Warrior Revealed (Cadi Warriors #7) - Stephanie West Page 0,2
find you again.”
The ball of fluff hissed in disagreement, angling toward the bowl of broth in his other hand.
“Is that so?” he chuckled at the protest.
After making sure the door was shut, he took a seat on the narrow bed, and placed the furball along with the broth on the floor. Greedily the beastie began lapping it up.
“Take it easy. You’re going to choke.”
When he attempted to pull the bowl away so the beastie was forced to take a breath, a tiny paw batted his hand and the beastie gave him a gurgled hiss, its mouth still full of broth that dribbled down its tiny, furry chin.
“You are mouthy,” he snorted at the disgruntled expression he received. “I’ll get you more, just don’t choke.” He relented and pulled his hand back.
As the furball continued lapping at its meal, an amusing rolling rumble started vibrating through its little body.
“Does that mean it’s good?” He smiled in amusement. “Let’s see what you are.”
Aculus glanced at the communicator strapped to his wrist. He tapped on the screen, first checking on Ashtoret, who had yet to contact him. Satisfied the Cadi male’s signal was still strong, several hectares to the north, he linked with the human information network.
“You remind me a lot of a race of people called the Felidae. But I doubt the humans have them listed in their database,” he commented while inputting the characteristics of the furball into his communicator. “It looks like you’re something called a cat.”
He studied the translated information and pictures till he was confident that’s what the furball was.
“From the looks of it, you’re a juvenile, a kitten. Well, no wonder. You probably aren’t old enough to be on your own. What happened to your matron? Did one of those alligators get her?” he asked as he perused the information. “You’re not even supposed to be in the wilds at all. This says the humans domesticated your species to hunt vermin.”
He frowned at the beastie. With that info he couldn’t very well feed the furball then release it into the swamp again.
As he was debating what to do his comm beeped, displaying an urgent message from Ashtoret.
“I think our friend’s in trouble again.” He swiftly stood and headed for the door. “You behave in here and I’ll get you another bowl of broth soon.”
The kitten didn’t even bother to glance up from the nearly empty bowl as he left the room. He jogged to the front and got the cruiser up in the air, not bothering to strap into his seat. The location wasn’t that far. In no time he was closing in on Ashtoret’s location. He avoided two human aircraft with primitive rotary blades as he piloted toward the grassy field. His cruiser was cloaked so they had no idea they’d been surpassed.
“He is in trouble,” he rumbled as he set down in the clearing and swiftly assessed the situation.
On the viewscreen, Ashtoret was taking cover with a pair of human females just inside the tree line. A handful of humans were firing toward his friend from the other side of the field. He growled as he leapt out of his seat. It was reprehensible they risked the lives of females. He grabbed a weapon and lowered the ramp of the cruiser. Aculus swiped a hand over his communicator, engaging the translator. As he was about to give a warning to the attacking human males, a projectile ricocheted off the nearby hull followed by another.
So that’s how you want it. His gaze narrowed on the fools. Did they not realize they were up against superior firepower? They obviously don’t care, they’re firing on females.
His patience exhausted, he targeted and dropped the offenders in rapid succession.
“What are you waiting for?” he hollered to Ashtoret. The sounds coming from the humans’ rotary aircraft were getting closer.
A smile split his face when Ashtoret ran toward the cruiser with a female saddled on both hips. It made for quite a sight.
“You’ve got impeccable timing, Aculus.” Ashtoret sprinted into the cruiser.
Aculus’ smile widened as he considered the two females and the dual meaning of the comment.
“I do, indeed. It looks like you have one female too many, Ashtoret,” he chuckled, while sealing the door and engaging the auto-pilot, course set for his frigate on the dark side of the moon.
The flame-haired female clinging to Ashtoret stared wide-eyed as he reached for her.
“I don’t think so,” Ashtoret snapped at him and angled the anxious female away.