Covenant: Exodus

Chapter 31

"So that just happened...," Erich said looking around at his group, which now included the giant jaguar. Since the cat had arrived, it was all that the group could talk about. Paulus and Nagato seemed especially worked up. Mitchell had picked up some of the Indonesian language when he worked with Erich before, but what they were saying now was nothing he had heard on their last voyage together through the jungle.

"Raja," Nagato said, motioning toward the large cat, "Raja Bintang!"

"What does that mean?" asked Mitchell.

"It means star king," Erich said slowly, "at least I think that's what it means, but that doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Nagato must be referencing some myth of his people. A lot of the tribes are very superstitious, there are many legends about big cats throughout Indonesia. I'm assuming that black jaguars would hold a special significance because of their great rarity, and this one in particular, because of its size. I mean, I have some experience with big cats...jaguars are not typically very big, and this one is huge...prehistoric in size."

As Mitchell and Erich continued to talk, Paulus walked over and added, "The Raja Bintang is a legendary beast from the teachings of the Sala'Ma..." Paulus began, "The legend tells of a great black cat that can communicate with men and is truly the king of all beasts. It is said that all other animals will obey the Raja Bintang. He is said to be as black as night, born from the stars to rule over the beasts of this world. Some men in the village believed they had found the Raja Bintang several years ago in the jungles surrounding the place where Unta had taken Gema and I after Malik came."

"What do you think he is doing here?" Mitchell asked, nervously eyeing the cat, "What in the world could make him just hang out here beside you? I mean he's acting like a damn dog for God's sake."

Paulus looked at the great cat, his face a mixture of fear and awe, "I honestly have no idea," he said quietly, "to tell you the truth, I always assumed the legend was just that...a legend. I never thought that the Raja Bintang actually existed. To see this with my own eyes, to have confirmation of one of the great Sala'Ma legends...it is an overwhelming feeling."

"Paulus," Erich said motioning around them, "Can I remind you that we are nowhere near where the Sala'Ma people came from. In fact, that's something that's been bothering me since we started this entire voyage. If you are descended from Noahim, if that is where your legends arise from, how did you end up in the land where Jakon ended his journey, and not here where Noahim and his people supposedly came? It's actually one of the things that makes me nervous that we aren't on the right path."

Paulus began to speak, but Graham held up a hand, cutting him off, "Look, Erich, there is so much that we do not know about these people, to make assumptions like that is very dangerous. It is altogether possible that Noah and his people first stopped in Indonesia, and found it not safe enough for them, so after making a home there, they left and came to the Amazon. And if that were the case, then it is also possible that some of their numbers stayed behind and continued on their traditions. There are so many possibilities that we wouldn't even have any idea on where to begin to speculate, but it definitely does not mean that we are on the wrong path, or that their legends are wrong."

"Legend or no legend, the cat is making me nervous," Mitchell said gruffly.

Erich looked down at their new companion, who was now acting somewhat agitated, stalking back and forth in front of him. "I feel like he wants something...and I know that sounds crazy, but these last few weeks has taught me that anything is possible." The cat looked up at Erich, seeming to understand what he said and bounded several steps ahead into the jungle, disappearing into the brush. Everyone stopped talking and watched as the cat vanished into the underbrush, and then it quickly came back out. The great cat stood there, making a chuffing sound and looking directly at Erich, then once again, ducking into the cover of the forest.

"I think it wants you to follow," Paulus said matter-of-factly.

"So, what, you can communicate with animals now too?" Erich said.

"Maybe he's just seen an episode or two of Lassie...it isn't that hard to figure out that it wants us to follow," Rock said and paused, "I can't believe I just said that..."

Erich turned and looked at Mitchell, who simply shrugged his shoulders and shook his head, clearly at a loss. "Following the cat doesn't seem to be any crazier than anything else we are doing out here, what do you think Doc?" Mitchell said turning his attention to Graham.

Graham shook his head and rolled his eyes at the nickname that Rock and Mitchell had given him, "For the last time, stop calling me Doc," he said with feigned exasperation. "And I suppose you are right, this whole venture is predicated on the belief that mythology often has a basis in tangible, real-world events so it makes as much sense to follow this legendary beast as it does to be out here in the first place."

"What he said," Rock boomed out, standing up and slapping Erich on the back, which earned a wince from Erich as he rolled his shoulder and rubbed the spot where Rock's giant palm had landed, "Let's move out, but I think we need to quit calling it the cat, or legendary beast, or whatever else, how bout we give it a name."

Mitchell looked at Rock and shook his head, "A name?"

"Ya, a name," Rock said matter-of-factly, "I find it kind of creepy to have to say let's follow the cat, or the beast, makes me think we've all gone a little, as Graham and his English brothers might say, bonkers. I think a name would give her a proper place, let her know she's part of the group..."

"Part of the group?" Mitchell said sounding slightly shocked, "And she? How do you know it's a she?"

"Well, you see..." Rock began in his gravelly baritone, "a boy has a..."

"Okay Rock...we get it," Erich interrupted, saving the group from the obviously crass biology lesson Rock had in store, "and I have to admit, I kind of agree. I like the idea of being able to refer to her by name. It will definitely make me feel less crazy for following a strange, giant jaguar into the Amazon rainforest hoping that it will help lead us to my son and his mother before a group of psychopathic murderers find the key to limitless power in a lost city built by the survivors of Atlantis..."

This earned a small chuckle from the group. "Fine," Mitchell said eyeing the cat as it stalked beside the darkened forest. "Although, if this cat's a girl doesn't that mean it isn't the Star King from your legend?"

Paulus thought about it for a moment, "I suppose a king should have his queen," he said with a shrug, "plus, if the Raja Bintang is real then it obviously came from somewhere so a female of the species would be a necessity, right?"

This seemed to settle the matter with the group, and the cat again seemingly sensing the moment, leapt into the center of the gathered men and let out a deafening roar. The jungle immediately fell silent as all of the men stared at the feline figure crouched low to the ground, eyeing all of them with a fierce intelligence. Nagato walked and placed a hand on Erich's shoulder, looking directly into his eyes and nodded saying only two words, a small knowing smile on his lips, "Raja Bintang..." he said, watching as the cat stalked towards the jungle.

"Alright then," Erich muttered walking towards the spot that the cat had disappeared, "Lead the way, Raja." He paused momentarily, catching Nagato's eye, who nodded approvingly, apparently pleased with the name that Erich had chosen for their new companion. Knowing there was no more time for hesitation, Erich plunged into the darkness of the jungle beyond. Paulus and Nagato following, with Graham, Mitchell, Rock bringing up the rear, and the twins already lost to the shadows.