Chapter 210

Chapter 210

Happy for a break, the squeaking horde of quins plunge into the river, splashing and sliding around in search of food. Its refreshing to watch them frolic about, especially after days of hard running. I mean on the surface, they look like giant, murderous creatures of fangs and fur, but deep down, all they wanna do is paddle around in the water and sample from the seafood buffet. Hell, I dont even like seafood but its hard to resist jumping in after them. Unfortunately that would be unbecoming of a Warrant Officer.

So bothersome keeping up appearances. Sometimes I wonder what life would be like if I refused Akanais offer to join the Sentinels. So peaceful and relaxing, but probably no Mila or Lin to marry either. Decisions, decisions.

Joining me at the rivers edge, Lin leans against my arm and yawns, giggling as her quins dart back and forth beneath the waters, making up for lost play time. The cats and bears pad in to drink, their distinct personalities showing through in the simple action. The bears, young as they are, think everything is a game, diving in after the quins only to flounder once their paws can no longer reach the rivers bottom. Mafu glides in to teach them, but the quin is ill-suited to the task, blowing out his cheeks in frustration as the cubs continue to sink and flail about.

The cats stay out of the water, their fluffy fur not prone to fast drying. Like a true princess, Sarankho perches on a dry stone, avoiding the mud and leisurely lapping at the water, while Aurie happily traipses through the mud before shoving his face in, eyes wide with delight as he alternates between drinking and blowing bubbles. Jimjam, in a happy medium between the two, lies flat in the grass to hide, eyes darting left and right as he drinks quickly as he can, body tensed and ready to fight or flee.

Three sibling kittens, each with different personalities. Sarankho has her life together, and I suppose I have Mila and Li Song to thank for that. I dont think Aurie would survive if left to his own devices, though it might be because I spoil him too much. In contrast, Jimjam is too in tune with his instincts, too feral and unrestrained. In his kitty brain, drinking water leaves him at risk of attack, even though he has an entire pack of quins here to protect him. Hes too high-strung and nervous, which in turn makes me nervous. The first to finish quenching his thirst, Jimjam returns to watch over his siblings, shifting from paw to paw in obvious anxiety.

Sighing, I watch the vigilant Jimjam with a heavy heart. Nuzzled against my arm, Lin glances at me in question, allowing me to speak freely without prompting. Its a small thing, but Im grateful. It's tiring having everyone ask me whats wrong and having no suitable answer for them. Sometimes, a man needs to mope and sulk a little, and I need it more than most. Patting her hand, I shake my head and say, I dont know what to do about Jimjam. Hes not adapting to domestic life like the other two.

Nodding sagely, she replies, The poor sweetling is nervous. The Defiled attack stressed him out. Hes an ambush predator and doesn't like being surprised.

I know, but its getting out of hand. Reaching out with my foot, I prod Jimjam in the flank. Leaping about, he bares his teeth and hisses, hackles raised in warning. Shooting me a glare, he growls and moves away to resume his vigil, well out of my reach. See? Hes snapping at anything that surprises him. Its not safe. A lump forms in my throat as I consider my options. I could set him free, but hes not exactly stealthy and lazy to boot. Is he competent enough to survive on his own or would leaving him be a slow death sentence? Maybe itd be a mercy to... Unable to finish the thought, I trail off into silence.

Eyes wide and lips pouting, Lin tightens her fingers around my arm. You can't give up on him!

I dont want to, but what choice do I have? Untangling myself from her grip, I move into Jimjams line of sight, slowly approaching as he watches, wary and alert. Patting his neck, his muscles go taut at the touch, his breath quickening and body trembling. Leaving him be, I back away and turn to Lin, helpless and dejected. See? Im only making it worse. Like you said, hes a nervous predator, which doesnt bode well for those around him. What if he attacks someone, like you or the twins?

Hmph, silly Rainy, youre too nervous and he senses it. Her jaw set, Lin pushes past and pounces at Jimjam, heedless of the danger. My heart seizes in my chest as her arms wrap around his neck, the massive predator flinching at her sudden approach. My sword is halfway out the scabbard when Jimjam exhales and leans into the embrace, his ears fluttering in happiness. See? With a triumphant grin, she rubs her cheek against his neck and coos, Dont worry sweetling, if hubby doesnt want you around, then Lin-Lin will take good care of you, ya?

A cold bead of sweat runs down my temple as I repress a shudder, unable to find the words. Watching Lin roughhouse with Jimjam sends shivers down by spine, my instincts screaming to put an end to it, to save Lin and kill the beast, but why? I raised Jimjam from a kitten, and even though hes aloof by nature, hes never shown signs of aggression. Ive watched him gently play with the twins and groom the cubs every night before he sleeps, a sweet, gentle giant still in his adolescence. Ive never been scared of him before, so why now? What prompted the sudden thoughts of putting him down?

...

Can I blame the Spectres for this? Are they getting craftier, or am I falling deeper into a negative mindset? God dammit, Im sick of this, its impossible to know which thoughts are mine and which are the product of their whispers. Moving to his side, I take Jimjams face in my hands and touch my forehead to his nose, closing my eyes in silent apology. Two days of skittish behaviour and Im already contemplating killing my kitten, Im a terrible person. Reaching for Balance, I unleash a sliver of Aura towards him, hoping to convey my love and affection.

A low chuff is my only response before Jimjam shakes himself free. Good enough. Giving him a small nuzzle, I smile at Lin. Youre right, Im sorry. Im being stupid.

Looking as serious as she can while hugging a cat larger than herself, Lin says, Its okay hubby. Youve been sad and mopey lately, so I understand. Just dont do something silly without talking to me or Mi-Mi first, ya? Again, she leaves the question unasked, knowing I cant talk freely about my problems.

Sure thing. A tiny burden is lifted from my shoulders as I agree with her assessment, though running every decision by them seems a little obtrusive. Still, it couldnt hurt, at least until Im in a better state of mind. Jowls dripping with water, Aurie returns and headbutts my chest with Sarankho close behind, and I spend a few minutes playing with them, a smile stretched across my face.

I need a solution to my spectral squatter problem, and soon.

Dismounting from their horses, Senior Captain Chu XinYue and his soldiers creep to the edge of the tree line and close their eyes, silently searching for someone to speak with. Sending isnt like texting, not only do you need to be familiar with the recipient, they also need to be in range. The whole point is to reach whoever is guarding the outermost gate, overlooking the area where they inspect the wagons before entering the city. In order for this to be successful, not only does the person on duty have to be close enough, it needs to be someone known to XinYue and his men.

Im not exactly optimistic about our chances.

I made contact! XinYues hushed whisper immediately refutes my pessimism. Such luck, Uncle Mao is in the gatehouse.

Uncle Mao? Oh all the missed opportunities, I should have named one of the cats Mao. Ooo, Chairman Mao. Purrfect. I should have some hats made for the cats, it'll be adorable...

With a sheepish smile, the large man shakes his head. Sorry, I mean Mao Jianghong, Guard Captain of Sanshu. Not my uncle by blood, but a family friend. The smile slips from his face, replaced by an angry scowl. He says the Defiled are already inside Sanshu. Treachery from a staff sergeant, a woman named Sovanna. She led a rebellion and took the western gate through stealth and surprise, allowing the Enemy to stroll right in. Placing both hands on my shoulder, he pleads, Inform Major Yuzhen she must hurry. The city is in danger of falling.

Done. We ride back now, no delay. Somethings off, but thats for someone else to deal with. At top speed, it'll only take two hours to get there and back.

Shaking his head, XinYue glances at the gates. You go, this is my home, I must be there to defend it. Uncle Mao will let me in. I wont order any of my men to follow or beg for aid, but I will not forget any help that is offered. His pointed glance towards Tenjin and Tursinai doesnt escape my notice, but Im hesitant to volunteer them. They wont go anywhere without Mila, and Im not sending my bloodthirsty betrothed in, no matter how adorable she looks while silently pleading.

I give my orders, buying time to think. Rustram, take ten of our fastest riders back to Major Yuzhen. If theyre already inside the city, then its unlikely well need the horses to fight, so she might as well come now. Not exactly room to maneuver cavalry charges, lots of winding roads and bottlenecks. Turning to XinYue, I find him mounting his horse, ready to ride out into the field. Grabbing his reins, I hold his horse in place. Wait. Somethings not right. You said Mao Jianghong is the Guard Captain right? He nods, impatient to be off. Then what is he doing sitting around the outer gatehouse?

Opening his mouth to respond, he snaps it shut with an audible click, confusion etched across his brow. After a long pause, he answers, I dont know. By all rights, he should be with Uncle Tongzu, coordinating the defenses.

Huh... Tongzu? Chu Tongzu. Chu XinYue. Youre Magistrate Chu Tongzus nephew?

Err, not exactly. Scratching his nose in obvious embarrassment, he shrugs. My grandfather is the Magistrates cousin, though they rarely met due to a difference in age. After Uncle Tongzu rose to the office, I was sent to... learn from him. Because my uncle lacks an Heir, you see. Shaking his head, he moves on. Its not important. Even though Im no great hero, I cannot sit idle while Sanshu is in danger.

Guess I know where XinYue heard all those unflattering details. The Magistrate is not my biggest fan, though to be fair, I left a lot of corpses in his streets. Then again, it wasnt entirely my fault, so he shouldnt blame me either. Look, send word to Mao, tell him youre leaving to bring word to Major Yuzhen. Meanwhile, we go check the western gate. If everything is as he says, then well swing back around and ask him to let all of us in, no harm no foul. A half-hour at most, if Sanshu falls in that time, then theres little we could have done regardless. If you insist on going now, then I cannot join you in good conscience.

XinYue reluctantly agrees to my plan, Tenjin and Tursinai too strong to turn away. Leading the way, I ride through the forest towards the western gate, ears and eyes open for danger. Gripped by pre-battle jitters, my body surges with adrenaline in preparation of glorious combat, the Spectres alternating between whispers of impending doom and spectacular glory, depending on whether I cooperate with them, of course.

Calm down. Do it like you used to, before Baledagh woke up. You fought plenty back then, against bandits, Society grunts and Defiled warriors. You can do this. You practised day in and day out, trained under Baatar and Akanai for this very purpose. Dont shame them. Make them proud.

Above all else, survive.

A rustle in the trees captures my attention and I glance up to see glimmering metal pointed in my direction.

Fuck my life. Caught off-guard twice in one day.

I wholeheartedly regret not telling Akanai to shove her stupid offer up her ass.

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