Xavier's Arc

Chapter 8 of 21

Xavier packed at first light. He wanted to lead the tiger deep into the swamp, past the reeds, to ground no hunter would follow. He strapped on his tall alligator-hide boots so the mud could not drag him down. The tiger stood ready at the base of the vine ramp. Xavier looped a rope over its shoulders and stepped toward the tree line. The wolf-creature stood in the path. It was the same beast he had healed. Its shoulder was whole now. Its coat had filled out. It no longer looked starved. It looked bold. It planted its feet on the only dry route out and lowered its head. The tiger growled behind him. The fox cub pressed to his ankle and shook. Xavier saw the truth. His mercy had made this thing strong. Now it wanted more meat, and it had learned where to find it. He could not feed it forever. Feeding it again would only teach it to wait for him every dawn. He drew the bone knife. The serrated blade caught the gray light. He did not want to kill it. But he had to open the path. He stepped forward and swung his free arm wide. "Go," he said. "There is nothing here for you." The wolf-creature snapped at his boot. Its teeth scraped the alligator hide and slid off. Xavier did not flinch back. He drove his knee into its jaw and slashed the knife across its ear. The beast yelped. It had counted on him being soft. He was not soft now. The tiger surged past him. Red fur, yellow stripes, teeth. It slammed into the wolf-creature and rolled it into the mud. The smaller beast twisted free, bleeding from the ear, and scrambled back. It looked at the tiger. It looked at the knife. Then it turned and ran into the reeds. This time it did not circle. It was gone. Xavier stood breathing hard. The path lay open. He wiped the blade on his sleeve and sheathed it. Then Berry came out of the trees behind him, moving slow on his heavy legs. The black bear had taught him the roots, the trust, the height of a safe branch. Now he watched the empty path with a grim face. "You beat it off," Berry said. "Good. But it learned your scent. And it saw you win." He nodded toward the reeds. "A beast like that does not forget a fight. It will bring its pack." Xavier looked at the tiger, then at the deep swamp ahead. He had won the ground. But he had traded one hungry hunter for a whole pack that now knew his face. He tightened the rope, checked his boots, and led the tiger into the reeds. He had to reach that deeper ground before they came back in numbers.