Pregnant With His Liger Baby

Ilana reminded Micah so much of her mother already. Headstrong, beautiful, proud; he was certain she was special. That what they were doing now, to keep her safe, it was very important. It was like Boris said; Ilana was a symbol that all the cats could look to. She existed, and because she did, they knew that they could come together, that they could be strong enough to overcome everything that the collectors and their rich clients might throw their way.

It was no great surprise to anyone that the threat they expected to face wasn’t following from behind, but rather was waiting for them as they neared to docks. Four large trucks, ranged all across the road to block the way. David, who was driving the van in which Micah and the others were hidden, opened the little window behind his head to tell them what he saw ahead.

They pulled their van off to the side of the road and talked for a couple of minutes.

“Well, unless we can find another way to get past those trucks, the only thing I can think of is to get into the water and swim over to our boat while the other vans distract them. We can’t possibly drive down and get past them, we don’t have enough muscle to fight our way through.”

“There are other ways, gentlemen,” said Reba, who now poked her head out from above, in a tree she’d climbed at some point before their arrival. “Good to see you all again, by the way.”

The other two vans did not slow as they continued up the road. Reba motioned to the others to get up into the trees as well, and they all quickly climbed through them to a more neutral area, away from the abandoned van and the upcoming battle.

“What do you mean by other ways, love?” David wanted to know as they continued along toward the shoreline they could see in the distance beyond the trees.

“I’ve enlisted the help of a fishing boat,” she smirked. “It’s all arranged. We’re to board our boat from Greece after this little scow sneaks us away. Whether the others manage to catch the boat or not, we’re going to be free of Indian shores and able to find a way to go where we had planned.”

“And you still won’t tell us where that is?” Micah inquired.

“We’re not home free just yet,” she replied. “We still have to get to the scow. It’s possible we’d be seen. We should wait until the battle is in full swing before we make a run for it.”

And so, the little group remained there among the trees for about five minutes more. The sound of bullets echoed through the air. Tires squealed. Trucks’ engines revved, and more tires squealed. They had their chance, and they took it. Micah ran with Ilana like she was a prized football and he was headed for a winning touchdown.

“We’ve made it!” said Reba with a sigh of relief as she directed the group to quickly slip aboard. “Everyone into the hold. We don’t know if they will try to check the ships once they discover that none of you are among the others. Captain? Can we get under way?”

“We can, indeed,” agreed a tall, lean, rater animated man as he slammed the door shut behind the last of them. “Stay quiet in there, I’ll get you out of here. Not to worry.”

*****

Ilana was playing quietly on the bridge of the huge ship as it continued on its way across the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. This was her second voyage with Captain Edwards, but this one was by far more important than the first had been. Before, the seafaring had been only about getting away from the collectors and finding somewhere to hide until the real journey could begin. Now, they were finally on the open sea at last.

They had hidden in Egypt for nearly four months, so that the once small cub was now reaching her adolescence. Ever a curious cat, she had gotten into plenty of mischief during her formative years, and more than once she’d almost gotten the small group of twenty cats into trouble.

Some of the males had found mates among the humans while they were waiting to leave, so now there were eight aboard including Reba. Others had simply disappeared into the desert, going wherever it was they’d been headed. Sylvie couldn’t really say where that was, though. She hadn’t bothered to ask, and so she hadn’t been able to explain.

Right now, however, Ilana was much more curious about the whales. A pair of them had come out of the water, spouting water. Sylvie laughed at her daughter’s excited expression, though she was fairly certain she was wearing one as well. It wasn’t as though she had actually seen a whale before, either.

“They’re so beautiful, Mama!” Ilana insisted, her face split in half by the grin she wore. “When I am done maturing, I want to become a biologist. Do you think there’s any way that could ever happen?”

“In a world where people would rather enslave you than understand you? No,” said Sylvie sadly. “However, every day that you are alive, you’re bringing us hope that maybe someday that world won’t exist anymore. That there will come a day when you could become a biologist, if that’s really what you want to do.”

“You watch, Mama,” said Ilana with determination. “Someday, I’ll get the humans to see that we have just as much right to live free as they do. Just see if I don’t.”

“I’m sure you will, kitten,” she said proudly.

Captain Edwards stood watching, a look of wonder upon his handsome face. “She’s such an interesting kitty, isn’t she?” he said with a wry grin. “I hope I’m there on the day she succeeds. I would love to see it.”

“Captain? Pirates off the starboard bow!” shouted one of the men.

“Damn!” Micah gasped. “Those are not pirates, Boris. They look like collectors. Captain, do you think we’ll be able to lose them?”

“I doubt it completely,” he replied. “I’ll have to get your family off this boat. It’s the only chance Ilana has of fulfilling her dream.”

“There’s no room in one of those life boats for all of us,” Sylvie insisted. “You must get Ilana out of here. She’s the one who must survive.”

“I thought a captain must always go down with his ship?” Boris protested. “Why are you sending her with him?”

“Because he’s the one who knows the way,” said Sylvie, the despair in her voice clear. “He’s the only one here who knows how to figure out which way is north, or the directions of the ocean currents, or how to catch food out on the open sea. Isn’t that right, sir?”

Edwards sighed. “I’m afraid she is right,” he told Boris. “There’s no other man here I could recommend in my stead. ‘Swain, get the life boat ready. I’m off on another grand adventure. Come on, kitten, we’ve got to be quick or those nasty men will catch us, too. I hope you’re ready to help me row.”

“Aye, aye, Captain Edwards,” Ilana agreed, giving him a salute. “And you two will be along soon, right Mama, right Papa?”

“We can’t promise you that, kitten,” Sylvie said with tears in her eyes. “These men aren’t going to simply let us go.”