Sub-temporally Grounded
**Part 1**
You know me as Cassie.
Just Cassie.
Nothing else. But so much more. I'm not normal. Even less normal than I always thought. I'm less normal then all the other Animorphs put together. I'm less normal than anything I ever thought was possible, and there aren't a lot of things left to consider impossible.
The Drode said I'm a freak of nature. Crayak said I'm an anomaly. The Ellimist said that I'm special.
I haven't told anyone this. Not my parents. Not any of the Animorphs. Not even Jake. To tell the whole story, I can't tell anyone.
I wish I could tell Jake. I wish I could talk to him again, touch his face, see him smile. I can, but I wonder if I'm strong enough.
It happened a time ago. I'll start at the beginning. That lies in the middle of another battle…
We were in the woods, trying to make a distraction from where we had hidden the free Hork-Bajir in the hills. There were us, a band of Taxxons, and two or three Blue-Banded Hork-Bajir-Controllers.
We were winning. Which was no surprise, since after Ax, Marco and Rachel took care of the Hork-Bajir, there were only Taxxons left. Taxxons are disgusting, revolting, but they're easy to kill.
Except for when they've got dracons.
I snatched my wolf head around and saw the dracon being aimed. Immediately, I heard Jake's voice in my head.
Concentrate, he snapped from where he stood, close to the side behind me. You get one chance. Attack on three. One… two… three!
I didn't doubt. I never doubted Jake. I flew up towards the Taxxon. His careful aim was wasted! I smacked the dracon to the side with my shoulder and landed on the Taxxon's ugly face, teeth and claws first. But…
Tseeew.
* * *
Cassie reached out, gently, carefully, to touch one of the white lines flowing around her. It curved, twisted, and then spun tightly around itself and grew brighter. Cassie smiled - if anything she could do was a smile. It was more of a warm awareness that would have been a smile for a normal person. Then she looked down.
At one of the six golden lines shooting forwards through time.
She was the line. She could feel it; it was her. The golden thread looked so slender, so easy to break. She felt that the slightest touch would make it collapse. The thought made her shiver, but she had no arms to wrap around herself.
She stretched out - the line stretched out - to her side. There was another line; a strong line. It shone brighter than any other, growing stronger and stronger as it expanded. Growing brighter, more beautiful, shining even more as she neared it.
Peace. She felt peace. Calmness. Maybe even happiness.
Suddenly the brighter line fell away. It withered and faded, curled up onto itself and ended.
She screamed, but no sound came.
* * *
Cassie!
I twisted. My legs kicked, and my head jerked upwards.
Cassie!
"YES. CASSIE."
At the new voice, I yelped and flew up to my feet. My head spun from the sudden movement. I felt sick.
Who - what?! I cried.
Jake hushed harshly at me. Ax's stalk-eyes darted back and forth to locate any possible enemies before they found us.
You okay? Rachel said.
I looked around. No-one was there except for us. Jake, Rachel, Ax, Marco, and me. Tobias was flying overhead, looking down at us all. The Taxxons were dead, or as good as. A few were busy eating… themselves or others.
The strange, booming voice laughed. "THEY CANNOT HEAR ME. ONLY YOU CAN HEAR ME."
I'm… fine, I said. What happened?
You smacked a Taxxon's dracon and the beam nearly hit Jake. Rachel looked weirdly at me. Then you collapsed.
Something felt wrong. I could feel it. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong!
"VERY GOOD. VERY GOOD INDEED. YOU HAVE POTENTIALS, HUMAN. HIGH POTENTIALS."
Something was wrong.
But what?
The voice laughed again, this time evilly. "THINK, CASSIE THE ANIMORPH. THINK, AND THE ANSWER WILL BE YOURS."
Is it normal for wolves to just collapse? Ax asked. I was under the impression that they are quite robust. Sturdy.
No, Marco snapped. Scream and they'll all faint.
I ignored them. They seemed distant. Unfamiliar, yet familiar. Like finding your math teacher in your kitchen. You know your teacher, of course, but what's she doing in your kitchen?
Silly. Where would they be, if not with me? Where would I be, if not with them? We were a team. We were an army. We kept together; we followed a leader.
Jake. But Jake seemed the most distant. The most unfamiliar. The most… faded.
And yet he was right there; solid, real.
Who are you? I thought.
"THAT DOES NOT MATTER. MY IDENTITY WILL BE REVEALED IF NEED BE."
We need to move, Jake said. His tiger muzzle puffed gently at my side. He felt real enough.
Yeah, I said, far into my own thoughts. I guess.
We left the place and returned to our hiding place in the hills, far away from the detected Hork-Bajir valley. Marco and Rachel took up guard for the night, together with a team of Hork-Bajir, among them Toby, while Tobias flew down to his meadow to catch dinner and make sure no hawks were intruding.
Tobias is very fond of his meadow.
I sat down next to the little fire we had lit. My parents were sleeping, and from what I knew, so were the other parents, and Champ. They were all going through a tough time. They were exhausted, and needed their rest.
But I needed to talk to someone. I needed someone to assure me things were okay.
"WISHES DO NOT COME TRUE JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE SPOKEN."
I sat still. And again thought my question.
Who are you?
"CASSIE. WHY ASK ME? YOU KNOW THE ANSWER. LOOK INSIDE YOURSELF. FIND WHO I AM. YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT, BUT SEARCH, IF YOU WISH TO."
I felt like doing as the voice said. I closed my eyes, and let my thoughts float free. My mind emptied. It all came so natural that it was scary.
* * *
The golden line that was Cassie floated on through time and possibly space. It was hard to tell. She looked down at it, making sure it was still there, still flowing gently as it should, and was pleased to find that it was.
But where there had been six lines, there were five.
No… she saw the sixth. Still there. If she squinted with her… not eyes, something else, a consciousness… she could feel it's presence. But it was very weak. And something helped keep it up. Something that shouldn't be there. Something which intruded.
Then Cassie felt another thing. A thing nudging at her. Yes; that was the word. Something compelling her to search. She expanded her existence and sensed new things, wonderful and horrible, all around her.
There it was. A feeling… the feeling of laughter. Not the sound. Cassie knew it wasn't a sound. It was… the feeling of a sound. The feeling of a booming laughter, which she knew.
The voice.
She whimpered and shrank together.
* * *
Fear shook me out of my… other existence. At once I felt ill again. Maybe there was some connection. I felt as if my limps were weighed down by elephants. My fingers felt as if I was wearing really thick gloves. I concentrated and the feeling disappeared.
Crayak, I thought.
"YES."
What are you doing here?
"I AM… YOUR GUIDE. I AM HERE TO AID YOU THROUGH THIS."
Crayak, I knew, didn't "aid". He destroyed, and ravaged, and killed. He was evil. He was an enemy. Even more of an enemy than any Yeerk.
Go away, I ordered harshly. Leave me alone! Leave us alone!
"AS YOU WISH. BUT, CASSIE THE ANOMALY. CASSIE THE INTERLOPER… IF YOU EVER NEED HELP, YOU MUST CALL ME. CALL ME, AND I SHALL HELP YOU."
"Go away!" I shrieked. "Leave me alone!"
Jake jumped a step backwards. He raised his hands in defense. "Okay," he said, sounding surprised. "I'm going, I'm going."
He turned and walked away. I did nothing to stop it. Crayak's laugh boomed in my head. I still felt strangely nauseous. But it became more distant, bit by bit, as Jake disappeared into the shadows.
I lay down and tried to sleep. My gaze lost itself in the flames of the fire.
The Yeerks found us again in the morning.
I was warned when an osprey blew down, flaring its wings and landing next to me.
Yeerks! Marco's voice warned. Jake says you find the grown-ups. And lead them outta here! The rest of us will try to delay the slugs. Come back when you're done! We might need help!
Jake was trying to keep me out of the worst. Maybe he was worried for the day before. I had been a little out. Maybe he was right.
Good luck! Marco said as he lifted again and flapped away.
I was immediately awake. I was awake, and knew what to do. I rushed up, towards the nearest tree. The Hork-Bajir leaped nimbly out of my way as I climbed - much slower than they, despite a lot of practice - up to the first, newly but hastily built, platform.
"Yeerks!" I shouted as I reached it. "Move! We're leaving."
The Hork-Bajir stormed into action. They hurried to their places; defenses or wherever they were needed. A few of the older and all the youngsters started down the trees' stems and set of out of our hiding place. The wounded from the battle earlier were carried.
I grabbed a passing Hork-Bajir's wrist and asked; "Where are the humans?"
The Hork-Bajir flicked his tail. "You slow climb. I carry."
Before I could object, he had lifted me up on his back and I had to clung on as he leapt from the platform to another. As he landed, the half-finished platform creaked threateningly. He ignored it, scrambled higher up into the tree and fearlessly threw himself across a gap of at least ten meters.
I know the feeling. I've been Hork-Bajir. It's exhilarating! It's almost like flying. But being a human girl clinging to the back of a "climbing" Hork-Bajir isn't at all exhilarating. It's frightening. Especially when you almost loose your grip and fall.
"Humans here," the Hork-Bajir said and landed on another - also not finished - platform. "Kel Imeko must go."
He leapt off of the platform, grabbed a branch and swung himself down to the ground. Just watching made my stomach twist.
"Cassie!" a voice called. My mom. "What's going on?"
I saw that they were all there. Our parents, except Jake's parents, and Rachel's two sisters. They were all involved now. No use trying to hide it; they were in this as deep as we were.
"Yeerks," I said, trying to catch my breath. "Grab your things. We're leaving."
I led them and the young, old and wounded Hork-Bajir - together with four well-built warriors that might have been Blue-Bands before they were saved - out of our camp. We had stayed there long enough to start building platforms and shelters in the trees. Now we needed to leave it.
I morphed the horse and let the humans in the group take turns riding on my back. They couldn't keep up very well with the Hork-Bajir, but I could as a horse. Although only my own parents seemed to know how to sit on a horse without falling off four times a minute, or bumping up and down.
I carried two or three riders for every shift, and stopped every five minutes or so to take another. Sara and Jordan counted as one person together, so at some points I carried four riders. The weight wasn't the worst with that; it was the way they sat.
We fled for an hour or so. Then I gave the Hork-Bajir orders to continue for another hour and find a place to hide.
Quickly, I demorphed and told the humans to follow the Hork-Bajir.
My dad grabbed my arm. "And where are you going, Cassie?"
"Back to the others," I said. "they might need help with the Yeerks."
"It's dangerous back there," my dad said. "you're doing no such thing!"
I pulled my arm loose. "I'm not a little girl any more," I snapped. "you don't have to like it, dad, but fighting Yeerks is what I do. It's what I will do."
I gave my mom a hug and hoped silently I'd see her again. She kissed my cheek and nodded, understanding if not accepting.
Then I morphed the osprey, and saluted them with my wings as I rose to the skies. I didn't turn back, but I knew my dad was watching me.
I found the battle still raging near the camp. My friends had been pushed back far, but they hadn't given up. Hork-Bajir on our side were using the long spears - pikes, I think they're called - that one of the parents had suggested. They could easily stab enemies before they came into range for blades.
Jake was in tiger morph, now with only three legs, but still he was successfully keeping the Taxxons back. Ax was among the free Hork-Bajir without pikes, now and then suddenly darting up and cutting large chunks out of the flanks of the Yeerks. Rachel was ravaging around, bleeding but fighting like a berserk. Marco was close by, keeping her back clear - and keeping an eye on her. Tobias was diving to rip and tear, as well as to steal dracon beams and give to the free Hork-Bajir.
The air was filled with dracon from both sides.
Visser One wasn't around. Maybe he left this to his troops, or maybe he been there briefly but decided to be somewhere else.
Cassie! a voice called. Tobias. That's you, right?
Yeah. What can I do?
Help me steal dracons. They're kinda heavy, so get lots of speed and make sure you're aimed properly to swoop to the good side.
Sure. How's it going?
They're all low on morph-time, and we aren't winning yet. It's not looking good, Cassie. It's not good at all.
I called down to Jake. Jake. What's happening?
We're all about to get stuck in morph and the Hork-Bajir are being slaughtered on both sides.
Tobias told me that much. Anything else?
Yeah. It's good that you came. We need serious backup. Though I think it's about time to haul butt.
They'd follow us, Tobias remarked.
I know. But then we could chop them down one at a time when they come too close.
Maybe, I agreed. But the dracons…
Be glad they didn't bring bug-fighters. Jake glanced up at me with his tiger face before continuing to fight the Taxxons.
I began a dive and aimed carefully at a dracon in the hand of a Hork-Bajir. I folded my wings, and plummeted downwards…
Flared my wings, secured the dracon in my talons…
Momentum swooped me away! The Hork-Bajir let out a cry of surprise. He snatched after me with both hands. But I was outta there!
I flapped wildly to stay airborne with the load. Over the heads of Taxxons and Hork-Bajir-Controllers. Towards the free Hork-Bajir.
"Tseeeeer!" I cried and dropped the dracon.
A Hork-Bajir caught it, and waved a gigantic hand thankfully.
I flapped, caught a wind, and rose upwards.
Good one, Tobias congratulated. He swooped down.
I looked over the scene. The Taxxons around Jake were getting too numerous for me to feel safe about it. I decided to do something about it.
I folded my wings, aimed, and dove. The ground was rushing up at me.
"NO. NOT NOW."
* * *
Cassie was aware of a gigantic, hostile presence. Not far from her, it floated through space, coming towards her quickly. She tried to pull away. She was afraid. Very afraid.
But something held her. Something pulled her back. She couldn't pull away! She was trapped!
Suddenly, she knew what held her. The golden line. Her golden line! She couldn't leave it. She could, but that would break it. If it broke, she'd… simply cease to exist.
The presence closed in. Wrapped around her. Strangled her, closed her in, locked her tightly in it's grip.
Cassie wailed in terror. But terror was just a feeling. Just an awareness. There was something stronger… something…
* * *
"Cass! Oh, god, wake up! Wake up!"
I was feeling like I had a high fever. My head was spinning, and I felt like I would to throw up any second. I was dimly aware of something holding me. A large, looming shadow held me trapped - gently.
"Wake up!" a voice wept. "Don't.. don't die…"
I opened my osprey eyes. Jake was clutching me in his arms, running, crying, wailing; all at the same time.
Rachel was next to him, a looming, quickly demorphing half-bear stumbling forwards. Tobias flew above. Marco was knuckle-running by Jake's side, also demorphing. Ax ran in front, Hork-Bajir with and without pikes and with and without dracons were everywhere around.
They'll hear you, Rachel hissed. Shut up, Jake! Shut up!
Jake drew his breath and glanced down at me. I ruffled a wing to show that I was alive, if nothing else.
See? Marco said. She'll be fine.
Jake hugged me so tightly that my ribs almost snapped. But then Rachel held out her arms and took me over. Jake began morphing.
Things felt wrong again. Very wrong. People around me felt unreal.
"The Yeerks are chasing us," she explained. "We all need to morph before they get here. Are you okay?"
I… think so.
"Can you morph?" she asked.
Yeah.
"Good. Demorph and morph wolf."
I started demorphing. But…
You're not morphing, Cassie, Jake said sternly, his voice a little shaky. You're flying back to the camp. Tobias, go with her. Then come back here.
What? But… I…
But Jake had recalled some of his leader-role once he realized I wasn't dead. Enough to start ordering me around. That's twice, Cassie. You've collapsed twice! This time you almost died at it, too. I'm keeping you out of the fight until you're better.
I'm fine!
"I'm not risking it," Jake said, almost snarling, determined to get his way. "I'm not risking you if it means I need to face the entire Yeerk fleet alone."
I felt stunned. There was so much feeling in those words. I had a reply ready, but it never came out. I stayed silent. My heart felt like it was melting.
"Jake's right," Rachel said suddenly. And then she threw me into the air and I had to flap not to fall straight to the ground. "Go with Tobias. Go with Tobias NOW!"
I flapped upwards, towards Tobias. Jake knew best, surely. Rachel was probably right. And Tobias was looking at me as if I might fall out of the sky any moment.
Follow me, he said. Then hesitated. Ehm… where did you take the refugees?
I flew of towards the camp. My mind was heavy. Tired.
Surely, Jake would realize I wasn't sick. I mean, I collapsed, I felt nauseaus afterwards, but… it was only temporary. Right? He couldn't take me out of the fight. He couldn't. Not when every single soldier was needed desperately. Could he?
"YES," Crayak laughed in the back of my head. "HE CAN, CASSIE THE IRREGULARITY. CASSIE THE SOFTHEARTED WARRIOR. HE CAN. AND HE WILL."
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Author's Note;
I'm only continuing this if you readers want me to. Personally, I think this idea is very interesting. It's got possibilities. And I know exactly what to do with it.
**Part 1**
You know me as Cassie.
Just Cassie.
Nothing else. But so much more. I'm not normal. Even less normal than I always thought. I'm less normal then all the other Animorphs put together. I'm less normal than anything I ever thought was possible, and there aren't a lot of things left to consider impossible.
The Drode said I'm a freak of nature. Crayak said I'm an anomaly. The Ellimist said that I'm special.
I haven't told anyone this. Not my parents. Not any of the Animorphs. Not even Jake. To tell the whole story, I can't tell anyone.
I wish I could tell Jake. I wish I could talk to him again, touch his face, see him smile. I can, but I wonder if I'm strong enough.
It happened a time ago. I'll start at the beginning. That lies in the middle of another battle…
We were in the woods, trying to make a distraction from where we had hidden the free Hork-Bajir in the hills. There were us, a band of Taxxons, and two or three Blue-Banded Hork-Bajir-Controllers.
We were winning. Which was no surprise, since after Ax, Marco and Rachel took care of the Hork-Bajir, there were only Taxxons left. Taxxons are disgusting, revolting, but they're easy to kill.
Except for when they've got dracons.
I snatched my wolf head around and saw the dracon being aimed. Immediately, I heard Jake's voice in my head.
Concentrate, he snapped from where he stood, close to the side behind me. You get one chance. Attack on three. One… two… three!
I didn't doubt. I never doubted Jake. I flew up towards the Taxxon. His careful aim was wasted! I smacked the dracon to the side with my shoulder and landed on the Taxxon's ugly face, teeth and claws first. But…
Tseeew.
* * *
Cassie reached out, gently, carefully, to touch one of the white lines flowing around her. It curved, twisted, and then spun tightly around itself and grew brighter. Cassie smiled - if anything she could do was a smile. It was more of a warm awareness that would have been a smile for a normal person. Then she looked down.
At one of the six golden lines shooting forwards through time.
She was the line. She could feel it; it was her. The golden thread looked so slender, so easy to break. She felt that the slightest touch would make it collapse. The thought made her shiver, but she had no arms to wrap around herself.
She stretched out - the line stretched out - to her side. There was another line; a strong line. It shone brighter than any other, growing stronger and stronger as it expanded. Growing brighter, more beautiful, shining even more as she neared it.
Peace. She felt peace. Calmness. Maybe even happiness.
Suddenly the brighter line fell away. It withered and faded, curled up onto itself and ended.
She screamed, but no sound came.
* * *
Cassie!
I twisted. My legs kicked, and my head jerked upwards.
Cassie!
"YES. CASSIE."
At the new voice, I yelped and flew up to my feet. My head spun from the sudden movement. I felt sick.
Who - what?! I cried.
Jake hushed harshly at me. Ax's stalk-eyes darted back and forth to locate any possible enemies before they found us.
You okay? Rachel said.
I looked around. No-one was there except for us. Jake, Rachel, Ax, Marco, and me. Tobias was flying overhead, looking down at us all. The Taxxons were dead, or as good as. A few were busy eating… themselves or others.
The strange, booming voice laughed. "THEY CANNOT HEAR ME. ONLY YOU CAN HEAR ME."
I'm… fine, I said. What happened?
You smacked a Taxxon's dracon and the beam nearly hit Jake. Rachel looked weirdly at me. Then you collapsed.
Something felt wrong. I could feel it. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong!
"VERY GOOD. VERY GOOD INDEED. YOU HAVE POTENTIALS, HUMAN. HIGH POTENTIALS."
Something was wrong.
But what?
The voice laughed again, this time evilly. "THINK, CASSIE THE ANIMORPH. THINK, AND THE ANSWER WILL BE YOURS."
Is it normal for wolves to just collapse? Ax asked. I was under the impression that they are quite robust. Sturdy.
No, Marco snapped. Scream and they'll all faint.
I ignored them. They seemed distant. Unfamiliar, yet familiar. Like finding your math teacher in your kitchen. You know your teacher, of course, but what's she doing in your kitchen?
Silly. Where would they be, if not with me? Where would I be, if not with them? We were a team. We were an army. We kept together; we followed a leader.
Jake. But Jake seemed the most distant. The most unfamiliar. The most… faded.
And yet he was right there; solid, real.
Who are you? I thought.
"THAT DOES NOT MATTER. MY IDENTITY WILL BE REVEALED IF NEED BE."
We need to move, Jake said. His tiger muzzle puffed gently at my side. He felt real enough.
Yeah, I said, far into my own thoughts. I guess.
We left the place and returned to our hiding place in the hills, far away from the detected Hork-Bajir valley. Marco and Rachel took up guard for the night, together with a team of Hork-Bajir, among them Toby, while Tobias flew down to his meadow to catch dinner and make sure no hawks were intruding.
Tobias is very fond of his meadow.
I sat down next to the little fire we had lit. My parents were sleeping, and from what I knew, so were the other parents, and Champ. They were all going through a tough time. They were exhausted, and needed their rest.
But I needed to talk to someone. I needed someone to assure me things were okay.
"WISHES DO NOT COME TRUE JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE SPOKEN."
I sat still. And again thought my question.
Who are you?
"CASSIE. WHY ASK ME? YOU KNOW THE ANSWER. LOOK INSIDE YOURSELF. FIND WHO I AM. YOU MAY NOT LIKE IT, BUT SEARCH, IF YOU WISH TO."
I felt like doing as the voice said. I closed my eyes, and let my thoughts float free. My mind emptied. It all came so natural that it was scary.
* * *
The golden line that was Cassie floated on through time and possibly space. It was hard to tell. She looked down at it, making sure it was still there, still flowing gently as it should, and was pleased to find that it was.
But where there had been six lines, there were five.
No… she saw the sixth. Still there. If she squinted with her… not eyes, something else, a consciousness… she could feel it's presence. But it was very weak. And something helped keep it up. Something that shouldn't be there. Something which intruded.
Then Cassie felt another thing. A thing nudging at her. Yes; that was the word. Something compelling her to search. She expanded her existence and sensed new things, wonderful and horrible, all around her.
There it was. A feeling… the feeling of laughter. Not the sound. Cassie knew it wasn't a sound. It was… the feeling of a sound. The feeling of a booming laughter, which she knew.
The voice.
She whimpered and shrank together.
* * *
Fear shook me out of my… other existence. At once I felt ill again. Maybe there was some connection. I felt as if my limps were weighed down by elephants. My fingers felt as if I was wearing really thick gloves. I concentrated and the feeling disappeared.
Crayak, I thought.
"YES."
What are you doing here?
"I AM… YOUR GUIDE. I AM HERE TO AID YOU THROUGH THIS."
Crayak, I knew, didn't "aid". He destroyed, and ravaged, and killed. He was evil. He was an enemy. Even more of an enemy than any Yeerk.
Go away, I ordered harshly. Leave me alone! Leave us alone!
"AS YOU WISH. BUT, CASSIE THE ANOMALY. CASSIE THE INTERLOPER… IF YOU EVER NEED HELP, YOU MUST CALL ME. CALL ME, AND I SHALL HELP YOU."
"Go away!" I shrieked. "Leave me alone!"
Jake jumped a step backwards. He raised his hands in defense. "Okay," he said, sounding surprised. "I'm going, I'm going."
He turned and walked away. I did nothing to stop it. Crayak's laugh boomed in my head. I still felt strangely nauseous. But it became more distant, bit by bit, as Jake disappeared into the shadows.
I lay down and tried to sleep. My gaze lost itself in the flames of the fire.
The Yeerks found us again in the morning.
I was warned when an osprey blew down, flaring its wings and landing next to me.
Yeerks! Marco's voice warned. Jake says you find the grown-ups. And lead them outta here! The rest of us will try to delay the slugs. Come back when you're done! We might need help!
Jake was trying to keep me out of the worst. Maybe he was worried for the day before. I had been a little out. Maybe he was right.
Good luck! Marco said as he lifted again and flapped away.
I was immediately awake. I was awake, and knew what to do. I rushed up, towards the nearest tree. The Hork-Bajir leaped nimbly out of my way as I climbed - much slower than they, despite a lot of practice - up to the first, newly but hastily built, platform.
"Yeerks!" I shouted as I reached it. "Move! We're leaving."
The Hork-Bajir stormed into action. They hurried to their places; defenses or wherever they were needed. A few of the older and all the youngsters started down the trees' stems and set of out of our hiding place. The wounded from the battle earlier were carried.
I grabbed a passing Hork-Bajir's wrist and asked; "Where are the humans?"
The Hork-Bajir flicked his tail. "You slow climb. I carry."
Before I could object, he had lifted me up on his back and I had to clung on as he leapt from the platform to another. As he landed, the half-finished platform creaked threateningly. He ignored it, scrambled higher up into the tree and fearlessly threw himself across a gap of at least ten meters.
I know the feeling. I've been Hork-Bajir. It's exhilarating! It's almost like flying. But being a human girl clinging to the back of a "climbing" Hork-Bajir isn't at all exhilarating. It's frightening. Especially when you almost loose your grip and fall.
"Humans here," the Hork-Bajir said and landed on another - also not finished - platform. "Kel Imeko must go."
He leapt off of the platform, grabbed a branch and swung himself down to the ground. Just watching made my stomach twist.
"Cassie!" a voice called. My mom. "What's going on?"
I saw that they were all there. Our parents, except Jake's parents, and Rachel's two sisters. They were all involved now. No use trying to hide it; they were in this as deep as we were.
"Yeerks," I said, trying to catch my breath. "Grab your things. We're leaving."
I led them and the young, old and wounded Hork-Bajir - together with four well-built warriors that might have been Blue-Bands before they were saved - out of our camp. We had stayed there long enough to start building platforms and shelters in the trees. Now we needed to leave it.
I morphed the horse and let the humans in the group take turns riding on my back. They couldn't keep up very well with the Hork-Bajir, but I could as a horse. Although only my own parents seemed to know how to sit on a horse without falling off four times a minute, or bumping up and down.
I carried two or three riders for every shift, and stopped every five minutes or so to take another. Sara and Jordan counted as one person together, so at some points I carried four riders. The weight wasn't the worst with that; it was the way they sat.
We fled for an hour or so. Then I gave the Hork-Bajir orders to continue for another hour and find a place to hide.
Quickly, I demorphed and told the humans to follow the Hork-Bajir.
My dad grabbed my arm. "And where are you going, Cassie?"
"Back to the others," I said. "they might need help with the Yeerks."
"It's dangerous back there," my dad said. "you're doing no such thing!"
I pulled my arm loose. "I'm not a little girl any more," I snapped. "you don't have to like it, dad, but fighting Yeerks is what I do. It's what I will do."
I gave my mom a hug and hoped silently I'd see her again. She kissed my cheek and nodded, understanding if not accepting.
Then I morphed the osprey, and saluted them with my wings as I rose to the skies. I didn't turn back, but I knew my dad was watching me.
I found the battle still raging near the camp. My friends had been pushed back far, but they hadn't given up. Hork-Bajir on our side were using the long spears - pikes, I think they're called - that one of the parents had suggested. They could easily stab enemies before they came into range for blades.
Jake was in tiger morph, now with only three legs, but still he was successfully keeping the Taxxons back. Ax was among the free Hork-Bajir without pikes, now and then suddenly darting up and cutting large chunks out of the flanks of the Yeerks. Rachel was ravaging around, bleeding but fighting like a berserk. Marco was close by, keeping her back clear - and keeping an eye on her. Tobias was diving to rip and tear, as well as to steal dracon beams and give to the free Hork-Bajir.
The air was filled with dracon from both sides.
Visser One wasn't around. Maybe he left this to his troops, or maybe he been there briefly but decided to be somewhere else.
Cassie! a voice called. Tobias. That's you, right?
Yeah. What can I do?
Help me steal dracons. They're kinda heavy, so get lots of speed and make sure you're aimed properly to swoop to the good side.
Sure. How's it going?
They're all low on morph-time, and we aren't winning yet. It's not looking good, Cassie. It's not good at all.
I called down to Jake. Jake. What's happening?
We're all about to get stuck in morph and the Hork-Bajir are being slaughtered on both sides.
Tobias told me that much. Anything else?
Yeah. It's good that you came. We need serious backup. Though I think it's about time to haul butt.
They'd follow us, Tobias remarked.
I know. But then we could chop them down one at a time when they come too close.
Maybe, I agreed. But the dracons…
Be glad they didn't bring bug-fighters. Jake glanced up at me with his tiger face before continuing to fight the Taxxons.
I began a dive and aimed carefully at a dracon in the hand of a Hork-Bajir. I folded my wings, and plummeted downwards…
Flared my wings, secured the dracon in my talons…
Momentum swooped me away! The Hork-Bajir let out a cry of surprise. He snatched after me with both hands. But I was outta there!
I flapped wildly to stay airborne with the load. Over the heads of Taxxons and Hork-Bajir-Controllers. Towards the free Hork-Bajir.
"Tseeeeer!" I cried and dropped the dracon.
A Hork-Bajir caught it, and waved a gigantic hand thankfully.
I flapped, caught a wind, and rose upwards.
Good one, Tobias congratulated. He swooped down.
I looked over the scene. The Taxxons around Jake were getting too numerous for me to feel safe about it. I decided to do something about it.
I folded my wings, aimed, and dove. The ground was rushing up at me.
"NO. NOT NOW."
* * *
Cassie was aware of a gigantic, hostile presence. Not far from her, it floated through space, coming towards her quickly. She tried to pull away. She was afraid. Very afraid.
But something held her. Something pulled her back. She couldn't pull away! She was trapped!
Suddenly, she knew what held her. The golden line. Her golden line! She couldn't leave it. She could, but that would break it. If it broke, she'd… simply cease to exist.
The presence closed in. Wrapped around her. Strangled her, closed her in, locked her tightly in it's grip.
Cassie wailed in terror. But terror was just a feeling. Just an awareness. There was something stronger… something…
* * *
"Cass! Oh, god, wake up! Wake up!"
I was feeling like I had a high fever. My head was spinning, and I felt like I would to throw up any second. I was dimly aware of something holding me. A large, looming shadow held me trapped - gently.
"Wake up!" a voice wept. "Don't.. don't die…"
I opened my osprey eyes. Jake was clutching me in his arms, running, crying, wailing; all at the same time.
Rachel was next to him, a looming, quickly demorphing half-bear stumbling forwards. Tobias flew above. Marco was knuckle-running by Jake's side, also demorphing. Ax ran in front, Hork-Bajir with and without pikes and with and without dracons were everywhere around.
They'll hear you, Rachel hissed. Shut up, Jake! Shut up!
Jake drew his breath and glanced down at me. I ruffled a wing to show that I was alive, if nothing else.
See? Marco said. She'll be fine.
Jake hugged me so tightly that my ribs almost snapped. But then Rachel held out her arms and took me over. Jake began morphing.
Things felt wrong again. Very wrong. People around me felt unreal.
"The Yeerks are chasing us," she explained. "We all need to morph before they get here. Are you okay?"
I… think so.
"Can you morph?" she asked.
Yeah.
"Good. Demorph and morph wolf."
I started demorphing. But…
You're not morphing, Cassie, Jake said sternly, his voice a little shaky. You're flying back to the camp. Tobias, go with her. Then come back here.
What? But… I…
But Jake had recalled some of his leader-role once he realized I wasn't dead. Enough to start ordering me around. That's twice, Cassie. You've collapsed twice! This time you almost died at it, too. I'm keeping you out of the fight until you're better.
I'm fine!
"I'm not risking it," Jake said, almost snarling, determined to get his way. "I'm not risking you if it means I need to face the entire Yeerk fleet alone."
I felt stunned. There was so much feeling in those words. I had a reply ready, but it never came out. I stayed silent. My heart felt like it was melting.
"Jake's right," Rachel said suddenly. And then she threw me into the air and I had to flap not to fall straight to the ground. "Go with Tobias. Go with Tobias NOW!"
I flapped upwards, towards Tobias. Jake knew best, surely. Rachel was probably right. And Tobias was looking at me as if I might fall out of the sky any moment.
Follow me, he said. Then hesitated. Ehm… where did you take the refugees?
I flew of towards the camp. My mind was heavy. Tired.
Surely, Jake would realize I wasn't sick. I mean, I collapsed, I felt nauseaus afterwards, but… it was only temporary. Right? He couldn't take me out of the fight. He couldn't. Not when every single soldier was needed desperately. Could he?
"YES," Crayak laughed in the back of my head. "HE CAN, CASSIE THE IRREGULARITY. CASSIE THE SOFTHEARTED WARRIOR. HE CAN. AND HE WILL."
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Author's Note;
I'm only continuing this if you readers want me to. Personally, I think this idea is very interesting. It's got possibilities. And I know exactly what to do with it.