Stella was lying in her bed, eyes open. Her bottom still hurt a bit but
she
didn't mind. A little spanking was a small price to pay for her
foolishness.
"It was all Jean's fault," she said, to nobody in particular. "I was a
fool
to believe her. As if anyone would actually ferry two girls of our age
to
another country. I should know there's some catch!"
Something rustled at the window and Stella turned her head. "Right
now,"
she said, "those girls are probably giving Jean back to her parents.
They
won't tell them about what happened, I think. I got a spanking - and
Jean
got off. Hmmm... maybe I could spank her tomorrow? Threaten her to tell
her
parents? Scare her a bit?"
But she knew she wouldn't. If Jean's plan had worked, no mere spanking
would
save them. They could be on their way... to where?
Something moved behind the window, in the moonlight, and Stella yelped.
For
an instant, she caught a glimpse of two huge eyes, and then they were
gone.
She rubbed her bottom absent-mindedly. "I hope it's just a bad dream,"
she
muttered.
"I don't want to go all the way back home," said Rosey. "It's way too
far.
Can't we sleep in the town inn?"
"No money, remember?" said Soot. "We can't afford the inn."
"But I'm tired! I won't make it back home! Can't Swarm just send us
there?"
Soot inhaled sharply. "I don't think that would be for the best, Rosey.
I mean..." "There is a small, yet conceivable
chance," said Swarm, "that
the Queen could trace me were I to use my powers. I think they should
only be used in emergency." "Well done," nodded Soot. She didn't mention the true reason -
she simply didn't trust Swarm and geomancy enough.
She wouldn't give Rosey to the clutches of dodecahedron. Rosey was...
The only family she had left.
"But I..."
"Be quiet!" snapped Soot. "I could spank you, you know."
Rosey fell quiet.
What is she doing? thought May. It was perfectly understandable that a
little girl wouldn't be keen to walking in the night.
She bent over and picked her up.
"It's OK," she said. "I'll carry you."
"What?" blinked Soot. "But I..." Her voice trailed off.
"OK, then," she said, scruffily. "Let's go!" "I... won't," said Swarm.
"What?" "I will stay and guard the cart until
tomorrow," said Swarm. "I
don't have to sleep. Don't worry." "You would be alone the whole time," pointed May out.
Swarm nodded. "That's OK. I need to
spend some time alone."
Kata was swiftly going through the night. Her heart was singing with
joy.
It was a forest!
She couldn't remember the last time she was in a forest. This one was
sad forest, plain, without colourful flowers and night insects she was
used to, but nevertheless a forest.
She was tracing the girls, keeping out of their sight. She knew her
task.
May felt the girl on her back go limp. Rosey fell asleep. May
straightened her grip so she wouldn't fall.
"Give her to me," said Soot.
"No."
Soot blinked. "But..."
"But what?"
"I'm her mother," said Soot. "Well... an aunt, really, but still a
relative..."
"I think she's safer with me," said May evenly.
"What do you mean by that?"
jumped Soot. "I... I only want..."
"To spank her?"
"Excuse me?"
"You have threatened to spank her when she was whining," said May.
"Every little girl would whine if she was to go home for miles, at
night. You don't understand children at all."
"I was a child once, too!"
"That doesn't make you an expert. Children need love much more than
they need spankings."
Soot hesitated. "I love her!"
"You have certainly an odd way to show it."
"This..."
"Yes?"
"This was how I was raised," muttered Soot. "Dad trained me. He was
against any sort of weakness, he was..."
"And what? Do you want Rosey to grow up to be like you?"
Soot winced as if May had pierced her heart. "I... I..."
"Soot, when I spanked Stella, it was a very hard thing for me to do. I
was on the receiving end often enough to know just how she was feeling.
I tried to make it easy for her, but I still had to smack her bottom
and to make it really hurt because that's what had to be done. But
you... you would probably enjoy it. You would enjoy seeing her cry and
plead and bounce on your lap. Wouldn't
you?"
For a while, they walked in silence.
"Is it so bad?" asked Soot, finally. "I wouldn't hurt her. Not really.
You must know that."
After a while, she said: "I was always spanked as a kid. By my
father... and my sister. My father spanked me when I was not good
enough as a thief and my sister - well, she spanked me when I was too good. Whatever I did, I could
get spanked. Can you blame me that I started to enjoy any spankings
that didn't hurt me?"
"I'm sorry," said May, quietly. "I... didn't know."
"What does it matter whether I would enjoy spanking Rosey or not?"
continued Soot. "I would never spank her if she wouldn't truly deserve
it..."
"That's the point!" cried May out. "How do you know that she deserves
it? How do you know it's not just the little part of you that wants to
see her spanked? How do you know anybody truly deserves a spanking?"
"What about Zack?" asked Soot quietly. "He likes to spank us and you
know it."
"That's different."
"How so?"
"With Zack, we have choice. We trust him and he won't betray our trust.
And if we would think that a spanking is unjust... well, we don't
actually have to take it, do
we? But with Rosey, it's different. She's a child, she has to obey, and
she is spanked when she doesn't. We chose to live by the rules, but
Rosey is forced to live by
them. She has no part in saying what the rules are. And that's why we
have to ensure they are just."
"So, in other words, you would let Zack spank Rosey, but not me?"
"Oh, I would let him spank you."
"You know what I mean."
"Then yes - I would prefer Rosey getting her spankings from Zack than
from you."
"Maybe..." said Soot.
"Yes?"
"Maybe I could learn? I can't help it, I can't not enjoy the spanking,
it's a part of my nature, May, but I could learn to be just! To never
spank more than neccessary!"
May realized that Soot is crying.
"Rosey is all I have left," she said. "I want her to grow up with me,
but I also want her to grow up right.
I want her to do all the things I didn't. And not to do all the things
I did."
May thought about it.
"I have an idea," she said slowly. "But I need some time to think. I'll
tell you once we're home, OK?"
Soot nodded.
Despite the task she would have to perform, Kata was enjoying herself.
She was jumping from one tree to another, never touching the ground,
always staying near to the three women.
She has never seen human women before. They looked exactly like men!
Kata wondered about that. Did that mean that human women did the same
things as men did? She never thought this would be possible. There were
no women on the ship, to be sure.
Or were they, and she was just unable to tell them apart?
That would make sense. How could the sailors spend so much time without
love? She and Nako...
A house appeared in the distance, invisible to the humans below, but
easily distinguished by Kata's sensitive eyes.
She decided that she can afford to go ahead. There was no other place
for them to go.
After Rosey was put in her bed, Soot sat down in the main room with May.
"OK, then," she asked, "what's your plan?"
"Well... will you promise you won't be angry with me?"
"OK..."
"I thought of a way you could spank Rosey without overly enjoying it."
"Really?"
"Yes - it's easy!"
"Tell me!"
May sighed. This was a stupid idea, and she knew it, but she had no
better one.
"Every time you spank Rosey, you will get a spanking, too."
Soot jumped. "Whaaaat?"
"Calm down!" yelped May. "It's just an idea! See - if you know that you
are in for a spanking too, it might help you not spanking Rosey unless
it will be really neccessary. And if your spanking will be always a
little bit worse than Rosey's, you won't spank her more than needed.
Well, isn't it..."
"Brilliant," said Soot.
"Really?"
"No! Why should I get a spanking when she is a brat?"
"You don't have to get one," explained May. "But in that case, you
couldn't spank her and it would be done by someone else. Zack... Max...
me..."
"Are you sure you wouldn't
enjoy it?" said Soot.
"I hate spankings," said May
with absolute conviction. "I admit they are neccessary, but I still
hate them. Giving and
receiving. I always feel so sorry for the girl who is spanked."
"Especially when it's you," smirked Soot.
"No, not really, I'm too busy crying in that case!" shouted May. "But I
think this would work! It would be better for Rosey!"
"Might be, but a spanking for every
time I spank her? That's just not fair! What if I give her a
perfectly reasonable spanking, for a perfectly reasonable reason?"
"Then you will get a reasonable spanking, too," shrugged May. "Maybe
only a mild one, but enough sting to remind you not to get overboard.
It wouldn't be for ever. I think a few months of discipline like this
and you would be ready."
"From someone who hates spankings, it's surely a strange idea,"
muttered Soot.
"And you should have a notebook," said May. "With all the things Rosey
can get a spanking for, and how big spanking it would be. This will
keep you in check so you wouldn't spank her too hard."
Soot hesitated. "This... this is a good idea," she admitted, "but the
other one... I have to think about it."
Soot opened her eyes. Something was wrong. She was a thief, and her
instincts were screaming.
Something was moving. Along the floor, between her and May.
It wasn't Rosey, she realised. Rosey's steps sounded differently.
Her arm shot and grabbed something, but it immediately shaked her off.
Then the door opened and the thing was gone.
Soot sweared and lit a lantern. This woke May up.
"What's happening?" she asked.
"I'm not sure! Someone was here!"
"Who?"
Soot looked at her hand. She was clutching several long, grey hairs.
"I don't know. Anyways, check if something was stol..."
She saw the open door to the bedroom and she paled. She ran towards it.
"She's gone!"
"What?"
"Rosey is gone! That... creature kidnapped
her!"
Despite the fact that Kata could only use her feet, she had no trouble
moving high in the treetops. She was holding the smallest woman and
clutching her so comfortably that she never woke up.
She needs to go back, and fast - and then, then she can be with Nako
again.
She needed Nako. She didn't want them to be separated, not again.
All she had to do was to deliver this woman to the captain. She didn't
understand why he asked for it, but she could see Nako again if she
succeeds.
Couldn't she?
Another swing. She had to let go of the woman to stabilize herself, but
she grabbed her again before she fell a single foot.
"Must be those bastards from the ship!" shouted Soot as she was running
through the forest, with May in her wake.
Or the Queen, she thought. But there was no sense in scaring May.
If it was the ship... well, she could teach them a thing or two about
scaring. No sporting behaviour, those people had!
In the moonlight, she sighted something. A figure with a heavy burden,
high up.
"That's him!" she hissed.
"I'll get him good. Noone is going to lay a finger on my child!"
May wanted to say something, but she decided not to. Soot was like a
mother bear, bent on nothing but pursuit and punishment.
And this time, she wouldn't be contented with just a spanking.
Kata slipped in a little room she shared with Nako. He was still
asleep. She just cuddled against his big body.
It won't be long, she thought. Two hours in the morning, two hours in
the evening - those were the only times when both of them were awake at
the same time. Maybe they will finally have children of their own? She
sighed when she thought about that. She hugged Nako tightly.
It was another hour before he would wake up. That was torture for her.
"Get up!"
Rosey woke up with a start. A short man with monkey-like face was
grinning at her through a grate in the door.
"What happened?" asked Rosey. Then she jumped. "Who are you? Where am
I? What did you do to Auntie and May!"
"That's not your concern," he chuckled. "You will never see them again.
Better forget you ever knew them."
The shutter in the door cut the light.
Rosey started to scream.
"This will give a lesson to them," said the captain. "They shouldn't
stick their nose in our affairs."
"Do you think we'll get a good price?" asked the first mate.
"Maybe. But I don't do this for money."
He grimaced. There was no need to add anything.
"I won't let a bunch of girls beat me. They might have won, but the
least thing I can do is to hurt them."
He smiled. "We are leaving the port. Don't forget to take Kata away
once she goes asleep. They can't stay together for long, you know that."
The first mate nodded. Nothing but trouble, those two. Useful - but
still trouble.
Nako slept, and dreamed.
He could only vaguely remember the life in the south, where his tribe
lived for generations.
The tribe of Night and Day.
Nako was a Dayfolk - male, large, and strong. Dayfolk had black skin
which protected them from heat. They were resilient.
But not very clever, and right now, Nako was regretting that he wasn't
smarter. In the south, he wouldn't have to be. That was the Nightfolk
domain.
Nightfolk - like Kata.
Nako felt sorry for Kata. He never wanted to become her mate - they
were forced together by humans. But now, he loved her. There was no
other way. Nako had some vague understanding that this is different for
humans, but for Dayfolk and Nightfolk, it was easy. You mated, and you
loved. There couldn't be one without the other. He would give
everything for Kata - except his life, because by giving up his life,
he would cause her the worst pain possible.
Kata was young - too young. Nightfolk reached maturity around the age
of ten, while Dayfolk grew for another ten years - they were born to
Nightfolk mothers, and therefore small.
He was supposed to be the muscle, not the brain. But Kata... she wasn't
smart, as Nightfolk were supposed to be. She had the graceful, slender
body covered with soft grey fur, prehensile fingers and toes and the
big eyes which allowed her to see at night - but she was still young,
and not smart.
She was only eight when they were forced together, but she fell in love
with him and he with her and now he was obliged to protect her from
harm.
Nako opened his eyes.
Kata was there!
She jumped and kissed him. "Nako!" she quipped. "I'm so happy - so
happy to see you!"
Nako nodded. He was happy to see her, too, but at the same time, he was
worried.
"Why are you here, Kata?"
"They let me come here, Nako. Please! I want to love you!"
"No, Kata," said Nako, although it pained him to say so. "Not now. What
happened?"
"I was on a mission. They told me that I can see you if I do the
mission and I did! And here I am!" She kissed him again.
Nako furrowed his massive brow. "What mission was it, Kata?"
"I was to bring a woman. A small human woman, smaller than me."
Nako would pale, but his dark complexion made it impossible. "Why did
you do it?"
"They told me. Humans. And I could see you again! I haven't seen you
for a long time, Nako! I was... very lonely!"
"Still, there are things you should never do," said Nako. "Do you
remember when they stole you from your tribe?"
Kata blinked. "Hardly, Nako. It was a long time ago. Nako? Why are you
so sad? You always laugh when I'm here!"
"Did you cry?" asked Nako quietly. "Did you cry when the humans
captured you?"
"Oh, yes, Nako! I was so afraid!"
She hesitated. "Why, Nako? Why do you make me remember that? It's not a
good memory. I want to forget."
"But today, Kata, you did the same thing," said Nako. "You stole a
human child from its parents."
Kata gasped. "That... that was a child? Nako, I didn't know! They just
told me to go and bring the small human woman!"
Nako rised. The room was low, and he couldn't stand upright, but he
still looked formidable.
"Kata. That child must be returned. Noone else should suffer like we
suffered."
He tried the door. Locked. He simply pushed a bit harder, and the
hinges broke.
"I saw the children taken from their parents," he said. "They were
crying. And I couldn't do anything."
"Why?" Kata was speechless. "You knew and you did nothing?"
"Because I love you, Kata. And they know that."
It goes for two years, he thought. The weakness of Dayfolk and
Nightfolk was in the fact that they were seldom awake together. At
home, Dayfolk were hunting on the plains during the day, and Nightfolk
were gathering fruits and insects at night. And during two hours in the
morning and two hours in the evening - there was the Meeting time, the
time of love.
And so, Nako couldn't get his freedom, because his captors had Kata in
their power. And when Kata was awake and active, it was Nako who was
asleep, unable to overcome his biological clock.
Today, there was a chance.
Nako never showed the humans just how strong he is. They thought such
flimsy door can hold him! A Dayfolk! His brethren could strangle an
antelope with one hand and they could find water by wringing leaves as
tough as metal plates.
"Jump on my back," said Nako. "We are going away, Kata."
"The ship is gone!" screamed Soot and kicked a barrel so hard that is
splintered.
It was almost dawn and both girls were tired. How was this possible?
The kidnapper got here long before them.
"Swarm!" shouted Soot. "Where are you?"
Several black particles manifested in the air. "What do you mean?" asked
Swarm's voice. "I'm guarding the
cart. That's what I said I would do. Did something happen?"
"Of course! The ship is gone - and they took Rosey!"
For a few seconds, Swarm was silent.
Then, more particles appeared... and more... and yet more, until she
stood there in all her might. "I'll draw an octahedron," she
said. "This is an emergency."
The first sailor that met Nako was unconscious in a fraction of second.
Nako would have no problem killing him, but he understood that Kata,
like most Nightfolk, is sensitive. She would be upset by killing.
Second sailor didn't hold out any longer.
Third made a grave mistake - he attempted to strike from behind. Nako
turned, but the blow still hit Kata's arm. She cried out.
The sailor fell to the ground, dead, before Nako realized what he was
doing. However he wanted to avoid unneccessary deaths, his protective
instincts were way too strong.
Kata blinked and yawned. There was not much time left.
"Where is the child?" asked Nako. "Tell me."
Kata strained her ears. "There she is!" she cried.
A huge fist broke the door down.
Rosey jumped when she saw the black giant. "Who... who are you?"
The giant looked at her. "I am Nako," he said. "I am... sorry."
Why? Why had the humans to speak with such a difficult language?
"We came to free you," that's what he wanted to tell her - but how was
"free" in human language? The people on the ship never talked about the
freedom.
"Not... a slave," he said. "Escape. Run... away."
Rosey nodded. "Can I help?"
"There they are!" cried Soot. "I knew the ship couldn't get far!" "They don't know my capabilities," mused
Swarm. "This shall be interesting." "Interesting?"
Suddenly, a trapdoor on the deck shattered.
Someone climbed out.
Kata was quickly losing her strength. The time of her sleep was near.
The sun was rising and Kata had to close her eyes. She hated that
light! How could Dayfolk live in such light for their whole lives? She
must ask Nako - but not now, not when he's trying to rescue them...
Nako staggered. The land was gone! He was prepared to make his living
there, but this...
"So, you stupid fool, did you have your fun?"
He turned around. The captain was looking at him.
"Too... far," he said. "Only... a child."
"That's not your concern!" barked the man. "You are too stupid to
control this ship. If you kill us, you will die, too. You have nowhere
to run."
Nako bristled.
"Give me the girls. Both of them," ordered the captain.
"No!"
"In the evening, Nako, after Kata wakes up, she will find herself bound
to the mast," said the captain calmly. "And I will personally whip her.
Fifty strokes, while you watch. Fifty, for now. If you give the girls
to me right now, that will be all. If you don't... Then I'm going to
increase the number. So... I'm counting, Nako. Fifty-one...
Fifty-two... Fifty-three..."
Nako was covered in sweat. He was whipped many times, but it's very,
very hard to really hurt a Dayfolk. But Kata...
The bond of love that bound a Dayfolk and a Nightfolk together also
made them extremely susceptible to extortion.
He hesitated.
Rosey kicked him. "What are you doing!" she cried. "If you break his
arms, he won't be able to whip anybody! He won't hurt the girl if you
won't let him to! Don't listen to him! You want to be free, right?"
Nako smiled. So this was the human word for it.
"I... am free," he said. Then he punched the mast. Hard.
"Wait a minute!" screamed the captain. "You..."
But before Nako could do something painful to him, Soot dropped just
behind the captain and got him in a very painful grip.
"I think you have some explaining to do," she hissed.
"How did you get in here?" said the captain hoarsely, as this was the
only speech mode availaible for him. "How could you get here?"
"We have some... special capabilities," said Soot. "And you have
something special waiting for you, too..."
She nodded to Nako. "Can you chop the mast down, you big man?"
Nako punched it again. And again.
The sound when the mast finally gave way and fell into the sea was
deafening.
"Menean fishermen will be here in an hour," smirked Soot. "And they
will have some very nasty questions to ask you."
It was two hours later. The captain and all his men were in the jail.
Soot and Rosey were hugging and crying, and May was sitting across Nako.
"I am... sorry," said Nako.
"That's OK. Noone wants to blame you." Certainly not in your presence,
she added in her mind. "Thank you - for saving Rosey."
"She was... a child," said Nako, and his tone suggested that this was
the only reason he needed.
"Sorry... for Kata."
The little furry Nightfolk was fast asleep. She won't wake until the
evening.
Rosey let go of Soot and looked at her kidnapper. "How old is she?"
"Ten... years."
"Not much older than me, then?"
"Humans... grow... slowly. Kata... adult."
"Will she get a spanking?" asked Rosey innocently, but a spark appeared
in her eyes.
"Rosey," said May.
Nako didn't answer.
Kata opened her eyes. The scorching sun was already setting - and there
was Nako, smiling at her.
"Nako!" she yelped. "What happened? Are we... free?"
Nako nodded. "Yes. We are free."
"Will you love me today?"
"No, Kata. Next time I will - I promise. But right now, I can't."
"Why?"
"The child you took came back to its people. But they say you must be
punished, Kata." He caressed her hair.
Kata started to sob. "Nako... Please, please, don't let them punish me!
I didn't do anything wrong!"
"You did wrong, as a child does wrong, Kata," said Nako. "And so you
get the child's punishment. I will be with you, Kata. I will share your
pain. But I can't reprieve you of this. I love you too much to let you
escape your punishment."
When Nako was a child, he had seen many spankings of his brothers and
sisters. He got his share, too. But he never spanked and he never could
- the danger he would hurt the one he loved so much was too high. But
human women were far weaker. Kata will get hurt a bit, yes - but it
will prevent much greater pain she would feel one day, when she will
truly realize what she had done.
When Nako and Kata came, Soot nodded. "Did you explain it to her?"
"Kata... sorry. I agree. She needs... spanking."
Kata stepped to the front. "Please... spanking..." she said. She was
just parroting what she was told to say. She didn't know anything about
human language.
Soot looked at her. She actually felt sorry for the kidnapper. And Kata
wouldn't look ugly as a human girl, it was just the fur that covered
everything, except her nipples.
"Why is she naked?" she asked.
"Nightfolk... don't need clothes," answered Nako. "Have fur. Clothes
would be... obstacle."
"Obstacle?" blinked May.
"When they climb."
"Ah... I see."
And so has Soot turned a Nightfolk girl over her knee and vigorously
applied her hand. The fur dampened the impact considerably, but Kata
was whimpering from the start, she started sobbing soon and she was
bawling like a baby before Soot finished with her.
After the procedure was done, Soot hugged Kata firmly. Rosey joined in,
then May and finally even Swarm. But Kata slid out of the hug and ran
back to her Nako.
"Nako! It hurts! It hurts so much!"
"Kata, this is the pain a child feels when you separate it from its
family. You forgotten that pain, and so it was neccessary to remind
you."
"I will never forget again, Nako! Never! Please, don't let them ever do
this to me again! Please, don't!"
She was crying freely and holding onto Nako. He looked more like her
father than like her mate. After all, he was almost twice her height.
"Is she OK?" asked May.
"Kata is... very sorry. And she hurts... very. But she will be fine
again." Nako smiled. "When the pain disappears from... her body...
maybe... it takes some pain from her soul, too. You did... right thing.
Don't... worry."
"Where are you going to go now?"
"There must... be a tribe. Far... far away. We will search. We will
join a tribe. We will... have children. Find happiness." He smiled
again. "You should... too."
"What? How do you propose to search for your people?" "I will help them."
Swarm sat down next to May. "I can help them travel. They will
find their tribe, I assure you." "So... You're going away?"
Swarm nodded. "Yes." "When are you... coming back?" "I'm not coming back, May." "What?"
Swarm sighed. "I can't be Pauline
again, May. Yet... Max would always see the Pauline in me. In a way,
I'm like... his sister's grave. He would have to look at me and know
that the little girl he knew, loved, pampered and spanked is gone for
ever. I don't wish to hurt him. I will leave." She stepped forward and started to draw the octahedron.
"What? You want to go now?" "Yes. Nako will fall asleep in a
short while. This is a good time." "What are you going to do after you find their tribe?"
Swarm shifted her form, becoming a small, furry, naked Nightfolk. "I can live with them," she
said. "I will protect them from
people like those sailors were. Maybe... I will find some of the girls
they kidnapped and sold." The diagram was complete. Swarm rised in the air, together with
Nako and Kata. "Good bye," said Swarm. And it
sounded as a definite thing.
"So," said Soot, "there's nothing left for us to do now. Just to wait
what happens with the Queen."
"I wanted to go with them," said May. "With Zack and others. I really
wanted to. But isn't it better this way? We saved lots of people,
didn't we?"
"And punished others, and that's good, too," said Soot. "Oh, that
reminds me: I decided."
"You decided what?"
"I decided to go with your plan. To get spankings for giving spankings.
But only for two months, you know. I think I will know enough by that
time."
"Four months."
"Three."
"It's a deal."
"And you will spank me - noone else will know about this."
"OK. Sounds fair."
They shook hands.
"So, when do you have time?" asked May.
"What?"
"You spanked Kata today, didn't you? So, you should take your
anti-enjoying spanking for that."
"Hey, that's not fair!" protested Soot. But then, she smiled. "Oh, all
right. I'm getting the same spanking Kata did?"
"Yep. When would you like to do it?"
Soot smirked. "Oh, sometime soon. As soon as possible. As soon as I get such a nice fur coat growing on my bottom!"
And she ran towards the home in the woods, laughing and giggling.
May had to laugh, too. "Nice try," she said. "Oh well. This time, I
guess I'll let get her off the hook."
"Let who off the hook?" asked Rosey.
May jumped. "Oh... nothing, Rosey. That's... adult thing."
Swarm was deeply submerged in her thoughts.
Nako was asleep, and Kata didn't speak her language. So Swarm had some
time with herself.
She felt alone, for the first time in quite a while.
She hugged Kata and she hugged her. Some things were the same for all
species.
She had told May why she was leaving. The reasons were noble,
believable, and completely false.
The truth was that she left in order to keep Max hoping.
Because Swarm was only alive thanks to the power of the Queen in her
particles, and there was no way for her to survive the Queen's
destruction.
She just hoped it won't happen before she can safely deliver Nako and
Kata to their people.
Suddenly, the octahedron dropped. A sudden turbulence threw its
occupants about.
On the horizon, Swarm saw a large pillar of fire. It shone for a few
more seconds, and then vanished. "And so, it starts," whispered
Swarm, although she was very well aware that Kata can't possibly
understand her words. End
of Chapter 22 May's Readers'
Corner:
Wow! Did you feel that rocking? What's happening? When we're at it,
what happened to Zack, Max and others? They didn't appear at all in
this chapter! Oh? Ah, I just got the message from Fulgur, that the next
Chapter, named "The Last Debt Is Called", will happen at the same time
as this one did - but it will concentrate on the other team of intrepid
heroes, and its problems as it tries to defeat the Queen once and for
all. Wait a minute... Does that mean that my part in the story is
already over? What if I will become just a support character? I want to
be a heroine! Fulgur, please... give me some more lines! I won't bust
it, I promise...
Oh well. I still have my contract. I'm going to sue his butt off if he
kicks me out of the series. So... May, signing off!
P.S. Ouch! Ouch! Don't ask... But let me tell you that Fulgur has no sense of humor whatsoever! Now
excuse me... I need some ice to put on my bottom...
May's Readers'
Corner: