out over the sea. As Mihio reached the shore, he broke loose from Irhabotu\x92s grip, rushing to meet her.
"Mihio...?"
"Renno..." The despair in his voice almost made the racoon whimper, but she steadied herself. "Renno, TC and Chara aren\x92t there. Nothing indicates they\x92ve been hurt, but they\x92re not there. Jam and Sahir are hurt, badly. I think they were both left to die."
"B-but... where is he?"
New tears ran down Renno\x92s face, and his eyes filled with the deepest pain Irhabotu had ever seen. Again, he held on to the dog, as he seemed intent to throw himself into the sea, to swim for the boat.
"Renno, don\x92t. Please. They\x92ll bring in the boat as soon as they can. You\x92ll do no good, drowning yourself."
"But I have to find him..." Renno\x92s voice was little more than a whisper. "Irhabotu, I have to. And Chara... Chara\x92s gone, too. We... we have to..."
His voice broke, and he collapsed against the cat\x92s chest, sobbing furiously. Mihio hugged them both, crying herself. Irhabotu tried his best to stay calm, but in the end the pain of the other two became too much for him, as well. As one, they sat down on the rocky beach, holding each other as they cried. Time seemed to stand still, until an eternity later the boat\x92s engine sprang to life, bringing it to shore.

When they had all settled down on the boat, Irhabotu set about to cook them a light meal, completely ignoring all protests. Although no one claimed to be hungry, the cat made sure they all ate. As they went on to mechanically clear away the dishes, Jamir woke up. Smiling faintly, she greeted them. Immediately, questions rained down on her, until Katti called for silence.
"Don\x92t smother her! Let her talk when she can."
"It\x92s all right," Jamir said, her voice faint. "I really can\x92t help much. I don\x92t even know what happened."
"What? Jam, where\x92s TC?"
"I don\x92t know, Renno. I\x92m so sorry. I was with him, when someone stabbed me and threw me overboard. I can\x92t remember anything more."
"Get some rest," Chaige said, helping her to a drink of water. "See if you can remember more in the morning."
Nodding, she laid back down, almost instantly going to sleep. For a while, the others sat around her, not talking, but then Renno leapt to his feet. Pacing about on the deck, he kept muttering curses, until Chaige stopped him.
"Please, Renno, stop this. Let\x92s try to think instead, we need to decide what to do."
"Do? I\x92m going back! I will find him, fox-boy."
"Injured? Renno, we have to get the wounded ones back to Landing Site. That includes you."
"No, Chai, it doesn\x92t. I\x92m not leaving."
"Half a mile\x92s walk nearly finished you off. What do you think an extended search will be like?"
"I don\x92t care. Mihio found me some medicine to kill the fever, and I can feel it working already. I should get going right away, while there might still be some scents lingering."
"Could you smell something here, on board?"
"Just that faint trace I felt before, like someone was here weeks ago. The ones who did this must mask their scents, but they can\x92t mask TC and Chara."
"Good thinking! And I thought you\x92d just lost your head. Okay, but if we leave now, who\x92ll take the boat back?"
"We? You\x92re not going!"
"Don\x92t be an idiot, Renno, of course I am!"
"Chai..." Renno\x92s voice failed him. "I have to find him. I just can\x92t leave."
"I know," Chaige said, holding his friend close. "I know."
"So, who takes the boat?" Katti asked, startling them. As they turned around, they found the rest of the team there, waiting. "I\x92m not a fisherman, I can\x92t drive it."
"The controls are smashed," Mihio said. "I\x92m good with engines, so I can drive it, but I can\x92t navigate."
"I can," Rajme said, "but I\x92m not going. I\x92m saving my little sister."
"I\x92ll navigate," Irhabotu said. "Believe me, I feel like a coward for leaving you, but I\x92m the best navigator you\x92ve got."
"Right," Chaige decided. "The three of us are staying, then you make sure to bring back help, okay?"
"The four of us."
"Katti? Why would you be staying?"
"You\x92ll need all the help you can get. Besides, I like the kids. Much more charming than their siblings."
"They are, aren\x92t they?" Mihio added, giggling at the furious glances she received. "Guys, I hate to desert you..."
"Mihio, please," Rajme said, throwing herself around the arms of her life-long friend. "You know you\x92re doing your part, just like the rest of us. Just make sure you send someone back to pick us up."
"I\x92ll come back myself!"
"No one\x92s staying!" The deep, stern voice startled them all. "Mihio, start the engine. We\x92re going home."
"Mr Sahir? Are you all right?"
"No, and neither will you be, if you stay. We\x92ll return later, with a proper rescue party."
"Like hell!" Renno snarled. "Every second means losing more trail!"
"By the time we get back, how could we find them?" Chaige asked.
"Mr Sahir, who did this?"
"Warriors, Mihio. Some kind of people I\x92ve never seen before. Maybe they\x92re from one of the old settlements, I don\x92t know."
"But why?" Irhabotu asked. "Why attack you at all?"
"My guess is they\x92re territorial. We were intruders."
"Is this why so many explorers go missing, Sahir?" Chaige asked. "They\x92re killed by these... these people?"
"It doesn\x92t matter," Renno said, shouldering his backpack. "I\x92m leaving. I know their scents, now, and I\x92ll find them."
"You\x92ll find your death! I\x92m ordering you to stay!" The tone of command i Sahir\x92s voice made the rest of them wince, but Renno shrugged it off, answering in a cold voice.
"You can\x92t order me. You couldn\x92t even protect my brother! You\x92re lucky I don\x92t throw you over board!"
"Renno, stop! I can\x92t move, don\x92t let him go!"
"We... we\x92re not sure we\x92ll listen to you, Sahir," Rajme said. "I\x92m going, too."
"If so much as one of you sets foot on Mainland, I\x92ll fail you all," Sahir growled. "Every single one of you. I\x92ll make sure you\x92ll never become explorers."
"Nice try," Katti sneered. "You guys coming?"
"Yup."
Chaige hopped over the railing, wading the short distance ashore. Renno and Katti followed, while Rajme lingered. Hugging Mihio one more time, she leaned down over the wolf\x92s face.
"I\x92m sorry it had to come to that," she said, her voice almost cracking up. "But you must understand, no title is worth Chara\x92s life."
"Since you\x92re so set to die," Sahir growled, "I might just as well wish you luck. Open the box behind you, and look to the left."
"What\x92s in it?" Rajme asked, complying. "A pistol?"
"It\x92s ancient, but it works perfectly. There are a few clips as well. With a little luck, it won\x92t come to use."
"Thanks, Sahir." She turned to the other three. "Mihio, Irhabotu, Jamir, take care of yourselves, you hear? Send someone back to pick us up. I\x92m sure dad won\x92t be hard to persuade."
"We will, Raj." The racoon girl was overflowing with tears. "Don\x92t get dead!"
"I won\x92t."
Leaping over the railing, Rajme went to join her friends. They heard the engine come to life, and watched in silence as the boat set out from the coast. As the minutes passed, it shrank from view until it had completely disappeared. Like the last time they had landed, they were now on their own, on Mainland. This time, utterly so.

Tyghe returned once more, hours later, to give Tailchaser a bowl of milk and some cooked meat. Without saying anything, he checked the young dog\x92s wounds, nodding his head slightly. Clearly, he was there against his orders, and he hurried to leave again. Thinking for a moment, Tailchaser tore off the right sleeve of his shirt, dipping it in the milk to feed Chara. The baby seemed hungry, and suckled happily, draining half the bowl. Careful not to give her too much, he set the bowl aside, instead chewing her some meat. It was tough and tasteless, and his wound throbbed with every bite, but he managed to give her a couple of mouthfuls. Standing up, he used the memory of the sensing to reach the farthest corner of the cell. There, he took off Chara\x92s diaper, encouraging her. Catching on, the baby relieved herself, and soon Tailchaser could feel his way back to the place where he had been the whole time. Later, he decided, when Chara had gone to sleep, he would check out the hole in the other end of the cell. As a last resort, he would considering crawling in there, but not at the moment. Instead, he felt around for the milk bowl, sipping half a mouthful. Don\x92t know when we\x92ll get more, he thought, fighting the instinct to quench his thirst. Better save it. He ate a piece of meat, but found that his stomach wouldn\x92t hold more. Wonder if I\x92m hurt on the inside, as well. Sighing, a slight shiver running through him, Tailchaser laid down to sleep. His inner clock was out of rhythm because of the time he had been unconscious, but he was tired, and it felt like night. Soon, both dogs were sleeping.

Mihio started up the engine again, and the boat took off once more. After a light meal, she had helped Sahir eat some, chewing food for him like Tailchaser always did with Chara. Irhabotu had helped Jamir, holding the plate while she ate. The fennec seemed to be getting weaker, a trickle of blood still seeping from the gape in her chest. To Mihio, it seemed as if one of her lungs was punctured, and she felt a renewed urgency gripping her.
"I wished TC was here," she said, not really realising she had thought out aloud.
"Why\x92s that?" Irhabotu asked. After tucking Jamir in, he had returned to take the makeshift rudder; one they had constructed ut of sticks and canvas, since the original one had been destroyed. The cat had not eaten, and his sea-sickness had left him pale.
"I don\x92t like the look of those thunderclouds," Mihio said, chewing her lower lip as she nodded towards the western horizon. "They look as if they might turn back again."
"They drenched us before, what could they possibly do now?"
"I wouldn\x92t want to be at sea in a storm, and besides, can you navigate when it\x92s cloudy?"
"I guess not. Damn! You\x92d think our luck would change..."
"Mihio?" Sahir asked, "How wide an area do the clouds cover?"
"Well, the sun\x92s almost gone down, but they seem to cover most of the western sky."
"Do you think you can go around them?"
"Look, Mr Sahir, Jam\x92s badly hurt. We need to get home as soon as possible. Those clouds stormed a lot yesterday, surely they haven\x92t got much left in them?"
"Mihio, they\x92re over the open sea, and it\x92s been several hot days in a row. They\x92re recharging like there\x92s no end to it, from the way you describe them. If we\x92re lucky, we\x92ll have to pass through a major storm."
"And if we\x92re not lucky?" Irhabotu asked, not knowing if he wanted the answer.
"If we\x92re unlucky, it\x92ll blow from the south. Won\x92t take much of a nudge to turn storm into hurricane."

Renno held a fairly high pace, as if he didn\x92t even feel his wounds any longer. A worried look on his face, Chaige had tried to make him slow down, but after the dog had picked up Tailchaser\x92s scent, he was practically unstoppable. They went deeper into the forest than they had been before, taking a route that led them almost straight to the south-east. As it got darker, they brought out flashlights, shining their way through some quite dense undergrowth. Luckily, these bushes and grasses seemed docile, and caused them no problems. At one point, the trail led through a grove of stouts, and they had to move more carefully. Among the trees, Chaige spotted several needlers, urging Renno to change direction. Refusing, the dog led them on, now at a painstakingly slow pace, in order not to upset the vicious trees. When they had finally cleared the grove, they called to a halt.
"Renno, we have to rest," Rajme said, trembling with a mixture of exhaustion and fear. "We aren\x92t going to last much longer if you keep pushing us."
"Neither are you," Chaige added, touching his friend\x92s arm. "You\x92re bleeding through your trousers, you know."
"I... I guess you\x92re right." He sighed, his head hanging low. "But let\x92s start again, first thing in the morning."
"I promise. Rest now, Renno, and take another of those pills, while I make us some food."
"Katti and I will raise the tent," Rajme said, and they got to work.
"Chai, we are going to find them, aren\x92t we?" Suddenly, Renno\x92s voice sounded thin.
"I hope so. I don\x92t want to lie and say everything will be fine."
"Why did you come?"
"Like I said, you\x92re looking for your brother. I\x92m looking out for mine."
"I\x92m your brother, fox-boy?" Renno managed a smile. "Anyway, it\x92s good to have you here."
"I wasn\x92t lying, you know..."
"What?"
"Back at the pool. You mean more to me than anybody. Even more than Raj."
"That\x92s... that\x92s sweet of you to say."
"Renno, we\x92ll do whatever we can to find TC and Chara, but not to the cost of our own lives! Promise me that!"
"I\x92m not sure I can, Chai. For TC, I\x92d..."
"Oh, I know. It scares me. Scares me, Renno."
"I\x92m sorry. I just feel like I\x92d rather die with him than go back without him."
"It scares me, Renno."
They ate in silence, hurriedly wiping the dishes clean. Nobody bothered about sleeping bags; instead, they slept in their clothes, cuddled together to share warmth. Even though the rainclouds were gone, it was still quite chilly. Shivering lightly, Chaige listened as the others began falling asleep. His thoughts would not let him relax. Renno was willing to give his life, but Chaige would not accept that. If there\x92s anything I can do to stop that, I will. Even if I have to go into whatever place these people hide in, to get the kids out myself! His concern must have been obvious, because he soon felt a hand on his cheek, stroking him gently, soothingly. Reaching out reflexively to touch Renno, he found the dog still asleep. The hand wasn\x92t his. Slowly, despite the fear and the cold, a warmth spread within him, as he felt his eyelids grow heavier.