Chapter 13

  Spies - Conquest

  A wicked-sounding laugh came out of the gorilla who was standing in a tree. Diagonally across the chest of the large gorilla was a leather strap that held two bone daggers, and at his hip, two bolas. He was looking back across the ground they had just traversed because he felt something was wrong.

  Conquest stopped his laughter and smiled, “I was right, fools.”

  And what were they doing? Conquest thought. He could see a large bird. It dropped down an otter and then landed in front of it. Even if he hadn't heard their voices, Conquest knew they were from the forest of animals. No bird that large would be in the Lower Plains, let alone this savanna. The river otter was clearly Upper Plain, probably from one of those families that thought they were so special and associated with the council.

  And what else did he see? Another elephant. This one was a little smaller, but that didn't matter. The runt of the litter would be just as good for their plans as the rest of the elephants they had captured. He was glad that he chose a few of his soldiers to come back with him. The plan was to double-check that they weren't being followed. His soldiers had complained that it could be anyone, but now he saw that his instincts were correct. Now, besides catching a couple of spies, he would catch the last of the elephants, which was just a bonus for the plan.

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  "Creator," Conquest mocked, with an unpleasant little laugh. "You brought me another piece to help me destroy your little kingdom. And a couple of spies, too."

  Conquest had little use for the creator. He hadn't helped him when he tried to overthrow the forest of animals, but. No, Conquest wasn't going to think about that. It was his right; he was going to rule.

  A plan in mind, Conquest jumped out of the tree and looked around. "Come, all of you, get over here."

  His team moved around him. He was pleased they were all there and ready. "Listen,” the otter and the bird were yelling so loud that it didn't take any great effort for the rest of Conquest's group to hear what was going on. A smile crossed all their faces.

  “You,” Conquest pointed at two of the gorillas, “Go that way.”

  “You two. That way.” Conquest pointed in the opposite direction. “Bond get the elephant, Storm go with him. The rest of you. Follow me."

  Conquest didn't have to say a lot. They understood what he wanted. He wanted them to be surrounded.

  As they started to move away, he said, "Quiet but quick, I do not want them to get away. No one escapes, but don't kill them if you can help it. We have a mission, you know."

  Each one frowned for a second, knowing what Conquest was talking about, then quickly turned and ran, not saying a word.

  Conquest moved quickly but quietly, straight out toward the grasses. The spies thought they could hide. The bird could get away easily. So, Conquest reached down and grabbed his bola. He was certain of his aim with this weapon. The bola, two stones connected by a braid vine, could take down about any animal.

  Conquest smiled; he got a perverse pleasure in using it on birds. If you got them in just the right height, the crash alone killed them. And though it would be bad if the bird died. What was required was that they at least bring one of them back alive.

  The one thing Conquest was certain of was that neither of them would see the forest of animals again.