Chapter 22: Changes

TERMS

tinton - 2 1/2 seconds
specton - 2 1/2 minutes
Toton - 2 1/2 hours
minton - 2 1/2 days
daycon - 2 1/2 weeks
Malant - 2 1/2 months
quant - 2 1/2 years
galant - 2 1/2 centuries
Metson - 2 1/2 inches
maclon - 2 1/2 feet
heckson - 2 1/2 miles
tetson - 2 1/2 acres
unit - 2 1/2 ccs

Characters

Bill Axor (AKA Ambrose) - Lion clan, Cit-Chac-Coh
King Tomco Traxor - Bill’s dead father, Lion clan
King Tobias Traxor - Bill’s dead brother, Lion clan
Queen Trianna Axor - Bill’s dead mother, Lion clan of Mandria
Queen Niaco Traxor - Tiger clan, Tobias mate, now Bill’s
Twitty Glax - Grey Tabby clan, bill’s body guard and mate
Glenna Nox - Bengal clan, Bill’s body guard and mate
Mikos Glac - Chartreux clan
Skylos - Commander of star cruiser - Wire hair clan
Henna Glac - Chartreux clan, Mikos mate, Xendran Doctor
Theta Panadon - Cheetah clan
Cornelius Glax - one of Bill’s Uncles, Grey Tabby clan
Conrad Nox - Bill’s other Uncle Bengal clan
Assassin group - Jaguar clan
second assassin group - Ocicat clan
Typree Maxor - Sub King of Mandria, Lion clan
Adina Maxor - Paladin Princess of Xendra, Sub-princess of Mandria, Lion clan
Timora - The great mother of the feline people, mate of first tribal leader
Hippacamp - Timora’s father, father of modern Xendran doctors

Knights

General Roth - Leopard clan
Gregor - Cougar clan
Gwayne - Panther clan
Thomas - Lynx clan

Paladins - Female Knights

Wrena - Leopard clan, Roth’s mate
Cetana - Cougar clan, Gregor’s mate
Dawney - Panther clan, Gwayne’s mate
Mileen - Lynx clan, Thomas’ mate


----

Ambrose shook his head at the declaration from Timora’s father. He started to open his mouth to refute the man, then shrugged; he’d be at it all day. Thinking for a moment, an idea came to mind. “I do not wish to be called by that name. I have given you a cure that will allow you to live. I am sorry; at the moment, I only have enough for thirty-three other people.”

Timora’s father’s eyes went wide, then he nodded. “The more we can save, the better it will be. Though I am afraid it is too late for many,” came the weak man’s voice.

“I should have enough for almost forty more later today. I think I can have enough for seventy-eight each day, though I need a way to get to the people that need it. Fighting off hundreds or thousands would lead to the death of many,” Ambrose told the man.

“So you need me and my daughter so you can give this to all?” The man’s head was nodding. “For what you have given and done for my family, I would be honored to help you, great Cit-Chac...” The man was suddenly quiet when Ambrose held up his hand.

“I’d rather you call me Ambrose, at least until more of your people are safe. At the moment, only you and Timora are immune,” Ambrose told the man.

Nodding again, Timora’s father lay back as the machines continued to monitor him. A mere specton later, they all heard Timora as she started to stir.

Trying to sit up and go to her father, she soon found out that it was best to sit still for a bit. Swallowing hard, they heard her ask, “Lord? Is father going to be okay? He is all I have now.”

Ambrose walked to her. “Yes, he should be fine now. He was just starting to come down with the malady.”

Sighing, Timora nodded. “Can you really help all those that are sick? Many of the young children are sick, plus most of those that are of advanced years are also sick.”

“Yes, your father has told me all of this. I...” There was a sudden rapid beeping of the machines that were hooked to Timora. Going to them, Ambrose’s eyes widened at the readings he saw there. Going to look at her father’s readings, he saw almost identical readings. Turning back to Timora, Ambrose looked closely at her. Sure enough, her fingernails were longer, almost claw-like. Shaking his head, a wide smile lit up his features.

Weakly, Timora lifted her hand to stare at the claw-like extensions of her nails. “Lord?” Almost panicking, she turned to Ambrose with a frightened, terrified look. “Lord, what is happening to me?”

Sighing now, Ambrose had to somehow explain to the young woman. “I am afraid that the only way to save all of you is this cure. It has changed you; you will be faster, stronger, and highly more sensitive to everything around you. I’m sorry, but it was the only way to save you.”

Timora was nodding, still staring at her clawed hand. Ambrose remained quiet as her eyes widened when the claws retreated into her hand. Ambrose’s smile widened as he nodded to her. “Do you know how far I will change, my lord?” she asked.

Ambrose shook his head. “Not at this moment, though I might soon. I’d have to have you here for a great amount of time. As we both know, others would grow suspicious.”

“Yes, that goes for both of us,” they heard from behind them. Timora’s father was on his feet, looking at the claws on his own hand. It was at that moment that Timora started to weakly giggle. Ambrose turned, then a wide smile lit up his human face. Both of her father’s ears had fur on them! Both were more cat-like, giving him a cat/human look.

“Sire!” Roth whispered to Ambrose. “Are we seeing the birth of our race?”

Ambrose nodded as he leaned to Roth. “I believe we are. Though I am afraid we are going to have to teach them how to...” Ambrose started.

“It’s not hard,” they heard Timora saying. “Just think of what your regular hand looked like.” Her still shocked father nodded then with a smile watched the claws retract from his hands, then his ears appearing human again.

“I am glad that you have learned how to change, my daughter.” Turning to Ambrose, the man bowed. “As soon as she is better, we need to go. I can see that it takes a bit of strength to survive. Our people are strong, I think even the sickest could survive. We will have to see, Ambrose. I’m sorry. I will try to remember. As for you being accepted, I think that will be easy, though after they start to change, that might change. We will just tell all that you are a medicine man from a tribe far to the north that heard of our troubles.”

Ambrose scratched his chin for a moment then nodded. “I see what you are saying. Let me get the rest of the cure for today, then we can proceed.”

It was almost a half minton later when six figures slipped into the village. They were met a few times by guards that regarded them with suspicious looks, especially when they saw the weapons that four of them had strapped to their backs.

They all quickly made their way to a huge isolated conical building. Once inside, the four with weapons had their mouths drop open at the sheer number of people within. An older man beckoning to them had them moving to another section. Within, they saw hundreds, mostly children.

Ambrose remembered the outbreak when he was a child, but this was by far worse than even his nightmares. Rapidly moving around the room, Timora’s father stopped at one bed. “Here, this is the worst of them. If it can help him, then I think that we have a chance.” Ambrose nodded as he adjusted for the youth of the child, and then with the older man blocking the view, injected the plasma into the boy’s arm.

They all sat beside the bed for almost two spectons when the boy’s body started to convulse. They had to place something over the boy’s mouth as he started to scream. Then another three spectons later, the boy’s body went limp. Ambrose pulled a small scanner from within his clothes. Looking up, he nodded to Timora’s father; a wide smile broke out on his face. Sighing, he stated, “We have a chance then; he was the worst of all of them.”

Nodding, Ambrose took more readings, seeing the plasma racing through his body. “How many have you lost?”

“He was the worst of the third set we moved in here. The first set had about a hundred; the last died two weeks ago. The second set had well over two hundred; the last of them died a few days ago. Will he survive?”

Ambrose looked at the rapidly climbing readings, nodding he said, “Yes, I believe he will. What did you mean if it can heal him we have a chance?”

“Oh! This is the chief’s son. If we can help him, then the chief might allow you almost anything you want,” Timora’s father said.

Ambrose looked at the older man for a moment then pointed to his ears. Closing his eyes, the older man’s features shifted back to human. “I’ll have to get as much ready as I can. I forgot in all this to ask you your name,” Ambrose said.

The older man bowed to Ambrose. “I am called Hippacamp, Lord,” Hippacamp said the last in a whisper.

Ambrose nodded when something clicked in his mind. Hippacamp!? Almost betraying his surprise, Ambrose had to turn away. [By the great Feline! Hippacamp! One of the greatest doctors, the father of all doctors! He was among those that landed that on Xendra! Cousin, be careful AND respectful!] Came Adina’s thoughts.

[I thought I told you to stay out of my thoughts, Adina!] Ambrose’s angry reply said.

[Sorry, with you as far away as you are, I had to make sure you are safe. Also, I wanted to tell you Skylos has the ship almost ready to go.] Came her reply.

Breaking out in a huge smile, Ambrose thought, [Finally, something is going the right way. Though I am afraid it might be a while before we can attempt to go home.]