Surrounded by birdsong and the movement of the wildlife through the grasses, Chimeg was surprised to realize how busy everything was. The young woman thought to herself, I never realized how many birds flew during the heat of the day. There are more songbirds around us than I expected. There are even signs of Ravens! I thought they were rare over the areas of long grass, but I have seen at least three since we have started. I guess there will be secrets that I had not had time to explore. But the essence of my homeland is something that I need to keep in my heart and memories.

  The sun was getting low on the horizon when Gan Gerel called a quick warning, “Khan Oktai has seen something and wants to brief us. He says it is too confusing to explain without being here.”

  The massive Eagle came swooping down at a high velocity. Stretching his wings out just before he hit the arm of the slender-looking Hunter, the big bird quickly moved to the unusual pommel that was constructed on the saddle.

  The big stallion, Ground Eagle, came trotting up, and all the guards circled around. Chimeg demanded, << What is the problem? What did you see? >>

  The big flying predator answered, << The waystation is very crowded. I recognize some of the animals there. >> Khan Oktai looked over at the big stallion and said, << It looks like the rest of your herd and that of the Steppe ponies are there. >>

  << That would not require you to come back to brief us. Are there additional problems? >> asked Chimeg curiously.

  Clattering his beak in behavior that somehow told the Seer that the big Familiar was undecided, the Eagle continued, explaining the crowded state of the waystation. << I can see multiple humans, and they have many wagons. There are full adults and even some children. That might be a trade convoy, but in the waystation and in the brush around it, I can see another herd of horses. These are shorter than the other horses, and they are more rough-coated. At this point, the horses are circled in a defensive position with the ponies. >>

  Conveying the information to those that had no mindspeak, Chimeg and Gan Gerel turned back to the Eagle as Ganhsuk asked urgently, “From what threat are they trying to protect? Is it Blood Mages?”

  The big avian clacked his beak one more time, and said, << Blood Mages would be easier. I could see some of the Tibetan Temple dogs in the back of the wagons, guarding the children, while a whole group of Tibetan Mastiffs prowls around the perimeter. All of these I have seen at the Familiar Trials, so I am going to assume that they are also Familiar lines that have decided to emigrate. >>

  Exchanging glances, Geriel and Chimeg both looked stunned. Almost whispering, the Healer asked her companion, “What are we going to do with them?”

  The Seer shrugged her shoulders and said, “Dochin set out a Call to Familiars. I would expect that is who has responded. If they are Familiars, we can have a reasonable discussion and figure things out as a group.”

  Geriel raised her voice, panic underlying it, and screeching, “How can you be so calm? It sounds like we are moving a whole horse herd and almost a zoo!”

  First Chimeg and then Batsorig started to laugh. Pretty soon, all of the humans were laughing until tears ran down their faces. Struggling to stop, the Seer said, “I realize that is not what we planned, but that is what we have. I am sure that Dochin did not make a mistake when she Called.”

  The great Black Eagle ruffled his feathers and remarked, << I hope that viewpoint will survive the fact that there is a whole group of Bankhar dogs. At a guess, that is probably one threat that the horses are trying to guard against! >>

  Almost afraid to ask the question, Chimeg queried their scout urgently, << What else did you see? >>

  << I saw movement in the woods and brush, but could not get a clear view of the animals that skulked there. All I know is that most of them are large. I caught a glimpse of cats, but the felines are much bigger than the typical cat Familiars. >> stated Kahn Oktai.

  Murmuring aloud, Chimeg looked over at the warrior woman and stated, “I think this is very interesting. I cannot think of a large cat that has the capability of being a Familiar. Can you?”

  A totally unknown voice pounced into the conversation, << Yes, we are all Familiar lines. The Blood Mages have been preying on our kittens, and the Call from the old Seer fell on receptive ears. Three lines decided to come with you. Will you honor Dochin’s promise? >>

  Immediately, Chimeg responded, << Of course. As my mistress promised, you are welcome to come with us. >>

  Appearing as if they had sprung out of the ground were three different breeds of large felines. One looked like an extremely large house cat with a dense fur. Chimeg recognized it as the so-called Steppe cat, a tough ring-tailed cat that she knew did equally well in the desert and the cold mountains.

  The other cat was approximately the same size but was more delicately formed. Moving with a dangerous, sinuous grace, it approached Chimeg and sat with its tail curled around its feet directly in front of her. The young Seer nodded her head in greeting, but her attention was yanked to the Healer, who uttered a strangled sound of fear and terror.

  Following her gaze, Chimeg saw something that she never could have predicted. Standing in a majestic pose, as if it wanted someone to paint its picture, was a huge snow leopard. The sun glinted off its light fur and accented the dark spots. Against the dramatic coat, the animal’s silvery-grey eyes appeared almost to glow. Moving closer to the humans, it stalked instead of walking.

  The young Seer could hear the abortive movements of the warriors around her as they reached for their weapons in cautious preparation. Only the Eagle Hunter stood still in calm.

  When the large cat was only a few feet away from Chimeg, it tilted its head to the side and scrutinized the young woman searchingly. There was a strong sense of evaluation in the Familiar’s gaze, and the Journeyman Seer was conscious of a wave of approval that warmed her deep to her core.

  Switching his focus to the other members of the party, the big leopard examined each of them before turning its attention to Geriel. Tilting his head further to one side, the big cat opened its mouth, displaying its huge fangs and immense mouth. Suddenly, a shocking sound erupted from his throat, “Mew!”

  There was a thump beside Chimeg as the Healer fainted in overwhelming terror, crashing onto the ground. Instantly, Ganhsuk swept the woman up protectively in his arms and moved her away from the cat to a more secure position.

  Trying with difficulty to keep a straight face, Chimeg looked at the leopard and said, << That was really cruel! >>

  Making a purring sound, the leopard responded, << But you have to admit it was pretty funny! >>

  Chapter 21 – Teamwork

  On the Route to Paris, Earth

  Chimeg sat on her horse the next morning, feeling as if she had fallen into a storybook. The Journeyman Seer had tried to remain calm with the surprises that had met them on the road the day before, but her control over her emotions was severely tried when they had arrived at their planned campsite.

  Geriel had been so shaken by the fright she had experienced in the encounter with the big snow leopard that she traveled the rest of the distance to the waystation sandwiched between Ganhsuk and Batsorig. She had mostly calmed down during the ride, feeling more secure with the two Mongolian warriors’ protection. However, the glances that the Journeyman had managed told her that the older woman was still very shaken and frightened.

  It was early nightfall when their small party had approached the camp through deepening shadows. They could all smell the cooking meat and the aromatic smoke that came from the pine that was being burned in the cook fire. Chimeg’s stomach growled, and she knew that the others were just as hungry. Focused on traveling the last few hundred yards, the Seer felt the hot wash of a compelling Vision slam into her and abruptly halted her horse.

  The world around her had swirled, and a golden glow scrubbed everything out of her Vision for just a moment. A partially transparent view of large dogs jumping out from either side of the road slowly emerged startling the Seer. Massively framed and furred like a combination of bear and lion, the dogs had huge teeth and a terrible growling howl. In her Vision, their party scattered, and she saw Geriel and one of the younger horses go down.

  Her heart in her throat, the young Seer waited for the rending of flesh and was surprised when the animals abruptly pulled up. It had been some sort of test or even a bad joke, but the unconscious Healer and the colt's broken leg left her totally unamused and infuriated.

  The Vision had lifted, and Chimeg was shaken by its abrupt arrival and departure. Without thinking, the young woman acted instinctively and decisively. Flinging her hand up to halt the rest of the party, she had advanced a few horse lengths in front of her companions and called out in an angry voice, “That is enough of that! Are you puppies or adult Familiars? We do not need dominance games played. All of us should be focusing our energy on survival and getting out of here, not trying to prove who is the nastiest thing around!”

  She had waited for a few moments, but there was total silence. The group behind her waited, trusting her to know what she was talking about. There was a slither of sound as Batsorig and Ganhsuk slid their weapons out of their sheaths. Another whisper told her that Temujin had altered his position slightly, moving closer to the vulnerable horse herd.

  Even the conversation around the campfire had ceased. Chimeg felt more than saw the pressure of many eyes as those in the woods moved to see what was going on. Gold, green, and silver glowing orbs peered at her through the underbrush, while a whisper of feathers drew her attention as three owls drifted to perches that were scattered among the branches of a large tree overlooking where she stood.

  The young woman’s temper snapped, and she stabbed a finger toward the left side of the road and commanded, “You, the one with the black fur and gold markings, show yourself unless you are too much of a coward and can only attack people who are supposed to be your allies from the dark!”

  Without waiting for a response, Chimeg had turned to look at the right side of the path, and snarled, “And you, the one with the red hair and the attitude that you are the scariest thing around, you get your furry butt out here also!” The incensed woman added, “That assumes that there is room on the pathway for both you and your ego!”

  It was with a sense of wonder that the young Journeyman remembered both how angry she was and how a cold, calculating force had swirled up inside of her filling her with confidence and the knowledge that she was doing the right thing. Somehow she had known that the rest of the watchers from the woods needed to be confronted with the same choices and rules that she was about to lay down for the massive hounds.

  Standing in the middle of the road, angry and her hands firmly placed on her hips, Chimeg waited. After a few moments, the brush on either side of the road rustled, and the two massive hounds that she had Seen in her Vision emerged. Almost apologetically, the pair came to stand in the middle of the road facing the young Seer. Idly, the young woman noticed that they were close enough to touch each other as if they needed reassurance. I did not think I was that intimidating, although I will admit I am pretty angry right now! Chimeg thought to herself

  Pinning them in place with her glare like a bug with the pin, the young woman had raised her voice and called out, “The rest of you that are here to join our party need to understand the same things. I do not want to have to explain this more than once to you, so listen in!” Chimeg had taken a couple of deep breaths to try to center herself before saying more calmly, “Some of you have been Called and accepted the Call. Others of you have been invited, and have chosen to accept the invitation. Yours was the choice to come, mine is the choice on whether to accept you as a traveling companion.”

  The two dogs immediately dropped flat onto the roadway, whining submissively. Sparing them only a single still-angry glance, Chimeg continued, “The only way that we will successfully make our escape from this place into one where our kind can live and prosper is by cooperation. While some of you are big and powerful, others also have contributions to make.

  “Only by combining all of our strengths and shoring up our collective weaknesses will we succeed. Anyone who endangers that success will not be welcome in this group. Do I make myself clear?”

  The young Seer’s mind had been inundated by flashes of mental contact, as the many Familiars surrounding her accepted her leadership and the rules she had laid down. When she had turned her gaze once more to the two prone dogs in front of her, the black one had answered, << We understand and agree, Darkhan zantai! Chieftess, we will follow! >>

  Directed at only them, Chimeg had thought back << No more stupid puppy games! Or I will nail your furry hides to the wall! >> The young Seer had stood there commandingly as the two dogs had crept to their feet and scuttled into the underbrush, tail tucked between their legs.

  The rest of the evening had been a confusing swirl of activity as groups were introduced, and people were sorted out. Geriel recovered her composure as soon as she was introduced to the two young Healers that had joined the group. Although the two had been driving the wagons for their group, they were obviously experienced Healers and extremely excited to speak to Chimeg’s friend.

  Busy with exploring their abilities and their backgrounds, Geriel had lost her fear of the Familiars and had focused on the minor ailments and illnesses that people and animals had picked up in their headlong rush to make the meeting point. Several of the Yakutian horses had developed strained fetlocks, and the Healer was very attentive to their needs. As Gerial told Chimeg that night, “It was not like they could easily be placed in a wagon!”

  The Healer spent a lot of time addressing injuries, both new and old, that troubled the two orphaned children the younger Healers had acquired in their headlong rush to the meeting point. In this effort, she was also assisted by several of the Hidden Folk that had decided to come along.

  Chimeg had been shocked to realize just how many were now part of her group. She had wondered to herself, I really hope that Jeremiah has plenty of room for us. If my group is this big, I shudder to think about how large some of the others are going to be.

  Finally, stumbling off to bed after an exhausting night of plans and discussions, Chimeg had slipped into slumber, feeling like something radical had changed in her world already. Just as she almost grasped what it was, sleep dragged her down into a warm and refreshing embrace.

  Despite her exhaustion, the young Journeyman Seer’s rest was haunted with mysterious eyes watching her. For the most part, her dreams were not upsetting as her actions were somehow watched and judged as she moved through her duties. However, the appearance of several pair of bloodshot and staring eyeballs filled her with both nausea and a sense of impending danger.

  Waking several times in cold fear, Chimeg eventually fell into a restful sleep and woke energized and ready to tackle the day. Contrary to her concerns, the entire group was packed up and on the road only a little after full light. Looking back at the mixed herd of horses and ponies, the wagons filled with the smaller cats and dogs, Hidden Folk, and supplies, the Journeyman Seer thought to herself, Sometimes, my life is just weird!

  Gesturing, the Seer turned Caravan Master headed off toward Paris, the long line of her companions stretching out behind her. On either side of the road, the sinuous figures of the large felines flashed in brief appearances, while unexpected songbirds provided music to their march. Above them, circling in the bright morning sky and seeming to escort there column were raptors of various sizes, while scattered through the branches of the trees along their way were the dark-colored bodies and bright observant eyes of Ravens and crows.

  Chapter 22 – Babies are Work

  On the French Road, Earth

  Jehani was exhausted. The adolescent cat had not really understood how difficult it would be trying to travel with little ones. Seralla’s daughter, Maeve, had been a big help, but even the seven-month-old kitten had gotten quickly tired.

  At least for the first couple of hours, Maeve did most of the chasing and herding of Snowstripe, Miko, and Mendoric. All three of the ten-week-old kittens treated the beginning of what Jehani knew was going to be a long journey as if it was playtime in the meadow.

  The injuries that the adolescent cat had taken in the battle with the foxes provided a constant backdrop of throbbing pain interrupted by an occasional stab of agony to every step he took. Unable to do anything about it, Jehani just fought through the debilitating aches.

  Jehani felt overwhelmed, realizing with every mile traveled more of the challenge that he had instinctually accepted. Keeping a cheerful demeanor, the Persian male tried to encourage the kittens to keep moving, but as the light of the day started to fade, his energies flagged until he almost gave into despair.

  << Jehani! Miko cannot go any further. She just plopped down in place, and I am not strong enough to carry her. When I try to nudge her up, she just whimpers for her mother! What are we going to do? >>

  Quickly, the adolescent Persian moved to where Maeve stood on the side of the road, looking helplessly down at the collapsed kitten. Even from five feet away, Jehani could hear the pain-filled whimpers that the tiny animal made. Looking slightly to the side of Maeve, he saw that the other two kittens had also collapsed in a single huddle of exhaustion.

  Jehani’s mind spun, trying to find a solution and could not find an easy one. Finally, a dimly remembered memory of riding on Jack’s back when he was a tiny kitten surfaced, and he went over next to Miko and crouched down.

  << Maeve, lift Miko onto my back and tell her to hold on tight. I will then move over next to the other two, and we can get them loaded also. I will not be able to walk very far with that load, but I should be able to move us all to at least someplace to where we can find a protected location for tonight. >