THE FERALS PART 3
BREAKING NEWS: The war continues to take its toll. Many of our human fighters supporting the Ferals died this week. Enemy Medved broke through our lines. They made their way into one of our intelligence camps and wreaked havoc. Ten of our soldiers died before taking down the beasts. This is a reminder to be ever vigilant when in the presence of Ferals. They can and will kill you if given the chance.
Silvy was walking back from the kits’ bedroom when the news ended for the moment. It always repeated until something new needed to be said. “Makes me so mad to hear the news all the time. They mention human lives being lost but not Ferals.”
The mother Feral placed a large paw on Silvy’s shoulder. “You have the passion of a Feral, my dear, but this is the way the world works for now.”
“I may have your passion, but I have no way of changing things. I wish I could. It’s not right how you get treated. You’re not the killing machines they make you out to be.” A tear ran down Silvy’s cheek.
As delicately as a bee landing on a flower, the mother Feral whipped the tear away with a single finger. “If the wind wishes to change our fate, it will tell us. Nothing can be done until that moment.”
“I know, but I want to help. I would live here with you if I was allowed to.” Silvy wrapped her arms tight around her slender chest. She looked around the kitchen they both stood in. “When is your son and husband coming back from the front line?”
The sound of purring emanated from the mother. It wasn’t the purr of content or happiness. It was distress. “My son will be home soon. My husband was one of the Ferals who died in the latest attack.”
Now the tears streamed down Silvy’s face. “What? No! Have you told the kits yet?”
“I have not. I will tell them tonight when my son comes home. We will mourn. The camp is allowed a midnight mass to say farewell to those we have lost this time. Under guard, of course.”
Silvy ran up to the mother Feral and hugged her tightly. Her head only came to just under the mother’s chest so when those long powerful arms embraced her back, they mostly encompassed her head. When she pulled away, Silvy looked up into the sad yellow eyes of her friend. “I am so sorry. Can I do anything, help in any way?”
“Your love is all that is needed. Now run along. You have several more trips to make and I would hate to be the reason you were disciplined.”
“It feels wrong leaving you like this. I should stay.” Silvy wiped her face trying to dry it.
“Nonsense. We will see you next week, love. Now go. Our hearts go with you.” There were tears matting up the mother’s fur just under each eye now.
“As mine goes with you.” A hand placed on her chest where her heart beat, was the universal sign for that parting. They both did it until Silvy was out the door. She grabbed the handles of her scooter and walked back to the compound’s entrance.
Already the picketers were out with their vulgar signs and yelling profanities towards the Ferals living within the fence. They demanded all Ferals be put to death and that they were dangerous to all humans. Silvy wanted to punch them all and tell them humans were worse but that wouldn’t help.
She looked down the length of the front fence to see families huddled together, pushing the buttons that would make each outer wall of the Feral home closest to the fence turn invisible. They pointed and laughed while the children held tightly to their parent’s legs.
Rage burned inside of Silvy. Was there nothing she could do to help? How could this be deemed appropriate? She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from saying something that would get her beat up or arrested and took off on her bike.
As she rode back into town for another run, she passed countless news bulletins scrolling through the latest news. Tears blurred her vision even though she wore goggles. The news of her friend’s husband being killed and the sight of all those people outside their compound just made them flow even more. When she tried to blink through them at the same time as looking at one of the billboards, something caught her eye. It was almost like she saw some other writing under the news. It was in a different color and larger. She tried to see it on the next one she drove past but couldn’t seem to duplicate the effect. Was her mind playing tricks on her?
Silvy was finally back at the grocery store for her next purchase. She had finally stopped crying, thankfully. Not that anyone would care. Everything was automated so unless you knew someone, you never had to worry about talking to anyone.
Coming out of the store with her bundle, she started to secure it to her scooter. Movement caught her eye. Something small hovered in the ally about six feet off the ground and close to the cement wall of the store.
She finished tying down her purchase and went into the ally. Just before she could get close enough, a tiny flying robot in the shape of a ball zipped past her head and up into the sky. Where it had hovered by the wall, a symbol was now etched. It was a paw print with triangles in a neat row beneath it. Each triangle was paired with a simple line on a different side than the last.
“That’s a strange thing to etch in a wall.” Even though Silvy was curious to find out what it meant, she had deliveries to make and Ferals depended on her. She wasn’t looking forward to seeing the picketers again so many times in one day but there was nothing to be done about it. Later that night she could try to look up what that symbol meant.
