After [A Journey of the Twins Novel] (7 page)

Drizzle had bit into her shirt and dragged her closer to the fire. She'd been in shock, her skin so cold. He'd known he had to get her warmed up quickly or she would die before his eyes.

Several pieces of wood helped stoke the dwindling fire. A soothing warmth had soon filled the area around the burning mound of orange and yellow. He'd carefully cut open the shredded breeches above the leg wound with his claws. Several gashes showed. Fortunately, the muscle had appeared undamaged. He'd cleaned them as best he could, and covered them with a cloth from Shyanne's pack.

He'd moved to the shoulder next, carefully removing the torn material. Several deep gouges showed. Again, no muscle appeared damaged, but he knew this wound would take longer to heal. He flushed the area with some water and covered it. Rizbaks were filthy animals. Their wounds usually became infected, no matter how quickly they were taken care of.

Sadly, the infection he'd tried so hard to fend off had happened. That had been three days ago.

Shyanne continued to burn with fever. He wet a cloth and placed it on her forehead. She tossed her head back and forth, making it difficult to keep the cloth in place. Drizzle watched her. He wondered what she was dreaming about, what made her so upset and restless. He heard his and Jack's name mentioned on a few occasions, and Drayco's once or twice.

He checked and cleansed her wounds again. The thigh was scabbed over completely. The shoulder remained open. They were healing faster than anticipated, and thanks to his vigilance, all signs of infection were gone.

On the night of the attack, Drizzle had taken the bodies of the dead rizbak to the edge of the woods. The scent of so much available meat would bring many scavengers. He had not wanted to fight them off while trying to care for Shyanne. The scavengers had come, but they never strayed too close to the building. The idea of an easy meal of dead rizbak, versus a meal of very much alive humecat, won.

Growls and battles over the meat had continued long into the night. He'd wandered over to the door and looked out during the worst of the fighting. Animals that looked like a cross between a hyena and a badger nipped and bit at each other while others feasted. The scavengers kept at it until just before dawn. They'd faded back into the woods when the cresting rays of the sun hit them. They never returned. Drizzle had gone out the next day to discover nothing but bones left.

Drizzle focused his attention back on Shyanne. She seemed to be resting easier, her breath less ragged. He took the dry cloth from her forehead and wet it down again. Squeezing a few of the precious drops of moisture into her mouth, he watched to make sure she wasn't going to choke as she swallowed. He moistened her cracked lips before wetting the cloth again and returning it to her forehead.

The cat remembered when he had first met Shyanne. They'd both been very young. Shyanne's father had brought him home from work after getting permission from the government to continue his studies away from the lab. The “big people” had been interested in the learning capabilities of their newest successful genetic creature. They were trying to see how loyal and protective the cat would be, and whether it would be worthwhile to continue with the project.

Drizzle had stumbled toward Shyanne as soon as his feet hit the ground. She'd squealed with delight and run over to him, trying to scoop him up with her tiny arms. He was already over 60 pounds and as big a Labrador. Shyanne was only five, and small for her size. Her father had laughed until tears rolled down his cheeks at her attempts to pick him up.

Drayco had played with Drizzle almost as much as Shyanne, but he had been a little more aloof than his sister. He was a boy, after all, and boys did not do those mushy things like hugs and kisses. The three of them had run around doing all kinds of things, as kids do, with their father taking notes on the cat's learning progress the entire time.

When the twins grew into teenagers, Drizzle's body had aged the equivalence of only one year. It was discovered through testing that humecats had the possibility of living to a ripe old age of 500. He was about half that age now and considered himself to be in his prime.

The family had a great time in everything they did and all was wonderful—until the virus. He'd protected her through all the mayhem that followed. Drayco was there in the beginning. But the virus had changed him.

The need for blood became too much and he'd left one day when it almost cost Shyanne her life. She had been searching for him ever since. Drizzle hoped, for her sake, that Drayco had his blood lust under control. If he didn't, Drizzle hated the thought of having to kill her brother, thus causing her to hate him for the rest of his life.

Drizzle lay down, resting his head on his hands, and resumed his vigilance. His stomach grumbled in protest at the extended fast. Unfortunately, he had become very good at ignoring the empty feeling.

Shyanne continued to wander in the mist, completely lost. She was exhausted from running. The fleeting shadows paced her every step, but they never came fully into view. She needed to rest, to regain her strength; the shadows would not let her. In total despair, she flopped down on the ground and cried.

Her shoulders shook with every racking sob. She did not care if the things in the mist got her anymore. All she wanted to do was sleep. The sobs became less as she closed her eyes, almost making it to the land of dreams.

A voice, soft and distant, brought her out of her despair. Her head shot up. She knew that voice. It was a voice not heard in a long time. It was her brother, Drayco.

"Shyanne ... Shyanne ... Where are you? I can't find you.” The sound came at her from all directions because of the mist.

"Here! Here I am!” she yelled with all her might. Shyanne knew to stay where she was. If she moved, Drayco would never be able to find her. She continued to yell until a shadow broke away from the others. It took on the shape of a person.

"Drayco, I'm so glad you found me,” Shyanne said as she leapt to her feet. She put her arms around him, resting her head on his chest. “I've been looking for you everywhere. I've been so scared."

Drayco folded her into his arms and replied, “I've been looking for you too, little sis."

Shyanne's heart sang with those words. She and Drayco were twins, but he had always called her little sis because she was so much shorter than him. She snuggled against his body. His mannerism was too stiff, too reserved. Sensing something was wrong, she looked up at him, their arms still wrapped around each other.

This was not her Drayco. She could see it in his eyes. They were cold and without life. His smile tilted in a sinister manner. She tried to push away; his hold on her tightened. She could not break free. He grabbed her hair with lightning speed and pulled her head back.

"I've been looking for you too, little sis,” he said with the same ugly tone in his voice as was on his face.

The smile she had loved to see when she was a little girl now made her cringe. Drayco leaned toward her, his gaze locked with hers. She wanted to tear her eyes away from those horrible black pits, but couldn't. Her brain screamed for her to fight. Her body refused to respond. A sharp pain ripped through her body as Drayco bit deep into her neck. Her lifeblood started to flow into his mouth. Something inside her finally broke loose. The trance holding her disappeared. Shyanne started to scream and scream and scream.

Shyanne bolted into an upright position, screaming at the top of her lungs, clutching at her neck. Drizzle materialized next to her in an instant. He crooned her name, trying to calm her down.

"Shyanne ... Shyanne ... shhhh, it's okay. It's me. It's Drizzle, shhhh,” he purred. This time she heard him. She focused her eyes on him.

"Oh Drizzle! I was so scared,” she sobbed as she hugged his tawny neck with her good arm. The injured arm was in a sling strapped to her body. “It was Drayco ... but it wasn't. Even though I knew it wasn't his fault, he hurt me.” She sobbed uncontrollably for a few minutes, her shoulders shaking. Slowly, the sobbing subsided and Shyanne slipped back into the land of sleep. The haunted look disappeared as she did. He laid her down and tucked the blanket over her. This time she looked as if she truly slept.

"Oh my poor Shyanne, everything will be better when you wake up. The nightmares are gone now, and you're safe with us."

Drizzle stretched out next to her. He was relieved that the land of lost souls was not going to claim another victim tonight. He lay on his side and slipped into a much needed sleep.

The sun shining bright in her eyes brought Shyanne awake the next morning. Her throat was parched and every muscle in her body felt stiff. She looked around. Drizzle lay on his side, asleep, his ribs jutting out. “So thin,” she whispered.

She started to sit up. An overpowering weakness prevented it. Drizzle heard her move. He got up and sat beside her.

"Shyanne, I'm glad you returned to us."

Shyanne could tell by the looks of him that he was almost as exhausted as she was. “How long have I been out?"

"Four days."

"Four days! What about the rizbak? What happened to them?” She tried to sit up again, without success.

"There were only three in their pack. I took their bodies to the edge of the woods. The scavengers took over from there."

He handed her a cup with a small amount of water in it. The cup shook so badly in her grasp that Drizzle helped hold it. She sucked the liquid down with a thirst that seemed to never end. She was exhausted and sweating by the time she finished the contents.

Shyanne curled over on her side. In the blink of an eye, she was fast asleep. The cat knew she was going to be okay and decided it was time to go hunting. When she woke again, she would need something to eat to build her strength. So would he.

Drizzle left the building, crossed the field, and entered into the woods. He passed by the bones of the rizbak on the way. Thank goodness only bones were left. No cat of his status would ever stoop so low as to eat rizbak, no matter how hungry he was. In his present state, he might have been tempted.

The cat continued into the forest. Pausing a short distance into the foliage, he held his nose up and inhaled the many scents floating in the air. A deer had passed by, but the scent was barely noticeable where it had brushed against a bush. He knew it was long gone so he moved on.

He soon discovered the fresh tracks of a rabbit. Looking around, he spotted it nibbling on some greens. Fortunately, he was down wind of it. He knew that once the rabbit caught his scent, it would flee. He did not have the patience or the strength to hunt for another.

As he crept toward it, the rabbit stopped eating. Drizzle froze, becoming one with the shadow covered scenery. His eyes never left the intended prey. His tawny colored coat allowed him to blend in with his surroundings. After a few wiggles of its nose, the rabbit went back to eating. Drizzle saw his chance and acted on it. He closed the distance between them quickly, and with one swipe of his clawed hand, brought the rabbit to a quick and painless death.

The one thing he had failed to take into account was the bush behind the rabbit. It was a Thornberry bush. His forward momentum had brought his upper body right into it. He yowled with pain and bounded back. Thorns stuck out in various directions from his nose, face, ears, as well as his shoulders. Anyone looking at him would have thought he was half porcupine instead of all humecat.

"How humiliating,” he growled.

He sat on his haunches and pulled them out one by one, a scowl firmly locked on his face. Thankfully, his fur hid any evidence of his run in with the bush. When he was finished, he picked up the rabbit with his mouth and started back to camp.

Shyanne was awake when he returned. She looked more alive than she had in the past four days. Dark circles lined under her eyes, but there was a bright, clear look about her. A fire burned and the pot of water was just starting to boil.

"When I woke up and saw you were gone, I figured you were hunting. Thank goodness the wood for this fire was close.” She reached over, grabbed another piece of wood, and worked it into the glowing mound. A look of pain flashed across her face as she moved.

"Man, this shoulder sure smarts. But, hey, I can move it better than when I first got up.” She raised her left arm to about shoulder level before wincing with pain and lowering it. The sling lay on the ground next to her, discarded.

"The leg is a bit stiff too.” She grinned at Drizzle. “I know it will hold me up without too much pain. I found out when I made sure Jack was okay."

Drizzle brought the rabbit over and set it on the ground. She picked it up and slowly skinned it with her boot knife, not to prevent damage to the hide, but to prevent excessive pain or lopping a finger off due to her growing fatigue. She saved a small portion of the meat for herself; the rest was thrown back to Drizzle.

"Here, you need this as much as I do. You look like a walking rack of bones."

"Thanks for the lovely compliment,” he said. “You make a great pile of bones yourself."

She looked down at herself and laughed. “Yeah, I guess you're right."

He ate the rabbit in three bites, bones and all. He knew the meal would come back to haunt him later. Right now, he didn't care.

Shyanne cut up her share and put it into the pot of boiling water. She tossed in some rice and seasonings and wished there were some vegetables to go with the meat.

Stirring the concoction, she said, “Drizzle, you need to hunt some more or you'll be of no good to the both of us. I'll be fine now.” The cat's situation was not bad yet, but it would not take long if he didn't find something else to eat. Drizzle rose and moved toward the door. She added before he ducked outside, “Thanks, Drizzle, I owe you ... again.” Her voice was full of emotion.

He looked at her and said, “Friends don't owe friends.” He left without waiting for a reply.

She stood up on wobbly legs, made her way to her pack and picked it up, then returned to her blanket. The effort left her panting. Her breath calmed after a few minutes rest.