The Ten Clans Chronicles

Chapter 14: A Simple Kindness

The hour had well progressed and the light was waning, allowing less of the day's ferocity to filter into the mouth of the tunnel. It was in this cooler, more refreshing time that Wyte finally stirred in his dim sand chamber. His body ached with a continuous throbbing, reverberating pain.

In his mind's eye, the blows from those strange, cruel meerkat guards were still raining down on him. That experience had confused and frightened him. Every other meerkat guard he had ever known—which extended only as far as his own oasis—was either sympathetic towards him or took up any complaints they had about him with Paradiano. The two he had met up with little more than an hour ago had leapt on him with a cruel sort of glee that seemed unreal.

Would Tory or any of the others back at the oasis ever turn on him like these two foreign guardkats had? Wyte shivered at the thought. He never wanted to venture to the outside world again, not if those cruel guardkats were awaiting him. He was unsure whether he even wanted to face Tory ever again.

Or Elliair... would the warriorkat ever do such a thing? Wyte had never really seen him angry. Wyte had lain here for what must have been hours in his sand pit, pondering these questions fearfully. Never before had he ever felt so alone. His entire body quivered with the queer throbbing that served as a constant reminder of these unpleasant thoughts.

Only after a long while of undetermined time, the young meerkat at last came to his senses. He may not have known a lot about what had just transpired or why he had been attacked and so cruelly punished. One thing he did know assuredly, however, was that he needed to put as much space between himself and this strange clan as quickly as possible.

There was a good chance that, even if the two guardkats there were others besides the two he had already encountered.

Crawling cautiously to the mouth of his shallow tunnel, he determinedly poked his head out into the fresh, open air aboveground and peered about him. After surveying his position, he found no trace of his tormentors or of whatever it was that had driven them away.

Wyte dug his front digging claws into the soft warm sand, his good hindpaw clawing at the tunnel walls. After a good amount of effort, he finally managed to drag his small bruised body and injured hindpaw clear of his one-time refuge. Once on top, he collapsed into the white grit, exhausted from his efforts. He lay there panting as he regained the strength to force his aching muscles to obey him.

Wyte gave a miserable start at a sudden rustling sound somewhere very near him. He cowered into the sand as though it would swallow him up if he asked it. Still, he did not look up until an enormous shadow fell over him. His shriek of dread died in his throat when he saw what it was.

Six long talon daggers spread out in the sand before him. Two thick, feathered legs rose above them like hefty cactus stalks. Wyte's eyes traveled up the huge sleek body to the face of the giant bird. It seemed to be miles above his head; he had to crane his neck to see it at all. Fierce amber eyes dilated and contracted as they surveyed him.

Despite his fear, Wyte noticed with growing wonder the dull, mournful pain that appeared in the great hooded eyes. He also noticed how the hefty, white-feathered chest heaved slightly with a sort of discomfort as it rose and fell with the bird's breathing.

Instinctively, the young meerkat knew that the creature was afraid of something—either that, or it had been hurt by some-thing. The youngster wondered grimly if it was the guardkats that had been after him that had done it. Wyte's fear diminished further as his keen gaze took in the massive bird of prey. His eyes wandered down first one great wing, then the other... and froze.

The latter wing hung lopsidedly at the bird's side, trailing ragged white feathers in the sand whenever the bird moved.

A noticeable lump protruded from the base of the wing, near the feathered body. Around the sizeable lump spread a large scarlet stain, dry and crusted in some areas and a bit more recent in others. The wound was still bleeding at a dangerous rate.