Teddycats (16 page)

BILL QUICKLY REACHED
the others, who were huddled in a small clearing, stretching their uncaged muscles and checking one another for scrapes and other injuries. Vic and Coco were perched on a crooked branch. Henri and Edgar were lumped in the corner, overcome with emotion. Luke and Miguel were fast friends, slapping fives. And there was Maia, cradling Elena, sweet
relief streaming from her eyes.

“Everybody good?” Bill asked.

“Amazingly, yes. I think so,” Maia said.

“We're going home, Bill,” Elena said.

“Now that's what I'm talking about, Elena!” said Bill. “But where were you hiding that fighting spirit back in the lab?”

“She was just playing it cool,” Maia said. “Weren't you, girlie?”

“Yeah,” Elena said, giggling.

The shrill shriek was still blaring. Blinking, roaring human machines were coming to life. Black clouds billowed out of steel tubes. There were shouts and slamming, and an ominous whirring as a strong wind kicked up and blew the brush sideways. Soon their escape route would be flattened, overrun.

“Let's get outta here,” said Diego.

“Right behind you,” said Edgar.

“Wait a minute,” said Bill, “where's Omar?”

“We're not sure,” Maia said.

“We can't leave without him!” said Bill.

“He volunteered . . .” Maia said. “For a job he knew was dangerous.”

“Yeah, for the most dangerous job,” Bill said. “We wouldn't have made it out if it weren't for him.”

“He knows the rendezvous point,” said Maia. “And the backup rendezvous. He'll be there. He'll be fine.”

“What if he's not?” Bill said. “What if these humans call for Joe? He's still out there!”

“We have to leave now, Bill.”

“Not without Omar!”

“We gotta go, mate,” Diego said.

“There are others involved, Bill,” said Maia. “You don't know the whole story. Don't blow this escape now, not when we're so close. Please, just trust me.”

Bill bit his lip. The chaotic sounds surrounding them were completely foreign, but he knew that the news of their escape was spreading throughout the site. The humans were mobilizing. It didn't feel right to leave Omar behind, but Maia was right: It wasn't his plan. His mind swirled. It seemed like no matter where he was or whom he was with, doing the right thing—if the right thing could even be identified—was never easy.

Bill sighed. Omar was a brave Teddycat. Maia and
the others had gotten them this far. He would have to trust his friends to carry them home.

The wind picked up, loud and pressing as it chopped the shriek into a mournful wail.

“Okay,” Bill said. “Let's go.”

THE FUGITIVES HUSTLED
through the wilderness, away from the camp. Bill felt his instincts slowly returning. The air was warm and fragrant, filled with the buzz and stench of the jungle. He shook his head in disbelief. Teddycats were not meant to be locked up in cages! Oh, well, the humans had been forced to learn that lesson the hard way.

Bill was impressed with Maia's skills. She moved with the grace and purpose of a warrior, all while carrying Elena. The others were doing their best to keep up. Old Diego was tough as ever, limping out front, a natural scout. And Bill was impressed by the captive animals, too. Edgar had taken his words to heart—he really could be the fastest thing around—and Henri had successfully shaken off the trauma of fitting through the window. The group moved with a desperate cohesiveness down the narrow path.

Suddenly, Bill was struck by something Maia had
said back there.
There are others involved.
Who was she talking about? Where were they now?

The sounds of the humans receded as they drove deeper into the jungle, but some of the weaker trees still shook from the wind, and the sharp smell of their smoke still lingered.

“I hate to ask this,” Henri said between pants, “but how much farther are we going?”

“Not long now,” Luke said.

“Just keep low and stay moving,” said Maia.

“Yeah, what she said,” said Bill.

The path grew more treacherous, etched as it was into the face of a guano-streaked rock face. They began a heady, scrambling ascent, until the trail dead-ended at a spooky clearing.

“Now where?” Bill asked.

“Quick, in here,” Maia said, pointing into the darkness. Bill squinted. It was a large cave, pitch-black and dripping with condensation.

“No way,” Edgar said.

“Suit yourself,” said Maia.

“Looks just dandy to me,” Vic said.

“Exactly my point,” Edgar said.

Bill wasn't too excited about the cave either, but he didn't want to appear ungrateful or intimidated.

“I'll stand watch,” said Coco, spreading her wings.

“Me too,” said Bill, puffing his chest and crossing his arms.

“Bill,” Maia said, “don't be a clown. Get in here.”

“Fine,” said Bill.

Somehow, the inside of the cave was even darker than Bill could have imagined. Every drip echoed endlessly as they slunk deeper and deeper into the abyss. Then, suddenly, there was light. A torch. He blinked furiously as the flames soared and settled. Huddled there before him was a large group of Teddycats.

“Bill!” It was a voice Bill would recognize anywhere.

“Mom!”

Marisol rushed out of the darkness and threw her arms around her son. Bill was overwhelmed with love, relief, and confusion.

“Mom, what are you doing here?”

Marisol pulled back. Her eyes were filled with tears. She choked back a sob, then squeezed her son again.

“What happened?” Bill asked.

He figured the longer she went without answering, the worse it had to be. His heart sank as the silence stretched and deepened. The Teddycats looked down, averted their eyes. Their faces were drawn tight with sorrow. There were Elders, Teddycats from all over the Kingdom. And there was Omar!

“Omar! Buddy! You made it!” Bill said, forgetting himself and the situation for a moment.

“Hey, Bill,” said Omar, but his spirits were clearly just as low as those of the others.

“Mom, what happened? How did you guys find us?”

Marisol was still shaking. She clutched him so close Bill could barely breathe.

“Somebody tell me what's going on!”

Luke stepped forward. “After the human captured you in the savannah, we started tracking you right away. We followed you and the human back to the jungle. We were just a few hours behind you, following a fresh trail, when we met up with Maia and your mom and the others. They were . . .”

Luke mumbled something and slipped back into
the darkness.

“They were . . . what?” said Bill. “
Then
what happened? Why won't somebody just tell me? I can't help until I know what's going on!”

The Teddycats whimpered.

“You were right,” Maia said, stepping into the light. “You were right about Cloud Kingdom, Bill. We can't go back there. Right after you left, the humans attacked. They knew exactly where we were, and they knew exactly what they wanted. They went on a rampage. They . . . they took the claws, and the lives, of so many. We've lost brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, friends and family. We're the only ones left, Bill. We're the only ones who made it out alive.”

Many of the Teddycats were weeping. The flame cast darting shadows on the walls. Bill felt like he was in a nightmare: friends from all walks of life, together in an unfamiliar place, hiding from danger. He
was woozy. For a moment, he missed his cage.

Bill scanned the cave for his father, but he wasn't there. A cold lump grew in his throat. He swallowed it down, straight to his heart, and forced himself to hope that Big Bill, the strongest Teddycat he ever knew, had somehow made it out of this alive.

“That's not all,” said Luke. “When we ran into Maia and the others, we shared our stories and learned a few things. The humans who attacked Cloud Kingdom aren't the same ones who took you and Elena.”

Bill turned away, remembering Felix's theory about the two kinds of humans. So Joe got Jack and Luke, and he and Elena had been snatched up by the others. The smoky fire, the ugly debris, the swapped signals—it was all starting to make sense. They had been chasing two different villains. No wonder it had felt as if the humans were everywhere.

“Either way, we need a new place to live,” Maia said. “And we were hoping you might have some ideas.”

Bill was doubled over, raw anger burning in his stomach. He needed vengeance. He needed to lash back at the humans, all the humans, his claws gleaming and slicing as he took back his home and made them pay for the pain they caused. Bill didn't care which humans got in his way. He wouldn't rest until they were forced to account for their crimes. The humans wanted claws, Bill would give them claws. He growled. His mother tried to comfort him. He twisted away. But then he saw
the Teddycats, wounded and terrified. Somebody had to take care of them. Somebody had to lead the way. Bill thought back to what Felix had said.

If you get lost, just look to the horizon, the last line of light
.

He straightened up, swallowing the pain and anger. “I know where we need to go.”

Bill couldn't say much more. It was only a feeling, an instinct, an orientation, something he felt tugging on his heart, like a guiding star. Luckily, the other
Teddycats were desperate for guidance. Nobody asked too many questions, which was all for the best, as they would need to preserve their energy for the journey ahead. They divided what little food there was and vowed to embark at dawn.

OUTSIDE THE CAVE,
the jungle awoke, yawning to life with the flap and chatter of a new day. Bill had barely slept. Instead, he spent the night trying to appear calm and confident. Of course, inside he was a mess. What if Felix's words failed them? He wasn't even sure what they meant. And what if he led the Teddycats right back into the path of the humans? Well, maybe that was just life in the jungle. They would all have to get used to it.

Bill and Elena bid farewell to Henri, Edgar, Miguel, Coco, and Vic. They were sad to splinter off, but they had their own destinies to discover.

“Good luck to you, Bill Garra,” Henri said. “You have managed to teach an old monkey a few new tricks. I wouldn't have bet on you that first day we met inside, but I'll never forget our time together.”

“Don't sell yourself short, Henri,” Bill said. “You were the real rabble-rouser in there. I was just following your lead.”

Edgar was noticeably anxious about reentering the wild. He pulled Bill aside. “You really think I'll be all right out there?”

“You'll be fine,” Bill said. “Just be true to yourself.”

“Easy for you to say,” Edgar said.

“Oh, please,” said Bill. “I'm as lost as anyone.”

“These Teddycats will follow you anywhere,” said Edgar solemnly. “Take care of them.”

“I will,” Bill said. “Hey, Edgar, don't forget how fast you can go.”

Edgar rolled his eyes but smiled as he slipped into the brush.

“Miguel, stay safe,” said Bill. “I'd hate to get shot by a Miguel-laced dart any time soon.”

“You got it, Bill,” Miguel said, his translucent skin blushing slightly.

“Coco, Vic, behave yourselves.”

“Get going already,” said Vic.

“Seriously,” Coco said.

Diego, keeping watch by the cave mouth, called down to the others. It was time to start off. The journey would only grow more dangerous the longer they waited.

The Teddycats began to inch their way out of the darkness. They were streaked with mud, cut, and bruised. But there was a determination in their eyes. Bill recognized it immediately. It was the same look he had seen in Omar and Diego when they set off across the
savannah, the look Luke had when his mother clutched him to her chest, the look Elena gave him when he had misbehaved in the lab. The Teddycats and their allies were stronger than they knew.

Bill hoped the same held true for him.

FELIX HAD SAID
to follow the light, so Bill headed first for high ground, then west, following the blazing arc
of the sun. Behind him Luke and Diego led the charge. Omar and Maia brought up the rear, gently encouraging stragglers. In the middle was a struggling mass of Teddycats, bedraggled and spent, grief rising off them like steam.

“Where are we going, Bill?” Luke asked. “You can tell me.”

“I wish I could,” Bill said. “That's the truth. But I'll know it when I see it.”

“You Teddycats,” Luke said. “So secretive.”

“We're bein' hunted by humans, mate,” Diego said. “Let's hope we can keep a few things close to the chest.”

Bill decided that it wasn't the right moment to remind Diego of the Teddycats' future as jungle citizens. After all, the scout had already proven himself courageous, tolerant, and inexhaustible many times over. Bill couldn't believe there could possibly be an arrangement that Diego could not handle or learn to accept.

“What do I tell the others if they ask where we're going?” Luke persisted.

“Why would they ask you?” Diego said.

“I'm approachable,” Luke said.

“Well, you definitely have a way of getting underfoot,” said Bill. “I'll give you that. Anyone asks, we're headed west.”

“West,” Luke repeated, with a hushed reverence.

“You
do
realize this will lead us back to the river,” Diego said.

“It's looking that way,” Bill said. “We'll make it across.”

“Remember last time?” Diego said.

“At least we'll get a drink,” said Bill. He was bleary with fatigue, hunger, and thirst. A dunk in the river didn't sound so bad. This time he would just stay away from supercharged eels and sudden hundred-foot drops.

“What happened last time?”

It was Marisol, pushing up from the middle.

“Hi, Mom,” said Bill. “How's everybody doing back there?”

“Oh, they're doing their best, poor dears,” Marisol said.

“I'll bet they're wondering where we're going,” Luke said.

Bill shot him a glare.

“You know what?” Marisol replied. “I think we're just happy for a second chance. For too long we hid away
in Cloud Kingdom, and look what that brought us.”

“How's . . .” Bill started, then trailed off and tried again. “Where's Dad?”

Marisol sighed, sadness falling upon her face. “Your father is safe, in hiding with some of the Elders, but he decided to stay behind in Cloud Kingdom to learn more about the humans. I begged him to come with us, but in the end he did what he thought was best.”

“I guess I understand that,” said Bill, a pang in his chest. “I've learned that the right thing doesn't always
look the same to everybody.”

“You're so grown up, Bill,” Marisol said, rubbing her son's neck.

“Hey,” said Luke, “that's what
my
mom said about him, too.”

“Are you sure Dad's safe?” Bill asked. In his mind he had an image of his father hiding in the brush as the humans ransacked the Kingdom. “Once the humans know where you are . . . well, it's hard to find a hiding spot that's safe from them.”

“Your father is a very smart and brave Teddycat,” said Marisol. “He knows what he's doing. We have to trust him. And he made me promise to tell you that he loves you very much and that he's proud of everything you've done.”

“He really said that?” Bill asked.

“Of course!” Marisol said. “Did you really think he ever felt any other way? Sure, he's a grump—don't
even get me started—but he's not a total jerk.”

Bill nodded, his eyes filling with tears. It felt like the whole of his heart was finally clicking into place, like a puzzle. “I guess sometimes it was just hard to tell.”

“Fathers don't like to look vulnerable,” Marisol said. “And I don't think your grandfather was much of a cuddler. But I'll bet the next time we see Big Bill, he'll make it clear enough.”

BILL MARCHED FORWARD
with renewed vigor, growing more sure of his direction with each step. He wished Felix were there to see him; he wished Felix had heard what his mother said, but maybe Felix had suspected as much all along.

They were deep in unfamiliar forest. An eerie calm descended. There were only umbrella trees, stark and skinny until their wide crowns bloomed and mingled. An arched canopy blocked most light. Bill's first impulse was to rush through the shadowy gauntlet. Instead, he slowed their pace, allowing the group room to breathe.

He remembered the sensation of being watched out on the savanna. He felt a similar sensation creeping up his neck. Halfway through the dark passage, just as the easy strides were beginning to wear on him, he felt a bolt of recognition.

“Freeze!” he said, rearing up and throwing back his arms.

The company froze.

“What do you see?” Diego asked.

Before them was just flat ground, a scattering of mulchy undergrowth.

“Loan me your walking stick,” Bill said.

Reluctantly, Diego handed over the handsome shard of bone. Bill held it overhead and brought it down, whacking a seemingly benign patch of ground.
Just like that, a swath of netting snapped into a teardrop shape and then shot up into the canopy. The trap hung above them, slack and empty except for the walking stick.

“Good eye, Bill!” said Luke, looking at the trap with frightened recognition. “But any word on where we're going?”

“That was
my
blasted stick,” Diego mumbled.

“I owe you one,” Bill said.

“Good ones are rare,” said Diego.

“That's what makes them valuable,” Bill said.

THE ROAR OF
the river sent ripples of panic through the ranks of Teddycats. The water had always served as a natural barrier, and in their state they were all quick to fall back on this line.

Maia nudged Bill. “Say something,” she whispered, as the Teddycats inched away from the jagged banks and began to fret and panic.

Bill wondered how many convincing words it was going to take to lead them to wherever they were going. He tried to remember all the low points in his life, and what he wished somebody would have told him then. The words of Felix and Big Bill came first to his mind.

“I know it feels strange and unnatural,” said Bill. “But we need to cross this river in order to be free.
Remember, we have done this before. We have survived far worse. Here's the plan.”

THE TEDDYCATS BROKE
out into groups and hacked away at the skinny trees.

“These trees are too tall,” croaked Ramon, the Elder. He was gray and weak. Bill was surprised he had survived the human attack. “We should
climb
these trees instead.”

There were murmurs of agreement.

“Yes, we should climb these trees,” Ramon said, rediscovering the authoritative tone he belted from his perch in the Fountain for all those years, “and build a new home in the clouds!”

This proclamation was met with some hollow cheers.

“That's not the way forward!” Bill said. “Together we can fell these trees and use them to cross the river. If we choose to hide in the trees, we may be safe tonight, but not for long.”

As if on cue, a huge tree came crashing down.

Diego hopped onto the trunk. “Get to fellin',” he told the others, blowing wood dust from his claw. He snapped a branch and leaned against it for a moment, weighing it in his paw, then whipped some saplings and jabbed at some invisible foes. “This'll do.”