Between Darkness and Light (26 page)

He staggered, time seeming to slow while he tried to pick up his pace again and swerve from side to side to avoid the terrified does. Every sense stretched to the limit, at the back of his mind he sensed the quiet satisfaction of one of his own crew and realized the stampede was no accident—it had been timed to catch him in the open.

Momentarily distracted, he didn't see the doe hurtling toward him until it was too late. This time the collision sent him stumbling into the path of three more. Their eyes glazed with terror, they were incapable of changing direction.

A blur of black, followed by a deafening roar of anger sent them swerving aside at the last moment. As one, the herd wheeled, following them. Still staggering, Kusac managed to regain his stride and match pace with the Sholan now running beside him.

Neither word nor look was exchanged between them, but as one, they continued pursuing the buck, gradually gaining ground until only a few feet separated them. Kusac was tiring, and his shoulder hurt from the blows caused by his collisions with the does. He knew he had to fetch the stag down now or lose him. Shortening his stride, he drove his powerful hind legs back, kicking off from the ground, and leaped. He landed, hands outstretched across the buck's neck, half on it, half on the ground, his mouth searching for the beast's throat.

The force of his attack made it stumble sideways, slowing it down until it skidded on the plains grass. His jaws shut on the soft fur, feeling the pulsing veins just beneath the surface. Using it as a guide, he shifted his grip slightly then clamped his jaws closed around its windpipe.

It squealed, raising its head in an effort to dislodge him as it finally slid to a halt and reared up in terror, razor-sharp hooves pawing at his chest. He twisted himself to one side as he was dragged upward, feet scrabbling at the earth for a hold before the stag dropped down again. His claws finally found a purchase in the grass and he flung his weight against it, attempting to overbalance it and force it to the ground.

A hoof struck his already injured shoulder, sending agony pulsing through it, but the beast staggered and fell. Landing on top of it, his whole side numb with pain, there was little he could do save pin it down with his body weight as the snorting beast continued to struggle, attempting to get to its feet again.

Suddenly, the fight left it and it lay there gasping for breath. He collapsed, jaws still clenched tightly round its throat.

“Got it, Kusac,” he heard Banner say.

He'd only enough strength remaining to raise his head and see that Banner had already hobbled the buck's hind legs and was grabbing the front ones ready to do the same to them. Letting go, he rolled off his catch, groaning as his injured shoulder hit the ground. He sat up, spitting small clumps of fur out of his mouth before carefully flexing his shoulder then checking the buck's throat.

“Just bruised,” said Banner, leaning over to look as he finished knotting the rope. “You didn't break its skin. Considering the circumstances, it was a clean capture.” He sat back on his haunches and stared at him. “That was no accident, you know that, don't you?”

“I know,” he said, carefully probing the swelling on top of his shoulder joint. “I can't prove it, though. He'll be full of apologies when he joins us.”

“You'll have to deal with him soon.”

“I can't, unless he openly Challenges me, and he's not ready to do that yet,” Kusac said, satisfied his injury was no more than a grazed bruise.

Banner got up and came over to him, squatting down beside him to check the injury for himself. “We need to get back to the shuttle and treat that or you'll be too stiff to move by this evening.”

“It's nothing,” he said, getting onto his feet. “I can hardly feel it.” The initial pain had worn off now to a dull ache that he could ignore.

“Stay here with the buck,” said Banner as he stood up. “The herd is far enough away from us now for me to bring the shuttle here.”

“That's not necessary,” he began.

Banner reached out to touch his arm. “I'm bringing the shuttle here,” he said firmly then turned and began walking away.

Sighing, Kusac squatted back down beside the captured buck, checking that the ropes binding it weren't too tight. The terrified beast lay on its side panting, eyes wide and staring, mouth rimmed with froth. Banner was right. He'd have to deal with Dzaou soon.

 

Dzaou was the first to reach them, full of apologies as Kusac had predicted. He shrugged them and him aside as they stowed the carcasses in the large container at the midsection of the shuttle. The buck, now sedated, they placed in an animal cage before releasing its bonds.

It was nearing dusk by the time they got back to the collection of tents and shuttles that was their camp and handed their live catch over to M'kou.

“I think this puts you in the lead, Captain,” M'kou said, counting the carcasses as they were taken out to the main shuttle for cold storage. “We've not had as much success with live captures, I'm afraid.”

“It's your scent,” Khadui said. “Reptiles are always predators, mammals aren't.”

“They're certainly less traumatized by your presence,” agreed M'kou, stepping away from the terrified beast as Khadui and Jayza pushed the cage past him. “There's food ready for you all in the mess tent, Captain.”

 

“I'm surprised General Kezule brought the M'zullians,” said Jayza as they lounged round the central campfire later that evening.

“Couldn't afford to leave them behind. He had them in three groups,” said Banner, leaning forward to flick a burning lump of wood back into the fire with the stick he'd been whittling. “He led one. They were hunting for meat, not live beasts.”

“He needs to keep them Challenged,” said Kusac, sipping the ale they'd been issued as it was their last night. “If they're learning new skills, they won't Challenge their officers.”

“I wonder what they've done with the ones on Shola,” said Jayza.

Dzaou snorted. “Sent 'em back, if they've any sense!”

Khadui sat up suddenly. “I wonder if bringing them was a wise idea,” he said quietly, flicking an ear toward the other side of the fire. “I smell trouble.” As he spoke, voices were suddenly raised, one of them female.

“Where's the General?” asked Jayza, sitting up and looking round. “I don't see him.”

“In his tent,” said Kusac, pushing himself up onto his haunches. “Be ready, I think this may turn nasty.” He rested his hand casually on the butt of the stun gun on his belt.

It was Zhalmo, Kezule's daughter, and a M'zullian. He could smell their scents even through the woodsmoke. There was something different about the M'zullian's scent, more than just the anger. He glanced around, realizing that the M'zullians were all in one area, near the couple who were still arguing. Civilians nearby were getting to their feet and edging surreptitiously away.

Counting heads, he only found five. That meant nine more to be accounted for. Then he recognized what was different about them.

“Pull back now,” he snapped. Slowly, keeping his body profile low, he moved across the log, eyes scanning the M'zullians the whole time. Seconds later, they'd left the circle of firelight and were hiding in the dark, concealed behind bushes and long grass.

“What's up?” asked Khadui quietly.

“They've been eating raw meat,” said Banner before he could answer.

“Most of those here are civilians,” Kusac said, pulling his side arm out. “With their aggression levels raised, the M'zullians will challenge Kezule now for leadership.”

“So what?” countered Dzaou. “Without him . . .”

“The M'zullians will be in charge and there'll be carnage. That puts Shaidan at risk,” he snapped. “We need Kezule alive and in command. He's in his tent with M'kou. That's where we're going. Take point, Banner. Move out.”

 

Raised voices could be plainly heard well before they saw the silhouettes against the walls of the tent. They crept closer until they could see the entrance.

“Find the Sholans! We need them and their skills,” he heard the leader say. It was Chazukk, the main M'zullian troublemaker. “Bring them outside with us. You'll order your people to surrender to us, General, or we'll start killing them.”

Arms bound behind them, Kezule and M'kou were dragged outside in Chazukk's wake.

They followed, keeping to the dense shadows of the tents as Kezule and M'kou were taken to the central campfire.

“Where are the Sholans?” Chazukk was demanding of one of the male civilians.

“I don't know. They were here until a few minutes ago.” The male pointed across to the wooden log on which Kusac had been sitting.

There was the sound of a blow. “Where did they go?”

The answer was slow in coming. “I didn't see them leave.”

He watched as Chazukk, using only one hand, lifted the male bodily into the air by the neck. He'd seen this before and knew what was coming. Now was not the time to be hiding behind mental shields—he needed all his senses working unhindered if they were to survive. Reaching mentally for his torc, he turned off the mechanism and let down his barriers, wincing as the full strength of the M'zullians' hatred and anger hit him.

Banner glanced briefly at him, reassuring himself that his leader was handling the situation. Satisfied, he looked away.

“Then you're of no use to me,” said Chazukk, tightening his claws round his victim's neck. A strangled shrieking split the air as blood sprayed out from the punctured throat, then silence fell. Chazukk threw the body aside and lunged forward for another captive, this time a female.

He tore his attention away from them and began searching for the other M'zullians. Two guarding Kezule and M'kou, Chazukk and his henchman, four more in the circle of firelight, and the other six round the outside of the group of captives. All accounted for.

He knew the female would tell Chazukk where they'd gone, in fact he counted on it. The M'zullian would probably send five after them, leaving only the six guards and Chazukk to deal with.

“They went that way!” she shrieked as Chazukk pulled her close and placed his hand round her throat. “They just disappeared into the darkness!”

Chazukk pushed her back into the group of captives. “Follow them. Bring them back alive if possible,” he ordered.

Using hand signals, he ordered Banner to take Dzaou and Khadui and follow them. Nodding, they exchanged their guns for knives and melted into the night. Signaling to Jayza, he told him to work his way around to the far side of the captives and start taking the guards out. With a flick of his ears, the youth vanished instantly.

Backing out into the dark again, Kusac slowly circled the tents until he had made his way to the rear of the group. The first guard, rifle held ready, was dividing his attention between Chazukk and the captives in front of him. He'd be an easy target, hidden as he was from Chazukk's direct line of sight as the prisoners came forward one at a time to throw any weapons they carried on the ground.

On fours, belly close to the ground, he crept closer. He could feel the M'zullian guard's thoughts—they weren't complicated. High on the raw meat and blood, he wanted only one thing—a female. The damned General kept them away from the females, but that was all about to change. Once they'd shut the males in the animal cages, there would be drink and pleasure enough for all. Let Chazukk be their leader, he didn't care so long as his immediate lusts were slaked.

Silent as a shadow, Kusac rose to his full height. With one arm cirling the guard's throat to stifle any sound, he thrust the knife in his other hand deep into the neck, just below the ear. As the body went limp in his grasp, he grabbed the rifle, catching it before it could fall.

The male in front started and turned his head, seeing him. As his eyes widened in shock, Kusac thrust the rifle against his chest till he grabbed it then backed off into the darkness taking the body with him.

As he was dumping the third body, Jayza joined him.

“You killed them?” the youth asked quietly. “I only knocked them out and bound them with strips of their own uniforms.”

He grunted, concentrating on wiping his knife clean on the dead guard's fatigues. “Head back the way you came and position yourself to take out M'kou's guard. I'll take Kezule's. It'll be the signal for the prisoners I've armed to take Chazukk.”

Before they could reach their positions behind Kezule and M'kou, the situation had changed. Chazukk had forced Kezule to his knees, pulling his head back and holding a knife to his exposed throat. Without a second thought, Kusac sent his own knife spinning through the air to hit Chazukk then dived for the guard standing to one side of the kneeling General.

He'd forgotten about the M'zullian Warrior's superior speed and strength and his advantage of surprise was almost instantly lost. Teeth closed on his forearm, biting down deep as he struggled against the other's grip, trying vainly to get his hands round his throat. With a grunt of pain, he pulled his other arm free and punched out at the M'zullian's face—missing as the jaws suddenly released him.

Twisting violently under him, the M'zullian had just broken free when a single shot whined out and the guard went limp, landing on top of him.

Willing hands pulled the corpse aside and helped him to his feet. A female—Zhalmo—was at his side, reaching for his injured arm.

“I can see to it,” he snapped, pushing her aside. Looking past the people crowded around them, he saw Kezule on his feet, rubbing his wrists where the rope had cut into them. Beyond him, M'kou was doing the same. The General looked at Kusac, acknowledging him with a brief nod before turning to his people and issuing a string of orders. As one, the warriors among them grabbed weapons and ran from the circle of light, disappearing into the edges of the woodland.