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"They were gone by then," I reply simply, afraid she will be angry with me.
"Mordox," Zoe raises an accusing brow at me. "You knew they were looking for me and didn't tell me."
"If was for your safety I kept silent," I defend. "I am sorry for keeping you from your friends, but I don't regret keeping you as far away from that lab as possible. We all saw what remained inside. All of you could have been killed at any time had that creature woken up."
Drax pauses in his work on the stunner in his hands to peer around at all the faces crammed inside the confines of the shuttle. "We didn't know it was there. For that, I'm sorry. Like you, Mordox, I was doing what I thought best for my mate. At the time, the underground lab seemed to be the safest shelter for Stacy and her friends."
"It's not Drax's fault." Stacy leans forward, draping her arms over the back of our seat. "I tricked Drax and took off running into the forest. I wanted to get back to the girls because I wasn't sure I could trust him. Then we fell into the lift shaft and were stuck down there until we found our way out through the sunken steps. We explored what we thought was every room and found nothing."
"Sounds like we've all made mistakes with the best intentions," Rooke utters from the front of the small craft then points. "There's the xooinda trees. Where to now, Mordox?"
"To the left, then skirt around that nyru tree. My pods are in the top branches of the tallest hylen."
Rooke lowers the shuttle, skirting around the top branches. "Seriously? Where? All I see are leaves and branches."
"Trust me, it's there." I lift Zoe off my lap and place her in the seat.
"Is it cloaked?" Drax leans in close to the clear shielding covering the front.
"No, just hidden within the foliage." Crouched low, I wait next to the hatch. "Take us down just a bit lower and I'll jump out."
"Remind me to ask you if I ever need anything camouflaged," Slye barks out a laugh.
"Jump out?" Zoe gasps. "You can't just jump out of a plane with no parachute, Mordox."
I rub the translator plugged into my ear. "I don't know what those things are, but I'll be fine. Rooke, stay close. I'll toss up a rope, tie it to the shuttle's frame, and I can climb back up."
The hatch of the shuttle opens. Sultry air rushes inside, thick with humidity. The scent of ripe fruit, sweet flowers, and fresh foliage fills the interior of the shuttle.
I catch a glimpse of the terrace jutting out from the main pod and leap out. The sensation of free falling grabs my breath. I spread my arms wide, my tail jutting straight out from my body to help me navigate through the air. My heart pounds with excitement as the wind rushes around me and the terrace below rushes up to greet me.
My boots land with a hard thud on the wooden planks. I drop into a crouch and scan the surrounding area. The shuttle hovering above is an attention getter. I wouldn't be surprised if my traps were to catch one or more of the lab creatures with it here.
My hylen tree stands tall, its branches swaying gently in the warm breeze. For a brief moment, I pause to remember the feel of my home high in trees. Somehow, I know I will never see this place again, and for some strange reason, that makes me sad. After twenty rotations holed up here, hidden away and alone, I will miss my makeshift abode.
I hurry inside, grab an empty pack and fill it with the computer Drax needs and a few other bits of tech I think might be useful. I turn to leave but the bed catches my eye. I smile, my chest expanding as I recall the first time my lula opened her eyes and spoke to me. The spark that ignited between us has grown brighter with each passing cycle.
I step closer and my heart warms as the memories of her brief stay flood me. Curious how something which happened only a few cycles ago could feel like the passage of a lifetime.
Zoe and I have a lifetime ahead of us that doesn't include Zune, so I had better get on with it. I grab an extra coil of rope and step back onto the terrace. I peer up through the trees and the shuttle Rooke flies is where I left it, hovering low with the belly skimming the treetops.
I wave up to the ship and the hatch opens, Slye leaning out and ready to catch the rope I toss up to him. Once he ties it to the shuttle's frame, I haul myself up until I reach the hatch, where Slye grabs my arm to help me back inside.
"Promise you'll never do that again," Zoe sucks back a breath.
"I can only promise to try." I hand Drax the pack and pull the rope up behind me. "There's no telling what adventures await us."
As I turn to close the hatch, Tris leaps off Zoe's shoulder and down to the treetops below.
"No, Tris! Come back," Zoe shouts.
The plurshy disappears into the foliage before I can tell where she's gone.
"Mordox, we can't leave her here!" Zoe's tears are as fresh as the tropical rains but bitter with sorrow.
I tell Rooke to circle around the tree. With my fist wrapped in the rope, I lean out of the shuttle to try and spot my furry companion. The leaves blur as we move in a steady arc as I search for any sign of Tris. As we make our third pass, I call out for her, but she's nowhere to be seen.
Everyone in the shuttle is patient as I search the treetops in vain. After a time, and with a heavy heart, I close the hatch and take my seat with Zoe in my lap.
