Power Play - Anne McCaffrey [97]
“Oh, curses! Foiled again, I suppose,” Dinah muttered. “But, very well. Have it your way. Muktuk, Chumia, you did promise to share the family history with me and I have a bit to tell you. Shall we return to your lovely home and thaw out?”
“Coaxtl says there is a storm coming, Captain Johnny,” ’Cita said. “She says that if all will follow me, one at a time, she will lead us to a warm place of safety.”
Zing Chi looked down at her scornfully. “This is no time for childish prattling. You people obviously indulge your children so much that they feel they may interrupt adults dealing with such a crisis.”
’Cita couldn’t help herself. Her wicked streak surfaced.
“They do not indulge children! I should know. I have been beaten well and often, as I so frequently deserve. But the words I spoke were the words of Coaxtl, and no one beats Coaxtl. And Captain Johnny would not have a crisis to deal with if you had not caused it! I may be unworthy and a mere child, but you are a wicked, greedy man and very impolite, as well, to come to the Home and take things without asking!”
Zing Chi spat disgustedly. “Your pardon, Captain. I didn’t realize the child was mentally unbalanced.”
But Captain Johnny gave him the same sort of look Zing Chi had given ’Cita and asked her, “Would Coaxtl know if it would be safe for me to fly?”
’Cita asked and reported the answer. “She says there will be strong winds and much snow and all will be whiteness. We must follow now to find the safe place.”
“In other words, no flying. Loncie, Pablo, you heard? What do you think?” Johnny asked.
“Follow your lion, muchacha,” Loncie told ’Cita approvingly. “We will follow you.”
“We won’t,” Zing Chi declared. “You think I am fooled by your notion that animals talk? That animals know things that humans don’t? Especially about flying conditions. This is a trick to separate us so we can be taken, and it does not work with Zing Chi. Those animals are only waiting until we separate so that they can pick us off more easily.”
’Cita had had quite enough of this rude and grabby man. She pushed through the crowd to Coaxtl, who easily cut a swath from the outer ring of animals through the huddle of people. Behind her, ’Cita heard Johnny say, “Oh, no, Zing Chi. As far as the polar bears are concerned, larger groups are a more satisfying entree. But suit yourself. I’m following the cat and,” he added, raising his voice to shout over the wind, “if any of you other folks want to get in out of the cold before a big storm comes, follow us, one at a time!”
Hurry, Youngling, the place is far and time is short, Coaxtl said.
’Cita felt the warm softness of another, smaller cat brushing her legs and twisting about her ankles, and then the prickle of claws on her thigh. She looked down into the gold coin eyes of a lion cub.
Behind her, a voice said, “It wants to go with you. I will, too. I don’t care what the others are doing.”
’Cita looked back and saw the boy she had glimpsed from the copter. He was bending over to stroke the cub. She nodded and Coaxtl preceded her back through the throng to the copter, where Johnny, Loncie, Pablo, and the others from Bogota fell in behind herself and the boy. Zing Chi was shouting at his people that it was all a trap. Not that there was another option open, for the circle of animals closed tighter and tighter around the people, funneling them in behind ’Cita’s group.
As Coaxtl reached the outer edge of the humans, she stepped forward, ’Cita following, and marched with great unconcern between two long ranks of animals with fetid breath, white teeth, and shining eyes.
24
Yana had Louchard’s shuttle pilot—prompted by a saccharine order elicited from Dinah-Two-Feet—run her through the checklist to be sure there weren’t any surprises on this slightly-less-orthodox-than-usual vessel.
Then Marmion, Namid, Bunny,