Teddycats Read online

  The two of them sat there for a long moment while Bill worked up the courage and spittle to speak.

  “Is this okay?” he finally asked. “Me being here?”

  “Everyone’s looking for you,” Maia said, without glancing at him.

  “I know,” Bill said.

  He pulled nervously on the mud and straw below them, a bad habit that was prevalent among the Teddycats. A gathering of anxious Teddycats could pluck a meadow clean in a half hour flat.

  “You’re basically a fugitive,” Maia said.

  “I’m not trying to hide, if that matters at all.”

  She considered him coolly. “Well, you seem nervous.”

  “I’m not trying to seem that way. And I’m not in hiding. You’re not harboring me or anything. You won’t get in trouble for talking to me.”

  “Ha,” said Maia, mirthlessly. “First time for everything. So what’re you so nervous about?”

  Maia had this way of asking questions that landed like uppercuts. She could be very intimidating, which Bill had always admired about her (as long as it was unleashed on somebody else).

  “Banishment, for starters,” said Bill. “Armies of stampeding humans.”

  “I see,” said Maia.

  Bill sighed. “All right, here goes: I went down to the jungle in the middle of the night. To look for Elena. I talked Luke into helping me, and then he . . . well, he was nabbed by a human.”

  Maia’s face fell again, and her head hung low against her chest. “Why does this keep happening?” she whispered. “What are we going to do?”

  “Cloud Kingdom is changing, Maia. The jungle is closer than it’s ever been before. I was talking to the jaguar . . .”

  “Felix?”

  “That’s the one.”

  “He’s a good egg,” said Maia.

  “Definitely,” said Bill. “Felix thinks I should just keep trying with the Elders. In a respectful way, of course. To really make sure they see what they’re giving up, and whom they’ll be leaving behind, if they just run away and keep hiding.”

  Maia seemed underwhelmed. “So that’s the plan? You stroll up to the Elders and tell them to join you in a Bill Garra rescue operation? Despite a paw in every incident so far?”

  “Look,” said Bill, ears burning, “I know it sounds crazy. And like a long shot. But I see now why I’ve been failing so miserably at trying to help. It’s because I’ve been trying to go it alone. I thought I’d be saving others the trouble, but I just wound up putting Luke—and everyone else—in danger. But this affects all of Cloud Kingdom, not just me and the animals I’m close to. And if we’re going to fix this, we’ve got to do it together.”

  “I’m sorry, Bill,” Maia said, her eyes sad. “I just don’t see what’s so different this time.”

  “It’s hard to explain,” Bill said. He was frustrated. He wished he could show Maia how committed he was to saving Elena, but every time he tried, things just got worse. “But I swear, it is different.”

  Maia just flicked her eyes up and down, taking in Bill’s condition. “Think about it this way,” he said. “I’ve got nothing left to lose.”

  With a jerk, Maia leapt up. She paced the sunny surface, veering closer to the edge with each lap. “That’s your problem, Bill. You always think you’ve got nothing to lose. You probably would’ve said the same thing before Elena and Jack and Luke were taken. Yeah, things are bad. But they can get much, much worse. What about your parents? What would they say if they knew you thought you had nothing to lose? What about me and the rest of my family? What about this whole place?”

  “I am thinking about all that,” said Bill, giving her a wide berth. “That’s exactly . . .”

  “Meanwhile, whatever’s going to happen will happen, no matter what prank you pull or speech you make to the Elders. So grow up, and leave me alone.”

  Maia plopped back down again, looking exhausted now. Bill inched closer. Her pain was so obvious, it was like a fog.

  “The Maia I know would be sharpening her claws, not sleeping in the sun.”

  “Well, this is the kind of shape I’m in right now.”

  Bill grasped his friend’s shoulders. “Maia, please. I need you with me on this.”

  He could see the answer in her disappointed eyes, but he still held on to some old, deeply buried hope.

  “I can’t do it, Bill,” Maia said. “I’m sorry. You’re on your own.”

  Bill was silent for a long moment, chewing his lip until he regained composure. “Well, that’s your right,” he said. “Thanks for hearing me out.”

  “You’re welcome,” said Maia.

  Bill gave her an awkward hug, which she accepted. It felt superficial, absent of love or forgiveness.

  “Hey, leave her alone!”

  Bill wheeled around. There was Omar, down in front of the den, pointing and snarling.

  “Just what I need right now,” said Bill.

  “Haven’t you done enough, Garra? Why don’t you let this family grieve in peace?”

  “I was just leaving,” said Bill.

  “That’s right, get lost,” Omar said.

  “Omar, take it easy,” Maia said. “He said he’s leaving.”

  “I’m sorry, Maia,” said Omar, softening his tone. “I just can’t stand to see you hurting like this, and then on top of everything else he’s coming here and making everything worse.”

  Bill turned back to Maia and away from Omar, trying his best to shut him out. There was one more thing he needed to say, and he needed Maia to believe it.

  “Maia, I will fix this,” he said.

  “Please, go,” whispered Maia.

  Bill nodded and slowly retreated down the den’s back slope. He reached the ground and cut through the sweetmoss patch, and soon Maia was obscured by sunlight. But he could still hear Omar on the other side of the den, crowing triumphantly: “That’s right, you’d better run!”

  12

  THE ELDER MEETING was already under way.

  Once again, Ramon stood before the Fountain and calmly outlined the disasters the Kingdom had already faced, as well as the additional disasters it might reasonably expect from the future. The gathered Teddycats were racked with panic: the exact opposite of the communal tizzy that overtook the population at rainbow-blessed sweetmoss harvests and other high holidays. Some particularly anxious Teddycats seemed on the verge of fainting.

  Bill sliced his way through the crowd. If he stopped to reconsider his plan, even for a moment, he would lose his nerve. So he dropped his chin and kept pushing until he was kneeling before the Fountain. Ramon cast an eye downward at Bill but finished his thought. “. . . therefore, we must secure a new sanctum.”

  “Sir?” Bill said, jumping straight in, as usual. “May I address the Teddycats?”

  Ramon smiled tightly at Bill. “Shoo, little Garra.”

  “There’s something I need to say,” said Bill.

  Ramon’s face was frozen for a moment, until he stepped aside with a dramatic flourish.

  Bill couldn’t believe it—Ramon was actually going to let him talk. But then, before he could even open his mouth to speak, he was walloped by a tidal wave of outrage. The crowd of Teddycats snarled and hissed, tried to shout him off the podium.

  Then he spotted his parents, standing together near the back. Marisol offered a small smile. His father’s features were stony, but Bill took some comfort in his steadfastness and predictability.

  Finally, as the crowd began to tire, Bill watched a wave of exhaustion sweep through them. Bill had outlasted their anger, withstood the outburst, and yet he still wanted to stand before them and say his piece. He cleared his throat.

  “Cloud Kingdom is my home,” Bill began, and he was met with sleepy scowls. “I can’t imagine life without this place. But it should not be a prison, or even some kin
d of exclusive hideaway. We are capable of so much more. There is real suffering on the jungle floor. And just because we’re not down there to see all of it up close doesn’t mean we can ignore our duties as citizens, as Teddycats, as jungle dwellers.”

  Bill stopped and took a breath, expecting to get hit with more anger. But, though there was definite tension in the crowd, they didn’t fill the silence with hisses or shouts. They were listening.

  “So let’s stand up for ourselves,” Bill said, seizing the chance to be heard. “Okay, so the humans know we exist. They’ve seen our claws, and soon they might figure out how to find our home. Right now, they’re holding three of my friends—two Teddycats and an Olingo. I know that probably none of them would be missing right now if it weren’t for me.” Bill paused, feeling a ball of sad pressure build near his heart. He blinked once and kept going. “But I want to get them back, and I can’t do it alone. I need help, from all of Cloud Kingdom. And if that means more exposure to humans and everything else down there . . . well, I think that’s the risk we have to take. Because a sanctuary is not a sanctuary if it protects only animals strong enough to leave when the going gets tough. If we do nothing to help Elena, Jack, and Luke, then we’re no better than the humans, or any other predator. Look how lucky we are! We can do so much good and help so many down in the jungle. Why not be proud of that and step forward?”

  The gulf between Bill and the crowd had slimmed and somewhat softened. That rippling static of discontent remained, but with less braying, fewer bared teeth.

  “So. Is anybody with me?”

  Nobody made a sound. Were they all choked up and unable to speak? Bill himself was trembling with adrenaline, and he couldn’t see straight. His only plan had been to speak from the heart and hope for the best. He didn’t realize until now how strong his convictions really were, and that they had just been waiting for him to find the courage to share them. He glanced at his parents, but they wore only blank smiles.

  “What do you say?” Bill said, ready to bring it home. “Let’s do—”

  “Get out of here, Garra!” shouted a Teddycat somewhere in the middle of the crowd.

  “This is all your fault, you little jerk!”

  “Boo!”

  Bill threw up his arms in defense. “Wait!” he said. “Hold on, there’s more! We can—”

  “Boooooooooo!”

  Bill surrendered. He stood up there, his chin on his chest, feeling foolish and lost. Finally Ramon nudged him off to the side with a subtle smirk, then got to work restoring order and calm among the Teddycats. As the crowd began to disperse, still murmuring insults under their breath, Bill trudged down from the Fountain, resigned to a life of exile.

  13

  BILL AND HIS mother took the long way back to their den, looping around the Kingdom. Big Bill Garra had decided to stay at the Fountain to debrief Ramon and discuss defense policies with the Elders. Bill knew exactly what would happen: The Elders would show him the courtesy of listening to him, but they weren’t going to change their minds just because Bill was his son.

  “I guess you and Dad are probably pretty much fed up with me,” said Bill.

  Marisol rubbed his head. “We know you’re a good kitten, Bill. We’re just worried about you.”

  “I wish I could stay here with you guys and just hope for the best. But I can’t. I’m responsible for what happened to Elena, Jack, and Luke. You get that, right?”

  “I get it,” said Marisol.

  “Good.”

  He turned away from his mother and yawned. Fatigue pinched his bones. His eyes itched. He couldn’t remember the last time he had slept through the night. Grimacing, he swallowed the sleepy taste from his mouth, rubbed his eyes with his paws, and took three sharp breaths.

  “You’re tired,” Marisol said. “I can tell.”

  “No way, I’m fine,” Bill said. “Just got another wind.”

  “Don’t try to hide from me, buddy,” Marisol said. “I’m your mother.”

  “I’m aware of that, Mom.”

  “You’re a brave little Teddycat, you know that? A little fresh sometimes, but brave.”

  “That doesn’t seem like the popular opinion right now.”

  “I’m serious,” Marisol said. “Forget all that. I’m going to tell you something, Bill, but you can’t repeat it to anyone, no matter what. Okay?”

  “Okay,” Bill said, his little ears perking up.

  “I’m serious,” said Marisol. “You have to promise. If you tell anybody, I’ll deny it.”

  “All right, I promise!”

  His mother had never struck Bill as a particularly mysterious soul. Her priorities were unwavering and well-known. She lived for her family and her community, and she believed in kindness and selflessness. In other words, she was predictable, just like Bill’s dad. Bill almost always knew where Marisol stood and where she could be found. She was supportive of Bill Sr.’s political ambitions, though she was far more passionate about misting the garden, or delivering baskets of sweetmoss to neighbors in need, or caring for injured visiting creatures with her famous healing balm mixtures. So Bill had a hard time believing his mother was harboring a secret so big she’d forbid her son from acknowledging it in public.

  “Then here goes,” Marisol said, looking both up and down and behind her. They were standing on the outer rings of the Kingdom, the sheer face of the volcano rising before them. Seeing nobody, Marisol grabbed Bill by the arm and leaned into him. “I agree with you.”

  “Wait,” began Bill, head swimming. “How so, exactly?” he asked.

  “Remember our last talk?” said Marisol. “About the dangers of interacting with the jungle?”

  “Sure,” said Bill. “You scared me pretty good.”

  “Well, I wanted to tell you then, but it didn’t seem like the right time. But that was before Elena and Jack went missing. I didn’t realize how close we were coming to being exposed. And I certainly had no idea how much you were ready to sacrifice. But I agree with you. I don’t believe Teddycats will ever reach their potential if we keep our heads in the clouds. And I don’t think the Kingdom should be a secret. I think we need to exchange information, combine resources, join the party.”

  “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m talking about!” said Bill. “But wait, why didn’t you say anything back there, when everyone was booing me?”

  “There are all sorts of grown-up reasons why I couldn’t speak up back there. And if you decide to go down to the jungle, I won’t be able to go with you. I’m not proud of some of the reasons keeping me quiet. It’s complicated, but I just need to get this off my chest before you leave: I believe in what you’re doing, and I believe in you. Maybe someday we will all return to Horizon Cove together.”

  “Wow,” Bill said. He could barely think of what to say. “Thanks, Mom.”

  Marisol rubbed Bill’s head again and wiped a tear from her eye.

  “Now give me a hug,” she said. Bill burrowed his snout into his mother’s chest. It was warm and comforting, just as it had been a million times before.

  “You are just the most perfect, wackiest possible combo of me and your father.”

  “Isn’t that what usually happens with kittens?” Bill said.

  “I guess so,” Marisol said with a laugh.

  They separated. “Remember: Keep my little confession under wraps.”

  “I said I promise,” said Bill. “Believe in me? Believe in that.”

  “I do,” said Marisol. “Now. How can I help? What do you need for your trip? If I were you I’d bring plenty of sweetmoss to barter. At the very least it might soften somebody up.”

  “That’s a good idea,” said Bill.

  “And speaking of that,” said Marisol, “I know there’s not a lot of time to rest, but when was the last time you had a proper meal?”

  “I could eat,” sai
d Bill, rubbing his belly.

  They resumed down the lane and arrived at the Garra den, only to find Felix and Diego waiting for them. For the first time, Bill was confronted with the full extent of Felix’s dignified bearing, his broad shoulders and proud jaw, all that remained of a slinky prowling gait despite his advanced age.

  “Good afternoon, Mrs. Garra,” said Felix.

  “Good to see you up and about, Felix,” said Marisol. She smiled and nudged Bill forward, then excused herself and went into the den.

  “That was quite a speech, Bill,” Felix said.

  “Yeah,” Diego said to Felix, ignoring Bill, “think he really believed any of it?”

  “I do, every word!” Bill said defiantly.

  Normally Bill would never have challenged Diego like that, but from the scout’s sly tone, he suspected it was what he wanted. Bill tried hard not to stare at Diego’s scar, but then again that was one of only two options. All that was left of Diego’s missing eye was the jagged line where his fur would not grow. The rest was filled in with legend. There were conflicting accounts about different battles against different foes.

  “I believe in you, Bill Garra,” said Felix, giving Bill an excuse to break his gaze. “Which is why I’m going to accompany you to the jungle.”

  The moment took on a shimmery, dreamlike quality. Felix’s validation and partnership had taken Bill from the depths of despair to the heights of hope and pride. He struggled to regain his wits and could respond only with a wild fist pump that spun him around.

  “Aye,” Diego said. “And I’ll come along as well. I owe it to my mate, Jack.”

  “Okay!” said Bill, excited. “I believe we officially have a posse.”

  “Hey, me three!”

  Bill turned around, confused, and Felix and Diego followed his lead. There was Omar, with his arms crossed in a bold stance, in the middle of the lane.

  “Now who’s this li’l bugger?” said Diego, already gone cranky again.

  “Oh, brother,” Bill said, then took Omar aside. “Hey, Omar, quick question: Are you insane?”

  Omar rubbed the back of his neck. “Look, I know we have our differences . . .”